Seat assembly having a switch and method of operation
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsSteve Gamache, Gerald Patrick, Suresh Veeramachaneni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seat assembly and a method of control. The seat assembly includes a power recliner assembly that allows a seat back to pivot with respect to a seat bottom. The power recliner assembly includes a motor for rotating a recliner mechanism. A switch assembly is electrically coupled to the motor and disables operation of the motor when in an open condition.
Claims20
A seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom;
- a seat back;
- a power recliner assembly mounted to the seat bottom and the seat back that facilitates pivoting of the seat back with respect to the seat bottom, the power recliner mechanism including a recliner mechanism and a motor for rotating the recliner mechanism;
- a switch assembly electrically connected to the motor, the switch assembly having an open condition in which operation of the motor is disabled and a closed condition in which operation of the motor is enabled;
- and
- an easy entry release mechanism for actuating the power recliner assembly to a released condition in which the seat back is free to pivot toward the seat bottom independent of operation of the motor;
- wherein the switch assembly is in the open condition when the easy entry release mechanism is in the released condition.
A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom;
- a seat back;
- a power recliner assembly including:
- a lower mounting bracket assembly disposed on the seat bottom;
- a recliner mechanism heart disposed on the lower mounting bracket assembly;
- a torque rod that engages the recliner mechanism heart;
- a motor disposed on and configured to rotate the torque rod;
- an upper mounting bracket assembly fixedly disposed on the seat back;
- and
- a recliner center freeswing mechanism disposed on the upper mounting bracket assembly;
- and
- a switch assembly disposed on the power recliner assembly and electrically coupled to the motor;
- wherein the switch assembly disables operation of the motor when the recliner center freeswing mechanism is disengaged from the recliner mechanism heart.
A method of controlling operation of a vehicle seat assembly having a power recliner assembly for adjusting the position of a seat back, the power recliner assembly having an electric motor, the method comprising:
- releasing a seat back to freely pivot toward a seat bottom;
- and
- disabling operation of the motor when the seat back is released.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.