VEHICLE SEAT, PARTICULARLY MOTOR VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20090309383A1
• Filed: 01/26/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Teufel, Ingo, Schumann, Kai
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/65.130
• 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 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3013 the back-rest being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane

Abstract

In a vehicle seat (1), particularly a motor vehicle seat, having at least one bottom rail (21) to be connected to the vehicle chassis (S), at least one upper rail (22) displaceable in the seat longitudinal direction relative to the bottom rail (21) for the seat longitudinal adjustment, at least one fitting base (17), which is attached at least on the upper rail (22), and one backrest structure (14), which is attached by means of at least one fitting (15) in a manner that is pivotable about a backrest pivoting axis (C), the fitting base (17) is hinged on the upper rail (22) by means of a joint (E).

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, particularly a motor vehicle seat, comprising:

a lower rail for connection to a vehicle structure;

an upper rail mounted for movement such that said upper rail is movable relative to said lower rail in a longitudinal direction of the seat for a longitudinal adjustment of the seat;

a fitting lower part attached at least to said upper rail;

a fitting; and

a backrest structure (14) which is attached pivotably to said fitting lower part via at least one said fitting such that said backrest structure pivots about a backrest pivot axis, said fitting lower part being articulated to said upper rail via a first joint.

2. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first joint is arranged at a position above one or more of a plurality of rolling elements and a lock, said one or more of said rolling elements and said lock being provided between said lower rail and said upper rail.

3. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a seat frame having a front end portion and a rear end portion;

a rocker, said front end portion of said seat frame being directly or indirectly articulated to the vehicle structure via least one said rocker, said rear end portion of said seat frame being articulated to said backrest structure.

4. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

a second joint is defined between said seat frame and said rocker;

a third joint is defined between said rocker and the vehicle structure; and

a fourth joint is defined between said seat frame and said backrest structure, said second joint, said third joint, said fourth joint and said backrest pivot axis defining a four-bar linkage.

5. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 4, wherein said backrest structure is pivotable from a first position to a second position via said fitting such that an inclination of said backrest structure changes when said backrest structure pivots from said first position to said second position wherein a shape of said four-bar linkage changes when said backrest structure pivots from said first position to said second position.

6. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fitting lower part is articulated to said lower rail via a guide rod.

7. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said first joint is defined between said fitting lower part and said upper rail;

a fifth joint is defined between said fitting lower part and said guide rod; and

a sixth joint is defined between said guide rod and said lower rail, said first joint, said fifth joint and said sixth joint defining a triangle, wherein said first joint, said fifth joint and said sixth joint are movable such that a shape of said triangle changes during the longitudinal adjustment of the seat, said fitting lower part being displaced in one of a forward direction and a rearward direction via said guide rod and said second rail during said longitudinal adjustment of the seat, said forward direction extending in a direction of said longitudinal direction of the seat, said rearward direction being opposite said forward direction.

8. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second joint, the second said third joint, said sixth joint, said fifth joint and said fourth joint define a five-bar linkage, wherein a shape of said five-bar linkage is changed during the longitudinal adjustment of the seat and said five-bar linkage displaces the seat frame in one of said forward direction and said rearward direction.

9. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein said backrest structure is displaced in one of said forward direction and said rearward direction when said fitting lower part is displaced in one of said forward direction and said rearward direction.

10. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower rail, said upper rail, said fitting lower part and said fitting are provided on one side of the vehicle seat and another lower rail, another upper rail, another fitting lower part and another fitting are provided on another side of the vehicle seat.

11. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a vehicle structure;

a first rail connected to said vehicle structure;

a second rail arranged on said first rail such that said second rail is movable relative to said first rail in a longitudinal direction of said first rail, said second rail having a second rail portion;

a connecting part having a first connecting part portion and a second connecting part portion, said first connecting part portion being articulated to said second rail portion such that said first connecting part and said second rail portion define a first joint;

a fitting having a fitting axis; and

a backrest structure connected to said second connecting part portion at a first backrest structure location via said fitting such that said backrest structure pivots about said fitting axis.

12. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein one or more of said first rail and said second rail comprises one or more of a plurality of rolling elements and a lock, said one or more of said plurality of rolling elements and said lock being arranged between said first rail and said lower rail.

13. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a seat frame structure for engaging a portion of a passenger, said seat frame structure having a front end seat portion and a rear end seat portion;

a rocker having a first rocker end portion and a second rocker end portion, said first rocker end portion being articulated to a portion of said vehicle structure, said second rocker end portion being articulated to said seat frame structure, said rear end seat portion being articulated to said backrest structure at a second backrest structure location, said second backrest structure location being adjacent to said first backrest structure location.

14. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 13, wherein said second rocker end portion and said front end seat portion define a second joint, said first rocker end portion and said portion of said vehicle structure defining a third joint, said rear end seat portion and a portion of said backrest structure defining a fourth joint at said second backrest structure location, said second joint, said third joint, said fourth joint and said fitting defining a four-bar linkage.

15. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 14, wherein said backrest structure is pivotable from a first position to a second position via said fitting such that an inclination of said backrest structure changes when said backrest structure pivots from said first position to said second position, said four-bar linkage moving from a first four-bar linkage position to a second four-bar linkage position when said backrest structure pivots from said first position to said second position.

16. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a guide rod, wherein said connecting part is articulated to said first rail via said guide rod.

17. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said second rail portion is located between said second rail and said connecting part;

said guide rod has a first guide rod end portion and a second guide rod end portion, said first guide rod end portion being articulated to a portion of said first rail such that said first guide rod end portion and said portion of said first rail define a fifth joint; and

said connecting part has a third connecting part portion, said second guide rod end portion being articulated to said third connecting part portion such that said second guide rod end portion and said third connecting part portion define a sixth joint, said second rail being movable from a first rail position to a second rail position, said seat frame structure moving in a longitudinal direction from a first seat frame structure position to a second seat frame structure position when said second rail moves from said first rail position to said second rail position, said guide rod moving from a first guide rod position to a second guide rod position when said second rail moves from said first rail position to said second rail position, said connecting part being displaced in one of a forward direction and a rearward direction via said guide rod and said second rail when said second rail moves from said first rail position to said second rail position and said guide rod moves from said first guide rod position to said second guide rod position, said forward direction extending in a direction of said longitudinal direction of said seat frame structure, said rearward direction being opposite said forward direction.

18. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein said second joint, said third joint, said fifth joint, said sixth joint and said fourth joint define a five-bar linkage, said five-bar linkage moving from a first five-bar linkage position to a second five-bar linkage position when said second rail moves from said first rail position to said second rail position and said guide rod moves from said first guide rod position to said second guide rod position, said seat frame structure being displaced in one of said forward direction and said rearward direction when said five-bar linkage moves from said first five-bar linkage position to said second five-bar linkage position.

19. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein said backrest structure is displaced in one of said forward direction and said rearward direction when said second rail moves from said first rail position to said second rail position.

20. A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

another first rail;

another second rail;

a second connecting part; and

a second fitting, said first rail, said second rail, said connecting part and said fitting being arranged on one side of the vehicle seat, said another first rail, said another second rail, said second connecting part and said second fitting being arranged on another side of the vehicle seat.