Adjustable seat for a motor vehicle

• US 4,101,169 A
• Filed: 02/25/1977
• Issued: 07/18/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sekino, Takao, Muraishi, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Zugel, Francis K.
• Application Number:
  US05/771,983
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 297/341, 5/44 B, 5/44 R
• US Class Current: 297/341
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/123 and provided with memory locks

Abstract

A seat structure includes a stationary base member fixed to the vehicle, a movable support member slidable on the stationary base member for carrying a seat cushion with a tiltable set back, seat position memorizing means, seat locking means for locking the movable support member to the stationary base member, biasing means for moving the movable support member in the forward direction of the vehicle when the seat locking means is disengaged, and actuating means for actuating the seat locking means in association with the seat position memorizing means in response to the tilting movements of the seat back. The actuating means functions in such a manner that when the seatback is forwardly tilted at a predetermined angle, the seat locking means is disengaged thus causing automatic forward movement of the movable support member to permit easy ingress and egress of the rearseat passengers and when the seatback is backward tilted to its normal position while forcing the seat cushion backward, the movable support member is moved backward against the force generated by the biasing means and is finally locked in its initially set position which is memorized by the seat position memorizing means.

Claims

1. A seat structure for a motor vehicle, having a stationary base member adapted to be fixed to said vehicle, a movable support member slidable on said stationary base member for carrying a seat cushion, and a tilting means for allowing a seat back to be tilted relative to said seat cushion, said seat structure comprising:

seat position memorizing means for memorizing the seat position which is initially set at will in fore-and-aft direction of said vehicle and including a plurality of detents fixed to said stationary base member, a control lever connected to said movable support member so as to be rotatable about the axis thereof and longitudinally movable relative to said movable support member, and a plate member firmly fixed to one end of said control lever and having an opening therein for engagement with one of said detents when said control lever is rotated about the axis thereof in one direction at a predetermined angle, said plate member being formed with a latch slot at its side portion;

seat locking means for locking said movable support member to said stationary base member;

biasing means for moving said movable support member in the forward direction of said vehicle relative to said stationary base member when said locking means is disengaged; and

actuating means for actuating said seat locking means in association with said seat position memorizing means in response to the tilting movement of said seat back and including a lever member rotatably supported on said movable support member and biased one direction by a spring;

a pin member firmly fixed to one end of said lever member, said pin member being engageable with said latch slot of said plate member of said seat position memorizing means to allow said lever member to rotate in said one direction at a predetermined angle by the assistance of said spring, first means for converting the tilting movement of said seat back to the rotational movement of said lever member so that when said seat back is tilted forwardly at a predetermined angle, said lever member is rotated in another direction against the force of said spring thus causing said pin member to disengage from said latch slot, and second means for transmitting the movement of said lever member to said locking means so that when said pin member is disengaged from said latch slot, said seat locking means is disengaged thus causing said movable support member to move in the forward direction by force of said biasing means.

2. A seat structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said control lever of said seat position memorizing means is slidably and rotatably received at its shaft section in a rounded portion of a bracket, said bracket being firmly connected to said movable support member.

3. A seat structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said plate member of said seat position memorizing means has a generally inverted C-shaped cross section and has said opening at its curved section.

4. A seat structure as claimed in claim 2, in which said lever member of said actuating means is pivotally mounted on said bracket and has three radially outwardly extending portions about the pivoted portion thereof which portions are respectively connected to said pin member, said first and said second means.

5. A seat structure as claimed in claim 1, in which said pin member of said actuating means is slidable on said control lever for maintaining said lever member in a condition wherein said seat locking means is disengaged.

6. A seat structure as claimed in claim 5, in which the one end of said control lever and said plate member of said seat position memorizing means form therebetween a trapping portion into which said pin member falls after sliding on said control lever so that said pin member is brought into engagement with said latch slot of said plate member.

7. A seat structure for a motor vehicle, having a stationary base member adapted to be fixed to said vehicle, a movable support member slidable on said stationary base member for carrying a seat cushion, tilting means for allowing a seat back to be tilted relative to said seat cushion, said seat structure comprising:

seat position memorizing means for memorizing the position of said movable support member relative to said stationary base member in fore-and-aft direction of said vehicle, said memorizing means including a plate member supported on said movable support member and lockable relative to said stationary base member for memorization of the seat position;

seat locking means for locking said movable support member to said stationary base member;

biasing means for biasing said movable support member in the forward direction of said vehicle such that said movable support member is moved forwardly relative to said stationary base member when said locking means is in its inoperative condition; and

actuating means for actuating said seat locking means in response to the tilting movement of said seat back, said actuating means including;

a lever rotatably supported on said movable support member and biased to rotate in one direction by a spring;

first means for converting the tilting movement of said seat back to the rotating movement of said lever such that said lever is rotated in another direction against the biasing force of said spring when said seat back is tilted forwardly;

second means for transmitting the rotating movement of said lever to said seat locking means so as to allow said seat locking means to become inoperative when said lever is rotated in said another direction; and

third means for allowing said lever to rotate in said one direction at a predetermined angle by the assistance of the biasing force of said spring causing said seat locking means to become operative when said movable support member is located in the memorized position thereof, said third means including a pin member fixed to said lever, and a latch slot formed in said plate member of said seat position memorizing means, said pin member being lockably received in said latch slot when said movable support member is located in the memorized position,

said lever having three radially outwardly extending portions about the pivoted portion thereof, said portions being respectively connected to said pin member, said first means and said second means.