Chairs and seats – Movable bottom – Bottom and back movable as a unit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-15
2001-10-30
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Movable bottom
Bottom and back movable as a unit
C297S344150, C297S344170, C248S421000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309020
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lifter apparatus for a vehicle seat which moves a seat cushion up and down.
2. Description of Relevant Art
A seat of a vehicle is provided with a lifter apparatus which moves a seat cushion up and down to adjust a viewpoint height of a sitting person or feeling of sitting. In this kind of the lifter apparatus, a shaft to be rotated is provided between a pair of movable rails which are fixed to both sides of a seat cushion and a lever which is mounted to an end portion of the shaft. The shaft is fixed with a pair of bracket pieces to rotate the shaft in itself. These bracket pieces each are formed with a supporting opening of the same size, and a nut in a cylindrical shape is previously mounted in the supporting openings with the nut passing through supporting openings. The nut is screwed by a lead screw which projects from a motor fixed on a side of the movable rail. When the lead screw is rotated, the bracket pieces swing forward and backward, the shaft is rotated in a direction where the bracket pieces swing. A spacer is mounted to a tip end of the lead screw which passes through the nut, the spacer to prevent the nut from coming off.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In this conventional structure, however, a rotating lead screw is screwed to a nut, the nut having been previously mounted between bracket pieces. Consequently, assembly of the nut and the lead screw together takes much work. That is, in a small space below a seat, the lead screw is screwed to the nut while rotating the lead screw by hand or temporarily rotating it by a motor supplied with electricity. As a result, the assembly operation is difficult and needs skill.
Further, after the lead screw is screwed to the nut in the small space below the seat, a further operation in which a stopper is mounted to a tip end of the lead screw that passes through the nut must also be performed. This point causes the assembly operation to be difficult.
An object of the invention is to provide a lifter apparatus in which, in a small space below a seat, it is not necessary for a lead screw to be screwed to a nut and for a stopper to be mounted to a tip end of the lead screw.
To achieve this object, in a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a lifter apparatus for a vehicle seat having a lead screw which is to be moved in a direction. A nut is screwed to the lead screw. By moving the lead screw a first bracket is swung so as to move a seat up and down. The first bracket has a first opening. The nut is fitted in the first opening. A second bracket moves the seat up and down with the first bracket. The second bracket has a second opening of a size larger than that of the first opening. The nut is inserted into the second opening in an inclined position.
Preferably, the lifter apparatus further has a spacer fittingly mounted between the nut and a wall defining the second opening.
Preferably, the lifter apparatus further has a ring member which is provided between the nut and the spacer.
Preferably, the lifter apparatus further has a shaft to be rotated connecting to the second bracket. The shaft has a side face. The second bracket has a connecting portion in a shape corresponding to the side face. The connecting portion is fixed to the shaft.
From a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an assembly method of a lifter apparatus for a vehicle seat. The method has the steps of: passing a nut in an inclined position through a second opening of a second bracket; and fitting the nut in a first opening of a first bracket.
Preferably, the assembly method further has the step of: fitting a spacer between the nut and a wall defining the second opening.
According to the invention, since a size of the second opening in the second bracket is larger than the size of the first opening, the nut can be inserted in the large size opening in an inclined position. After inserting the nut in the inclined position, the nut is rotated between the first bracket and the second bracket and passed through a first opening of the first bracket. The nut is passed through both openings while the lead screw is rotating. The nut and a stopper are pre-mounted to the lead screw. Therefore, it is not necessary for the lead screw to be screwed to the nut and for the stopper to be mounted to a tip end of a lead screw in a small space below a seat.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5337995 (1994-08-01), Satoh et al.
patent: 5709363 (1998-01-01), Matsuhashi et al.
patent: 5806824 (1998-09-01), Isomura et al.
Niikura Naoki
Ohmori Hiroya
Berkowitz Marvin C.
Cuomo Peter M.
Ikeda Bussan Co. Ltd.
Nath Gary M.
Nath & Associates PLLC
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