Supports – Stand – Adjustable vertically
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-29
2003-06-17
King, Anita (Department: 3632)
Supports
Stand
Adjustable vertically
C248S421000, C248S422000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06578803
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a seat elevation adjuster for adjusting the elevation of a seat, in particular to an actuator mechanism for use in such seat elevation adjuster.
FIG. 8
shows an example of a conventional seat elevation adjuster
200
which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-275853. This seat elevation adjuster
200
comprises a first gear
203
which is supported rotatably about a first shaft
202
at a forward position of a base frame
201
(at left in FIG.
8
), a second gear
205
of a smaller diameter than the first gear
203
supported rotatably about a second shaft
204
, a connecting rod
207
swingably supported on a crankpin
206
projecting from one side of the first gear
203
, and a bell crank
210
whose one end is supported rotatable about a third shaft
208
at a rear end of the connecting rod
207
, a central angled end of the bell crank
210
being rotatably supported about a fourth shaft
209
.
The second shaft
204
is fitted with an actuating knob
211
which rotates together with the second shaft
204
about its axis. When the actuating knob
211
is turned in forward and reverse directions, its rotating motion is transmitted to the connecting rod
207
through the second gear
205
, the first gear
203
and the crankpin
206
, and resultant forward and backward movements of the connecting rod
207
cause the bell crank
210
to swing forward and backward about the fourth shaft
209
via the third shaft
208
.
A cushion frame
212
supporting an unillustrated seat bottom is connected at its forward part to the base frame
201
by a link rod and a rear end of the cushion frame
212
is joined to the other end of the bell crank
210
rotatably about a fifth shaft
213
. Thus, when the actuating knob
211
is turned about the second shaft
204
in the forward and reverse directions, the bell crank
210
turns in its forward and reverse directions about the fourth shaft
209
. As a result, the cushion frame
212
is caused to ascend and descend via the fifth shaft
213
, whereby the elevation of the seat bottom is adjusted.
When a person is seated on the seat bottom supported by the aforementioned conventional seat elevation adjuster
200
, the weight of the person is transmitted to the cushion frame
212
, the bell crank
210
, the connecting rod
207
, the first gear
203
and the second gear
205
, and resultant movements of the individual components cause the cushion frame
212
to descend. A previous approach for overcoming this problem is found in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 7-19562, which employs a so-called brake drum placed between the second shaft
204
and the actuating knob
211
. This brake drum works in a unidirectional fashion, that is, although the brake drum allows rotational motion of the actuating knob
211
to be transmitted to the second shaft
204
, rotational motion of the second shaft
204
is not transmitted in the reverse direction.
The provision of the brake drum of this kind, however, has a problem that it makes the structure of a seat elevation adjuster extremely complex, resulting in an increase in the number of components and in man-hours required for assembly, and an eventual increase in manufacturing cost.
In addition, when the seated person attempts to adjust the elevation of the seat bottom which supports his or her weight, the seated person has to turn the actuating knob
211
by hand a number of times, working against resisting forces produced by his or her own weight. Here, a problem arises that it is not easy for the seated person to adjust the elevation of the seat bottom because a large amount of force is exerted on his or her fingers when turning the actuating knob
211
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a seat elevation adjuster and an actuator mechanism which are free from the problems residing in the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide a seat elevation adjuster and an actuator mechanism which are easy to operate and, yet, have a simpler structure.
According to an aspect of the invention, a seat elevation adjuster is provided with a seat support frame for supporting a seat, an elevation mechanism for moving the seat support frame up and down, and an actuator mechanism for actuating the elevation mechanism. The actuator mechanism comprises a rotary member rotatable in the opposite directions about a center axis to actuate the seat elevation adjuster. There are further provided a locking member which is engageable with the rotary member to keep the rotary member from rotating, and disengageable from the rotary member to allow the rotary member to rotate; and a driver member which is rotatable about the center axis, and is movable in a first direction perpendicularly intersecting the center axis and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and is engageable with the rotary member. The driver member makes the locking member to engage with the rotary member, and disengages from the rotary member when moved in the first direction, and makes the locking member to disengage from the rotary member, and engages with the rotary member when moved in the second direction to thereby permit the rotary member to rotate with a rotation of the driver member to actuate the seat elevation adjuster.
These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments/examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4616876 (1986-10-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 4720070 (1988-01-01), Nishino
patent: 4834333 (1989-05-01), Saito et al.
patent: 4903931 (1990-02-01), Shimazaki
patent: 5007611 (1991-04-01), Kanai
patent: 5865285 (1999-02-01), Minkenberg et al.
patent: 5881854 (1999-03-01), Rougnon-Glasson
patent: 6276650 (2001-08-01), Kojima et al.
patent: 6422651 (2002-07-01), Muhlberger et al.
patent: 197 26 257 (1998-01-01), None
patent: 0 173 044 (1986-03-01), None
patent: 0 235 793 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 0 857 606 (1998-08-01), None
patent: 2 750 185 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 62 275853 (1986-11-01), None
Delta Kogyo Co. Ltd.
King Anita
Marsh Steven
Smith Patent Office
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