Seat adjuster for sports equipment

• US 8,276,868 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HealthStream Taiwan, Inc.
• Original Assignee: HealthStream Taiwan, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Shu-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): McKinnon, Terrell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garft, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US12/749,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 248/419, 248/157, 248/421, 248/423, 297/325, 297/326, 297/327, 297/328
• US Class Current: 248/419
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/029 of non-adjustable shape adapted to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 9/002 with exercising means or having special therapeutic or ergonomic effects

Abstract

A seat adjuster for an article of sports equipment includes a base, a locating frame pivotally connected with the base for connection of a seat, a first locating plate mounted with the base, and a second locating plate pivotally connected with the locating frame so as to be pivotable between a first position where a second teeth portion of the second locating plate is engaged with a first teeth portion of the first locating plate such that the locating frame can'"'"'t be pivotable relative to the base for fixing the seat in position, and a second position where the second teeth portion of the second locating plate is disengaged from the first teeth portion of the first locating plate such that the locating frame can be pivotable relative to the base for allowing the angle of inclination of the seat to be adjustable.

Claims

1. A seat adjuster for sports equipment, the seat adjuster comprising:

a base (10);

a locating frame (20) pivotally connected with the base;

a first locating plate (30) mounted directly on the base (10) and having a first teeth portion (32);

a second locating plate (40) mounted directly on the locating frame (20) and having a second teeth portion (42) and pivotally connected with the locating frame (20) so as to be pivotable between a first position where the second teeth portion (42) of the second locating plate (40) is engaged with the first teeth portion (32) of the first locating plate (30) such that the locating frame is prevented from pivoting relative to the base, and a second position where the second teeth portion of the second locating plate is disengaged from the first teeth portion of the first locating plate such that the locating frame is pivotable relative to the base;

a rotatable control rod (60) pivotally connected with the locating frame (30) and engaged with the second locating plate (40) whereby the rotatable control rod drives and pivots the second locating plate (40) from the first position to the second position; and

wherein the second locating plate (40) has a guide slot (44), and the rotatable control rod (60) has a horizontally extending L-shaped transmission section received in the guide slot (44) and pushes a peripheral wall of the guide slot (44), and is so constructed to drive the second locating plate (40) to pivotally move from the first position to the second position.

2. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locating frame includes a top wall and two lateral walls each having a top side extending from one of two opposite sides of the top wall and a bottom side pivotally connected with one of two opposite sides of the base;

the first locating plate is located between the base and one of the lateral walls of the locating frame.

3. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first locating plate is two in number and mounted with one of two opposite sides of the base, and the second locating plate is two in number and pivotally connected with one of the lateral walls of the locating frame.

4. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one torsion spring disposed between the locating frame and the second locating plate.

5. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a tension spring having two ends respectively connected with the locating frame and the control rod.

6. The seat adjuster of claim 1, further comprising a handle (64) constructed to turn the locating plate to control the pivoting angle and engagement position of the locating plate.

7. A seat adjuster for sports equipment, the seat adjuster comprising:

a base (10);

a locating frame (20) pivotally connected with the base (10);

a first locating plate (30) mounted with the base (10) and having a first teeth portion (32);

a second locating plate (40) having a second teeth portion (42) and pivotally connected with the locating frame (20) so as to be pivotable between a first position where the second teeth portion (42) of the second locating plate (40) is engaged with the first teeth portion (32) of the first locating plate (30) such that the locating frame is prevented from pivoting relative to the base, and a second position where the second teeth portion of the second locating plate is disengaged from the first teeth portion of the first locating plate such that the locating frame is pivotable relative to the base;

a control rod (60) rotatably connected with the locating frame (20) and engaged with the second locating plate (40) and is so constructed to drive the second locating plate (40) to pivotally move from the first position to the second position; and

wherein the second locating plate has a guide slot, and the rotatable control rod has a horizontally extending L-shaped transmission section received in the guide slot and pushes a peripheral wall of the guide slot, and is so constructed to drive the second locating plate to pivotally move from the first position to the second position;

a handle (64) connected to the control rod (60) which upon actuation turns the second locating plate (40) controlling the pivoting angle and engagement position of the second locating plate (40).

8. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locating frame includes a top wall and two lateral walls each having a top side extending from one of two opposite sides of the top wall and a bottom side pivotally connected with one of two opposite sides of the base;

the first locating plate is located between the base and one of the lateral walls of the locating frame.

9. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first locating plate is two in number and mounted with one of two opposite sides of the base, and the second locating plate is two in number and pivotally connected with one of the lateral walls of the locating frame.

10. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second locating plate has a guide slot, and the control rod has a transmission section received in the guide slot and pushing a periphery wall of the guide slot for driving the second locating plate to be pivotally moved from the first position to the second position.

11. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 7, further comprising at least one torsion spring disposed between the locating frame and the second locating plate.

12. The seat adjuster as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a tension spring having two ends respectively connected with the locating frame and the control rod.