Vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11065996-B2
Application number	US-202016742163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2020
Priority date	Jan 16, 2019
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat cushion, an ottoman, a driving unit, and a power transmission mechanism. An ottoman frame formed as a framework of the ottoman is pivotably attached to a cushion frame formed as a framework of the seat cushion. The driving unit has an output shaft capable of outputting a rotational driving force, and the ottoman frame has a pantograph mechanism that allows the ottoman to deform between an extended state and an unextended state. The power transmission mechanism has a pinion gear fixed to the output shaft, and a first sector gear meshing with the pinion gear. The first sector gear is connected to a driving link of the pantograph mechanism, to implement pivoting and deformation of the ottoman.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat comprising:
a base to be installed on a floor of a vehicle;
a seat cushion provided with a seat surface;
an ottoman provided with a leg rest surface;
a driving unit provided with an output shaft capable of outputting a rotational driving force in a forward direction and a reverse direction; and
a power transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force generated at the output shaft,
the seat cushion having a cushion frame formed as a framework of the seat cushion and attached to the base,
the ottoman having an ottoman frame formed as a framework of the ottoman and attached to a front end portion of the cushion frame,
the ottoman frame having a pantograph mechanism that allows the ottoman to deform between an extended state and an unextended state, and being pivotably supported by the cushion frame so as to allow the ottoman to pivot,
the power transmission mechanism having a pinion gear fixed to the output shaft, and a first sector gear rotatably supported by the cushion frame and meshing with the pinion gear, and
the first sector gear being connected to a driving link of the pantograph mechanism, so that the rotational driving force generated at the output shaft is input to the driving link by being transmitted through the pinion gear and the first sector gear, and the pivoting and the deformation of the ottoman is performed in response to this input of the rotational driving force to the driving link.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein
the cushion frame has a main frame attached to the base and pivotably supporting the ottoman frame, and a subframe attached to the main frame,
the main frame is pivotably supported by the base so as to allow a front end portion and a rear end portion of the seat cushion to swing upward and downward,
the subframe is pivotably supported by the main frame so as to allow the front end portion of the seat cushion to swing upward and downward,
the first sector gear is rotatably supported by the main frame,
the power transmission mechanism further has a second sector gear rotatably supported by the main frame and meshing with the pinion gear, and
the second sector gear is connected to the subframe, so that the rotational driving force generated at the output shaft is input to the subframe by being transmitted through the pinion gear and the second sector gear, and the subframe pivots in response to this input of the rotational driving force to the subframe, causing the upward and downward swing of the front end portion of the seat cushion to be performed, and the second sector gear is connected to the base, so that the rotational driving force generated at the output shaft is input to the base by being transmitted through the pinion gear and the second sector gear, and the main frame pivots in response to a reaction force to this input of the rotational driving force to the base, causing the upward and downward swing of the front end portion and the rear end portion of the seat cushion to be performed.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2 , wherein
a rotation axis of the output shaft, a rotation axis of the first sector gear, and a rotation axis of the second sector gear are located flush with one another.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein
the cushion frame is pivotably supported by the base so as to allow a front end portion and a rear end portion of the seat cushion to swing upward and downward,
the first sector gear is rotatably supported by the cushion frame,
the power transmission mechanism further has a second sector gear rotatably supported by the cushion frame and meshing with the pinion gear, and
the second sector gear is connected to the base, so that the rotational driving force generated at the output shaft is input to the base by being transmitted through the pinion gear and the second sector gear, and the cushion frame pivots in response to a reaction force to this input of the rotational driving force to the base, causing the upward and downward swing of the front end portion and the rear end portion of the seat cushion to be performed.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4 , wherein
a rotation axis of the output shaft, a rotation axis of the first sector gear, and a rotation axis of the second sector gear are located flush with one another.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein
the cushion frame has a main frame attached to the base and pivotably supporting the ottoman frame, and a subframe attached to the main frame,
the subframe is pivotably supported by the main frame so as to allow a front end portion of the seat cushion to swing upward and downward,
the first sector gear is rotatably supported by the main frame,
the power transmission mechanism further has a second sector gear rotatably supported by the main frame and meshing with the pinion gear, and
the second sector gear is connected to the subframe, so that the rotational driving force generated at the output shaft is input to the subframe by being transmitted through the pinion gear and the second sector gear, and the subframe pivots in response to this input of the rotational driving force to the subframe, causing the upward and downward swing of the front end portion of the seat cushion to be performed.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 6 , wherein
a rotation axis of the output shaft, a rotation axis of the first sector gear, and a rotation axis of the second sector gear are located flush with one another.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein
the cushion frame has a main frame attached to the base, and a subframe attached to the main frame and pivotably supporting the ottoman frame,
the subframe is pivotably supported by the main frame so as to allow a front end portion of the seat cushion to swing upward and downward,
the first sector gear is rotatably supported by the subframe,
the power transmission mechanism further has a second sector gear rotatably supported by the subframe and meshing with the pinion gear, and
the second sector gear is connected to the main frame, so that the rotational driving force generated at the output shaft is input to the main frame by being transmitted through the pinion gear and the second sector gear, and the subframe pivots in response to a reaction force to this input of the rotational driving force to the main frame, causing the upward and downward swing of the front end portion of the seat cushion to be performed.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 8 , wherein
a rotation axis of the output shaft, a rotation axis of the first sector gear, and a rotation axis of the second sector gear are located flush with one another.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , further comprising a seat back provided with a backrest surface, wherein
the seat back has a back frame formed as a framework of the seat back and attached to a rear end portion of the cushion frame, and
the back frame is pivotably supported by the cushion frame so as to allow a tip end portion of the seat back to swing forward and backward.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein
the driving unit has an electric motor for rotating the output shaft.

Assignees

• Toyota Boshoku Kk

Inventors

• Ito Sadao

Classifications

• B60N2/995 Primary

  Lower-leg-rests, e.g. calf-rests · CPC title

• B60N2/10

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

• B60N2/0232

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2002/0236

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/02246 Primary

  Electric motors therefor · CPC title