Stamped splined locking mechanism for rotating automotive seat bracket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11407336-B2
Application number	US-201916420909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2019
Priority date	Jun 5, 2018
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle seat rotates in response to activation of an electric motor. The electric motor is part of a non-back-drivable mechanism such that it acts to lock the seat in position. The seat mechanism is assembled from stamped components for efficient manufacturing. A bracket includes integrally formed gear teeth which mesh with gear teeth driven by the electric motor. The bracket is held between two stamped parts using four-point angular contact ball bearings. The races of the ball bearings are stamped into the respective stamped parts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat comprising:
a stamped bracket defining a first aperture having internal gear teeth integrally formed therein, the stamped bracket adapted for fixation to a seat frame;
a base adapted for fixation to vehicle structure;
a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the base and the stamped bracket to locate the first aperture with respect to the base and to permit rotation of the stamped bracket with respect to the base about an axis of rotation; and
an electric-motor driven actuator having a shaft with external gear teeth, the external gear teeth meshing with the internal gear teeth, the shaft extending through a second aperture defined in the base.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the electric-motor driven actuator is not back-drivable, thereby locking the vehicle seat in position when not electrically powered.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the rolling elements are arranged along two circles, each circle centered on the axis of rotation.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 3 wherein the base comprises a lower stamping and an upper stamping and wherein a portion of the rolling elements are arranged between the lower stamping and the stamped bracket and a remainder of the rolling elements are arranged between the stamped bracket and the upper stamping.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 4 wherein:
a first bearing race is integrally formed in a top surface of the lower stamping;
a second bearing race is integrally formed in a bottom surface of the stamped bracket;
a third bearing race is integrally formed in a top surface of the stamped bracket; and
a fourth bearing race is integrally formed in a bottom surface of the upper stamping.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 5 wherein each of the first through fourth bearing races is shaped to establish four-point angular contact bearing assemblies.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 4 wherein J-channels are stamped into each of the lower stamping and the stamped bracket such that the J-channels interlock when the vehicle seat is in a forward-facing position.

8. A rotatable seat mechanism comprising:
a stamped bracket defining a first aperture having internal gear teeth integrally formed therein, the stamped bracket adapted for fixation to a seat frame;
a base; and
a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the base and the stamped bracket to locate the first aperture with respect to the base and to permit rotation of the stamped bracket with respect to the base about an axis of rotation, wherein:
the base comprises a lower stamping and an upper stamping;
a portion of the rolling elements are arranged between the lower stamping and the stamped bracket and a remainder of the rolling elements are arranged between the stamped bracket and the upper stamping; and
J-channels are stamped into each of the lower stamping and the stamped bracket such that the J-channels interlock when a seat fixed to the stamped bracket is in a forward-facing position.

9. The rotatable seat mechanism of claim 8 further comprising an electric motor having a rotor shaft having external gear teeth, the external gear teeth meshing with the internal gear teeth, the rotor shaft extending through a second aperture defined in the base.

10. The rotatable seat mechanism of claim 8 wherein:
a first bearing race is integrally formed in a top surface of the lower stamping;
a second bearing race is integrally formed in a bottom surface of the stamped bracket;
a third bearing race is integrally formed in a top surface of the stamped bracket; and
a fourth bearing race is integrally formed in a bottom surface of the upper stamping, each of the first through fourth bearing races shaped to establish four-point angular contact bearing assemblies.

11. A rotatable seat mechanism comprising:
a stamped bracket defining a first aperture having internal gear teeth integrally formed therein, the stamped bracket adapted for fixation to a seat frame;
a base comprising a lower stamping; and
a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the base and the stamped bracket to locate the first aperture with respect to the base and to permit rotation of the stamped bracket with respect to the base about an axis of rotation, wherein J-channels are stamped into each of the lower stamping and the stamped bracket such that the J-channels interlock when a seat fixed to the stamped bracket is in a forward-facing position.

12. The rotatable seat mechanism of claim 11 further comprising an electric motor having a rotor shaft having external gear teeth, the external gear teeth meshing with the internal gear teeth, the rotor shaft extending through a second aperture defined in the base.

13. The rotatable seat mechanism of claim 12 wherein:
the electric motor is not back-drivable, thereby locking the stamped bracket in position when not electrically powered.

14. The rotatable seat mechanism of claim 11 wherein the rolling elements are arranged along two circles, each circle centered on the axis of rotation.

15. The rotatable seat mechanism of claim 14 wherein the base comprises an upper stamping and wherein a portion of the rolling elements are arranged between the lower stamping and the stamped bracket and a remainder of the rolling elements are arranged between the stamped bracket and the upper stamping.

16. The rotatable seat mechanism of claim 15 wherein:
a first bearing race is integrally formed in a top surface of the lower stamping;
a second bearing race is integrally formed in a bottom surface of the stamped bracket;
a third bearing race is integrally formed in a top surface of the stamped bracket; and
a fourth bearing race is integrally formed in a bottom surface of the upper stamping.

17. The rotatable seat mechanism of claim 16 wherein each of the first through fourth bearing races is shaped to establish four-point angular contact bearing assemblies.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Tibbits Franklin
• Shamie Christopher
• Mallon Robert
• Gibson Cameron
• Sturgin Todd
• Luipold Chris

Classifications

• B60N2/146 Primary

  characterised by the locking device · CPC title

• F16C33/588

  Races of sheet metal · CPC title

• F16C2326/08

  Vehicle seats, e.g. in linear movable seats · CPC title

• B60N2/14

  rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access (B60N2/10 {, B60N2/2869} take precedence) · CPC title

• F16C19/10 Primary

  for axial load mainly · CPC title