Car seat

• US 6,616,229 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Suhle, Karl Georg, Polak, Mirco, Küster, Peer
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDELL, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US09/729,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.2, 297/284.9, 297/284.3
• US Class Current: 297/284.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/986 Side-rests B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable

Abstract

A car seat having a seat part and a central spring system for the seat part. The central spring system can be adjusted to vary the hardness of the seat part. Additionally, the car seat is provided with side reinforcements on the seat part that extend in the traveling direction, whose position or the position of their upper edge regions is adjustable in accordance with the hardness of the spring system of the seat. The adjustment of the spring system is such that a greater degree of hardness corresponds to a higher position of the upper edge regions of the side reinforcements.

Claims

1. A car seat comprising:

a central spring system (3) with longitudinal spring elements having an adjustable resistance force, wherein the resistance force is adjusted by a rotating driving gear that rotates a transverse wave, the transverse wave linked to one end of the spring elements and an opposite end of the spring elements fixed on a rear transverse spar; and

side reinforcements extending in the direction of travel each with an upper edge region, wherein the position of the side reinforcements or of the upper edge regions changes depending on the resistance force of the central spring system (3) so that an increase in the resistance force of the central spring system (3) corresponds to a higher position of the upper edge regions, wherein the position of the side reinforcements is changed by coupling the rotation of the transverse wave with a gear unit.

2. The car seat according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge region (2e) is supported on a supporting structure (2a) linked to a support (1) of the seat so that the upper edge region (2e) can rotate inward and outward around a longitudinal axis (2c) relative to the direction of the travel.

3. The car seat according to claim 2, wherein the supporting structure (2a) rotates around a longitudinal axis (2c), and is attached to a rotating shaft (2b), the rotating shaft disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis (2c) and is engaged by the bevel gear unit, wherein the bevel gear unit is in union with a bevel gear (5b) of the driving gear.

4. The car seat according to claim 2, wherein the supporting structure (2a′

) of the upper edge region (2e′

) is operated by a tooth segment (5c) and a related pinion gear (5d) whose rotational axis is parallel to a transverse axis (2d) disposed at a right angle to the direction of travel.

5. The car seat according to claim 1, wherein the upper edge region (2e′

) is supported on a supporting structure (2a) linked to a support (1′

) of the seat so that the upper edge region (2e′

) can rotate upward and downward around a transverse axis (2d) disposed at a right angle to the direction of travel.

6. The car seat according to claim 5, wherein the transverse axis (2d) passes through a front region of each side reinforcement (2′

).

7. The car seat according to claim 1, wherein the gear unit (5) is a bevel gear.

8. The car seat according to claim 1, wherein the driving gear (4) is operated by an electric motor (4a) that operates an attached gear (4b) of a rotation adjustment mechanism (4c).

9. A car seat comprising:

one or more spring support elements connected to a rotating member, wherein rotation of the rotating member adjusts the resistance force of the spring support elements; and

side support members with an upper edge region extending out from the seat, and the position of the side support members changes as the resistance force of the spring support elements is adjusted, the side support members move in toward the seat as resistance force in the spring support elements increases, wherein the side support members include a rotating shaft coupled to a bevel gear in union with the rotating member.

10. The car seat of claim 9, wherein the rotating member is a transverse wave, the transverse wave connected to one end of the spring support elements, and an opposite end of the spring support elements is fixed on a transverse spar.