Power seat adjuster
AssigneeAudi NSU Auto Union Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsClaude Rion, Winfried Ruckheim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motor-vehicle seat adjuster has a sun gear with which at least one planet gear is in continuous mesh. A link has an outer end carrying this planet gear and an inner end pivoted at the axis of the sun gear to allow pivoting of the planet gear between two angularly offset positions in each of which is meshes with a respective output gear. A control element is provided for displacing this gear between these two positions and the sun gear is rotated from an electrical motor. When the planet gear is in mesh with one of the output gears it displaces the seat in one direction and when in mesh with the other output gear it displaces it in another different direction.
Claims17
An adjuster for displacing an automotive seat relative to a vehicle frame, said adjuster comprising:
- a sun gear centered on and rotatable about a sun gear axis relative to said frame;
- a planet gear meshing with said sun gear;
- support means for displacement of said planet gear angularly of said axis while in mesh with said sun gear between a pair of angularly offset end positions;
- control means connected to said planet gear for displacing same between said end positions;
- a first output gear meshable with said planet gear in one of said end positions;
- a second output gear meshable with said planet gear in the other of said end positions;
- drive means for rotating said sun gear and thereby rotating said planet gear and driving any gear in mesh with said planet gear from said sun gear;
- and
- means connecting said output gears to said seat for displacement of said seat in a first direction when said first output gear is driven by said sun gear through said planet gear in said one position thereof and for displacement of said seat in a second direction different from said first direction when said second output gear is driven by said sun gear through said planet gear in said outer position thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.