SEAT FRAME FOR A HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE AND TILTABLE SEAT PAN

Abstract

A seat frame is disclosed for a height-adjustable and tiltable seat pan of a motor vehicle seat. The seat frame has two side rails, a first cross bar, a second cross bar, and a drive unit. The first cross bar is supported in the two side rails and the second cross bar serves to support the seat pan. The second cross bar is mounted so as to be rotatable about fixed first axis in the two side rails. The second cross bar is rotated by the drive unit. The drive unit has an actuating motor and an actuator that is displaceable via the actuating motor and connected to the second cross bar outside the first axis. The drive unit is mounted on the first cross bar and rotatable about a second axis of the first cross bar which is fixed in the two side rails.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A seat frame for a height-adjustable and tiltable seat pan of a motor vehicle seat comprising: two side rails; a first cross bar supported in the two side rails; a second cross bar mounted in the two side rails and rotatably about the fixed first axis a seat pan; and a drive unit supported on the first cross bar so as to be rotatable about a second axis of the first cross bar fixed in the two side rails, the drive unit having an actuating motor and an actuator connected to the second cross bar outside of the first axis, wherein the actuator is displaceable by the actuating motor.

17. The seat frame according to claim 16, wherein the first cross bar is mounted rotatably about a third axis.

18. The seat frame according to claim 17, wherein the first cross bar is mounted in the side rails and rotatably about the second axis.

19. The seat frame according to claim 17, wherein the drive unit is supported on the first cross bar so as to be rotatable by a bracket that surrounds the cross bar and connected to the drive unit.

20. The seat frame according to claim 19, wherein the bracket surrounds the cross bar in positive locking manner.

21. The seat frame according to claim 20, wherein the seat frame further comprises a threaded fastener passing through at least one of the drive unit or the bracket and engages in an internal thread conformed in at least one of the bracket or the drive unit.

22. The seat frame according to 16, wherein the rotatable support of drive unit comprises an anti-friction element between bracket and first cross bar, the anti-friction element selected from the group consists of a lubricant, a bearing, a roller bearing or a combination thereof.

23. The seat frame according to claim 16, wherein the drive unit lies in positive locking manner against the first cross bar.

24. The seat frame according to claim 16, wherein the first cross bar comprises at least one end stop for the drive unit arranged in a longitudinal direction of the first cross bar.

25. The seat frame according to claim 24, wherein the end stop comprises a circumferential bead formed on the first cross bar.

26. The seat frame according to claim 24, wherein the first cross bar comprises two end stops for the drive unit arranged at a distance from each other in a longitudinal direction of the first cross bar.

27. The seat frame according to claim 26, wherein the end stops each comprise a circumferential bead formed on the first cross bar.

28. The seat frame according to claim 16, wherein the actuating motor is selected from a group consisting of an electric motor, a linear motor, and a spindle motor.

29. The seat frame according to claim 16, wherein the drive unit comprises spindle rod, wherein the actuator is arranged on the spindle rod (15).

30. The seat frame according to claim 29, wherein the drive unit further comprises at least one travel limiter for the actuator.

31. The seat frame according to claim 30, wherein a travel limiter closest to the actuating motor comprises a sleeve surrounding spindle rod.

32. The seat frame according to claim 29, wherein the displacement movement of the actuator takes place along a longitudinal axis of the spindle rod intersecting the second axis at right angles.

33. The seat frame according to claim 16, wherein the actuator is mounted in a bearing section connected to the second cross bar, and the actuator is displaceably mounted in the bearing section.

34. The seat frame according to claim 34, further comprising a connection to the actuator which clasps behind the bearing section on the side thereof facing away from the actuator.

35. The seat frame according to claim 16 further comprising two pivot legs, each pivot leg being attached to at least one of the first cross bar or the second cross bar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an arrangement of a seat frame with a seat pan supported in the seat frame;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of part of the arrangement according to FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the seat frame according to FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of part of the seat frame according to FIG. 1;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the seat frame according to FIG. 1 in a longitudinal direction of the seat frame;

[0026] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the seat frame according to FIG. 1 without the side rails and in a first end position of a seat pan inclination angle in a longitudinal direction of the seat frame;

[0027] FIG. 7 shows the same view as in FIG. 6 of the seat frame of FIG. 6 with the seat pan in an intermediate inclination angle position;

[0028] FIG. 8 shows the same view as in FIG. 6 of the seat frame of FIG. 6 with the seat pan in second end position of a seat pan inclination angle; and

[0029] FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view of a partial area of the seat frame according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a seat frame 1 with a seat pan 9 supported in seat frame 1, wherein seat frame 1 is mounted displaceably in a seat rail system 21 having two seat rails. Seat frame 1 has two side rails 2, a first cross bar 3 and a second cross bar. Seat pan 9 is mounted at one end in second cross bar 4 and at the other end in the two side rails 2 so as to be rotatable about a fourth axis 20.

[0032] Second cross bar 4 is in turn mounted rotatably about a first axis 8 which is fixed in the two side rails 2. Rotation of the second cross bar 4 causes seat pan 9 to rotate about fourth axis 20 and thus change the inclination angle of seat pan 9 relative to the two side rails 2 and consequently relative to a horizontal plane of the vehicle. The second cross bar 4 is rotated by a drive unit 5, the drive unit 5 having an actuating motor 10 and an actuator 11 which is displaceable by the actuating motor 10. Drive unit 5 is in the form of a spindle motor. Actuator 11 is arranged on a spindle rod 15 of drive unit 5. Actuator 11 is mounted rotatably in a bearing section 17 connected to the second cross bar 4. A connection 18 connected to actuator 11 engages behind bearing section 17 on the side thereof facing away from actuator 11.

[0033] Drive unit 5 is mounted on first cross bar 3 so as to be rotatable about a second axis 6 of the first cross bar 3 which is fixed in the two side rails 2. Since drive unit 5 is mounted rotatably on first cross bar 3, if first axis 8 and second axis 6 den are fixed, cross bar 4 is rotatable about the first axis 8 and thus alters the inclination angle of seat pan 9 by displacement of actuator 11 relative to the two side rails 2.

[0034] First cross bar 3 is mounted non-rotatably in the two side rails 2 and rotatably about a third axis 7 on the side of the seat rail system. First cross bar 3 is connected to seat rail system 21 by two pivot legs 19 which are pivotable relative to the seat rails, first cross bar 3 being mounted rotatably in the two pivot legs 19. Height adjustment of seat pan 9 is achieved by pivoting of the two pivot legs 19 and the rotation of first cross bar 3 resulting therefrom.

[0035] As may be seen particularly in FIGS. 3-8, drive unit 5 is mounted flush in positive locking manner on first cross bar 3, drive unit 5 being mounted rotatably on first cross bar 3 by a bracket 12 which surrounds the first cross bar 3 in positive locking manner. An end stop 14 in the form of a bead extending circumferentially around first cross bar 3 prevents drive unit 5 from shifting in a longitudinal direction of first cross bar 3.

[0036] As may be seen particularly in the cross sections of FIGS. 6-8, a fastener 13 in the form of a threaded fastener passes through drive unit 5 and bracket 12. The fastener 13 engages in an internal thread conformed in bracket 12. A more or less torsionally resistant connection between drive unit 5 and first cross bar 3 may be created according to a tightening torque of the screw, providing a simple way to adjust the resistance of the drive unit to rotation.

[0037] FIGS. 5-8 show seat frame 1 in various positions, wherein different inclination angles as well as different height positions are illustrated. In this context, FIG. 5 shows for exemplary purposes a side view of seat frame 1 with side rail 2. For the sake of clarity, side rail 2 and the attachment to seat part rail system 21 of the pivot leg 19 which is connected to first cross bar 3 have been omitted from FIGS. 6-8.

[0038] FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 show seat frame 1 in exactly the same height position. FIG. 7 shows seat frame 1 in a lower height position than in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8. The seat frame has been lowered by a rotation of first cross bar 3 about the third axis of rotation 7 in the direction of seat rail system 21.

[0039] FIG. 6 shows seat frame 1 in a first end position of the seat pan inclination angle. This first end position is characterized in that actuator 11 is located in a position as far as possible from second axis 6. In this case, actuator 11 bears on a travel limiter 16 arranged on the end of spindle rod 15 to limit the travel path of actuator 16. This first end position of the seat pan inclination angle corresponds to a maximum inclination angle of seat pan 9.

[0040] FIG. 8 shows seat frame 1 in a second end position of the seat pan inclination angle, this end position being characterized in that actuator 11 lies flush against a travel limiter 16 on the actuating motor side. The travel limiter 16 is configured as the sleeve that surrounds spindle rod 15. This end position corresponds to a minimum inclination angle of seat pan 9.

[0041] In FIGS. 5 and 7, actuator 11 is located in an intermediate position between the two end positions. Consequently, the seat pan inclination angle is also in an intermediate position between the two extremes.

[0042] The rotatable mounting of drive unit 5 on first cross bar 3 ensures that an adjustment of the height of seat pan 9 does not affect the inclination angle setting of seat pan 9. This is shown particularly by a comparison of FIG. 5 with FIG. 7.

[0043] As may be seen particularly in FIGS. 6 to 8, a longitudinal axis 22 of spindle rod 15 intersects second axis 6, thereby ensuring that the movement of actuator 11 does not cause drive unit 5 to rotate immediately and consequently ensures that the largest possible portion of the displacement movement of actuator 11 is transformed into a rotation movement of second cross bar 4.

[0044] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.