Transmission system for power long rail assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358400-B2
Application number	US-202117797766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2021
Priority date	Feb 7, 2020
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A transmission system for providing sliding movement of a vehicle seat within a vehicle includes a dual output motor having a left-hand and right-hand motor output shafts, a left-hand bevel gearbox and a right-hand bevel gearbox operatively coupled to a respective one of the left-hand and right-hand output motor shafts, a left-hand long rail assembly comprising a left-hand power rail drive assembly slidably coupled to a left-hand fixed long rail and operatively coupled to the left-hand bevel gearbox and a right-hand long rail assembly comprising a right-hand power rail drive assembly slidably coupled to a right-hand fixed long rail and operatively coupled to the right-hand bevel gearbox. The dual output motor rotates the left-hand and right-hand motor output shafts resulting in each of the left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies being transposed along the respective left-hand and right-hand fixed long rails.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transmission system for providing sliding movement of a vehicle seat within a vehicle, said transmission system comprising:
a motor having a left-hand motor output shaft and a right-hand motor output shaft, said left-hand motor output shaft being operatively coupled to said right-hand motor output shaft such that both left-hand and right-hand motor output shafts simultaneously rotate in a selected one of a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction different from said first rotational direction;
a left-hand bevel gearbox and a right-hand bevel gearbox, each of said left-hand and right-hand bevel gearboxes being operatively coupled to a respective one of said left-hand and right-hand motor output shafts of said motor;
a left-hand long rail assembly comprising a left-hand power rail drive assembly slidably coupled to a left-hand fixed long rail, said left-hand power rail drive assembly being operatively coupled to said left-hand bevel gearbox; and
a right-hand long rail assembly comprising a right-hand power rail drive assembly slidably coupled to a right-hand fixed long rail, said right-hand power rail drive assembly being operatively coupled to said right-hand bevel gearbox;
wherein said motor rotating said left-hand and right-hand motor output shafts in said first rotational direction results in said left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies being transposed along said respective left-hand and right-hand fixed long rails in a first direction;
wherein said motor rotating said left-hand and right-hand motor output shafts in said second rotational direction results in said left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies being transposed along said respective left-hand and right-hand fixed long rails in a second direction different from said first direction;
wherein each of said left-hand and right-hand bevel gearboxes includes a driving bevel gear meshingly engaged with a driven bevel gear, said driving bevel gear of said left-hand bevel gearbox includes a left-hand input shaft fixedly coupled to said driving bevel gear, said driving bevel gear of said right-hand bevel gearbox includes a right-hand input shaft fixedly coupled to said driving bevel gear, and said left-hand input shaft being operatively coupled to said left-hand motor output shaft and said right-hand input shaft being operatively coupled to said right-hand motor output shaft;
wherein said left-hand input shaft being fixedly coupled to a first end of a left-hand intermediary shaft with an opposing second end of said left-hand intermediary shaft being fixedly coupled to said left-hand motor output shaft of said motor;
wherein said right-hand input shaft being fixedly coupled to a first end of a right-hand intermediary shaft with an opposing second end of said right-hand intermediary shaft being fixedly coupled to said right-hand motor output shaft of said motor; and
wherein each of said left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies includes an upper channel, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to said upper channel, and a rail drive gearbox within said upper channel.

2. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein:
each of said left-hand and right-hand fixed long rails includes a rack fixedly coupled to said respective left-hand and right-hand fixed long rail.

3. The transmission system of claim 2 , wherein:
each of said left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies includes a drive wheel meshingly engaged with said rack fixedly coupled to a respective one of said left-hand and right-hand fixed long rails; and
each of said drive wheels of said left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies being operatively coupled to said rail drive gearbox within said respective left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies.

4. The transmission system of claim 3 , wherein:
each of said rail drive gearboxes is a worm gearbox comprising a worm gear meshingly engaged with a worm wheel.

5. The transmission system of claim 4 , wherein:
said drive wheel of each of said left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies being fixedly coupled to said respective worm wheel by a drive shaft.

6. The transmission system of claim 5 , wherein:
an output shaft projecting from said driven bevel gear of each of said left-hand and right-hand bevel gearboxes is releasably coupled with said worm gear of said worm gearbox of said respective left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies.

7. The transmission system of claim 6 , wherein:
a quick connection interface releasably couples said output shaft of said driven bevel gear of each of said left-hand and right-hand bevel gearboxes with said worm gear of each of said respective left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies.

8. The transmission system of claim 7 , wherein:
each of said quick connection interfaces includes an engagement shaft having a meshing spline projecting from a lower end of said engagement shaft; and
each of said worm gears includes an upper worm end having a face spline configured to matingly engage with a respective one of said meshing splines.

9. The transmission system of claim 8 , wherein:
said motor is a dual output brushless motor having a first speed and a second speed.

10. The transmission system of claim 9 , wherein:
each of said worm gearboxes is retained within a respective mounting bracket fixedly coupled to said upper channel of a respective one of said left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies.

11. The transmission system of claim 10 , wherein:
each worm gearbox of each of said left-hand and right-hand long rail assemblies being repositionable within said respective mounting bracket; and
each worm gearbox being biased within said respective mounting bracket by a spring such that said drive wheel of each worm gearbox is biased towards an engaged position with said rack of said respective left-hand and right-hand long rail assembly.

12. The transmission system of claim 11 , wherein:
each of said bevel gearboxes has a 2:1 gear ratio between said driving bevel gear and said driven bevel gear.

13. The transmission system of claim 12 , wherein:
each of said worm gearboxes has a 20:1 gear ratio.

Assignees

• Magna Seating Inc

Inventors

• Zhao Kai
• Marini Detjon
• Folk Avery
• Kurzeja Kristof M

Classifications

• B60N2002/924

  using electric or hydraulic energy · CPC title

• B60N2/02246

  Electric motors therefor · CPC title

• B60N2/01508

  using quick release attachments · CPC title

• B60N2/02253 Primary

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

• B60N2/06 Primary

  slidable (B60N2/12 {, B60N2/2209} take precedence) · CPC title