# US 8,783,774 B2 · Drive unit for a vehicle seat > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,774 B2 - Document ID: US8783774B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/387,543 - Filed: 2010-08-20 - Published: 2012-05-17 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-09-01 - Assignees: Johnson Controls Components GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Michael Berres; Frank Groβbudde; Jürgen Stemmer; Martin Stilleke; Andreas Rabbach - Inventors: Michael Berres; Frank Groβbudde; Jürgen Stemmer; Martin Stilleke; Andreas Rabbach - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783774B2 ## CPC - B60N 2/02246: {Electric motors therefor} - B60N 2/2252: {in which the central axis of the gearing lies inside the periphery of an orbital gear, e.g. one gear without sun gear} - B60N 2/2254: {provided with braking systems} - B60N 2/02258: {characterised by the mounting of the electric motor for adjusting the seat} - B60N 2205/50: Interlocking shaft arrangements transmitting movement between hinge mechanisms on both sides of a seat - Y10T 74/188: including spur gear - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A drive unit (5) for a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, has a motor (51), a gear unit which is provided on the drive output side of the motor (51) which has at least a drive output wheel which is rotatably supported about a core axis (K). The drive output wheel is provided with a core (59) which is rotatable about the core axis (K). The core (59) has a shaft receptacle (60) for a drive shaft (7) with a shaft axis (W) as central axis. The core axis (K) and the shaft axis (W) are offset in parallel by an eccentricity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive unit for a vehicle seat, the drive unit comprising: a motor; a drive shaft having a drive shaft profile and having a drive shaft axis; a gear unit which is provided on a drive output side of the motor and which has at least a drive output wheel which is rotatably supported about a core axis, the drive output wheel being provided with a core which is rotatable about the core axis, the core having a shaft receptacle for receiving the drive shaft in a rotationally secure manner the drive shaft axis being a drive shaft central axis, the core axis and the drive shaft axis being offset in parallel by an eccentricity, wherein during operation, when the drive unit drives the drive shaft by a two stage-gear unit comprising a worm gear and a spur-gear stage, the drive unit superimposes a wobbling movement on the rotation of the drive shaft by the eccentricity of the core axis and the drive shaft axis, and the drive shaft rotates about the core axis and carries out a relative movement in space, wherein a gear axis of said spur-gear stage is parallel to said core axis and said drive shaft axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive unit as per claim 1, wherein: said core has a profiled shaft receptacle, said profiled shaft receptacle having a profile which matches a profile of the drive shaft, said gear axis being located at a spaced location from said core axis and said drive shaft axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drive unit as per claim 2, wherein the drive shaft axis is defined by a profile-free cylindrical basic shape of the shaft receptacle or by an imaginary center of gravity of the shaft receptacle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drive unit as per claim 1, wherein the core is configured separately from the drive output wheel and is connected with the drive output wheel so as to be rotationally secure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The drive unit as per claim 4, wherein: the drive output wheel has a hollow journal pin; and the core is a profiled core that is introduced in the hollow journal pin of the drive output wheel, such hollow journal pin having a profile which matches a profile of the profiled core. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The drive unit as per claim 5, wherein the core axis is defined by a profile-free cylindrical basic shape of the core or by a center of gravity of the core. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drive unit as per claim 1, wherein: the core is configured in one piece with a journal pin for supporting the drive output wheel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drive unit as per claim 1, wherein a journal pin for supporting the drive output wheel is a one-piece component of the drive output wheel. ### Claim 9 A vehicle seat drive system comprising: a drive unit comprising a motor and a two stage-gear unit, said two-stage gear unit comprising a worm gear and a spur-gear stage, said spur-gear stage comprising a gear axis, a drive shaft having a drive shaft profile and having a drive shaft axis and a gear unit which is provided on a drive output side of the motor and which has at least a drive output wheel rotatably supported about a core axis, the drive output wheel comprising a core which is rotatable about the core axis, the core having a shaft receptacle for receiving the drive shaft in a rotationally secure manner, the drive shaft axis being a shaft central axis, the core axis and the drive shaft axis being offset in parallel by an eccentricity, wherein during operation, when the drive unit drives the drive shaft via said two stage-gear unit, the drive unit superimposes a wobbling movement on the rotation of the drive shaft via said eccentricity of said core axis and said drive shaft axis, and the drive shaft rotates about the core axis and carries out a relative movement in space, said gear axis being parallel to said core axis and said drive shaft axis; and one fitting which has an eccentric epicyclic gear with the eccentricity as a mean eccentricity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system as per claim 9, wherein the fitting comprises: a first fitting part, on which a toothed ring is configured; a second fitting part, on which a toothed wheel is configured, which meshes with the toothed ring, the two fitting parts being in geared connection with each other; and a rotatably supported rotating eccentric which is driven by a driver, for driving a relative rolling movement of the toothed wheel and the toothed ring, said gear axis being located at a spaced location from said core axis and said drive shaft axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system as per claim 10, wherein the eccentric supports the first fitting part, the first fitting part having a central receptacle supported on a collar of the second fitting part. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system as per claim 11, wherein the central receptacle of the first fitting part is aligned with the core axis, and the collar of the second fitting part is aligned with the shaft axis. ### Claim 13 A motor vehicle seat comprising: a seat part; a backrest; a vehicle seat drive system, the inclination of the backrest being adjustable by means of the vehicle seat drive system, the vehicle seat drive system comprising a drive unit comprising a motor and a two stage-gear unit, said two stage-gear unit comprising a worm gear and a spur-gear stage, said spur-gear stage comprising a gear axis, a drive shaft having a drive shaft profile and having a drive shaft axis and a gear unit which is provided on a drive output side of the motor and which has at least a drive output wheel rotatably supported about a core axis, the drive output wheel comprising a core which is rotatable about the core axis, the core having a shaft receptacle for receiving the drive shaft in a rotationally secure manner, the drive shaft axis being a shaft central axis, the core axis and the shaft axis being offset in parallel by an eccentricity, wherein during operation, when the drive unit drives the drive shaft via said two stage-gear unit, the drive unit superimposes a wobbling movement on the rotation of the drive shaft via said eccentricity of said core axis and said drive shaft axis, and the drive shaft rotates about the core axis and carries out a relative movement in space, said gear axis being parallel to said core axis and said drive shaft axis; and a fitting which has an eccentric epicyclic gear with the eccentricity as a mean eccentricity wherein the drive unit is fixed to the backrest. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A motor vehicle seat according to claim 13, wherein the fitting comprises: a first fitting part, on which a toothed ring is configured; a second fitting part, on which a toothed wheel is configured, which meshes with the toothed ring, the two fitting parts being in geared connection with each other; and a rotatably supported rotating eccentric which is driven by a driver, for driving a relative rolling movement of the toothed wheel and the toothed ring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A motor vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein said shaft receptacle comprises a profiled shaft receptacle, the profiled shaft receptacle having a profile which matches a profile of the drive shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A motor vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein the drive shaft axis is defined by a profile-free cylindrical basic shape of the shaft receptacle or by an imaginary center of gravity of the shaft receptacle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A motor vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein the core is configured separately from the drive output wheel and is connected with the drive output wheel so as to be rotationally secure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) A motor vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein: the drive output wheel has a hollow journal pin; and the core is a profiled core that is introduced in the hollow journal pin of the drive output wheel, the hollow journal pin having a profile which matches a profile of the profiled core. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A motor vehicle seat according to claim 14, wherein the core axis is defined by a profile-free cylindrical basic shape of the core or by a center of gravity of the core. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) A motor vehicle seat according to claim 13, wherein: the eccentric epicyclic gear supports a first fitting part, said first fitting part having a central receptacle and said first fitting part being supported on a collar of a second fitting part; and the central receptacle of the first fitting part is aligned with the core axis, and the collar of the second fitting part is aligned with the drive shaft axis, said gear axis being located at a spaced location from said core axis and said drive shaft axis, wherein the central receptacle of the first fitting part is aligned with the core axis, and the collar of the second fitting part is aligned with the drive shaft axis.