Vehicle seat

• US 8,414,055 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Kanda, Kenji, Honda, Masaaki, Karino, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US12/975,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20120153658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 296/65.01, 296/65.05, 296/65.08, 296/65.09, 296 6513- 6518, 296/68.1, 297/313, 297/327, 297/344.1, 29734412-34415, 297/344.17
• US Class Current: 296/65.09
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/165 Gear wheel driven mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4249 fixed structures, i.e. where neither the seat nor a part thereof are displaced during a crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/682 Joining means

Abstract

A vehicle seat, including two links movable for adjustment in height of the seat, is provided with a reinforcing transmission shaft. The reinforcing transmission shaft is rotatably connected between two frame members of seat cushion frame in the seat, while extending through the two links. Further, two pinions are fixed on the respective two end portions of the reinforcing transmission shaft and respectively meshed with two gear portions defined in the respective two links. With such arrangement, in the case of rear-end collision, most of great load applied to the links is transmitted, via the reinforcing transmission shaft, pinions and gear portions, to each of the two frame members, thereby preventing deformation of one of the two links to avoid lowering of the seat or inclination of one side of the seat as found in a rear-end collision case.

Claims

1. A seat to be mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a seat cushion frame including a first frame member and a second frame member;

a drive pinion rotatably supported in said first frame member of said seat cushion frame, said drive pinion being operatively connected with a drive source provided with the seat;

a first link element having;

an upper portion pivotally connected with said first frame member of said seat cushion frame; and

a lower portion pivotally connected with a floor of said vehicle, wherein said upper portion has, defined therein, a first sector gear portion which is in meshed engagement with said drive pinion;

said first link element including a hole and a second gear portion;

a second link element having;

an upper portion pivotally connected with said second frame member of said seat cushion frame; and

a lower portion pivotally connected with said floor of said vehicle;

said second link element including a hole and a third gear portion;

a connecting axis element rotatably extended between said first and second frame members of said seat cushion frame;

said first and second link elements being coupled together by said connecting axis element for synchronized movement;

a reinforcing transmission shaft having one end portion and another end portion, said reinforcing transmission shaft extending in a parallel relation with said connecting axis element, such that said end portion thereof extends through said hole of said first link element and is rotatably connected with said first frame member of said seat cushion frame, whereas said another end portion thereof extends through said hole of said second link element and is rotatably connected with said second frame member of said seat cushion frame;

a first pinion fixed to said one end portion of said reinforcing transmission shaft, said first pinion being in meshed engagement with said second gear portion of said first link element; and

a second pinion fixed to said another end portion of said reinforcing transmission shaft, said second pinion being in meshed engagement with said third gear portion of said second link element.

2. The seat as claimed in claim 1, which includes a slide rail device comprising a pair of lower rails fixed on said floor of said vehicle and a pair of upper rails slidably engaged with said pair of lower rails, respectively, wherein said lower portion of said first link element is pivotally connected with one of said pair of upper rails, while said lower portion of said second link element is pivotally connected with the other of said pair of upper rails.

3. The seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first link element comprises a first front link and a first rear link, wherein said first frame member has a forwardly facing portion and a rearwardly facing portion, wherein said first front link is pivotally connected with a forwardly facing portion of said first frame member, whereas said first rear link is pivotally connected with a rearwardly facing portion of the first frame member, wherein said second link element comprises a second front link and a second rear link, wherein said second frame member has a forwardly facing portion and a rearwardly facing portion, wherein said second front link is pivotally connected with a forwardly facing portion of said second frame member, whereas said second rear link is pivotally connected with a rearwardly facing portion of the first frame member, wherein said first sector gear portion is formed in an upper portion of said first rear link, said upper portion corresponding to said upper portion of said first link element, wherein said hole and said second gear portion associated with said first link element are formed in said first rear link, wherein said hole and said third gear portion associated with said second link element are formed in said second rear link, and wherein said reinforcing transmission shaft is arranged between said first and second rear links in such a manner that said one and another end portions of the reinforcing transmission shaft extend through the respective said holes of said first and second rear links, with said first and second pinions being in meshed engagement with said second and third gear portions respectively of said first and second rear links.

4. The seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hole of said first link element is so formed as to extend in a direction vertically of the seat, and wherein said second gear portion of said first link element is formed in one edge portion of said hole, thus defining an inwardly-toothed gear portion in said first link element.

5. The seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hole of said first rear link is so formed as to extend in a direction vertically of the seat, wherein said second gear portion of said first rear link is formed in one edge portion of said hole, thus defining an inwardly-toothed gear portion in said first rear link, wherein said hole of said second rear link is so formed as to extend in a direction vertically of the seat, and wherein said third gear portion of said second rear link is formed in one edge portion of said hole, thus defining an inwardly-toothed gear portion in said second rear link.