Vehicle seat latch assembly having molded cinch member

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Vehicle seat latch assemblies, and more particularly to vehicle seat latch assemblies having a molded cinch member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] It is known in the art that motor vehicles often incorporate seat assemblies that are capable of pivoting to increase the amount of cargo space available in the vehicle. Typically, known prior art seat assemblies include a frame assembly that is adapted to be pivotally mounted to the floor of the vehicle to support a seat assembly. The seat frame assembly generally includes support structure including side support arms front and back supports and a seat back support spacing apart the side support arms. The seat frame assembly also includes two seat back legs and two stationary seat front legs. Latch assemblies typically associated with the two seat back legs are used to attach to floor strikers permanently attached to the floor of the vehicle. The seat back legs are adapted to be rotatably attached to the seat back end on each side of the side support arms. The stationary front legs are pivotally mounted to the front end of each of the side support arms allowing the seat frame assembly to pivot about the stationary front legs relative to the vehicle floor.

[0003] Typical assemblies include multiple latch mechanisms associated with each side of a seat assembly. Generally, a structural latch and an anti-rattle latch are each utilized for each seat back leg. The multiple latch assemblies provide a secure cinching of the seat assembly to a floor striker, as well as prevents rattle of the seat assembly due to vibrations of the vehicle. The multiple latches increase the overall cost of a seat assembly, as well as increase the manufacturing costs of a vehicle.

[0004] There is therefore a need in the art for a latch mechanism that utilizes only one latch to structurally cinch the seat assembly to a floor of a vehicle, as well as to provide anti-rattle characteristics.

[0005] There is also a need in the art for a vehicle seat latch assembly that cinches or attaches to strikers in the vehicle floor, does not rattle and is easily unlatched by a user using a minimal amount of force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The vehicle seat latch assembly of the present invention solves the deficiencies and needs of the prior art by providing a vehicle seat latch assembly including a structural latch member having a first engagement surface that is adapted for secondary engagement with a striker. A deformable latch member is attached to the structural latch member. The deformable latch member has a second engagement surface that extends beyond the first engagement surface for primary engagement with the striker. The second engagement surface has a greater offset angle derived from a pivot point than an offset angle of the first engagement surface derived from the pivot point.

[0007] The deformable latch member is attached to the structural latch member and engages the striker in a first position. The deformable latch member collapses in response to a force exerted on the vehicle latch assembly to a second position wherein the structural latch member engages a striker.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] These and other features of the invention will appear from the following description and from the drawings in which:

[0009]FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective view of the vehicle seat latch assembly of the present invention incorporated into a seat frame assembly;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the seat latch assembly shown in FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the structural latch member of the vehicle seat latch assembly;

[0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention detailing the structural latch member having a deformable latch member attached to both sides of the structural latch member;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the structural latch member and deformable latch member shown in FIG. 4;

[0014]FIG. 6 is a perspective view detailing a first embodiment of a structural latch member having a deformable latch member attached to one side of the structural latch member;

[0015]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the structural latch member and deformable latch member shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a seat cushion frame assembly is generally shown at <b>10</b>. The seat cushion frame assembly <b>10</b> is adapted to be pivotally mounted to the floor of the vehicle for supporting the seat cushion frame assembly <b>10</b> and occupant within the vehicle. The seat cushion frame assembly <b>10</b> includes two side support arms <b>12</b>, having a seat front end <b>13</b> and a seat back end <b>15</b>, and a seat back support <b>14</b> attached between the seat back ends <b>15</b> of the side support arms <b>12</b>, thereby connecting and spacing apart the side support arms <b>12</b>. The seat cushion frame assembly <b>10</b> further includes two seat back legs <b>16</b>, two stationary front legs <b>18</b>, latch assemblies <b>20</b>, and floor strikers <b>22</b>. A seat cushion frame assembly <b>10</b> is adapted to attach to the vehicle floor by the two seat back legs <b>16</b> and the two seat front legs <b>18</b>. The seat back legs <b>16</b> are adapted to be rotatably attached to the seat back end <b>15</b> of each of the side support arms <b>12</b>. The two stationary seat front legs <b>18</b> are pivotally mounted to the front end <b>13</b> of each of the two side support arms <b>12</b> allowing the seat cushion frame assembly <b>10</b> to pivot about the stationary seat legs <b>18</b> relative to the vehicle floor. The floor strikers <b>22</b> are adapted to be mounted to the floor of the vehicle and engage the latch assemblies <b>20</b> as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0017] The latch assemblies <b>20</b> include a structural steel latch member <b>30</b> and a deformable latch member <b>40</b>, both of which are operatively attached to the seat back legs <b>16</b>.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a structural latch member <b>30</b> that has a first engagement surface <b>35</b> that is adapted for secondary engagement with the striker <b>22</b>. In a preferred aspect, the structural latch member <b>30</b> comprises a hook shaped body <b>40</b> having a shank portion <b>45</b> terminating in a curved portion <b>50</b>. The shank portion <b>45</b> includes a slot <b>47</b> formed there through for pivotally engaging the seat frame <b>10</b>; thereby defining the pivot point <b>44</b> of the vehicle latch assembly <b>20</b>. The first engagement surface <b>35</b> is formed on an upper edge <b>37</b> of the curved portion <b>50</b> and is bounded by opposing side surfaces <b>39</b> of the structural latch member <b>30</b>.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 5, 6 and <b>7</b>, there is shown a first embodiment of the vehicle seat latch assembly <b>20</b> of the present invention. The vehicle seat latch assembly <b>20</b> includes a structural latch member <b>30</b>, as previously described with reference to FIG. 3 and a deformable latch member <b>55</b> attached to the structural latch member <b>30</b>. The deformable latch member <b>55</b> has a second engagement surface <b>60</b> extending beyond the first engagement surface <b>35</b> of the structural latch member <b>30</b> for primary engagement with a striker <b>22</b>, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The second engagement surface <b>60</b> has a greater offset angle derived from a pivot point <b>44</b> than an offset angle of the first engagement surface <b>35</b> derived from the pivot point <b>44</b>. The offset angle, as the term is utilized in the specification refers to the angle formed between the center line of the arc <b>65</b> comprising the first or second engagement surfaces and the center line of the pivot <b>44</b> defined by the slot <b>47</b> referenced above. Therefore, the angle between the center line of the arc <b>65</b> comprising the second engagement surface formed <b>60</b> on the deformable latch member <b>55</b> has a greater angle than the angle formed by the center line of the arc <b>70</b> comprising the first engagement surface <b>35</b> both with reference to the center line of the pivot point <b>44</b>. The relationship of the second engagement surface <b>60</b> having a greater offset angle than the first engagement surface <b>35</b> allows for a person to more easily release the latch mechanism due to the increased angle when the striker <b>22</b> interfaces with the second engagement surface <b>60</b> for the primary engagement of the vehicle seat latch assembly <b>20</b>. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the second engagement surface <b>60</b> has an offset angle ranging from 6.0 to 8.5 degrees, preferably with a 7.5 degree offset angle, while the first engagement surface <b>35</b> preferably has an offset angle in the range from 0 to 3 degrees preferably with a 3 degree offset angle.

[0020] The deformable latch member <b>55</b> preferably comprises a planar body <b>75</b> attached to the curve portion <b>50</b> of the structural latch member <b>30</b> and extending upward beyond the first engagement surface <b>35</b> wherein the second engagement surface <b>60</b> is defined by a terminal edge <b>80</b> of the planar body <b>75</b>.

[0021] In a preferred aspect of the present invention the deformable latch member <b>55</b> comprises a resilient flexible plastic and particularly preferred is Hytrel™ sold by Dupont Chemical Corporation.

[0022] In use, the deformable latch member <b>55</b> that is attached to the structural latch member <b>30</b> engages the striker <b>22</b> in a first position. This position allows for the easy manipulation of the latch assembly <b>20</b> or disengagement of the latch mechanism <b>20</b> by a person due to the increased offset angle of the second engagement surface <b>60</b> of the deformable latch member <b>55</b> engaging the striker <b>22</b> in its first position. The deformable latch member <b>55</b> collapses in response to a force to move to a second position wherein the deformable latch member <b>55</b> moves away from the striker <b>22</b> to allow engagement of the structural latch member <b>35</b> with the striker <b>22</b>. The smaller offset angle of the first engagement surface <b>35</b> of the structural latch member <b>30</b> prevents the backing away of the structural latch member <b>30</b> from the striker <b>22</b> when an increased force or load is applied to the seat. In this manner, the vehicle seat latch assembly <b>20</b> incorporating the deformable latch member <b>55</b> and the structural latch member <b>30</b> provides both an anti-rattle function due to the primary engagement of the striker <b>22</b> with the plastic material of the second engagement surface <b>60</b>; thereby dampening vibrations or rattles. The vehicle seat latch assembly <b>20</b> further provides a latch mechanism that is easily manipulated by a user, but remains securely cinched to a striker <b>22</b> when an increased force is applied to the seat, due to the lower offset angle <b>22</b> of the first engagement surface <b>35</b> of the structural latch member <b>30</b>.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a second embodiment of the vehicle seat latch assembly <b>20</b> of the present invention. The latch assembly <b>20</b> is similar in structure to the first embodiment, outlined above with the exception that the deformable latch member <b>35</b> comprises a pair <b>85</b> of planar bodies attached to the curved portion <b>50</b> of the structural latch member <b>30</b> on opposing side surfaces of the structural latch member and extend, as previously discussed, on the planar bodies <b>75</b> upward beyond the first engagement surface <b>35</b> wherein the second engagement surface <b>55</b> is defined by the terminal edges <b>80</b> of both of the planar bodies <b>75</b>. In all other respects, the second embodiment is similar to that of the previously described first embodiment.

[0024] While preferred embodiments are disclosed, a worker in this art would understand that various modifications would come within the scope of the invention. Thus, the following claims should be studied to determine the scope and content of the invention.