Patent ID: 7871128
Filing Date: 2011-01-18
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
1. A seat-back motion controller for use in a vehicle seat including a reclinable seat back mounted for forward and rearward pivotable movement relative to a seat base, the seat-back motion controller comprising a seat hinge including a seat-cushion mount plate adapted to be mounted to a seat cushion in a vehicle seat to establish a seat base, a backrest mount plate adapted to be mounted to a backrest in a vehicle seat to establish a seat back and mounted for pivotable movement about a recliner pivot axis to free the seat back for forward and rearward movement relative to the seat base, and a seat recliner associated with the seat-cushion and backrest mount plates and configured to include a housing and an anti-rotation lock movable in the housing between a locked position arranged to anchor the backrest mount plate in a stationary position relative to the seat-cushion mount plate to establish a user-selected reclined position of the seat back relative to the seat base and an unlocked position arranged to free the backrest mount plate for forward and rearward pivotable movement relative to the seat-cushion mount plate to facilitate movement of the seat back relative to the seat base to one of a seat-back dump position, a user-selected reclined position, and a single seat-back reset memory position, an anti-rotation lock mover including a recliner control spindle coupled to the anti-rotation lock and supported for rotation about the recliner pivot axis to move the anti-rotation lock between the locked and unlocked positions and a recliner actuation system coupled to the recliner control spindle and configured to rotate the recliner control spindle about the recliner pivot axis to move the anti-rotation lock between the locked and the unlocked positions, and a single-position-memory dump unit including a moving seat-back dump-control post coupled to the seat back for movement therewith and an anti-rotation lock mover anchor arranged to intercept the moving seat-back dump-control post during forward and rearward pivoting movement of the seat back about the recline pivot axis, the anti-rotation lock mover anchor including a spindle-position controller coupled to the recliner control spindle to rotate therewith about the recliner pivot axis, a controller rotation blocker mounted for pivotable movement about a blocker pivot axis arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the recliner pivot axis, and blocker actuator means for pivoting the controller rotation blocker about the blocker pivot axis in a counterclockwise direction and pivoting the spindle-position controller about the recliner pivot axis in a clockwise direction to cause the controller rotation blocker to engage a stop pad included in the spindle-position controller upon exposure to a force applied by the moving seat-back dump-control post during forward pivoting movement of the seat back about the recliner pivot axis from the user-selected reclined position toward the seat-back dumping position while the anti-rotation lock has been moved to assume the unlocked position to retain the spindle-position controller in a stationary position to cause the recliner control spindle coupled thereto to remain in a stationary position retaining the anti-rotation lock in the unlocked position so that the seat back is free to pivot in a rearward direction from the seat-back dumping position to the single seat-back reset memory position.