Rotation mechanism for rotatable seat

• US 5,941,498 A
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Kanto Jidosha Kogyo KK
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Matsubayashi, Tsutomu, Yamakoshi, Akira, Ohta, Takayuki, Hoshihara, Naoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): BERGER, DEREK JOEL
• Application Number:
  US08/936,512
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 248/418, 248/425, 248/550, 248/415, 248/349.1, 296/68.1, 296/65.06, 296/65.07, 296/65.18, 297/344.21, 297/344.22, 297/344.23
• US Class Current: 248/550
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/146 characterised by the locking device

Abstract

A pin secured at one end of a link is inserted into an L-shaped groove of aock lever pivoted to the upper surface of an upper guide rail and the other end of the link is connected to an actuator by way of a wire. The hook of the lock lever can be inserted into the hook hole of the flange of the lower guide rail. Rotating of the lock lever and thus rotation of the upper guide rail relative to the lower guide rail by an accidental external force to the lock lever can be prevented in the rotatable seat.

Claims

1. A rotation mechanism for a rotatable seat comprising a lower guide rail adapted to be supported on rail means mounted to a vehicle floor, an upper guide rail rotatable relative to the lower guide rail and adapted to secure a seat cushion thereon, a lock lever equipped with a handle and pivoted on the upper guide rail, an actuator supported on the upper guide rail, and a link engagably connected at one end to the lock lever and connected at another end with the actuator so as to restrict the rotation of the lock lever by engagement thereof when a hook at one end of the lock lever engages a hook hole of the lower guide rail, manual rotation of the lock lever being enabled when the actuator rotates the link by an electric current supplied to the actuator, thereby releasing engagement between the hook of the lock lever and the hook hole of the lower guide rail to allow the rotation of the seat.

2. A rotation mechanism for a rotatable seat as defined in claim 1, further comprising an electric circuit adapted to being responsive to an automatic transmission shift mechanism of a vehicle being in the park position for enabling electric current supply to the actuator when lock lever is operated rotationally.

3. A rotation mechanism for a rotatable seat as defined in claim 1, wherein the link and the actuator are connected by way of a wire, and including an electric circuit that comprises a first switch adapted to being turned ON when an automatic transmission shift mechanism is in the parking range and depending on the operation angle of the lock lever, a solenoid adapted to release the locking of the automatic transmission shift mechanism upon engagement of the hook of the lock lever and the hook hole of the lower guide rail, and a second switch, connected electrically with the solenoid, for detecting the angle of the rotation of the upper guide rail and supplying current to the first switch.

4. A rotation mechanism for a rotatable seat as defined in claim 3, wherein the first switch conducts ON/OFF control by a cam face of a detection plate secured to the lock lever.

5. A rotation mechanism for a rotatable seat as defined in claim 4, wherein the upper guide rail has a stopper to define a rotational stroke of the lock lever.

6. A rotation mechanism for a rotatable seat as defined in claim 1, wherein the lock lever includes an L-shaped groove and the link includes a pin, the link being connected at the one end to the lock lever by insertion of the pin in the L-shaped groove.