Seat lifter structure and vehicle seat equipped with the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569670-B2
Application number	US-201815923550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Mar 16, 2018
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

A seat lifter structure which can maintain the engagement of the gear of the sector and the pinion of the brake unit and prevent a fall down of the seat back to a front side, even when a large force to a front side is exerted with respect to the seat back is provided. It raises or lowers a cushion seat (ST1) by raising or lowering a side frame (2) built into the cushion seat (ST1) with respect to a fixing member (61). It is equipped with a brake unit (8) having a pinion (8b) and attached to the side frame (2); a sector (7) supported to be rotatable with respect to the fixing member (61) by a first support portion (7b1), supported to be rotatable with respect to the side frame (2) via a second support portion (7k2), having a gear portion (7a) to be engaged with the pinion (8b) and provided in parallel and facing with respect to the side frame (2); and a spacer (10) having a first surface (10kb) facing with the side frame (2) and a second surface (10ka) facing with the sector (7), which is installed between the side frame (2) and the sector (7).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seat lifter structure for raising or lowering a cushion seat by raising or lowering a side frame built into the cushion seat with respect to a fixing member, the seat lifter structure comprising:
a brake unit comprising a pinion and being attached to the side frame;
a sector supported to be rotatable with respect to the fixing member around an axial line by a first support portion, the sector supported to be rotatable with respect to the side frame via a second support portion, the sector having a gear portion to be engaged with the pinion, and the sector provided in parallel with to and facing the side frame; and
a spacer having a first surface facing the side frame and a second surface facing the sector, the spacer being installed between the side frame and the sector, wherein the sector has an arc-shaped opening portion centered around the second support portion, the spacer being attached to the side frame, the spacer having a base portion and an elongated protruding portion protruding from the base portion in a tear drop shape in a plan view when viewed from a direction of the axial line, wherein a first end of the elongated protruding portion is rounded and the elongated protruding portion tapers to a point at a second end, the elongated protruding portion to be entered into and engaged with the arc-shaped opening portion, and the elongated protruding portion having an edge surface portion, and a part of which extending along a longitudinal direction of the tear drop shape providing a surface-to-surface contact with an end surface on an outer edge portion of the arc-shaped opening portion.

2. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a cover fixed with respect to said side frame such that said cover covers said sector, said cover having a bead portion protruding to contact with or face in proximity with a surface of said sector.

3. A vehicle seat mounted on a vehicle and having a cushion seat and a seat back, the vehicle seat comprising:
a seat lifter structure attached to a rail fixed on a floor of the vehicle and to be raised or lowered with respect to the rail, the seat lifter structure comprising:
a brake unit comprising a pinion and attached to the side frame;
a sector supported to be rotatable with respect to the rail around an axial line by a first support portion, the sector supported to be rotatable with respect to the side frame via a second support portion, the sector having a gear portion to be engaged with the pinion, and the sector provided in parallel with to and facing the side frame; and
a spacer having a first surface facing the side frame and a second surface facing the sector, the spacer being installed between the side frame and the sector, wherein the sector has an arc-shaped opening portion centered around the second support portion, the spacer being attached to the side frame, the spacer having a base portion and an elongated protruding portion protruding from the base portion in a tear drop shape in a plan view when viewed from a direction of the axial line, wherein a first end of the elongated protruding portion is rounded and the elongated protruding portion tapers to a point at a second end, the elongated protruding portion to be entered into and engaged with the arc-shaped opening portion, and the elongated protruding portion having an edge surface portion, and a part of which extending along a longitudinal direction of the tear drop shape providing a surface-to-surface contact with an end surface on an outer edge portion of the arc-shaped opening portion.

4. A vehicle seat in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the base portion is in an approximately triangular shape in the plan view, and the elongated protruding portion protrudes from the base portion between a central portion and one corner portion of the base portion.

5. A vehicle seat in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said seat lifter structure further comprises a cover fixed with respect to said side frame such that said cover covers said sector, said cover having a bead portion protruding to contact with or face in proximity with a surface of said sector.

6. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the base portion is in an approximately triangular shape in the plan view, and the elongated protruding portion protrudes from the base portion between a central portion and one corner portion of the base portion.

7. A seat lifter structure for raising or lowering a cushion seat by raising or lowering a side frame built into the cushion seat with respect to a fixing member, the seat lifter structure comprising:
a brake unit comprising a pinion, said brake unit being attached to said side frame;
a sector supported by a first support portion, wherein said sector is rotatable about a rotation axis with respect to said fixing member, said sector being supported via a second support portion, wherein said sector is rotatable with respect to said side frame, said sector having a gear portion to be engaged with said pinion, said sector being parallel to said side frame and said sector facing said side frame;
a spacer having a first surface facing said side frame and a second surface facing said sector, said spacer being arranged between said side frame and said sector, said sector having a sector surface defining an opening, said sector surface extending in an axial direction with respect to said rotation axis, said spacer being attached to said side frame, said spacer having a base portion and a protruding portion protruding from said base portion, at least a portion of said protruding portion being arranged in said opening, said protruding portion having an outer surface portion, said outer surface portion being in direct contact with said sector surface, one side of said base portion being in direct contact with said side frame and another side of said base portion being in direct contact with said sector, said one side of said base portion being located opposite said another side of said base portion;
a cover fixed with respect to said side frame such that said cover covers said sector, said cover having a bead portion protruding to contact with or face in proximity with a surface of said sector, said spacer being in direct contact with said cover.

8. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the opening comprises an arc-shaped opening portion centered around the second support portion.

9. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the protruding portion is an elongated protruding portion, wherein the elongated protruding portion protrudes from the base portion in a tear drop shape in a plan view when viewed from a direction of the axial line, wherein a first end of the elongated protruding portion is rounded and the elongated protruding portion tapers to a point at a second end, wherein a part of the outer surface portion extends along a longitudinal direction of the tear drop shape.

10. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 7 , wherein said sector surface extends radially about said protruding portion with respect to said rotation axis.

11. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 7 , wherein said spacer is fixed to said sector and said side frame via a fastener.

12. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said spacer comprises a through opening, at least a portion of said fastener being arranged in said through opening.

13. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 7 , wherein said cover is fixed to said side frame via a fastener.

14. A seat lifter structure in accordance with claim 13 , wherein

Assignees

• Adient Eng & Ip Gmbh
• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mizukoshi toshimitsu
• Shimazu Masaki
• Misono Taiji
• Yasui Hiroyuki
• Ozawa Motohiko
• Novitsky Thomas D

Classifications

• B60N2/1605

  characterised by the cinematic · CPC title

• B60N2/168

  and provided with braking systems · CPC title

• B60N2/1615 Primary

  Parallelogram-like structure · CPC title

• B60N2/165

  Gear wheel driven mechanism · CPC title