Manual seatback folding apparatus of electric seat for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12552298-B2
Application number	US-202318310707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2023
Priority date	Nov 24, 2022
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

An embodiment manual seatback folding apparatus of an electric seat for a vehicle includes a shaft fastened to a seatback frame, wherein first and second end portions of the shaft are rotatably inserted into first and second seat cushion side frames, respectively, a first rotatable disk including a first locking recess, a second rotatable disk including a second locking recess and a pusher, a first manual control device detachably engaged with the first locking recess, a second manual control device to be connected to the first manual control device through a cable and detachably engaged with the second locking recess, and a switch device mounted on an outer surface of the second seat cushion side frame and configured to perform a switching operation in response to the pusher in a state in which the second rotatable disk is rotated in a folding direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A manual seatback folding apparatus of an electric seat for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a shaft fastened to a seatback frame to be simultaneously rotatable with the seatback frame, wherein a first end portion and a second end portion of the shaft are rotatably inserted into a first seat cushion side frame and a second seat cushion side frame, respectively; a first rotatable disk fastened to the first end portion of the shaft and rotatably arranged on an outer surface of the first seat cushion side frame, the first rotatable disk comprising a first locking recess in an outer circumferential portion thereof; a second rotatable disk fastened to the second end portion of the shaft and rotatably arranged on an outer surface of the second seat cushion side frame, the second rotatable disk comprising:
a second locking recess in an outer circumferential portion thereof; and
a pusher for operating a switch device protruding from an outer surface of the second rotatable disk;
a first manual control device mounted on the outer surface of the first seat cushion side frame and detachably engaged with the first locking recess; a second manual control device mounted on the outer surface of the second seat cushion side frame to be connected to the first manual control device through a cable so as to work in concert with the first manual control device and detachably engaged with the second locking recess; and the switch device mounted on the outer surface of the second seat cushion side frame and configured to perform a switching operation in response to the pusher in a state in which the second rotatable disk is rotated in a folding direction.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first manual control device comprises:
a first cam having a first end portion hinge-fastened to the outer surface of the first seat cushion side frame, wherein the first cam comprises a first locking pin on an upper portion of a second end portion of the first cam and insertable into the first locking recess of the first rotatable disk and a first unlocking recess and a first locking support end provided side by side on a lower portion of the second end portion; a first pawl comprising a first support protrusion on an upper portion of a second end portion of the first pawl to be in contact with the first locking support end or to be inserted into the first unlocking recess, the first pawl being hinge-fastened to the outer surface of the first seat cushion side frame; and a lever comprising a first pulling bar on an upper portion with a strap connected to the first pulling bar, the lever being coaxially fastened to the first pawl to be simultaneously rotatable with the first pawl.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the first pawl comprises an engagement pin provided on a first end portion of the first pawl; and the lever comprises an engagement hole on a first end portion of the lever, the engagement pin being configured to be inserted into and fastened to the engagement hole.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a first return spring connected to the engagement pin of the first pawl and the first seat cushion side frame to provide the first pawl and the lever with an elastic restoring force in a locking direction.

5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the lever further comprises a second pulling bar on a second end portion of the lever, the second pulling bar being connected to the second manual control device through the cable.

6 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first seat cushion side frame comprises a strap holding portion on the outer surface of the first seat cushion side frame adjacent to a rear portion and configured to guide the strap to a position in which a passenger is able to pull the strap.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second manual control device comprises:
a second cam having a first end portion hinge-fastened to the outer surface of the second seat cushion side frame, wherein the second cam comprises a second locking pin on an upper portion of a second end portion of the second cam and insertable into the second locking recess of the second rotatable disk and a second unlocking recess and a second locking support end provided side by side on a lower portion of the second end portion of the second cam; and a second pawl comprising a cable connection end provided on a first end portion of the second pawl to be connected to the cable and a second support protrusion on an upper portion of the second pawl to be in contact with the second locking support end or to be inserted into the second unlocking recess, wherein the second pawl is hinge-fastened to the outer surface of the second seat cushion side frame.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a second return spring connected to the cable connection end of the second pawl and the second seat cushion side frame and configured to provide an elastic restoring force to the second pawl in a locking direction.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the switch device comprises:
a bracket mounted on the outer surface of the second seat cushion side frame; a limit switch mounted on a lower portion of the bracket; and a switch control lever hinge-fastened to an upper portion of the bracket and configured to be rotated in a switching direction of the limit switch by the pusher on the second rotatable disk.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the switch control lever comprises:
a rotatable lever on a first end portion of the switch control lever about a hinge fastening point of the bracket to be contactable with the pusher on the second rotatable disk; a switch operating end on a lower portion of the switch control lever and configured to cause the limit switch to perform the switching operation; and a spring connection end protruding from a second end portion of the switch control lever.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a third return spring connected to the spring connection end of the switch control lever and a predetermined position of the bracket and configured to provide the switch control lever with an elastic restoring force.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the pusher extends a predetermined length on the outer surface of the second rotatable disk along a curved line in a circumferential direction so as to press the rotatable lever and allow the rotatable lever to maintain a state rotated in the switching direction of the limit switch.

13 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a controller configured to cut off power to seat position adjustment motors in response to a signal generated by switching the limit switch by the switch control lever being received.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to allow the power to be supplied to the seat position adjustment motors in a situation in which the signal generated by switching the limit switch by the switch control lever is not received.

15 . A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body; a first row of seats, a second row of seats, and a third row of seats mounted in an interior of the vehicle in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, wherein a seat in the second row of seats is an electric seat; and a manual seatback folding apparatus coupled to the seat in the second row of seats, the manual seatback folding apparatus comprising:
a shaft fastened to a seatback frame of the seat in the second row of seats to be simultaneously rotatable with the seatback frame, wherein a first end portion and a second end portion of the shaft are rotatably i

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Lim Deok Soo
• Park Sang Do
• Lee Sang Soo
• Jung Chan Ho
• Lee Sang Hark
• Baek Song Min
• Ryu Seung Heon

Classifications

• B60N2/02246

  Electric motors therefor · CPC title

• B60N2/3004

  by rotation only · CPC title

• B60N2002/952

  characterised by details of the locking system · CPC title

• B60N2/0228

  Hand-activated mechanical switches (B60N2/0229 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/2227

  and provided with braking systems · CPC title