MOUNTING MECHANISM FOR A SEAT

Abstract: A mounting mechanism for a seat, comprising slide means providing for sliding movement of the seat relative to a support therefor; latch means for retaining the seat in a selected one of a number of positions in its range of said sliding movement; and means for retaining an indication of said selected seat position to enable the seat to be moved from said selected position and returned thereto.

Description: "Mounting Mechanism for a Seat" This invention relates to a mounting mechanism for a seat, providing for sliding adjustment of the position of the seat relative to a support therefor, and latching of the seat in a selected one of a number of positions within its range of movement relative to the support. The invention has been devised in relation to such a mechanism intended for mounting the seat of a motor vehicle, e.g. a passenger car. At least the driver's seat of a passenger car or virtually any other motor vehicle requires to be adjustable in the fore-and-aft direction to enable drivers of different stature satisfactorily to reach and operate the vehicle's controls. Such adjustment is usually provided by a mounting mechanism enabling the seat to be slidden forwardly and rearwardly. In some such vehicles, such adjustment of the seat also is required to facilitate access to the vehicle, e.g. to the rear seats of a passenger car which is not provided with an openable door or doors adjacent the rear seats, such adjustment of the seat being alternative or additional to folding or tilting of a part or all of the seat. With conventional slidably adjustable seat mounting mechanisms, incorporating latch means for retaining the seat in its required adjusted position, resumption of the required seat position after such sliding may require a considerable amount of "trial and error" on the part of the seat occupant before the correct position of the seat is established. Accordingly there exists a requirement for the provision in a seat mounting mechanism of a facility enabling a required adjusted position of the seat within its range of sliding movement to be "remembered" whilst the seat is slid from such position, so that the seat can be returned to such position. It is broadly the object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for this purpose. According to the present invention, we provide a mounting mechanism for a seat, comprising slide means providing for sliding movement of the seat relative to a support therefor; first latch means for retaining the seat in a selected one of a number of positions in its range of said sliding movement; and means for retaining an indication of said selected seat position, to enable the seat to be moved from said position and returned thereto. Preferably the means for retaining an indication of said selected position of the seat comprises a marker member and releasable means for retaining the marker member in a selected position relative to the slide means. Preferably, the means for retaining the marker member comprises a further latch means (herein termed the memory latch means). Preferably the first latch means comprises a first latch member operable between engaged and disengaged positions in which it respectively prevents and permits said sliding movement of the seat. The slide means may comprise respective slide members adapted for connection to the seat and the support respectively. The first latch member may be associated with said one of said slide members and co-operable when in its engaged position with a selected one or ones of a plurality of latch formations spaced along the other slide member to prevent said sliding movement. The memory latch means preferably comprises a memory latch member associated with said marker member between engaged and disengaged positions in which it respectively prevents and permits movement of the marker member relative to the slide member. The first latch member and/or the memory latch member may be pivotable between their respective engaged and disengaged positions. Preferably there is operating means operable to move both the first latch means and memory latch means to their disengaged positions when the seat is required to be adjusted in its selected position to suit a particular occupant of the seat, and further operating means operable to move only the first latch means to its disengaged position when the seat is required to be moved from a selected adjusted position, e.g. for access purposes, and returned to such adjusted position. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of seat adjustment mechanism in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic elevation of the mechanism in a first operative position; FIGURE 3 is a view as Figure 2, but in an alternative operative condition, wherein the seat is latched in the adjusted position retained as shown in Figure 2; FIGURE 4 is a view as Figures 2 and 3, but in an alternative operative position in the selected position of the seat can be adjusted. Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, this shows a seat mounting mechanism for a vehicle seat, the mechanism comprising a slide means constituted by a lower slide member 4 which in use would be attached to the vehicle structure, and an upper slide member 3 which in use would be attached to the seat. The two slide members are of cross-sectional shapes which interfere with one another to provide relative sliding movement therebetween in the direciton lengthwise thereof. The lower slide member 4 is ' provided with a plurality of latch formations in the form of windows 11, spaced along the slide member. A first, main, latch member 1, which is pivoted about a pivot 8 fixed to the upper slide member, has teeth 12 which are engageable with the windows 11 when the main latch member is in an engaged position, to latch the upper and lower slide members to one another in a selected position within their range of sliding movement. The main latch member is pivotable to a disengaged position in which the teeth 12 are clear of the windows 11, enabling the slide members to move lengthwise relative to one another. A memory latch member 2 is pivotally mounted at a pivot 7 to a marker member in the form of a memory latch carrier 5. The memory latch member 2 has teeth 18 which are engageable when the memory latch member is in an engaged position, with the windows 11 in the lower slide member 4. When the memory latch member 2 is pivoted to a disengaged position and its teeth 18 do not co-operate with the windows 11, the memory latch carrier 5 is free to slide relative to the lower slide member 4 in a slot 19 in a guide plate 13 secured to the lower slide member. Memory latch member 2 is biased by a spring 9 to its engaged position. A relay lever 6 is operable to disengage both the main latch member 1 and memory latch member 2 from their engaged positions, enabling the upper slide member 3 to move lengthwise relative to the lower slide member 4. The memory latch carrier 5 and the memory latch with it travel with the upper slide member 3, the path of movement of the memory latch carrier being controlled by its engagement in the slot 19 of the guide plate 13. Such adjustment is shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. After such fore and aft adjustment of the seat to a chosen position, the relay lever is released, whereupon both latch members are spring biased into their engaged position in which they co-operate with the windows 11 in the lower slide member, as shown in Figure 3. The main latch member 1 can be moved to its disengaged position independently of the memory latch member 2 as shown in Figure 2. When thus disengaged, the upper slide member 3 can be moved lengthwise relative to the lower slide member 4 whilst the memory latch carrier 5 retains its position relative to the lower slide member 4. Initial movement of the upper slide member 3 relative to the lower slide member 4 allows a hold-out latch member 14 to rotate about its pivot 16 on a main latch mounting bracket 21, such pivotal movement taking place under the influence of a spring 15. The hold-out latch 14 engages an abutment 20 provided on the main latch member 1, preventing the main latch member from returning to its engaged position until the condition described below is reached. The upper slide member and the seat attached thereto are now free to slide forwardly while the memory latch carrier member remains in its existing position relative to the lower slide member 4, being held in such position by engagement of its teeth 18 with the appropriate windows 11. When the seat is slid rearwardly again, the hold-out latch makes contact with a face 17 on the memory latch carrier 5. Further rearward movement of the seat rotates the hold-out latch about its pivot, thereby disengaging the hold-out latch from the main latch abutment 20. This allows the main latch to move rotationally, and its teeth 12 to engage the appropriate windows 11 in the lower slide member. Thus the seat is again latched in its starting position from which it was first moved forwardly. It will thus be appreciated that the mechanism according to the present invention allows the establishment of an adjusted position for the seat, and thereafter unlatching of the seat from such adjusted position and free forwards and rearwards movement of the seat until it again is returned to the adjusted position, whereupon the seat is again latched in position. It will be appreciated that a seat adjustment mechanism may be provided operating in accordance with the principles above described but incorporating different configurations and/or dispositions of the various components thereof. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A mounting mechanism for a seat, comprising slide means providing for sliding movement of the seat relative to a support therefor; latch means for retaining the seat in a selected one of a number of positions in its range of said sliding movement; and means for retaining an indication of said selected seat position to enable the seat to be moved from said selected position and returned thereto. 2. A mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said means for retaining an indication of said selected seat position comprises a marker member and means for retaining the marker member in a selected position relative to the slide means. 3. A mechanism according to claim 2 wherein the means for retaining the marker member comprises a further latch means (hereintermed the memory latch means). 4. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first latch means comprises a first latch member operable between engaged and disengaged positions in which it respectively prevents and permits said sliding movement of the seat. 5. A mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slide means comprises respective slide members adapted for connection to the seat and to the support respectively, said slide members co-operating with one another to provide for said sliding seat movement. 6. A mechanism according to claim 5 as appendant to claim 4 wherein the first latch member is associated with one of said slide members and is co- operable when in its engaged position with a selected one or ones of a plurality of latch formations spaced along the other slide member to prevent said sliding movement. 7. A mechanism according to claim 3 or any claim appendant thereto wherein the memory latch means comprises a memory latch member associated with said marker member and operable between engaged and disengaged positions in which it respectively prevents and permits movement of the marker member relative to the slide means. 8. A mechanism according to claim 7 as appendant to claim 6 wherein said memory latch member is mounted on the marker member and is engageable with a selected one or ones of said latch formations on the other slide member to prevent movement of the marker member relative to said other slide member. 9. A mechanism according to claim 4 or claim 7 wherein the first latch member and/or the memory latch member is pivotable between its respective engaged and disengaged positions. 10. A mechanism according to claim 3 comprising operating means operable on both the first latch means and the memory latch means when the seat is required to be adjusted to a selected position, and operable on only the first latch means when the seat is required to be moved from its selected adjusted position and returned thereto. 11. A mechanism according to claim 10 comprising hold-out latch means operable on said first latch means when the first latch means only has been operated and the seat has been moved from its selected position, to prevent the first latch means from retaining the seat in any position until it has been returned to its selected position. 12. A mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 13. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: FREEMAN COLIN, HOLLOWAY IAN PEMBERTON, FREEMAN, COLIN, HOLLOWAY, IAN, PEMBERTON
Applicants: FREEMAN COLIN, HOLLOWAY IAN PEMBERTON, JOHNSON CONTROLS AUTOMOTIVE UK, FREEMAN, COLIN, HOLLOWAY, IAN, PEMBERTON, JOHNSON CONTROLS AUTOMOTIVE (UK) LIMITED
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B60N2
IPC codes: B60N2