Vehicle seat hinges
First Claim
1. A seat hinge for a vehicle seat, comprising:
- a first cheek plate for fixing to a framework of a seat back;
a second cheek plate for fixing to a framework of a seat proper and co-operating with the first cheek plate to define a housing;
a ring having a first set of inside teeth and secured to the first cheek plate inside the housing and having a ring axis coinciding with the hinge axis;
a first control member accessible to a user of the seat; and
a first mechanism inside the housing, controllable by said first control member, and co-operating with the first set of teeth of the ring to transform rotation of said first control member into angular displacements of the first cheek plate and of the seat back and into commands enabling and disabling such angular displacements, the toothed ring being rotatively mounted relative to the first cheek plate, said hinge further including a second mechanism inside the housing, cooperating with the toothed ring and the first cheek plate in reversible manner, said second mechanism including;
at least one locking member displaceable between a locked position wherein said locking member couples the toothed ring and the first cheek plate with respect to their angular displacements about the hinge axis of rotation, and an unlocked position wherein said locking member enables angular displacements of the first cheek plate relative to the toothed ring about the ring axis,elastic means for urging the locking member towards said locked position,a second control member easily accessible from behind the seat back for displacing said locking member into said unlocked position,two abutments angularly fixed relative to the toothed ring and to the first cheek plate respectively, and defining, by mutual angular engagement, a predetermined angular position of the first cheek plate relative to the toothed ring, said abutments enabling only angular displacement of the first cheek plate in a first angular direction starting from said predetermined relative angular position and preventing angular displacement of said first cheek plate in a second, opposite angular direction starting from said pre-determined relative angular position, andmeans cooperating with said locking member when the first cheek plate is not in said predetermined relative angular position, for maintaining said locking member in said unlocked position.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The vehicle seat hinge comprises a first cheek plate (8) for the back, a second cheek plate (9) for the seat and co-operating with the first cheek plate to define a round housing, a ring (11) with an inside set of teeth associated with the first cheek plate and housed inside the housing, a control member (5), and a mechanism (M) inside the housing, controllable by said member, and co-operating with the set of teeth (12) of the ring to perform fine adjustment of the inclination of the back. The toothed ring is mounted to be angularly slidable along a complementary annular bearing surface (14) of the first cheek plate, and a second mechanism is provided inside the housing suitable for reversibly coupling the toothed ring to the first cheek plate and including two abutments that are angularly fixed relative to respective ones of said elements and suitable for storing each preadjusted position of the second element whenever they are uncoupled.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A seat hinge for a vehicle seat, comprising:
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a first cheek plate for fixing to a framework of a seat back; a second cheek plate for fixing to a framework of a seat proper and co-operating with the first cheek plate to define a housing; a ring having a first set of inside teeth and secured to the first cheek plate inside the housing and having a ring axis coinciding with the hinge axis; a first control member accessible to a user of the seat; and a first mechanism inside the housing, controllable by said first control member, and co-operating with the first set of teeth of the ring to transform rotation of said first control member into angular displacements of the first cheek plate and of the seat back and into commands enabling and disabling such angular displacements, the toothed ring being rotatively mounted relative to the first cheek plate, said hinge further including a second mechanism inside the housing, cooperating with the toothed ring and the first cheek plate in reversible manner, said second mechanism including; at least one locking member displaceable between a locked position wherein said locking member couples the toothed ring and the first cheek plate with respect to their angular displacements about the hinge axis of rotation, and an unlocked position wherein said locking member enables angular displacements of the first cheek plate relative to the toothed ring about the ring axis, elastic means for urging the locking member towards said locked position, a second control member easily accessible from behind the seat back for displacing said locking member into said unlocked position, two abutments angularly fixed relative to the toothed ring and to the first cheek plate respectively, and defining, by mutual angular engagement, a predetermined angular position of the first cheek plate relative to the toothed ring, said abutments enabling only angular displacement of the first cheek plate in a first angular direction starting from said predetermined relative angular position and preventing angular displacement of said first cheek plate in a second, opposite angular direction starting from said pre-determined relative angular position, and means cooperating with said locking member when the first cheek plate is not in said predetermined relative angular position, for maintaining said locking member in said unlocked position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification