GB2359014A

GB2359014A - Foldable reclining vehicle seat with dual control mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2359014A
Application number: GB0003147A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Perkins; James Carroll; Ian Fletcher
Original assignee: Johnson Controls Automotive UK Ltd
Current assignee: Adient Seating UK Ltd
Priority date: 2000-02-12
Filing date: 2000-02-12
Publication date: 2001-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-12
Also published as: GB0003147D0; GB2359014B

Abstract

A vehicle seat comprising a base 10 and a backrest 11 (pivotable relative to base 10), includes an adjustment mechanism for altering the position of the backrest 11 relative to the base 10; when the seat is occupied the seat can recline (in direction 13) and when it is unoccupied it can collapse forward (in direction 14) , still retaining the setting of the adjustment attitude. Handles 15, 16 (movable about axis 12 of drive spindle 23, fig 2) are positioned either side of the seat and allow control of adjustment of the seat in directions 13 and 14 respectively. Backrest movements, adjusted by handles 15, 16, are controlled by a single adjustment mechanism (Fig 2) which collapses the backrest 11 when turned one way and adjusts the inclination when turned the other way.

Description

2359014 PATENTS ACT 1977 A9967GB-GMD Title: Vehicle Seat Reclining Control

Mechanism

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a mechanism for controlling the operation of a reclining seat of a vehicle.

The front seats (driver's seat and front passenger seat) of virtually all modem automobiles are reclining seats, i.e. the angle at which the backrest of each seat is inclined in relation to the base cushion of the seat can be adjusted and set as required to suit the physique and personal preference of the seat's occupant. In addition to such adjustment possibilities, the front seats of an automobile which does not have rear passenger doors providing access to the rear seat(s) must additionally be capable of facilitating such rear access. This may be achieved by providing for forwards pivoting of the backrest of the front seat beyond the range of such pivoting movement which is required when the seat is occupied. A forward bodily movement of the front seat as a whole may also be provided. The present invention is concerned with a seat which is capable of both reclining adjustment of the backiest and the forward pivoting of the backi-est for access purposes.

It is, of course, desirable that after the backi-est of a front scat has been pivoted forwardly for access to the rear seat, it should return to the attitude it previously adopted relative to the seat base. If it did not, it would be extremely annoying for the seat's occupant to have to readjust the backrest each time its rear-seat access facility has been used. To this end, it is known that the reclining adjustment mechanism of a scat can be provided with a "memory" device to retain a setting of the backrest inclination while the seat backrest is pivoted forwardly for access purposes, so that it can be returned to its previously-set inclination.

2 In particular, one form of reclining seat adjustment mechanism is known which provides the above described "memory" facility and for forward tilting of the backi---est for access purposes, in which the mechanism is disposed generally concentrically around the axis about which the backrest pivots. The mechanism is controlled by a drive spindle which extends along such axis transversely of the seat and has at each end a control lever, the levers being angularly movable. The levers are spring- biased to an intermediate angular position and movement in one sense from such position enables the backrest inclination to be adjusted when the seat is occupied while movement in the opposite sense from the intermediate position frees the backrest for forward pivoting for access purposes while not altering the "memorised" backrest inclination for when the seat is occupied. The control levers, which characteristically lie generally alongside the bottom of the backi-est or the rearmost part of the base cushion of the seat, have to be provided one at each side of the seat because when the vehicle's door is closed as when the seat is occupied and adjustment of the backi-est inclination might be required, the outboard lever usually is not readily accessible. On the other hand, forwarding pivoting of the backi-est is most likely to be performed by a person standing outside the vehicle with the vehicle's door open, when the control lever at the outboard side of the seat is readily accessible but that at the inboard side is not easily reached. Such an arrangement has a problem, however, in that confusion on the part of a user is possible between the directions in which the control levers have to be moved according to whether it is backrest inclination adjustment or forward pivoting for access purposes which is required. In particular, when the latter is required the user may operate the outboard control lever in the sense which normally should be used for backrest inclination adjustment, thereby achieving the forward pivoting of the backrest at least to some extent but at the expense of losing the stored adjusted position thereof.

3 It is broadly the object of the present invention to overcome the abovedescribed problem of potential inadvertent incorrect operation of the control mechanism.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a vehicle seat comprising:

a base; a backrest pivotally movable relative to the base; an adjustment mechanism providing for setting of an adjustment attitude of the back.rest relative to the base for when the seat is occupied, and for release of the backrest for forward pivotal movement relative to the base for when the seat is unoccupied whilst retaining the setting of the said adjusted attitude of the backrest; control means for said adjustment mechanism, said control means including a drive member operable in opposite senses from an intermediate position respectively to facilitate said adjustment of backi-est attitude and said forward pivoting of the backrest; and respective control handles at opposite sides of the seat, one of said handles being operable to move the drive member in one sense from said intermediate position and the other control handle being operable to move the drive member in the other sense from said intermediate position.

Because of the above described circumstances in which the backrest attitude is usually required to be adjusted, and the back-i-est pivoted forward for access purposes, preferably it is the control handle at the inboard side of the seat which causes the control means to be operated in the former mode and the control handle at the outboard side of the seat which causes the adjustment mechanism to be operated in the latter mode.

Preferably the drive member is an angularly movable element and the control handles are respectively also movable angularly about the axis of the drive member.

4 Preferably the drive member comprises a shaft element extending transversely of the seat between opposite sides thereof, and each control handle is connected to such shaft element by a respective connecting means providing for driving of the shaft element in one sense from its intermediate position in response to movement of the control handle and disconnection of the control handle from the shaft element when the shaft element is moved by the respective other handle in the opposite sense.

Preferably the connecting means operable between each handle and the shaft element are substantially identical to one another, being assembled with one or more parts in a different orientation or position in order to provide for a driving connection in opposite directions.

Each connecting means may comprise a pawl member disposed at a radial spacing from the axis of the shaft element and movable thereabout by angular movement of the control handle, the pawl member being movable into driving engagement with an element on the shaft element upon movement of the handle in the appropriate sense and further caused to be disengaged therefrom when the shaft element is returned to its intermediate position.

In an alternative embodiment, the control handle may cause angular movement of a driving gear having peripheral toothing engaging preferably by way of an idler gear, a driven gear on the shaft element, the toothing on the driving gear being interrupted so that no driving connection is established with the idler gear when the shaft element is in its intermediate angular position.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat to which the invention may be applied; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of control mechanism in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the mechanism of Figure 2, assembled; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a further embodiment of mechanism in accordance with the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, this shows a typical vehicle scat. It comprises a base cushion 10 and a backi-est 11 and the backrest is connected to the base 10 by means, not shown, providing for pivotal relative movement therebetween about a transverse axis 12. The seat is illustrated in a typical attitude it is required to assume when the seat is occupied, and there is an adjustment mechanism providing for setting of the backrest in a required inclination in a range extending from more nearly upright to more greatly reclined compared with that illustrated. Further, the pivotal connection between the backrest and base cushion of the seat provides for forwarding pivoting of the backrest so as substantially to overlie the base cushion 10, which movement may be required for rear seat access as above described. The adjustment mechanism provides a "memory" of the adjusted attitude of the backi-est in its range of inclination, for when the seat is occupied. For controlling such adjustment mechanism, there is a drive member which is in the form of a shaft element (hereinafter described as drive spindle 23) extending transversely of the seat between opposite sides thereof, on the axis 12. The drive member is spring biased to an intermediate angular position and is movable in opposite angular directions from such intermediate position, such movement being in the direction of arrow 133 for backrest attitude adjustment and in the direction of arrow 14 for forward pivotal movement of the backrest to overlie the base 10.

The seat has two control handles accessible for causing such movement of the drive member. A handle 15 is shown at one side of the seat and a handle 16 at the other side. The handles are angularly movable about the axis 12 and are connected to the drive member by respective mechanisms as described hereafter. If the illustrated seat is on the left hand side of the vehicle, the handle 15 is the inboard handle whilst the handle 16 is the outboard handle, and 6 the connecting means by which the handles are connected to the drive member are arranged so that the inboard handle 15 is able to be moved only in the direction of arrow 13 from a starting position, for backi-est attitude adjustment, while the handle 16 is able to be moved only in the direction of arrow 14 for forward pivoting of the backiest for access purposes.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, these show an embodiment of mechanism whereby the outboard control handle 16 may be connected to the drive member. These drawings show a recliner lower plate 20 which is connected to the base cushion of the seat and a recliner upper plate-21 which is connected to the backi-est of the seat, with a recliner adjustment mechanism providing the above described facilities disposed between them. Operation of the recliner mechanism is controlled by a drive spindle 23 which extends transversely across the seat between respective such recliner mechanisms at opposite sides thereof, the drive spindle 23 lying on the axis 12. The drive spindle 23) extends outwardly through an aperture 24 in the recliner upper plate 21 and has a sector member 25 fast thereon. The sector member 25 has, on its periphery, two oppositely facing stop faces 26, 27. Face to face with the sector member 25 with a spacing washer 28 therebetween is a handle interface plate 29 with two oppositely outwardly extending radial lugs 30, 31 of which the lug 30 carries a pawl 32 pivotable on a shouldered rivet 33 fixed to the lug. A spring 34 spring biases the pawl such that its free end abuts the face 26 on the sector member 25, whilst an actuating pin 35 extending through the pawl further extends through a cam slot 3 6 in a housing 3) 7 fixed to the lower recliner plate 20. A spacer washer J38 is shown between the interface plate 29 and the housing 37, and a tension spring 39 acts on the interface plate 29 to move it angularly to the position in which it is shown in Figure 3, in which abutment of the actuating pin 35 with the end of the cam slot 36 prevents further movement of the interface plate whilst, at the same time, the 7 configuration of the cam slot 36 causes the pawl 32 to be moved out of a position in which it is able to engage the face 26.

The housing 37 has a central boss 41 in which is jourrialled a member 42 which extends through a keeper plate 43) fixed to the recliner upper plate 2 1.

The member 42 at its inner end is rotationally fast with the interface plate 29 and at its outermost end has a square drive formation 44 on which can be engaged the control handle 16.

It will thus be apparent that angular movement of the handle on the squared end of the remote drive spindle 44 causes angular movement of the interface place 29 in the direction of the arrow 14 whereupon the cam slot 36 causes the pawl 32 to abut the face 26 and correspondingly angularly move the sector member 25. This causes the recliner mechanism 22 to permit forward pivoting of the seat backi-est for access purposes. When the handle is released, it returns to its starting position and the pawl 32 Is disengaged from the face 26.

A mechanism corresponding to that shown in figures 2 and 3 but assembled in mirror image thereof is provided at the other side of the seat, with the difference that the lug '31 of the interface plate 29 carries the pawl 32 and the pawl co-operates with a further cam slot 45 to engage face 27 facing in the opposite direction circumferentially of the sector member 25. The spring corresponding to spring 39 but at the other side of the seat spring biasses the respective interface plate in the opposite angular sense and the result is that the handle (15) at the opposite side of the seat is able to be operated in the direction of arrow 13 for backrest inclination adjustment in the possible range thereof. The manner in which the respective pawls as 32 are disengaged from their respective sector members, however, ensures that either handle is able to be moved in its required operating direction from its starting position without having any effect on the control handle at the opposite side of the seat. In other words, the sector member, handle interface plate, housing, and associated components at each side of the seat form a connecting means which provide for 8 driving of the reclining mechanism drive spindle in one sense from its intermediate position, in response to movement of the respective control handle, but for disconnection of the control handle therefrom when the drive spindle is moved in the opposite sense by the other handle.

Referring now to figure 4 of the drawings, this shows an alternative arrangement for achieving this effect. In figure 4, a recliner lower plate 20, recliner upper plate 21, and recliner mechanism 22 are provided as for the embodiment of figures 2 and 3). Instead of the sector member 25, however, the recliner mechanism drive spindle carries and is rotatably fast with a driven gear 50. There is a housing 51 which is different in configuration from the housing 37, and carries an idler 52 on a shouldered rivet 53 riveted to the housing 51.

The idler gear is thicker than the driven gear 50 and is able additionally to mesh with a drive gear 54 carried by a spindle 55 extending through aperture 56 in the housing 51 and, outside the housing 51, carrying a control handle as 16.

The extent of angular movement possible of the drive gear 54 relative to the housing 51 is determined by a stop pin 57 on the gear 54 which extends through an arcuate slot 58 in housing 51. A pail 59 of the periphery of drive gear 54 is without teeth and the gear 54 is spring biased by a spring 60 to an angular position in which the stop pin 57 is at the lower - (with reference to figure 4) end of the arcuate slot 58, and in this position the toothless part 59 of the gear 54 is in alignment with the idlei. gear 52.

When the control handle on spindle 55 is moved angularly in the direction of arrow 14, the peripheral teeth on the drive gear 54 move into engagement with the idler gear 52 and thereby cause the driven gear 50 also to be moved angularly in the same direction.

This frees the recliner mechanism 22 to permit forward pivoting of the seat backi-est for access purposes. On return of the control handle to its starting position, the connection between the drive gear 54 and driven gear 50 is disconnected when the toothless pail 59 of the periphery of the drive gear 9 becomes aligned with the idler gear 52 so that when a corresponding mechanism at the opposite side of the seat is operated for the seat backrest attitude adjustment, this has no effect on the control handle 16 and associated parts. The mechanism at the opposite side of the seat may be as shown in figure 4 but with appropriate differences to provide for a driving connection effective in the opposite direction to the direction 14.

In the present specification "comprise" means "includes or consists of' and "comprising" means "Including or consisting of.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A vehicle seat comprising: a base; a backi-est pivotally movable

relative to the base; an adjustment mechanism providing for setting of an adjusted attitude of the backrest relative to the base for when the seat is occupied, and for release of the backrest for forward pivotal movement relative to the base for when the seat is unoccupied whilst retaining the setting of the said adjusted attitude cif the backrest; control means for said adjustment mechanism, said control means includinc, a drive member operable in opposite senses from an intermediate position respectively to facilitate said adjustment of backrest attitude and said forward pivoting of the backi-est; and respective control handles at opposite sides of the seat, one of said handles being operable to move the drive member in one sense from said intermediate position and the other control handle being operable to move the drive member in the other sense from said intermediate position.
2. A seat according to claim 1 wherein the drive member is an angularly movable element and the control handles are respectively also movable angularly about the axis of the drive member.
A seat according to claim 2 wherein the drive member comprises a shaft element extending transversely of the seat between opposite sides thereof, and each control handle is connected to such shaft element by a respective connecting means providing for driving of the shaft element in one sense from its intermediate position in response to movement of the control handle and disconnection of the control handle from the shaft element when the shaft element is moved by the respective other handle in the opposite sense.
4. A seat according to claim 3 wherein the connecting means operable between each handle and the shaft element are substantially identical to one another, being assembled with one or more parts in a different orientation or position in order to provide for a driving connection in opposite direction.
5. A seat according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein each connecting means comprises a pawl member disposed at a radial spacing from the axis of the shaft element and movable thereabout with angular movement of the control handle, the pawl member being movable into driving engagement with an element on the shaft element upon movement of the handle in the appropriate sense and further caused to be disengaged therefrom when the shaft element is returned to its intermediate position.
6. A seat according to claim -3) or claim 4 wherein each connecting means comprises a driving gear movable by the control handle and engageable with a driven gear on the shaft element, the toothing on the driving gear being 0 interrupted so no driving connection is established with the driven gear when the shaft element is in its intermediate position.
7. A seat according to claim 6 wherein an idler gear provides a driving connection between said driving gear and driven gear.
8. A seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. Any novel feature or novel. combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.