Seat recliner and floor latch with interlock

Abstract

A latch system for providing adjustment of a seat back relative to a seat bottom includes a seat-back latch mechanism interconnecting the seat back and the seat bottom for movement of the seat back between a use position and a folded position and a floor-latch mechanism selectively connecting the seat bottom to the base for movement of the seat bottom between a deployed position and a stowed position. An interlock mechanism interacts with the floor-latch mechanism and the seat-back latch mechanism to selectively block operation of the floor-latch mechanism and the seat-back latch mechanism.

1. A seat assembly, comprising:
 a seat bottom rotatably mounted to a base;  
 a seat back adjustable relative  rotatably mounted to said seat bottom;  
 a seat-back latch mechanism interconnecting said seat back and said seat bottom for movement  and having latched and unlatched conditions, said seat-back latch mechanism in said unlatched condition permitting rotation of said seat back between a use position and a folded position;  
 a floor-latch mechanism selectively connecting said seat bottom to said base for movement  and having latched and unlatched conditions, said floor-latch mechanism in said unlatched condition permitting rotation of said seat bottom between a deployed position and a stowed position; and  
 an interlock mechanism interacting with said floor-latch mechanism and said seat-back latch mechanism to selectively block operation of said floor-latch mechanism and said seat-back latch mechanism, wherein said interlock mechanism blocks operation of said floor-latch mechanism from said latched to said unlatched condition when said seat back is in said use position, and blocks operation of said seat-back latch mechanism when said seatback  seat bottom is in said stowed position and prevents substantial rotation of said seat back from said folded position when said floor-latch mechanism is in said unlatched condition to maintain said seat back in said folded position until said seat bottom is returned to said deployed position and said floor-latch mechanism is in said latched condition.  
 
     
     
       2. The seat assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said seat-back latch mechanism includes a pawl for adjusting said seat back relative to said seat bottom and for releasing said seat back for movement between said use position and said folded position. 
     
     
       3. The seat assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said interlock mechanism includes a lock-out lever for blocking operation of said floor-latch lock  mechanism from said latched condition to said unlatched condition when said seat back is in said use position. 
     
     
       4. The seat assembly according to  claim 3  wherein said interlock mechanism includes a second lock-out lever for blocking operation of said seat-back latch mechanism when said seat bottom is in said stowed position. 
     
     
       5. The seat assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said interlock mechanism includes a lock-out lever for blocking operation of said seat-back latch mechanism from said unlatched condition to said latched condition when said seat bottom is in said stowed position. 
     
     
       6. The seat assembly according to  claim 5  wherein said interlock mechanism includes a second lock-out lever for blocking operation of said floor-latch lock mechanism when said seat back is in said use position. 
     
     
       7. A latch system for providing angular adjustment of a seat back relative to a seat bottom and rotatable motion of the seat bottom relative to a base, comprising:
 a seat-back latch mechanism interconnecting said seat back and said seat bottom for movement  and having latched and unlatched conditions, said seat-back latch mechanism in said unlatched condition permitting rotation of said seat back between a use position and a folded position;  
 a floor-latch mechanism selectively connecting said seat bottom to said base for movement  and having latched and unlatched conditions, said floor-latch mechanism in said unlatched condition permitting rotation of said seat bottom between a deployed position and a stowed position; and  
 an interlock mechanism interacting with said floor-latch mechanism and said seat-back latch mechanism to selectively block operation of said floor-latch mechanism and said seat-back latch mechanism, wherein said interlock mechanism blocks operation of said floor-latch mechanism from said latched to said unlatched condition when said seat back is in said use position, and blocks operation of said seat-back latch mechanism when said seat bottom is in said stowed position and prevents substantial rotation of said seat back from said folded position when said floor-latch mechanism is in said unlatched condition to maintain said seat back in said folded position until said seat bottom is returned to said deployed position and said floor-latch mechanism is in said latched condition.  
 
     
     
       8. The seat assembly according to  claim 7  wherein said seat-back latch mechanism includes a pawl for adjusting said seat back relative to said seat bottom and for releasing said seat back for movement between said use position and said folded position. 
     
     
       9. The seat assembly according to  claim 7  wherein said interlock mechanism includes a lock-out lever for blocking operation of said floor-latch lock  mechanism from said latched condition to said unlatched condition when said seat back is in said use position. 
     
     
       10. The seat assembly according to  claim 9  wherein said interlock mechanism includes a second lock-out lever for blocking operation of said seat-back latch mechanism when said seat bottom is in said stowed position. 
     
     
       11. The seat assembly according to  claim 7  wherein said interlock mechanism includes a lock-out lever for blocking operation of said seat-back latch mechanism from said unlatched condition to said latched condition when said seat bottom is in said stowed position. 
     
     
       12. The seat assembly according to  claim 11  wherein said interlock mechanism includes a second lock-out lever for blocking operation of said floor-latch lock  mechanism when said seat back is in said use position. 
     
     
       13. A seat assembly, comprising:
 a seat bottom pivotally mounted to a base at a front portion and releasably mounted to said base at a rear portion;  
 a seat back angularly adjustable relative to said seat bottom between a use position and a folded position;  
 a seat-back latch mechanism interconnecting said seat back and said seat bottom for pivotal movement of said seat back between a  said use position and a  said folded position;  
 a floor-latch mechanism having latched and unlatched conditions for releasably mounting said seat bottom to said base for pivotal movement between a deployed position and a stowed position; and  
 an interlock mechanism interacting with said floor-latch mechanism and said seat-back latch mechanism, said interlock mechanism including a first lock-out lever to  selectively block  blocking operation of said floor-latch mechanism until said seat back is substantially in said folded position and a second lock-out lever to  selectively block  blocking operation of said seat-back latch mechanism when said seat back is in said folded position and said floor-latch mechanism is in said unlatched condition.  
 
     
     
       14. The seat assembly of  claim 13  wherein said second lock- out lever further blocks operation of said seat-back latch mechanism when said seat back is in said folded position and said seat bottom is in said stowed position.