Patent ID: 7090251

Claim:
A seat assembly for use in a motor vehicle, said seat assembly comprising: a seat cushion operatively connected to the motor vehicle for supporting a seat occupant on said seat assembly; a seat back pivotally coupled to said seat cushion for movement between a generally upright seating position and a forwardly folded dumped position against said seat cushion; a hinge pivotally connecting said seat back to said seat cushion, said hinge including a stationary base and a hinged member; a shoulder belt tower fixedly secured to said seat back for supporting a shoulder belt, said tower including a tower base and a tower extension, said tower extension slidingly engaging said tower base; a positioning device coupled between said tower base and said tower extension for automatically sliding said tower extension between a use position extending out from said seat back for positioning the shoulder belt above said seat back and a stowed position recessed within said seat back, said positioning device including a fixed end pivotally secured to said stationary base of said hinge and an engagement end for engaging each of said tower base and said tower extension, said engagement end including a pinion gear; and wherein said tower base includes a base rack extending therealong, said base rack engaged by said pinion gear.