US 2010/0141006 A1Published application

Seat recliner assembly

AssigneeHema Engineering Industries Limited

InventorsPrasad NADGOUDA, Vikram Nanagiri, Ashok Ramteke

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Abstract

The problem to be solved is to provide a compact and robust seat recliner assembly and the problem is solved by providing a seat recliner assembly with a guide plate, a pivotable plate, four pawls, a shaft, a cam, a retractor plate and a pre-tensioned spring wherein the pawls engage with the pivotable plate to lock the seat back from moving and the four pawls share the load on the assembly.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A seat recliner assembly comprising:

an embossed pivotable plate (1) placed on one end of the assembly and fixed to back frame of a seat, said pivotable plate comprising:
a first circular section (10) having a circumference with v-shaped teeth, and
a first circular hole (12) at center of said circular portion;
an embossed guide plate (2) placed on other end of the assembly and fixed to lower frame of the seat, said guide plate comprising:
a second circular section (14) having four guides (16),
a second circular hole (18) at center of said circular portion (14), and
a first hook (20) surrounding said hole;
four pawls (3) secured to said guide plate by sliding in said four guides (16), each pawl comprising:
two side surfaces (22) for sliding in said guides,
a third side surface (24) with v-shaped teeth for engaging with said first circular section (10) when the seat is in a locked position,
a fourth side surface (26) opposite to the third side surface (24) having a tapered end (27), and
a projection (25);
a shaft (5) passing through the holes (18, 12) of said guide plate (2) and said pivotable plate (1) to provide a center axis to the assembly, comprising:
a first step (28),
a second step (30) adjoining the first step (28),
wherein the pivotable plate (1) is mounted on the shaft portion (29) adjoining the second step (30) and the guide plate (2) is mounted on the shaft portion (31) adjoining the first step (28);
a cam (4) fitted on said first step (28), said cam (4) comprising:
a circular hole (32) at its center, and
four lobes (34), each provided with a circular hole (35) and each being in contact with the fourth side surface (26) of each pawl (3) to push the pawl (3) for engaging with said first circular section (10) when the seat is in a locked position;
a retractor plate (6) mounted on said second step (30), comprising:
a circular hole (36) at its center,
a second hook (38),
four projections (40) for fixing in said holes (35) of said lobes (34) and securing the plate (6) with the cam (4),
four arms (42) capable of engaging with the projection (25) of each of said pawls (3) and pulling the pawls (3) towards the center of the pivotable plate (1) to disengage them from the said first circular portion (10);
and
a pre-tensioned spring (7) secured to said first hook (20) and said second hook (38);
wherein by applying torque to the shaft (5), the cam (4) rotates towards the tapered end of the pawls (3) to release pressure from the pawls, the pawls thereby slide down towards the center axis of said assembly along the guides (16), the retractor plate (6) rotates and the arms of said retractor plate (6) engage with the projections of said pawls (3) to further pull down the pawls towards the center axis of said assembly and disengage the pawls from the pivotable plate (1), thereby allowing movement of the seat.

24 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A seat recliner assembly comprising:

an embossed pivotable plate (1) placed on one end of the assembly and fixed to back frame of a seat, said pivotable plate comprising:
a first circular section (10) having a circumference with v-shaped teeth, and
a first circular hole (12) at center of said circular portion;
an embossed guide plate (2) placed on other end of the assembly and fixed to lower frame of the seat, said guide plate comprising:
a second circular section (14) having four guides (16),
a second circular hole (18) at center of said circular portion (14), and
a first hook (20) surrounding said hole;
four pawls (3) secured to said guide plate by sliding in said four guides (16), each pawl comprising:
two side surfaces (22) for sliding in said guides,
a third side surface (24) with v-shaped teeth for engaging with said first circular section (10) when the seat is in a locked position,
a fourth side surface (26) opposite to the third side surface (24) having a tapered end (27), and
a projection (25);
a shaft (5) passing through the holes (18, 12) of said guide plate (2) and said pivotable plate (1) to provide a center axis to the assembly, comprising:
a first step (28),
a second step (30) adjoining the first step (28),
wherein the pivotable plate (1) is mounted on the shaft portion (29) adjoining the second step (30) and the guide plate (2) is mounted on the shaft portion (31) adjoining the first step (28);
a cam (4) fitted on said first step (28), said cam (4) comprising:
a circular hole (32) at its center, and
four lobes (34), each provided with a circular hole (35) and each being in contact with the fourth side surface (26) of each pawl (3) to push the pawl (3) for engaging with said first circular section (10) when the seat is in a locked position;
a retractor plate (6) mounted on said second step (30), comprising:
a circular hole (36) at its center,
a second hook (38),
four projections (40) for fixing in said holes (35) of said lobes (34) and securing the plate (6) with the cam (4),
four arms (42) capable of engaging with the projection (25) of each of said pawls (3) and pulling the pawls (3) towards the center of the pivotable plate (1) to disengage them from the said first circular portion (10);
and
a pre-tensioned spring (7) secured to said first hook (20) and said second hook (38);
wherein by applying torque to the shaft (5), the cam (4) rotates towards the tapered end of the pawls (3) to release pressure from the pawls, the pawls thereby slide down towards the center axis of said assembly along the guides (16), the retractor plate (6) rotates and the arms of said retractor plate (6) engage with the projections of said pawls (3) to further pull down the pawls towards the center axis of said assembly and disengage the pawls from the pivotable plate (1), thereby allowing movement of the seat.

24 more elements