Vehicle seat with a seat depth adjusting device

• US 9,016,785 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Inventors: Mller, Peter, Bartsch, Danny, Freisleben, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, PETER R
• Application Number:
  US13/881,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.11, 297/330, 297/337
• US Class Current: 297/284.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02 the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable adjustable arm-rests B60N2/75; adjustable head-rests B60N2/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0284 Adjustable seat-cushion length B60N2/0224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat with a seat pan for carrying a seat cushion of the vehicle seat, a support element adjustable along an adjustment direction relative to the seat pan for carrying an additional cushion adjustable relative to the seat cushion of the seat pan, and a seat depth adjusting means arranged on the seat pan for adjusting the support element relative to the seat pan. The seat depth adjusting means includes a guide assembly carrying the support element and an actuating assembly for actuating the seat depth adjusting means. By means of guide means the guide assembly is movably guided on the seat pan along the adjustment direction. It is provided that the guide means comprise at least one guiding device which is integrally molded into the seat pan.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising

a seat pan for carrying a seat cushion of the vehicle seat,

a support element adjustable relative to the seat pan along an adjustment direction for carrying an additional cushion adjustable relative to the seat cushion of the seat pan,

a seat depth adjusting device arranged on the seat pan for adjusting the support element relative to the seat pan, wherein the seat depth adjusting device includes a guide assembly carrying the support element and an actuating assembly for actuating the seat depth adjusting device, and

a guide mechanism by means of which the guide assembly is movably guided on the seat pan along the adjustment direction,

wherein the guide mechanism comprises a first guiding device which includes a depression formed in the seat pan and the guide assembly includes a guide web extending along the adjustment direction and connected with the support element, which is guidable along the depression,

wherein the guide web of the guide assembly is arranged above the seat pan on a side of the seat pan facing the seat cushion such that with weight forces acting on the support element in proper use the guide web is supported on the seat pan,

wherein the actuating assembly comprises a carrier which is arranged below the seat pan, and

wherein the first guiding device includes an opening extending along the adjustment direction, via which the guide web of the guide assembly of the seat depth adjusting device is fixedly connected with the carrier of the actuating assembly of the seat depth adjusting device such that the guide web is movable together with the carrier along the adjustment direction.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein by means of the first guiding device the guide assembly of the seat depth adjusting device, which carries the support element, is supported substantially without clearance along a support direction, in which weight forces act on the support element in proper use, and along a transverse direction vertical to the adjustment direction and to the support direction.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the guide mechanism comprises a second guiding device by means of which the guide assembly of the seat depth adjusting device, which carries the support element, is movably guided along the adjustment direction, and which is formed in at least one bearing block of the seat pan, wherein the second guiding device is formed by two guide openings each of which is formed in a bearing block of the seat pan, wherein the guide assembly of the seat depth adjusting device includes two guide tubes longitudinally extending along the adjustment direction and being guided at the guide openings.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the guide openings are spaced from each other in a transverse direction transversely to the adjustment direction.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein in proper use the guide tubes extend below the seat pan on a side of the seat pan facing away from the seat cushion.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the guide tubes each are connected with the actuating assembly with their one end and with a cross-beam of the guide assembly with their other end.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 6, wherein on the cross-beam, at the points at which the cross-beam is connected with the guide tubes, first fixing points are arranged for connection of the support element.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the guide assembly includes a portion longitudinally extending from the cross-beam and arranged between the guide tubes as seen transversely to the adjustment direction, on which a further fixing point offset to the first fixing points along the adjustment direction is arranged for connection of the support element.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 8, wherein the cross-beam is arranged on an edge portion of the support element located away from the seat pan and the further fixing point is offset from the edge portion of the support element towards the seat pan along the adjustment direction.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein by means of the second guiding device the guide assembly of the seat depth adjusting device, which carries the support element, is guided substantially without clearance along a support direction, in which in proper use weight forces act on the support element, but is guided with clearance along a transverse direction vertical to the adjustment direction and to the support direction.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the actuating assembly is formed for manual actuation, and includes

at least one latching rail on which the carrier is movably guided, and

an actuating element movably arranged on the carrier, which is formed to cooperate with at least one locking bolt shiftably mounted on the carrier, wherein in a locked condition the at least one locking bolt lockingly is in engagement with the at least one latching rail and in an unlocked condition is not in engagement with the at least one latching rail,

wherein for attachment of the actuating assembly to the seat pan the at least one latching rail is connected with the seat pan.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the actuating assembly is formed for electromotive actuation, and includes

a spindle, the carrier being in engagement with the spindle via a spindle nut,

an electromotive drive unit for driving the spindle into a rotary movement, and

wherein for attachment of the actuating assembly to the seat pan the electromotive drive unit is connected with the seat pan.

13. A method for assembly of a vehicle seat, which includes

a seat pan for carrying a seat cushion of the vehicle seat,

a support element adjustable relative to the seat pan along an adjustment direction for carrying an additional cushion adjustable relative to the seat cushion of the seat pan,

a seat depth adjusting device to be arranged on the seat pan for adjusting the support element relative to the seat pan, wherein the seat depth adjusting device includes a guide assembly for carrying the support element and an actuating assembly for actuating the seat depth adjusting device, and

a guide mechanism arranged on the seat pan, by means of which the guide assembly is to be movably guided on the seat pan along the adjustment direction, the guide mechanism including a first guide device which includes a depression formed in the seat pan, wherein for assembly

the actuating assembly of the seat depth adjusting device is arranged on the seat pan,

the guide assembly of the seat depth adjusting device is arranged on the seat pan, in that the guide assembly is brought in engagement with the guide means mechanism and subsequently is connected with the actuating assembly, and

the support element is connected with the guide assembly,

wherein the guide assembly includes a guide web which longitudinally extends along the adjustment direction and is connected with a cross-beam of the guide assembly, wherein for assembly

the guide web is arranged on the first guiding device of the guide mechanism, the guide web being arranged on a side of the seat pan facing the seat cushion in proper use, and

the guide web is fixedly connected with a carrier of the actuating assembly arranged below the seat pan in that the guide web is connected with the carrier of the actuating assembly via an opening of the first guiding device formed in the seat pan such that the guide web is movable together with the carrier along the adjustment direction.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the guide assembly is arranged on the guide mechanism along the adjustment direction, in order to be connected with the actuating assembly.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the actuating assembly is fixed below the seat pan on a side of the seat pan facing away from the seat cushion in proper use.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the guide assembly includes at least one guide tube which longitudinally extends along the adjustment direction and is connected with said cross-beam of the guide assembly, wherein for assembly the at least one guide tube is arranged on a second guiding device which is arranged on a side of the seat pan facing away from the seat cushion in proper use.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one guide tube is connected with a carrier of the actuating assembly movably guided on the seat pan.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the at least one guide tube is inserted into a guide opening formed in a bearing block of the seat pan for supporting a transverse tube and is connected with the actuating assembly.