Method and apparatus for adjusting automotive seat mechanisms
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorHugh Christopher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for adjusting an automotive seat mechanism or adjusting other mechanisms comprising a magneto rheological and/or electro rheological fluid provided in the chamber of a positive fluid displacement device and interconnecting said relatively movable parts whereby changing the status of said fluid enables control of the mechanism, and/or take up of any backlash between movable parts of the mechanism, by virtue of resistance to fluid flow in the activated status of the fluid.
Claims17
A seat adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of seat parts, the mechanism being of a type comprising a pair of meshing gears which are adapted to provide a locking drive, the meshing gears being arranged such that a degree of backlash is defined by and exists between the respective meshing teeth of the gears in a locked state of said mechanism,
- characterised in that a magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid at least partially occupies a clearance space defined between said meshing teeth at at least the running nip of said meshing gears, and activation means are provided to activate and change the state of the said magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid within said clearance space such that the activated magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid reduces said backlash defined between said meshing teeth.
A dimensionally tolerant locking and/or drive mechanism comprising a first and second relatively moveable elements, the first element is arranged to engage the second cooperating element with a clearance space defined between the first and second elements;
- characterised in that a magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid at least partially occupies the clearance space between the first and second elements, and activation means are provided to activate and change the state of the magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid within the clearance space such that the activated magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid takes up the any play between the first and second elements due to the clearance.
A mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a magneto rheological fluid is used.
A mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid comprise a grease.
A method of reducing mechanical backlash of a locking and/or drive mechanism which comprises a first and second relatively moveable elements of which the first element is arranged to engage the second cooperating element with a clearance space defined between the first and second elements,
- characterised in that the method comprises providing a magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid which at least partially occupies the clearance space between the first and second elements, and providing and operating activation means to selectively activate and change the state of the magneto-rheological or electro-rheological fluid within the clearance space.
A method of adjusting an automotive seat mechanism comprising providing:
- a) a pair of relatively movable (for example pivotal) seat members such as a seat base and a seat back;
- b) pivotally (or otherwise) interconnecting said seat members for said relative movement;
- c) said interconnection means comprising a mechanism permitting stepless control of said relative movement by selective actuation of a control element associated with said mechanism;
- characterised by
- d) said interconnection means comprising a fluid chamber, fluid within said chamber, and a positive displacement mechanism mechanically interconnecting said parts of said seat mechanisms;
- e) said fluid comprising a magneto rheological and/or electro rheological fluid and said control element being arranged to activate means for changing the status of said fluid whereby relative movement of said seat parts is resisted in the activated status of said fluid by resistance to flow thereof from said positive displacement device.
A method of adjusting a mechanism characterised by interconnecting relatively movable elements of said mechanism through a positive displacement mechanism comprising a magneto rheological and/or electro rheological fluid, and causing activation of means for changing the status of said fluid to enable relative movement of said parts to be controlled.
Apparatus adapted to control relative movement of elements of a seat or other mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.