Seat track assembly

A seat track assembly comprising, in combination:

• a fixed track affixable to a motor vehicle, having first and second flanges spaced longitudinally along a top wall, the first and second flanges extending downward from the top wall;
• a slidable track affixable to a seat and slidable on the fixed track, having first and second side walls spaced longitudinally along a top wall corresponding to the first and second flanges of the fixed track;
• a principal load bearing assembly comprising a low friction contact surface and an elongate plastic glide strip having surface bearing contact with the top wall of the slidable track and extending substantially the entire length of the slidable track and slidable on the contact surface;
• and
• a lateral stabilization assembly comprising rolling elements positioned between the first side wall and the first flange and rolling elements positioned between the second side wall and the second flange.

A motor vehicle seat slidably adjustable from a full forward position to a full rearward position comprising, in combination:

• a seat back hingedly attached to a seat base;
• a first elongate lower track affixable to a motor vehicle having a pair of contact surfaces;
• a first elongate upper track affixed to the seat base at a top wall and having a pair of laterally spaced side walls extending downwardly from the top wall, the upper track being slidable over the lower track;
• low friction means for principal bearing of the seat back, seat base and the upper track, comprising an elongate plastic glide strip having surface bearing contact with the top wall of the upper track and being slidable on the contact surfaces of the lower track;
• and
• means for enhancing lateral stability of the upper track with respect to the lower track, positioned remote from the contact surfaces and comprising a first pair of lateral stabilization balls secured together by a first retainer positioned between one of the side walls of the upper track and a corresponding one of the side walls of the lower track, and a second pair of lateral stabilization balls secured together by a second retainer positioned between another of the side walls of the upper track and a corresponding second one of the side walls of the lower track.

A seat track assembly for slidably adjusting a seat, comprising, in combination:

• an upper track having an elongate bearing top wall and first and second laterally spaced side walls extending along and downwardly from the top wall;
• a lower track having a low friction coating on a pair of primary load bearing, elongate contact surfaces and a first flange and a second flange positioned adjacent the contact surfaces;
• at least one lateral stabilization ball bearing positioned between the first flange of the lower track and the first side wall of the upper track, and at least one lateral stabilization ball bearing positioned between the second flange of the lower track and the second side wall of the upper track, the lateral stabilization ball bearings being positioned remote from the contact surfaces;
• and
• a glide member having surface bearing contact with the top wall of the upper track and slidably bearing on the contact surfaces of the lower track.

A seat track assembly for slidably adjusting a seat, comprising, in combination:

• an upper track having an elongate bearing top wall having a bottom surface and first and second laterally spaced side walls;
• a lower track comprising a bottom wall having a top surface, first and second interior walls extending from the bottom wall and cooperating with the bottom wall to define a central cavity, a pair of primary load bearing walls each having an elongate contact surface external of the central cavity and generally parallel with the bottom wall, and a first flange and a second flange each extending from a corresponding contact surface;
• at least one lateral stabilization ball bearing positioned between the first flange of the lower track and the first side wall of the upper track, and at least one lateral stabilization ball bearing positioned between the second flange of the lower track and the second wall of the upper track, the lateral stabilization ball bearings being positioned outside of the central cavity;
• and
• a glide member having a thickness and a bottom surface, slidably bearing on the contact surface of the lower track;
• wherein the central cavity has a height equal to a distance between the top surface of the bottom wall and the bottom surface of the top wall, and a distance between the top surface of the bottom wall and the bottom surface of the glide strip equals the height of the central cavity less the thickness of the glide strip.