Automotive seat

• US 7,681,948 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: Miyake, Atsushi, Fushikida, Motohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LYNCH, PATRICK D
• Application Number:
  US11/902,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20080284221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/216.16, 297/216.17, 297/216.19, 297/216.2, 297/344.12, 297/344.14, 297/344.15
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/161 Rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/169 Stepwise movement mechanisms, e.g. ratchets B60N2/167 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is an automotive seat the seat cushion level of which can be adjustable up-and-down, in which the safety is improved when a shock is applied to a vehicle. The automotive seat according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a level adjusting mechanism for adjusting the seat cushion level, and comprises a base frame, a seat cushion, a seat cushion frame, a space from which to the base frame being adjustable, a stopper which supports the sinking seat cushion frame at a rear end collision of an automobile. The stopper moves to narrow the space between the seat cushion frame and the stopper and supports the seat cushion frame.

Claims

1. An automotive seat having a level adjusting mechanism for adjusting a seat cushion level, comprising:

a base frame;

a seat cushion frame on which a seat cushion is formed, wherein the seat cushion frame is configured to adjust a space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame; and

a stopper configured to support the seat cushion frame when the seat cushion frame sinks during a rear end collision of an automobile;

wherein the stopper is configured to move to narrow a space between the stopper and the seat cushion frame to support the seat cushion frame;

wherein the stopper is pivotably linked to the base frame at a longitudinal end of the stopper and the stopper is configured to support the seat cushion frame with another end of the stopper;

wherein the automotive seat further comprises;

a link plate which is pivotably linked to the base frame at a longitudinal end of the link plate, pivotably linked to the seat cushion frame at another end of the link plate, and pivots with changes in the space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame; and

a stopper pusher configured to pivot integrally with the link plate and to push and move the stopper as the space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame becomes larger such that the stopper pivots toward the seat cushion frame.

2. The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is configured to move when the space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame changes.

3. The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein:

the stopper pusher comprises a slider configured to slide on a sliding surface of the stopper and to push and move the stopper; and

the sliding surface has an inclined surface configured to adjust the pivot of the stopper in association with the pivot of the stopper pusher.

4. The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is configured to move so as to narrow the space between the stopper and the seat cushion frame during the rear end collision of the automobile and is configured to support the seat cushion frame.

5. The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is separated from the seat cushion frame in a normal state and is configured to support the seat cushion frame when the seat cushion frame sinks during the rear end collision of the automobile.

6. The automotive seat according to claim 1, wherein:

the seat cushion frame comprises a lock having a plurality of teeth; and

the stopper is linked to the base frame via a pivotal shaft at a longitudinal end thereof, wherein the stopper is configured to pivot about the pivotal shaft and to engage with at least one of the teeth of the lock at another longitudinal end to support the sinking seat cushion frame.

7. The automotive seat according to claim 6, wherein:

the stopper is configured to pivot with changes in the space between the seat cushion frame and the base frame;

the stopper is configured to engage with at least one of the teeth of the lock to support the sinking seat cushion frame if a space between the pivotal shaft and the seat cushion frame is smaller than a space between the pivotal shaft and an end of the stopper opposite to the pivotal shaft; and

the stopper is configured to support the sinking seat cushion frame with the end of the stopper opposite to the pivotal shaft in a state that the stopper stands straight if the space between the pivotal shaft and the seat cushion frame is larger than the space between the pivotal shaft and the end of the stopper opposite to the pivotal shaft.