Vehicle seat

• US 6,296,306 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2000
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Specht, Martin, Meyer, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDELL, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US09/515,765
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/216.13, 297/216.14, 297/362.11
• US Class Current: 297/216.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42745 of the back-rest B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/809 vertically slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

A vehicle seat has an adjustable backrest connected to a driving device that can be activated in the event of a rear end collision. The backrest is inclined forwardly during the rear end collision and then performs an opposing rearward movement decelerated by an energy absorber.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising a backrest that is adjustable by means of a pivot joint relative to a seat surface and has an electric motor drive which drives a backrest-adjusting device, the electric motor driving device can be activated by a rear end collision and the backrest leans forward in the event of a rear end collision, and a braking device is provided for opposing rearward movement of the backrest following the forward inclination of the backrest.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the braking device comprises the electric motor of the driving device.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the braking device comprises an energy absorber acting between a rigid backrest frame and a rigid seat substructure supported on the vehicle body.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3 wherein the energy absorber is supported on the vehicle body via the seat substructure.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 3 wherein the energy absorber is a bending brake.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the backrest-adjusting device comprises said joint and a reduction gear.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the backrest-adjusting device comprises a wobble mechanism.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the driving device can be activated by a pre-crash sensor.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the driving device is provided on both sides of the backrest.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the backrest-adjusting device is provided on both sides of the backrest.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 10 wherein the driving device is connected to respective backrest-adjusting devices on both sides of the backrest by means of a continuous drive shaft.