Seat adjustment apparatus for vehicle

• US 9,302,598 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Nihonmatsu, Hideo, Fujita, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwiecinski, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/220,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20140284979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 297/463.1, 297/354.12, 297/62.11, 297/362.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02253 characterised by the transmission between the electric motor and the seat or seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02258 characterised by the mounting of the electric motor for adjusting the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/225 by cycloidal or planetary mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/682 Joining means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/50 Interlocking shaft arrangements transmitting movement between hinge mechanisms on both sides of a seat

Abstract

A seat adjustment apparatus for a vehicle includes a pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, a drive source positioned close to one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and far from the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, and a connecting member transmitting a drive power to the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, wherein the connecting member includes a first portion transmitting the drive power to the one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and having a first torsional rigidity, the connecting member includes a second portion transmitting the drive power to the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and having a second torsional rigidity, and the first torsional rigidity differs from the second torsional rigidity.

Claims

1. A seat adjustment apparatus for a vehicle, the seat adjustment apparatus comprising:

a pair of seat adjustment mechanisms for adjusting a seat for the vehicle;

a drive source provided between the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, the drive source being positioned adjacent to one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms; and

a connecting member transmitting a drive power from the drive source to the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, wherein

the connecting member includes a first portion transmitting the drive power to the one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and having a first torsional rigidity,

the connecting member includes a second portion transmitting the drive power to the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and having a second torsional rigidity,

the connecting member includes a step portion between the first connecting member and the second connecting member,

the drive power of the drive source is inputted to an external surface of the connecting member via a drive power input position at the step portion, and

the first torsional rigidity differs from the second torsional rigidity.

2. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first torsional rigidity of the first portion is smaller than the second torsional rigidity of the second portion.

3. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the drive power is outputted from the first portion of the connecting member to the one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms at a first drive power output position,

the drive power is outputted from the second portion of the connecting member to the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms at a second drive power output position, and

the first torsional rigidity of the first portion and the second torsional rigidity of the second portion are set so that a rotation angle of the connecting member at the first drive power output position relative to the drive power input position equals to a rotation angle of the connecting member at the second drive power output position relative to the drive power input position.

4. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a polar moment of inertia of area of the first portion differs from a polar moment of inertia of area of the second portion.

5. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a shear modulus of elasticity of the first portion differs from a shear modulus of elasticity of the second portion.

6. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the drive power is outputted from the first portion of the connecting member to the one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms at a first drive power output position,

the drive power is outputted from the second portion of the connecting member to the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms at a second drive power output position, and

the first torsional rigidity of the first portion and the second torsional rigidity of the second portion are set so that a rotation angle of the connecting member at the first drive power output position relative to the drive power input position equals to a rotation angle of the connecting member at the second drive power output position relative to the drive power input position.

7. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

a first torque for driving the one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms differs from a second torque for driving the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, and the first torsional rigidity and the second torsional rigidity are set so that the first torque is generated at the first drive power output position and the second torque is generated at the second drive power output position.

8. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a polar moment of inertia of area of the first portion differs from a polar moment of inertia of area of the second portion.

9. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a shear modulus of elasticity of the first portion differs from a shear modulus of elasticity of the second portion.

10. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a polar moment of inertia of area of the first portion differs from a polar moment of inertia of area of the second portion.

11. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a shear modulus of elasticity of the first portion differs from a shear modulus of elasticity of the second portion.

12. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a polar moment of inertia of area of the first portion differs from a polar moment of inertia of area of the second portion.

13. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a shear modulus of elasticity of the first portion differs from a shear modulus of elasticity of the second portion.

14. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a shear modulus of elasticity of the first portion differs from a shear modulus of elasticity of the second portion.

15. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are formed to be integral with each other.

16. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are formed to be separate from each other.

17. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms corresponds to a reclining mechanism, a seat slide mechanism, a seat elevating and lowering mechanism, a seat tilt mechanism or a seat cushion adjustment mechanism.

18. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a configuration of a cross section which differs from a configuration of a cross section of the second portion.

19. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

each of the configuration of the cross section of the first portion and the configuration of the cross section of the second portion is circular, and

a diameter of the configuration of the cross section of the first portion is smaller than a diameter of the cross section of the second portion.

20. The seat adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive source is an electric motor that rotates the connecting member.