VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20100244524A1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yasuo, Hoshino, Keisuke, Kumazaki, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,376,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/341
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2358 and provided with memory locks
• 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

When a tilt-down function is performed, a rotationally-preventing condition of a reclining device connecting a base member and an intermediate member is released, so that a seat back is tiltably rotated forwardly integrally with the intermediate member and a seat cushion is pushed by a boomerang link capable of moving with the intermediate member so as to be sunk downwardly while tiltably rotating a front link. However, when a walk-in function is performed, a rotationally-preventing condition of a memory device connecting the seat back and the intermediate member is released, so that the seat back can be tiltably rotated to a forwardly inclined position independently of the intermediate member that is maintained in a condition in which the intermediate member is integrated with the base member.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat having a tilt-down function to sink down a seat cushion in conjunction with farthest tilting motion in which a seat back is tilted down forwardly and having a walk-in function to make a condition in which a seat body is capable of sliding forwardly relative to a vehicle floor in conjunction with half tilting motion in which the seat back is tilted to a forwardly inclined position,

wherein the seat back is connected to a base member, that is slidably disposed on a vehicle floor, via first and second rotation preventing devices while an intermediate member is interleaved threrebetween, so as to be capable of rotating relative to both of the intermediate member and the base member about a common axis and to be capable of being prevented from rotating relative thereto, and

wherein a first link integrally connected to the seat cushion is rotatably connected to the intermediate member via a shaft, wherein a second link is disposed between the seat cushion and the base member in order to rotatably connect the same by link coupling, wherein when the tilt-down function is performed, a rotationally-preventing condition of one rotation preventing device connecting the base member and the intermediate member is released, so that the seat back is tiltably rotated forwardly integrally with the intermediate member and that the seat cushion is pushed by the first link capable of moving with the intermediate member so as to be sunk downwardly while tiltably rotating the second link, whereas when the walk-in function is performed, a rotationally-preventing condition of the other rotation preventing device connecting the seat back and the intermediate member is released, so that the seat back can be tiltably rotated to the forwardly inclined position independently of the intermediate member that is maintained in a condition in which the intermediate member is integrated with the base member, further wherein the other rotation preventing device, that is capable of being released when the walk-in function is performed, is disposed on an outside position of the intermediate member in a radial direction thereof, so as to prevent the seat back from rotating relative to the intermediate member when an engagement/disengagement member connected to the seat back enters and engage a depressed portion formed in an outer circumferential peripheral portion of the intermediate member from outside in the radial direction.

2. The vehicle seat as defined in claim 1, wherein the engagement/disengagement member constituting the other rotation preventing device is arranged to be capable of moving toward and away from the seat back and is capable of being engaged with and disengaged from the depressed portion of the intermediate member, and wherein when the engagement/disengagement member is positioned in an engagement condition in which the engagement/disengagement member enters the depressed portion of the inner intermediate member, a pusher member rotatably connected to the seat back is pressed onto a rear surface of the engagement/disengagement member by biasing, so that the engagement/disengagement member can be pressed into the depressed portions of the inner intermediate member and can be prevented from being disengaged therefrom.

3. The vehicle seat as defined in claim 2, wherein when the walk-in function is performed, the engagement condition of the engagement/disengagement member with the depressed portion of the inner intermediate member can be released, so that the disengaged engagement/disengagement member can slide along a curved outer circumferential surface portion of the intermediate member as the seat back is tiltably rotated, and wherein as the seat back is raised from the forwardly inclined position, the engagement/disengagement member can be returned to a position in which the engagement/disengagement member is capable of entering the depressed portion of the inner intermediate member, so as to enter the depressed portion of the intermediate member while being pressed from a rear surface side thereof by the pusher member, thereby being shifted to the engagement condition.