Vehicle seat track system

A vehicle seat comprising:

• a seat base;
• a track system connected to the seat base, the track system comprising:
• a lower track having a track profile comprising a lower track central portion and lower track side profile portions connected together by the lower track central portion, the lower track central portion including a lower vehicle attachment surface and an upper surface, the lower track extending in longitudinal axial directions between a lower track forward end and a lower track rearward end and the lower track extending in lateral directions between a lateral extent of a first one of the lower track side profile portions and a lateral extent of a second one of the lower track side profile portions;
• a slide block comprising a first slide bar extending along the upper surface at a first lower track lateral side, a second slide bar extending along the upper surface at a second lower track lateral side, and a cross web system connecting the first slide bar to the second slide bar and extending across the upper surface of the lower track in the lateral directions between the lower track side profile portions, the cross web system comprising a central cross web portion, a forward cross web portion positioned with respect to the longitudinal axial directions between the lower track forward end and the central portion, and a rearward cross web portion positioned with respect to the longitudinal axial directions between the lower track rearward end and the central cross web portion;
• and
• a lower track to slide block fastening system comprising a central fastener configured to limit movement of the central cross web portion relative to the lower track in the lateral directions and in the longitudinal axial directions and to allow movement of the central cross web portion relative to the lower track in a direction toward the lower track and in a direction away from the lower track, a forward fastener configured to limit movement of the forward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the direction away from the lower track and to allow movement of the forward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions, and a rearward fastener configured to limit movement of the rearward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the direction away from the lower track and to allow movement of the rearward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions, wherein the forward fastener comprises a forward fastener portion connected to the forward cross web portion, the forward fastener portion having a through portion extending through a forward opening formed in the lower track from an upper surface side of the lower track to a lower vehicle attachment surface side of the lower track and the forward fastener portion including an axial extension extending axially beyond an inner peripheral edge of the forward opening and the axial extension of the forward fastener portion including an axially extending surface to engage the lower vehicle attachment surface and limit movement of the forward cross web portion relative to the lower track in a vertical direction away from the lower track, wherein the forward opening formed in the lower track is sized relative to the through portion of the forward fastener portion to allow movement of the forward fastener portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions, wherein the rearward fastener comprises a rearward fastener portion connected to the rearward cross web portion, the rearward fastener portion has a through portion extending through a rearward opening formed in the lower track from the upper surface side of the lower track to the lower vehicle attachment surface side of the lower track, wherein the rearward opening is positioned relative to the central fastener and is sized relative to the through portion of the rearward fastener portion for movement of the rearward fastener portion within the rearward opening in the longitudinal axial directions to allow movement of the rearward fastener portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions and wherein the slide block has end stops and wherein the slide block is a single integral plastic part including the central fastener, the forward fastener and the rearward fastener;
• an upper track having a first lower surface engaging and slidable along the first slide bar and a second lower surface engaging and slidable along the second slide bar for moving relative to the lower track;
• and
• a rolling bearing cage connected to the upper track and configured to position rolling bearings between the upper track and the lower track, wherein the slide block is configured to support the movement of the upper track and the end stops of the slide block are configured to limit movement of the rolling bearing cage.

A track system for a vehicle seat, the track system comprising:

• a lower track having a track profile comprising a lower track central portion and lower track side profile portions connected together by the lower track central portion, the lower track central portion including a lower vehicle attachment surface and an upper surface, the lower track extending in longitudinal axial directions between a lower track forward end and a lower track rearward end and the lower track extending in lateral directions between a lateral extent of a first one of the lower track side profile portions and a lateral extent of a second one of the lower track side profile portions;
• a slide block comprising a first slide bar extending along the upper surface at a first lower track lateral side, a second slide bar extending along the upper surface at a second lower track lateral side, and a cross web system connecting the first slide bar to the second slide bar and extending across the upper surface of the lower track in the lateral directions between the lower track side profile portions, the cross web system comprising a central cross web portion, a forward cross web portion positioned with respect to the longitudinal axial directions between the lower track forward end and the central cross web portion, and a rearward cross web portion positioned with respect to the longitudinal axial directions between the lower track rearward end and the central cross web portion;
• a lower track to slide block fastening system comprising a central fastener configured to limit movement of the central cross web portion relative to the lower track at least in the lateral directions and in the longitudinal axial directions, a forward fastener configured to limit movement of the forward cross web portion relative to the lower track in a vertical direction away from the lower track and to allow movement of the forward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions, and a rearward fastener configured to limit movement of the rearward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the vertical direction away from the lower track and to allow movement of the rearward cross web portion relative to the lower track at least in the longitudinal axial directions, wherein the forward fastener comprises a forward fastener portion connected to the forward cross web portion, the forward fastener portion having a through portion extending through a forward opening formed in the lower track from an upper surface side of the lower track to a lower vehicle attachment surface side of the lower track and the forward fastener portion including an axial extension extending axially beyond an inner peripheral edge of the forward opening and the axial extension of the forward fastener portion including an axially extending surface to engage the lower vehicle attachment surface and limit the movement of the forward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the vertical direction away from the lower track, wherein the forward opening formed in the lower track is sized relative to the through portion of the forward fastener portion to allow movement of the forward fastener portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions and to thereby allow the movement of the forward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions, wherein the rearward fastener comprises a rearward fastener portion connected to the rearward cross web portion, the rearward fastener portion has a through portion extending through a rearward opening formed in the lower track from the upper surface side of the lower track to the lower vehicle attachment surface side of the lower track, wherein the rearward fastener portion includes an axial extension extending axially beyond an inner peripheral edge of the rearward opening, the axial extension of the rearward fastener portion includes an axially extending surface to engage the lower vehicle attachment surface and limit the movement of the rearward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the vertical direction away from the lower track, wherein the rearward opening is positioned relative to the central fastener and is sized relative to the through portion of the rearward fastener portion for movement of the rearward fastener portion within the rearward opening in the longitudinal axial directions to allow for movement of the rearward fastener portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions and thereby allow the movement of the rearward cross web portion relative to the lower track in the longitudinal axial directions, wherein the central fastener comprises a central fastener portion connected to the central cross web portion, the central fastener portion having a fastener profile extending through and substantially coaxial with a central opening formed in the lower track to allow movement of the central cross web portion relative to the lower track in a vertical direction toward the lower track and in the vertical direction away from the lower track and configured to engage at least portions of an inner peripheral edge of the central opening to limit movement of the central fastener portion relative to the lower track in all radial directions of the central fastener portion and thereby limit movement of the central cross web portion relative to the lower track in all radial directions of the central fastener portion relative to the central opening, wherein the first slide bar has a first front stop and a first rear stop and the second slide bar has a second front stop and a second rear stop, and wherein the slide block is a single integral plastic part including the central fastener, the forward fastener, and the rearward fastener;
• an upper track having a first lower surface engaging and slidable along the first slide bar and a second lower surface engaging and slidable along the second slide bar for moving relative to the lower track;
• a first rolling bearing cage connected to the upper track and configured to position rolling bearings between the upper track and the lower track, wherein the first front stop and the first rear stop are configured to limit movement of the first rolling bearing cage relative to the slide block;
• and
• a second rolling bearing cage connected to the upper track and configured to position further rolling bearings between the upper track and the lower track, wherein the second front stop and the second rear stop are configured to limit movement of the second rolling bearing cage relative to the slide block.