# US 12,767,013 B2 · Longitudinal adjuster 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 12,767,013 B2 - Document ID: US12767013B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/861,242 - Filed: 2023-05-31 - Published: 2025-10-30 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-31 - Assignees: Adient US LLC - Applicants: Adient US LLC - Inventors: Ingo Quast; Erik Sprenger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12767013B2 ## CPC - B60N 2/067: {by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms} - B60N 2/02253: {characterised by the transmission between the electric motor and the seat or seat parts} - B60N 2/0722: {Constructive details} - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A longitudinal adjuster may have a pair of rails and a drive device for the rails. The pair of rails may be a first rail and a second rail. The drive device may have at least one motor, a transmission unit, a spindle block that is fixed to the first rail or second rail, a spindle, and a spindle bearing. The spindle may extend along a longitudinal axis and may be mounted in the spindle block and the spindle bearing to be rotatable about a spindle axis. The spindle bearing has at least one spindle nut which may be fastened to the spindle and rotates together with the latter. A vehicle seat may have the longitudinal adjuster and the spindle bearing has, in an axial direction, a ball bearing and a slide bushing with axial play with respect to the spindle nut. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A longitudinal adjuster, comprising: one rail pair and a drive device for the rail pair, wherein the rail pair comprises a first rail and a second rail which are displaceable relative to one another, wherein the drive device has at least one motor, a gear unit, a spindle block which has an internal thread and is fixed to the first rail or second rail, a spindle with an external thread which is operatively connected to the internal thread of the spindle block, and a spindle bearing, wherein the spindle extends along a longitudinal axis and is mounted in the spindle block and the spindle bearing such that it is rotatable about a spindle axis, wherein the spindle bearing has at least one spindle nut which is fastened on the spindle and rotates with the spindle, wherein the spindle bearing is configured as an axial bearing which transmits a linear movement of the spindle to the first rail, and wherein the spindle bearing has, in the axial direction, on one side of the spindle nut a ball bearing and on the other side of the spindle nut a sliding bush with an axial play on at least one of the two sides with respect to the spindle nut. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding bush is arranged in front of the ball bearing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spindle bearing transmits the linear movement of the spindle directly to the first rail. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spindle bearing is arranged between the spindle nut and the first rail. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spindle bearing transmits the linear movement of the spindle to the first rail indirectly via a bracket. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spindle bearing is mounted rotatably on the bracket. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 6, wherein the spindle bearing is arranged between the spindle nut and the bracket. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sliding bush is arranged between the spindle nut and the bracket. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sliding bush is arranged without stress in the axial direction and radial direction between the spindle nut and the bracket. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ball bearing is arranged between the spindle nut and the bracket in a preloaded manner by means of a spring element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed claim 5, wherein the bracket has a through opening, into which the sliding bush is pushed in such a way that the axial play between the sliding bush and the spindle nut is settable or is set. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two spindle nuts are provided, wherein, in the case of two spindle nuts, the spindle bearing comprising the sliding bush and the ball bearing is arranged between the two spindle nuts. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in the case of two spindle nuts, a spacing between the two spindle nuts is constant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in the case of two spindle nuts, the ball bearing is arranged between one of the two spindle nuts and the bracket. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A vehicle seat with at least one longitudinal adjuster as claimed in claim 1.