Vehicular seat height adjusting device

• US 4,487,390 A
• Filed: 09/27/1982
• Issued: 12/11/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miyashita, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Foss, J. Franklin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/424,594
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 248/371, 248/372.1, 248/393, 248/394, 248/395, 248/396, 248/397, 248/398, 248/419, 248/421, 297/313, 297/325, 297/329
• US Class Current: 248/396
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/165 Gear wheel driven mechanism
• 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 2/1864 Gear wheel driven mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1892 characterised by a lock

Abstract

A seat height adjusting device has a first link pivotally connected at its lower end to a support member and pivotally connected at its upper end to a front portion of the seat. A device is provided for turning the link about its lower pivotal connection for raising and lowering the front portion of the seat. A second link is pivotally at its lower end to the same support member, and a pin-and-slot lost motion connection is provided between the second link and the member fixed to the seat. Releasable means are provided to maintain the pin at one end of the slot so that the first and second links are held in substantially parallel relationship.

Claims

1. Apparatus for adjusting the height of a seat with respect to the body of a vehicle, comprising, in combination:

a first link pivotally connected at its lower end to a support member on the body and pivotally connected at its upper end to a front portion of the seat, means for turning said link about its lower pivotal connection for raising and lowering the front portion of the seat, a member fixed to the rear portion of the seat and provided with a slot, a second link pivotally connected at its lower end to said support member and having a pin at its upper end received in said slot, and releasable means for maintaining the pin at one end of the slot, in which position the first and second links are maintained in substantially parallel relationship for raising and lowering the seat uniformly upon turning of said first link and only raising and lowering the front portion of the seat upon actuation of said releasable means to allow movement of said pin in said slot.

2. Apparatus for adjusting the height of a seat with respect to parallel rails carried on the body of a vehicle comprising, in combination:

a first pair of links each pivotally connected at its lower end to one of said rails and at its upper end to a front portion of the seat, means for turning said first pair of links about their lower pivotal connections for raising and lowering the front portion of the seat, a pair of members fixed to the rear portion of the seat and each provided with a slot, a second pair of links pivotally connected at their lower ends to said rails and each having a pin at the other end received in the slots of said members, releasable means for maintaining at least one of the pins at the end of its slot, in which position the first and second pairs of links are maintained in substantially parallel relationship for raising and lowering the seat uniformly upon turning of said first pair of links, and said releasable means being operable to allow movement of said pins in said slots for only raising and lowering the front portion of the seat upon turning of said first pair of links.

3. Apparatus for adjusting the height of a seat with respect to the body of a vehicle, comprising, in combination:

a first link pivotally connected at its lower end to a support member on the body and pivotally connected at its upper end to a front portion of the seat, means for turning said link about its lower pivotal connection for raising and lowering the front portion of the seat, a member fixed to the rear portion of the seat, a second link pivotally connected at its lower end to said support member, a lost motion connection between said member and said second link, and releasable means having positions for selectively allowing or preventing relative movement at said lost motion connection, in said motion allowing position the front portion only of said seat is raised and lowered upon turning of said first link and in said motion preventing position the first and second links are maintained in substantially parallel relationship for raising and lowering the seat uniformly upon turning of said first link.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said lost motion connection includes a slot in said member and a pin on said second link, and said releasable means includes a locking plate pivoted on said member and engageable with said pin.

5. Apparatus for adjusting the height of a seat with respect to parallel rails carried on the body of a vehicle comprising, in combination:

a first pair of links each pivotally connected at its lower end to one of said rails and at its upper end to a front portion of the seat, means for turning said first pair of links about their lower pivotal connections for raising and lowering the front portion of the seat, a pair of members fixed to the rear portion of the seat, a second pair of links pivotally connected at their lower ends to said rails, pin-and-slot lost motion connections between said members and the links in said second pair, and releasable means for maintaining at least one of the pins at the end of its slot, in which position the first and second pairs of links are maintained in substantially parallel relationship for raising and lowering the seat uniformly upon turning of said first pair of links, and said releasable means being operable to allow movement of said pins in said slots for only raising and lowering the front portion of the seat upon turning of said first pair of links.

6. Apparatus for adjusting the height of a seat with respect to the body of a vehicle, comprising, in combination:

a first link pivotally connected at its lower end to a support member on the body and pivotally connected at its upper end to a front portion of the seat, means for turning said link about its lower pivotal connection of raising and lowering the front portion of the seat, a member fixed to the rear portion of the seat and provided with a pin, a second link pivotally connected at its lower end to said support member and having a slot receiving said pin, and a retractable lock piece for maintaining the pin at one end of the slot, in which position the first and second links are maintained in substantially parallel relationship for raising and lowering the seat uniformly upon turning of said first link, said retractable lock piece being operable to allow movement of said pin in said slot to cause raising and lowering of only the front portion of the seat upon turning of said first link.