Seat device

• US 7,703,851 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Nakano, Kousei, Nakaya, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US11/892,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20080073960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.15, 297/284.11, 297/378.1, 297/316, 297/319, 297/342
• US Class Current: 297/344.15
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/181 Rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/206 to a position in which it can be used as a support for objects, e.g. as a tray
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/309 rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/34 into a bed

Abstract

A tilt mechanism portion is connected to an front downward-extending portion of a side frame (cushion side fame) of a seat cushion so as to move vertically the seat cushion. A rear downward-extending portion of the cushion side frame is supported at a support pin of a base side frame. Thereby, the rear end of the seat cushion changes little longitudinally despite the vertical movement (tilt) of the front portion of the seat cushion. Accordingly, any conformability deterioration that may be caused by a large forward movement of the seat cushion at a seat back taking a large reclining position can be prevented properly.

Claims

1. A seat device, comprising:

a rotational mechanism portion to enable a seat back to at least rotate rearward around a lower end thereof from a specified standard position thereof;

a tilt mechanism portion to enable a front portion of a seat cushion to at least move substantially vertically; and

a linkage mechanism portion to make the tilt mechanism portion move the front portion of the seat cushion substantially vertically in accordance with a rotation of the seat back enabled by the rotational mechanism portion,

wherein said tilt mechanism portion is configured such that a vertical moving distance of the front portion of the seat cushion is greater than a longitudinal moving distance thereof when the front portion of the seat cushion moves between a lowermost position and an uppermost position thereof,

wherein said linkage mechanism portion comprises a slot operative to restrain conveyance of a rotational movement of the seat back to said tilt mechanism portion when the seat back is positioned within a specified rotational range, the slot being formed at a constituting member of the linkage mechanism portion,

wherein said linkage mechanism is configured to make said tilt mechanism portion move the front portion of the seat cushion to the uppermost position when the seat back is rotated rearward to a reclining position thereof by a specified angle from the specified standard position,

wherein said linkage mechanism is configured such that said slot of the link works so as to maintain the front portion of the seat cushion at the uppermost position when the seat back is rotated rearward further from the reclining position.

2. The seat device of claim 1, wherein said linkage mechanism portion comprises at least one link that moves substantially longitudinally in accordance with the rotation of the seat back, and said tilt mechanism portion comprises a rotating lever that is attached at a portion on a fixed side so as to rotate around a rotational axis extending substantially laterally, one end of the rotating lever being rotatably coupled to a member on a side of the seat cushion, the other end of the rotating lever being rotatably coupled to a front end of said one link of the linkage mechanism portion.

3. The seat device of claim 2, wherein a rear portion of the seat cushion is attached at a portion on a fixed side so as to rotate around an axis extending substantially laterally.

4. The seat device of claim 3, wherein said one end of the rotating lever is located in front of said rotational axis of the rotating lever.

5. The seat device of claim 4, wherein said one end of the rotating lever is connected to the front portion of the seat cushion via at least one link.

6. The seat device of claim 5, wherein the other end of the rotating lever is located above said rotational axis of the rotating lever, and said linkage mechanism portion is configured in such a manner that the other end of the rotating lever is pulled rearward in accordance with the rearward rotation of the seat back.

7. The seat device of claim 1, wherein said linkage mechanism portion is configured such that the conveyance of the rotational movement of the seat back to the tilt mechanism portion is further restrained when the seat back is rotated forward from the specified standard position.

8. The seat device of claim 1, wherein said linkage mechanism portion is configured such that the front portion of the seat cushion is located in the lowermost position by the tilt mechanism portion when the seat back is in the specified standard position, while the front portion of the seat cushion is moved upward by the tilt mechanism portion when the seat back is rotated rearward from the specified standard position, and there is provided a biasing member to bias the front portion of the seat cushion downward to the lowermost position.

9. A seat device, comprising:

a rotational mechanism portion to enable a seat back to at least rotate rearward around a lower end thereof from a specified standard position thereof;

a tilt mechanism portion to enable a front portion of a seat cushion to at least move substantially vertically; and

a linkage mechanism portion to make the tilt mechanism portion move the front portion of the seat cushion substantially vertically in accordance with a rotation of the seat back enabled by the rotational mechanism portion,

wherein said tilt mechanism portion is configured such that a vertical moving distance of the front portion of the seat cushion is greater than a longitudinal moving distance thereof when the front portion of the seat cushion moves between a lowermost position and an uppermost position thereof,

wherein said linkage mechanism portion comprises at least one link that moves substantially longitudinally in accordance with the rotation of the seat back, and said tilt mechanism portion comprises a rotating lever that is attached at a portion on a fixed side so as to rotate around a rotational axis extending substantially laterally, one end of the rotating lever being rotatably coupled to a member on a side of the seat cushion, the other end of the rotating lever being rotatably coupled to a front end of said one link of the linkage mechanism portion,

wherein a rear portion of the seat cushion is attached at a portion on a fixed side so as to rotate around an axis extending substantially laterally,

wherein the other end of the rotating lever is located above said rotational axis, and said linkage mechanism portion is configured in such a manner that the other end of the rotating lever is pulled rearward in accordance with the rearward rotation of the seat back.

10. A seat device, comprising:

a rotational mechanism portion to enable a seat back to at least rotate rearward around a lower end thereof from a specified standard position thereof;

a tilt mechanism portion to enable a front portion of a seat cushion to at least move substantially vertically; and

a linkage mechanism portion to make the tilt mechanism portion move the front portion of the seat cushion substantially vertically in accordance with a rotation of the seat back enabled by the rotational mechanism portion,

wherein said tilt mechanism portion is configured such that a vertical moving distance of the front portion of the seat cushion is greater than a longitudinal moving distance thereof when the front portion of the seat cushion moves between a lowermost position and an uppermost position thereof,

wherein said rotational mechanism portion is configured to enable the seat back to rotate forward to a position in which a back face of the seat back is located substantially horizontally, said linkage mechanism portion comprises at least one link that moves either forward or rearward in accordance with a forward rotation of the seat back, and said tilt mechanism portion is configured such that the front portion of the seat cushion lowers in accordance with said movement of the link.

11. The seat device of claim 10, wherein said link of the linkage mechanism portion is respectively connected to a portion on a side of the seat back and a portion on a side of the tilt mechanism portion via slots in such a manner that the seat cushion moved by the tilt mechanism portion rotates forward by a specified second angle while the seat back rotates forward from the specified standard position by a specified first angle, the specified second angle being smaller than the specified first angle.

12. A seat device, comprising:

a rotational mechanism portion to enable a seat back to at least rotate rearward around a lower end thereof from a specified standard position thereof;

a tilt mechanism portion to enable a front portion of a seat cushion to at least move substantially vertically; and

a linkage mechanism portion to make the tilt mechanism portion move the front portion of the seat cushion substantially vertically in accordance with a rotation of the seat back enabled by the rotational mechanism portion,

wherein said tilt mechanism portion is configured such that a vertical moving distance of the front portion of the seat cushion is greater than a longitudinal moving distance thereof when the front portion of the seat cushion moves between a lowermost position and an uppermost position thereof,

wherein said linkage mechanism portion comprises at least one link, and at the link is provided a slot operative to restrain conveyance of a rotational movement of the seat back to said tilt mechanism portion when the seat back is positioned within a specified rotational range,

wherein the link is supported via the slot at a supporting axis provided at a portion on a fixed side on a side of the seat back in such a manner that a major movement pattern of the link is changeable from either one of a rotation thereof around the supporting axis and a slide thereof guided by the supporting axis to the other when a rotational position of the seat back changes.

13. The seat device of claim 12, wherein said linkage mechanism portion comprises a first link provided on the side of the seat back and a second link provided on a side of the tilt mechanism portion, the first link is supported via the slot at the supporting axis provided at the portion on the fixed side on the side of the seat back in such a manner that the first link provides the major movement of the rotation thereof around the supporting axis when the rotational position of the seat back is located between the specified standard position and a specified position that is rearward from the specified standard position by a specified angle, while the first link provides the major movement of the slide thereof guided by the supporting axis when the seat back is rotated rearward beyond said specified position that is rearward from the specified standard position by the specified angle, the second link is coupled to the first link in such a manner that a connecting portion thereof to the tilt mechanism portion moves in accordance with the rotation of the first link, while the second link rotates around said connecting portion to the tilt mechanism portion in accordance with the slide movement of the first link.

14. A seat device, comprising:

a rotational mechanism portion to enable a seat back to at least rotate rearward around a lower end thereof from a specified standard position thereof;

a tilt mechanism portion to enable a front portion of a seat cushion to at least move substantially vertically; and

a linkage mechanism portion to make the tilt mechanism portion move the front portion of the seat cushion substantially vertically in accordance with a rotation of the seat back enabled by the rotational mechanism portion,

wherein said tilt mechanism portion is configured such that a vertical moving distance of the front portion of the seat cushion is greater than a longitudinal moving distance thereof when the front portion of the seat cushion moves between a lowermost position and an uppermost position thereof,

wherein said linkage mechanism portion comprises at least one link, and at the link is provided a slot operative to restrain conveyance of a rotational movement of the seat back to said tilt mechanism portion when the seat back is rotated rearward beyond a specified position that is rearward from the specified standard position by a specified angle, and there is provided a resistance-force adding device to apply a resistance force to a rearward rotation of the seat back beyond said specified position,

wherein said slot is provided at at least one of a connecting portion of the link on a side of the seat back and a connecting portion of the link on a side of the tilt mechanism portion,

wherein the link is supported via the slot at a supporting axis provided at a portion on a fixed side on a side of the seat back in such a manner that a major movement pattern of the link is changeable from either one of a rotation thereof around the supporting axis and a slide thereof guided by the supporting axis to the other during the rotation of the seat back.

15. The seat device of claim 14, wherein said linkage mechanism portion comprises a first link provided on the side of the seat back and a second link provided on a side of the tilt mechanism portion, the first link is supported via the slot at the supporting axis provided at the portion on the fixed side on the side of the seat back in such a manner that the first link provides the major movement of the rotation thereof around the supporting axis when the rotational position of the seat back is located between the specified standard position and a specified position that is rearward from the specified standard position by a specified angle, while the first link provides the major movement of the slide thereof guided by the supporting axis when the seat back is rotated rearward beyond said specified position that is rearward from the specified standard position by the specified angle, the second link is coupled to the first link in such a manner that a connecting portion thereof to the tilt mechanism portion moves in accordance with the rotation of the first link, while the second link rotates around said connecting portion to the tilt mechanism portion in accordance with the slide movement of the first link.