Seat reclining apparatus

• US 10,293,730 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited, Subaru Corp., Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Shiroki Corporation (Aisin Corp.), NHK Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: Fujioka, Hidehiko, Nozue, Norihisa, Nonomiya, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Rodney B
• Application Number:
  US15/907,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20180281651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 29737812, 29737814
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/933 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/971 the locking system being an element distinct from articulation means, retaining the seat or seat part in its folded position, e.g. controlled by a wire

Abstract

A seat reclining apparatus includes: first and second reclining lock mechanisms that operate in a locked state and an unlocked state, where the locked state prevents a seat back from tilting and the unlocked state allows the tilting; a first rotation member that rotates toward an unlocking direction integrally with the shaft body to change the first reclining lock mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state; and a second rotation member that is operated to rotate by an operation member toward the unlocking direction to change the second reclining lock mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state via a cable. When the operation member is operated, the second rotation member rotates from the locking position toward the unlocking direction by a predetermined amount, subsequently transmits a rotation force to the first rotation member toward the unlocking direction via an interlocking portion.

Claims

1. A seat reclining apparatus mounted on a vehicle seat comprised of a seat back and seat cushion, said seat reclining apparatus comprising:

a first reclining lock mechanism and a second reclining lock mechanism that operate in a locked state and an unlocked state, said locked state preventing said seat back from tilting with respect to said seat cushion and said unlocked state allowing said seat back to tilt with respect to said seat cushion;

a first rotation member that connects with said first reclining lock mechanism via a shaft body interposed therebetween, and rotates from a locking position toward an unlocking direction together with said shaft body to change said first reclining lock mechanism from said locked state to said unlocked state;

a second rotation member that is operated to rotate by an operation member, and rotates from a locking position toward an unlocking direction to change said second reclining lock mechanism from said locked state to said unlocked state via a cable,

wherein said second rotation member is provided with an interlocking portion,

wherein when said operation member is operated, said second rotation member rotates from said locking position toward said unlocking direction by a predetermined amount, subsequently transmits a rotation force to said first rotation member via said interlocking portion to rotate said first rotation member toward said unlocking direction,

said first reclining lock mechanism being provided at one side of said seat in a vehicle-width direction; and

said second reclining lock mechanism being provided at an other side of said seat in the vehicle-width direction, said one side of the said seat and said other side of said seat being opposites sides of said seat in a vehicle-width direction.

2. The seat reclining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shaft body passes through said second rotation member so that said second rotation member is rotatably supported by said shaft body in a manner that said second rotation member and said shaft body are rotatable relative to each other.

3. The seat reclining apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a force transmission portion that is provided to said first rotation member and to which the rotation force in said unlocking direction is transmitted from said interlocking portion,

wherein, when said first rotation member and said second rotation member are positioned at said locking positions, respectively, said force transmission portion is apart from said interlocking portion.

4. The seat reclining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shaft body is positioned at a rotational center of said first reclining lock mechanism.