Seat cushion adjuster, seat, and adjustment method of seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10202052-B2
Application number	US-201715596086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2016
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A seat cushion adjuster in one aspect of the present disclosure comprises at least one bracket, at least one slider, and a plurality of interposing members. The plurality of interposing members is disposed between an inner wall of the at least one bracket and the at least one slider so as to interpose the at least one slider among the plurality of interposing members in an inner hollow portion of the at least one bracket. At least one interposing member of the plurality of interposing members comprises at least one supporting protrusion portion protruding toward the at least one bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat cushion adjuster comprising:
at least one bracket configured to be secured to a first one of a cushion body part and a cushion adjustable part, the cushion body part comprising a first seating surface, the cushion adjustable part comprising a second seating surface and being arranged in an arrangement direction pre-specified with respect to the cushion body part and being capable of changing a position thereof with respect to the cushion body part, and the at least one bracket comprising an inner wall configured to provide an inner hollow portion extending in the arrangement direction;
at least one slider configured to be secured to a second one of the cushion body part and the cushion adjustable part, the second one being different from the first one, the at least one slider being inserted into the inner hollow portion of the at least one bracket; and
a plurality of interposing members that is separate from the at least one bracket and the at least one slider and that is positioned between the inner wall of the at least one bracket and the at least one slider so as to interpose the at least one slider among the plurality of interposing members in the inner hollow portion of the at least one bracket, wherein at least one interposing member of the plurality of interposing members comprises at least one supporting protrusion portion protruding toward the at least one bracket.

2. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one supporting protrusion portion comprises a plurality of supporting protrusion portions spaced apart from one another along an insertion direction of the at least one slider into the inner hollow portion.

3. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 2 ,
wherein the plurality of interposing members comprise a first interposing member and a second interposing member, the second interposing member being disposed to face the first interposing member with the at least one slider disposed therebetween,
wherein the at least one supporting protrusion portion comprises:
at least two first supporting protrusion portions provided in a first member of the first interposing member and the second interposing member; and
at least one second supporting protrusion portion provided in a second member of the first interposing member and the second interposing member, the second member being different from the first member, and

wherein the at least one second supporting protrusion portion is disposed between the at least two first supporting protrusion portions in the insertion direction.

4. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 3 ,
wherein the at least one slider comprises:
a base plate part of a plate shape comprising a pair of ends that extends in the arrangement direction and that faces each other; and
a pair of raised parts raised from the pair of ends of the base plate part so as to be raised with respect to one surface of the base plate part,

wherein the base plate part and the pair of raised parts provide a concave portion,
wherein the first interposing member comprises a convex disposed inside the concave portion, and
wherein the second interposing member comprises a concave accommodating the at least one slider therein and is disposed to face the first interposing member with the at least one slider disposed between the first interposing member and the second interposing member.

5. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one interposing member of the plurality of interposing members comprises at least one sliding projection protruding toward the at least one slider.

6. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one bracket has a tubular shape.

7. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one bracket comprises a plurality of brackets, and
wherein the at least one slider comprises a plurality of sliders.

8. A seat comprising:
a cushion body part comprising a first seating surface;
a cushion adjustable part comprising a second seating surface and arranged in an arrangement direction pre-specified with respect to the cushion body part and configured to change a position of the cushion adjustable part with respect to the cushion body part;
at least one bracket secured to a first one of the cushion body part and the cushion adjustable part, the at least one bracket comprising an inner wall configured to provide an inner hollow portion extending in the arrangement direction;
at least one slider secured to a second one of the cushion body part and the cushion adjustable part, the second one being different from the first one, the at least one slider being inserted into the inner hollow portion of the at least one bracket; and
a plurality of interposing members that is separate from the at least one bracket and the at least one slider and that is positioned between the inner wall of the at least one bracket and the at least one slider so as to interpose the at least one slider among the plurality of interposing members in the inner hollow portion of the at least one bracket, wherein at least one interposing member of the plurality of interposing members comprises at least one supporting protrusion portion protruding toward the at least one bracket.

9. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 8 ,
wherein the at least one bracket has a closed-ring-shaped cross section.

10. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 9 ,
wherein a lower portion of the at least one bracket extends forwards further than an upper portion of the at least one bracket, and
wherein the upper portion of the at least one bracket extends rearwards further than the lower portion of the at least one bracket.

11. An adjustment method of a seat that comprises a cushion body part and a cushion adjustable part, the cushion body part comprising a first seating surface, the cushion adjustable part comprising a second seating surface and being arranged in an arrangement direction pre-specified with respect to the cushion body part, the adjustment method comprising:
providing at least one bracket that comprises an inner wall configured to provide an inner hollow portion extending linearly;
providing at least one slider;
providing a plurality of interposing members, at least one of which comprising at least one supporting protrusion portion protruding toward the at least one bracket,
inserting the at least one slider into the inner hollow portion of the at least one bracket;
positioning the plurality of interposing members that is separate from the at least one bracket and the at least one slider between the inner wall of the at least one bracket and the at least one slider such that the at least one slider is disposed among the plurality of interposing members and that the at least one supporting protrusion portion protrudes toward the at least one bracket;
arranging the at least one bracket such that an extending direction of the inner hollow portion coincides with the arrangement direction;
securing the at least one bracket to a first one of the cushion body part and the cushion adjustable part; and
securing the at least one slider to a second one of the cushion body part and the cushion adjustable part, the second one being different from the first one.

12. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one bracket has a closed-ring-shaped cross section.

13. The seat cushion adjuster according to claim 12 ,
wherein a lower portion of the at least one bracket extends forwards further than an upper portion of the at least one bracket, and
wherein the upper portion of th

Assignees

• Toyota Boshoku Kk

Inventors

• Nakamura Masaharu
• Shimizu Jueru

Classifications

• B60N2/682 Primary

  Joining means · CPC title

• B60N2/0732 Primary

  Attachment of seat frame to the slide, e.g. eyelets · CPC title

• B60N2/0284

  Adjustable seat-cushion length (B60N2/0224 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2002/024

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/02258

  characterised by the mounting of the electric motor for adjusting the seat · CPC title