# US 10,500,983 B2 · Locking unit for a vehicle seat, and vehicle seat > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,983 B2 - Document ID: US10500983B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/917,767 - Filed: 2014-09-08 - Published: 2016-07-28 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-10 - Assignees: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.á r.l. - Applicants: Johnson Controls Components GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Peter Mueller; Andreas Vedder; Volker Windecker; Richard Haensel; Stefan Haber; Silke Labuk; Oezkan Demirci; Igor Gordeenko; Patrick Handl; Uwe Moeller; Christina Jungblut - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500983B2 ## CPC - B60N 2/01583: {locking on transversal elements on the vehicle floor or rail, e.g. transversal rods} - B60N 2/366: {characterised by the locking device} - E05B 77/38: Cushion elements, elastic guiding elements or holding elements, e.g. for cushioning or damping the impact of the bolt against the striker during closing of the wing - E05B 85/26: Cooperation between bolts and detents - B60N 2205/20: Measures for elimination or compensation of play or backlash - Y10T 292/0911: Hooked end - Y10T 292/1021: Motor - Y10T 292/1047: Closure - Y10T 292/108: Lever - Y10T 292/1082: Motor - Y10T 292/1092: Swinging catch - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A locking unit (10) for a vehicle seat (1) includes a pawl (80) which is mounted pivotably about a pivot axis between an open position and a closed position and has a retaining contour (27) for securing a locking pin (12) in the closed position. At least one claw (90, 91, 92) is mounted pivotably about the same pivot axis in a manner offset in the axial direction with respect to the pawl (80). The claw (90, 91, 92) has a closing contour (25). The pawl (80) is pivotable from the open position into the closed position by the closing contour (25) being acted upon by the locking pin (12). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A locking unit for a vehicle seat, the locking unit comprising: a locking detent which is pivotably supported about a pivot axis between an open position and a closed position and which has a retention contour in order to retain a locking bolt in the closed position; at least one claw pivotably supported about the same pivot axis so as to be offset in the axial direction relative to the locking detent, wherein the claw has a closure contour, wherein the locking detent can be pivoted from the open position into the closed position by the closure contour being acted upon by the locking bolt, wherein the claw has a support contour which cooperates in the closed position of the locking detent with a catch detent in order to secure the locking detent and/or with a clamping element in order to discharge play of the locking detent, the claw having an outermost edge surface defining the support contour, wherein the support contour directly contacts the catch detent and/or the clamping element; and a stop element arranged in such a manner that, when the locking unit is locked, the locking bolt abuts the stop element in a first contact location and the retention contour in a second contact location, wherein the first contact location and the second contact location are located at least approximately in a plane which extends perpendicularly to the axial direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stop element is arranged to be offset relative to the claw in an axial direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping element is pivotably supported about a second pivot axis which extends parallel with the pivot axis of the locking detent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping element is constructed as a wedge which is guided in translation movement. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the claw has a contour for retaining in the open state which cooperates with the catch detent in order to secure the catch detent in the open position of the locking detent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking detent and the claw are connected to each other in a rotationally secure manner. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a bearing pin and two connection plates which extend parallel with each other and which have two retention holes in which the bearing pin is inserted, respectively, and a retention opening, in which a retention bolt having a gripping opening is inserted, wherein the retention opening is constructed as a slot or the gripping opening is constructed as a slot or both the retention opening and the gripping opening are constructed as a slot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking detent and the claw are partially surrounded by a common covering. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the claw has a closure contour, a contour for retaining in the open state and a projection having a retention contour. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The locking unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the covering covers at least the retention contour of the projection of the locking detent and the claw. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The locking unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the covering has a convex curvature in a region of the retention contours. ### Claim 12 A vehicle seat comprising at least one locking unit comprising: a locking detent which is pivotably supported about a pivot axis between an open position and a closed position and which has a retention contour in order to retain a locking bolt in the closed position; at least one claw pivotably supported about the same pivot axis so as to be offset in the axial direction relative to the locking detent, wherein the claw has a closure contour, wherein the locking detent can be pivoted from the open position into the closed position by the closure contour being acted upon by the locking bolt, wherein the claw has a support contour which cooperates in the closed position of the locking detent with a catch detent in order to secure the locking detent and/or with a clamping element in order to discharge play of the locking detent, the claw comprising an outermost claw surface, wherein only the outermost claw surface defines the support contour, the support contour engaging the locking detent/or the clamping element; and a stop element arranged in such a manner that, when the locking unit is locked, the locking bolt abuts the stop element in a first contact location and the retention contour in a second contact location, wherein the first contact location and the second contact location are located at least approximately in a plane which extends perpendicularly to the axial direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein the stop element is arranged to be offset relative to the claw in an axial direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein the clamping element is pivotably supported about a second pivot axis which extends parallel with the pivot axis of the locking detent. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein the clamping element is constructed as a wedge which is guided in translation movement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein the claw has a contour for retaining in the open state which cooperates with the catch detent in order to secure the catch detent in the open position of the locking detent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the claw has a surface defining the support contour, the surface being in direct contact with one or more of the catch detent and the clamping element in the closed position of the locking detent. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein the claw has a surface defining the support contour, the surface being in direct contact with one or more of the catch detent and the clamping element in the closed position of the locking detent.