Most vehicle seats, and in particular, passenger vehicles are generally provided with adjustment mechanisms to allow the occupant to position the seat for optimal comfort. The seats include a seat back which is typically movably mounted to a seat bottom by a recliner mechanism to adjust the angle of the seat back relative to the seat bottom. The seats can also include mechanisms that allow movement of the seat forward and backward (fore and aft) relative to the floor of the vehicle. To accomplish this, vehicle seats are mounted on seat track assemblies that are in turn supported on the vehicle frame. Seat track assemblies conventionally include an upper seat track and a lower seat track with a low-friction member or surface between the tracks. The seat bottom is typically connected to the upper seat track and can slidably move relative to the lower track by sliding on the low friction surface. The lower seat track is generally fixed to the vehicle frame or floor to maintain the relative position of the seat to the vehicle.
The use of a low friction surface allows the seat and upper seat track to slide more easily on the lower seat track. It is commonly known to use bearing means, such as roller bearings or plastic slide members, as low-friction members between the upper and lower tracks to function as a bushing. To facilitate movement between tracks, it is helpful to attach the slide member to a first track and allow the second track to slide relative to the first track.
It is desirable to provide a seat track assembly that effectively retains the slide within the seat track assembly without increasing cost or efficiency during the assembly process. Also, it is desirable for the seat track assembly to slide easily and with reduced friction between the track surfaces.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds