US 5,871,318 AGranted

Quick-release track fastener

AssigneeBE Aerospace, Inc.

InventorsRichard Williams Dixon, Steven R. Bell

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Abstract

A track fastener apparatus for use with a locking track of the type used to secure a seat or cargo apparatus to the floor of a vehicle. The track fastener includes at least one locking disc sized to fit in a predetermined one of the enlarged openings in the track, and mounted for movement between an unlocked position wherein the locking disc is positioned above the enlarged opening in the track and a locked position wherein the locking disc is positioned in the enlarged openings in the track and engaged by the locking segments of the locking track adjacent the enlarged openings thereby preventing movement of the track fastener along the length of the track. A vertical bore extends through the track fastener housing and communicates with the bottom side of the track fastener housing adjacent the at least one locking disc. A lock actuator is positioned in the bore and operatively connected to the locking disc for moving the locking disc between the locked and unlocked position. The lock actuator includes a cam follower positioned in the bore in fixed relation to the track fastener housing and a cam engaged with the cam follower for translating rotational movement of the lock actuator into vertical movement of the locking disc as the cam is rotated about the cam follower. At least one locking stud is positioned on the track fastener housing to prevent vertical movement in the slot of the locking track when the locking disc is in the locked position and in unlocked relation permitting movement of the track fastener apparatus along the slot of the track when the locking stud is in the unlocked position.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A track fastener apparatus for use with a locking track of the type used to secure a seat or cargo apparatus to the floor of a vehicle, upper walls of said locking track defining a longitudinally-extending slot therein, the upper walls of the slot having regularly spaced-apart enlarged openings along the length thereof separated by relatively narrower track segments defining locking segments, said track fastener apparatus comprising:

(a) a track fastener housing including attachment means for attachment to a seat or cargo apparatus;
(b) said track fastener housing having a top side and a bottom side with at least one locking disc on said bottom side thereof, said locking disc being sized to fit in a predetermined one of said enlarged openings in the track, said locking disc mounted on said track fastener assembly for movement between an unlocked position wherein the locking disc is positioned above the enlarged opening in the track and a locked position wherein said locking disc is positioned in said enlarged openings in the track and engaged by the locking segments of the locking track adjacent the enlarged opening thereby preventing movement of the track fastener along the length of the track;
(c) a vertical bore extending through the track fastener housing and communicating with the bottom side of the track fastener housing adjacent said at least one locking disc;
(d) a lock actuator positioned in said bore and operatively connected to said locking disc for moving said locking disc between the locked and unlocked position, said lock actuator including:
(i) a cam follower positioned in said bore in fixed relation to said track fastener housing;
and
(ii) a cam engaged with said cam follower for translating rotational movement of said lock actuator into vertical movement of said locking disc as the cam is rotated about the cam follower;
and
(e) at least one locking stud positioned on the bottom of the track fastener housing for being positioned in locking relation against vertical movement in the slot of the locking track when the locking disc is in the locked position and positioned in unlocked relation permitting movement of the track fastener apparatus along the slot of the track when the locking stud is in the unlocked position.

6 more elements

(a) a track fastener housing including attachment means for attachment to a seat or cargo apparatus;
(b) said track fastener housing having a top side and a bottom side with a plurality of spaced-apart locking discs on said bottom side thereof, said locking discs being sized to fit in space-apart ones of said enlarged openings in the track, said locking discs mounted on said track fastener housing for movement between an unlocked position wherein the locking discs are positioned above the enlarged openings in the track and a locked position wherein said locking discs are positioned in said enlarged openings in the track and engaged by the locking segments of the locking track adjacent the enlarged opening thereby preventing movement of the track fastener along the length of the track;
(c) a vertical bore extending through the track fastener housing and communicating with the bottom side of the track fastener housing adjacent at least one of said locking discs;
(d) a lock actuator positioned in said bore and operatively connected to said locking discs for moving said locking discs between the locked and unlocked positions, said lock actuator including:
(i) a cam follower positioned in said bore in fixed relation to said track fastener housing;
and
(ii) a cam engaged with said cam follower for translating rotational movement of said lock actuator into vertical movement of said locking discs as the cam is rotated about the cam follower;
and
(e) at least one locking stud positioned on the bottom of the track fastener housing for being positioned in locking relation against vertical movement in the slot of the locking track when the locking discs are in the locked position and positioned in unlocked relation permitting movement of the track fastener apparatus along the slot of the track when the locking stud are in the unlocked position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.