Device for adjusting inclined angle of seating surface of seat cushion

• US 4,339,103 A
• Filed: 06/05/1980
• Issued: 07/13/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Terada, Takami, Mori, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, James T.
• Application Number:
  US06/156,627
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 248/397, 248/371, 297/327, 297/326, 297/328, 74/89.19, 74/89.18, 74/29
• US Class Current: 248/397
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/181 Rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1842 pivoting about an axis located in the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1864 Gear wheel driven mechanism

Abstract

A device for adjusting the inclined angle of the seating surface of the seat cushion of an automotive seat essentially mounted in a vehicle. A pair of seat slide adjusting units are fixed to seat slide upper rails arranged on a floor surface and are disposed at both sides of a seat cushion frame. A sector gear plate is so secured to a bracket fixedly secured to the seat slide adjusting unit as to be elevationally rocked at its base around a fulcrum. Another bracket is fixedly secured to the seat sliding adjusting unit. A pinion gear rotated by a handle knob is journaled at the another bracket at a fulcrum. The pinion gear is coupled through a non-reversing unit with the handle knob in a manner that the gear may be freely rotated by the operation of the knob but may not be rotated by the rotating load applied from the pinion gear side. The pinion gear is engaged in mesh with the teeth of the gear plate. A link is pivotally secured to a pin secured at the intermediate portion between the base and the teeth of the gear plate at the lower portion and is also pivotally secured at the axial hole of the upper portion thereof to the seat cushion frame. A bracket is also fixedly secured at the same situation as the previous bracket to the other seat slide adjusting unit. Thus, when the knob is manipulated, the seat cushion can be tilted up or down in response to the sitting person'"'"'s physique or preference to his most comfortable attitude.

Claims

1. A device for adjusting the inclined angle of the seating surface of the seat cushion of an automotive seat having a pair of seat slide adjusting units disposed at both sides and secured to seat slide upper rails, said device comprising:

a sector gear plate so journaled at the rear portion thereof at a fulcrum at the position corresponding to the front side position of the seat cushion frame of the one seat slide adjusting unit and including teeth formed at the front face thereof,

a handle mounted through a first bracket at the seat slide adjusting unit;

a pinion gear with a non-reversing unit to be rotated by said handle and engaging in mesh with the teeth of said gear plate to allow said gear plate to elevationally rock upon rotation of said pinion gear,

a first link pivotally secured at an intermediate portion between the rear portion and the front teeth of said gear plate and pivotally secured at the upper portion thereof to the seat cushion frame,

a second bracket so journaled at the other seat slide adjusting unit as to rock in substantially the same manner as said gear plate,

a second link pivotally secured to said second bracket in substantially the same orientation as said first link at the lower portion thereof and pivotally secured at the upper portion thereof to the seat cushion frame, and

means for pivotally securing the seat cushion frame at the rear end thereof to both the seat slide adjusting units.

3. A device for adjusting the inclined angle of the seating surface of the seat cushion of an automotive seat according to claim 1, further comprising a fulcrum shaft rotatably supported by the bracket secured at both sides of the seat slide adjusting units.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said seat cushion frame is pivotally secured at the rear portion thereof to the bracket fixedly secured to the seat slide adjusting units.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein a torsion spring is extended from the one bracket to the other bracket, and is surrounded at the end thereof around the other bracket to make contact with the lower surface of said second bracket to thereby impart an upward rocking elastic force to said second bracket.

2. A device for adjusting the inclined angle of the seating surface of the seat cushion of an automotive seat having a pair of seat slide adjusting units disposed at both sides and secured to seat slide upper rails, said device comprising;

a pair of sector gear plates so journaled at the rear portions thereof at fulcrums at the positions corresponding to the front side positions of the seat cushion frame of both the seat slide adjusting units and including respectively teeth formed at the front faces thereof;

a handle mounted through a first bracket at the seat slide adjusting unit;

a pair of pinion gears with non-reversing units to be rotated by said handle and engaging in mesh with the teeth of said respective gear plates to allow said respective gear plates to elevationally rock upon rotation of said respective pinion gears,

first and second links pivotally secured at intermediate portions between the rear portion and the front teeth of said respective gear plates and pivotally secured at the upper portions thereof to the seat cushion frame, and

means for pivotally securing the seat cushion frame at the rear end thereof to both the seat slide adjusting units.