Seat inclination adjustment mechanism, vehicle seat, and method for mounting said vehicle seat

• US 9,539,920 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adient US, LLC (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Components Gmbh & Co. Kg (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Mller, Sascha, Kinzer, Andreas, Kirch, Eckhard, Mhlberger, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US14/396,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20150108813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/045 Longitudinal adjustment by means of articulated rods supporting the seat, e.g. parallelogram mechanisms B60N2/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1814 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1853 Linear actuator, e.g. screw mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2209 by longitudinal displacement of the cushion, e.g. back-rest hinged on the bottom to the cushion and linked on the top to the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2222 the back-rest having two or more parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2245 provided with a lock mechanism on the upper part of the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2252 in which the central axis of the gearing lies inside the periphery of an orbital gear, e.g. one gear without sun gear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/235 by gear-pawl type mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/14 the sub-units or components being passenger compartment fittings, e.g. seats, linings, trim, instrument panels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49963 Threaded fastener

Abstract

An adjustment unit for a vehicle seat is disclosed. Said adjustment unit comprises an inclination adjustment mechanism for the backrest of the vehicle seat. The inclination adjustment mechanism comprises a first rocker which is mounted in such a way as to be rotatable about a transverse direction extending perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An adjustment unit for a vehicle seat in a vehicle, wherein the adjustment unit comprises an inclination adjustment mechanism for a backrest of the vehicle seat, wherein the inclination adjustment mechanism comprises a first rocker which is connected to the backrest and which is mounted rotatably about a transverse direction which is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle and the adjustment unit further comprises a longitudinal and height adjustment mechanism for a seat part of the vehicle seat, the longitudinal and height adjustment mechanism including a second rocker which is connected to the seat part and which is mounted rotatably about the transverse direction,

wherein the backrest comprises a backrest main part and a backrest upper part, wherein the backrest main part and the backrest upper part are connected to each other in a manner of a rotary joint via a pivot axis of the backrest main part and backrest upper part for an adjustment of the curvature of the backrest;

wherein the backrest main part and the backrest upper part are coupled to each other in a region of the pivot axis by means of an adjustment fitting in such a manner that an adjustment of the adjustment fitting brings about a change in angle between the backrest main part and the backrest upper part about the pivot axis; and

wherein the adjustment fitting comprises a motor-driven wobble mechanism or a latching pawl adjuster;

wherein the seat part defines a seat surface for a vehicle occupant and comprises a front part, and a main part;

wherein the main part is mounted in the manner of a rotary hinge on the second rocker;

wherein a lower side of the front part has a slotted guide in which a first end of a third rocker is mounted in the manner of a rotary hinge about a further transverse axis which extends along the transverse direction which is perpendicular to the direction of travel;

wherein a second end of the third rocker is connected in the manner of a rotary hinge to a holder fastened to a vehicle floor;

wherein a position of the third rocker relative to a substructure can be changed via a further drive; and

wherein the inclination of the front part can be changed in this manner.

2. The adjustment unit of claim 1, wherein a first end of the first rocker acts in the manner of a rotary hinge on the backrest of the vehicle seat while a second end of the first rocker is fastened to a body-mounted retaining clamp.

3. The adjustment unit of claim 2, wherein the first rocker is connected at its first end to the backrest in the manner of a rotary hinge, which rotates about another pivot axis via another adjustment fitting, wherein the another adjustment fitting comprises a wobble mechanism or a latching pawl adjuster, and a motor-driven drive.

4. The adjustment unit of claim 2, wherein the second end of the first rocker is connected in the manner of a rotary hinge in a slotted guide of the retaining clamp and is mounted in a longitudinally displaceable manner along a guide slot of the slotted guide, wherein the guide slot is an elongated hole which is open on one side.

5. The adjustment unit of claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit is designed such that the inclination of the backrest is adjusted by a change in angle of the orientation of the first rocker.

6. A vehicle seat having an adjustment unit as claimed in claim 1.

7. A method for mounting the vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in a first method step, the vehicle seat is provided in a configuration with the backrest shifted forward, wherein, in a second method step, the vehicle seat is arranged or fastened, at least temporarily, on the substructure, and wherein, in a third method step, the backrest is pivoted back by a pivoting movement in such a manner that a bolt located at the second end of the first rocker enters into engagement with a slotted guide which is open on one side.