Seat height gear system and seat having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12043148-B2
Application number	US-202217948568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2022
Priority date	Mar 7, 2022
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

An embodiment is a seat height gear system including a monopost apparatus configured to be mounted under a seat, the monopost apparatus comprising a lower post and an upper post, and a direct drive motor apparatus within the monopost apparatus, the direct drive motor apparatus including a motor and a gear unit, the gear unit including a pinion and a rack bar, the rack bar being configured to be engaged with the pinion, the motor being fixed to the lower post of the monopost apparatus, the pinion being coupled to the motor, the rack bar being fixed to an upper post of the monopost apparatus, the motor being configured to rotate the pinion, and the rack bar being configured to convert the rotation of the pinion into the linear motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat height gear system comprising:
a direct drive motor apparatus configured to convert a rotation motion of a motor into a linear motion by gear-coupling a pinion and a rack bar; and
a monopost apparatus mounted under a seat and having a height operation section, the height operation section being configured to adjust the height of the seat with the linear motion,
wherein the pinion is coupled to the motor fixed to a lower post of the monopost apparatus, and wherein the rack bar is fixed to an upper post of the monopost apparatus,
wherein a pair of left/right height rails are positioned between a lower bracket of the lower post and an upper bracket of the upper post, each of the left/right height rails include a “⊂” shaped bracket, the pair of left/right height rails being configured to move with the upper bracket of the upper post during a height movement of the rack bar, and
wherein the rack bar includes a rack flange by which a rack tooth of the rack bar is surrounded, and the rack flange has a rectangular spatial portion structure configured to accommodate a support rod or a holder rod connected with the lower bracket of the lower post.

2. The seat height gear system of claim 1 , wherein the motor is configured to rotate the pinion, and wherein the rack bar is configured to convert the rotation of the pinion into the linear motion.

3. The seat height gear system of claim 2 , wherein the rack bar is configured to be engaged with the pinion.

4. The seat height gear system of claim 1 , wherein the rack bar has an upward inclined angle with respect to the pinion, and wherein the upper post has a height movement path of the height operation section at the upward inclined angle.

5. The seat height gear system of claim 1 , wherein the pinion and the rack bar are configured in a dual structure.

6. The seat height gear system of claim 5 , wherein the dual structure comprises the pinions and the rack bars on both left and right portions of a motor shaft protruding from the motor.

7. The seat height gear system of claim 1 , wherein the upper post is coupled to a lower portion of the seat in a state of being coupled to the lower post.

8. The seat height gear system of claim 7 , wherein the upper post is coupled to a gas spring fixed to the lower post, and wherein the gas spring is interlocked with movement of the upper post in the height operation section and configured to perform a buffering operation.

9. The seat height gear system of claim 7 , wherein the upper post is coupled to the pair of left/right height rails.

10. A seat comprising:
a seat height gear system comprising a rack bar engaged with a pinion, the pinion configured to be rotated by a motor fixed to a lower post of a monopost apparatus with the rack bar being fixed to an upper post, the upper post being coupled to the lower post, and the upper post being configured to move with a height rail by a linear motion of the rack bar due to the rotation of the pinion in a height operation section, the height operation section being configured to adjust the height of a seat; and
a gas spring interlocked with the upper post to compensate for upper/lower operating forces in the height operation section and configured to perform a buffering operation,
wherein a pair of left/right height rails are positioned between a lower bracket of the lower post and an upper bracket of the upper post, each of the left/right height rails include a “⊂” shaped bracket, the pair of left/right height rails being configured to move with the upper bracket of the upper post during a height movement of the rack bar, and
wherein the rack bar includes a rack flange by which a rack tooth of the rack bar is surrounded, and the rack flange has a rectangular spatial portion structure configured to accommodate a support rod or a holder rod connected with the lower bracket of the lower post.

11. The seat of claim 10 , wherein the motor is fixed by being bolt-fastened.

12. The seat of claim 10 , wherein the lower post is fixed to a floor panel of a vehicle body, and
wherein the upper post is fixed to a lower portion of the seat.

13. The seat of claim 12 , wherein the lower post and the upper post are coupled by being bolt-fastened.

14. The seat of claim 10 , wherein the gas spring is provided with a cylinder rod interlocked with the upper post, and wherein the cylinder rod is fixed to a fixing boss of the upper post.

15. A seat height gear system comprising:
a monopost apparatus configured to be mounted under a seat, the monopost apparatus comprising a lower post and an upper post; and
a direct drive motor apparatus within the monopost apparatus, the direct drive motor apparatus comprising a motor and a gear unit, the gear unit comprising a pinion and a rack bar, the rack bar being configured to be engaged with the pinion, the motor being fixed to the lower post of the monopost apparatus, the pinion being coupled to the motor, the rack bar being fixed to an upper post of the monopost apparatus, the motor being configured to rotate the pinion, and the rack bar being configured to convert the rotation of the pinion into linear motion,
wherein a pair of left/right height rails are positioned between a lower bracket of the lower post and an upper bracket of the upper post, each of the left/right height rails include a “⊂” shaped bracket, the pair of left/right height rails being configured to move with the upper bracket of the upper post during a height movement of the rack bar, and
wherein the rack bar includes a rack flange by which a rack tooth of the rack bar is surrounded, and the rack flange has a rectangular spatial portion structure configured to accommodate a support rod or a holder rod connected with the lower bracket of the lower post.

16. The seat height gear system of claim 15 further comprising:
pinions and the rack bars on both left and right portions of a motor shaft protruding from the motor.

17. The seat height gear system of claim 15 further comprising:
a gas spring coupled to the upper post and fixed to the lower post, the gas spring being interlocked with movement of the upper post and configured to perform a buffering operation.

18. The seat height gear system of claim 15 , wherein the lower post is configured to be fixed to a floor panel of a vehicle body, and wherein the upper post is configured to be fixed to a lower portion of the seat.

19. The seat height gear system of claim 15 , wherein the motor is configured to be fixed by being bolt-fastened.

20. The seat height gear system of claim 15 , wherein the pinion and the rack bar are configured in a dual structure.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp
• Das Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Hyung-Jin
• Kim Gil-Ju
• Moon Soo-Hyun
• Kong Ju-Yeol
• Hong Sung-Hak
• Park Sang-Do
• Nam Ga-Be
• Song Seong-Hwan
• Han Yong-Tak
• Kim Duck-Yeol

Classifications

• B60N2/02258

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

• B60N2/02253

  characterised by the transmission between the electric motor and the seat or seat parts · CPC title

• B60N2/02246 Primary

  Electric motors therefor · CPC title

• B60N2/502

  attached to the base of the seat (B60N2/504 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/68

  Seat frames · CPC title