This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Patent Application DE 10 2008 045 350.1 filed Aug. 28, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to an actuating device for a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, the actuating device including a holder, a manually drivable actuating handle, a shaft mounted rotatably in the holder, which is connected to the actuating handle and may be driven thereby, and an output connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the shaft.
Actuating devices of this type, which are used for unlocking backrests in rear seat systems, are known from use. A partially open housing is provided as a holder, in which an actuating handle is mounted by means of a shaft formed by two pins formed thereon. By means of an output connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the shaft, a locking device configured as a backrest lock may be unlocked via a coupling gear. A development to a remote unlocking system, for example from the luggage compartment, requires a complicated construction which has a considerable influence on the actuating forces.
The object of the invention is to improve an actuating device of the aforementioned type. This object is achieved according to the invention by an actuating device comprising a holder, a manually drivable actuating handle, a shaft mounted rotatably in the holder, which is connected to the actuating handle and may be driven thereby and an output connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the shaft. The shaft may also be driven by a motor. The motor and the shaft are able to be coupled to one another and decoupled from one another by means of a wrap spring.
The possibility of driving the shaft both manually and by motor markedly reduces the complexity for the unlocking system, in particular for an additional remote unlocking system. Integration is possible in a network for controlling a rear seat system. The manual drive and the motorized drive are coupled to one another and decoupled from one another by means of a simple wrap spring. The wrap spring is wrapped around the shaft. When the motor starts to operate, a non-positive connection between the motor and shaft is automatically produced by pulling the wrap spring. To this end, the wrap spring ends are initially rotated counter to one another via an idle stroke. If the non-positive connection between the wrap spring and the shaft has reached a sufficient level of transmission, the motor drives the shaft by means of a gear stage and the wrap spring. If no torque is applied from the motor side, the wrap spring relaxes and expands due to its spring tension. Thus a decoupling is produced. Due to the decoupling, the mechanism may be reset within the locking device or possibly the adjusting drive, without the magnetic latching torque of the motor having to be overcome.
The actuating device according to the invention may be used at different points of a vehicle seat, for example for actuating a locking device which is provided for connecting the entire vehicle seat to the floor or as a backrest lock for fastening the backrest to the vehicle structure, or for driving a seat adjusting device. The actuating device may also be used elsewhere in the vehicle.
The invention is described in more detail hereinafter with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
In the drawings:
Referring to the drawings in particular, In a motor vehicle, a locking device 1 is provided for connecting a backrest 2 of a vehicle seat 3 to the vehicle structure (
The housing 5 and the cover 6 form a receiver 7, which opens in the direction of a counter element B, in order to receive said counter element for locking. In this connection, of the locking device 1 and the counter element B, one is fastened to the structure of the backrest 2 and the other to the vehicle structure. The counter element B may, for example, be a pin or a clip. The portion of the counter element B received by the receiver 7 generally extends horizontally. The direction in which the counter element B is received by the receiver 7 is denoted as the insertion direction. The dimensions of the receiver 7 perpendicular to the insertion direction (and in the plane of the bottom surface of the housing 5) are preferably greater than the corresponding diameter of the counter element B, for the compensation of play.
A pawl 11 is pivotably mounted on a first bearing pin 13, which in turn is fastened to the housing 5 (and to the cover 6) and projects perpendicularly from the bottom surface thereof, i.e. extends horizontally. The first bearing pin 13 is preferably of hollow configuration in order to receive a fastening means, for example a screw, by means of which the locking device 1 is fastened during mounting to the associated structure. The pawl 11 has a hook opening 15 for cooperating with the counter element B.
In the closed position of the pawl 11, the hook opening 15 crosses the receiver 7 approximately vertically and opens towards the side. The dimensions of the hook opening 15 aligned in the insertion direction are slightly greater than the diameter of the counter element B, as a result of which the counter element B in the locked state of the locking device 1 does not bear against the edge of the hook opening 15 located further inside in the insertion direction but at the bottom of the receiver 7 on the housing 5. In the open position of the pawl 11, the hook opening 15 opens obliquely to the insertion direction and crosses the receiver 7 obliquely. The pawl 11 may be pretensioned in the direction of the open position.
The pawl 11 has a functional surface 21 which in the locked position faces approximately in the direction of a second bearing pin 23, which is arranged parallel to the first bearing pin 13 and is fastened in the same manner to the housing 5 (and to the cover 6). The functional surface 21 is, for example, curved in the manner of a circular arc and is of concave configuration but may also be planar. On the second bearing pin 23, a tensioning element 25 is pivotably mounted which is pretensioned towards the pawl 11. In the locked state and in the normal case, the tensioning element 25 exerts a closing moment on the pawl 11 as a securing element, by means of a tensioning surface 29 which is curved eccentrically relative to the second bearing pin 23 and which is in contact with the functional surface 21 in a non-self locking manner. The tensioning surface 29 is, for example, curved in the manner of a circular arc and is of convex configuration.
A catch element 31 is arranged axially (relative to the second bearing pin 23) adjacent to the tensioning element 25 on the side remote from the housing 5, and also pivotably mounted on the second bearing pin 23 i.e. mounted about a common pivot axis, aligned with the tensioning element 25. The catch element 31 has a catch surface 33 which is located in the vicinity of the tensioning surface 29 but in the locked state is spaced apart from the functional surface 21. The catch surface 33 is, for example, curved in the manner of a circular arc and is of convex configuration but may also be planar. The catch element 31 may be mounted in its center of gravity. The catch element 31 and the tensioning element 25 are coupled for entrainment to an idle path, for example by means of a slot-pin-guide or an axially protruding drive element. In the event of a crash, if the pawl 11 possibly performs an opening moment and slightly pushes away the tensioning element 25, the catch surface 33 comes to bear against the functional surface 21 without an opening moment being able to be transmitted. Thus the catch element 31 serves for supporting the pawl 11 and, as a further securing element, prevents an opening thereof.
In the locked state of the locking device 1 (
If, in this unlocked state (
According to the invention, an actuating device 50 is provided (
On the shaft 53 is arranged a wrap spring 57, preferably axially between the actuating handle 52 and the output 55. The wrap spring 57 is wrapped around the shaft 53 and has an opening wrap spring end 57a, and a closing wrap spring end 57b. At the opening wrap spring end 57a the wrap spring 57 is fastened to the output 55, for example suspended. The closing wrap spring end 57b is fastened to the output of a gear stage 58, for example suspended, with or without clearance or with clearance on one side. The gear stage 58 reduces the rotation of a motor 59. The gear stage 58 driven by the motor 59, as well as the motor 59 driving said gear stage, are preferably also mounted on the holder 51.
The wrap spring 57 decouples the motorized unlocking from the manual unlocking. In the locked state of the locking device 1 the wrap spring 57 is loosely wrapped around the shaft 53. If the actuating handle 52 is manually pivoted (
In a modified embodiment, the wrap spring 57 is provided between the motor 59 and the gear stage 58, in particular on a connecting shaft between the two.
In a further embodiment which is not shown in the drawings, the actuating device 50, instead of the locking device 1, drives a seat adjusting device, for example a backrest inclination adjuster, the actuating handle 52 then preferably being configured as a hand wheel and the shaft 53 being designed for a plurality of rotations. Also in this case, by means of the wrap spring 57 a decoupling takes place between the gear stage 58 and the driven seat adjusting device, in the event of torques introduced from the output side.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been 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.
1 Locking device
2 Backrest
3 Vehicle seat
5 Housing
6 Cover
7 Receiver
11 Pawl
13 First bearing pin
15 Hook opening
21 Functional surface
23 Second bearing pin
25 Tensioning element
29 Tensioning surface
31 Catch element
33 Catch surface
50 Actuating device
51 Holder
52 Actuating handle 53 Shaft 55 Output 57 Wrap spring 57a Opening wrap spring end 57b Closing wrap spring end 58 Gear stage 59 Motor B Counter element
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2008 045 350.1 | Aug 2008 | DE | national |