Vehicle seat

• US 8,752,897 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Fischbein, Igor
• Primary Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Application Number:
  US13/211,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20120043797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 297/322, 297/339, 297/344.13, 297/229, 248/424, 248/429
• US Class Current: 297/322
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1695 with simultaneous height and inclination adjustment

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat which may be adjusted forward and back along a seat rail arranged on both sides, and in which both the inclination of a seat surface and a back surface and a height thereof may be adjusted. Such a vehicle seat is intended to be adapted very easily and in an uncomplicated manner to the different body sizes of drivers. This is achieved in that a common adjustment mechanism is provided for all seat adjustment sequences, which coordinates the individual adjustment sequences, in that the coordination of the adjustment sequences produces seat adjustments in which the seating position of the respective driver is optimized irrespective of body size.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising:

a longitudinal guide operably connected to the vehicle seat, wherein the seat may be longitudinally adjusted forward and rearward in the direction of travel along the longitudinal guide;

a rear bearing including a gear mechanism supporting a rear of the longitudinal guide; and

a seat surface disposed on the vehicle seat, the seat surface configured for engaging a seat occupant, wherein longitudinal adjustment of the seat rearward actuates the gear mechanism, thereby causing a rearward and downward inclination of the seat surface.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal guide includes a front end facing toward a front of a vehicle, and wherein the longitudinal guide extends approximately horizontally and is curved downward toward a rear end thereof.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal guide is defined by a seat rail that includes a split configuration such that a front portion and a rear portion have different inclinations.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal guide is defined by a seat rail that includes a split configuration such that a front portion and a rear portion have different inclinations.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 4, wherein the rear portion of the seat rail is substantially straight.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 4, wherein the rear portion of the seat rail is curved.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal guide is defined by a seat rail that is continuous and slopes down to the rear, and supported on one respective front bearing and rear bearing, and wherein the front bearing is a rotary bearing with a horizontal rotational axis such that the seat rail is lowered depending on the pushed-forward position and pushed-back position of the seat, the extent of the lowering of the seat rail being greater the further the seat is pushed back.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 4, further comprising:

an approximately horizontally extending portion of the seat rail for supporting a front end of the seat such that a rear end of the seat may be lowered depending on its pushed-back position.

8. A vehicle seat comprising:

a longitudinal guide operably connected to the vehicle seat, wherein the vehicle seat may be longitudinally adjusted forward and rearward in the direction of travel along the longitudinal guide; and

a seat surface disposed on the vehicle seat, wherein longitudinal adjustment of the vehicle seat rearward causes a rearward inclination of the seat surface, wherein the longitudinal guide is defined by a seat rail that is continuous and slopes down to the rear, and supported on one respective front bearing and one respective rear bearing, and wherein the front bearing is a rotary bearing with a horizontal rotational axis such that the seat rail is lowered depending on the pushed-forward position and pushed-back position of the seat, the extent of the lowering of the seat rail being greater the further the seat is pushed back, and further wherein a rear region of the seat rail is forcibly guided in the vertical direction such that the lowering takes place via a mechanical gear mechanism, depending on the position of the seat pushed forward and back, the extent of the lowering being all the greater the further the seat is pushed back.

10. A seat for a vehicle comprising:

a longitudinal guide comprising a toothed rod connected to the seat;

a gearwheel proximate a rear of the seat and engaged with the toothed rod connected with the seat, wherein the gearwheel includes an internal thread engaged with a threaded pushrod, such that movement of the seat rearward causes rotation of the gearwheel which moves the threaded pushrod axially downward, resulting in a rearward inclination of a seat surface.

11. The seat of claim 10, wherein the longitudinal guide is defined by a seat rail positioned below the seat.

12. The seat of claim 10, wherein the longitudinal guide is operably connected to the seat by a front bearing positioned below a front portion of the seat.