US4856847A — Automotive seat with walk-in device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 258 words

An automotive seat with a walk-in device, comprising: a seat cushion; a seat back connected rotatably with said seat cushion; a pair of slide rails provided under said seat cushion, each of said slide rails including a a lower rail fixed to a floor of automobile and an upper rail fitted slidably in said lower rail; and a locking mechanism for locking and unlocking said upper rail of said slide rail with respect to said lower rail thereof; wherein said walk-in device includes: a link member which is provided on one of said pair of slide rails and is to be moved in response to a forward inclination of said seat back; a rotatable lever plate which is provided on said one of said pair of slide rails in a free-to-rotate manner; a conecting wire which is at its one end fixed to one end of said rotatable lever plate and at its other end fixed to said link member; a latching means which is rotatably provided on the other end of said rotatable lever plate; an actuator pin provided at said the other end of said rotatable lever plate, said actuator pin being so arranged as to actuate said locking mechanism to lock and unlock said slide rail in response to a rotation of said rotatable lever plate; and an engagement means provided at said upper rail of said slide rail, said engagment means being so adapted that said latching means is to engage said engagement means, to thereby retain an unlocked state of said locking mechanism;

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 258 words

An automotive seat with a walk-in device, comprising: a seat cushion; a seat back connected rotatably with said seat cushion; a pair of slide rails provided under said seat cushion, each of said slide rails including a a lower rail fixed to a floor of automobile and an upper rail fitted slidably in said lower rail; and a locking mechanism for locking and unlocking said upper rail of said slide rail with respect to said lower rail thereof; wherein said walk-in device includes: a link member which is provided on one of said pair of slide rails and is to be moved in response to a forward inclination of said seat back; a rotatable lever plate which is provided on said one of said pair of slide rails in a free-to-rotate manner; a conecting wire which is at its one end fixed to one end of said rotatable lever plate and at its other end fixed to said link member; a latching means which is rotatably provided on the other end of said rotatable lever plate; an actuator pin provided at said the other end of said rotatable lever plate, said actuator pin being so arranged as to actuate said locking mechanism to lock and unlock said slide rail in response to a rotation of said rotatable lever plate; and an engagement means provided at said upper rail of said slide rail, said engagment means being so adapted that said latching means is to engage said engagement means, to thereby retain an unlocked state of said locking mechanism;

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 107 words

The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises a memory device which includes a memory plate and a forward edge of said lower rail, and wherein said memory plate is provided at said latching means of said walk-in device, whereby when said seat, after being moved forwardly via said walk-in device, is moved back to its original position, said memory plate collides with and rides over said forward edge of said lower rail, to thereby cause said latching means to disengage from said engagement means and thus actuate said locking mechanism to lock said slide rail for locking said seat at its original position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 143 words

The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein upon said upper rail of said slide rail, there is provided a reclining device by which said seat back is inclined forwardly relative to said seat cushion, said reclining device including a rotatable bracket mounted rotatably therein, said rotatable bracket being connected to said seat back, and a projected lug formed integrally on said rotatable bracket, wherein said link member includes an upper projected part formed at its upper end, and wherein said projected lug of said reclining device is disposed in proximity of said upper projected part of said link member, whereby a forward rotation of said rotatable bracket, when said seat back is forwardly inclined, causes said projected lug to contact and move said upper projected part of said link member, thereby rotating said link member so as to actuate said walk-in device.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 84 words

The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein said rotatable lever plate includes an upper lever part, an intermediate lever part which extends perpendicularly in a downward direction from said upper lever part, and a lower lever part, all of said parts being formed integrally together, wherein said rotatable lever plate is at its lower lever part rotatably secured on a support bracket fixed on said upper rail, and wherein said upper lever part is connected with said one end of said connecting wire.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The automotive seat according to claim 4, wherein said lower lever part of said rotatable lever plate is formed in a dogleg-shaped configuration.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein said latching means is urged by means of a spring in a direction to engage said engagement means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-08-14	1993-02-13	1993-08-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-08-14	1997-02-13	1997-08-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-08-14	2001-02-13	2001-08-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automotive seat with walk-in device

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