Recliner clutch mechanism for vehicle seat

• US 6,869,143 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Industries Incorporated (Marisa Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BAE Industries Incorporated (Marisa Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Secord, Tyrone
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARRETT, ERIKA P
• Application Number:
  US10/404,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20040195889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 297/378.12, 297/362, 297/370, 297/374, 297/367, 297/376, 192/223.4
• US Class Current: 297/362
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/224 Stepwise movement mechanisms, e.g. ratchets

Abstract

A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat having a seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back. A lock plate having first and second faces is secured in translating fashion between the seat bottom and seat back. A first actuating plate is located in proximity to the first face of the lock plate and urges the lock plate to engage against the seat back in a first position. A second actuating plate is located in proximity to the second face of the lock plate and causing the lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position. A spring engages the seat back in a forward rotating direction. A release handle and lever assembly is in operative communication with a secondary spring and, upon actuation, releases the engaging force exerted by the first plate, concurrent with influencing the second actuating plate against the lock plate in the second release position.

Claims

1. A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat, the seat including a fixedly secured seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back, said mechanism comprising:

a lock plate having a first face and a second face and adapted to being secured in translating fashion between the seat bottom and the upwardly extending seat back;

a first actuating plate located in proximity to said first face of said lock plate and urging said lock plate to engage against the seat back in a first position;

a second actuating plate located in proximity to said second face of said lock plate and causing said lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position;

a main spring associated with the seat bottom and adapted to engage the seat back in a forward rotating direction;

a secondary spring influencing said first actuating plate against the seat back in said first engaged position; and

a release handle and lever assembly in operative communication with said secondary spring and actuated to influence said first and second actuating plates against said lock plate faces in said second release position and by which said lock plate is laterally translated in an unseating direction from the seat back and towards the seat bottom.

2. A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat, the seat including a fixedly secured seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back, said mechanism comprising:

a lock plate having a first face and a second face;

a main pivot pin extending between the seat bottom and the seat back, said lock plate being mounted to said main pivot in translating fashion between the seat back and seat bottom;

a first actuating plate located in proximity to said first face of said lock plate, said first actuating plate including a first plurality of projecting ramps coacting with said lock plate and urging said lock plate to engage against the seat back in a first engaged position;

a second actuating plate located in proximity to said second face of said lock plate, said second actuating plate including a second plurality of projecting ramps which are circumferentially offset from said first plurality of ramps and which coact with said lock plate and cause said lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position;

the seat back being biased in a forward rotating direction; and

a release handle and lever assembly being actuated to cause said first actuating plate to disengage said lock plate concurrent with said second plate actuating said lock plate to said second release position.

3. A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat, comprising:

a seat frame having a fixedly secured seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back;

said clutch mechanism further comprising a lock plate having a first face and a second face and adapted to being secured in non-rotatable and translatable fashion between said seat bottom and said upwardly extending seat back;

said second face of said lock plate further comprising a projecting annular surface defining a plurality of exteriorly facing and toothed gear portions, an opposing surface of the seat back having a recessed annular surface defining a further plurality inwardly facing and toothed gear portions which inter-engage said exteriorly facing geared portions in a first engaged position.

a first rotatable and non-translatable actuating plate located in proximity to said first face of said lock plate and urging said lock plate to engage against the sent back in said first position;

a second rotatable and non-translatable actuating plate located in proximity to said second face of said lock plate, in seating fashion between said projecting annular and recessed surfaces, said second plate causing said lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position;

the seat back being biased in a forward rotating direction; and

a release handle and lever assembly being actuated to cause said first actuating plate to disengage said lock plate concurrent with said second plate actuating said lock plate to said second release position.

4. A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat, the seat including a fixedly secured seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back, said mechanism comprising:

a lock plate having a first face and a second face and adapted to being secured in translating fashion between the seat bottom and the upwardly extending seat back;

a first actuating plate located in proximity to said first face of said lock plate and urging said lock plate to engage the seat back in a first position;

a second actuating plate located in proximity to said second face of said lock plate and causing said lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position;

a main pivot pin extending between the seat bottom and seat back, said pivot pin extending through said lock plate and aligning apertures defined through said first and second actuating plates, said aligning apertures for receiving said main pivot pin extending through a substantially central location of said lock plate and said first and second actuating plates;

a main spring associated with the seat bottom and adapted to engage the seat back in a forward rotating direction;

a secondary spring influencing said first actuating plate against the seat back in said first engaged position; and

a release handle and lever assembly in operative communication with said secondary spring and actuated to influence said first and second actuating plates against said lock plate faces in said second release position.

5. A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat, the seat including a fixedly secured seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back, said mechanism comprising:

a lock plate having a first face and a second face and adapted to being secured in translating fashion between the seat bottom and the upwardly extending seat back;

a first actuating plate located in proximity to said first face of said lock plate and urging said lock plate to engage the seat back in a first position;

a second actuating plate located in proximity to said second face of said lock plate and causing said lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position;

a main pivot pin extending between the seat bottom and seat back, said pivot pin extending through said lock plate and aligning apertures defined through said first and second actuating plates, said lock plate further comprising a plurality of secondary circular apertures defined in spatially arrayed fashion about said main aperture, a plurality of secondary pins extending through said secondary circular apertures to secure said lock plate in a combined translating and non-rotative fashion relative to the seat bottom;

a main spring associated with the seat bottom and adapted to engage the seat back in a forward rotating direction;

a secondary spring influencing said first actuating plate against the seat back in said first engaged position; and

a release handle and lever assembly in operative communication with said secondary spring and actuated to influence said first and second actuating plates against said lock plate faces in said second release position.

6. The recliner clutch mechanism as described in claim 5, further comprising a plurality of elongated and arcuate shaped channels defined in said first actuating plate and in substantially aligning fashion with said secondary circular apertures in said lock plate, said secondary pins likewise extending through said arcuate shaped channels so that said first plate is rotatable over a selected distance defined between edge locations of said channels and said secondary pins extending through said channels.

7. The recliner clutch mechanism as described in claim 6, said first actuating plate further comprising a first plurality of circumferentially arranged and projecting ramps extending in engaging fashion against said first face of said lock plate, said second actuating plate being rotationally mounted about said main pivot pin and comprising a second plurality of likewise circumferentially arranged and projecting ramps extending in engaging fashion against said second face of said lock plate.

8. The recliner clutch mechanism as described in 7, said lock plate further comprising a first plurality of arcuately extending channels defined through said lock plate and which coact with said first plurality of projecting ramps to urge said lock plate in said first engaged position, a second plurality of arcuately extending channels in said lock plate and which coact with said second plurality of projecting ramps to urge said lock plate in said second release position.

9. The recliner clutch mechanism as described in claim 8, said first plurality of arcuately extending channels defining radially outwardly positioned channels, said second plurality of arcuately extending channels defining radially inwardly positioned channels.

10. The recliner clutch mechanism as described in claim 8, further comprising said first and second pluralities of arcuately extending channels and said associated pluralities of projecting ramps being circumferentially offset relative to one another and alternately coacting with said lock plate in translating fashion between said first and second positions.

11. A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat, the seat including a fixedly secured seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back, said mechanism comprising:

lock plate having a first face and a second face and adapted to being secured in translating fashion between the seat bottom and the upwardly extending seat back, said second face of said lock plate further comprising a projecting annular surface defining a plurality of exteriorly facing and toothed gear portions, an opposing surface of the seat back having a recessed annular surface defining a further plurality of inwardly facing and toothed gear portions which inter-engage said exteriorly facing geared portions in said first engaged position;

a first actuating plate located in proximity to said first face of said lock plate and urging said lock plate to engage the seat back in a first position;

a second actuating plate located in proximity to said second face of said lock plate and causing said lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position;

a main spring associated with the seat bottom and adapted to engage the seat back in a forward rotating direction;

a secondary spring influencing said first actuating plate against the seat back in said first engaged position; and

a release handle and lever assembly in operative communication with said secondary spring and actuated to influence said first and second actuating plates against said lock plate faces in said second release position.

12. A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat, the seat including a fixedly secured seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back, said mechanism comprising:

a lock plate having a first face and a second face and adapted to being secured in translating fashion between the seat bottom and the upwardly extending seat back;

a first actuating plate located in proximity to said first face of said lock plate and urging said lock plate to engage the seat back in a first position;

a second actuating plate located in proximity to said second face of said lock plate and causing said lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position;

a first stop pin projecting from the seat back and abuttingly engaging the seat bottom at a forwardly inclined rotational position, a second stop pin projecting from the seat bottom and abuttingly engaging the seat back at a rearwardly reclined rotational position;

a main coil spring associated with the seat bottom and adapted to engage the seal back in a forward rotating direction, a bracket biasingly interconnecting said main coil spring with said first stop pin;

a secondary spring influencing said first actuating plate against the seat back in said first engaged position; and

a release handle and lever assembly in operative communication with said secondary spring and actuated to influence said first and second actuating plates against said lock plate faces in said second release position.

13. The recliner clutch mechanism as described in claim 12, said main spring further comprising an outwardly curled end engaging said first stop pin, and a corresponding and inwardly curled end engaging a tab of an anchor bracket also secured to the seat bottom.

14. A recliner clutch mechanism for use with a vehicle seat, the seat including a fixedly secured seat bottom and an upwardly extending and pivotally movable seat back, said mechanism comprising:

a lock plate having a first face and a second face and adapted to being secured in translating fashion between the seat bottom and the upwardly extending seat back;

a first actuating plate located in proximity to said first face of said lock plate and urging said lock plate to engage the seat back in a first position;

a second actuating plate located in proximity to said second face of said lock plate and causing said lock plate to disengage from the seat back in a second release position;

a main spring associated with the seat bottom and adapted to engage the seat back in a forward rotating direction;

a secondary spring influencing said first actuating plate against the seat back in said fist engaged position; and

a release handle and lever assembly in operative communication with said secondary spring and actuated to influence said first and second actuating plates against said lock plate faces in said second release position, said release handle and lever assembly further comprising a release lever adapted to being pivotally secured to the seat bottom, said assembly further comprising a release lever pivotally secured to a forward location of the seat bottom, a wire linkage extending from said release handle at a first end and pivotally connecting to said release lever at a second end.