Adjusting device for a vehicle seat

• US 6,966,598 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2001
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S..R.L.
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Schmale, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDON, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US10/362,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20030178877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 296/65.05, 296/65.08, 296/65.09, 297337-338, 297/344.13, 297/344.14, 297/344.15, 297/344.17
• US Class Current: 296/65.08
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/045 Longitudinal adjustment by means of articulated rods supporting the seat, e.g. parallelogram mechanisms B60N2/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/165 Gear wheel driven mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/181 Rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1864 Gear wheel driven mechanism

Abstract

The present invention concerns an apparatus for adjusting the vertical and longitudinal position and the inclination of a pivotable seat part (2) of a vehicle seat (1) relative to a floor structure (4) of the vehicle, having a linkage that encompasses a linkage part, constituted by at least one articulated rectangle (ABCD), that has a base (AB), two rockers (BC, AD), and a coupler (CD). The base (B)is arranged in a plane extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal seat axis (X—X).The rockers (BC, AD)are pivotable about rotation axes extending substantially parallel to transverse seat axis. The linkage encompasses two linkage parts, each constituted by at least one articulated rectangle (ABCD;CDEF), that each have a base (AB,CD), two rockers (BC,AD;DE,CF),and a coupler (DC,EF). The base (AB)of the first linkage part is fixed with respect to the floor structure (4)of the vehicle, the coupler (CD)of the first linkage part constitutes the base (CD)of the second linkage part, the coupler (EF)of the second linkage part is fixed with respect to the seat part (2), and a rocker (DE,CF)of the second linkage part is coupled in constrainedly kinematic fashion to a rocker (AD)of the first linkage part.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting the vertical and longitudinal position and the inclination of a pivotable seat part (2) of a vehicle seat (1) relative to a floor structure (4) of the vehicle, the apparatus having a linkage that comprises:

a linkage part having at least one articulated rectangle (ABCD), that has a base (AB), two rockers (BC, AD), and a coupler (CD), the base (AB) being arranged in a plane extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal seat axis (X—

X), and the two rockers (BC, AD) being pivotable about rotation axes extending substantially parallel to a transverse seat axis; and

wherein the linkage part comprises two linkage parts, each comprising at least one articulated rectangle (ABCD;

CDEF), that each have a base (AB;

CD), two rockers (BC, AD;

DE, CF), and a coupler (CD;

EF), the base (AB) of the first linkage part adapted to be fixed with respect to the floor structure (4) of the vehicle, the coupler (CD) of the first linkage part including the base (CD) of the second linkage part, the coupler (EF) of the second linkage part being fixed with respect to the seat part (2), and one of said rockers (DE, CF) of the second linkage part being coupled in constrained kinematic fashion to the rocker (AD) of the first linkage part.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the articulated rectangle (ABCD) of the first linkage part comprises a parallelogram.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the articulated rectangle (CDEF) of the second linkage part comprises a parallelogram.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the articulated rectangle (ABCD) of the first linkage part and the articulated rectangle (CDEF) of the second linkage part lie substantially in one plane.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the base (AB) of the first linkage part is constituted by the floor structure (4) of the vehicle.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first linkage part and the second linkage part each encompass two articulated rectangles (ABCD;

CDEF) arranged on either side of the seat part (2), the respective rockers (AD, BC;

DE, CF) being constituted as lever pairs arranged on either side of the seat part (2).

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the coupler (CD) of the first linkage part and the base (CD) of the second linkage part are respectively constituted by coupler bars arranged on either side of the seat part (2).

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the constrained kinematic coupling of the rocker (DE, CF) of the second linkage part with the rocker (AD) of the first linkage part is accomplished via a third linkage part.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the linkage further comprises a third linkage part that is embodied as a gear linkage.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the linkage further comprises a third linkage part comprising a planetary gear drive having gear segments (6, 7, 8, 9), meshing with one another in pairs and held together by a peripheral flange, and wherein the peripheral flange comprises the rocker (AD) of the first linkage part.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the third linkage part comprises at least two gear segments (7, 8), the gear segment (8) having a smaller diameter than the gear segment (7), and meshing with the gear segment (7), and the gear segment (8) being secured in rotationally movable fashion on the coupler (CD) of the first articulated rectangle (ABCD), and the gear segment (7) aligned in a common articulation point (C) of the first articulated rectangle (ABCD) and the second articulated rectangle (CDEF), and the rocker (BC) of the first articulated rectangle (ABCD) having an angled lever extension (CC1) having an end (C1) and a lever-like coupling member (13) articulated at an articulation point (E) of the coupler (EF) of the second articulated rectangle (CDEF).

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the third linkage part is embodied as an open external linkage.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the gear segments are embodied as spur gears.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the third linkage part comprises at least three gears (6, 7, 8), the gear (8) being embodied as a pinion gear with a smaller diameter than the other gears (6, 7) and meshing with the other two gears (6, 7).

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the third linkage part comprises four gears (6, 7, 8, 9), wherein two gears (8, 9) of the four gears (6,7,8,9) are of differing size, are arranged coaxially and nonrotatably with respect to one another, and each of these two gears (8, 9) mesh with one of the other two gears (6, 7).

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein a rotation axis of one of the two gears (6, 7) of the third linkage part extends through a fixed articulation point (A) and a movable articulation point (C) of one of the rockers (AD, BC) of the first linkage part.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein one of the gear segments is fixed nonrotatably with respect to the floor structure (4) of the vehicle.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein one of the gears comprises a pinion with a smaller diameter than the other gears (6, 7, 9), and meshes with the one of the other gears (6) of the third linkage part and is arranged coaxially and nonrotatably with respect to the gear (9), which in turn meshes with the gear (7).

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein one of the gears (6, 7, 8, 9) comprises a pinion drivable by way of a rotary drive.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the gear (8) comprises a pinion guided in an oblong-hole guide (6a) on the gear (6).

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the rotary drive is embodied as a stepping mechanism placed concentric onto a rotation axis of the pinion.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the rotary drive is embodied as an electric-motor drive acting on a rotation axis of one of the gears (6, 7, 8, 9).

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a pivot drive (HA) connected to the rocker (AD) of the first linkage part.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein a gear (7) of the third linkage part is joined nonrotatably, via a part (7a), to the rocker (DE) of the second linkage part.

25. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the part (7a) is an entrainment and guidance part (7a) and is pivotable on the gear (7) about an articulation point (D) of the rocker (DE) of the second linkage part, and is fixable with respect to the gear (7) that is joined nonrotatably to the rocker (DE) of the second linkage part.

26. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the part (7a) is an entrainment and guidance part (7a) and is fixable with respect to the gear (7) by an index pin.

27. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the part (7a) is an entrainment and guidance part (7a) and is steplessly adjustable with respect to the gear (7) by an electric-motor pinion drive, and is fixable by an inhibiting device.

28. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the linkage comprises a third linkage part comprising at least one lever coupling member (10, 11, 13, 14a, 14b, 14c, 15a, 15b, 15c).

29. The apparatus as defined in claim 28, wherein the coupling member (10, 11) is embodied as a coupling bar (10, GI) that joins the rocker (AD) of the first articulated rectangle (ABCD) to the rocker (CF) of the second articulated rectangle (CDEF).

30. The apparatus as defined in claim 28, wherein the coupling member (10, 11) is embodied as a rocker (11, JK) that joins the base (AB) of the first articulated rectangle (ABCD) to the base (CD) of the second articulated rectangle (CDEF).

31. The apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein the rocker (11, JK) has a gate (12) movable on the rocker (11, JK) and joined rotatably about at least one mounting point (L), to the coupler (EF) of the second articulated rectangle (CDEF).

32. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the linkage comprises a third linkage part that comprises three lever coupling members (14a, 14b, 14c;

15a, 15b, 15c) joined articulatedly to one another.

33. The apparatus as defined in claim 32, wherein the coupling member (14a) is adapted to be telescopable.

34. The apparatus as defined in claim 32, wherein the coupling member (14a) is articulated in rotationally movable fashion to one of the (DE, CF) of the second articulated rectangle (CDEF).

35. The apparatus as defined in claim 32, wherein at least one of the coupling members (13, 14b, 14c, 15b) is articulated in rotationally movable fashion on the rocker (BC) of the first articulated rectangle (ABCD).

36. The apparatus as defined in claim 32, wherein at least one of the coupling members (14c, 15c) is articulated in rotationally movable fashion in an articulation point (E, B, F) of the first articulated rectangle (ABCD) or of the second articulated rectangle (CDEF).

37. The apparatus as defined in claim 32, wherein at least one of the coupling members (15a) is articulated in rotationally movable fashion in an articulation point (U) on the coupler (CD) of the first articulated rectangle (ABCD).

38. The apparatus as defined in claims 32, wherein at least one articulation point (U, V) of one of the coupling members (15a) is fixable in various discrete or ungraduated basic positions with respect to one of at least one member (CD) of at least one of the articulated rectangles (ABCD, CDEF) or with respect to at least one further coupling member (15b).

39. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein all points on the seat part (2) fixed with respect to the coupler (EF) of the second linkage part describe, when viewed in cross section, upon adjustment of the first linkage part and in particular upon pivoting of the rocker (AD) of the first linkage part, an integral, closed, loop-free, coupling-point trajectory.

40. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the linkage is adapted such that all points on the seat part (2) that are fixed with respect to the coupler (EF) of the second linkage part describe, when viewed in cross section, upon adjustment of the first linkage part and upon pivoting of the first rocker (AD) of the first linkage part, a coupling-point trajectory of at least 200 mm in length.

41. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the linkage is adapted such that all points on the seat part (2) that are fixed with respect to the coupler (EF) of the second linkage part describe, when viewed in cross section, upon adjustment of the first linkage part and upon pivoting of the rocker (AD) of the first linkage part, parallel to a longitudinal seat axis (X—

X), a coupling-point trajectory that rises in a viewing direction (R) of a seat user.

42. A vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat (1), having an apparatus for adjusting the vertical and longitudinal position and the inclination of a pivotable seat part (2) relative to a floor structure (4), as defined in claim 1.

43. The vehicle seat as defined in claim 42, wherein the pivotable seat part (2) is joined to a seatback (3) arranged pivotably with respect to the seat part (2).