Recliner handle with overload protection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12397687-B2
Application number	US-202117917363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2021
Priority date	Apr 17, 2020
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

A recliner handle with an overload protection device is provided for a vehicle seat having a recliner attached to a recliner B-bracket. The recliner handle is attached to a handle spline having a disc shaft aperture configured to engage with a disc shaft of the recliner. A stop flange attached to the handle spline is configured to frictionally engage with an overload stop attached to the recliner B-bracket. The handle spline is rotatable in a first rotational direction between a first position wherein the stop flange is frictionally engaged with the overload stop and the disc shaft aperture is disengaged from the disc shaft and a second position wherein the disc shaft aperture engages the disc shaft. Rotation of the handle spline in a second rotational direction from the first position is restricted by the stop flange frictionally engaged with the overload stop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An overload protection device for a reclining vehicle seat, the overload protection device comprising:
an overload stop fixedly coupled to the vehicle seat;
a recliner having a disc shaft, wherein the disc shaft is rotatable to actuate the recliner between a locked condition and an unlocked condition for providing reclining adjustment of the vehicle seat;
a handle spline rotatable in a first rotational direction from a first position associated with the locked condition to a second position associated with the unlocked condition, wherein the handle spline defines a disc shaft aperture with the disc shaft received in the disc shaft aperture, wherein the disc shaft and the disc shaft aperture are rotationally decoupled when the handle spline is in the first position and rotationally coupled when the handle spline is in the second position; and
a stop flange rotationally coupled to the handle spline and arranged to abut the overload stop when the handle spline is in the first position;
wherein engagement between the stop flange and the overload stop prevents rotation of the handle spline in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction and away from the second position when the handle spline is in the first position to prevent an overload force being transferred to the recliner.

2. The overload protection device of claim 1 , wherein:
said first position and said second position being spaced apart by a lost motion angle.

3. The overload protection device of claim 2 , wherein:
a handle inertia spring is operatively coupled between said handle spline and the vehicle seat, said handle inertia spring biasing said stop flange towards abutment with said overload stop.

4. The overload protection device of claim 3 , wherein:
said recliner is in said locked condition when said disc shaft is in a home angular position; and
said recliner is in said unlocked condition when said disc shaft is in a release angular position.

5. The overload protection device of claim 4 , wherein:
said disc shaft is rotatable between said home angular position and said release angular position;
rotating said disc shaft in said first rotational direction from said home angular position to said release angular position reconfigures said recliner from said locked condition to said unlocked condition; and
rotating said disc shaft in said second rotational direction from said release angular position to said home angular position reconfigures said recliner from said unlocked condition to said locked condition.

6. The overload protection device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a recliner handle coupled to the handle spline and rotatable between a home position and a recline release position;
wherein when said recliner handle is in said home position, said handle spline is in said first position, and said disc shaft aperture is rotationally decoupled from said disc shaft, applying torque in said first rotational direction to said recliner handle and rotating said recliner handle in said first rotational direction less than said lost motion angle results in said handle spline rotating in said first rotational direction with said disc shaft rotationally decoupled from said disc shaft aperture.

7. The overload protection device of claim 6 , wherein:
when said recliner handle is spaced apart from said home position by at least said lost motion angle, applying torque in said first rotational direction to said recliner handle and rotating said recliner handle in said first rotational direction results in said handle spline rotating in said first rotational direction with said disc shaft rotationally coupled with said disc shaft aperture; and
said disc shaft rotating with said handle spline when said disc shaft is rotationally coupled with said disc shaft aperture.

8. The overload protection device of claim 7 , wherein:
when said handle spline is in said first position with said stop flange abutting said overload stop, rotating said handle spline in said first rotational direction disengages said stop flange from said overload stop.

9. The overload protection device of claim 8 , wherein:
when said recliner handle is rotated in said first rotational direction to said recline release position, said handle spline is rotated to said release angular position, said disc shaft aperture rotationally coupled with said disc shaft rotates said disc shaft to said release angular position, and said disc shaft rotated to said release angular position reconfigures said recliner into said unlocked condition.

10. The overload protection device of claim 1 , wherein:
when said handle spline is in said first position with said disc shaft aperture rotationally decoupled from said disc shaft and when said stop flange is abutting said overload stop, applying torque in said second rotational direction to said handle spline results in load being applied to said overload stop by said stop flange while retaining said disc shaft aperture rotationally decoupled from said disc shaft.

11. The overload protection device of claim 4 , wherein said disc shaft aperture has an elongated aperture portion comprising:
a first side wall comprising a first portion and a second portion joining at a first junction, said first and second portions having a first end and a second end, respectively, spaced apart from said first junction, and said first and second portions being non-parallel;
a second side wall comprising a third portion and a fourth portion joining at a second junction, said third and fourth portions having a third end and a fourth end, respectively, spaced apart from said second junction, and said third and fourth portions being non-parallel;
a first end wall adjoining said first end of said first side wall and said third end of said second side wall; and
a second end wall adjoining said second end of said first side wall and said fourth end of said second side wall.

12. The overload protection device of claim 11 , wherein said elongated aperture portion of said disc shaft aperture comprises:
said first portion of said first side wall opposing said third portion of said second side wall, said second portion of said first side wall opposing said fourth portion of said second side wall, said first end of said first portion of said first side wall and said third end of said third portion of said second side wall being spaced further apart than said first junction and said second junction; and
said second end of said second portion of said first side wall and said fourth end of said fourth portion of said second side wall being spaced further apart than said first junction and said second junction.

13. The overload protection device of claim 12 , wherein said elongated aperture portion of said disc shaft aperture comprises:
a first interior angle between said first portion and said second portion of said first side wall being greater than 180 degrees; and
a second interior angle between said third portion and said fourth portion of said second side wall being greater than 180 degrees.

14. The overload protection device of claim 13 , wherein:
said disc shaft has an elongated portion having a rounded rectangular shaped cross-section with opposing first and second shaft flat side walls.

15. The overload protection device of claim 14 , wherein:
when said handle spline is in said first position and said disc shaft is in said home angular position, said first portion of said first side wall of said disc shaft aperture extends away from said first shaft flat side wall of said disc shaft by said lost motion angle and said

Assignees

• Magna Seating Inc
• Zang Creston

Inventors

• Zang Creston

Classifications

• B60N2/2362

  rotatably movable · CPC title

• F16B1/04

  disengaged by movement of the actuating member of the element (locking of actuators G05G, e.g. G05G5/00) · CPC title

• B60N2/2227 Primary

  and provided with braking systems · CPC title

• B60N2/236 Primary

  linearly movable · CPC title