Vertical seat adjuster arrangement for vehicle seats

• US 4,513,937 A
• Filed: 11/03/1982
• Issued: 04/30/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Rees, Richard W. A., Langmesser, Otto J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foss, J. Franklin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/438,964
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 248/394, 248/396, 248/395, 248/397, 248/419, 248/423, 297/325
• US Class Current: 248/394
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1803 with independent front and/or rear adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1885 with weight compensating means
• 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

A vertical seat adjuster for vehicle seats includes a seat support bracket. The rear portion of the bracket is supported on the vehicle by a lever which is rotatable through a screwjack mechanism to raise and lower the rear portion of the bracket. The front portion of the bracket is likewise supported on the vehicle by a rotatable lever. The front portion of the bracket mounts a pair of lock plates which are movable between engaged and released positions with respect to a detent mounted to the vehicle in order to lock the front portion of the bracket against movement. Each lock plate includes a series of alternating notches and abutments, with the notches and abutments of the locking plates being offset with respect to the other whereby the notch of one lock plate engages the detent to lock the bracket against movement while the abutment of the other engages the detent to maintain the other lock plate in released position. The alternating notches and abutment permits an increased number of adjusted positions of the bracket relative to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A seat support mechanism for mounting a vehicle seat on a vehicle for vertical adjustment thereof relative to the vehicle comprising, in combination,

a seat support bracket secured to the seat and including a vertical extending arcuate slot therethrough,

pivot means fixable relative to the vehicle and extending to opposite sides of the bracket through the slot thereof,

a lever rotatably secured to the seat support bracket and to the pivot means, rotation of the lever about the pivot means vertically adjusting the seat support bracket,

a pair of lock plates, each including a plurality of vertically successive detent means spaced by intervening abutment means,

the detent means and abutment means of one lock plate being vertically offset from those of the other lock plate whereby a detent means of one lock plate is horizontally aligned with a corresponding abutment means of the other lock plate,

guide means mounting a lock plate on each side of the support bracket for horizontal sliding movement between a locked position wherein one of the detent means engages the pivot means to lock the seat support bracket against movement relative to the pivot means and a released position wherein one of the abutment means engages the pivot means to block engagement of the detent means with the pivot means,

means biasing both lock plates toward the pivot means to engage a detent means of one lock plate and an abutment means of the other lock plate with the pivot means and thereby locate the one lock plate in locked position and the other lock plate in released position,

an operator,

pin and slot means connecting the operator to the lock plates,

the pin and slot means being engaged between the operator and the one lock plate in locked position and being disengaged and freely slidable between the operator and other lock plate in released position whereby movement of the operator moves the one lock plate from locked position to released position while the other lock plate remains in released position.

2. A seat support mechanism for mounting a vehicle seat on a vehicle for vertical adjustment thereof relative to the vehicle comprising, in combination,

a seat support bracket secured to the seat and including a vertical extending arcuate slot therethrough,

a pivot fixable relative to the vehicle and extending to opposite sides of the seat support bracket through the slot,

a lever rotatably secured to the seat support bracket and to the pivot, rotation of the lever about the pivot vertically adjusting the seat support bracket,

a pair of elongated lock plates, each including adjacent one end thereof a plurality of vertically successive individual notches spaced by intervening and separated abutments, and an elongated slot adjacent the other end thereof having at least one closed end,

the notches and abutments of one lock plate being vertically offset from those of the other lock plate whereby each notch of one lock plate vertically corresponds to an abutment of the other lock plate,

horizontal guide means mounting a lock plate on each side of the support bracket for sliding movement between a locked position wherein one of the notches engages the pivot to lock the seat support bracket against vertical movement relative to the pivot and a released position wherein one of the abutments engages the pivot to block engagement of a notch with the pivot,

means biasing both lock plates toward the pivot to engage a notch of one lock plate and an abutment of the other lock plate with the pivot and thereby locate the one lock plate in locked position and the other lock plate in released position,

an operator having a portion thereof received through the slots of both lock plates,

the operator portion engaging the closed end of the slot of the one lock plate in locked position and being spaced from the closed end of the slot of the other lock plate in released position whereby movement of the operator moves the one lock plate from locked position to released position while the other lock plate remains in released position.

3. A seat support mechanism for mounting a vehicle seat on a vehicle for vertical adjustment thereof relative to the vehicle comprising, in combination,

a seat support bracket secured to the seat and including a vertical extending arcuate slot therethrough,

pivot means fixable relative to the vehicle and extending to opposite sides of the bracket through the slot thereof,

a lever rotatably secured to the seat support bracket and to the pivot means, rotation of the lever about the pivot means vertically adjusting the seat support bracket,

a pair of lock plates, each including a plurality of vertically successive detent means spaced by intervening abutment means,

the detent means and abutment means of one lock plate being vertically offset from those of the other lock plate whereby a detent means of one lock plate is horizontal aligned with a corresponding abutment means of the other lock plate,

guide means mounting a lock plate on each side of the support bracket for horizontal sliding movement between a locked position wherein one of the detent means engages the pivot means to lock the seat support bracket against movement relative to the pivot means and a released position wherein one of the abutment means engages the pivot means to block engagement of the detent means with the pivot means,

means biasing both lock plates toward the pivot means to engage a detent means of one lock plate and an abutment means of the other lock plate with the pivot means to thereby locate the one lock plate in locked position and the other lock plate in released position,

and operating means for moving the one lock plate from locked position to released position and for maintaining the other lock plate in released position to permit movement of the bracket slot relative to the pivot means and obtain vertical adjustment of the seat.