Vehicle seat latch with take-up mechanism

Claim 2

A latch for removably coupling a seat to a vehicle structure having at least one latching member coupled to said vehicle structure comprising: a latch hook rotatably carried by said seat, said latch hook being operable to rotate around said latching member to a latching position in which said latch hook substantially entraps said latching member between said seat and latch hook to couple said seat to said vehicle structure; and take-up means operatively associated with said seat and movable into a position engaging said latching member opposite said seat when said seat is coupled to said vehicle structure, said take-up means being operable to prevent movement of said seat in a direction away from said latching member.

Claim 3

The latch of Claim 1 further comprising: a pivot carried by said seat about which said latch hook rotates; and said take-up means including a take-up hook rotatable about said pivot to an engaging position in which said take-up hook engages said latching member.

Claim 4

The latch of Claim 2 further comprising biasing means operatively associated with said latch hook and said take-up hook for rotating said latch hook into said latching position and said take-up hook into said engaging position.

Claim 5

The latch of Claim 3 further comprising a handle bracket carried by said seat and rotatable about said pivot, said handle operatively associated with said latch hook and said take-up hook for rotating said hooks in opposition to said biasing means to release positions in which said take-up hook is disengaged from said latching member and said latch hook no longer entraps said latching member to enable said seat to be removed from said vehicle structure.

Claim 6

The latch of Claim 4 wherein said handle bracket defines a tab which engages a radial wall portion of said latch hook to permit a predetermined degree of lost rotational motion of said handle bracket before said tab drives said latch hook for rotation.

Claim 7

The latch of Claim 5 wherein said take-up hook is formed by said handle bracket.

Claim 8

A floor latch for removably coupling a seat to a vehicle structure having at least one latching member comprising: a main pivot carried by said seat; a handle bracket carried by said main pivot and rotatable with respect to said seat, said handle bracket including a handle; a latching hook carried by said main pivot, said latching hook being coupled to said handle bracket and rotatable with respect to said seat, said latching hook being rotatable to a latching position wherein said latching member is entrapped between said hooks and said seat to secure said seat to said vehicle structure and said latching hook being rotatable to a release position wherein said latching member is released; and take-up means coupled to said handle bracket and having an engaged position in which said take-up means engages said latching member for preventing movement of said seat in a direction away from said latching member while said seat is coupled to said vehicle structure, said take-up means being rotatable to a released position in which said take-up means is disengaged from said latching member.

Claim 9

A floor latch for removably coupling a seat to a vehicle structure having at least one latching member comprising: a main pivot carried by said seat; a handle bracket carried by said main pivot and rotatable with respect to said seat, said handle bracket including a handle; a latching hook carried by said main pivot, said latching hook being coupled to said handle bracket and rotatable with respect to said seat, said latching hook being rotatable to a latching position wherein said latching member is entrapped between said hooks and said seat to secure said seat to said vehicle structure and said latching hook being rotatable to a release position wherein said latching member is released; and take-up means coupled to said handle bracket and having an engaged position in which said take-up means engages said latching member for preventing movement of said seat in a direction away from said latching member while said seat is coupled to said vehicle structure, said take-up means being rotatable to a released position in which said take-up means is disengaged from said latching member.

Claim 10

The latch of Claim 7 further comprising biasing means operatively associated with said latching hook and said take-up means to rotate said latching hook to said latching position and said take-up means to said engaged position.

Claim 11

The floor latch of Claim 7 wherein said take-up means is formed by said handle bracket.

Claim 12

The floor latch of Claim 7 wherein when said handle is actuated to cause rotation of said handle bracket, said take-up means disengages said latching member and said handle bracket forming a tab which engages a radially projecting wall surface of said latching hook to permit a predetermined degree of lost rotational motion of said handle bracket before said tab drives said latching hook for rotation, during said lost motion said take-up means is rotated to disengage said latching member.

Claim 13

The floor latch of Claim 8 wherein said biasing means includes a spring for rotatably urging said latching hook to said latching position and said take-up means into engagement with said latching feature.

Claim 14

The floor latch of Claim 7 further comprising a second latching hook coupled to said main pivot for rotation therewith.

Claim 15

The floor latch of Claim 7 wherein said latching member is comprised of a shaft affixed to the floor structure of a vehicle.

Claim 16

The floor latch of Claim 13 wherein said take-up means includes a take-up hook coupled to said handle bracket and biased into a position in which said take-up hook engages the surface of said shaft opposite said seat.

Claim 17

A floor latch for removably coupling a seat to a motor vehicle floor structure, said seat of a type having a pair of laterally separated pedestals with one of said floor latches carried by each of said pedestals, said floor structure having at least one floor support shaft affixed thereto for engagement with said pedestals, each of said latches comprising: a main pivot carried by one of said pedestals and journaled for rotation therewith; a handle bracket journaled onto said main pivot and having a projecting tab, said handle bracket forming a surface engageable with said floor shaft; a latch hook carried by said main pivot and coupled thereto for mutual rotation, said latch hook having a notch engageable with said floor shaft and further forming a radial wall surface engageable with said handle bracket tab; an actuation handle coupled to said handle bracket for rotating said handle bracket; said pedestals forming an elongated slot closed at one end and open at the other end for reception of said floor shaft therein; biasing means for rotating said latch hook into a position closing said slot open end so as to entrap said floor shaft within said slot to secure said seat to said vehicle floor structure; and take-up means carried by said main pivot and rotatable into a position engaging said floor shaft opposite said seat to prevent movement of said seat in a direction away from said support shaft.

Claim 18

A floor latch for removably coupling a seat to a motor vehicle floor structure, said seat of a type having a pair of laterally separated pedestals with one of said floor latches carried by each of said pedestals, said floor structure having at least one floor support shaft affixed thereto for engagement with said pedestals, each of said latches comprising: a main pivot carried by one of said pedestals and journaled for rotation therewith; a handle bracket journaled onto said main pivot and having a projecting tab, said handle bracket forming a surface engageable with said floor shaft; a latch hook carried by said main pivot and coupled thereto for mutual rotation, said latch hook having a notch engageable with said floor shaft and further forming a radial wall surface engageable with said handle bracket tab; an actuation handle coupled to said handle bracket for rotating said handle bracket; said pedestals forming an elongated slot closed at one end and open at the other end for reception of said floor shaft therein; biasing means for rotating said latch hook into a position closing said slot open end so as to entrap said floor shaft within said slot to secure said seat to said vehicle floor structure; and take-up means carried by said main pivot and rotatable into a position engaging said floor shaft opposite said seat to prevent movement of said seat in a direction away from said support shaft.

Claim 19

The floor latch of Claim 15 wherein said take-up means comprises a take-up hook having a notch portion engageably with said support shaft opposite said seat.