Infinitely variable seat back recliner
First Claim
1. In a seat having a cushion and a back which are relatively angularly positionable about a hinge axis, an infinitely variable mechanism which, by means of an operating lever, relatively positions the back and cushion about the hinge axis to any angular position within a range of angular positions and which for any angular position to which the two have been positioned by the operating lever disallows the two from being further angularly displaced except by subsequent operation of the lever, said mechanism comprising wedge means operatively coupled between the back and the cushion comprising a pair of wedging members which, at any relative angular position between the back and cushion within said range, in response to application of an external torque to the back and cushion about the hinge axis other than via the operating lever, wedge together to disallow angular displacement between the back and cushion, and means operatively coupling the lever, the wedge means, the seat cushion and the seat back such that operation of the lever is effective to freely angularly position the back and cushion about the hinge axis without the two wedging members disallowing the relative rotation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A seat back recliner comprises an infinitely variable mechanism which positions the seat back angularly relative to the seat cushion about a hinge axis in one-to-one correspondence with operation of an operating lever. Once the seat back has been positioned to a desired setting by operation of the lever, the seat back remains in the selected position. External torques applied to the seat back about the hinge axis tending to displace the seat back from the selected position are resisted by a locking action between wedging members in the infinitely variable mechanism. When it is desired to position the seat back, operation of the lever is effective to rotate the seat back to the desired position while concurrently interacting with the wedging members so as to prevent the wedging members from disallowing the desired rotation.
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Citations
23 Claims
- 1. In a seat having a cushion and a back which are relatively angularly positionable about a hinge axis, an infinitely variable mechanism which, by means of an operating lever, relatively positions the back and cushion about the hinge axis to any angular position within a range of angular positions and which for any angular position to which the two have been positioned by the operating lever disallows the two from being further angularly displaced except by subsequent operation of the lever, said mechanism comprising wedge means operatively coupled between the back and the cushion comprising a pair of wedging members which, at any relative angular position between the back and cushion within said range, in response to application of an external torque to the back and cushion about the hinge axis other than via the operating lever, wedge together to disallow angular displacement between the back and cushion, and means operatively coupling the lever, the wedge means, the seat cushion and the seat back such that operation of the lever is effective to freely angularly position the back and cushion about the hinge axis without the two wedging members disallowing the relative rotation.
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23. In a seat having a cusion and a back which are relatively positionable about a hinge axis, an infinitely variable mechanism for relatively positioning the back and the cushion about the hinge axis to any desired position within a range of positions comprising an input member for establishing the desired position, and an output member corresponding to the desired position, and first and second means defining respective first and second independent kinematic paths between the input and the output members, said first means being rendered active during operation of the input member to effect corresponding operation of the output member, said second means being rendered inactive during operation of the input member but active in response to external torques applied to the output member to lock the output member in the position to which it has been set by operation of the input member, said first means being rendered inactive in response to such external torques.
Specification