The invention relates to a latch structure and, more particularly, to an improved inertia operated latch structure for preventing pivotal movement of a vehicle seat back upon impact or sudden deceleration.
It is well recognized that the likelihood of injury to occupants is reduced if the pivoted seat back commonly used in two-door motor vehicles is held against pivotal movement upon impact. While it has been common to provide manually operated latch structures for holding the seat back against movement, such manually operated latches are inconvenient in that they must be released prior to entry to the rear seat of the vehicle. To overcome this defect, it has been proposed to employ inertia operated latches that will hold the seat back against its pivotal movement only upon sudden vehicle deceleration. Such latches must be fool-proof in operation to insure complete safety, and consistent with this requirement, the latch should be of simple construction.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved latch structure particularly adapted for preventing forward movement of a seat back during sudden deceleration.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved, simplified inertia operated latch.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an inertia operated latch that will be maintained in the latched position for a substantial time after the deceleration force has ceased.