ADJUSTING DEVICE HAVING A SPINDLE DRIVE FOR A SEAT ELEMENT OF A VEHICLE SEAT

Abstract

It is provided an adjusting device for a seat element of a vehicle seat supporting a body part of a seat user, with at least one driving device comprising a spindle drive and at least one adjustable support element for changing the contour or position of the seat element, wherein the spindle drive comprises a spindle extending along a spindle axis, which is floatingly mounted at a spindle end via a spindle holder such that at this spindle end the spindle is displaceable along at least one spatial direction extending transversely to the spindle axis. The spindle holder comprises a first and a second compensating element for a displaceability of the spindle end with respect to two first and second spatial directions extending approximately perpendicularly to each other and each perpendicularly to the spindle axis.

Claims

1.-20. (canceled)

21. An adjusting device for a seat element of a vehicle seat supporting a body part of a seat user, with at least one driving device comprising a spindle drive and at least one adjustable support element for changing the contour or position of the seat element, wherein the spindle drive comprises a spindle extending along a spindle axis, which is floatingly mounted at a spindle end via a spindle holder such that at this spindle end the spindle is displaceable along at least one spatial direction extending transversely to the spindle axis, wherein the spindle holder comprises a first and a second compensating element for a displaceability of the spindle end with respect to two first and second spatial directions extending approximately perpendicularly to each other and each perpendicularly to the spindle axis, wherein the spindle end is displaceably held on the first compensating element and the first compensating element together with the spindle end is displaceably held on the second compensating element.

22. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the displaceable spindle end is positively held on the first compensating element and at least one of shiftable along the first spatial direction and rotatable about the first spatial direction, and the first compensating element is positively held on the second compensating element and at least one of shiftable along the second spatial direction and rotatable about the second spatial direction.

23. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the first compensating element forms a channel-like receptacle in which an end piece of the spindle is positively and shiftably held in the manner of a sliding block.

24. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the second compensating element limits a displacement of the spindle end relative to the first compensating element.

25. The adjusting device according to claim 23, wherein the second compensating element limits a displacement of the spindle end relative to the first compensating element, wherein the second compensating element closes the channel-like receptacle of the first compensating element on the properly mounted adjusting device to such an extent that the end piece cannot be shifted out of the receptacle.

26. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the second compensating element forms a channel-like receptacle in which the first compensating element is positively and shiftably held in the manner of a sliding block.

27. The adjusting device according to claim 23, wherein the second compensating element forms a channel-like receptacle in which the first compensating element is positively and shiftably held in the manner of a sliding block, wherein the receptacle of the first compensating element is open towards a first side, which by about 90° about the spindle axis is offset from a second side towards which the receptacle of the second compensating element is open.

28. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the second compensating element is provided on a guiding device of the adjusting device, via which the adjusting device is mounted to the vehicle seat as a premounted assembly.

29. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the second compensating element is provided on a seat-fixed component of the vehicle seat, to which at least a part of the adjusting device is mounted as a premounted assembly.

30. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the adjusting device comprises a guiding device on which a carrier of the adjusting device is shiftably mounted, which carries the at least one driving device.

31. The adjusting device according to claim 30, wherein the carrier is shiftable by means of the spindle drive of the driving device, whose spindle includes the spindle end displaceable via the first and second compensating elements.

32. The adjusting device according to claim 30, wherein the adjusting device includes an adjusting part shiftably mounted relative to the carrier, by means of which the at least one support element is adjustable.

33. An adjusting device for a seat element of a vehicle seat supporting a body part of a seat user, with at least one driving device comprising a spindle drive and at least one adjustable support element for changing the contour or position of the seat element, wherein the spindle drive comprises a rotatable spindle extending along a spindle axis and a spindle nut meshing with the spindle, wherein the spindle nut is fixed to an adjusting part adjustable by means of the spindle drive via a bearing point, wherein at the bearing point at least one elastic compensating element is provided, via which the spindle nut is held on the adjusting part such the spindle nut along with a portion of the spindle meshing with the spindle nut is displaceable at least along a spatial direction extending perpendicularly to the spindle axis by elastically deforming the compensating element.

34. The adjusting device according to claim 33, wherein the elastic compensating element is sleeve-shaped or ring-shaped.

35. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the adjusting device comprises two spindle drives with one spindle each.

36. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the adjusting device comprises two spindle drives with one spindle each, wherein a spindle end of a first spindle is displaceably held via the first and second compensating elements and a spindle nut meshing with another, second spindle is displaceable by elastically deforming a further, third compensating element.

37. The adjusting device according to claim 31, wherein the adjusting device includes an adjusting part shiftably mounted relative to the carrier, by means of which the at least one support element is adjustable, the adjusting device comprises two spindle drives with one spindle each, wherein a spindle end of a first spindle is displaceably held via the first and second compensating elements and a spindle nut meshing with another, second spindle is displaceable by elastically deforming a further, third compensating element, and wherein by means of the first spindle the carrier is shiftable along the guiding device together with the adjusting part and by means of the second spindle the carrier and the adjusting part are shiftable relative to each other.

38. The adjusting device according to claim 35, wherein a spindle cooperates with a spindle nut drivable to perform a rotation about the associated spindle axis, while the other spindle is drivable to perform a rotation about its spindle axis and meshes with a non-rotatable spindle nut.

39. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein at least one spindle nut or at least one spindle of the adjusting device with at least one portion is circumferentially supported on a bearing point via a two-part bearing shell, wherein via an individual bearing part of the bearing shell the spindle or spindle nut already is supported over more than half of the circumference.

40. The adjusting device according to claim 21, wherein the adjusting device is equipped and provided to variably change the shape or position of a support region or a side bolster of a seat underpart, a backrest or a headrest of a vehicle seat.

Description

[0032] The attached Figures by way of example illustrate possible design variants of the solution according to the invention.

[0033] In the drawings:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of an adjusting device according to the invention with a guiding device in the form of a wire bracket on which a carrier and an adjusting part in the form of a slider are shiftably mounted;

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged representation of a spindle end of a spindle belonging to a driving device of the adjusting device of FIG. 1, wherein the spindle end—other than shown in FIG. 1—is displaceably held in a seat-fixed spindle holder;

[0036] FIG. 3A sectionally shows the adjusting device of FIG. 1 with a view to a second spindle of a second driving device for the adjustment of the carrier and the slider relative to each other with a view to a slider-fixed spindle nut;

[0037] FIG. 3B shows a sectional representation through the spindle nut of FIG. 3A;

[0038] FIGS. 4A-4B in different views sectionally show an alternatively designed and differently mounted spindle nut for the second spindle;

[0039] FIG. 5 on an enlarged scale and sectionally shows the support of a spindle end of the second spindle corresponding to FIG. 1;

[0040] FIGS. 6A-6B show different sectional views to illustrate the support of the second spindle in the region of the spindle end of FIG. 5;

[0041] FIGS. 7A-7B in a side view show different positions of one of two support elements of the adjusting device of FIG. 1; which acts on a seat element below a seat cushion, e.g, on a comfort mat (without showing the seat cushion).

[0042] In a perspective representation with reference to the spatial directions of an xyz vehicle seat system of coordinates FIG. 1 shows a modular adjusting device V that is usable for example for a thigh rest, an upper backrest part of a divided backrest or a lumbar support that can be mounted into the seating surface or backrest of a vehicle seat and is connected to the strength structure of the seating surface or backrest. The adjusting device V includes two support elements in the form of two support levers 20 and 21, which can act on a possibly upholstered seat element S, e.g. a comfort mat of the vehicle seat (cf. FIGS. 7A and 7B), in order to variably change the contour and/or position of the seat element S, in particular to change its convexity and/or width. Via the seat element S a body part of a seat user usually is supported when the same is properly seated on the vehicle seat.

[0043] For the connection of the adjusting device V with the strength structure of the vehicle seat, for example a seat base or a backrest frame, the adjusting device V includes a guiding device in the form of a wire bracket 1. The wire bracket 1 can be part of an adjusting module formed with the device V. Alternatively, the wire bracket 1 for example can be part of the backrest frame or seat base, to which the further components of the adjusting device V are mounted.

[0044] The wire bracket 1 includes two guide legs 11 and 12 extending along a z-direction, which are connected to each other via a transverse strut 10 extending transversely thereto at an end of the wire bracket 1 located in the z-direction. Along the guide legs 11 and 12 a carrier 2 and an adjusting part in the form of a slider 3 of the adjusting device V are linearly shiftably mounted. The plate-shaped carrier 2 in particular carries two driving devices 4a and 4b of the adjusting device V, via which on the one hand a power-operated adjustment of the carrier 2 together with the slider 3 is possible and on the other hand a power-operated adjustment of the carrier 2 and the slider 3 relative to each other. Both the carrier 2 and the slider 3 shiftably rest against the guide legs 11 and 12 of the wire bracket 1 via sliding blocks or sliding shoes so that via the respective driving device 4a or 4b a displacement of the respective component of the adjusting device V, i.e, of the carrier 2 or slider 3, along the guide legs 11 and 12 is possible.

[0045] A first driving device 4a includes a spindle drive with a first spindle 5 for the joint adjustment of the carrier 2 and the slider 3. Onto an external thread of the spindle 5 a spindle nut is turned, which can be put into rotation by a drive unit 40a of the first driving device 4a. For the motorized adjustment the drive unit 40a for example is configured as a motor-transmission unit with an electric motor and a transmission for stepping down or stepping up the motor speed as required.

[0046] When the spindle nut meshing with the first spindle 5 is put into rotation by the drive unit 40a mounted on the carrier 2, the spindle nut is shifted along a spindle axis SA of the first spindle 5 (cf. also FIG. 2) in the −z direction or +z direction depending on the direction of rotation and thereby entrains the carrier 2. Via the first driving device 4a, the position of the carrier 2 together with the slider 3 in this way can be motor-adjusted along the wire bracket 1. Thus, the carrier 2 and the likewise plate-shaped slider 3 are rigidly coupled with each other via a second spindle 6 of a second driving device 4b. Hence, when the carrier 2 is shifted along the guide legs 11 and 12 via a rotation of the spindle nut by means of the drive unit 40a of the first driving device 4a, the slider 3 also is shifted along the guide legs 11 and 12. In this way, a position of carrier 2 and slider 3 can be variably adapted for example via the drive unit 40a in or against the z-direction, for example in order to change a position of a lumbar support formed thereby and adjust the same in its height on a backrest.

[0047] For acting on the seat element S of the vehicle seat not shown in FIG. 1 via the support elements of the adjusting device V formed here as support levers 20 and 21, the carrier 2 and the slider 3 are shiftable relative to each other via the second driving device 40b and its second spindle 6, in particular shiftable towards each other or away from each other. Via the adjustment of the carrier 2 and the slider 3 relative to each other the laterally arranged support levers 20 and 21, between which the drive units 40a and 40b of the two driving devices 4a and 4b are accommodated, are synchronously lifted or lowered.

[0048] For the adjustment of the carrier 2 and the slider 3 relative to each other, the second spindle 6 rotatable here meshes with a spindle nut 8, which in axial direction, i.e. along a spindle axis SB of the second spindle 6, is firmly connected to the slider 3 at a bearing point 38. When the second spindle 6 is put into rotation via the drive unit 40b of the second driving device 4b, the second spindle 6 hence is screwed out of the spindle nut 8 meshing with the external thread of the second spindle 6 or screwed into the spindle nut 8. The slider 3 forcibly guided along the guide legs 11 and 12, to which the spindle nut 8 is fixed, thereby is translatorily shifted in the −z direction or +z direction and the distance between the carrier 2 and the slider 3 thereby is linearly changed. Via the changing distance between the carrier 2 and the slider 3 the support levers 20 and 21 are lifted or lowered, which in their maximally lowered position illustrated in FIG. 1 extend in the −z direction towards the slider 3.

[0049] The support levers 20 and 21 therefor are each pivotally attached to the carrier 2. A pivot axis of a support lever 20 or 21 each extends perpendicularly to the z-direction parallel to a y-direction of the vehicle seat system of coordinates. Each support lever 20 or 21 furthermore is connected to an associated force transmission member in the form of a toggle lever 30 or 31 of the slider 3 via a connecting joint 301 or 311. Each toggle lever 30 or 31 is articulated to the slider 3 about a pivot axis extending along the y-direction and extends in the z-direction towards the carrier 2. At a maximum spacing of the carrier 2 and the slider 3 the support levers 20 and 21 are maximally lowered. When the carrier 2 and the slider 3 approach each other, the toggle levers 30 and 31 pivotally mounted on the slider 3 are pivoted and the ends of the toggle levers 30 and 31 opposite to the pivot axes are lifted. The support levers 20 and 21 connected to the ends of the toggle levers 30 and 31 via the connecting joints 301 and 311 thereby are pivoted about their pivot axes on the carrier 2 and lifted.

[0050] With reference to the side views of FIGS. 7A and 7B the cooperation of the toggle levers 30, 31 with the support levers 20 and 21 is illustrated by way of example with a view to the pair of toggle lever 31 and support lever 21 shown on the right in FIG. 1.

[0051] The support lever 21 acts on the seat element S via a convexly curved contact surface 200, which seat element for example is formed by a flexible comfort mat of the backrest in order to change its contour and/or position by lifting the support lever 21. The adjustment of a support lever 20 or 21 apparently is effected in an xz-plane, wherein a maximum possible adjustment path is limited by the permitted adjustment s1 of the carrier 2 and the slider 3 relative to each other.

[0052] Independent of the relative position of the carrier 2 and the slider 3 the position of the contact surface 200 can be varied along an adjustment path s2 by means of the first driving device 4a by jointly shifting the carrier 2 and the slider 3 along the guide legs 11 and 12.

[0053] To avoid the occurrence of tensions, for example by transverse forces acting on the first or second spindle 5, 6, in operation of the adjusting device V, the first spindle 5 in the illustrated design variant is floatingly mounted at a spindle end 50 spaced apart from the carrier 2 via a spindle holder 7. The spindle holder 7 here is provided on the transverse strut 10 of the wire bracket 1. A fastening part fixed to the transverse strut 10 here forms a sleeve-shaped protrusion 711 protruding in the −x direction. This protrusion 711 defines a (second) channel-like receptacle 710 unilaterally open in the −x direction of a (second) compensating element 71 of the spindle holder 7.

[0054] In the receptacle 710 of this compensating element 71 a further (first) compensating element 70 is shiftably and positively held along the x-direction in the manner of a sliding block. This (first) compensating element 70 furthermore shiftably supports an end piece 500 of the spindle end 50 of the first spindle 5 along the y-direction in the manner of a sliding block. This end piece 500 here is shiftably and positively held in a (first) channel-like receptacle 700 of the first compensating element 700, which is unilaterally open towards the −y direction. The support of the end piece 500 on the first compensating element 70 here is such that an axial displacement of the first spindle 5 along its spindle axis SA as well as a rotation of the first spindle 5 about its spindle axis SA thereby is blocked by the first compensating element 70. At the same time, however, a relative displacement of the spindle end 50 along the y-direction is permitted via the first compensating element 70. In addition, the spindle end 50—together with the first compensating element 70 positively connected thereto—can be displaced on the second compensating element 71 along the x-direction extending perpendicularly to the y-direction. In the present case, the compensating elements 70 and 71 also permit a rotational movement of the first spindle 5 beside the linear movement. Via the end piece 500 and the receptacle 700 of the first compensating element 70 for example a rotational movement about the x-axis and about the ±x direction also becomes possible beside a linear movement along the y-direction. A correspondingly larger dimensioning of the receptacle 700 in relation to the end piece 500 therefor is chosen so that the end piece 500 can also be displaced about the x-axis within the (first) receptacle 700. Via the first and second compensating elements 70 and 71 a rotational movement about the Y-axis or about the ±y direction furthermore becomes possible beside a linear movement in the x-direction. Correspondingly, the first compensating element 70 also can be displaced about the Y-axis within the (second) receptacle 710.

[0055] Via the spindle holder 7, the spindle end 50 of the first spindle 5 hence is floating y displaceable with respect to two spatial directions x and y extending perpendicularly to each other and each perpendicularly to the spindle axis SA of the first spindle 5 in order to avoid tensions in the region of the first spindle 5 and permit a compensating movement of the first spindle 5. With respect to both spatial directions x and y both a translatory and a rotatory displacement is specifically permitted in order to avoid tensions. In operation of the adjusting device V the rotatory degree of freedom about the Y-axis in conjunction with the linear degree of freedom in the ±x-direction usually plays the greater role in order to avoid tensions of the transmission parts with an occurring deflection of the guides provided via the guide legs 11 and 12.

[0056] For an easier mountability of the spindle holder 7 the two compensating elements 70 and 71 are open towards two sides, which are offset from each other about the spindle axis SA by 90°. The first compensating element 70 thus can be pushed onto the end piece 500 of the spindle end 50, before subsequently the first compensating element 70 is pushed into the second compensating element 71, whereby the side on which the receptacle 700 of the first compensating element 70 is open is closed by the walls bordering the receptacle 70 of the second compensating element 71. Then, it is also prevented thereby that the spindle end 50 with its end piece 500 can inadvertently be separated from the same without disassembly of the spindle holder 7.

[0057] A second spindle end 51 of the first spindle 5 moreover is adjacent to the second spindle 6 extending parallel to the first spindle 5 and when necessary, i.e. when the carrier 2 and the slider 3 correspondingly are adjusted relative to each other along the guide legs 11 and 12, can be received and supported in a channel-like depression 35 of the slider 3.

[0058] While in the variant shown in FIG. 1 the spindle holder 7 is provided on the guiding device in the form of the wire bracket 1, via which the assembly of the premounted adjusting device V on the vehicle seat is effected, FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale illustrates a variant in which a spindle holder 7′ is provided with the second compensating element 71 on a seat-fixed fixing part B. The second compensating element 71 for example is fixed to a part of the backrest frame of the backrest or formed thereon. A premounted adjusting device V hence can then already include the first compensating element 70 at the floatingly mountable spindle end 50 of the first spindle 5, in which the end piece 500 of the spindle end 50 is positively and shiftably held. When mounting the adjusting device V to the vehicle seat, however, the first compensating element 70 first is mounted to the seat-fixed second compensating element 71 of the spindle holder 7′.

[0059] In this variant the second compensating element 71 thus is fixed to a seat-fixed fastening part B or integrally mounted thereto, for example fixed to a backrest frame or integrated into a backrest frame, and the spindle end 50 of the first spindle finally is floatingly supported only when mounting the adjusting device V to the corresponding assembly of the vehicle seat. Depending on the interface and type of the adjusting device V, the design of the second compensating element can also be varied so that then an appropriate first compensating element out of several possible first compensating elements 70 can then be put onto the initially free spindle end 50 of the first spindle 5.

[0060] With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B a likewise floating support of the rotatable second spindle 6 via the slider-fixed spindle nut 8 furthermore is also illustrated in detail. The spindle nut 8 meshing with the second spindle 6 here is axially fixed with respect to the spindle axis SB of the second spindle 6 in a bearing receptacle 380 of the bearing point 38 via a securing portion extending radially in the x-direction, but is radially displaceable to a limited extent, in particular along the x-direction, to carry out a compensating movement. The radially protruding securing portion 80 configured as a web or pin with a broadened head 801 therefor engages around an edge of a holding opening 381 provided in the bearing receptacle 380 of the slider 3. In this way, the second spindle 6 is radially fixed to a first spindle end 60 coupled with the second driving device 4b. In the region of the other, second spindle end 61 close to the slider-fixed spindle nut 8, however, a floating support is realized at the bearing point 38 via the spindle nut 8.

[0061] With reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B an alternative floating support in the region of the second spindle end 61 via a slider-fixed spindle nut 8′ is illustrated in detail. The spindle nut 8′ here is axially fixed at an alternatively designed bearing point 38′ and is radially displaceably held to provide for a radial compensating movement. The spindle nut 8′ therefor is circumferentially fixed at the bearing point 38′ via a sleeve-shaped or ring-shaped elastic (third) compensating element 9. Via the elastic compensating element 9 manufactured for example from a rubber or an elastic plastic material the spindle nut 8′ is held on the slider 3 such that the spindle nut 8′ is displaceable along both spatial directions x and y extending perpendicularly to the spindle axis SB with a portion of the second spindle 6 meshing with the spindle nut 8′ by elastically deforming the compensating element 9.

[0062] Thus, in the variant of FIGS. 4A and 4B the second spindle 6 rotatable for an adjustment of the carrier 2 and the slider 3 relative to each other also is floatingly mounted via the non-rotatable spindle nut 8′ meshing with the second spindle 6 so that a compensating movement transversely to the spindle axis SB of the second spindle 6 is permitted. However, in contrast to the variant of FIGS. 3A and 3B, a radial displaceability specifically is permitted here via an elastic compensating element 9 damping the compensating movement at the same time, which circumferentially completely surrounds the spindle nut 8′.

[0063] As is illustrated in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6A, 6B, the second spindle 6 of the adjusting device V corresponding to FIG. 1 is supported in a two-part bearing shell 3622 of a bearing point 36 of the slider 3 at its first spindle end 60 coupled with the drive unit 40b of the second driving device 4b. The bearing shell 3622 here is formed by two bearing parts 361 and 362 connected to each other, which are fixed to each other and form a lower part and an upper part of the bearing shell 3622. Via the bearing parts 360 and 361 the spindle end 60 is circumferentially supported and positively held at the bearing point 36.

[0064] A large part of the bearing shell 3622 is formed by the one bearing part 362. This bearing part 362 with lateral edge webs 3620 and 3621 laterally protrudes beyond a central axis of the second spindle 6 to such an extent that at the bearing point 36 the second spindle 6 is supported on the one bearing part 362 and enclosed over more than half of its circumference. A bearing housing with the bearing shell 3622 formed by the two bearing parts 361 and 362 thus is divided eccentrically with respect to the central axis of the second spindle 6. The one bearing part 362, which extends over more than half of the circumference of the second spindle 6 in the region of the bearing point 36, thus already decisively determines the position of the second spindle 6 at its first spindle end 60. The other bearing part 361 chiefly serves for closing the bearing shell 3622 and possibly finally limiting the radial displaceability of the spindle end 60 towards one side in the −x direction.

[0065] Although the divided bearing shell 3622 with an eccentrical division is illustrated with reference to the support of the spindle end 60 in FIGS. 5 and 6A to 60, a corresponding bearing point 36 can of course also be provided for a—preferably rotatably mounted—spindle nut of the adjusting device V, for example for the spindle nut meshing with the first spindle 5 of the first driving device 4a, via which in conjunction with the stationary first spindle 5 (for example for a height adjustment of a lumbar support formed with the adjusting device V) a joint displacement of the carrier 2 and the slider 3 along the guide legs 11 and 12 is possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0066] 1 wire bracket (guiding device) [0067] 10 transverse strut [0068] 11, 12 guide leg [0069] 2 carrier [0070] 20, 21 support lever (support element) [0071] 200 contact surface [0072] 3 slider (adjusting part) [0073] 30, 31 toggle lever [0074] 301, 311 connecting joint [0075] 35 depression [0076] 36 bearing point [0077] 361, 362 bearing part [0078] 3620, 3621 edge web [0079] 3622 bearing shell [0080] 38, 38′ bearing point [0081] 380 bearing receptacle [0082] 381 holding opening [0083] 40a, 40b drive unit [0084] 4a, 4b driving device [0085] 5 1st spindle [0086] 50, 51 spindle end [0087] 500 end piece [0088] 6 2nd spindle [0089] 60, 61 spindle end [0090] 7, 7′ spindle holder [0091] 70 1st compensating element [0092] 700 channel (first receptacle) [0093] 71 2nd compensating element [0094] 710 second receptacle [0095] 711 protrusion [0096] 8, 8′ spindle nut [0097] 80 securing portion [0098] 801 head [0099] 9 compensating element [0100] S seat element [0101] SA, SB spindle axis [0102] V adjusting device