Automatic seat mounting arrangement and seat track assembly

Abstract

An automotive seat mounting ( 3 ) comprising relatively slidable members for mounting a seat ( 4 ) within a vehicle such that the seat ( 4 ) can be slidably positioned and moved in a forward (F) and rearward (R) longitudinal direction. The slidable members slidably interconnected at at least two laterally spaced locations. The slidable members are accurately and positively laterally located and interconnected relative to each other in a lateral direction, at only one of said laterally spaced locations. The slidable members may comprise first and second seat track sections ( 8 a ,10 a ) of an individual seat track assembly ( 6 a ). Alternatively the slidable members may comprise first ( 6 a ) and second ( 6 b ) laterally spaced seat track assemblies.

1 . An automotive seat mounting comprising relatively slidable members for mounting a seat within a vehicle such that the seat can be slidably positioned and moved in a forward and rearward longitudinal direction, the slidable members slidably interconnected at at least two laterally spaced locations; 
 characterized in that the slidable members are accurately and positively laterally located and interconnected relative to each other in a lateral direction, at only one of said laterally spaced locations.    
     
     
         2 . An automotive seat mounting as claimed in  claim 1  in which said slidable members comprise part of an individual seat track assembly.  
     
     
         3 . An automotive seat mounting as claimed in  claim 1  in which said slidable members comprise first and second seat track assemblies.  
     
     
         4 . An automotive seat mounting as claimed in any one of claims  1  comprising an accurate lateral positioning bearing element located at only one of said laterally spaced locations.  
     
     
         5 . An automotive seat mounting arrangement as claimed in  claim 4  further comprising a further lateral positioning bearing element located at said other side, said further lateral positioning bearing element adapted to provide only limited lateral location of said slidable members as compared to said accurate lateral positioning bearing element.  
     
     
         6 . An automotive seat mounting as claimed in any one of claims  1  in which the slidable members are accurately and positively vertically located and interconnected in a substantially vertical direction relative to each other at both of said at least two laterally spaced locations.  
     
     
         7 . An automotive seat track assembly for slidably mounting a seat within a vehicle such that the seat can be slidably positioned and moved in a forward and rearward direction, the seat track assembly comprising a pair of elongate seat track sections which are co-operatively arranged and interconnected such that they are operatively slidable with respect to each other with one of the said seat track sections arranged to be connectable to the seat whilst the other respective seat track section is arranged to be connectable to the vehicle; 
 characterised in that the seat track sections are of substantially the same cross sectional shape such that they can be formed from substantially the same general tooling.    
     
     
         8 . An automotive seat mounting as claimed in  claim 2  in which said slidable members comprise a pair of slidably interconnected cooperating seat track sections which are substantially identical in cross section.  
     
     
         9 . An automotive seat mounting as claimed in  claim 2  in which the cross sectional shape of the seat track section is offset, and the seat track sections are interconnected such that the offset cross sectional shape of the seat track sections is arranged in a complementary manner within the seat track assembly.  
     
     
         10 . An automotive seat track assembly as claimed in claim in which the seat track sections are interconnected along at least part of their elongate length.  
     
     
         11 . An automotive seat track assembly as claimed in claim in which the seat track sections comprise cooperating interfitting elements which are arranged in the assembly in an interfitting arrangement to slidably interconnected the seat track sections to each other.  
     
     
         12 . An automotive seat track assembly as claimed in claim in which the interfitting arrangement interconnects the seat track sections at laterally spaced positions disposed towards opposite lateral sides of the cross section of the seat track sections.  
     
     
         13 . An automotive seat track assembly as claimed in claim in which the interfitting elements comprise substantially U shaped co-operatively engaging edge portions of the respective seat track sections.  
     
     
         14 . An automotive seat track assembly as claimed in claim in which the seat track sections are of a generally U shaped cross section.  
     
     
         15 . An automotive seat track assembly as claimed in claim in which each of the seat track sections, in cross section, comprises respective first and second side portions interconnected by and extending from an interconnecting portion.  
     
     
         16 . An automotive seat track assembly as claimed in claim in which the second side portion is longer than the first side portion and extends further from the interconnecting portion such that the cross section of the seat track section is thereby offset.  
     
     
         17 . An automotive seat track assembly as claimed in claim in which the first side portion of one of the seat track sections is interconnected to the second side portion of the other seat track section.  
     
     
         18 . An automotive seat mounting as claimed in  claim 3  said first and second seat track assemblies are laterally spaced and are arranged to be disposed at either side of the seat.  
     
     
         19 . An automotive seat mounting arrangement as claimed in  claim 18  in which one of the pair of seat track assemblies, at one lateral side only of the mounting arrangement, is adapted to provide accurate lateral location and guidance of the relatively slidable seat track sections, the other seat track assembly, at the other side of the mounting arrangement not being adapted to provide accurate lateral location and/or guidance.  
     
     
         20 . A seat mounting comprising a first seat track section and second seat track section; each seat track section comprising a first and second parallel spaced apart interconnecting portions, said first and second interconnecting portions of said first seat track section cooperatively and sliding engaging said second and first interconnecting portions of said second seat track sections respectively such that said first and second seat track section are slidingly engaged and interconnected along the length of the two parallel spaced interconnecting portions of the seat track sections; the mounting further comprising an accurate lateral locating element to accurately and positively locate only the first interconnecting portion of said first seat track section with the second interconnecting portion of said second seat track section.  
     
     
         21 . A method of installing and assembling a seat track assembly which comprises a first and second slidingly interconnected seat track sections which mount a vehicle seat to a vehicle; the method comprising 
 a) providing a temporary locating means between said interconnected seat track sections to accurately locate and align said first and second seat track sections relative to each other;    b) installing and mounting said seat track assembly with said vehicle;    c) removing said temporary locating means.    
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the temporary locating means comprises wax which is provided to fill the sliding clearances between the first and second slidingly interconnected seat track sections.