Interlocking seat adjuster with compensating link

A seat system comprising a riser attached to a vehicle frame and a seat bracket moveably affixed in relation to said riser, the seat system having means to move the seat bracket to and from a fore and aft position longitudinally in relation to said riser, wherein said means to move the seat bracket to and from a fore and aft position longitudinally further comprises a linkage system for providing the longitudinal movement of the seat bracket including at least two links for moving the seat bracket fore and aft and at least one compensating means for compensating for the substantially arcuate motion of the at least two links of the linkage system of the seat bracket, the cooperative motion of the at least one compensating means rendering the movement of the linkage system and the seat bracket as substantially linear within the range of movement of the seat bracket, the riser having first interlocking means to interlock with interlocking means of the seat bracket over the longitudinal motion of the seat bracket, the seat bracket having second interlocking means to interlock with interlocking means of the riser over the longitudinal motion of the seat bracket, wherein the first and second interlocking means normally permit said longitudinal motion but are arranged to interlock when the system is subjected to the loading experienced during an accident to provide a direct path to the vehicle frame for any forces exerted upon the seat system during an accident while reducing any forces exerted on the means to move the seat bracket to and from a fore and aft position in relation to the riser, during the accident.

A system for providing linear movement of a vehicle seat comprising a seat bracket, having a seat disposed therewith in use, and a riser, each of the seat bracket and the riser having a front and rear, top and bottom;

• the seat bracket being located substantially on top of said riser in use;
• at least two first links pivotally engaged with said seat bracket at a pivot, one of said at least two first links being connected proximate the front of the seat bracket and the other of said at least two first links being connected proximate the rear of said seat bracket;
• at least two second longer links, being longer than said first links, and pivotally engaged with said seat bracket at a pivot, one of said at least two second links being pivotally connected proximate the front of said seat bracket but offset towards the rear and towards the top of the seat bracket in relation to the pivot of the first link, and the other of said at least two second links being pivotally connected proximate the rear of said seat bracket but offset towards the front and towards the top of the seat bracket in relation to the pivot of the first link, said at least two first and second links being pivotally interconnected with at least two compensating third links having a free end and being pivotably connected with the front and rear of the riser, the at least two first links being interconnected with the at least two compensating third links proximate the free end of the at least two compensating third links respectively, the at least two second links being interconnected with the at least two compensating third links intermediate the free end of the at least two compensating third links and pivoting ends of the at least two compensating third links connected with the riser respectively, the at least two first and second links providing the longitudinal fore and aft motion of seat bracket in relation to the riser, the at least two compensating third links compensating for the arcuate motion of the at least two first and second links maintaining the seat bracket in a substantially constant parallel position with respect to the riser throughout the range of movement of said seat bracket so that there is no appreciable arcuate movement but a substantially linear movement of said seat bracket in relation to the riser, the riser having first interlocking means to interlock with interlocking means of the seat bracket over the longitudinal motion of the seat bracket, the seat bracket having second interlocking means to interlock with interlocking means of the riser over the longitudinal motion of the seat bracket, wherein the first and second interlocking means normally permit said longitudinal motion but are arranged to interlock when the system is subjected to the loading experienced during an accident to provide a direct path to the vehicle frame for any forces exerted upon the seat system during an accident while reducing any forces exerted on said first, second, and compensating links during the accident.