Vehicle seat

• US 20070063565A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GmbH (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GmbH (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: Habedank, Klaus-Dieter, Behrens, Meinhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,517,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/341
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/123 and provided with memory locks

Abstract

Vehicle seat includes seat frame longitudinally adjustable on an upper rail relative to a lower rail affixed to the chassis. Seat frame is held in place in its longitudinal positions by a longitudinal locking mechanism, releasable by a rail release mechanism. A backrest with a backrest frame is pivotably attached to seat frame, locked in place on seat frame by a stop adjustment mechanism, and, once released by a release lever, can be folded forward from an upright use position to an easy-entry position. Easy-entry manipulation device actuates release lever, a seat cushion adjustable relative to seat frame, with a seat cushion frame, which is shifted forward longitudinally in a coupled adjustment motion when backrest frame is folded forward to easy-entry position. When vehicle seat is in easy-entry position the seat cushion frame can be shifted rearwardly relative to the backrest frame and seat frame.

Claims

1. Vehicle seat, comprising:

a) a seat frame, the seat frame being longitudinally adjustable on at least one upper rail relative to at least one lower rail affixed to a chassis;

b) the seat frame being lockable in longitudinal positions by a longitudinal locking mechanism, which can be released by a rail release mechanism;

c) a backrest, the backrest including a backrest frame pivotably attached to the seat frame about a backrest pivoting axis, and which is lockable by a stop adjustment mechanism on the seat frame, and which, once released, in use, can be folded forward from an upright use position to an easy-entry position;

d) a release lever for releasing the stop adjustment mechanism;

e) an easy-entry device for actuating the release lever;

f) a seat cushion, the seat cushion being shiftable relative to the seat frame with a seat cushion frame;

g) the seat cushion frame is shifted forward longitudinally in a coupled adjustment motion, in use, when the backrest frame is folded forward to the easy-entry position; and

h) when the vehicle seat is in the easy-entry position, in use, the seat cushion frame is shiftable toward the rear relative to the backrest frame and the seat frame.

2. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein:

a) a spring device is provided; and

b) when the vehicle seat is in the easy-entry position, in use, the seat cushion frame is biased toward the front by the spring device.

3. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein:

a) a longitudinally adjustable connection is provided between the seat cushion frame and the backrest frame.

4. Vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein:

a) a travel distance between the seat cushion frame and the backrest frame is limited by a mechanical limiting element.

5. Vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein:

a) the longitudinally adjustable connection includes a guide provided on the backrest frame, and a guide element provided on the seat frame.

6. Vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein:

a) the guide element includes one of;

i) a pin fastened to the seat cushion frame and guided in the guide; and

ii) a roller fastened to the seat cushion frame and guided in the guide.

7. Vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein:

a) the guide is on a side of the backrest frame, extends substantially in a straight line, and slopes downward from the front to the rear.

8. Vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein:

a) the longitudinally adjustable connection includes a lever mechanism, which is pivotably attached to the seat cushion frame and to the backrest frame.

9. Vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein:

a) a locking cam is pivotably attached to the backrest frame, and can be pivoted against a spring preload by way of a first control cable actuatable by the easy-entry device;

b) the locking cam, in an original position, locks a pin provided on the seat cushion frame, in use, in a longitudinal direction toward the rear, and releases it in its actuated position with the actuated easy-entry device; and

c) when the backrest is folded forward in the easy-entry position, in use, and the seat cushion frame is not shifted toward the rear, a locking element holds the locking cam in its released position.

10. Vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein:

a) when the seat cushion frame has been shifted toward the rear, in use, the locking element releases the locking cam.

11. Vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein:

a) the locking element is pivotably attached to the pin provided on the seat cushion frame.

12. Vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein:

a) a control cam is provided on a lower portion of the backrest frame, and by which a rail release lever is guided for the purpose of actuating the rail release mechanism; and

b) the rail release lever is not actuated, in use, when the backrest is upright; and

c) when the backrest is folded forward in the easy-entry position, in use, the rail release lever is actuated for rail release.

13. Vehicle seat according to claim 12, wherein:

a) a retaining element is pivotably attached to the seat frame, and abuts the control cam on the side of the backrest, spring preloaded, so that when the backrest is in the upright use position, the retaining element is in an unlocked position, in use; and

b) when the backrest is folded forward in the easy-entry position, in use, it is locked in the control cam to limit the forward-folding movement of the backrest.

14. Vehicle seat according to claim 12, wherein:

a) the rail release lever is actuated by the easy-entry lever by a second control cable, in use, which is guided with a locating pin in a guide of the release lever.

15. Vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein:

a) a control cable sheath of the second control cable is attached to a pivoting element that is pivotably attached about the backrest pivoting axis such that when the second control cable is actuated, in use, the pivoting element reaches a mechanical stop on the seat frame, and then the release lever for the stop adjustment mechanism is actuated and releases the stop adjustment mechanism.