Locking device, especially for locking a backrest of a vehicle seat to a vehicle structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10155460-B2
Application number	US-201515527476-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Nov 18, 2014
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A locking device ( 100 ), especially for locking a backrest ( 4 ) of a vehicle seat ( 1 ) to a vehicle structure ( 6 ), includes a rotary latch lock ( 20 ) for locking a mating element ( 8 ). The locking device ( 100 ) further includes an ejection lever ( 133 ) which, in an unlocked state of the rotary latch-type lock ( 20 ), moves the mating element ( 8 ) relative to the rotary latch-type lock ( 20 ) by actuating an operating handle ( 121 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A locking device, for locking a backrest of a vehicle seat to a vehicle structure, the locking device comprising:
a rotary latch lock for locking a counter element; and
an ejection lever which, with the rotary latch lock in an unlocked state, displaces the counter element relative to the rotary latch lock as a result of an operating handle being actuated, wherein the rotary latch lock is a functional unit for locking the counter element which is able to be supplemented in a modular manner by the ejection lever.

2. The locking device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotary latch lock comprises:
a pawl, which is rotatable about a first pivot axis, for locking the counter element, and
at least one securing means which is rotatable about a second pivot axis for supporting the pawl in a position which locks the counter element, wherein for unlocking the pawl, the at least one securing means, as a result of the operating handle being actuated up to an intermediate position, is rotatable until the pawl is rotatable into an unlocked position in which the counter element is released by the pawl.

3. The locking device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the ejection lever displaces the counter element relative to the pawl by means of the operating handle being actuated further beyond the intermediate position.

4. The locking device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a lever is arranged between the operating handle and the at least one securing means, wherein the lever reduces an unlocking force for rotating the at least one securing means.

5. The locking device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the unlocking force for rotating the at least one securing means is to be applied at the operating handle.

6. The locking device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the lever is mounted so as to be rotatable about the second pivot axis.

7. The locking device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the lever is coupled with the at least one securing means, and the lever is coupled at least temporarily with a connecting element, wherein the connecting element is coupled at least indirectly on the operating handle.

8. The locking device as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a journal, wherein the lever is coupled with the at least one securing means by the journal.

9. The locking device as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising another journal, wherein the lever is coupled at least temporarily with the connecting element by the another journal wherein, with reference to the second pivot axis, the journal is arranged further radially inside than the another journal.

10. The locking device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the journal is a first journal and further comprising a second journal, wherein the lever is coupled at least temporarily with the connecting element by the second journal.

11. The locking device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein, with reference to the second pivot axis, the first journal is arranged further radially inside than the second journal.

12. The locking device as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a journal, wherein the lever is coupled at least temporarily with the connecting element by the journal.

13. The locking device as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising an entrainment means, wherein the lever and the ejection lever are coupled together by the entrainment means such that actuation of the operating handle up to an intermediate position rotates the lever, whilst the ejection lever remains unmoved, and actuation of the operating handle beyond the intermediate position rotates the lever and the ejection lever wherein the entrainment means comprises an elongated hole in which the journal is guided.

14. The locking device as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising an entrainment means, wherein the lever and the ejection lever are coupled together by the entrainment means such that actuation of the operating handle up to an intermediate position rotates the lever, whilst the ejection lever remains unmoved, and actuation of the operating handle beyond the intermediate position rotates the lever and the ejection lever.

15. The locking device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking device is fastened on the vehicle structure and the counter element is fastened on the backrest.

16. The locking device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking device is fastened on the backrest and the counter element is fastened on the vehicle structure.

17. A locking device, for locking a backrest of a vehicle seat to a vehicle structure, the locking device comprising:
a rotary latch lock for locking a counter element, the rotary latch lock comprising a rotary latch lock housing and at least a pawl for locking the counter element, the pawl being located in an interior space of the rotary latch lock housing; and
an ejection lever pivotably mounted to the rotary latch lock housing, wherein the ejection lever is located at a position outside of the interior space of the rotary latch lock housing, the ejection lever comprising a counter element contacting surface, the counter element contacting surface contacting the counter element when the rotary latch lock is in an unlocked state such the ejection lever displaces the counter element relative to the rotary latch lock housing when an operating handle is actuated.

18. A locking device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the rotary latch lock housing comprises an outer rotary latch lock housing surface, the ejection lever being located adjacent to the outer rotary latch lock housing surface.

19. A locking device, for locking a backrest of a vehicle seat to a vehicle structure, the locking device comprising:
a rotary latch lock for locking a counter element, the rotary latch lock comprising a rotary latch lock housing and at least a pawl located in an interior space of the rotary latch lock housing for locking the counter element;
an ejection lever pivotably mounted to the rotary latch lock housing, the ejection lever comprising a counter element contacting surface;
a rotary latch lock actuation lever connected to the ejection lever, the rotary latch lock actuation lever and the ejection lever being actuated when an operating handle is actuated such that the rotary latch lock actuation lever unlocks the pawl to provide an unlocked state of the rotary latch lock and the counter element contacting surface contacts the counter element to move the counter element relative to the rotary latch lock housing.

20. A locking device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the rotary latch lock housing comprises an outer rotary latch lock housing surface, at least a portion of the ejection lever being located adjacent to one area of the outer rotary latch lock housing surface, at least a portion of the rotary latch lock actuation lever being located adjacent to another area of the outer rotary latch lock housing surface, wherein the ejection lever and the rotary latch lock actuation lever are located outside of the interior space of the rotary latch lock housing.

Assignees

• Adient Luxembourg Holding Sarl

Inventors

• Schug Andreas
• Rapedius Joerg

Classifications

• E05C3/24

  in the form of a bifurcated member {(automatic catches with a bifurcated latch E05C19/024; locks with a bifurcated bolt E05B65/0046, E05B85/243)} · CPC title

• B60N2/01525

  with locking elements expanding inside or under the vehicle floor or rail · CPC title

• E05B85/26

  Cooperation between bolts and detents · CPC title

• B60N2/366 Primary

  characterised by the locking device · CPC title

• E05B17/0033

  for opening only (E05B17/0029 takes precedence) · CPC title