Vehicle seat

Abstract

A vehicle seat comprises a seat part including a seat cushion pan 1 for a seat occupant, two side parts between which a cross tube 6 extends along a pivot axis, and seat part mounting brackets 7 for connecting the seat cushion pan 1 and the cross tube 6. The cross tube 6 has a clearance opening 61 within the range of at least one of the seat part mounting brackets 7 and a local bead 62 opposite from the clearance opening 61. The local bead 62 engages an indentation or slot 72 within the surface of the seat part mounting bracket 7 facing the cross tube 6 for limiting a lateral movement of the seat cushion pan 1.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising: a seat part comprising a seat cushion pan for a seat occupant and two side parts between which a cross tube having a substantially cylindrical surface extends along a pivot axis, seat part mounting brackets for connecting said seat cushion pan and said cross tube, said cross tube having a clearance opening in its cylindrical surface in a connecting section of at least a first mounting bracket said seat part mounting brackets and a cam opposite from said clearance opening, said cam positively engaging a lock of said first mounting bracket for limiting a lateral movement of said seat cushion pan.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein said clearance opening is formed as a hole or slot punched into a bottom of the cylindrical surface of said cross tube with respect to a Z direction of the Cartesian car coordinate system) to provide access to a tool to create said cam opposite from said clearance opening.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein said cam is formed on an opposite side on top of the cylindrical surface of said cross tube with respect to the Z direction of the Cartesian car coordinate system.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein said cam radially expands from the cylindrical surface of said cross tube.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the lock which said cam engages is an indentation or slot within the surface of said seat part mounting bracket facing said cross tube.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein said cross tube has an additional clearance opening in its cylindrical surface in the connecting section of a second seat part mounting bracket being separated from the first seat part mounting bracket by a predetermined distance and cams opposite from said clearance openings, said cams abutting inner edges of said first and second seat part mounting brackets facing each other.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein said cross tube has an additional clearance opening in its cylindrical surface in a connecting section of a second seat part mounting bracket being separated from said first seat part mounting bracket by a predetermined distance and cams opposite from said clearance openings, said cams abutting outer edges of said first and second seat part mounting brackets being oriented to said side parts of said seat part.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein said vehicle seat further comprises an adjustment mechanism including a plurality of rockers which are pivotally coupled to said seat part and which are connected in a torsionally locked manner to said cross tube.

9. A vehicle seat comprising: a seat part comprising a seat cushion pan for a seat occupant and two side parts between which a cross tube extends along a pivot axis, seat part mounting brackets for connecting said seat cushion pan and said cross tube, said cross tube having a mounting opening in a connecting section of at least one of said seat part mounting brackets, said at least one of said seat part mounting brackets in the connecting section of said mounting opening having a cam expanding from the inner surface of said at least one said seat part mounting brackets facing said mounting opening of said cross tube, said cam of said at least one of said seat part mounting brackets engaging said mounting opening of said cross tube for limiting a lateral movement of said seat cushion pan.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 9, wherein said mounting opening is formed as a hole or slot punched into the bottom of said cross tube with respect to a Z-direction of the Cartesian car coordinate system, said at least one of said seat part mounting brackets in the connecting section of said mounting opening having a mounting part opposite said cam for connecting said seat cushion pan to said at least one of said seat part mounting brackets.

11. The vehicle seat of claim 9, wherein said mounting opening is formed as a hole or slot punched into the top side of said cross tube with respect to the Z-direction of the Cartesian car coordinate system, said at least one of said seat part mounting brackets in the connecting section of said mounting opening having a cam expanding from the lower surface of the mounting part of said at least one of said seat part mounting brackets facing said mounting opening of said cross tube.

12. The vehicle seat of claim 9, wherein said vehicle seat further comprises an adjustment mechanism including a plurality of rockers which are pivotally coupled to said seat part and which are connected in a torsionally locked manner to said cross tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The various features and advantages of the present invention may be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description and the embodiments shown in the drawings. Herein shows

(2) FIG. 1 a perspective front view of a section of a height adjustable seat part of a vehicle seat according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 a cross-sectional view of the connection between a front cross tube and a seat cushion pan according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 an enlarged view of the detail III represented in FIG. 2 of the connection between a annular bead of the front cross tube and a annular groove of a seat part mounting bracket

(5) FIG. 4 a perspective view of the annular bead of the front cross tube of FIGS. 2 and 3;

(6) FIG. 5 a perspective view of a cross tube comprising a clearance opening to provide access to a tool to create a local bead opposite from the clearance opening according to the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 a side-view of the cross tube according to FIG. 5 comprising a local bead opposite from the clearance opening;

(8) FIG. 7 a perspective view of a connection between the local bead of the cross tube and a seat cushion pan by means of a seat part mounting bracket;

(9) FIG. 8 a cross-sectional view, in the direction referenced VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;

(10) FIG. 9 a cross-sectional view of a positive locking retaining feature for limiting the lateral movement of the seat cushion pan by an abutment of inner edges of two seat part mounting bracket at two local beads of the cross tube being separated from each other in a predetermined distance;

(11) FIG. 10 a perspective view of a seat part mounting bracket comprising a cam-like embossment expanding from a tube enveloping part of the seat part mounting bracket engaging a mounting opening in the bottom of a cross tube;

(12) FIG. 11 a perspective partial view of the connection between the seat part mounting bracket according to FIG. 10 and the cross tube;

(13) FIG. 12 a cross-sectional view, in the direction referenced XII-XII in FIG. 11;

(14) FIG. 13 a perspective view of a seat part mounting bracket comprising a cam-like embossment expanding from the lower surface of a mounting part of the seat part mounting bracket;

(15) FIG. 14 a cross-sectional view of the connection between the seat part mounting bracket according to FIG. 13 and the cross tube wherein the cam-like embossment expanding from the lower surface of the mounting part of the seat part mounting bracket engages the mounting opening in the top side of the cross tube;

(16) FIG. 15 a perspective view of a cross tube comprising two mounting openings for receiving a cam-like embossment of a seat part mounting bracket;

(17) FIG. 16 a perspective view of a cross tube comprising a mounting opening with low tolerance in the Y-direction and clearance in the X-direction to allow a rotating tube and

(18) FIG. 17 a perspective partial view of the connection between the cross tube according to FIG. 14 and a rotating side part or rocket of a vehicle seat part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(19) Subsequently, embodiments of the invention shall be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate like structural elements.

(20) It is to be noted that the embodiments are not limiting for the invention, but merely represent illustrative examples.

(21) FIG. 5 shows a perspective partial view of a cross tube 6 which is part of a seat part of a vehicle seat comprising a seat cushion pan for a seat occupant and two side parts between which a cross tube extends along a pivot axis as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The axial end of the hollow-cylindrical main section 60 of the cross tube 6 comprises two annular stops 63 which extend out radially relative to the axis of the cross tube 6, spaced apart from each other along the axis of the cross tube 6 delimiting between them a fitting portion for receiving a rotatable link (not shown) of a seat adjustment mechanism.

(22) A slot-like clearance opening 61 is punched in the bottom of the cross tube 6 in the vertical direction or Z-direction of the Cartesian car coordinate system. According to the partial side-view of the cross tube 6 in FIG. 6 the clearance opening 61 provides access to a tool in the direction of arrow A to create a local bead 62 in the form of a cam-like embossment radially expanding from the hollow-cylindrical main section 60 at the opposite side on top of the hollow-cylindrical main section 60 of the cross tube 6 with respect to the vertical direction or Z-direction of the Cartesian car coordinate system.

(23) The local bead 62 is one part of a positive locking retaining feature the second part of which is an indentation or slot 72 in a mounting part 70 of a seat part mounting bracket 7 shown in a perspective view of the connection between the local bead 62 of the cross tube 6 and a seat part mounting bracket 7 according to FIG. 7. The indentation or slot 72 in the mounting part 70 of the seat part mounting bracket 7 faces the local bead 62 of the cross tube 6 as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8, in the direction referenced VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. A tube enveloping part 71 of the seat part mounting bracket 7 covers the remaining part of the hollow-cylindrical main section 60 of the cross tube 6 and thus the clearance opening 61 of the cross tube 6 providing access to a tool to create the local bead 62.

(24) The local bead 62 of the cross tube 6 and the indentation or slot 72 in the mounting part 70 of the seat part mounting bracket 7 provide a positive locking means for limiting a lateral movement of the seat cushion pan with an improved energy transfer by transmitting energy to the normal bending area of the cross tube 6 to create a more controlled bending or displacement of the cross tube 6 without a change in the material grain structure and a weakening of the cross tube material.

(25) Basically, only one retaining feature between the cross tube 6 and the seat part mounting bracket 7 is necessary for limiting a lateral movement of the seat cushion pan. However, for safety reasons a second retaining feature at the opposite end of the cross tube 6 providing a second local bead in cooperation with an indentation or slot of a second seat part mounting bracket might be advantageous.

(26) A second retaining feature between the cross tube 6 and seat part mounting brackets 7, 7 is necessary in case of an embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG. 9.

(27) In this embodiment the cross tube 6 has two clearance openings 61, 61 within the range of two seat part mounting brackets 7, 7 being separated from each other in a predetermined distance such that the inner edges 73, 73 of the two seat part mounting brackets 7, 7 facing each other abut the two local beads 62, 62 of the cross tube 6. Due to the abutment of the inner edges 73, 73 of the two seat part mounting brackets 7, 7 against the double local beads 62, 62 of the cross tube 6 a lateral movement of the seat cushion pan is limited as well.

(28) Alternatively the local beads 62, 62 of the cross tube 6 abut the outer edges 74, 74 of the two seat part mounting brackets 7, 7 which are oriented to the ends of the cross tube 6 or the side parts of the seat part, respectively.

(29) FIGS. 10 to 12 show a further embodiment of the present invention wherein the positive locking between the cross tube 6 and the seat part mounting bracket 7 for limiting a lateral movement of the seat cushion pan is effected by a replacement of the retaining features.

(30) FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a seat part mounting bracket 8 comprising a mounting part 80 to be connected to the lower side of the seat cushion pan 1 and a tube enveloping part 81 covering the hollow-cylindrical main section 60 of the cross tube 6. A cam-like embossment 82 expands from the inner surface of the tube enveloping part 81 of the seat part mounting bracket 8 opposite the mounting part 80 of the seat part mounting bracket 8.

(31) FIG. 11 shows in a perspective partial view and FIG. 12 in a cross-sectional view, in the direction referenced XII-XII in FIG. 11 the connection between the seat part mounting bracket 8 according to FIG. 10 and a cross tube 6 which comprises a mounting opening 64 formed as a slot punched into the bottom of the cross tube 6 with respect to the vertical direction or Z-direction of the Cartesian car coordinate system. The mounting opening 64 in this embodiment replaces the clearance opening 61 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 and receives the cam-like embossment 82 of the seat part mounting bracket 8 with low tolerance in the Y-direction and clearance in the X-direction to allow a rotating cross tube 6.

(32) The positive locking principle between the cross tube 6 and the seat part mounting bracket 8 for limiting a lateral movement of the seat cushion pan of the embodiment according to FIGS. 10 to 12 can also apply to a mounting opening 64 in the top side of the cross tube 6 and a corresponding cam-like embossment 82 of a modified seat part mounting bracket 8 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.

(33) FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of the modified seat part mounting bracket 8 comprising a mounting part 80 to be connected to the lower side of the seat cushion pan 1 and a tube enveloping part 81 covering the hollow-cylindrical main section 60 of the cross tube 6. A cam-like embossment 82 expands from the lower surface 801 of the tube enveloping part 81 of the seat part mounting bracket 8 opposite the upper surface 802 of the seat part mounting bracket 8 which is to be connected to the lower side of the seat cushion pan 1.

(34) FIG. 14 shows in a cross-sectional view the connection between the modified seat part mounting bracket 8 according to FIG. 13 and the cross tube 6 which comprises a mounting opening 64 formed as a slot punched into the top side of the hollow-cylindrical main section 60 of the cross tube 6 with respect to the vertical direction or Z-direction of the Cartesian car coordinate system. The mounting opening 64 receives the cam-like embossment 82 of the modified seat part mounting bracket 8 with low tolerance in the Y-direction and clearance in the X-direction to allow a rotating cross tube 6.

(35) Though only one retaining feature between the cross tube 6 and the seat part mounting bracket 7, 8, 8 is necessary for limiting a lateral movement of the seat cushion pan 1 two retaining features might be necessary not only in the case of a positive locking means as shown in FIG. 9 but also for safety reasons or symmetrical arrangement of the retaining features at both sides of the cross tube 6.

(36) FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a cross tube 6 comprising two mounting openings 65, 66 separated from each other in a predetermined distance for receiving cam-like embossments of two seat part mounting brackets formed as the seat part mounting bracket 8 shown in FIGS. 10 to 14.

(37) The mounting openings 65, 66 of the cross tube 6 according to FIG. 15 and the mounting opening 65 in the hollow-cylindrical main section 60 of the cross tube 6 according to FIG. 16 comprise a mounting opening with low tolerance in the Y-direction and clearance in the X-direction to limit a lateral movement of the seat part mounting brackets 7, 8 on one side and to allow a rotating cross tube 6 on the other side. This is effected by an axial width a of the mounting opening 65 corresponding to the width of the embossment 82 engaging the mounting opening 65 and a radial length b of the mounting opening 65 corresponding to the required rotation of the cross tube 6 as indicated by the arrows B and C of FIG. 17 which shows a perspective partial view of the connection between the cross tube 8 according to FIG. 16 and a rotating side part or rocket 9 of a vehicle seat part.

(38) The embodiment described herein is not limiting for the invention as set forth in the claims, but merely provide illustrative examples. The invention can be carried out in an entirely different manner in entirely different embodiments.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(39) 1 seat cushion pan 3 front cross tube 4, 5 seat part mounting brackets 6 cross tube 7, 8, 8 seat part mounting bracket 9 rotating side part or rocket 21,22 side parts 30 annular bead 40 ribs 41 annular groove 60 hollow-cylindrical main section 61 clearance opening 62 local bead 63 annular stops 64-66 mounting opening 64 top side mounting opening 70 mounting part 71 tube enveloping part 72 indentation or slot 73 inner edges 74 outer edges 80, 80 mounting part 81, 81 tube enveloping part 82, 82 cam-like embossment a axial width of the mounting opening b radial length of the mounting opening