Chairs and seats – Movable back – Tiltable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-11-20
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Movable back
Tiltable
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318806
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to vehicle seats having pivot mechanisms.
More specifically, the invention relates to a vehicle seat having first and second parts mounted so as to pivot relative to one another by means of a first pivot mechanism comprising:
a single-train hypocycloid gear mechanism, this gear mechanism comprising first and second annular toothed gears meshing one with the other and joined respectively to the first and second parts of the seat, the first and second sets of teeth being arranged so that one extends radially towards the exterior and the other radially towards the interior and said first and second teeth respectively have first and second transverse horizontal central axes, offset one from the other,
a cam mounted so as to rotate on the one hand relative to the first set of teeth about the first axis and on the other relative to the second set of teeth about the second axis in order to drive the first and second sets of teeth in relative rotation,
and a control shaft which is joined to the cam and which is centered on the second axis on a level with said cam.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Document FR-A-2 759 333 describes an example of such a seat which is satisfactory but whose pivot mechanism is more specifically designed to be manually operated.
However, electrical operation of a pivot mechanism of this type gives rise to a problem if it is desirable to mount the electric motor activating the pivot mechanism on the first part of the seat (especially if said first part is the seat part of the seat).
In effect, the control shaft is not fixed relative to the first part of the seat but instead is subjected to a nutating movement, i.e. not only does it rotate on itself about its central axis, there is also circular movement of said central axis in translation.
This nutating motion is not compatible with providing a simple mechanical connection between the control shaft and the electric motor.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The specific objective of the present invention is to overcome this disadvantage.
To this end, the invention proposes a pivot mechanism of the type in question, in which the control shaft has a part forming a crank, comprising an activating member which is centered on the first axis and which is driven in rotation by an electric motor mounted on the first part of the seat.
As a result of these features, a simple, mechanical connection can be provided between the electric motor and the part of the control shaft serving as the crank since the activating member of this crank section is subjected purely to a rotating motion.
For the preferred embodiments of the invention, one and/or other of the following features may be incorporated:
the control shaft is provided as a single piece, the part of this shaft forming the crank being an elbow portion belonging to said shaft and the activating member of this crank part being a shaft section extending along the first axis;
the seat also has a second pivot mechanism comprising:
at least one single-train hypocycloid gear mechanism, this gear mechanism in turn comprising first and second annular sets of teeth meshing one with the other and joined respectively to the first and second parts of the seat, the first and second sets of teeth of the second pivot mechanism being directed radially one towards the exterior and the other radially towards the interior and said first and second sets of teeth of said second pivot mechanism being centered respectively on the first and second axes,
a cam mounted so as to rotate relative to the sets first teeth of the second pivot mechanism about the first axis and relative to the second teeth of the second pivot mechanism about the second axis in order to produce a relative rotation between the first and second teeth of the second pivot mechanism, the two pivot mechanisms being arranged respectively at either side of the seat, the control shaft extending horizontally between these two pivot mechanisms, this control shaft being joined to the cam of the second pivot mechanism and being centered on the second axis on a level with said cam and between the two pivot mechanisms, and said control shaft crossing through the first pivot mechanism so as to project towards the exterior as far as the part forming the crank;
the first and second parts of the seat comprise respectively a seat and a backrest;
REFERENCES:
patent: 5156439 (1992-10-01), Idlani et al.
patent: 5383710 (1995-01-01), Premji
patent: 5611599 (1997-03-01), Baloche et al.
patent: 5755491 (1998-05-01), Baloche et al.
patent: 42 09 391 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 0 260 849 (1988-03-01), None
patent: 1 569 654 (1969-06-01), None
patent: 2 759 333 (1998-08-01), None
patent: 1 237 796 (1971-06-01), None
Lepaule Franck
Levert Emmanuel
Bertrand Faure Equipements SA
Cuomo Peter M.
Marshall Gerstein & Borun
White Rodney B.
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