Keith Randle Brantley

US Patent:

6733076, May 11, 2004

Filed:

Sep 24, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/253462

Inventors:

David Grable - Clinton Township MI
Keith Brantley - Utica MI

Assignee:

BAE Industies, Inc. - Centerline MI

International Classification:

B60N 222

US Classification:

297362, 297367, 29737812

Abstract:

A seatback recliner mechanism incorporated into a vehicle, the seat including a seat bottom and a pivotally engaged seatback. The recliner mechanism includes a pair of lower supports forming a part of the seat bottom and secured to at least one of first and second sides of the seat bottom. A first gear is fixed between the lower support and at a generally upper end and a pair of upper supports are pivotally secured to the lower supports and include a second rotatable gear meshingly engaged with the first gear. The seatback includes an upper arm pivotally secured to the upper support in coaxial fashion relative to a third rotatable gear meshingly engaged with the second gear. A first lever is operative to pivot the upper support relative the lower support over a specified range of forward incline and rearward recline. A second lever is operative to pivot the upper arm, relative to the upper support, to a substantially forward and horizontal position. A third lever unseats and rotates an intermediate plate, disposed between the upper and lower support plates and operatively engaged to the upper support plates in the released position, to a predetermined and forwardly inclined position.

US Patent:

6910739, Jun 28, 2005

Filed:

Aug 27, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/649120

Inventors:

David Grable - Utica MI, US
Keith Brantley - Clinton Township MI, US

Assignee:

BAE Industries, Inc. - Centerline MI

International Classification:

B60N002/20

US Classification:

29737812, 2973781, 296 6509

Abstract:

A recliner mechanism for use with a vehicle seat having bottom and a pivotally secured back. A release mechanism is operably engaged to the back and includes an actuating handle extending from the bottom. A plate is secured to the back at a first location and pivotable along with the back about an axis defined at a second location, an arcuate exterior surface defined by the plate exhibiting a recessed detent. A floor release lever is secured to the bottom proximate the plate and is pivotally associated with the release mechanism by a cable extending to a floor latch mechanism associated with the vehicle. A male detent is pivotally secured to the seat bottom in inter-disposed fashion between the floor release lever and the plate. Upon the release mechanism rotating the floor release lever, and the cable causing the seat bottom to disengage from the floor latch mechanism, the male detent is influenced by the release lever in a first direction to seat against the recessed detent location of the plate and to prevent a forwardly pivoted seat back from being rotated in a reverse direction. Upon the seat bottom further being rotated back into engagement with the floor latch mechanism, the male detent is influenced by the release lever in a second direction to permit the seat back to be pivoted in the reverse direction.

US Patent:

7198316, Apr 3, 2007

Filed:

May 3, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/120364

Inventors:

Tavis S. Lutzka - Clawson MI, US
Keith Brantley - Utica MI, US

Assignee:

BAE Industries, Inc. - Centerline MI

International Classification:

B60N 2/10
B60N 2/20

US Classification:

296 6503, 296 6509, 297336

Abstract:

A combined seat back release and floor release for use with a vehicle seat. The seat back includes a first mechanism for forwardly rotating a seat back relative to a seat bottom. The floor release is actuated by the seat back by virtue of a linearly translatable cable extending therebetween. The cable acts upon a floor release lever, which is rotatably slaved to a pair of cam elements. A latch plate is rotatably secured to the seat and engages a floor mounted striker. Shoulder portions associated with the cams define primary and secondary abutment surfaces acting against the support surface of the latch plate. The lever actuates the cams away from the support surface in response to the actuation of the cable from the seat back mechanism. Forward pivoting of the seat occurs upon the cam shoulders separating from the latch plate support surface, a coil spring causing the latch plate to further rotate in a disengaging direction relative to the striker and upon the coil spring exceeding an over center portion relative to the pivot point of rotation of the latch plate.

US Patent:

7222907, May 29, 2007

Filed:

Dec 15, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/013170

Inventors:

Tavis S. Lutzka - Clawson MI, US
Keith Brantley - Utica MI, US

Assignee:

BAE Industries, Inc. - Centerline MI

International Classification:

B60N 2/04

US Classification:

296 6503, 2485031, 297336, 2973441

Abstract:

A release latch for use with a vehicle seat. A latch plate is rotatably secured to the seat and engages a floor mounted striker. A cam is rotatably secured to the seat and defines a shoulder biasingly seating against a support surface of the latch plate. A lever actuates the cam away from the support surface. A coil spring extends between the cam and a location of the latch plate offset from its pivot point. Forward pivoting of the seat occurs upon the shoulder separating from the support surface, the coil spring causing the latch plate to further rotate in a disengaging direction relative to the striker and upon the coil spring exceeding an over center portion relative to the pivot point of rotation of the latch plate.

US Patent:

7270375, Sep 18, 2007

Filed:

May 9, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/124698

Inventors:

Tavis S. Lutzka - Clawson MI, US
Keith Brantley - Utica MI, US

Assignee:

BAE Industries, Inc. - Centerline MI

International Classification:

A47C 1/00

US Classification:

297331, 29737812, 29737813, 29737814, 2973441

Abstract:

A disengage mechanism incorporated into a floor-mounted, forwardly pivotal and removable seat including a bottom and a pivotally associated back. The mechanism includes a handle-operated actuating assembly mounted to an underside of the seat bottom. A seat forward tumble mechanism includes a cable securing to the assembly at a first location and a seat disengage mechanism includes a pair of cables securing to the assembly at a second location. The assembly is actuated in a first selected direction to engage the forward tumble mechanism, the assembly being actuated in a second reverse direction to concurrently engage the forward tumble mechanism as well as the seat disengagement mechanism.

US Patent:

7434862, Oct 14, 2008

Filed:

Oct 11, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/247638

Inventors:

Tavis Lutzka - Clawson MI, US
Stephen Bruck - Howell MI, US
Keith Brantley - Utica MI, US

Assignee:

BAE Industries, Inc. - Centerline MI

International Classification:

B60N 2/04

US Classification:

296 6503, 2485031, 297336

Abstract:

A multifunctional latch assembly associated with a rear row mounted and removable vehicle seat exhibiting a seat back pivotally secured to a seat bottom. The latch assembly releasably engages the seat bottom to front and rear floor supported strikers and to permit forward rotating seat dump and/or rearward seat removal. A first latch mechanism is mounted to a rear location of a frame associated with the seat bottom and includes a latch plate configured to engage the rear striker. A release lever is secured to a further location of the seat frame and is actuated a degree to permit the seat back to pivotally fold flat against the seat bottom, the release lever is further actuated a second degree to disengage the latch plate from the rear located striker and to permit forward rotation of the seat about the front supported striker. A second latch mechanism is mounted to a selected front location of the seat frame and includes an arcuately configured latch engaging the front striker. The second latch mechanism further includes a spring actuated hook engaging a lockout pin pivotally associated with the arcuately configured latch, upon a selected pivotal displacement of the seat frame relative the front floor supported striker, the seat subsequently being rearwardly displaced to permit removal from the vehicle.

US Patent:

7780234, Aug 24, 2010

Filed:

May 12, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/119144

Inventors:

David Grable - Clinton Township MI, US
Keith Brantley - Utica MI, US

Assignee:

BAE Industries, Inc. - Warren MI

International Classification:

B60N 2/30
B60N 2/00

US Classification:

297331, 297335, 296 6505

Abstract:

An inertial latch assembly including a planar shaped sector pivotally mounted between a pair of spaced apart support plates. The sector exhibits a bottom including a central projecting shoulder separating first and second bottom surfaces. An arcuate interior channel in the sector is offset from its pivotal mounting location, a pin extending through a second channel defined in a selected support plate and seating within the arcuate channel so that the pin exerts a bias against the sector during travel along the arcuate interior channel. A pendulum is secured in sandwiching fashion between the support plates and proximate the bottom extending surface of the planar shaped sector, an arcuate edge thereof seating against a selected bottom extending surfaces of the rotatable sector, depending upon a pivoted position established between the sector and the support plates. The pendulum responds to an inertial impact condition by engaging against the underside shoulder of the sector and to prevent rotation of the sector relative to the support plates.

US Patent:

20020089225, Jul 11, 2002

Filed:

Aug 24, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/938986

Inventors:

Stephen Bruck - Fraser MI, US
Tyrone Secord - Troy MI, US
Keith Brantley - Utica MI, US

International Classification:

B60N002/02
B60N002/48

US Classification:

297/378110

Abstract:

A latch assembly incorporated into a vehicle seat for forcibly maintaining a seat back portion in an upright position responsive to a determined inertial or crash load. A frame of the seat includes a pair of support plates mounted and an upwardly extending arm hingedly connected to the support plates, the extending arm defining part of the seat back of the vehicle seat. A latch gear is mounted to the arm at the hinged connection and includes an exterior facing surface defined, in part, by a first plurality of teeth. A first cam is pivotally secured between the support plates at a first location and operably engages a second cam pivotally secured at a second location so that, upon rotation of the first cam in a given direction, the second cam rotates in an opposite direction. A pawl is pivotally and translatably secured at a third location and is engageable by the second cam in normal operation. The pawl includes a second plurality of teeth arrayed in opposing fashion to the first plurality of teeth of the latch gear, and further includes an extending end configuration further defined by an upwardly and arcuately extending surface. A wedge block is fixedly secured to the support bracket at a fourth location and is defined, in part, by first and second shoulder support surfaces. The pawl engages the first support surface of the wedge block upon being rotated between latched and disengaged positions relative to the latch gear. In response to the experienced inertial load, the extending end configuration of the pawl shifts in a lateral or radial direction so that it is then engaged upon the second shoulder support surface and the plurality of teeth defined on the pawl are forcibly interengaged against the plurality of teeth of the latch gear.