Loop Latch Release For Power Long Rail Assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022048411-A1
Application number	US-201917415136-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2019
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	Feb 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power long rail assembly is attached to a vehicle floor for repositioning vehicle seats in a vehicle between a plurality of seating positions. The power long rail assembly includes a fixed long rail and a power rail drive assembly configured to travel along the fixed long rail. The power rail drive assembly has an upper channel having a driving wheel configured to frictionally and/or meshingly engage with the fixed rail, a fore/aft motor operatively coupled to the driving wheel, a latch assembly for locking the upper channel to the fixed long rail, and a latch release mechanism having a latch motor operatively coupled to a release plunger for automatically unlocking the latch assembly from the fixed long rail, and a fore/aft button operatively coupled to the fore/aft motor and to the latch motor to selectively activate the fore/aft motor and the latch motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power long rail assembly for transposing a vehicle seat within a vehicle, the power long rail assembly comprising:
a fixed long rail; a power rail drive assembly configured to be transposed along said fixed long rail in a fore direction and an opposite aft direction; a latch operatively coupled to said power rail drive assembly and repositionable between a locked position and an unlocked position, said latch being spring-biased towards said locked position, wherein when said latch is in said locked position, said power rail drive assembly is interlocked with said fixed long rail preventing movement of said power rail drive assembly, and when said latch is in said unlocked position, said power rail drive assembly is transposable along said fixed long rail; and a latch release mechanism operatively coupled with said latch, said latch release mechanism including a latch motor having a first drive shaft operatively coupled to a release plunger and configured to move said release plunger between a retracted position and an extended position; wherein when said release plunger is in said extended position, said release plunger engages and actuates said latch to said unlocked position, and when said release plunger is in said retracted position, said latch automatically locks with said fixed long rail.

2 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said power rail drive assembly comprises:
an elongated upper channel, said upper channel configured to travel along said fixed long rail in fore and aft directions; and a fore-aft motor having an output shaft operatively coupled to a driving wheel, said driving wheel rotationally coupled to said upper channel and operatively coupled to said fixed long rail; wherein activating said fore-aft motor to rotate said output shaft in a fore-aft motor first rotational direction rotates said driving wheel in a wheel first rotational direction transposing said power rail drive assembly along said fixed long rail in said fore direction, and activating said fore-aft motor to rotate said output shaft in a fore-aft motor second rotational direction rotates said driving wheel in a wheel second rotational direction transposing said power rail drive assembly along said fixed long rail in said aft direction, said fore-aft motor first rotational direction being opposite said fore-aft motor second rotational direction, and said wheel first rotational direction being opposite said wheel second rotational direction.

3 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein:
said latch being operatively coupled to said upper channel, said latch including a release trigger configured to reposition said latch between said locked position and said unlocked position; wherein when said release plunger is in said retracted position, activating said latch motor to rotate said first drive shaft in a shaft first rotational direction extends said release plunger, and when said release plunger is in said extended position, activating said latch motor to rotate said first drive shaft in a shaft second rotational direction retracts said release plunger, wherein said shaft first rotational direction is opposite said shaft second rotational direction; and wherein when said release plunger is in said extended position, said release plunger frictionally engages with said release trigger moving said latch from said locked position to said unlocked position, and when said release plunger is in said retracted position, said release plunger is spaced apart from said release trigger such that said latch automatically locks with said fixed long rail.

4 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 3 , wherein:
said latch release mechanism includes an actuator cam having an axis of rotation with said actuator cam being rotationally coupled to said first drive shaft, said actuator cam including a control slot; and said release plunger being operatively coupled to said control slot.

5 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 4 , wherein:
said control slot includes a first cam section and a second cam section, said first cam section and said second cam section being spaced apart along said control slot; wherein when said release plunger is frictionally engaged with said first cam section, said release plunger is in said retracted position; and when said release plunger is frictionally engaged with said second cam section, said release plunger is in said extended position.

6 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 5 , wherein rotating said first drive shaft rotates said actuator cam about said axis of rotation such that said release plunger is moved between frictionally engaging said first cam section and frictionally engaging said second cam section.

7 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said release plunger includes a pin projecting at an angle from said release plunger, said pin operatively coupled to said control slot such that said pin frictionally engages with said first cam section when said release plunger is in said retracted position and said pin frictionally engages with said second cam section when said release plunger is in said extended position.

8 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of said first cam section has a positive pressure angle with respect to said pin when said pin is frictionally engaged with said first cam section.

9 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of said second cam section has a negative pressure angle with respect to said pin when said pin is frictionally engaged with said second cam section.

10 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 9 , wherein:
said first drive shaft is fixedly coupled to a worm; said actuator cam includes a worm gear fixedly coupled to said actuator cam and aligned with said axis of rotation of said actuator cam, said worm gear being meshingly engaged with said worm; and wherein rotating said first drive shaft rotates said worm and said worm gear such that said actuator cam rotates about said axis of rotation.

11 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 10 , wherein:
said latch release mechanism includes an outer housing with said actuator cam rotationally coupled to said outer housing; said outer housing including a passageway aligned with said release trigger; and said release plunger extending through said passageway.

12 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 11 , said passageway includes a passageway opening and a lip extending at least partially around said passageway opening; and
wherein said lip retains alignment of said release plunger with said release trigger as said actuator cam is rotated about said axis of rotation.

13 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein:
said latch includes one or more of a loop, a pin, a finger, and/or a plate configured to frictionally and/or meshingly engage with said fixed long rail when said latch is in said locked position; and wherein when said release plunger is in said extended position, said release plunger frictionally engaging said release trigger and repositions said one or more of said loop, said pin, said finger, and/or said plate from said locked position to said unlocked position with said one or more of said loop, said pin, said finger, and/or said plate spaced apart from said fixed long rail.

14 . The power long rail assembly as set forth in claim 13 , said power long rail assembly including a fore/aft button operati

Assignees

• Zhao Kai
• Nacy Michael D
• Marini Detjon
• Vetere Ii Louis
• Dioum Cheikh
• Magna Seating Inc

Inventors

• Zhao Kai
• Nacy Michael D
• Marini Detjon
• Vetere Ii Louis
• Dioum Cheikh

Classifications

• B60N2/0705 Primary

  omega-shaped · CPC title

• B60N2/0818

  inside the rail · CPC title

• B60N2002/924

  using electric or hydraulic energy · CPC title

• B60N2/0875

  in a vertical direction · CPC title

• B60N2/0881 Primary

  Activation of the latches by the control mechanism · CPC title