Overmolded track for an integrated thigh-extension of a vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9981582-B2
Application number	US-201615091803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2016
Priority date	Apr 6, 2016
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A thigh-extension for a vehicle seat includes a metallic thigh-extension plate, an extension track defined by a low-friction resin overmolded onto the thigh-extension plate and a thigh-extension slider having an integral groove slidably engaged with the extension track to define a plurality of thigh-extension positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat comprising:
a seat frame;
a first thigh-extension plate coupled to the seat frame, wherein the first thigh-extension plate is metallic and includes an overmold that includes a first pair of inner and outer extension tracks, wherein the overmold is overmolded onto a portion of the first thigh-extension plate; and
a first thigh-extension slider engaged with the first thigh-extension plate, wherein the first thigh-extension slider defines inner and outer grooves that slidably engage the inner and outer extension tracks, respectively, of the overmold of the first thigh-extension plate to define a plurality of first thigh-extension positions.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second thigh-extension plate coupled to the seat frame, wherein the second thigh-extension plate includes a second pair of inner and outer extension tracks overmolded onto a portion of the second thigh-extension plate; and
a second thigh-extension slider engaged with the second thigh-extension plate, wherein the second thigh-extension slider defines inner and outer grooves that slidably engage the second pair of inner and outer extension tracks, respectively of the second thigh-extension plate to define a plurality of second thigh-extension positions, wherein the first thigh-extension plate and first thigh-extension slider define a right thigh extender, and wherein the second thigh-extension plate and second thigh-extension slider define a left thigh extender.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , further comprising:
first and second motors engaged with the first and second thigh-extension sliders, respectively, wherein the first and second motors selectively and independently operate the first and second thigh-extension sliders between the pluralities of first and second thigh-extension positions, respectively.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , wherein the first and second pairs of inner and outer extension tracks include a low-friction resin, and wherein the first pair of inner and outer extension tracks are overmolded on inner and outer edges, respectively, of the first thigh-extension plate, and wherein the second pair of inner and outer extension tracks are overmolded on inner and outer edges, respectively, of the second thigh-extension plate.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 4 , wherein the low-friction resin is acetyl.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , wherein the first and second thigh-extension sliders are made of glass-filled nylon.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 3 , wherein the first and second motors are screw-drive motors.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , wherein the first and second thigh-extension plates are metallic plates that are fixedly connected to the seat frame.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , wherein the first and second thigh-extension sliders include respective first and second thigh cushions that operate with the first and second thigh-extension sliders to further define the respective pluralities of first and second thigh-extension positions.

10. A thigh-extension for a vehicle seat comprising:
a metallic thigh-extension plate;
an extension track defined by a low-friction resin overmolded onto the metallic thigh-extension plate, the low-friction resin forming inner and outer extension tracks; and
a thigh-extension slider that includes integral inner and outer grooves that slidably engage with the inner and outer extension tracks that are made of the low-friction resin that is overmolded onto the metallic thigh-extension plate.

11. The thigh-extension of claim 10 , wherein the low-friction resin is acetyl.

12. The thigh-extension of claim 10 , wherein the thigh-extension slider includes glass-filled nylon.

13. The thigh-extension of claim 12 , wherein the thigh-extension slider includes 15 percent glass-filled nylon.

14. The thigh-extension of claim 10 , wherein the thigh-extension plate is fixedly connected to a seat frame.

15. The thigh-extension of claim 10 , further comprising:
a screw-drive motor coupled to the thigh-extension slider and the thigh-extension plate, wherein the motor selectively operates the thigh-extension slider between the plurality of thigh-extension positions relative to the thigh-extension plate.

16. A method of forming a thigh-extension for a vehicle seat, the method comprising steps of:
overmolding a low-friction resin onto a metallic thigh-extension plate to define inner and outer thigh-extension tracks;
sliding a nylon thigh-extension slider onto the inner and outer thigh-extension tracks, wherein the nylon thigh-extension slider includes inner and outer grooves that slidably engage the inner and outer extension tracks, respectively; and
attaching the metallic thigh-extension plate to a seat frame.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising a step of:
attaching a motor to the metallic thigh-extension plate and the nylon thigh-extension slider, wherein the motor selectively operates the nylon thigh-extension slider between a plurality of thigh-extension positions relative to the metallic thigh-extension plate.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the low-friction resin is acetyl, and wherein the nylon thigh-extension slider includes glass-filled nylon.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
attaching an adjacent metallic thigh-extension plate to the seat frame, where the metallic thigh-extension plate and the adjacent metallic thigh-extension plate at least partially define left and right operable thigh-extensions.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Line Johnathan Andrew
• Kondrad Marcos Silva
• Casey Carol
• Brinker Rodney Charles

Classifications

• B60N2/62 Primary

  Thigh-rests {(B60N2/914 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29L2031/30

  Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof {(vanes or blades B29L2031/08, air bags B29L2022/027)} · CPC title

• B60N2/0284 Primary

  Adjustable seat-cushion length (B60N2/0224 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C45/14336

  Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article (B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29L2031/771

  Seats · CPC title