Device for controlling the displacement of an element, in particular of a seat or parts of a seat of a motor vehicle, in relation to a base

• US 4,802,374 A
• Filed: 02/05/1987
• Issued: 02/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Equipements Automobiles Marshall
• Original Assignee: Equipements Automobiles Marshall
• Inventors: Hamelin, Rene-Louis, Wattier, Maurice F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anchell, Scott
• Application Number:
  US07/006,689
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 248/430, 248/429, 74/89.15, 74/89.14, 74/425
• US Class Current: 74/89.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18616 Single input, plural outputs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18648 Carriage surrounding, guided by, and primarily supported by member other than screw [e.g., linear guide, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18792 including worm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19702 Screw and nut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19828 Worm

Abstract

The control device comprises a motor (5) having a shaft (7a) provided at one end with a worm (8a) to drive a nut-wheel (9a), the set of the worm (8a) and of the nut-wheel (9a) forming part of a reduction gear (R). A screw (12a) cooperates with the nut (11a). This screw (12a) is fixed in rotation around its axis. The reduction gear (R) comprises a stirrup (26a) comprising two intersecting cylindrical sleeves (30a, 31a) communicating through an opening (W). One (30a) of these sleeves receives the nut-wheel (9a). The worm (8a) is accommodated in a tube (10a), connected to the casing (6) of the motor (5), which comprises a window (32a) on its cylindrical wall at one end intended to be engaged in the other sleeve. For the assembly of the reduction gear, the above mentioned end of the tube (10a) is fitted in the other sleeve (31a) of the stirrup (26a) so that the above mentioned window should come to be opposite the above mentioned opening (W). The threads of the worm (8a) project through the said window (32a) to mesh with the nut-wheel (9a).

Claims

1. A device for controlling the displacement of an element in relation to a base comprising a motor having a shaft provided at an end with a worm, the shaft having an axis extending in a given direction,

a stirrup including two orthogonal and intersecting cylindrical sleeves defining an opening at the intersection thereof, one of said sleeves of said stirrup having a nut-wheel disposed therein, said nut-wheel having an axis of rotation that is orthogonal to the shaft axis,

said worm being housed in a tube and said motor having a casing connected to said tube, said tube having a cylindrical wall which includes a first window located adjacent said opening whereby a portion of said worm projects through said first window of said tube and said opening to engage said nut-wheel in said one sleeve, said one sleeve having open opposite ends and

the device further including a surrounding component having parallel faces disposed to close said ends of said one sleeve, said parallel faces having holes for receiving a screw which cooperates with said nut-wheel;

means for flexibly securing said stirrup relative to said base including a frame which defines a second window, said frame connected to said base and said second window receiving a portion of said stirrup so that said frame completely surrounds said portion to allow limited displacement of said stirrup relative to said base in said given direction, said stirrup and said means for securing further including conjugate connection means for preventing displacement of said stirrup relative to said base in a second direction which is mutually perpendicular to said given direction and said axis of rotation of said nut-wheel;

said screw having means for detachable connection to said displaceable element including a head provided with an eye for receiving a pin connected to said displaceable element.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that cups engage the nut-wheel at each end of said one sleeve, these cups serving as bearings for the nut-wheel.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the cups (35a) comprise a cylindrical skirt (35b) whose axial length (h) is such that an internal edge of this skirt covers the edge of the first window (32a) of the tube (10a), whereby said tube is secured with respect to said stirrup.

4. A device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the nut-wheel (9a) is made of a hard plastic material whilst the cups (35a) are metallic.

5. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second window is designed in such a way as to receive the second (426a) of the sleeves of the stirrup (426a) which is coaxial with the shaft of the motor an axial section of the second of said sleeves comprises said portion received by said second window.

6. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second window (63) is arranged in a tab (63) integral with the base (404a).

7. A device according to claim 6, characterized in that the tab is in the shape of a substantially right dihedral angle having one face which comprises said second window and is substantially parallel to both the shaft axis and the axis of rotation of the nut-wheel of the reduction, while the other face of the dihedral angle is slightly spaced from the base and rigidly connected thereto along an edge of said other face which is remote from said one face said other face includes a provision for said conjugate connection.

8. A device according to claim 1 characterized in that the conjugate connection means for connecting the stirrup and the base are constituted by the set of a stud and a hole capable of receiving this stud during assembly.

9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the stud is provided on the stirrup and projects therefrom substantially parallel to said given direction while the hole is provided on a tab integral with said base.

10. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for detachable connection further comprises a deformable washer whereby said head is biased toward a stop integral with said pin and said displaceable element.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein said motor shaft comprises two output shafts which extend from opposing first and second ends of said casing;

attached to said first and second casing ends, and housing said output shafts, are respective first and second tubes;

said first tube being longer than said second tube, said first tube is telescopically mounted relative to said casing for limited sliding relative thereto; and

elastic means for distancing said first tube from said casing.

12. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that third a sleeve on said first end of said casing receives said first the tube whereon a groove is provided to cooperate with, a screw fixed on the said third sleeve, said screw passes through the wall of the latter so as to project into the groove of said first tube, said elastic means positioned between said third sleeve and a stop connected to said first tube.

13. A device according to claim 1, for controlling the displacements of a seat of a motor vehicle in translation.