Self-levelling apparatus for a seat

• US 6,273,389 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carlgrens Ergonomi AB
• Original Assignee: Carlgrens Ergonomi AB
• Inventors: Carlgren, Klas
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANDRY, WALTER J
• Application Number:
  US09/284,585
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 248/371, 248/372.1, 248/393, 248/344, 248/395, 248/396, 297/325, 297/329, 180/41
• US Class Current: 248/371
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/39 Seats tiltable to compensate for roll inclination of vehicles

Abstract

A self-levelling apparatus for a seat comprises a base (21, 22, 27), a seat levelling assembly (2, 18, 19, 41) displaceably connected with the base, and a reversible electrical motor (40) disposed between the seat and the base for rotation of the seat levelling assembly around an axis about parallel with the base. The seat levelling assembly is disposed between the base and the axis. Themotor shaft (42) extends parallel with the axis and engages with a flexible actuation means, such as a roller chain, fixed at its one end at the base. The apparatus also comprises a positional detection means for control of the motor. The apparatus further comprises arcuate co-operating seat and base bearing elements (2; 22) of which at least one has a surface defined by rotation of a straight, curved or irregular line around the axis, such as a cylinder or cone segment surface.

Claims

1. Self-levelling apparatus for a seat, comprising a base, a seat levelling assembly displaceably connected with the base, a drive means disposed between the seat and the base for rotation of the seat levelling assembly around an axis about parallel with the base, the seat levelling assembly being disposed between the base and said axis, the drive means comprising a reversible electrical motor fixed to the seat levelling assembly in a way as to have its shaft extending parallel with said axis, said shaft being in direct or indirect engagement with a flexible actuation means comprising a segmented actuation element means fixed at its one end at the base, and further comprising a detection means for detection of the position of the seat levelling assembly in respect to the horizontal plane, the detection means being coupled to control means for control of the motor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the displaceable connection of the seat levelling assembly with the base is by means of co-operating seat and base bearing elements pertaining to the seat levelling assembly and the base, respectively, of which elements at least one comprises a surface defined by rotation of a straight, curved or irregular line around said axis.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cylinder segment or cone segment shaped surface of the seat or base bearing element is designed for co-operation with glide, rolling or ball means comprised by the base or seat bearing element, respectively.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the concave cylinder segment or cone segment shaped surface of the base bearing element is interrupted at the level of the base plate, thereby forming two concave cylinder segment or cone segment shaped surfaces defined by one cylinder or cone axis and radius. radius.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the segmented actuation element is selected from synchronous (toothed) belts, roller chains and bead-profiled wires.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the engagement by the shaft is via a drum, tooth gear or pulley fixed to the shaft.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a second segmented actuation element.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the segmented flexible actuation elements pass through openings in the seat and base bearing elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the opening in the seat bearing element is slot-formed, is transposable in respect of the opening in the base bearing element in an overlapping relationship.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the area of the opening in the seat bearing element is less than 30% of the slot area, preferably less than 20%.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, integrated in the seat and/or the vehicle body.

12. Self-levelling apparatus for a seat, comprising:

a base including a cylinder segment wall shaped base bearing element having a concave cylinder segment shaped gliding surface defined by an axis,

a seat levelling assembly displaceably connected with the base, including a cylinder mantle segment shaped seat bearing element having a convex cylinder segment shaped surface defined by said axis in abutting contact with said concave gliding surface,

a drive means, comprising a reversible electrical motor mounted at the seat levelling assembly with its shaft extending parallel with said axis, said shaft being in direct or indirect engagement with two flexible segmented actuation elements fixed at their respective one end at the base, and further comprising

a detection means for detection of the position of the seat levelling assembly in respect to the horizontal plane, the detection means being coupled to control means for control of the motor.

13. Self-levelling apparatus for a seat, comprising a detection means for detection of the position of the seat in respect to the horizontal plane, an element having about the form of a cylinder segment sectioned at a distance from and parallel with its axis and forming a compartment, an electric motor controlled by control means coupled to said detection means and mounted in said compartment and having a shaft extending parallel with said axis, the shaft being provided with one or several pulleys, drums or gears, said cylinder segment-formed element being mounted in a trough-formed element supported on a base and having a concave cylindrical surface defined by said axis, said elements being displaceable by rotation relative to each other around said axis over an angle of up to 180°

and having pairs of passages opening at their respective cylinder surface and being in superposed relationship during said rotation, and further comprising one or several flexible actuation elements selected from roller chains, toothed belts and beaded wires, said flexible actuation elements being in engagement with one or several of said pulleys, drums or gears and extending through one of said superimposed passages and being fixed to the base.