1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recliner mechanism for a seat assembly of an automotive vehicle allowing pivotal adjustment of a seat back relative to a seat cushion between a plurality of reclined seating positions, and more particularly, to a sliding pawl in the recliner mechanism moveable in and out of engagement with a sector formed in the seat back for selectively locking the seat back in one of the reclined positions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automotive vehicles include seat assemblies for supporting occupants within the vehicles. Typically, a seat assembly includes a seat cushion and a seat back. The seat back is usually operatively interconnected to the seat cushion by a recliner mechanism. The recliner mechanism allows for pivotal adjustment of the seat back relative to the seat cushion between a plurality of reclined seating positions. It is also common for a recliner mechanism to allow pivotal adjustment of the seat back between one of the reclined seating positions and a stowed position. An example of such a recliner mechanism is shown in PCT application CA 99/00653, published Feb. 10, 2000. However, it is often desired to utilize a less complex and more compact design.
Accordingly, it remains desirable to provide a simple recliner mechanism providing similar seat function and improved packageability to more complex designs.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a recliner mechanism for an automotive vehicle seat for allowing pivotal adjustment of a seat back relative to a seat cushion. The recliner mechanism includes a seat back bracket adapted to be fixedly secured to the seat back and having a sector teeth. The recliner mechanism also includes a seat cushion bracket adapted to be fixedly secured to the seat cushion. The seat cushion bracket is pivotally assembled to said seat back bracket for movement of the seat back bracket between a plurality of seating positions. The seat cushion bracket has spaced apart guide walls defining a channel therebetween. The recliner mechanism, further, includes a pawl having a rack of teeth lockably engagable with the sector of teeth. The pawl is slidably engaged within the channel for movement between a locked position with the rack of teeth lockably engaged with the sector of teeth to maintain the angular position of the seat back bracket relative to the seat cushion bracket and an unlocked position with the rack of teeth disengaged from the sector of teeth to allow pivotal movement of the seat back bracket relative to the seat cushion bracket between the plurality of seating positions.
Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Referring to the figures,
Referring to
Referring to
A cam 60 is rotatably assembled to the seat cushion 14 by a pivot pin 62 for selectively engaging the second cam edge 54. The cam 60 is rotatable between a locked position engaged with the raised portion 53, as shown in
A trigger arm 70 is pivotally assembled to the seat cushion bracket 30 by a pivot pin 72 for movement between a locked position, shown in
A release lever 80 is pivotally assembled to the seat cushion bracket 30 by pivot pin 72 and operatively coupled to the trigger arm 70 to allow manual actuation of the trigger arm 70 between the locked and unlocked positions.
In operation, the angular position of the seat back 12 may be adjusted by rotating the release lever 80 counterclockwise, as viewed in the figures, until the trigger arm 70 and the cam 60 are moved to their respective unlocked positions. In the unlocked position, the cam 60 and the trigger arm 70 are out of engagement with the second cam edge 54 and locking edge 58, respectively, and the pawl 40 is freely moveable between the locked and unlocked positions. The rack of teeth 42 fall out of locking engagement with the sector of teeth 24 to allow pivotal adjustment of the seat back 12 between any one of the reclined seating positions A, B, C. The seat back 12 is locked in one of the seating positions A, B, C by allowing the trigger arm 70, the cam 60, and in turn, the pawl 40, to return to their respective locked positions under the bias of the biasing element 64.
The seat back 12 may also be adjusted between any of the reclined seating positions A, B, C and the stowed position D, shown in
The seat back 12 may be returned to the full forward reclined seating position C from the stowed position D by actuating the release lever 80 to move the pawl 40 to the unlocked position. The pawl 40 is held in the unlocked position by the guide pin 26 while the seat back 12 is moved between the stowed position D and the full forward reclined seating position C. When the seat back 12 reaches the full forward reclined seating position C, the guide pin 26 slides past the first cam edge 44 to allow the pawl 40 to return to the locked position and maintain the seat back 12 in the full forward reclined seating position C. As the pawl moves to the locked position, the fore end 46 abuts against the guide pin 26.
The seat back 12 may then be pivotally adjusted between any one of the reclined seating positions A, B, C, or the stowed position D as desired, as described above.
The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.
Many modification and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.
This application claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/265,943, filed on Feb. 1, 2001.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/US02/02830 | 2/1/2002 | WO | 00 | 1/12/2004 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO02/060718 | 8/8/2002 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3788698 | Perkins | Jan 1974 | A |
4561207 | Novak | Dec 1985 | A |
4629252 | Myers et al. | Dec 1986 | A |
4659146 | Janiaud | Apr 1987 | A |
4875735 | Moyer et al. | Oct 1989 | A |
5154476 | Haider et al. | Oct 1992 | A |
5433507 | Chang | Jul 1995 | A |
5622410 | Robinson | Apr 1997 | A |
5722730 | McKernan | Mar 1998 | A |
5733008 | Tame | Mar 1998 | A |
5749625 | Robinson | May 1998 | A |
5762400 | Okazaki et al. | Jun 1998 | A |
6139104 | Brewer | Oct 2000 | A |
6209955 | Seibold | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6318805 | Asano | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6328382 | Yamashita | Dec 2001 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2019707 | Apr 1970 | DE |
29 31 873 | Aug 1979 | DE |
0 758 592 | Aug 1995 | EP |
2 215 109 | Jan 1973 | FR |
2 277 550 | Jul 1974 | FR |
WO 0006414 | Jul 1998 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040113478 A1 | Jun 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60265943 | Feb 2001 | US |