Patent ID: 6199953
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
A seat hinge assembly for use with a seat having a seatback supported for pivotal movement about a pivot relative to a seat bottom, comprising:a lower hinge member adapted to be secured to the seat bottom;an upper hinge member adapted to be fixed to the seatback, said upper hinge member being pivotably coupled to said lower hinge member about said pivot for pivotal movement relative thereto between a forward dumped position and a fully reclined position;a latching mechanism operable in a latched mode for securing said upper hinge member in a fixed position relative to said lower hinge member for retaining the seatback in a reclined position within an adjustment range, said latching mechanism being further operable in an unlatched mode for releasing said upper hinge member for movement relative to said lower hinge member; anda memory mechanism operable in a non-actuated mode for permitting independent actuation of said latching mechanism and in an actuated mode for maintaining said latching mechanism in said unlatched mode, said memory mechanism including a blocker coupled to said lower hinge member for movement between a blocking position and a retracted position, and an actuator coupled to said upper hinge member at a location spaced from said pivot so as to move with the pivotal movement of said upper hinge member and operatively engaged with said blocker to move said blocker into said blocking position when said upper hinge member is pivoted into a memory actuating position forward of said adjustment range and to move said blocker into said retracted position upon movement of said upper hinge member from said memory actuating position to a predetermined design position.