SEAT

• US 20090026825A1
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizobata, Hiroshi, Akiba, Satoshi, Ishijima, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/358
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0296 Central command actuator to selectively switch on or engage one of several special purpose circuits or mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/165 Gear wheel driven mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/167 Ratchet mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence

Abstract

A seat may be obtained with improved operability of plural adjustable units.

A vehicle seat 10 is provided with: a seat lifter 22 provided to a seat body for sitting on, adjustable by transmitted operation force; a reclining mechanism 20 provided to the seat body, adjustable by transmitted operation force; and an operation lever 30, to which operation force from operation by a seat occupant is input; and a switching mechanism 50 that is able to selectively switch between a first state in which operation force of the operation lever 30 is able to be transmitted to the seat lifter 22, and a second state in which operation force of the operation lever 30 is able to be transmitted to the reclining mechanism 20.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A seat comprising:

a first adjustable unit, provided to a seat body that is for sitting on, the first adjustable unit being adjusted by transmitted operation force;

a second adjustable unit, provided to the seat body, the second adjustable unit being adjusted by transmitted operation force;

an operation member, input with operation force from operation by a seat occupant; and

a switching device, capable of selectively taking up a first state, in which operation force of the operation member is able to be transmitted to the first adjustable unit, and a second state, in which operation force of the operation member is able to be transmitted to the second adjustable unit.

11. The seat according to claim 10, wherein a switching operation portion of the switching device is provided to the operation member.

12. The seat according to claim 11, wherein the switching device comprises:

a force transmission portion, engaging in the first state so that operation force is transmittable to an operation force input portion of the first adjustable unit, and engaging in the second state so that operation force is transmittable to an operation force input portion of the second adjustable unit; and

an interlocking portion, connecting the switching operation portion and the force transmission portion, and switching the force transmission portion between being in the first state or being in the second state according to the operation state of the switching operation portion.

13. The seat according to claim 12, wherein the interlocking portion is configured such that a displacement direction of the force transmission portion during switching between the first state and the second state is different from the operation direction of the switching operation member.

14. The seat according to claim 12, wherein, in the force transmission portion, the portion thereof engaging the first adjustable unit in the first state is different from the portion thereof engaging the second adjustable unit in the second state.

15. The seat according to claim 12, wherein:

the operation force input portion of the first adjustable unit comprises a first arm that is able to rotate about an axis along the seat width direction;

the operation force input portion of the second adjustable unit comprises a second arm that is able to rotate about an axis that is parallel to the rotational axis of the first arm;

the operation member is connected to a portion of the second arm that is separated from the rotational axis of the second arm so as to allow relative angular displacement with respect to the second arm, and in a non-operation position the operation member is disposed so that the portion connected to the second arm is coaxial to the rotational axis of the first arm; and

the force transmission portion of the switching device comprises;

a first engaging portion that in the first state permits relative angular displacement of the operation member with respect to the second arm and in the second state restricts relative angular displacement of the operation member with respect to the second arm; and

a second engaging portion that is provided between the operation member and the first arm, and that engages with the first arm when the operation member rotates about the rotational axis of the first arm, and that has engagement with the first arm released when the operation member rotates about the rotational axis of the second arm.

16. The seat according to claim 10, wherein:

one of the first adjustable unit or the second adjustable unit is a height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position in the up-down direction of the seat body; and

the other of the first adjustable unit or the second adjustable unit is a reclining mechanism for switching between a locked state of an angle of a seat back with respect to a seat cushion, and a lock released state thereof.

17. The seat according to claim 16, wherein:

the operation member is disposed to the outside of the seat body in the seat width direction, so as to operate the height adjusting mechanism by operating in the seat up-down direction, and so as to operate the reclining mechanism by operating in the seat up direction.

18. The seat according to claim 16, wherein the switching device switches between a switching state maintaining a non-operation state of the switching operation portion in which operation force of the operation member is able to be transmitted to the reclining mechanism, and a state in which the switching operation portion is operated and the operation force of the operation member is able to be transmitted to the height adjusting mechanism.