Supports – Stand – Horizontally movable support surface
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-05
2001-03-27
King, Anita M. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Stand
Horizontally movable support surface
C248S419000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206333
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to the technical field of a vehicular seat apparatus which is mounted in a vehicle and is constructed to be capable of adjustment, e.g., adjusting the fore-and-aft position of a seat or the fore-and-aft position and the vertical height thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, some seat apparatuses mounted in vehicles are constructed such that the seat can be moved by, e.g., a fore-and-aft position adjusting means or a fore-and-aft position and vertical height adjusting means. Such a seat apparatus often employs an electric motor as a power source for moving the seat. In this case, an electric motor
11
is mounted, by way of example, as shown in
FIGS. 3A and 3B
. Frame members
13
,
14
having extensions having threaded holes
13
a
,
14
a
formed therein are fixed to opposite axial ends of a yoke
12
of the electric motor
11
by caulking or any other fixing means. The electric motor
11
is disposed between a pair of mounting brackets
15
,
16
which are arranged in an opposed relationship in the axial direction of a motor shaft
11
a
. The electric motor
11
is then secured by inserting screws
17
from respective outer surfaces of the mounting brackets
15
,
16
and tightening the screws into the threaded holes
13
a
,
14
a
. With such a structure, the electric motor
11
can be firmly fixed in place with less vibration while both the motor axial ends are fixedly supported to the mounting brackets
15
,
16
.
The above-described related art however has problems as follows. Because the screws
17
are fastened to the frame members
13
,
14
at the axial opposite ends of the electric motor
11
from the outer surfaces of the mounting brackets
15
,
16
on both the axially spaced sides, the spacing between the mounting brackets
15
,
16
must be in good match with the axial length (mounting dimension) of the electric motor
11
provided with the frame members
13
,
14
. Meanwhile, each component has a variation in product dimension which is inevitably caused during the manufacture process. Further, the frame members
13
,
14
are fixed to the opposite ends of the electric motor
11
through fixing means as mentioned above. Particularly when the frame members
13
,
14
are fixed by caulking, it is difficult to keep the mounting dimension of the electric motor
11
constant due to the inevitable variations in size produced by the caulking. If the spacing between the mounting brackets
15
,
16
is not in match with the mounting dimension of the electric motor
11
, gaps are left between outer end faces of the extensions having the threaded holes
13
a
,
14
a
formed in the frame members and inner surfaces of the mounting brackets
15
,
16
when the electric motor
11
is fixed to the mounting brackets
15
,
16
by the screws
17
. The presence of such gaps produces vibration or unusual sounds upon driving of the electric motor
11
. Moreover, if the frame members
13
,
14
are fixed to the mounting brackets
15
,
16
in a condition accompanying a dimensional error, there is a risk that the fixed portions are subjected to stresses (tensile forces) and durability of the fixed portions is deteriorated. In addition, when the frame members
13
,
14
are fixed to the electric motor
11
by caulking, stresses are caused so as to act on not only the fixed portions but also the caulked portions, thus giving rise to a risk that the caulked portions may be broken. Those problems have been experienced in the technical field regarding the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-mentioned state of the art, the invention has been accomplished with the intent to solve the problems set forth above. For that purpose, the invention provides a vehicular seat apparatus in which an electric motor, serving as a power source for moving a seat, is disposed between a pair of mounting brackets arranged in opposed relation in the axial direction of a motor shaft, and the electric motor is fixed in place using screws inserted from respective outer surfaces of the mounting brackets, wherein at least one end of the electric motor is fixed to the mounting bracket through a frame member which is checked from rotating in the direction about the motor shaft, but is allowed to move axially.
The above feature avoids leaving a gap between the mounting bracket and the frame member and a seat apparatus can be provided which produces less vibration or unusual sounds upon driving of the electric motor.
In the above vehicular seat apparatus, the frame member may be fitted over the electric motor using a fitting force smaller than the fastening force developed when the frame member is fixed to the mounting bracket using screws. With this feature, the gap between the frame member and the mounting bracket can be automatically eliminated by fixedly screwing the frame member to the mounting bracket.
Further, in the above vehicular seat apparatus, the frame member may be fitted over the electric motor using a serrated or splined fitting.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4448381 (1984-05-01), Anspaugh et al.
patent: 5125611 (1992-06-01), Cox
patent: 5216929 (1993-06-01), Ochiai et al.
patent: 5273242 (1993-12-01), Mouri et al.
patent: 5275457 (1994-01-01), Satoh et al.
patent: 5283489 (1994-02-01), Ochiai et al.
patent: 5292164 (1994-03-01), Rees
patent: 5314158 (1994-05-01), Mouri
patent: 5370443 (1994-12-01), Maruyama
patent: 5427345 (1995-06-01), Yamakami et al.
patent: 5738327 (1998-04-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5746409 (1998-05-01), Rees
patent: 5762309 (1998-06-01), Zhou et al.
Minami Hideyuki
Ochiai Takao
Yoshida Yasushi
King Anita M.
Mitsuba Corporation
Morrison N.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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