Device for adjusting height of automobile seat

• US 7,828,384 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Shinozaki, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Edell; Joseph F
• Application Number:
  US12/301,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20100001569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.1, 297/344.12, 297/344.14, 297/344.15, 297/DIG.10, 248/564
• US Class Current: 297/344.15
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/165 Gear wheel driven mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/168 and provided with braking systems

Abstract

A height adjusting device for an automobile seat is disclosed. The height adjusting device includes a sector gear (13) arranged between a side frame section (1) of a seat cushion frame of the seat and a linkage arm (2) and supported to a fixing pin (2a) of the linkage arm (2), a plating pin (16) for interconnecting the linkage arm (2) and a linkage rod (4), the planting pin (16) being provided at the sector gear (13), and a spiral spring (14) stretched between the fixing pin (2a) projected from the linkage arm (2) and the planting pin (16) with an innermost end portion (14a) thereof being retained around an end of the fixing pin (2a), and with an outermost end portion (14b) thereof being retained around an end of the planting pin (16).

Claims

1. A height adjusting device for an automobile seat, said automobile seat including a seat cushion frame having a pair of first and second spaced apart side frame sections, and first and second pairs of spaced apart base brackets, said height adjusting device comprising:

a pair of first and second forward linkage arms;

said first forward linkage arm being bridged between said first side frame section and corresponding one of said first pair of spaced apart brackets and supported at a substantially middle portion thereof to said first side frame section by a fixing pin;

said second forward linkage arm being bridged between said second side frame section and the other of said first pair of spaced apart brackets and supported at a substantially middle portion thereof to said second side frame section;

a pair of first and second rearward linkage arms;

said first rearward linkage arm being bridged between said first side frame section and corresponding one of said second pair of spaced apart brackets and supported at a substantially middle portion thereof to said first side frame section;

said second rearward linkage arm being bridged between said second side frame section and the other of said second pair of spaced apart brackets and supported at a substantially middle portion thereof to said second side frame section;

a first linkage rod connected at a forward end and a rearward end thereof to an upper end of said first forward linkage arm and an upper end of said first rearward linkage arm;

a second linkage rod connected at a forward end and a rearward end thereof to an upper end of said second forward linkage arm and an upper end of said second rearward linkage arm;

a first connection shaft interconnecting said forward linkage arms;

a second connection shaft interconnecting said rearward linkage arms; and

an actuating mechanism for causing said forward and rearward linkage arms to be vertically pivoted;

said actuating mechanism including;

an operation knob having a rotating shaft;

said operation knob being arranged outside said first side frame section with said rotating shaft being rotatably penetrated through said first side frame section;

a pinion gear mounted around said rotating shaft;

a sector gear for directly drawing said first linkage rod;

said sector gear being arranged inside said first side frame section and meshed with said pinion gear; and

a spiral spring for directly biasing said first forward linkage arm in a rising-up direction;

said sector gear being arranged between said first side frame section and said first forward linkage arm and supported at a base portion thereof to said fixing pin of said first forward linkage arm;

said sector gear having a planting pin provided at a corner portion thereof adjacent gear teeth thereof so as to be projected from said sector gear;

said first forward linkage arm and said first linkage rod being connected to each other by said fixing pin; and

said spiral spring being stretched between said fixing pin and said planting pin with an innermost end portion thereof being retained around an end of said fixing pin which is projected inward from said first forward linkage arm, and with an outermost end portion thereof being retained around an end of said planting pin which is projected inward from a connection portion between said first forward linkage arm and said first linkage rod.

2. A height adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein said spiral spring has a large spring constant, and said fixing pin is provided at said end thereof with a spring-retaining member, said innermost end portion of said spiral spring being retained to said spring-retaining member.