JP2003009978A - Seat reclining device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To improve the lock strength by increasing the number of poles,
A plurality of poles are provided with a first pole having a contact portion for preventing locking of a lock mechanism within a predetermined operating angle range of a seat reclining device. And a second pole having no corresponding contact portion.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seat reclining device for supporting a seat back with respect to a seat cushion so that an inclination angle can be adjusted, and more particularly to a seat reclining device incorporating a plurality of locking mechanisms.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a seat reclining device of this type, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-183327 is known. This is a lower arm that is held on the side of the seat cushion and is slidably mounted on the side surface thereof, and has a lower arm provided with a plurality of poles having external teeth at the tip, and rotatably supported by the lower arm and fixed to the seat back side. And an upper arm formed with internal teeth capable of meshing with the external teeth of the pole. In addition, a lock having a cam rotatably arranged with respect to the lower arm in order to move a plurality of pawls in a radial direction from the rotation axes of the lower arm and the upper arm at the same time so that the meshing of the inner teeth and the outer teeth can be controlled. It has a mechanism. Such a seat reclining device further rotates the seat back with respect to the seat cushion in the forward direction so that the occupant can easily get in and out of the rear seat at a predetermined angle or more so that the inner teeth of the upper arm and the outer teeth of the pole are not rotated. It is equipped with a so-called forward tilting mechanism that allows the seat back to rotate largely without engaging with each other. In this mechanism, each pole is provided with a protrusion, and the upper arm is provided with a contact portion at a position facing the protrusion of each pole in the forward tilting angle region to prevent the outer teeth of the pole from meshing with the inner teeth of the upper arm. It is composed.

[0003]

However, when the upper arm is provided with the abutting portions for preventing the meshing corresponding to the respective poles as described above, the meshing inner teeth of the respective poles are distributed to the respective poles. It has a wide angle range. That is, the inner tooth portion in a certain angle range meshes with a particular pole, and depending on the adjustment angle of the reclining device, the inner tooth portion is not shared by each pole so as to mesh with another pole. There is. As a result, in order to set the forward tilt angle region, the operating angle range of the conventional reclining device, that is, the forward tilt angle range and the backward tilt range can be tilted backward, which is configured by providing the abutting portions that prevent the meshing corresponding to the number of poles. The total range of the angle ranges is limited to a range obtained by dividing 360 degrees by the number of poles at the maximum. For this reason, in the configuration having three poles like the reclining device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-183327, a rotation angle range of about 100 degrees can be secured.
To further improve the strength of the reclining device,
If you increase the number of poles to four, for example, you can only get about 80 degrees. Naturally, if the number of poles is increased to more than 5, it becomes impossible to secure a practical rotation angle range.

An object of the present invention is to realize a mechanism of a reclining device which can secure a larger operating angle while increasing the number of poles.

[0005]

To solve the above technical problems, the technical measures taken in the present invention include a first arm supported by either one of a seat cushion and a seat back, and the first arm. Second arm rotatably supported by the other arm and supported by the other one of the seat cushion and the seat back, a plurality of poles arranged on the first arm, and the second arm. A reclining device provided with an engaged portion that is engaged with the plurality of pawls, the plurality of pawls being composed of a first pawl and a second pawl, and the abutting portion only on the first pawl. And a contacted portion that blocks the engagement between the pole and the engaged portion by contacting the corresponding contact portion is provided on the second arm.

With this configuration, the number of poles is, for example, four.
Even if the number of poles is increased to 5, the outer teeth of each pole can operate by sharing the part of the inner teeth that mesh with each other without dividing the range of 360 degrees by the number of poles. It becomes possible to realize a large operating angle without doing so. As a result, it is possible to realize a seat reclining device that secures a required operating angle, is small, and has improved lock strength.

[0007] Preferably, a cam is provided which can regulate the positions of the plurality of pawls, and an engaging portion with which the cam engages is preferably provided on the first arm.

More preferably, the engaging portion may have a sliding contact portion that is in sliding contact with the pole.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1, a seat reclining device 10 includes a lower arm 1 and an upper arm 2 each having a disk-shaped outer shape. Lower arm 1
It is fixed to the seat cushion frame A by welding. The upper arm 2 is fixed to the seat back frame B by welding.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower arm 1 is provided with a recess 11 which is opened in the direction of the upper arm 2 and is formed by half blanking, and the recess 11 is the upper arm 2.
And an inner peripheral surface 11a centering on the rotation axis C of the lower arm 1. The upper arm 2 is arranged so that its outer peripheral surface 21 is in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface 11a of the lower arm 1,
The sliding contact surfaces of the lower arm 1 and the upper arm 2 function as shafts and bearings for mutual rotation.

Further, the folder 90 arranged so as to cover the outer circumference of the upper arm 2 supports the lower arm 1 so that its lower surface is in contact with the upper arm 2 and the upper arm 2 and the lower arm 1 are rotatably assembled to each other. keeping.

A recess 25 is formed in the upper arm 2 by half blanking, the recess 25 is open to the lower arm 1 side, and the inner periphery of the recess 25 around the rotation axis C is the entire periphery thereof. Inner teeth 25a are formed. Inside the concave portion 25, a concave portion 26 is formed concentrically with the concave portion 25 by one-step half blanking. Inner peripheral portion 2 of recess 26
A protrusion 27 is formed on a part of 8 toward the rotation axis C.

A lock mechanism 3 is installed between the lower arm 1 and the upper arm 2. This lock mechanism 3
Is equipped with two types of three poles 50 and 60 arranged at equal angular intervals in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis C. As shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, one pole 50 (first pole) has a protrusion 51 on the side surface and the other two poles 60 (second pole) have a protrusion 51.
It has the same shape as the pole 50, except that it does not have.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the three poles 50 and 60 are made of a plate-shaped steel material, and each of them has a first pole.
The two surface portions of the surface portions 52 and 62 and the second surface portions 53 and 63 are connected to each other with a step, and have a shape that is formed into a substantially rectangular shape as a whole. The upper arm 2 is attached to the tip surfaces of the first surface portions 52 and 62 of the poles 50 and 60, respectively.
External teeth 54, 64 that can mesh with the internal teeth 25a of
At the end surface opposite to the external teeth 54, 64, the first surface portions 52, 62
And the back cam surfaces 55 and 65 on the steps of the second surface portions 53 and 63.
Are formed. Further, cam elongated holes 56 and 66 are formed so as to penetrate the second surface portions 53 and 63 in the plate thickness direction. The outer teeth 54 and 64 of the poles 50 and 60 are sandwiched, and both ends of the width in the direction perpendicular to the plate thickness are formed in parallel straight lines.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the recess 11 of the lower arm 1 is provided with six recesses 12 which are opened in the opposite direction to the recess 11 and which are formed by half blanking. Three sets of two pairs of the six recesses 12 are arranged at equal intervals around the rotation axis C and at the same distance from the rotation axis C. The recess 12 has a guide wall 121 (sliding contact portion) and a cam engagement portion 122 (engagement portion), respectively. Three pairs of the guide walls 121 are provided so as to be parallel to each other and face each other, and the width of the facing guide walls 121 is substantially the same as the width of the poles 50 and 60. The poles 50 and 60 are fitted and assembled between the guide walls 121, and the poles 50 and 60 are slidably movable while being guided by the guide wall 121 in a direction toward or away from the rotation axis C. ing. The cam engaging portion 122 will be described later. In this way, the recess 12 has a guide wall 121.
Since the cam engaging portion 122 and the cam engaging portion 122 are integrally provided, the number of parts of the reclining device as a whole is reduced and the structure is compact.

The lock mechanism 3 further includes a cam 40. The cam 40 has a cam surface 41, and the cam surface 41 is rotatably arranged on the rotation axis C in the recess 25 of the upper arm 2. The cam surface 41 has three angles with equal intervals.
Further, a pole pressing portion 411 and an alignment portion 412 are formed on the cam surface 41, respectively. Pole pressing part 41
1 is the back cam surface 55, 65 of each pole 50, 60 (Fig. 5,
6) and can be contacted. Then, the rotation of the cam 40 causes the outer teeth 54 and 64 of the poles 50 and 60 to move to the inner teeth 25.
It can be pressed to engage with a. Further, the centering portion 412 can be engaged with and disengaged from the cam engaging portion 122 of the recess 12. That is, the rotation of the cam 40 causes the three aligning portions 4 to move.
12 can engage the three cam engaging portions 122 at substantially the same time. On the side surface of the cam 40 closer to the rotation axis C than each cam surface 41, the projection pin 4 protruding so as to be inserted into the cam elongated holes 56 and 66 of the poles 50 and 60.
7 are formed.

The hinge shaft 70 is disposed on the rotation axis C, is inserted into the through holes 13, 42, 23 of the lower arm 1, the cam 40, and the upper arm 2, respectively, and is rotatably supported. A spline 71 having a plurality of grooves that are open in the radial direction and extend in the axial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the hinge shaft 70 at a substantially central portion in the axial direction. on the other hand,
A female spline 43 that engages with the spline 71 of the hinge shaft 70 is formed in the through hole 42 of the cam 40, and the hinge shaft 70 and the cam 40 rotate integrally. Here, the spline 43 of the cam 40 is formed to be slightly larger than the spline 71 of the hinge shaft 70, so that there is a radial play between the two. Therefore, the cam 40 is pressed in the recess 25 of the upper arm 2 by the pressing portion 411.
It is possible to move in the direction of with respect to the hinge shaft 70. Further, a serration 74 having a plurality of tooth grooves extending in the axial direction is formed on the outer peripheral portion of one end of the hinge shaft 70. An operation handle 85 having a serration that engages with the serration 74 is integrally attached.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower arm 1 is provided with a recessed portion 16 which is concentric with the recessed portion 11 and which is half deeper than the recessed portion 11. A groove 14 that extends outward in the radial direction is formed at one location on the inner peripheral surface of the recess 16.
On the other hand, the boss portion 45 of the cam 40 is provided with a groove 46 as shown in FIG. One end is locked in the groove 14 and the other end is locked in the groove 46, and a spiral spring 86 is attached so that the center thereof substantially coincides with the rotation axis C. Then, in FIG. 3, an acting force is exerted so as to rotate the cam 40 counterclockwise. Then, the protrusion pins 47 formed on the cam 40 and the cam elongated holes 56 and 66 formed in the pawls 50 and 60 move the pawls 50 and 60 in the outer peripheral direction from the rotation axis C. At the same time, the pole pressing portion 411 of the cam surface 41 causes the pole 50,
The back cam surfaces 55 and 65 of 60 are pushed in the outer peripheral direction to move the inner teeth 25
The a and the outer teeth 54 and 64 are firmly meshed with each other.

The folder 90 is bent so that the lower arm 1 is assembled and held to the upper arm 2 in the final step of assembling the seat reclining device 10.

Next, the operation of the reclining device 10 configured as described above will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a locked state of the reclining device 10. In this state, the pole pressing portion 411 of the cam 40 and the back cam surfaces 55 and 65 of the poles 50 and 60 contact each other, the poles 50 and 60 are pushed, and the outer teeth 54 and 64 of the poles 50 and 60 and the tooth portions of the upper arm. 25a meshes with. Then, the rotation of the upper arm 2 and the lower arm 1 is restricted. In this case, since the cam 40 is movable in the recess 25 in the direction of the pole pressing portion 411 with respect to the hinge shaft 70, the cam 40 can press the three pawls substantially uniformly. Therefore, it is possible to securely lock without rattling.

When the operation handle 85 is operated in this state, the hinge shaft 70 is integrated with the cam 40 and the spring 8 moves.
It rotates clockwise in FIG. 3 against the biasing force of 6. The abutment of the pole pressing portion 411 of the cam surface 41 from the back cam surfaces 55 and 65 of the pole is released, and the action of the cam elongated holes 56 and 66 of the pole and the protruding pin 47 of the cam 40 guides the poles 50 and 60. It is drawn toward the rotation axis C side along the wall 121. Then, the engagement between the outer teeth 54 and 64 of the poles 50 and 60 and the inner teeth 25 is released. Therefore, the seat back supported by the seat back frame B can be rotated to an arbitrary position with respect to the seat cushion supported by the seat cushion frame A.
Here, the three aligning portions 412 of the cam 40 are moved at the same time 3
Since the cam 40 engages with one cam engaging portion 122, the cam 40 is centered by the cam engaging portion 122. Therefore, the gaps between the outer teeth 54 and 64 of the poles 50 and 60 and the inner teeth 25 are substantially equal. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the poor rotation and the poor operation feeling due to the part of the pole and the arm meshing with each other.

As described above, when the seat back is rotated forward by a predetermined angle or more with respect to the seat cushion in the unlocked state, within a so-called forward tilt angle range, the inner periphery of the recess 26 of the upper arm 2 is rotated. The protrusion 27 formed on the surface is rotated clockwise in FIG. 3,
As shown in FIG. 4, it comes into the position between the protrusion 51 formed on the side surface of the pole 50 and the inner tooth 25a. In this state, when the operation handle 85 is released, the cam 40 presses the pawl 50 in the meshing direction of the internal teeth 25a by the action force of the spring 86, but the movement of the pawl 50 is blocked and the meshing does not occur. At this time, the other two poles 60
By the action of the cam elongated hole 66 and the protruding pin 47, the cam is stopped at a position where it does not mesh with the internal teeth. Therefore, in the forward tilting angle range, the seat back can be rotated without being locked. Usually, a spring means (not shown) is attached by causing the seat back to tilt forward with respect to the seat cushion. In this forward tilting angle range, the differential force of the spring means makes a large rotation at once, which facilitates getting on and off the rear seat.

From the forward tilted state, the operating lever 7 is operated again to return the seat back to the optimum position for seating, and when the operating lever 7 is released at that position, the pole 5
0, 60, the cam 40 returns to the state shown in FIG. 3 and is firmly locked.

As most characteristically shown in FIG. 3, in the seat recliner device 10 according to the present invention, three poles 50 and 60 are arranged in the inner teeth 25a. The part of the internal teeth 25a that meshes is not divided and distinguished. That is, even if the protrusion 27 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 3 and comes to the position of the pole 60, the pole 60 contacts the protrusion 27 like the pole 50 to prevent the protrusion 51 from blocking the engagement of the pole 60. Since it does not have, all the poles 50 and 60 can be engaged. In this way, when the seat back is tilted backwards, the portion of the internal teeth that was meshed with another pole when the seat back was adjusted forward shares an angle area in which the poles mesh with each other. In such a configuration, the adjustment angle range is not limited by the number of poles, so that the backward operation angle range can be set large.

In the above-mentioned recliner device 1, the structure having three poles and the operation thereof have been described. However, based on this structure, the structure can be easily changed to a structure for improving the strength in response to the required strength requirement. It has a great freedom to do.

As an example thereof, FIG. 7 shows a recliner device 100 whose configuration is changed so as to improve the strength. That is, in the recliner device 10 described above,
Although the recliner device 100 includes the three poles 50 and 60, one pole having the protrusion 151 and the other four poles 160 having no protrusion 151 make a total of five poles.
It is configured to have two poles. Even if the recliner device has substantially the same outer dimensions, its lock strength is greatly improved as compared with the recliner device having three poles.

In the recliner device 100, the pawls 150 and 160 mesh with the inner teeth 125a so as to share a larger portion. Of course, the number of poles is not limited to the embodiment shown here, and may be appropriately selected and configured to meet the required strength requirement.

Further, FIG. 8 shows a recliner device 200 as a third embodiment according to the present invention. In this structure, in the recliner device 10 of the first embodiment, the pole 250 having the protrusion 251 corresponds to the pole 50 having the protrusion 51.
2 and two poles 260 that correspond to the pole 60 and do not have the protrusion 251. The upper arm 202 is provided with two protrusions 227 corresponding to the pole 250 having the two protrusions 251. If the operating angle range of the reclining device 200 when the internal teeth 225a are divided by the number of poles 250 and 260 satisfies the necessary range,
It may be configured to include a pole 250 having one or more protrusions.

[0030]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, it is possible to secure the working angle of the recliner device and increase the number of poles to improve the strength. As described above, the recliner device configured by increasing the number of poles can improve the strength without increasing the outer diameter dimension thereof, and thus can not only meet the needs of a small size, but also, for example, three people. For long type seats that can be seated, such as when recliner devices are arranged on both sides and the center of the seat, combine recliner devices with different numbers of poles according to the load acting on each part of the seat. It is also possible to arrange them for use. At this time, the recliner device with improved strength can also be configured in a small size by matching the outer diameter with other recliner devices, and realizes a comfortable seat without protruding toward the seating surface. You can

Further, according to the second aspect of the invention, the seat back can be smoothly rotated when the lock of the reclining device is released. Therefore, the feeling during the reclining operation can be improved.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, the reclining device has a compact structure with a small number of parts. Therefore, the cost can be reduced, the device can be downsized, and a comfortable seat that does not project toward the seating surface can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a seat reclining device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the central portion of the seat reclining device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I in FIG. 2, showing the reclining device in a locked state.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 2, showing the reclining device in the unlocked state.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first pole of the seat reclining device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second pole of the seat reclining device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a second seat reclining device according to the present invention.
An example of is shown.

FIG. 8 is a third seat reclining device according to the present invention.
An example of is shown.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Lower arm (1st arm) 2 Upper arm (second arm) 25a Internal tooth (engaged part) 27 Protrusion (contacted part) 40 cam 51 Protrusion (contact part) 50 poles (first pole) 60 poles (second pole) 121 Guide wall (sliding part) 122 Cam Engagement Part (Engagement Part)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yuki Yamada             Aichi, 2-chome, Asahi-cho, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture             Within Seiki Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3B087 BD03                 3B099 AA05 BA04 CA17 DA04

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A first arm supported by either one of a seat cushion and a seat back, a first arm rotatably supported by the first arm, and a other arm supported by the other one of the seat cushion and the seat back. Second
In the reclining device, wherein the plurality of poles are provided in the first arm, and the engaged portion that is provided in the second arm and engages with the plurality of poles. An abutting member configured by a first pole and a second pole, in which only the first pole is provided with an abutting portion, and the abutting portion prevents contact between the pawl and the engaged portion. A seat reclining device, wherein a contact portion is provided on the second arm. 2. The seat reclining device according to claim 1, further comprising a cam capable of regulating the positions of the plurality of pawls, and an engaging portion engaging with the cam being provided on the first arm. Seat reclining device. 3. The seat reclining device according to claim 2, wherein the engaging portion has a sliding contact portion that slidably contacts the pole.