SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM
First Claim
1. A height adjustment mechanism provided in a vehicle seat including a seat cushion frame and a base member, wherein said seat cushion frame has a forward region facing forwardly of said vehicle seat and a backward region facing backwardly of the vehicle seat, and said base member also has a forward region facing forwardly of said vehicle seat and a backward region facing backwardly of the vehicle seat, said height adjustment mechanism comprising:
- a forward link element pivotally connected between said forward region of said seatcushion frame and said forward region of said base member;
a backward link element pivotally connected between said backward region of said seat cushion frame and said backward region of said base member;
a ratchet-type drive meals operatively connected with said backward link element and operable to cause vertical rotation of said backward link element towards and away from said base member, said ratchet-type drive means including an operating lever normally set at a neutral inoperative position, said operating lever being movable in one of a first direction and a second direction relative to said neutral inoperative position to thereby cause said vertical rotation of said backward link element;
said ratchet-type drive means being of such a type wherein an idle stroke is inevitably given in one stroke of said operating lever in said one of said first and second directions, and, during said idle stroke, movement of said operating lever in any of said first and second directions is inoperative to said ratchet-type drive means; and
a locking mechanism including;
a gear element fixed to said backward link element;
a latch element rotatably connected with said base member;
an actuator link rotatably connected with said base member;
said actuator link having an operative connection with said latch element, and also having an operative connection with said operating lever via a transmission element; and
a biasing means for biasing said latch element to meshed engagement with said gear element, thereby normally locking and retaining said backward link element against rotation,with such an arrangement that, when the operating lever is moved in said one of said first and second directions during said idle stroke, a corresponding force of the thus-moved operating lever is transmitted via said transmission element to said actuator link which is in turn rotated to cause simultaneous rotation of said latch element, so that said particular latch element is disengaged from said gear element during said idle stroke, thereby placing said backward link member in unlocked state.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A seat height adjustment mechanism is provided, which includes a backward link element, a ratchet-type drive mechanism operable by an operating lever to cause vertical movement of the backward link element to adjust height of seat, and a locking mechanism. The backward link element is normally locked by the locking mechanism to reinforce the backward link element itself. When the operating lever is rotated during an idle stroke (S) inherently given in the ratchet-type drive mechanism, the locking mechanism is actuated to unlock the backward link element, thereby allowing the backward link element to be vertically displaceable through operation of the ratchet-type drive mechanism by further rotation of the operating lever.
-
Citations
8 Claims
-
1. A height adjustment mechanism provided in a vehicle seat including a seat cushion frame and a base member, wherein said seat cushion frame has a forward region facing forwardly of said vehicle seat and a backward region facing backwardly of the vehicle seat, and said base member also has a forward region facing forwardly of said vehicle seat and a backward region facing backwardly of the vehicle seat, said height adjustment mechanism comprising:
-
a forward link element pivotally connected between said forward region of said seat cushion frame and said forward region of said base member; a backward link element pivotally connected between said backward region of said seat cushion frame and said backward region of said base member; a ratchet-type drive meals operatively connected with said backward link element and operable to cause vertical rotation of said backward link element towards and away from said base member, said ratchet-type drive means including an operating lever normally set at a neutral inoperative position, said operating lever being movable in one of a first direction and a second direction relative to said neutral inoperative position to thereby cause said vertical rotation of said backward link element; said ratchet-type drive means being of such a type wherein an idle stroke is inevitably given in one stroke of said operating lever in said one of said first and second directions, and, during said idle stroke, movement of said operating lever in any of said first and second directions is inoperative to said ratchet-type drive means; and a locking mechanism including; a gear element fixed to said backward link element; a latch element rotatably connected with said base member; an actuator link rotatably connected with said base member;
said actuator link having an operative connection with said latch element, and also having an operative connection with said operating lever via a transmission element; anda biasing means for biasing said latch element to meshed engagement with said gear element, thereby normally locking and retaining said backward link element against rotation, with such an arrangement that, when the operating lever is moved in said one of said first and second directions during said idle stroke, a corresponding force of the thus-moved operating lever is transmitted via said transmission element to said actuator link which is in turn rotated to cause simultaneous rotation of said latch element, so that said particular latch element is disengaged from said gear element during said idle stroke, thereby placing said backward link member in unlocked state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
Specification