Seat adjusting apparatus

• US 4,787,674 A
• Filed: 07/31/1987
• Issued: 11/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Okazaki, Hiroshi, Inaba, Yasuhisa, Kazaoka, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Aschenbrenner, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US07/080,195
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 297/317, 297/321, 297/346, 297/337, 297/383, 297/340, 248/429, 248/421, 248/430, 248/395, 248/393
• US Class Current: 297/317
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0284 Adjustable seat-cushion length B60N2/0224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0715 C or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0825 outside the rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/085 about a transversal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0887 with synchronised movements

Abstract

A seat adjusting apparatus having a main frame assembly and a seat assembly. The main frame assembly includes a first frame and a backrest, while the seat assembly inlcudes a second frame and a seat. Devices are provided for slidably mounting the first frame, as well as movably mounting the second frame on the first frame. Further, the seating adjusting apparatus includes components, which are responsive to the sliding movement of the first frame in a first direction through a first distance for moving the second frame relative to the first frame in opposite direction through a distance less than the first distance.

Claims

1. A seat assembly adjusting apparatus, which comprises:

a main frame assembly including a first frame supporting a backrest and a second frame supporting a seat;

means for slidably mounting said first frame on a vehicle floor so that the backrest can slide in a forward direction and a backward direction;

attaching means for attaching said second frame to said first frame and for urging the seat in a forward direction and a backward direction with respect to the first frame; and

connecting means between the mounting means and the attaching means for moving the attaching means in response to the sliding of the first frame and backrest, such that the attaching means urges the seat in the forward direction through a first distance when the backrest slides in the backward direction through a second distance greater than the first, and such that the seat is urged in the backward direction through the first distance when the backrest slides in the forward direction through the second distance;

said attaching means including first link means pivotally interconnecting said first and second frame; and

said connecting means including a second link means connected at a first end to said first link means and supporting a cam follower at a second end, and a cam plate connected to said mounting means, with said cam plate having a cam slot shaped to receive said cam follower such that said first and second link means are actuated in response to sliding of said first frame to move said second frame and seat relative to said first frame.

2. The seat adjusting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a pair of lower and upper rails, said lower rails rigidly mounted on the ground in parallel and said upper rails slidably positioned about said lower rails and affixed to said first frame.

3. The seat adjusting apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said second frame attaching means include forward and rearward rods extending between said parallel rails and connected to said first link means.

4. The seat adjusting apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam slot is a substantially straight elongated groove declining gradually with respect to a horizontal plane in a direction away from said backrest.

5. The seat adjusting apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam slot is curved slightly downward in a direction away from said backrest.

6. The seat adjusting apparatus as defined in claim 2, including means for selectively preventing sliding movement between said pair of rails.

7. The seat adjusting apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for selectively preventing sliding movement between said pair of rails includes:

a toothed plate projecting substantially orthogonally from the base of one of said lower rails;

a lock plate pivotably attached to one of said upper rails; and

means for engaging said lock plate with said toothed plate.

8. A seat adjusting apparatus, which comprises:

a pair of lower and upper rails, said lower rails rigidly mounted on a vehicle floor in parallel and said upper rails slidably positioned about said lower rails;

a main frame assembly including a first frame supporting a backrest and a second frame supporting a seat, said first frame being attached to said upper rails so that the first frame can slide in forward and rearward movements;

first link means pivotably interconnecting said second frame to said first frame, such that the seat is moved in forward and rearward movements relative to the first frame by the first link means in response to forward and rearward movements of said first frame, thereby simultaneously moving said seat and said backrest in opposite relative directions;

a cam plate affixed to one of said lower rails and having a cam slot;

second link means rotatably mounted to said upper rail and having first and second end sections, said first end section extending substantially perpendicular to said second end section and having a cam follower to ride within said cam slot, said second end section connected to said first link means to pivotally move said first link means in response to rotation of said second link means as the upper rails slide on the lower rails; and

means for selectively preventing sliding movement between said rails.

9. The seat adjusting apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said cam slot is linearly disposed along said cam plate declining gradually measured with respect to a horizontal plane in a direction away from said backrest.

10. The seat adjusting apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said cam slot is a curved elongated groove.