Vehicle seat with height adjuster

• US 6,478,378 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2001
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co.
• Original Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co.
• Inventors: Teufel, Ingo, Mühlberger, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US09/900,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.12, 297/344.13, 297/216.1, 297/216.14, 297/216.15, 297/216.16
• US Class Current: 297/344.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42781 mechanical triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/43 Safety locks for back-rests B60N2/433
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/433 Safety locks for back-rests, e.g. with locking bars activated by inertia

Abstract

In a vehicle seat, in particular an automobile seat, with a height adjuster (9) for adjusting the height of a seat frame of the vehicle seat relative to the vehicle structure, a locking device (13,23,36,38) is provided with a stop (31,33,36,38), which makes available an alternative force transmission between the seat frame and the vehicle structure in the event of a crash.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat for being mounted to a vehicle structure and for performing advantageously in the event of a crash, comprising:

a seat frame mounted to a height adjuster, wherein the height adjuster is for being connected between the seat frame and the vehicle structure and adjusting the height of the seat frame relative to the vehicle structure;

a locking device mounted to the vehicle seat for securing the height adjuster in a normal position during a normal condition, and for releasing the height adjuster in response to a crash in which the vehicle seat experiences at least a predetermined load; and

at least one stop that is engaged in response to the releasing of the locking device to establish an alternative force transmission path between the seat frame and the vehicle structure.

2. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stop is a first stop, the alternative force transmission path for transmitting force is a first path for transmitting force in a first direction, the vehicle seat further includes a second stop that is engaged in response to the releasing of the locking device to establish an alternative second path for transmitting force in a second direction between the seat frame and the vehicle structure, and the second direction is different from the first direction.

3. A vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the first path is for transmitting force in the event of front end crash of the vehicle and the second path is for transmitting force in the event of a rear end crash of the vehicle, the first stop is a first toothed pawl, a first toothed element meshes with the first toothed pawl to form a first gear tooth system in the event of a front end crash, the second stop is a second toothed pawl, and a second toothed element meshes with the second toothed pawl to form a second gear tooth system in the event of a rear end crash.

4. A vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein in the event of a crash in which the vehicle seat experiences at least the predetermined load the two gear tooth systems mutually exert no expelling forces on each other.

5. A vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the first path is for transmitting force in the event of front end crash and the second path is for transmitting force in the event of a rear end crash.

6. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein a change in geometry of the height adjuster occurs in response to the locking device releasing the height adjuster, and the stop is activated by the change in geometry of the height adjuster.

7. Vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein a movably supported, spring-loaded pawl of the of the locking device secures a bearing pin of a rocker arm of the height adjuster in the normal condition.

8. A vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the locking device includes a movably supported lever, and the lever includes both the pawl and the stop.

9. A vehicle seat according to claim 8, wherein the pawl releases the bearing pin for movement in a guideway of the rocker arm in response to a crash in which the vehicle seat experiences at least the predetermined load.

10. A vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the pawl releases the bearing pin for movement in a guideway of the rocker arm in response to a crash in which the vehicle seat experiences at least the predetermined load.

11. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stop is a toothed pawl that is movably supported on the height adjuster or on the seat frame, and a toothed element of the seat frame or the height adjuster is engaged by the toothed pawl to establish the alternative force transmission path between the seat frame and the vehicle structure.

12. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stop is a toothed pawl, and a toothed element meshes with the toothed pawl to form the alternative force transmission path between the seat frame and the vehicle structure.