Seat adjuster and vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059233-B2
Application number	US-201715600994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2017
Priority date	May 27, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A seat adjuster for a vehicle seat is provided. The seat adjuster comprises a rotation mechanism that comprises a rotation part, a rotation drive device that rotates the rotation part, an engagement target member that is configured to be rotated integrally with the rotation part and comprises engagement target portions formed along a rotational direction of the engagement target member, and an engagement member that is configured so that, when one of the engagement target portions is located in a specified engageable position, the engagement member is moved in a direction closer to the engagement target member to be engageable with the one of the engagement target portions located in the specified engageable position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat adjuster for a vehicle seat,
wherein the vehicle seat comprises a seat cushion and a seatback pivotally supported to be rotatable relative to the seat cushion, and
wherein the seat adjuster comprises:
a rotation mechanism comprising a rotation part, the rotation part being coupled to one of the seat cushion or the seatback and rotatable relative to a target to which the rotation part is coupled;

a rotation drive device that rotates the rotation part of the rotation mechanism;
an engagement target member that is coupled to the rotation part of the rotation mechanism and configured to be rotated integrally with the rotation part, the engagement target member comprising engagement target portions formed along a rotational direction of the engagement target member; and
an engagement member that is coupled to the other of the seat cushion or the seatback and configured to be movable in a direction closer to the engagement target member and in a direction away from the engagement target member, the engagement member being configured so that, when one of the engagement target portions is located in a specified engageable position with respect to the engagement member, the engagement member is moved in the direction closer to the engagement target member to be engageable with the one of the engagement target portions located in the specified engageable position,
wherein the engagement target member comprises the engagement target portions formed along the rotational direction of the engagement target member at equal angular intervals.

2. The seat adjuster according to claim 1 , comprising an engagement drive device that moves the engagement member in the direction closer to the engagement target member and in the direction away from the engagement target member.

3. The seat adjuster according to claim 1 ,
wherein the engagement target member has a disk shape and comprises the engagement target portions formed at different locations in an outer peripheral edge of the engagement target member, and
wherein, in the other of the seat cushion or the seatback, the engagement member is pivotally supported and coupled to be rotatable in a plane parallel with a plate surface of the engagement target member, the engagement member being configured so that a rotation thereof produces a movement thereof in the direction closer to the engagement target member or in the direction away from the engagement target member.

4. The seat adjuster according to claim 1 ,
wherein the seatback is configured to be rotatable with respect to the seat cushion within a rotatable range from a specified frontmost tilt position to a specified rearmost tilt position, and
wherein each of the equal angular intervals is larger than the rotatable range of the seatback.

5. The seat adjuster according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rotation mechanism is coupled to the seat cushion, and
wherein the engagement member is coupled to the seatback.

6. A vehicle seat comprising:
a seat cushion;
a seatback pivotally supported to be rotatable relative to the seat cushion;
a rotation mechanism comprising a rotation part, the rotation part being coupled to one of the seat cushion or the seatback and rotatable relative to a target to which the rotation part is coupled;
a rotation drive device that rotates the rotation part of the rotation mechanism;
an engagement target member that is coupled to the rotation part of the rotation mechanism and configured to be rotated integrally with the rotation part, the engagement target member comprising engagement target portions formed along a rotational direction of the engagement target member; and
an engagement member coupled to the other of the seat cushion or the seatback and configured to be movable in a direction closer to the engagement target member and in a direction away from the engagement target member, the engagement member being configured so that, when one of the engagement target portions is located in a specified engageable position with respect to the engagement member, the engagement member is moved in the direction closer to the engagement target member to be engageable with the one of the engagement target portions located in the specified engageable position,
wherein the engagement target member comprises the engagement target portions formed along the rotational direction of the engagement target member at equal angular intervals.

Assignees

• Toyota Boshoku Kk

Inventors

• Suzuki Hiroyuki
• Goto Naoki
• Kawamura Tateki
• Hoshihara Naoaki

Classifications

• B60N2/2251 Primary

  with gears having orbital motion, e.g. sun and planet gears · CPC title

• B60N2/22

  the back-rest being adjustable {(B60N2/2878 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N2/20 Primary

  the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access (B60N2/04, B60N2/22 {, B60N2/3002} take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/2352

  with external pawls · CPC title

• B60N2/2255

  with coiled springs · CPC title