Automotive seat

• US 20080284221A1
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: Miyake, Atsushi, Fushikida, Motohiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/284.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/161 Rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/169 Stepwise movement mechanisms, e.g. ratchets B60N2/167 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is an automotive seat the seat cushion level of which can be adjustable up-and-down, in which the safety is improved when a shock is applied to a vehicle. The automotive seat according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a level adjusting mechanism for adjusting the seat cushion level, and comprises a base frame, a seat cushion, a seat cushion frame, a space from which to the base frame being adjustable, a stopper which supports the sinking seat cushion frame at a rear end collision of an automobile. The stopper moves to narrow the space between the seat cushion frame and the stopper and supports the seat cushion frame.

Claims

1. An automotive seat having a level adjusting mechanism for adjusting a seat cushion level comprising:

a base frame;

a seat cushion frame on which a seat cushion is formed and being capable of adjusting a space therefrom to the base frame; and

a stopper for supporting the seat cushion frame which sinks at a rear end collision of an automobile;

wherein

the stopper moves to narrow a space therefrom to the seat cushion frame to support the seat cushion frame.

2. The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper moves with changes in a space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame.

3. The automotive seat according to claim 2, wherein

the stopper is pivotably linked to the base frame at one of longitudinal ends of the stopper and supports the seat cushion frame with the other end of the stopper;

and

the automotive seat further comprises;

a link plate which is pivotably linked to the base frame at one of longitudinal ends of the link plate, pivotably linked to the seat cushion frame at the other end of the link plate, and pivots with the changes in the space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame; and

a stopper pusher which pivots integrally with the link plate and pushes and moves the stopper as the space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame becomes larger so that the stopper pivots toward the seat cushion frame.

4. The automotive seat according to claim 3, wherein

the stopper pusher comprises a slider for sliding on a sliding surface of the stopper and pushes and moves the stopper;

and

the sliding surface has an inclined surface to adjust the pivot of the stopper in association with the pivot of the stopper pusher.

5. The automotive seat according to claim 1 wherein the stopper moves so as to narrow a space from the stopper to the seat cushion frame at the rear end collision of the automobile and supports the seat cushion frame.

6. The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is apart from the seat cushion frame in a normal state and supports the seat cushion frame which sinks at the rear end collision of the automobile.

7. The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein

the seat cushion frame comprises a lock having a plurality of teeth;

and

the stopper is linked to the base frame via a pivotal shaft at one of longitudinal ends thereof, pivots about the pivotal shaft and engages with at least one of the teeth of the lock at the other longitudinal end to support the sinking seat cushion frame.

8. The automotive seat according to claim 7, wherein

the stopper pivots with changes in the space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame;

the stopper engages with at least one of the teeth of the lock to support the sinking seat cushion frame if the space between the pivotal shaft and the seat cushion frame is smaller than the space between the pivotal shaft and the opposite end of the stopper to the pivotal shaft; and

the stopper supports the sinking seat cushion frame with the opposite end of the stopper to the pivotal shaft in a state that the stopper stands straight if the space between the pivotal shaft and the seat cushion frame is larger than the space between the pivotal shaft and the opposite end of the stopper to the pivotal shaft.