Device for adjusting inclined position of seats, particularly motor vehicle seats

• US 4,304,384 A
• Filed: 10/15/1979
• Issued: 12/08/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Keiper Automobiltechnik GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Keiper Automobiltechnik GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Strowik, Willibald, Cremer, Heinz P.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, James T.
• Application Number:
  US06/084,796
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 297/325, 297/329, 297/313, 297/320, 297/326, 297/DIG. 7, 297/327, 297/328, 297/318, 248/397, 248/424, 248/372.1, 248/393, 248/394, 248/395, 248/396, 248/325, 248/329
• US Class Current: 248/397
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1803 with independent front and/or rear adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1835 pivoting about an axis located in the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1842 pivoting about an axis located in the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1875 Racks
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1892 characterised by a lock
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1896 Stepwise movement mechanisms, e.g. ratchets B60N2/1882 takes precedence

Abstract

The inclination adjuster for motor vehicle seats having a seat carrier extending at lateral sides of the seat and being pivotable at its rear end about a pivot axle supported for rotation on a guiding track assembly, includes gear segments secured to the lateral sides of the track assembly; a transverse axle supported in horizontal guiding slots in the side walls of the seat carrier and each supporting for rotation a gear pinion; a holding bracket having a vertical cutout defining superposed recesses for receiving the shaft in a selected vertical position of the seat and a free vertical passage; and a hand-operated and spring-biased arresting linkage normally urging the transverse shaft into the selected recess and permitting the movement of the shaft in the guiding slot to adjust the vertical position of the seat when actuated.

Claims

1. A seat position adjuster for seats, particularly for motor vechicle seats having a guiding track assembly mounted on the floor of the vehicle and a seat carrier pivotably connected at one end thereof to said guiding track assembly, comprising:

guiding slots formed opposite each other in the lateral sides at the other end of said seat carrier;

a transverse shaft supported for movement in said slots;

holding brackets secured to said guiding track assembly opposite to said slots and each defining a vertical cutout having at one side thereof a plurality of superposed recesses adapted for receiving said shaft and at the other side thereof a passage permitting free movement of said shaft;

gear segments connected to said brackets along said passage in said cutout;

pinions supported for rotation on respective ends of said transverse shaft opposite said gear segments; and

hand-operated and spring-biased linkage coupled to said shaft for normally urging the latter into a selected one of said superposed recesses and for displacing said shaft in said guiding slot for permitting free movement of said shaft in said vertical cutout when actuated, so as to simultaneously perform a locking function and guiding function, said linkage including coupling links supporting said transverse shaft with said pinions, and a hand lever for displacing at least one of said coupling links and thereby said transverse shaft with said pinions.

2. The adjuster as defined in claim 1 wherein said cutout and respectively said gear segments are curved about the pivot axle at said one end of said seat carrier.

3. The adjuster as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said holding recesses has a tapering configuration converging away from said passage in said cutout.

4. The adjuster as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said holding brackets is assembled of two angular pieces forming together a U-shaped cross section;

said linkage being coupled to said transverse shaft between the arms of said bracket and said gear segments being secured, respectively, to the facing inside arms of the two brackets.

5. A seat position adjuster for seats, particularly for motor vehicle seats having a guiding track assembly mounted on the floor of the vehicle and a seat carrier pivotably connected at one end thereof to said guiding track assembly, comprising:

guiding slots formed opposite each other in the lateral sides at the other end of said seat carrier;

a transverse shaft supported for movement in said slots;

holding brackets secured to said guiding track assembly opposite to said slots and each defining a vertical cutout having at one side thereof a plurality of superposed recesses adapted for receiving said shaft and at the other side thereof a passage permitting free movement of said shaft;

gear segments connected to said brackets along said passage in said cutout;

pinions supported for rotation on respective ends of said transverse shaft opposite said gear segments; and

hand-operated and spring-biased linkage coupled to said shaft for normally urging the latter into a selected one of said superposed recesses and for displacing said shaft in said guiding slot for permitting free movement of said shaft in said vertical cutout when actuated, said linkage including a pivot axle supported for rotation on said seat carrier, an elbow lever having its apex connected for joint rotation with said transverse pivot axle, a link coupled between one arm of said elbow lever and said shaft, and a tension spring arranged between the other arm of said elbow lever and said seat carrier to urge said linkage and said shaft in the arresting direction.

6. The adjuster is defined in claim 5 wherein a hand-operated lever is connected to said pivot axle for joint rotation with said elbow lever.

7. A seat position adjuster for seats, particularly for motor vehicle seats having a guiding track assembly mounted on the floor of the vehicles and a seat carrier pivotably connected at one end thereof to said guiding track assembly, comprising:

juxtaposed bearing brackets connected to said guiding track assembly opposite said one end of said seat carrier and each including a collar bushing pivotably supporting said one end of said seat carrier;

guiding slots formed opposite each other in the lateral sides at the other end of said seat carrier;

a transverse shaft supported for movement in said slots;

holding brackets secured to said guiding track assembly opposite to said slots and each defining a vertical cutout having at one side thereof a plurality of superposed recesses adapted for receiving said shaft and at the other side thereof a passage permitting free movement of said shaft;

gear segments connected to said brackets along said passage in said cutout;

pinions supported for rotation on respective ends of said transverse shaft opposite said gear segments; and

hand-operated and spring-biased linkage coupled to said shaft for normally urging the latter into a selected one of said superposed recesses and for displacing said shaft in said guiding slot for permitting free movement of said shaft in said vertical cutout when actuated.

8. A seat position adjuster for seats, particularly for motor vehicle seats having a guiding track assembly mounted on the floor of the vehicle and a seat carrier pivotably connected at one end thereof to said guiding track assembly, comprising:

guiding slots formed opposite each other in the lateral sides at the other end of said seat carrier;

a transverse shaft supported for movement in said slots;

holding brackets secured to said guiding track assembly opposite to said slots and each defining a vertical cutout having at one side thereof a plurality of superposed recesses adapted for receiving said shaft and at the other side thereof a passage permitting free movement of said shaft;

a rocking arm supported by each of said holding brackets and hinged below said cutout, said rocking arm defining a vertical slot extending in the range of said cutout;

gear segments connected to said brackets along said passage in said cutout secured to said rocking arms along one side of said vertical slot;

pinions supported for rotation on respective ends of said transverse shaft opposite said gear segments and being in permanent engagement with said gear segments; and

hand-operated and spring-biased linkage coupled to said shaft for normally urging the latter into a selected one of said superposed recesses and for displacing said shaft in said guiding slot for permitting free movement of said shaft in said vertical cutout when actuated.

9. The adjuster as defined in claim 8 wherein each of said holding brackets has two parallel arms, said rocking arms being arranged opposite each other and hinged below the corresponding cutouts to the inner arms of said brackets.

10. The adjuster as defined in claim 9 wherein said transverse shaft projects through said arms of respective holding brackets and said linkage is coupled to the end portions of said transverse shaft between said bracket arms.

11. The adjuster as defined in claim 8 wherein each gear segment is in the form of a straight rack swingable together with said rocking arm.

12. The adjuster as defined in claim 8 wherein said linkage includes an elbow lever having its apex rigidly connected to a pivot axle extending across said seat carrier and being supported for rotation on the latter;

a link hinged between said transverse shaft and one arm of said elbow lever; and

biasing spring arranged between the other arm of said elbow lever and aid seat carrier;

said pivot axle having a crank-shaped intermediate portion; and

an actuation elbow lever pivotable about a fixed pivot axle mounted on said seat carrier;

a cam element mounted on one arm of said actuation elbow lever for engaging said crank-like portion of said pivot axle to rotate the same when said actuation lever is operated; and

a spring for biasing said actuation lever into an inoperative position in which said cam element is out of engagement from said pivot axle.

13. A seat position adjuster for seats, particularly for motor vehicle seats having a guiding track assembly mounted on the floor of the vehicle and a seat carrier pivotably connected at one end thereof to said guiding track assembly, comprising:

guiding slots formed opposite each other in the lateral sides at the other end of said seat carrier;

a transverse shaft supported for movement in said slots;

holding brackets secured to said guiding track assembly opposite to said slots and each defining a vertical cutout having at one side thereof a plurality of superposed recesses adapted for receiving said shaft and at the other side thereof a passage permitting free movement of said shaft;

gear segments connected to said brackets along said passage in said cutout, said cutout and respectively said gear segments being curved about a pivot axle at said one end of said seat carrier, said gear segments and said other side of said cutout being located closer to said pivot axle than said holding recesses;

pinions supported for rotation on respective ends of said transverse shaft opposite said gear segments; and

hand-operated and spring-biased linkage coupled to said shaft for normally urging the latter into a selected one of said superposed recesses and for displacing said shaft in said guiding slot for permitting free movement of said shaft in said vertical cutout when actuated.