Seat driving device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220728-B2
Application number	US-201715595149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	May 18, 2016
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A seat driving device for a seat including a first position adjusting mechanism and a second position adjusting mechanism, wherein a first clutch mechanism is configured to set an output shaft and an input shaft of the first clutch mechanism to be in a connection state regularly and to maintain the output shaft and the input shaft of the first clutch mechanism in the connection state as an first operation member corresponding to the first position adjusting mechanism is operated, and wherein a second clutch mechanism is configured to set an output shaft and an input shaft of the second clutch mechanism to be in a disconnection state regularly and to switch the output shaft and the input shaft of the second clutch mechanism to a connection state as a second operation member corresponding to the second position adjusting mechanism is operated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat driving device for a seat configured to actuate a plurality of position adjusters including a first position adjuster and a second position adjuster, the seat driving device comprising:
a driving motor including a single output shaft;
a plurality of operation members individually arranged in correspondence to the plurality of position adjusters and configured to be operated so as to actuate each position adjuster, the plurality of operation members including a first operation member and a second operation member;
a plurality of clutches individually arranged to correspond to each of the plurality of position adjusters to be actuated and including a first clutch and a second clutch, each clutch being configured to selectively connect an input shaft of the clutch which is configured to be rotated by the driving motor and an output shaft of the clutch which is connected to the corresponding adjuster; and
a switch configured to, in response to an operation on any one of the plurality of operation members, energize the driving motor with a polarity corresponding to a direction of the operation,
wherein the first clutch corresponds to the first position adjuster which is frequently used, and the first clutch is configured to set the output shaft and the input shaft of the first clutch to be in a connection state regularly and to maintain the output shaft and the input shaft of the first clutch in the connection state as the first operation member corresponding to the first position adjuster is operated, and
wherein the second clutch corresponds to the second position adjuster, which is less frequently used than the first position adjuster, and the second clutch is configured to set the output shaft and the input shaft of the second clutch to be in a disconnection state regularly and to switch the output shaft and the input shaft of the second clutch to a connection state as the second operation member corresponding to the second position adjuster is operated.

2. The seat driving device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first clutch driver configured to switch the output shaft and the input shaft of the first clutch to a disconnection state;
a second clutch driver configured to switch the output shaft and the input shaft of the second clutch to the connection state; and
a switch operator to which an operating force of the first operation member is transmitted in response to an operation of the first operation member and which energizes the switch with a polarity corresponding to a direction of the operation of the first operation member,
wherein after an operating force of the second operation member is transmitted to the first clutch driver and the second clutch driver in response to an operation of the second operation member and the second clutch comes into the connection state, the switch is energized with a polarity corresponding to a direction of the operation of the second operation member by the switch operator.

3. The seat driving device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the switch operator includes a first switch operator and a second switch operator,
wherein the operating force of the first operation member is transmitted to the first switch operator in response to the operation of the first operation member and the first switch operator energizes the switch with the polarity corresponding to the direction of the operation of the first operation member, and
wherein after the operating force of the second operation member is transmitted via the second clutch driver in response to the operation of the second operation member and the second clutch comes into the connection state, the second switch operator energizes the switch with the polarity corresponding to the direction of the operation of the second operation member.

4. The seat driving device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the second switch operator is configured to be actuated with being coupled to the second clutch driver, and a delay structure, which is configured to delay the coupling therebetween, is provided between the second clutch driver and the second switch operator.

5. The seat driving device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the delay structure includes a gap which is provided in a coupling path through which the second switch operator is coupled to the second clutch driver.

6. The seat driving device according to claim 2 , further comprising a cooperation member configured to transmit to the first clutch driver the operating force of the second operation member transmitted to the second clutch driver,
wherein the operating force of the second operation member is transmitted to the second clutch driver and is also transmitted to the first clutch driver via the cooperation member in response to the operation of the second operation member.

7. The seat driving device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first position adjuster includes one first position adjuster and the second position adjuster includes a plurality of second position adjusters,
wherein each of the plurality of second position adjusters includes the second clutch and the second clutch driver, and
wherein, when the second clutch driver of any one of the plurality of second position adjusters is operated, the cooperation member transmits an operating force thereof to the first clutch driver but does not transmit the operating force to the second clutch driver.

8. The seat driving device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the first clutch driver and the plurality of second clutch driver are arranged around the cooperation member,
wherein the cooperation member includes a gear part which couples with a gear part of the first clutch driver and a plurality of radial projections configured to individually protrude towards the plurality of second clutch driver in a radial shape as a whole,
wherein each of the plurality of second clutch driver includes a contact part that presses the radial projection to rotate the cooperation member when the second clutch driver is operated in a direction of causing the second clutch to come into the connection state, and
wherein when the cooperation member is pressed and rotated by the contact part of one second clutch driver, each contact part of the other second clutch driver does not interfere with the radial projections.

9. The seat driving device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the switch operator includes:
a first driving body configured to be actuated in response to the operating force of the first operation member;
a second driving body configured to be actuated in response to the operating force of the second operation member; and
a switch operation body configured to operate the switch by being actuated by both the first driving body and the second driving body, and

wherein a one-way structure, by which at least one of the first driving body and the second driving body actuate the switch operation body but the switch operation body does not actuate the first driving body and the second driving body, is provided between the switch operation body and the first driving body and second driving body.

10. The seat driving device according to claim 9 ,
wherein the first driving body, the second driving body and the switch operation body are arranged side by side,
wherein the switch operation body includes a coupling that couples with the first driving body and the second driving body so as to operate in conjunction with the first driving body and the second driving body,
wherein the coupling includes an engaging part that is engaged with the first driving body and the second driving body to move the switch operation body when at least one of the first driving body and the second driving

Assignees

• Toyota Boshoku Kk

Inventors

• Takada Youichi

Classifications

• B60N2/22

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

• B60N2/1635

  characterised by the drive mechanism · CPC title

• B60N2/10

  tiltable (B60N2/12 {, B60N2/2875} take precedence) · CPC title

• F16H1/16

  comprising worm and worm-wheel · CPC title

• B60N2/0296

  Central command actuator to selectively switch on or engage one of several special purpose circuits or mechanisms · CPC title