Devices for adjusting the height and inclination of a seat
AssigneeSociete Industrielle Bertrand Faure
InventorsBernard Courtois, Alain Letournoux
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For adjusting the height and inclination of the sitting portion of a seat with respect to the base of this seat, two mechanisms are provided placed respectively between these two sub-assemblies, at the front and at the rear of the seat. Each mechanism comprises, on each side of the seat, two horizontal bearing surfaces integral with the base, a horizontal shaft connected vertically to the sitting portion and pivotably mounted thereon, two flat Archimedes-spiral cams in opposite directions integral with the shaft and placed jointingly between the bearing surfaces, and electric means for causing said shaft to rotate, these means allowing the shaft of the front mechanism, that of the rear mechanism or both at the same time to be rotated at will.
Claims12
A device for adjusting the height and/or inclination of a sitting portion of a seat, for example, a vehicle seat, of the type including a base for securing the seat to a floor, said adjusting device comprising in combination:
- lower frame means for securing said seat to said base including right and left horizontally separated frame members;
- front adjusting means for adjusting the position of the front portion of said seat relative to said floor, said front adjusting means including;
- front means rigidly defining upper and lower vertically separated horizontal load-bearing surfaces associated with said right and left frame members;
- a front shaft slidably received between said right and left frame members to permit vertical displacement of said front shaft relative said lower frame means;
- and
- first and second front cam means each constantly and slidingly engageable between said upper and lower front load-bearing surfaces of an associated one of said right and left frame members, respectively, each of said first and second front cam means including first and second substantially identical front spiral means each defining a flat Archimedes spiral rigidly and coaxially attached to said front shaft in opposing directions relative to one another so that said front shaft is vertically displaced upon rotation thereof;
- rear adjusting means for adjusting the position of the rear portion of said seat relative to said floor, said rear adjusting means including;
- rear means rigidly defining upper and lower vertically separated horizontal load-bearing surfaces associated with said right and left frame members;
- a rear shaft slidably received between said right and left frame members to permit vertical displacement of said rear shaft relative to said lower frame means;
- and
- first and second rear cam means each constantly and slidingly engageable between said upper and lower rear load-bearing surfaces of an associated one of said right and left frame members, respectively, each of said first and second rear cam means including first and second substantially identical rear spiral means each defining a flat Archimedes spiral rigidly and coaxially attached to said rear shaft in opposing directions relative to one another so that said rear shaft is vertically displaced upon rotation thereof;
- front shaft rotating means for rotating said front shaft;
- rear shaft rotating means for rotating said rear shaft;
- engaging means for selectively operating said front and/or rear shaft rotating means thereby selectively adjusting the height and/or inclination of said seat sitting portion relative said floor;
- and
- upper frame means pivotably connected to said front and rear shafts for supporting said seat so that upon rotation of said front and/or rear shafts, said upper frame means will be responsively displaced relative to said lower frame means by virtue of said front and/or rear shafts being vertically displaced so as to adjust the height and/or inclination of said seat sitting portion relative said floor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.