MOVABLE SEAT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 3,811,726 A
• Filed: 07/03/1972
• Issued: 05/21/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Masakazu Muraishi, Noriaki Hamada, Tomiji Arai, Toshiyuki Shinkawa
• Original Assignee: Masakazu Muraishi, Noriaki Hamada, Tomiji Arai, Toshiyuki Shinkawa
• Inventors: Hamada, Noriaki, Muraishi, Masakazu, Shinkawa, Toshiyuki, Arai, Tomiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilliam, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US05/268,841
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 297/341,28L,317X,329,354T 5/4X 248/127T
• US Class Current: 297/341
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/123 and provided with memory locks

Abstract

An adjustable support structure for a seat unit of a motor vehicle, which structure permits fore and aft adjustments of the seat unit. The adjustable support structure comprises a stationary base member for fixing to a floor panel of the motor vehicle in laterally spaced and parallel relation to extend upwardly from the floor panel beneath the different seat ends in fore and aft relation thereto, a movable support member slidably carried on the stationary base member for fore and aft adjustments therealong and fixedly mounted thereon frame structures for the seat unit, a biasing means operatively interposed between the stationary base member and the movable support member for biasing the movable support member in forward direction, and a latch mechanism selectively releasable to cause the movable support member to automatically move in the forward direction under the force of the biasing means when the seat back is tilted forwardly to a predetermined angle.

Claims

1. A seat structure for a vehicle comprising, in combination, a seat having a back pivoted thereto for forward tilting movement from an upright position relative to said seat, a pair of laterally spaced stationary base members extending under said seat, a pair of movable support members slidably carried on said stationary base members, respectively, and supporting thereon said seat, a laterally extending plate secured to one of said base members and provided with a plurality of lugs along its side edge, a bracket fixedly connected to one of said movable support members at an intermediate portion thereof and having at its lateral edge a rounded portion provided with a recess, a guide sleeve rotatably supported by said rounded portion of said bracket and extending parallel to a side surface of said one of said movable support members, said guide sleeve having a longitudinally extending slit along its entire length and having a slot at one end and on one side of said slit, a locking shaft rotatably received in said guide sleeve, a control lever for rotating said locking shaft, a first locking plate rotatably accommodated in said recess and secured to said guide sleeve a predetermined distance from said slot of said guide sleeve, a second locking plate secured to said locking shaft at one end thereof and selectively engageable with one of said lugs, a stop member secured to said locking shaft at the other end thereof within said predetermined distance from said second locking plate, said stop member being slidably received in said slot of said guide sleeve, means connected to said control lever and receiving said stop member when said seat is in its rest position and, when said slot of said guide sleeve is aligned with said stop member, to cause said guide sleeve to rotate in a direction to cause said first and second locking plates to simultaneously engage with said one of said lugs, and means for releasing said first locking plate to allow said seat to move forward when said seat back is tilted forward.

2. A seat structure according to claim 1, further comprising biasing means mounted between the other one of said stationaRy base members and the other one of said movable support members for biasing said other one of said movable support members in a forward direction.

3. A seat structure according to claim 1, in which said means connected to said control lever comprises a fork member rotatable with said control lever, said fork member receiving said stop member when said seat is held in its rest position and when said slot of said guide sleeve is aligned with said stop member.

4. A seat structure according to claim 1, wherein said releasing means comprises a latch arm pivoted at its intermediate portion on said one of said movable support members and having at its one end formed with a fork portion to receive one end of said first locking plate, said latch arm being pivotable in a direction to release said first locking plate when said seat is tilted forward.

5. A seat structure for a vehicle comprising, in combination, a seat having a back pivoted thereto for forward tilting movement from an upright position relative to said seat, a pair of laterally spaced stationary base members extending under said seat, a pair of movable support members slidably carried on said stationary base members, respectively, and carrying thereon said seat, a laterally extending plate member secured to one of said base members and provided with a plurality of notches formed at its lateral edge, a rotatable shaft mounted on a frame structure of said seat, a control lever connected to said rotatable shaft for rotatable movement therewith, an angle shaped locking plate secured at its intermediate portion to said rotatable shaft and having one end engageable with one of said notches of said plate member, means for releasing said angle shaped locking plate when said seat is tilted forward, and means for biasing said movable support members in a forward direction whereby when said angle shaped locking plate is released by said releasing means, said seat is moved forward, wherein said releasing means comprises a latch arm pivoted at its intermediate portion on a pivot pin which is fastened to a flange extending from the frame structure of said seat, said latch arm having one end engageable with the other end of said angle shaped locking plate when said seat it tilted forward, and spring means connected to said latch arm for biasing the same in a direction to cause the one end thereof to disengage with the other end of said angle shaped locking plate.

6. A seat structure for a vehicle comprising, in combination, a seat having a back pivoted thereto for forward tilting movement from an upright position relative to said seat, a pair of laterally spaced stationary base members extending under said seat, one of said stationary base members having a vertically extending wall portion formed with a plurality of slots, a pair of movable support members slidably carried on said stationary base members, respectively, a frame structure integrally formed with said movable support members and carrying thereon said seat, a lock plate secured at its one end on a wall portion of said frame structure and having a flange portion engaging one of said slots of said one of said stationary base members, a latch arm pivoted at its intermediate portion on a flange laterally extending from said frame structure, a release linkage connected between one end of said latch arm and an upper portion of said lock plate, and a release lever connected to said back and pivoted on a pivot pin mounted on an extension of said frame structure, said release lever having first and second ears engageable with the other end of said latch arm and a roller mounted on a shaft laterally projecting from a bracket fastened to a floor panel of said vehicle, and said second ear and said roller serving as biasing means for biasing said movable support members in its forward direction when said seat is tilted forward, wherein said first ear of said release lever is arranged to engage with the other one end of said latch arm when said seat is tilted to a predetermined anGle while said second ear is arranged to engage with said roller when said seat is tilted to another predetermined angle.