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US 2004/0200945 A1Published application
Seat track assembly and method of manufacture
AssigneeDura Global Technologies, Inc.
InventorBrent Hauck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seat track assembly for an automotive seat positioner mechanism includes a threaded spindle fixed at one end to a lower track and a mating nut in a gear case on the spindle mounted to an upper track by a bracket attached thereto. The bracket is stabilized against crash forces by interfit portions on the bracket and side walls of the upper track. The spindle is directly attached to the lower track by fasteners passed through a flattened end of the spindle and a bottom wall of the lower track.
Claims21
A seat track assembly comprising:
- an upper track comprised of an elongated inverted channel member having a pair of downwardly extending side walls and a top wall connecting said side walls;
- a lower track comprised of an elongated channel member having upwardly extending side walls and a bottom wall connecting said side walls, said upper track received between said side walls of said lower track;
- an elongated threaded spindle mounted to said lower track bottom wall extending along and between said side walls of said upper and lower tracks;
- a gear nut threaded on said spindle, said gear nut rotatably carried in a gear case, said gear nut and said gear case driving said upper track upon rotation of said gear nut on said spindle by a bracket capturing said gear case and affixed to said top wall of said upper track, said bracket having a pair of legs spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of said upper track and connected together by a connecting portion, said gear case disposed between said bracket legs to be captured therein;
- and
- said bracket and at least one of said side walls of said upper track having interfit portions configured to resist relative lengthwise movement therebetween, thereby enhancing the ability of said bracket to withstand forces imposed thereon by said gear nut and gear casing.
3 more elements
A seat track assembly comprising:
- an upper track comprised of an elongated inverted channel member having a pair of downwardly extending side walls and a top wall connecting said side walls;
- a lower track comprised of an elongated channel member having upwardly extending side walls and a bottom wall connecting said side walls, said upper track received between said side walls of said lower track;
- an elongated threaded spindle mounted to said lower track bottom wall extending along and between said side walls;
- a gear nut threaded onto said spindle, said gear nut rotatably carried in a gear case, said gear nut and said gear case driving said upper track lengthwise upon rotation of said gear nut on said spindle by a bracket having a pair of legs spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of said upper track straddling said gear case, said legs connected together at a lower end of each leg by a connecting portion;
- and
- said spindle having a flattened end attached to said bottom wall of said lower track by one or more fasteners passing through said flattened end and said bottom wall.
3 more elements
A method of making a seat track assembly of the type including an upper track comprised of an elongated inverted channel member having a pair of downwardly extending side walls and a top wall connecting said side walls;
- a lower track comprised of an elongated channel member having upwardly extending side walls and a bottom wall connecting said side walls, said upper track received between said side walls of said lower track;
- an elongated threaded spindle mounted to said lower track bottom wall extending along and between said side walls;
- a gear nut threaded on said spindle, said gear nut rotatably carried in a gear case, said gear nut and gear case driving said upper track lengthwise upon rotation of said gear nut on said spindle by a bracket having a pair of legs spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of said upper track, said bracket legs connected together by a connecting portion, said gear case disposed between said bracket legs, and said bracket affixed to said top wall of said upper track, and
- including the steps of:
- forming said upper track side walls and said bracket with respective complementary features and interfitting said features upon installation of said upper track onto said bracket so as to restrain movement of said bracket relative said upper track side walls, thereby enhancing the ability of said bracket to withstand lengthwise directed forces imposed by said gear nut and gear case.
2 more elements
A method of making a seat track assembly of the type including an upper track comprised of an elongated inverted channel member having a pair of downwardly extending side walls and a top wall connecting said side walls;
- a lower track comprised of an elongated channel member having upwardly extending side walls and a bottom wall connecting said side walls, said upper track received between said side walls of said lower track;
- an elongated threaded spindle mounted to said lower track bottom wall extending along and between said side walls;
- a gear nut threaded onto said spindle, said gear nut rotatably carried in a gear case, said gear nut and said gear case driving said upper track lengthwise upon rotation of said gear nut on said spindle by a bracket having a pair of legs spaced apart in the direction of a longitudinal axis of said spindle, said bracket legs connected together at lower ends thereof by a connecting portion, said gear case disposed between said legs, said bracket affixed to said top wall of said upper track;
- and
- said method including the step of anchoring said spindle to said lower track by the steps of flattening one end of said spindle, and directly attaching said flattened end to said bottom wall of said lower track.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing a seat track assembly including the steps of:
- mounting a threaded spindle to extend along and within a channel shaped lower track;
- forming a channel shaped upper track with a pair of side walls having a recess extending into a bottom edge of said side walls;
- installing a gear nut onto said spindle threads;
- enclosing said nut in a gear case having openings allowing said spindle to pass through said gear case while confining said gear nut therein;
- forming a bracket having a pair of legs which straddle said gear case to capture the same while having openings allowing said spindle to pass therethrough, with said legs connected together at one end with a connecting portion;
- forming said bracket and said upper track side walls with portions interfit with each other upon placing said upper track over said bracket and gear case;
- and
- fastening said bracket to said upper track top wall by installing fasteners through said upper track top wall and said bracket.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.