Vehicle seat having a height- and length-adjustable seat part

• US 5,733,005 A
• Filed: 05/20/1996
• Issued: 03/31/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements SA (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements SA (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: Hamelin, Bruno, Aufrere, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US08/650,517
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 297/316-318, 297/322, 297/284.1, 297/284.11, 297/340, 297/344.1, 297/344.12, 297/344.14, 297/344.15, 297/344.11
• US Class Current: 297/340
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0284 Adjustable seat-cushion length B60N2/0224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/045 Longitudinal adjustment by means of articulated rods supporting the seat, e.g. parallelogram mechanisms B60N2/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1675 with weight compensating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1685 characterised by a lock
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/169 Stepwise movement mechanisms, e.g. ratchets B60N2/167 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a backrest and a seat part which is formed by a cushion secured to a first rigid armature itself supported by a second rigid armature on which the backrest is mounted, it being possible for the first armature to be moved back and forth with respect to the second armature and the second armature being supported by a raising mechanism. This raising mechanism includes at least one raising connecting piece having a driving portion which, with respect to the second armature, undergoes a backward relative movement when the seat part is moved up and a forward relative movement when the seat part is moved down, this driving portion being mechanically linked with the first armature.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat including a backrest and a seat part which is formed by a cushion secured to a first rigid armature, the first armature being itself supported by a second rigid armature on which the backrest is mounted, means for causing the first armature to be moved back and forth with respect to the second armature in a direction termed the longitudinal in order to vary the length of the seat part, and the second armature being supported by a raising mechanism for moving the seat part up and down, wherein the raising mechanism includes at least one rigid raising connecting piece which can be moved in terms of pivoting in a vertical plane parallel to the aforementioned longitudinal direction when the raising mechanism is actuated, this raising connecting piece including a portion, hereinafter termed the driving portion, which undergoes a backward relative movement with respect to the second armature when the raising mechanism moves the seat part up and which undergoes a forward relative movement with respect to the second armature when the raising mechanism moves the seat part down, and wherein the driving portion of the raising connecting piece is coupled to the first armature by a mechanical link in order to move said first armature backward relative to the second armature when the raising mechanism moves the seat part up, and to move the first armature forward relative to the second armature when the raising mechanism moves the seat part down.

2. The seat as claimed in claim 1, in which the mechanical link between the driving portion belonging to the raising connecting piece and the first armature consists of a rigid connecting piece which is mounted so that it can pivot on the one hand on said driving portion and on the other hand on the first armature.

3. The seat as claimed in claim 1, in which the raising connecting piece has an upper part which is mounted by means of a first pivot on the second armature and a lower part which is mounted by means of a second pivot on a support linked to a vehicle, the first and second pivots being aligned in a direction which is inclined downward and forward at least when the seat part is lowered as far as it will go, and the driving portion belonging to the raising connecting piece being situated lower down than the first pivot.

4. The seat as claimed in claim 3, in which the driving portion belonging to the raising connecting piece is close to the second pivot.

5. The seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the raising mechanism includes four raising connecting pieces, including the aforementioned raising connecting piece, these raising connecting pieces being arranged facing each other in pairs on either side of the seat.

6. The seat as claimed in claim 5, in which two of the raising connecting pieces arranged facing each other on either side of the seat are coupled to the first armature, each by an aforementioned mechanical link.