ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

An adjustment device includes a housing in which a rotary element is rotatably mounted about a rotational axis, a locking device having a first locking element, connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotary element, and a second locking element arranged on the housing and which can be reversibly moved between a primary position in a locked situation, in which the locking elements have a form- and/or force-locking connection, and a secondary position without the connection. An adapter plate is rotates relative to the rotary element and the housing. An unlocking element cooperates with the adapter plate in an actuator region when the second locking element is transferred into the secondary position. The second locking element is shifted by an unlocking height in the unlocking region, and by a lifting height in the actuator region. The actuator region is arranged with the lifting height smaller than the unlocking height.

Claims

1. An adjustment device for a motor vehicle having a rotary element, the adjustment device comprising: a housing in which the rotary element is mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation; a locking device comprising a first locking element and a second locking element, wherein the first locking element is connected to the rotary element for rotation therewith and the second locking element is arranged on the housing, wherein the second locking element is reversibly movable between a primary position in a blocking situation, in which the first locking element and the second locking element interact with each other in an unlocking region by means of a form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection, and a secondary position in an adjustment situation, in which the form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection between the first locking element and the second locking element is cancelled, wherein the adjustment device has an adapter plate, wherein the adapter plate is mounted rotatably relative to the rotary element and to the housing, wherein an unlocking element on the second locking element interacts with the adapter plate in an actuator region during the transfer of the second locking element from the primary position into the secondary position, wherein the second locking element is displaced in the secondary position in relation to the primary position by an unlocking height, and by a lifting height in the actuator region, wherein the actuator region is arranged such that the lifting height is smaller than the unlocking height.

2. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second locking element has a fastening means with which the second locking element is fastened to the housing, wherein the actuator region is arranged on the adjustment device with a distance between the fastening means and the actuator region larger than a distance between the fastening means and the unlocking region.

3. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second locking element is configured as a sheet metal part.

4. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second locking element is a spring element which is prestressed in a direction of the adapter plate.

5. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a blocking element, wherein the blocking element restricts freedom of movement of the second locking element in relation to a rotational movement about an axis running through the fastening means.

6. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking region is arranged in an encircling edge region of the second locking element.

7. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection means is formed on the second locking element in the actuator region, said form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection means interacting in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner with the first locking element.

8. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unlocking element is configured as a protrusion, bump, projection and/or indentation.

9. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter plate comprises: an actuating means, wherein the actuating means has a recess in which the unlocking element engages in the blocking situation, and a ramp, wherein the unlocking element is movable along the ramp during the transfer between the blocking situation and the adjustment situation.

10. The adjustment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a further actuator region is provided next to the actuator region, wherein a distance between the fastening means and the further actuator region preferably approximately corresponds to the distance between the fastening means and the actuator region.

11. A vehicle seat comprising: a rotary element; and an adjustment device comprising: a housing in which the rotary element is mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation; a locking device comprising a first locking element and a second locking element, wherein the first locking element is connected to the rotary element for rotation therewith and the second locking element is arranged on the housing, wherein the second locking element is reversibly movable between a primary position in a blocking situation, in which the first locking element and the second locking element interact with each other in an unlocking region by means of a form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection, and a secondary position in an adjustment situation, in which the form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection between the first locking element and the second locking element is cancelled, wherein the adjustment device has an adapter plate, wherein the adapter plate is mounted rotatably relative to the rotary element and to the housing, wherein an unlocking elementon the second locking element interacts with the adapter plate in an actuator region during the transfer of the second locking element from the primary position into the secondary position, wherein the second locking element is displaced in the secondary position in relation to the primary position by an unlocking height in the unlocking region, and by a lifting height in the actuator region, wherein the actuator region is arranged such that the lifting height is smaller than the unlocking height.

12. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second locking element has a fastening means with which the second locking element is fastened to the housing, wherein the actuator region is arranged on the adjustment device with a distance between the fastening means and the actuator region is larger than a distance between the fastening means and the unlocking region.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second locking element is configured as a sheet metal part.

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second locking element is a spring element which is prestressed in a direction of the adapter plate.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a blocking element, wherein the blocking element restricts freedom of movement of the second locking element in relation to a rotational movement about an axis running through the fastening means.

16. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the locking region is arranged in an encircling edge region of the second locking element.

17. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein a form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection means is formed on the second locking element in the actuator region, said form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection means interacting in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner with the first locking element.

18. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the unlocking element is configured as a protrusion, bump, projection and/or indentation.

19. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the adapter plate comprises: an actuating means, wherein the actuating means has a recess in which the unlocking element engages in the blocking situation, and a ramp, wherein the unlocking element is movable along the ramp during the transfer between the blocking situation and the adjustment situation.

20. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein a further actuator region is provided next to the actuator region, wherein a distance between the fastening means and the further actuator region preferably approximately corresponds to the distance between the fastening means and the actuator region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an adjustment device with a first locking element and a second locking element and including an enlarged detail;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the adjustment device with the first locking element and the second locking element and including an enlarged detail;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the adjustment device with the first locking element and the second locking element and including an enlarged detail;

[0034] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an adjustment device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention both in a blocking situation and an adjustment situation; and

[0035] FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the adjustment device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] Referring to the drawings, in the various figures, identical parts are always provided with the same reference signs and are therefore generally also only named or mentioned once in each case.

[0037] FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate schematic views of an adjustment device 1 for a motor vehicle component (not illustrated), wherein FIG. 1 shows the adjustment device in a blocking situation and FIG. 2 shows the adjustment device in an adjustment situation. The adjustment device 1 has a locking device which is adjustable between the blocking situation and the adjustment situation. In the blocking situation, rotation of a rotary element 2 about the axis of rotation 100 relative to a housing element 33 is prevented by means of the locking device. The locking device has a first locking element 21 and a second locking element 22. The first locking element 21 is preferably formed as a gearwheel and has a toothed structure 30 on its circumferential edge. The first locking element 21 is connected to the rotary element 2 for rotation therewith. The second locking element 22 is preferably formed as a blocking spring with a general longitudinal extent and has a hole, wherein the second locking element 22 is indirectly connected via the hole to the rotary element 2 so as to be rotatable relative to the rotary element 2. Furthermore, the second locking element 22 has recesses which are complementary with respect to the toothed structure 30 and in which, in the blocking situation, the toothed structure engages in an unlocking region 50 of the adjustment device 1, as can be seen in the enlarged illustration on the right side of FIG. 1. In the blocking situation, the teeth engage in the recesses in such a manner that rotation of the first locking element 21 and therefore of the rotary element 2 is prevented by the form-fitting interaction between the teeth and the recesses along a potential direction of rotation. Furthermore, the second locking element 22 preferably has an unlocking element 35 via which said locking element is connected in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner to an actuating means 36, for example a ramp 40, in an actuator region 60 in the blocking situation. The adapter plate 23 preferably comprises the unlocking element 35, wherein the adapter plate 23 is mounted rotatably with respect to the housing and to the first locking element 21. During a transition between the blocking situation and the adjustment situation, the second locking element 22, driven by the adapter plate 23, can be displaced in a lifting direction H parallel to the axis of rotation 100, wherein a corresponding lifting movement brings about a tilting movement K of the second locking element 22, and said tilting movement in turn leads to the form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection between the first locking element 21 and the second locking element 22 being cancelled. In particular, it is provided that the unlocking element 35 and the actuating means 36 are configured in such a manner that the movement of the second locking element 22 in the actuator region 60 leads to a tilting, by means of which the first locking element 21 disengages in the unlocking region 50, and in particular is arranged outside the recesses of the second locking element. The second locking element 22 is preferably designed as a web-shaped blocking spring, wherein the second locking element 22 is fastened via a fastening means 34 to the housing 33 in a fixed position, in particular in a fixed relative position to the adjustment device 1. The second locking element 22 preferably has an unlocking element 35 which is preferably designed as a projection or protrusion. During the transition from the blocking situation into the adjustment situation, the locking element 1 is acted upon with a force by the actuating means 36 by rotation of the adapter plate 23 about the axis of rotation 100. In the embodiment illustrated, the actuator region 60 and the unlocking region 50 lie along a straight line, wherein the unlocking region 50 is arranged between the fastening means 34 and the actuator region 60. The adapter plate 23 is preferably provided in the shape of a disk and has at least the one actuating means 36 and also an additional actuator (not illustrated here). The additional actuator can take on any form known to a person skilled in the art and can be connected to the adapter plate 23 via any connection known to a person skilled in the art. The additional actuator is preferably a lever which is preferably welded to an edge of the adapter plate 23.

[0038] Furthermore, it is provided that the rotary element 2 is mounted rotatably about the axis of rotation 100. The adapter plate 23 is mounted rotatably both relative to the housing 33 and to the rotary element 2. The adapter plate 23 is provided in such a manner that, by rotation of the adapter plate 23, the unlocking element 35 is acted upon with force by the actuating means 36 and therefore the second locking element 22 is displaced along the lifting direction H. As a result, the toothed structure 30 disengages and an adjustment of the adjustment device 1 is possible. The second locking element 22 preferably undertakes a tilting movement K here during the transition. The housing 33 preferably has a blocking element 55, and therefore the possible adjustment distance of the second locking element 22 is limited by the corresponding blocking element of the housing 3, and therefore the actuating means 36 does not pass out of contact with the second locking means 22. This advantageously prevents an inadvertent blocking of the adjustment device 1. Very particularly preferably, the housing has a further spring means, in particular a spiral spring, which is provided for returning the adapter plate 23 into its original position.

[0039] FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the adjustment device 1 from FIG. 2. It is provided here that the second locking element 22 takes up a blocking position in the blocking situation and a secondary position in the adjustment situation, wherein the secondary position is inclined in relation to the primary position. The second locking element 22 is inclined here in such a manner that the second locking element 22 is raised in the secondary position in relation to the primary position by an unlocking height a in the unlocking region 50 and by a lifting height b in the actuator region 60. In order to achieve the unlocking height a, which is required for cancelling the locking, in the unlocking region 50, a corresponding lifting height b is required in the actuator region 60. In particular, it is provided that the lifting height b is defined by the height of the unlocking element 35 and of the actuating means 36 on the adapter plate 23 on which the second locking element 22 rests in the blocking situation.

[0040] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an adjustment device 1 according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 4 shows the adjustment device 1 in the blocking situation on the left side and in the adjustment situation on the right side. FIG. 5 illustrates, in a side view and a sectional view, the adjustment device 1 in the adjustment situation. The preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention differs from the adjustment device 1 from FIGS. 1 to 3 by the position of the actuator region 60. It is provided here that a distance d between the fastening means 34 and the actuator region 60 is smaller than a distance c between the fastening means 34 and the unlocking region 50. Under this requirement, the actuator region 60 is arranged in such a manner that, in the blocking position, the lifting height b is smaller than the unlocking height a. It can thereby be brought about that an unlocking distance which has to be covered by the adapter plate 23 for the transfer of the second locking element 22 can be shortened. Finally, the reduction in the lifting height b has the effect that, in order to reach the secondary position, the second locking element 22 has to overcome a lower height in order to realize the unlocking in the unlocking region 50. Alternatively, the configuration with a lifting height which is lower than the unlocking height permits a higher unlocking height to be realized without a lengthening of the unlocking distance of the adapter plate 23 being required.

[0041] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.