192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutch and brake – Automatic check and release
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-21
2001-05-15
Bonck, Rodney H. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutch and brake
Automatic check and release
C297S36700R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230863
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an actuator arrangement and more particularly to such an arrangement used with regard to a motor vehicle seat.
It will be appreciated that access to a motor vehicle interior is highly important to a vehicle owner along with occupant comfort. Thus, with regard to two door vehicles, it will be understood that the front seats generally slide and the backrests fold forwards in order to allow ready access to the rear seating/space of the vehicle. Clearly, it is also desirable that these front seats retain those features to which motor vehicle occupants have become accustomed such as backrest tilting for comfort, etc.
In such circumstances, it will be appreciated that typically a dual function release mechanism has been provided for front seating to allow the previously described front seat slide/backrest fold for access whilst retaining backrest tilt for comfort. These mechanisms have typically included two separate operational handles on one seat side or a single handle configured to allow bi-functionality such as through opposite rotations about the handle centre. Clearly, whether two handles or a single bi-functional handle is used there is the potential for seat occupant confusion and additional assembly costs for the vehicle manufacturer.
In addition to the potential for occupant confusion and inconvenience as indicated above, it will be appreciated that there is a safety aspect with regard to such actuation mechanisms in that if the slide/forward fold mechanism is released while driving, ie. rather than tilting a seat back for comfort, there is potential for loss of vehicle control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an actuator arrangement for a seat which substantially relieves the above-mentioned problems.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an actuator arrangement for a seat in a vehicle, the arrangement comprising a handle member and a pawl member, the handle member arranged to rotate about a centre and including a snag aperture whilst the pawl member is arranged to rotate with and about an actuator shaft coupled to a functional mechanism and is cooperative with the snag aperture where rotation of the handle member one way about the centre is substantially free until the pawl member snags with a portion of the snag aperture whereupon the handle member is coupled to the pawl member and thus to the actuator shaft so further rotation of the handle about the centre precipitates rotation of the actuator shaft to facilitate and/or release the functional mechanism coupled to that actuator shaft.
The functional mechanisms which may be secured to the actuator shaft include a latch release for a vehicle seat slide and/or a back rest forward fold release and/or a progressive tilt mechanism for a seat.
The actuator shaft is preferably concentricity located within the snag aperture such that the pawl member only snags with the snag aperture when that snag aperture, as part of the handle member, is rotated one way in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction but not in both directions as it locks in that other direction. When not rotated into coupling snag abutment, the actuator shaft and pawl member may rotate in the snag aperture. Clearly, the actuator arrangement could also be arranged to operate in a vice versa scenario such that two actuator arrangements may be provided on a common actuator shaft for respective functional mechanisms, one turning the shaft clockwise for actuation and the other turning anti-clockwise for actuation of its functional mechanism.
Normally, the pawl member will include a proportion of its surface which has a reciprocal shape to that portion of the snag aperture engaged for snag coupling between the handle member and the actuator shaft. Such reciprocal shaping between the pawl member and the snag aperture facilitates keying and register therebetween for greater control of the functional mechanism.
Typically, the actuator shaft may have a square cross-section to ensure robust connection between the pawl member and the actuator shaft and so avoid potential slippage therebetween but, alternatively any positive drive association will be acceptable so a “D” cross-section or a spline or a keyed relationship may be used.
After snagging between the pawl member and the snag aperture, or more particularly at an intermediate position of the handle member where there is no snagging and the pawl member can rotate in the snag aperture, it may be desirable to provide a detent or magnetic or other latch to bias that position of the handle member to ensure retention of the handle member in that position unless an over rotational force or pressure is provided to initiate release therefrom.
Normally, the pawl member will generally take the form of a truncated circle with an engagement surface arranged to engage that portion of the snag aperture for coupling between the handle member and the actuator shaft. This truncated circle will furthermore be less than a notional base circle of the snag aperture to facilitate actuator arrangement operation such that the shaft and pawl member can respectively freely rotate or turn in the snag aperture when the handle member is not turned into snag abutment for functional mechanism actuation ie an intermediate position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4143905 (1979-03-01), Hensel et al.
patent: 5881854 (1999-03-01), Rougnon-Glasson
patent: 6095608 (2000-08-01), Ganot et al.
Bonck Rodney H.
Davis & Bujold P.L.L.C.
Rover Group Limited
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