Track assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12489263-B2
Application number	US-202318532751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2023
Priority date	Dec 7, 2023
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

A track assembly, comprising a track, a track electrical connector movably connected to the track, and a support assembly slidably connected to the track. The support assembly includes a support assembly electrical connector connectable with the track electrical connector, a latch selectively engageable with the track electrical connector, and an actuator including at least one of a lever, an actuator cable, or a handle. The actuator is operably coupled with the latch to selectively disengage the latch from the track electrical connector. The track electrical connector is movable with the support assembly and relative to the support assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A track assembly, comprising:
a track; a track electrical connector movably connected to the track; and a support assembly slidably connected to the track, the support assembly including:
a support assembly electrical connector connectable with the track electrical connector;
a latch selectively engageable with the track electrical connector; and
an actuator including at least one of a lever, an actuator cable, or a handle, the actuator operably coupled with the latch to selectively disengage the latch from the track electrical connector;
wherein the track electrical connector is movable with the support assembly and relative to the support assembly.

2 . The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the track electrical connector is biased toward a longitudinal end of the track.

3 . The track assembly of claim 2 , wherein the track electrical connector is coupled with a cable disposed at least partially in a cable winder that biases the track electrical connector toward the longitudinal end of the track.

4 . The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the track electrical connector includes a ramped surface configured to contact the latch and facilitate engagement of the latch with the track electrical connector.

5 . The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly is vertically removable from the track.

6 . The track assembly of claim 5 , wherein the support assembly includes an anchor that selectively engages the track to restrict vertical removal of the support assembly from the track.

7 . The track assembly of claim 6 , wherein the actuator is operably coupled with the anchor such that operation of the actuator moves the anchor to a removal position and disengages the latch from the track electrical connector.

8 . The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the track electrical connector is configured to receive a portion of the support assembly electrical connector.

9 . The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the track electrical connector is configured to slide within the track.

10 . The track assembly of claim 1 , comprising a cable winder connected to the track and an electrical cable disposed partially in the cable winder; and
wherein the track electrical connector is connected to the electrical cable.

11 . The track assembly of claim 10 , wherein the cable winder is connected to a longitudinal end of the track and biases the track electrical connector toward the longitudinal end of the track such that when the latch is disengaged from the track electrical connector, the track electrical connector automatically returns to the longitudinal end of the track.

12 . The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly includes a spring biasing the latch toward an engaged position.

13 . The track assembly of claim 1 , wherein the latch or the track electrical connector includes a protrusion and the other of the latch or the track electrical connector includes a receptacle configured to at least partially receive the protrusion to lock the track electrical connector with the support assembly electrical connector.

14 . The track assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second track electrical connector;
wherein:
the track includes a first connector dock disposed at a first end of the track and a second connector dock disposed at a second end of the track;
the track electrical connector is biased toward the first end;
the second track electrical connector is biased toward the second end; and
the support assembly includes a second support assembly electrical connector engageable with the second track electrical connector.

15 . The track assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first connector dock includes a first cable winder and the second connector dock includes a second cable winder.

16 . The track assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a second support assembly including:
a third support assembly electrical connector engageable with the track electrical connector; and a fourth support assembly electrical connector engageable with the second track electrical connector.

17 . The track assembly of claim 16 , wherein, in a first configuration, the support assembly electrical connector is engaged with the track electrical connector, and the fourth support assembly electrical connector is engaged with the second track electrical connector; and
in a second configuration, the second support assembly electrical connector is engaged with the second track electrical connector, and the third support assembly electrical connector is engaged with the track electrical connector.

18 . A method of operating the track assembly of claim 1 , the method comprising:
inserting a portion of the support assembly into the track; sliding the support assembly along the track toward a longitudinal end of the track to engage the support assembly electrical connector with the track electrical connector; sliding the support assembly with the track electrical connector away from the longitudinal end of the track; operating the actuator to disengage the latch from the track electrical connector; and moving the track electrical connector toward the longitudinal end separately from the support assembly.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising vertically removing the support assembly from the track after operating the actuator.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein:
the track electrical connector is connected to an electrical cable disposed at least partially in a winder; sliding the support assembly with the track electrical connector includes unwinding the electrical cable from the winder; and the winder automatically moves the track electrical connector toward the longitudinal end after the actuator is operated to disengage the latch.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Faye Patrick
• Iecker Julien

Classifications

• B60N2/0722

  Constructive details · CPC title

• B60N2/90

  Details or parts not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• H01R43/26

  for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629) · CPC title

• B60N2/0715

  C or U-shaped · CPC title

• H01R35/025 Primary

  having a flexible conductor wound around a rotation axis · CPC title