POWER DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE SEAT FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE

• US 3,787,025 A
• Filed: 05/05/1972
• Issued: 01/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Klaus Sturhan
• Original Assignee: Klaus Sturhan
• Inventors: Sturhan, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Parsons, Jr., Marion
• Application Number:
  US05/250,570
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 248/399,162,157,421,378,372,424,429 297/307
• US Class Current: 248/564
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/501 actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/505 Adjustable suspension including height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/507 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/544 Compression or tension springs B60N2/542 takes precedence

Abstract

A seat for use in automotive vehicles wherein the seat supporting portion is movable toward and away from a base in response to changes in the inclination of two pairs of links which are articulately connected with the base and the seat supporting portion. One or more helical springs may be attached to the base and to a spindle nut which is movable up and down along an adjusting screw, or the helical springs may be connected to either the links or to the seat supporting portion to thereby change the effective moment applied to the seat supporting portion with changes of the position of the spindle. A motor drive turns the adjusting screw to cause the spindle nut to move between two end positions. Switches reverse the current through the motor drive to change directions of rotation of the adjusting screw when the spindle nut has reached either end position along the latter. A cam follower forming part of a switch rides on a cam surface when the seat supporting portion moves relative to the base. The cam follower drops into a cut out in the cam surface when the seat supporting portion is spaced at a desired distance from the base. To thereby deactivate the motor drive. Shock absorbers can be mounted in the same manner as the helical springs.

Claims

1. In a seat, particularly for use in an automotive vehicle, a combination comprising a base;

seat means spaced from said base;

support means pivotally connected to said base and said seat means and supporting the latter in a substantially horizontal position and movable toward and away from said base;

resilient means acting between said base and at least one of said preceding means for storing energy in response to a downward force applied to said seat means and for applying a moment to said seat means counteracting said downward force;

motor driven adjusting means connected to said resilient means for adjusting the moment applied by said resilient means to said seat means to maintain the latter substantially at a predetermined distance from said base regardless of the magnitude of said downwardly directed force; and

means for activating said adjusting means when said seat means moves under the influence of said force away from said predetermined position and for deactivating said adjusting means when said seat means is in said predetermined position.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for activating and deactivating said adjusting means comprises a cam member having a guide surface having an irregular portion;

and a switch member having feeler means for riding on said guide surface and sensing said irregular portion, said two members being arranged so that movement of said seat means over the operative range causes said feeler means to ride over substantially the entire guide surface.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2, further including circuit means connected to said switch member and to said motor drive adjusting means, said switch member opening said circuit means in response to said feeler means contacting said irregular portion, to thereby deactivate said adjusting means.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said motor driven adjusting means comprises spindle means connected to at least a portion of said resilient means for moving the latter in relation to a pivot point about which said support means pivots about said base;

and motor means coupled to said spindle means for causing the latter to move said resilient means portion, whereby the magnitude of said moment is modified to equalize said downward force.

5. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein one of said members is fixedly mounted on said base while the other member is mounted on one of said prior mentioned preceding means for sharing the movements thereof.

6. A combination as defined in claim 4, and including a electromotor driving said spindle means, said spindle means being arranged to move said resilient means portion between first and second positions which respectively correspond to the end positions of the operative range of positions of said seat means above said base, and further coMprising a pair of reversing switches respectively positioned at said first and second positions for sensing when said portion has reached the corresponding position, said reversing switches being connected to said circuit means and each arranged to change the direction of current flow through said electric motor, whereby said motor means is reversed in its direction of rotation when one of said positions has been reached.

7. A combination as defined in claim 6, further comprising an on-off switch connected in said circuit means.

8. A combination as defined in claim 4, and including an electromotor driving said spindle means, said spindle means being arranged to move said resilient means between first and second positions which respectively correspond to the end positions of the range of positions of the operative range of said seat means above said base, and further comprising a pair of normally closed switches, said switches opening in response to said portion reaching one of said positions;

and a pair of actuating switches each connected to another of said normally closed switches, said circuit means being arranged between said four switches so that the closing of each of the actuating switches causes said electromotor to urge said portion, through said spindle means, to move respectively in the direction of the closed actuated switch.

9. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said cam member has a substantially smooth surface, and wherein said irregular portion comprises a cut-out portion, said feeler means comprising a roller which rolls on said smooth surface and enters said cut-out portion when said seat means is positioned at a predetermined spacing above said base to thereby open said switch member and prevent the energization of said motor driven adjusting means.

10. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of said members include adjustable positioning means for moving said at least one member relative to the other to thereby preselect an optimum spacing of said seat means above said base at which point said feeler means contacts said irregular portion.

11. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said support means comprises at least one bell-crank, and said resilient means comprises a biassing spring connected to said base and adjustably connected to one arm of said bell-crank, and a shock absorber connected to said base and adjustably connected to the other arm of said bell-crank.

12. A combination as defined in claim 11, wherein said motor driven adjusting means comprises a motor driven spindle rotatably mounted on said one arm, and coupling means connecting said spindle with said biassing means for longitudinal movement along said spindle in response to rotation of said spindle.

13. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient means comprises a biassing spring, and a shock absorber mounted coaxially with the latter, these elements being connected at one of their ends to the pivot point about which said seat means pivots about said support means.

14. A combination as defined in claim 13, further comprising at least one bracket having a guide slot extending substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the axis of said pivot point;

said motor driven adjusting means comprises a spindle rotatably mounted and extending along said guide slot; and

coupling means for connecting said spindle to said biassing spring and cooperatively engaged in said slot to thereby guide said coupling means in response to rotation of said spindle, said biassing spring acting between said pivot point and said coupling means to generate a force passing through said pivot point in a predetermined direction, said portion being movable from one end of the guide slot to the other end thereof in response to rotation of said spindle, whereby the direction of the force of said spring is changed to thereby modify said counteracting moment.