JP2006000420A - Knuckle device for vehicle seat - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a knuckle device for a vehicle seat where costs for production are reduced by reducing the number of members and simplifying structure. <P>SOLUTION: An engaging protrusion 7 is provided at each locking member 3. Each sector 2 is provided with: a guide projecting line 11 having an arc shape which can engage with the engaging protrusion 7 and holding the locking member 3 at a lock-off position in a state of engaging with the protrusion 7; a guide surface 9 which can engage with an engaging surface 7a on the outside in the radial direction of the protrusion 7; and a kick plate 5 operated to turn by an operation member 6 integrally with a cam 4. The guide surface 9 is provided with: a first guide surface 9a permitting positional setting of the locking member 3 to a locking position in the case of corresponding to the protrusion 7; and a second guide surface 9b position-setting the locking member 3 to the lock-off position in the case of corresponding to the protrusion 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a knuckle device for a vehicle seat that supports a seat back in a tiltable manner with respect to a seat cushion in a vehicle seat.

  Various types of knuckle devices for vehicle seats have been proposed in the past, and one of them is, for example, a lock member provided with a lock gear can be moved to a base body fixed to the seat cushion side. On the other hand, on the seat back side, a sector having an internal gear that can mesh with the lock gear is mounted, and the lock gear meshes with the internal gear so that the seat back relative to the seat cushion is rotated. In addition to realizing a restricted lock state, the lock gear engages and disengages from the internal gear to realize a lock-off state in which the seat back is rotatable relative to the seat cushion. Things are known.

  In this case, the lock member is constantly urged toward the locked state by the cam. To place the lock member in the lock-off state, the cam is rotated against the urging force and applied to the lock member. It is necessary to release the force action. As a specific structure for this purpose, for example, a first projection provided on the lock member is engaged with a cam surface provided on a rotationally operated plate, and the lock member is driven by a cam action of the cam surface. Is moved radially inward to disengage the lock gear of the lock member from the internal gear (see Patent Document 1).

  Further, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the seat in the entire tilt range of the seat back, as shown in FIG. 7, the tilt range in which the occupant cannot be seated, that is, the seat back is folded to the seat cushion side. It is not necessary to adjust the position of the seat back in the range from the tilted “front-most tilt position” to the “standing position” where the seat back is caused to be in a substantially vertical state. It is convenient to use. For this reason, an attempt has been made to provide a mechanism for setting a range in which the lock-off state is maintained within a predetermined range of the entire tilt range of the seat back (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, two types of cam surfaces with different radii of curvature are provided on the sector side, while a second protrusion that can be engaged with the cam surface is provided on the lock member side, and the seat back is tilted. When the movable body rotates, the lock member is positioned and held at the lock-off position by engaging the second protrusion with the cam surface having a small curvature radius.

Japanese Patent No. 3343039 (paragraphs “0013” to “0037”, FIGS. 3 and 4).

  However, in the knuckle device having the conventional structure shown in the above publication, a mechanism for performing locking / locking-off operation of the locking member, that is, a first protrusion provided on the locking member and a plate operated to rotate is provided. An engagement mechanism with the cam surface, and a mechanism for maintaining the lock-off state within a predetermined range of the entire tilt range of the seat back, that is, two types of cam surfaces with different curvature radii provided on the sector side Since the engagement mechanisms with the second protrusions provided on the lock member side are individually provided, there is a problem that the number of members is large and the structure is complicated, and the manufacturing cost is high. .

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made with the object of providing a knuckle device for a vehicle seat that has a small number of members and a simple structure, and that can reduce the manufacturing cost.

  In the present invention, the following configuration is adopted as a specific means for solving such a problem. That is, the base body 1 attached to one of the seat cushion 41 and the seat back 42 and the base body 1 provided with the internal gear 21 and attached to either the seat cushion 41 or the seat back 42 with respect to the base body 1. And a lock gear 22 that meshes with the internal gear 21 and is attached to the base body 1 so as to be movable in the radial direction. The lock gear 22 is connected to the internal gear 21. A lock member 3 meshed with 21 and a lock member 3 which can be selectively set to a lock-off position where the lock gear 22 meshes with and disengages from the internal gear 21 and is always biased to the lock-off position side; A cam 4 that constantly urges the lock member 3 toward the lock position, and a biasing force on the cam 4 is released by rotating the cam 4. In the knuckle device for a vehicle seat provided with the working member 6, the locking member 3 is provided with an engaging protrusion 7, and the sector 2 has an arcuate shape that can be engaged with the engaging surface 7a of the engaging protrusion 7. In the state where the engagement protrusion 7 is engaged with the engagement surface 7a, a guide protrusion 11 is provided for holding the lock member 3 in the lock-off position, while the engagement protrusion 7 is provided on the radially outer engagement surface. 7a, a guide plate 9 that can be engaged with the cam 7 and a kick plate 5 that is pivotally operated by the operation member 6 integrally with the cam 4. The first guide surface 9a that allows the lock member 3 to be set to the lock position when the surface corresponds to the surface 7a, and the lock member 3 is locked off when the surface corresponds to the engagement surface 7a of the engagement protrusion 7 Position to position Is characterized in that it has a structure in which a second guide surface 9b to set.

  According to the knuckle device for a vehicle seat according to the invention of the present application, the locking projection 3 is provided with the engagement protrusion 7, and the sector 2 has an arcuate shape that can be engaged with the engagement surface 7 a of the engagement protrusion 7. In the state where the engagement protrusion 7 is engaged with the engagement surface 7a, a guide protrusion 11 is provided for holding the lock member 3 in the lock-off position, while the engagement protrusion 7 is provided on the radially outer engagement surface. 7a, a guide plate 9 that can be engaged with the cam 7 and a kick plate 5 that is pivotally operated by the operation member 6 integrally with the cam 4. The first guide surface 9a that allows the lock member 3 to be set to the lock position when the surface corresponds to the surface 7a, and the lock member 3 is locked off when the surface corresponds to the engagement surface 7a of the engagement protrusion 7 Position to position Since the engaging projection 7 includes a second guide surface 9b, the engaging protrusion 7 includes a structural member for performing a locking / locking-off operation of the locking member and a structural member for maintaining a lock-off state. It is sufficient to provide only one engagement protrusion 7 on the lock member 3. For example, the lock protrusion 3 is formed with two protrusions and has a different function. On the other hand, the structure is simplified because the number of the engagement protrusions 7 is small, and the manufacturing cost of the knuckle device can be reduced.

  FIG. 1 shows a knuckle device Z provided in a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the knuckle device Z connects the rear end portion of the seat cushion 41 and the lower end portion of the seat back 42, and makes the seat back 42 the last tilt position (reference 42A) and the most forward tilt position (reference 42B). The seat back 42 is held in a lock-off state in a range of an angle α3 between a standing position (reference numeral 42) tilted backward by an angle α1 from the vertical position and the forward tilt position. While allowing the free rotation, the tilt angle of the seat back 42 can be adjusted by locking at any tilt position within the range of the angle α2 between the standing position and the last tilt position. In particular, the present embodiment aims to simplify the structure of the knuckle device Z having the functions as described above and to reduce the manufacturing cost. Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the knuckle device Z for realizing such a configuration will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the knuckle device Z is fixed to the seat cushion 41 side and fixed to the seat back 42 side, and has an internal gear 21 on its outer peripheral portion. A sector 2 formed and fitted to the base body 1 so as to be rotatable relative to the base body 1 is provided, and a lock member 3 and a cam described later are formed in an internal space formed by the fitting of the base body 1 and the sector 2 4, the kick plate 5 and the biasing spring 12 are accommodated.

  The base body 1 has a shallow circular dish shape, and a step portion 1a for fitting the sector 2 described below so as to be relatively rotatable is formed on the outer peripheral portion on the inner surface side. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom surface 1 b inside the step portion 1 a of the base body 1 sandwiches the shaft center on a straight line L extending in the radial direction through the shaft center of the base body 1. Thus, a pair of guide stoppers 10 and 10 facing each other in a direction perpendicular to the straight line L are provided at a portion located on one side and a portion located on the other side. The pair of left and right guide stoppers 10 and 10 are formed so as to protrude on the bottom surface 1b, and the surfaces on the straight line L side facing each other are guide surfaces 10a and 10a extending in parallel with the straight line L. It is said that. Then, between the guide surfaces 10a, 10a of the pair of left and right guide stoppers 10, 10, a lock member 3 described below is inserted and arranged.

  The sector 2 has a two-step stepped shallow circular plate shape having an outer diameter that can be fitted into the step portion 1a of the base body 1 so as to be relatively rotatable, and has an opening surface thereof. An internal gear 21 is formed on the inner surface of the stepped portion on the side. Further, arc-shaped guide ridges 11 having a predetermined length centering on the axis of the sector 2 are respectively provided at the reference positions sandwiching the axis at the inner step of the sector 2. . The length of the guide protrusion 11 determines an angle range “α3” that allows the seat back 42 to freely rotate. Further, the radius of curvature of the inner side surface of the guide protrusion 11 is set so as to correspond to a guide surface 9 provided on the kick plate 5 described later (specifically, described later).

  The lock member 3 is integrally formed of a substantially rectangular plate having a plate thickness substantially matching the tooth width of the internal gear 21 on the sector 2 side, and the two opposite sides thereof are the base body. The sliding surfaces 3a and 3b extend in parallel with a size that can be fitted between a pair of guide stoppers 10 and 10 on one side, and the lock member 3 uses the sliding surfaces 3a and 3b as the base body 1 and the guides. By being fitted between the guide surfaces 10a and 10a of the stopper 10, the base body 1 can be moved in the radial direction along the guide surfaces 10a and 10a.

  On the other hand, a lock gear 22 that meshes with the internal gear 21 on the sector 2 side is formed on the surface 10c located on the radially outer side of the base body 1 among the other two opposite sides of the lock member 3. Has been. The surface 10d located on the radially inner side of the base body 1 is a cam surface 23 having a curved shape that is displaced closer to the lock gear 22 from the both sides in the width direction toward the center. The cam surface 23 described below is engaged with the cam surface 23.

  The cam 4 is composed of a plate material having substantially the same thickness as that of the lock member 3, and the cam surface 4 a and a projecting engagement portion are provided at both edge portions across the axis. 4b is formed. The cam 4 is attached in a non-rotating state to a shaft-shaped operating member 6 that is rotatably disposed through the shaft center of the base body 1 and the sector 2. When the member 6 is rotated, the member 6 is rotated integrally with the operation member 6, and the cam surface 4 a is slidably engaged with the cam surface 23 of the lock member 3. One end of a biasing spring 12 attached to the base body 1 side is locked to the locking portion 4 b of the cam 4. The cam 4 is locked by the biasing force of the biasing spring 12. The member 3 is always urged in the direction in which the lock gear 22 meshes with the internal gear 21.

  Therefore, the cam 4 is urged in the direction of the arrow A by the urging force of the urging spring 12 when the operation member 6 is in a non-operation state, and pushes the lock member 3 outward in the radial direction. The lock gear 22 is engaged with the internal gear 21. On the other hand, when the operation member 6 is rotated in the direction of arrow B, the cam 4 is rotated in the direction of arrow B against the urging force of the urging spring 12, The urging action is released, and the lock member 3 moves inward in the radial direction and the lock gear 22 is allowed to disengage from the internal gear 21. Here, the movement of the lock member 3 inward in the radial direction is performed by the cam action of the guide surface 9 of the kick plate 5 described below.

  That is, the cams 4 are respectively provided with engaging pins 13 at opposite positions across the axis. On the other hand, the kick plate 5 is formed of a substantially disk-shaped thin plate material, and an engaging groove 14 is formed in the axial center portion thereof. The kick plate 5 is attached to the surfaces of the lock member 3 and the cam 4. The kick plate 5 is disposed so as to overlap the engaging groove 14 and the engaging pin 13 on the cam 4 side is engaged with the operating member 6 in the rotation direction of the operating member 6. And are integrally rotated. Furthermore, wide arc groove-shaped guide holes 8 are formed at two positions facing each other across the axis of the kick plate 5. The outer surface in the radial direction of the guide hole 8 is a guide surface 9 that engages with the engagement protrusion 7 on the lock member 3 side, and the guide surface 9 is located closer to the center in the arcuate direction. The first guide surface 9a having a large distance from the shaft center and a pair of left and right second guides that are smoothly connected to the left and right edges of the first guide surface 9a and have a small distance from the shaft center. It is comprised by the surface 9b, 9b.

  When the engagement protrusion 7 is engaged with the first guide surface 9a of the guide surface 9 (the state shown in FIG. 1), the lock member 3 moves the lock gear 22 on the sector 2 side. It can be meshed with the internal gear 21. On the other hand, in a state where the engagement protrusion 7 is engaged with the second guide surface 9b of the guide surface 9 (the state shown in FIG. 3), the lock member 3 is connected to the second guide surface 9b. Accordingly, the lock gear 22 is engaged with and disengaged from the internal gear 21 from the internal gear 21 to the disengaged internal gear 21.

  Further, the formation position in the sector 2 is set so that the inner surface of the guide protrusion 11 provided on the sector 2 side substantially coincides with the second guide surface 9 b of the guide surface 9.

  Next, the operation of the knuckle device Z according to the above embodiment will be described.

  1 and 2 show a locked state in the “standing position” shown in FIG. In this state, the engagement protrusion 7 of the lock member 3 corresponds to the first guide surface 9a of the guide surface 9 on the kick plate 5 side, and the operation member 6 is not operated. Therefore, the urging force of each urging spring 12 is transmitted to the lock member 3 via the cam 4, the fork 3 is urged radially outward, and the lock gear 22 of the lock member 3 is The relative rotation of the sector 2 with respect to the base body 1 is restricted by meshing with the internal gear 21 on the sector 2 side, and the seat back 42 is locked in the “standing position”.

  At this time, one end of the guide protrusion 11 on the sector 2 side is positioned on the side end of the engagement protrusion 7 and is not engaged with the guide protrusion 11.

  To release this locked state, the operation member 6 is rotated in the direction of arrow B. Then, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cam 4 and the kick plate 5 are integrally moved in the arrow B direction against the urging force of the urging spring 12 as the operation member 6 is rotated. The urging action of the cam surface 4a of the cam 4 on the lock member 3 is released, and the lock member 3 is allowed to move radially inward. Further, the engagement protrusion 7 on the lock member 3 side moves from the first guide surface 9a of the guide surface 9 on the kick plate 5 side to the second guide surface 9b side, so that the lock member 3 is forced. When the lock gear 22 of the lock member 3 is disengaged from the internal gear 21 on the sector 2 side, the lock-off state is realized.

  From the lock-off state shown in FIG. 3, the seat back 42 is rotated to a predetermined position between “standing position” and “last tilt position” shown in FIG. In order to adjust the tilt position of the back 42), the seat back 42 is rotated to a predetermined position while the operation member 6 is being rotated. Then, with the rotation of the seat back 42, the sector 2 rotates in the arrow direction A direction (that is, the direction in which the guide protrusion 11 moves away from the engagement protrusion 7 in the circumferential direction). When the rotation operation on the operation member 6 is released at a desired rotation position, both the cam 4 and the kick plate 5 are returned and rotated in the direction of arrow A by the urging force of the urging spring 12, and the cam 4, the urging force of the urging spring 12 acts on the lock member 3 to move it radially outward through the cam 4, and at the same time, the kick plate 5 returns. The engagement protrusion 7 corresponds to the first guide surface 9a of the guide surface 9 on the kick plate 5 side, and the lock member 3 is allowed to move radially outward. As a result, the lock member 3 moves radially outward, the lock gear 22 meshes with the internal gear 21 on the sector 2 side, and the seat back 42 is fixed and held at that position. .

  On the other hand, when the seat back 42 is rotated from the “standing position” shown in FIG. 7 to the “most forward tilt position” side from the lock-off state shown in FIG. If the seat back 42 is tilted forward a little while performing the above, the sector 2 is rotated in the direction of arrow A from the position shown in FIG. 3, and the engaging projection 7 is moved to the sector 2 as shown in FIG. It is engaged with the guide ridge 11 on the side, and the lock member 3 is restricted from moving radially outward by the regulating action of the guide ridge 11. Therefore, even if the turning operation force on the operation member 6 is released at this time, the engagement protrusion 7 is within the rotation range in which the guide protrusion 11 is engaged (that is, from the “standing position” to “ Within the range up to the “frontmost tilt position”, the lock-off state is maintained, and the seat back 42 can be freely rotated.

  As described above, according to the knuckle device Z of this embodiment, the engaging projection 7 includes the structural member for performing the locking / locking-off operation of the locking member 3 and the mechanism for holding the lock-off state. The constituent members are also used. As a result, only one engagement protrusion 7 needs to be provided on the lock member 3. For example, two lock protrusions are formed on the lock member as in the prior art, and each lock member has a different function. Compared to the configuration, the number of the engagement projections 7 is small, so that the structure is simplified, and as a result, the manufacturing cost of the knuckle device can be reduced.

It is a partial cross section front view in the locked state of the knuckle device for vehicle seats concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the knuckle device shown in FIG. It is a partial cross section front view in the lock-off state of the knuckle device for vehicle seats concerning an embodiment of the invention of this application. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the knuckle device shown in FIG. It is a partial cross section front view in the free state of the knuckle device for vehicle seats concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the knuckle device shown in FIG. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the sheet | seat provided with the knuckle apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 .. Base body 2 .. Sector 3 .. Lock member 4 .. Cam 5 .. Kick plate 6 .. Operation member 7 .. Engagement protrusion 8 .. Guide hole 9 .. Guide surface 10 .. Guide stopper 11 .. Guide protrusion 12 .. Energizing spring 13 .. Engaging pin 14 .. Engaging groove 21 .. Sector gear 22 .. Lock gear 41 .. Seat cushion 42 .. Seat back

Claims (1)

A base body (1) attached to one of the seat cushion (41) and the seat back (42), and an internal gear (21), and attached to either the seat cushion (41) or the seat back (42). The base body (1) side is provided with a sector (2) assembled in a state of being rotatable relative to the base body (1) and a lock gear (22) meshing with the internal gear (21). And a lock position where the lock gear (22) meshes with the internal gear (21) and a lock where the lock gear (22) meshes with and disengages from the internal gear (21). A lock member (3) that can be selectively set to the off position and is always urged toward the lock off position, and a cam (4) that constantly urges the lock member (3) toward the lock position. , A vehicle seat knuckle device having an operating member (6) for releasing the urging force against the cam (4) by rotational operation of the cam (4),
The locking member (3) is provided with an engaging protrusion (7),
The sector (2) has an arc shape that can be engaged with the engagement surface (7a) of the engagement protrusion (7) and is engaged with the engagement surface (7a) of the engagement protrusion (7). While a guide protrusion (11) is provided to hold the lock member (3) in the lock-off position in the state,
A guide surface (9) that can be engaged with an engagement surface (7a) on the radially outer side of the engagement protrusion (7) is provided, and is rotated by the operation member (6) integrally with the cam (4). The kick plate (5) is provided, and when the guide surface (9) corresponds to the engagement surface (7a) of the engagement protrusion (7), the lock member (3) is positioned to the lock position. A first guide surface (9a) that allows setting, and a second member that positions the lock member (3) at the lock-off position when corresponding to the engagement surface (7a) of the engagement protrusion (7). A knuckle device for a vehicle seat, characterized by comprising a guide surface (9b).

Images