Patent ID: 7472879

Claim:
A track assembly ( 20 ) for providing selective forward and rearward adjustment of a seat assembly ( 10 ) along a floor of an automotive vehicle, the track assembly ( 20 ) comprising: a lower track ( 22 ) adapted to be secured to the floor of the vehicle; an upper track ( 24 ) adapted to be secured to the seat assembly ( 10 ), the upper track ( 24 ) slidably coupled with the lower track ( 22 ); a rigid shaft ( 32 ) having a helical thread ( 38 ) formed thereon, the rigid shaft ( 32 ) rotatably supported by the upper track ( 24 ); at least one nut ( 40 ) engaged with the helical thread ( 38 ) of the rigid shaft ( 32 ), the at least one nut ( 40 ) having raised bumps ( 66 ) disposed on opposing lateral sides ( 64 ) thereof; and a cage ( 42 ) secured to the lower track ( 22 ), the cage ( 42 ) having a hole ( 52 ) formed in a top surface ( 44 ) of the cage ( 42 ) defining a receptacle ( 54 ) for receiving the at least one nut ( 40 ), the receptacle ( 54 ) including a plurality of walls ( 56 ) spaced from each other defining at least one compartment ( 58 ) for supporting the at least one nut ( 40 ) therein, and a bore ( 60 ) formed in end walls ( 48 , 50 ) and the plurality of walls ( 56 ) of the cage ( 42 ) for allowing the rigid shaft ( 32 ) to extend therethrough, the cage ( 42 ) allowing relative rotational movement of the rigid shaft ( 32 ) relative to the at least one nut ( 40 ) for displacing the upper track ( 24 ) relative to the lower track ( 22 ), the at least one compartment ( 58 ) interacting with the raised bumps ( 66 ) of the at least one nut ( 40 ) thereby allowing a predetermined amount of movement of the at least one nut ( 40 ) within the at least one compartment ( 58 ) for preventing binding between the rigid shaft ( 32 ) and the at least one nut ( 40 ) due to loading of the upper track ( 24 ) relative to the lower track ( 22 ).