Vehicle seat with a catch on one side and with a retaining device

• US 20030160483A1
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C ROB Hammerstein GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: C ROB Hammerstein GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Beneker, Wilfried, Becker, Burckhard
• Granted Patent: US 6,902,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/216.16
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0715 C or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/165 Gear wheel driven mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/43 Safety locks for back-rests B60N2/433

Abstract

The motor vehicle seat of a motor vehicle comprises an underframe and a seat carrier that is height-adjustably connected to the underframe through rear oscillating cranks. A catch device is directly assigned to one of the two rear oscillating cranks. A non-rotatable tie bar joins the two rear oscillating cranks so that they are parallel when the vehicle seat is subjected to normal load. A retaining device has a sector gear firmly connected to the other one of the two rear oscillating cranks. An engaging piece which is movably disposed on the seat carrier or on the underframe, is provided with teeth devised for engagement with the sector gear and is disengaged from the sector gear as long as the vehicle seat is subjected to normal load. When the associated motor vehicle is subjected to a crash load an actuator is activated and causes the engaging piece to move into positive mesh with the sector gear. It is activated both for a positive and for a negative acceleration of the vehicle seat in the event of an accident. The teeth of the sector gear are configured in such a manner that their flanks, which are located on either side thereof, are oriented substantially radially relative to the orientation of said sector gear so that, during an accident situation, the sector gear is locked in the two directions of rotation upon engagement of the engaging piece.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle seat for motor vehicle, the motor vehicle seat comprising a) an underframe, b) a seat carrier that is height-adjustably connected to the underframe through a left rear oscillating crank and through a right rear oscillating crank, c) a catch device for adjusting and locking the angular position of said crank relative to the underframe, which catch device is directly assigned to one of the two rear oscillating cranks, d) a non-rotatable tie bar that joins the two rear oscillating cranks so that they are parallel when the vehicle seat is subjected to normal load, and e) a retaining device having

a sector gear firmly connected to the other one of the two rear oscillating cranks,

an engaging piece movably disposed on the seat carrier or on the underframe, which engaging piece is provided with engaging means, devised for engagement with the sector gear, the engaging piece being disengaged from the sector gear when the vehicle seat is subjected to normal load, and

an actuator disposed for activation when the associated motor vehicle is subjected to a crash load, the actuator being arranged to cause the engaging piece to move into positive mesh with the sector gear, the actuator being activated both for a positive and for a negative acceleration of the vehicle seat in the event of an accident and

teeth of the sector gear which teeth have flanks located on either side of the teeth, the teeth being oriented substantially radially, during an accident situation, the sector gear being locked in the direction of clockwise rotation and in the direction of anti-clockwise rotation of the engaging piece upon engagement of the engaging piece.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the sector gear is centered on one of the two pivot joints of the other rear tie bar.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the teeth of the sector gear have a non-flat tip.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the teeth of the engaging part have a non-flat tip.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein gaps are provided between the teeth of the sector gear, and wherein, between their flanks, the teeth of the engaging part are thinner than the gaps between neighboring teeth of the sector gear so that, when a tooth of the engaging part engages between two teeth of the sector gear, an air-gap remains between said tooth of the engaging part and the two teeth of the sector gear.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the actuator has an ignitable powder propellant charge and wherein an electronic circuit is provided having an acceleration sensor and being designed for igniting the powder propellant charge.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the engaging means are teeth.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the sector gear is centered on the pivot joint located on the seat carrier.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the teeth of the sector gear have a rounded or pointed tip.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the teeth of the engaging part have a rounded or pointed tip.