Patent ID: 7090188

Claim:
A track assembly for use on an automotive seat assembly for providing forward and rearward movement of a seat assembly within a comfort range of seating positions, defined between a full forward and a full rearward seating position extending linearly along said track assembly, and a forwardly extended position, defined forward of said full forward seating position, in a vehicle, said track assembly comprising: a lower track; an upper track slidably coupled to said lower track; a locking mechanism coupled between said upper and lower tracks and moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position for selectively locking said upper track to said lower track, said locking mechanism comprising a release cam for actuating said locking mechanism between said locked position and unlocked position; a seat dumping mechanism operatively coupled to said upper track for automatically actuating said locking mechanism between said locked and unlocked positions to extend said track assembly between said forwardly extended position and a predetermined position within said comfort range, said seat dumping mechanism including a trigger body pivotally coupled to said lower track and defining said predetermined position within said comfort range; a cam plate pivotally coupled to said upper track and operable between an actuated and unactuated position, said cam plate having a leading edge and a trailing edge for engaging said release cam and selectively actuating said locking mechanism between said locked and unlocked positions; and a pawl pivotally coupled to said upper track and having a forward arm for engaging said cam plate and retaining said cam plate in said actuated position and said locking mechanism in said unlocked position when in said forwardly extended position and a rearward arm for engaging said trigger body upon movement of said track assembly from said forwardly extended position to said comfort range to release said pawl from said cam plate and automatically return said cam plate to said unactuated position and said locking mechanism to said locked position securing said track assembly in the predetermined position within said comfort range.