Chairs and seats – Movable back – Tiltable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-06
2001-11-06
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Movable back
Tiltable
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312053
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to automotive seat recliners for securing and releasing a seat back relative to a seat cushion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Automotive seat back recliners and in particular ring type recliners are well known in the seating art and are frequently used to hingedly connect a seat back to a seat cushion. The ring recliner allows the seat back to incrementally recline relative to the seat cushion. Ring recliners typically include a cam moving a pawl into and out of engagement with a ring which has an inner surface and a plurality of teeth disposed thereon. Many of the ring recliners, however, use a multitude of parts and springs which create an overly complex and expensive design. Although complicated, the prior art ring recliners have been adequate in adjusting the seat assemblies when used in a four door vehicle.
In many two door vehicles, the seat assembly must be able to “dump” forward to allow access to a rear row seat. The prior art ring recliners discussed above do not permit the seat assembly to move into this dumped position. One solution has been contemplated by the prior art and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,931. The '931 patent utilizes an intermediate plate where a recline mechanism is provided on one side of the plate while a dump mechanism is provided on an opposite side of the plate. The intermediate plate and separate dump mechanism add to the complexity and cost of this prior art recliner.
Accordingly, there is a need for a seat back recliner which is of a relatively simple design and allows the seat back to incrementally recline and dump forward relative to the seat cushion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
The disadvantages of the prior art may be overcome by providing a relatively simple ring recliner which utilizes only a single spring and allows the seat back to incrementally recline relative to the seat cushion. The subject invention also allows the seat back to dump forward relative to the seat cushion for allowing access to a rear row seat.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a recliner assembly for an automotive seat having a seat cushion and a seat back pivotally mounted to the seat cushion. The recliner assembly comprises a housing having an inner surface and adapted for mounting to the seat back. A cover plate encapsulates at least a portion of the housing and has an inner ring with a plurality of teeth disposed thereon. A plurality of pawls are mounted within the inner surface of the housing. The pawls each have a toothed surface and are moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position. With the pawls in the locked position, the toothed surfaces engage the teeth of the cover plate to secure the seat back relative to the seat cushion. With the pawls in the unlocked position, the toothed surfaces are spaced from the teeth of the cover plate to allow movement of the seat back relative to the seat cushion. A plurality of pivot protrusions extend from the inner surface for providing a pivot point for each of the pawls. A plurality of guide protrusions similarly extend from the inner surface for guiding each of the pawls between the engaged and disengaged positions. A cam is movably mounted relative to the housing and has a plurality of lobes for selective engagement with the pawls and selectively moving the pawls between the engaged and disengaged positions. A single substantially spiral spring has first and second ends with the first end engaging one of the lobes of the cam and the second end engaging the inner surface of the housing for continuously biasing the lobes of the cam toward the engagement with the pawls which continuously biases the toothed surfaces of the pawls toward engagement with the teeth of the cover plate.
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Cuomo Peter M.
Howard & Howard
Magna Interior Systems Inc.
White Rodney B.
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