Patent ID: 6139104
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
A vehicle seat comprising:a generally horizontal seat bottom having a rear end;a seat back extending upwardly from said rear end of said seat bottom;a seat back adjusting mechanism mounting said seat back to said seat bottom for rotation about a primary pivot to adjust said seat back within a range of recline positions between a foremost recline position and a rearmost recline position and for rotation about said primary pivot forward beyond said foremost recline position to a forward dump easy entry position;said adjusting mechanism further having a secondary pivot displaced from said primary pivot about which said seat back rotates from said foremost recline position to a generally horizontal fold flat position;said adjusting mechanism including a recliner operable to hold said seat back in an adjusted position within said range of recline positions when engaged, said recliner being releasable to adjust said seat back position, a dump latch releasable to enable said seat back to rotate to said forward dump easy entry position and an upper latch operable to hold said seat back fixed about said secondary pivot when engaged, said upper latch being releasable to rotate said seat back about said secondary pivot to said fold flat position; andsaid adjusting mechanism including a recliner release pivot actuatable to release said recliner and an upper latch release mechanism coupling said recliner release pivot to said upper latch and being operable to release said upper latch, wherein said upper latch release mechanism includes a first linkage connected to said recliner release pivot and a second linkage connected to said upper latch, said first and second linkages engaging one another when said recliner release pivot is actuated and said seat back rotates forward about said primary pivot to said foremost recline position to release said upper latch.