U.S. patent application number 10/814922 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-06 for vehicle seat attachment latch assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to Porter Group, LLC. Invention is credited to Liu, Hsing Lung Lewis, Murphy, Karl A..
Application Number | 20050218685 10/814922 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34991866 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050218685 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liu, Hsing Lung Lewis ; et
al. |
October 6, 2005 |
VEHICLE SEAT ATTACHMENT LATCH ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly (24) includes a latch
(40) mounted for movement between latched and unlatched positions
with respect to a striker (29) to secure and selectively release a
vehicle seat with respect to a vehicle body. A latching wedge (48)
is mounted on the latch (40) for movement therewith and for
movement with respect thereto in cooperation with a bias (54)
provided by a first spring (58) that moves a wedging surface 52 of
the latching wedge (48) into wedging contact with the striker (29)
with the latch (40) in its latched position in order to provide a
rattle free attachment. A locking pawl (70) and a spring (78)
cooperate to hold the latch (40) in its latched position or permit
release thereof for movement to the unlatched position where the
striker (29) is released.
Inventors: |
Liu, Hsing Lung Lewis;
(Novi, MI) ; Murphy, Karl A.; (Novi, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C.
1000 TOWN CENTER
TWENTY-SECOND FLOOR
SOUTHFIELD
MI
48075
US
|
Assignee: |
Porter Group, LLC
Novi
MI
|
Family ID: |
34991866 |
Appl. No.: |
10/814922 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/65.03 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B 15/102 20130101;
E05B 17/0045 20130101; E05C 3/24 20130101; B60N 2/01583 20130101;
Y10T 292/1047 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/065.03 |
International
Class: |
B60N 002/02 |
Claims
1. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly for securing and
selectively releasing a member of a vehicle seat with respect to a
member of a vehicle body, the vehicle seat attachment latch
assembly comprising: an attachment bracket that is attachable to
one of said members; a latch that is mounted on the attachment
bracket for movement between: (a) a latched position where the
latch captures a striker mounted on the other of said members to
secure the vehicle seat with respect to the vehicle body; and (b)
an unlatched position where the striker is released from the latch
so the vehicle seat can be moved with respect to the vehicle body;
a latching wedge mounted on the latch for movement therewith and
for movement with respect thereto, and the latching wedge having a
wedge surface for contacting the striker when the latch is in its
latching position; and a resilient bias that biases the wedge
surface of the latching wedge into wedging contact with the striker
with the latch in its latching position to provide a rattle free
attachment of the seat to the vehicle body.
2. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly as in claim 1 wherein
the latch has a pivotal connection for mounting thereof on the
attachment bracket for pivotal movement between its latched and
unlatched positions.
3. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly as in claim 2 wherein
the resilient bias comprises a spring that extends around the
pivotal connection of the latch and has a first arm that extends to
the latch and also has a second arm that extends to the latching
wedge to provide the biasing of the wedge surface of the latching
wedge into the wedging contact with the striker.
4. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly as in claim 2 wherein
the latch and the latching wedge include a pin and slot connection
and a projection that cooperate to mount the latching wedge on the
latch for movement with respect to the latch.
5. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly as in claim 2 wherein
the resilient bias comprises a spring that extends around the
pivotal connection of the latch member and has a first arm that
extends to the latch and also has a second arm that extends to the
latching wedge to provide the biasing of the wedge surface of the
latching wedge into the wedging contact with the striker, and
wherein the latch and the latching wedge include a pin and slot
connection and a projection that cooperate to mount the latching
wedge on the latch for the movement with respect to the latch.
6. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly as in claim 2 further
including a locking pawl mounted on the attachment bracket for
movement between a locking position for holding the latch in its
latched position and a released position for releasing the latch
for movement from its latched position to its unlatched position,
and a spring that biases the locking pawl toward its locking
position.
7. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly as in claim 6 further
including another pivotal connection that mounts the locking pawl
on the attachment bracket for pivotal movement between its locking
and released positions, and wherein the spring extends between the
locking pawl and latch and also biases the latch toward its
unlatched position.
8. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly as in claim 1 further
including another attachment bracket that is attachable to said one
member to cooperate with the first mentioned attachment bracket to
provide an attachment bracket assembly, each of the attachment
brackets having a flange spaced from the flange of the other
bracket, and the latch and latching wedge being mounted between the
spaced flanges of the attachment brackets.
9. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly for securing and
selectively releasing a vehicle seat with respect to a vehicle
body, the vehicle seat attachment latch assembly comprising: an
attachment bracket assembly including a pair of attachment brackets
that are attachable to the vehicle seat, and each attachment
bracket having a flange spaced from the flange of the other
attachment bracket; a latch; a pivotal connection that is pivotally
mounts the latch on the attachment bracket assembly between the
flanges of the pair of attachment brackets for pivotal movement
between: (a) a latched position where the latch captures a striker
mounted on the vehicle body to secure the vehicle seat with respect
to the vehicle body; and (b) an unlatched position where the
striker is released from the latch so the vehicle seat can be moved
with respect to the vehicle body; a latching wedge mounted on the
latch for movement therewith and for movement with respect thereto,
and the latching wedge having a wedge surface for contacting the
striker when the latch is in its latching position; a first spring
that extends around the pivotal connection of the latch and has a
first arm that extends to the latch and also has a second arm that
extends to the latching wedge to provide biasing of the wedge
surface of the latching wedge into wedging contact with the striker
with the latch in its latched position to provide a rattle free
attachment of the seat to the vehicle body; a locking pawl
pivotally mounted on the attachment bracket assembly between the
flanges of the pair of attachment brackets for movement between a
locking position for holding the latch in its latching position and
a released position for releasing the latch for movement from its
latched position to its unlatched position; and a second spring
that biases the locking pawl toward its locking position.
10. A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly for securing and
selectively releasing a vehicle seat with respect to a vehicle
body, the vehicle seat attachment latch assembly comprising: an
attachment bracket assembly including a pair of attachment brackets
that are attachable to the vehicle seat, and each attachment
bracket having a flange spaced from the flange of the other
attachment bracket; a latch; a pivotal connection that is pivotally
mounts the latch on the attachment bracket assembly between the
flanges of the pair of attachment brackets for pivotal movement
between: (a) a latched position where the latch captures a striker
mounted on the vehicle body to secure the vehicle seat with respect
to the vehicle body; and (b) an unlatched position where the
striker is released from the latch so the vehicle seat can be moved
with respect to the vehicle body; a latching wedge having a wedging
surface; a pin and slot connection and a projection that cooperate
to mount the latching wedge on the latch for movement with respect
to the latch; a first spring that extends around the pivotal
connection of the latch and has a first arm that extends to the
latch and also has a second arm that extends to the latching wedge
to provide biasing of the wedge surface of the latching wedge into
wedging contact with the striker to provide a rattle free
attachment of the seat to the vehicle body; a locking pawl
pivotally mounted on the attachment bracket assembly between the
flanges of the pair of attachment brackets for movement between a
locking position for holding the latch in its latching position and
a released position for releasing the latch for movement from its
latched position to its unlatched position; and a second spring
that extends between the locking pawl and the latch to bias the
locking pawl toward its locking position and to also bias the latch
toward its unlatched position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to an attachment latch assembly for
securing and selectively releasing a vehicle seat with respect to a
vehicle body.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] Attachment latch assemblies have previously been utilized to
secure a vehicle seat with respect to a vehicle body and to
selectively permit the seat to be released so that the seat can be
moved or stored so as to permit the vehicle to provide a cargo area
for transportation as opposed to carrying of passengers. Such latch
assemblies have previously utilized rubber components so as to
provide the attachment without rattling that would otherwise be
caused by tolerances involved with the metal to metal contact
between such latch assemblies and a striker to which each latch
assembly is secured to provide the attachment. Normally the latch
assemblies are mounted on the associated vehicle seat and the
strikers are mounted on the vehicle body; however, the reverse
positioning is also possible with the latch assemblies mounted on
the vehicle body and the strikers mounted on the vehicle seat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved
vehicle seat attachment latch assembly for securing and selectively
releasing a vehicle seat with respect to a vehicle body with the
securement provided by a rattle free attachment.
[0006] In carrying out the above object, the vehicle seat latch
assembly of the invention secures and selectively releases a member
of a vehicle seat with respect to a member of a vehicle body and
includes an attachment bracket that is attachable to one of the
members. A latch of the latch assembly is mounted on the attachment
bracket for movement between: (a) a latched position where the
latch captures a striker mounted on the other member to secure the
vehicle seat with respect to the vehicle body; and (b) an unlatched
position where the striker is released from the latch so the
vehicle seat can be moved with respect to the vehicle body. A
latching wedge of the latch assembly is mounted on the latch for
movement therewith and for translational movement with respect
thereto, and the latching wedge has a wedge surface for contacting
the striker when the latch is in its latching position. A resilient
bias of the latch assembly biases the wedge surface of the latching
wedge into wedging contact with the striker with the latch in its
latching position to provide a rattle free attachment of the seat
to the vehicle body.
[0007] The latch of the latch assembly has a pivotal connection for
mounting thereof on the attachment bracket for pivotal movement
between its latched and unlatched positions. The resilient bias is
provided by a spring that extends around this pivotal connection of
the latch and has a first arm that extends to the latch and also
has a second arm that extends to the latching wedge to provide the
biasing of the wedge surface of the latching, wedge into the
wedging contact with the striker. Furthermore, the latch and
latching wedge include a pin and slot connection and a projection
that cooperate to mount the latching wedge on the latch for
translational movement with respect to the latch.
[0008] The latch assembly also includes a locking pawl mounted on
the attachment bracket for movement between a locking position for
holding the latch in its latched position and a released position
for releasing the latch for movement from its latched position to
its unlatched position. Another pivotal connection mounts the
locking pawl on the attachment bracket for pivotal movement between
its locking and released positions. A second spring biases the
locking pawl toward its locking position. This second spring
extends between the locking pawl and the latch and also biases the
latch toward its unlatched position.
[0009] The latch assembly also includes another attachment bracket
that is attachable to the first mentioned attachment bracket to
cooperate therewith in providing an attachment bracket assembly.
Each of the attachment brackets has a flange spaced from the
flanges of the other bracket, and the latch and latching wedge are
mounted between the spaced flanges of the attachment brackets. The
attachment brackets are preferably mounted on a member of the
vehicle seat and the striker is mounted on a member of the vehicle
body.
[0010] The objects, features and advantages of the present
invention are readily apparent from the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiment when taken in connection
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a vehicle seat that is
secured and selectively released from an associated vehicle body by
attachment latch assemblies constructed in accordance with the
present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view taken along the direction of
line 2-2 in FIG. 1 to illustrate the positioning of the latch
assemblies with respect to the vehicle seat.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a view of one of the latch assemblies taken along
the direction of line 3-3 in FIG. 1 to illustrate the construction
of the latch assembly.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a view of the latch assembly taken along the
direction of line 4-4 in FIG. 3 and is shown with a latch thereof
in a latched position and with a locking pawl of the latch assembly
shown in a locking position holding the latch in its latched
position to secure a striker in order to secure the associated
vehicle seat with respect to the vehicle body.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a view taken in the same direction as FIG. 4 but
showing the locking pawl in its released position and the latch in
its unlatched position so as to release the striker and permit
movement of the vehicle seat with respect to the vehicle body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] With reference to FIG. 1, a vehicle seat generally indicated
by 10 includes a seat cushion 12 and a seat back 14 that may be
mounted on the cushion 12 by a recliner 16 for reclining movement
as illustrated by the solid and phantom line positions. A partially
indicated vehicle 18 includes a member 20 which is actually a
vehicle floor pan on which the vehicle seat is mounted. The seat
cushion 12 of the vehicle seat includes a member 22 which may be a
vehicle seat cushion pan or a seat frame member. The seat member 22
is secured and selectively released from the vehicle by vehicle
seat attachment latch assemblies 24 that are each constructed in
accordance with the present invention as is hereinafter more fully
described.
[0017] With reference to FIG. 2, the vehicle seat 10 is illustrated
as having four of the attachment latch assemblies 24 mounted at the
corners of an individual seat. However, it should be appreciated
that the latch assemblies can also be utilized with a bench type
seat for holding two or more passengers and that it is possible to
use less or more than the four latch assemblies illustrated in
providing vehicle seat attachment and selective release with
respect to the vehicle body. For example, the attachment latches
can be utilized to permit seat folding for storage that provides a
cargo floor with the seat within the vehicle and can also be
utilized to remove the seat from the vehicle to provide cargo
capacity. As illustrated, a release handle 26 has suitable
connections such as the cables 28 illustrated to provide the
simultaneous release of all of the latch assemblies 24, as is
hereinafter more fully described, so as to permit the movement of
the seat with respect to the vehicle body.
[0018] With reference to FIG. 3, each latch assembly 24 is operable
to secure and selectively release a striker 29 mounted on the
vehicle body member. The latch assembly 24 includes an attachment
bracket assembly 30 that is mounted on the vehicle seat member 22.
While the mounting of the attachment bracket assembly 30 on the
vehicle seat member 22 and the striker 29 on the vehicle body
member 20 is the preferred construction, it should be appreciated
that it is also possible to reverse the respective positions of
these components. However, the mounting of the latch assembly 24 on
the vehicle seat member 22 is preferred since upon detachment of
the seat, the striker 29 provides less of a projection than the
latch assembly. As illustrated, the attachment bracket assembly 30
includes a pair of attachment brackets 32 each of which includes a
flange 34 spaced from the flange of the other attachment bracket.
Each attachment bracket 32 also includes a securement flange
portion 36 that is secured by a suitable fastener 38 to the vehicle
seat member 22. As is hereinafter more fully described, the
components of the latch 24 are mounted between the flanges 34 of
the pair of attachment brackets 32. While it is possible to provide
the latch assembly utilizing only a single attachment bracket, the
construction illustrated with a pair of the attachment brackets is
preferred since the components are then better supported and
enclosed from each side as opposed to being partially exposed.
[0019] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the latch assembly includes
a latch 40 that is mounted on the attachment brackets 32 for
movement between the latched position of FIG. 4 and the unlatched
position of FIG. 5. This latch 40 has a bifurcated shape including
a pair of locking portions 42 and 44 that cooperate to define a
locking notch 46 for receiving the striker 29. In the latched
position of FIG. 4, the latch 40 captures the striker 29 to secure
the vehicle seat with respect to the vehicle body. Movement of the
latch 40 to the unlatched position of FIG. 5 as is hereinafter more
fully described releases the striker 29 so that the seat can be
moved with respect to the vehicle body as previously described.
[0020] As best shown in FIG. 4, the latch assembly 24 also includes
a latching wedge 48 that is mounted on the latch 40 for movement
therewith and is also mounted for translational movement with
respect to the latch as illustrated by arrows 50. The latching
wedge 48 has a wedging surface 52 for contacting the striker 29
when the latch 40 is in its latching position. A resilient bias 54
biases the latching wedge 48 toward the left as illustrated in FIG.
4 so that its wedging surface 52 is moved into wedging contact with
the striker 29 with the latch in its latching position to provide a
rattle free attachment of the seat to the vehicle body. With this
construction, the rattle free attachment is insured throughout the
useful lifetime of the latch.
[0021] As illustrated in both FIGS. 4 and 5, the latch 40 has a
pivotal connection 56 provided by a pin that extends between the
flanges 34 of the attachment brackets 32 shown in FIG. 3. This
pivotal connection 56 thus mounts the latch 40 for pivotal movement
between its latched position of FIG. 4 where the striker is
received within the notch 46 and the unlatched position of FIG. 5
where the striker is released. With the latch 40 pivotally
positioned in its latched position as shown in FIG. 4, the latching
wedge 48 is biased into wedging contact with the striker 29 as
mentioned above so as to provide the rattle free attachment.
[0022] As also shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the resilient bias 54 is
constructed as a spring 58 that extends around the pivotal
connection 56 of the latch 40 and has a first arm 60 that extends
to the latch at a projection 62 thereof. This spring 54 also has a
second arm 64 that extends to the latching wedge 48 at a projection
66 of the latching wedge. The spring arms 60 and 64 are biased away
from each other to increase the acute angle therebetween as
illustrated in FIG. 4 so that the latching wedge 48 is biased
toward the left into the wedging contact-with the striker 29 so as
to provide the rattle free attachment as previously described. The
latch 40 and latching wedge 48 include a pin and slot connection 68
and a projection 66 to cooperate in mounting the latching wedge 48
for its translational movement with respect to the latch 40. The
pin and slot connection 68 thus limits the extent of the
translational movement as the pin reaches the opposite ends of the
slot.
[0023] As also shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the latch includes a locking
pawl 70 mounted on the flanges 34 of the pair of attachment
brackets 32 for movement between a locking position shown in FIG. 4
and a released position shown in FIG. 5. More specifically, a
pivotal connection 71 supports the locking pawl 70 on the
attachment bracket flanges 34 for pivotal movement between its
locking and released positions. In the locking position of FIG. 4,
a locking surface 72 of the locking pawl 70 engages a locking
portion 74 of the latch 40 at a locking surface 76 thereof so as to
maintain the latch in its latched position. Movement of the locking
pawl 70 in a counterclockwise direction from the locking position
of FIG. 4 disengages its locking surface 72 from the locking
surface 76 of the latch locking portion 74 to permit the latch to
move to its unlatched position of FIG. 5 and thereby release the
striker 29 as previously described. A second spring 78 biases the
locking pawl toward its locking position. More specifically, this
second spring 78 extends between the locking pawl 70 and the latch
40 and is in tension so as to bias the latch toward its unlatched
position of FIG. 5 as well as biasing the locking pawl 70 toward
its locking position. This second spring 78 has a first end 80 that
is attached to a projection 82 on the locking pawl 70 and has a
second end 84 that is secured to the projection 62 of the latch
where the arm 60 of spring 58 biases the latch.
[0024] The release cable 28 previously described is connected to an
attachment 86 on the attachment bracket flange 34 and has a central
actuating wire 88 that extends to the projection 82 on the locking
pawl 70 to move the pawl locking counterclockwise against the bias
of spring 78. The latch assembly 24 remains in its latched
condition until the pivoting of the pawl is sufficient for the pawl
locking surface 72 to disengage the latch locking surface 76,
whereupon the latch 40 pivots counterclockwise from its latched
position of FIG. 4 to its unlatched position of FIG. 5. A concave
positioning surface 90 of the locking pawl 70 then engages a convex
positioning surface 92 of the latch 40 to position the latch and
locking pawl with respect to each other in cooperation with the
bias of spring 78.
[0025] When the seat is moved downwardly for reattachment to the
vehicle, striker 29 contacts the latch 40 and pivots the latch
clockwise from the unlatched position of FIG. 5 to the latched
position of FIG. 4. As the latch locking surface 76 moves
counterclockwise past the locking pawl locking surface 72, the
spring 78 pivots the locking pawl 70 clockwise from its released
position to its locking position where its locking surface 72
contacts the latch locking surface 76 and holds the latch in its
latched position securing the striker 29. Concomitantly with this
latching, the bias of spring 58 moves the latching wedge 48 with
respect to the latch so its wedging surface 52 moves into wedging
contact with the striker 29 to provide the rattle free seat
attachment.
[0026] While the preferred construction of the vehicle seat
attachment latch assembly has been described in detail, those
familiar with the art to which this invention relates will
recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for
practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.
* * * * *