Adjusting device for a vehicle seat

• US 20040075322A1
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Jaeger, David, Xiromeritis, Nick, Karacsonyi, Tamas, Clark, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 7,140,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/325
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/045 Longitudinal adjustment by means of articulated rods supporting the seat, e.g. parallelogram mechanisms B60N2/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1695 with simultaneous height and inclination adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/181 Rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1814 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1846 pivoting about a distant axis, e.g. virtual
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1853 Linear actuator, e.g. screw mechanism

Abstract

The present invention concerns an apparatus for adjusting, without rails, the vertical and longitudinal position and the inclination of a vehicle seat (1) relative to a vehicle floor (4). The apparatus according to the present invention has at least two pivot levers (10, 14), spaced apart from one another in an adjustment direction (B), that are articulated respectively on the vehicle seat (1) and on the vehicle floor (4) by way of pivot pins (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) extending parallel to one another. The pivot pins (12a, 12b; 12c, 12d), arranged on the vehicle seat (1) and on the vehicle floor (4), of at least one of the pivot levers (10, 14) are lockable independently of one another, the pivot lever (10, 14) having the lockable pivot pins (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) comprising an additional pivot pin (12e) extending parallel to the pivot pins (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) and thereby being subdivided into two lever segments (14, 16) joined in articulated fashion to one another.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting the vertical and longitudinal position and the inclination of a vehicle seat (1) relative to a vehicle floor (4), the apparatus having at least two pivot levers (10, 14), spaced apart from one another in an adjustment direction (B), that are articulated respectively on the vehicle seat (1) and on the vehicle floor (4) by way of pivot pins (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) extending parallel to one another,

where in the pivot pins (12a, 12b;

12c, 12d), arranged on the vehicle seat (1) and on the vehicle floor (4), of at least one of the pivot levers (10, 14) are lockable independently of one another, the pivot lever (10, 14) having the lockable pivot pins (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) comprising an additional pivot pin (12e) extending parallel to the pivot pins (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d).

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, where in an intermediate lever (16) arranged between the additional pivot pin (12e) and the vehicle floor (4) is of V-shaped configuration, its open angle facing approximately toward the other pivot lever (10, 14).

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, where in the pivot pins (12b, 12c) arranged on the vehicle seat (4) [sic] are driven by way of a drive apparatus (15), locking of these pivot pins (12b, 12c) also being accomplished via the drive apparatus (15).

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, where in the drive apparatus (15) is embodied as a telescopic spindle-nut drive (20), driven by an electric motor, that at one end is articulated, between the additional pivot pin (12e) and the vehicle seat (1), on the pivot lever (10, 14) having the additional pivot pin (12e);

and at the other end is attached approximately in the vicinity of the pivot pin (12b, 12c), arranged on the vehicle seat (1), of the other pivot lever (10, 14).

5. The apparatus as defined in one of claims 1 through 4, where in the lockable pivot pin (12d) arranged on the vehicle floor (4) can be driven by an electric motor.

6. The apparatus as defined in one of claims 1 through 4, where in the lockable pivot pin (12d) arranged on the vehicle floor (4) can be driven by means of a manually operated stepped shifting mechanism.

7. The apparatus as defined in one of claims 1 through 6, where in the pivot bearings (12e;

12a, 12d) arranged on the intermediate lever (16) have a shorter distance between them than the respective pivot bearings (12a, 12b;

12c, 12d, 12e) arranged on one of the pivot levers (10, 14).

8. The apparatus as defined in one of claims 1 through 7, where in the pivot levers (10, 14) are adjustable in such a way that the vehicle seat (1) is movable over a length of at least 200 mm in the adjustment direction (B).

9. The apparatus as defined in one of claims 1 through 8, where in the pivot levers (10, 14) have a length such that the vehicle seat (1) describes a rising motion in the adjustment direction (B) and a falling motion in the other direction.

10. A vehicle seat (1) having an apparatus for adjusting the vertical and longitudinal position and the inclination of a vehicle seat (1) relative to a vehicle-floor (4), the apparatus having at least two pivot levers (10, 14), spaced apart from one another in an adjustment direction (B), that are articulated respectively on the vehicle seat (1) and on the vehicle floor (4) by way of pivot pins (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) extending parallel to one another,

characterized by the features of one or more of claims 1 through 9.

11. The vehicle seat as defined in claim 10, characterized by a seatback (8) mounted pivotably on the vehicle seat (1).