Plastic drive block for vehicle seat adjuster
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorPhilip A. Chaban
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive apparatus includes a rotatable threaded shaft disposed between a first member movably mounted with respect to a stationary second member. A housing having a freely movable leg is fixedly mounted to the second member, with the free leg movably extending into an aperture in the second member. A plastic drive block threadingly engaged with the threaded shaft is mounted within the housing. A cushion member is coupled to the drive nut and resiliently supports the drive nut in the housing. Axial forces exerted on the threaded shaft cause deformation of the side leg of the housing into direct contact with the lead screw to form a metal to metal path between the lead screw and the second member through the housing.
Claims20
A drive apparatus comprising:
- first and second members, the first member movable relative to the second member;
- a threaded shaft carried with the first member;
- means, coupled to the threaded shaft, for imparting rotation to the threaded shaft;
- a drive block having a threaded bore engagable with the threaded shaft;
- a metal housing fixedly mounted on the second member and having an internal cavity for receiving the drive block threadingly coupled to the threaded shaft;
- and
- means, carried on the housing and normally spaced from the threaded shaft and having a portion freely movable relative to and normally non-contacting the second member and movably responsive to axial movement of the drive block, due to forces exerted on the threaded shaft for forming a contact path between the threaded shaft and the second member through the housing upon axial movement of the drive block.
A drive apparatus comprising:
- first and second members, the first member movable relative to the second member;
- a threaded shaft carried with the first member;
- means, coupled to the threaded shaft, for imparting rotation to the threaded shaft;
- a drive block having a threaded bore engageable with the threaded shaft;
- a housing fixedly mounted on the second member and having an internal cavity for receiving the drive block threadingly coupled to the threaded shaft, the housing having one side leg movably extending into an aperture formed in the second member, the side leg deformable under forces exerted on the threaded shaft into engagement with the threaded shaft to couple the threaded shaft directly to the second member through the housing.
A power seat adjuster comprising:
- a stationary lower track;
- an upper track movably mounted with respect to the lower track;
- a threaded lead screw rotatingly extending between the lower track and the upper track;
- drive means, coupled to the lead screw, for rotating the lead screw;
- a drive block having a threaded bore engageable with the threaded shaft;
- a housing fixedly mounted on the lower track and having an internal cavity for receiving the drive block threadingly coupled to the threaded shaft, the housing having one side leg, the one side leg deformable under forces exerted on the threaded shaft into engagement with the threaded shaft to couple the threaded shaft directly to the lower track through the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.