Vehicle seat device

Inventors: Haruki Mochizuki (Tochigi, JP); Satoshi Suzuki (Tochigi, JP); Takayoshi Katori (Tochigi, JP); Masato Watanabe (Tochigi, JP); Tsukasa Meguro (Tochigi, JP); Yoichi Tachikawa (Tochigi, JP)

Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.

B60N2/146 B60N2/02246

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12691796
App. No.: 18/695,604
Granted: Jul 28, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

The vehicle seat device has a rotation device provided between a floor and a seat cushion to rotatably support the seat cushion relative to the floor. The rotation device comprises a base portion provided on the floor; a rotatable portion provided on the seat cushion and rotatably supported by the base portion; an electric actuator for rotating the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion; and a rotation lock device for selectively prohibiting rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion. The rotation lock device is configured to be manually switched between a locked state and a released state. The electric actuator is configured to allow rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion when the rotation lock device is released and electric power is not supplied to the electric actuator.

Claims (38)

1 . A vehicle seat device having a rotation device provided between a floor and a seat cushion to rotatably support the seat cushion relative to the floor,

the rotation device comprising,

a base portion provided on the floor;

a rotatable portion provided on the seat cushion and rotatably supported by the base portion;

an electric actuator for rotating the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion; and

a rotation lock device for selectively prohibiting rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion,

wherein the rotation lock device is configured to be manually switched between a locked state and a released state, and the electric actuator is configured to allow rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion when the rotation lock device is released and electric power is not supplied to the electric actuator,

the rotation lock device is movably supported by one of the base portion and the rotatable portion, and is provided with a lock claw that is movable between a lock position for engaging another of the base portion and the rotatable portion and a release position for disengaging from the other of the base portion and the rotatable portion, and one of the base portion and the rotatable portion is provided with a lock claw sensor that detects a position of the lock claw, the electric actuator being configured to be driven when the lock claw is at the release position,

the base portion is provided with a base plate having a vertically facing major plane,

the rotatable portion is provided with a rotatable plate rotatably supported on an upper surface of the base plate, and

in plan view, the lock claw and the lock claw sensor are disposed radially inward of an outer peripheral edge of the rotatable plate.

2 . The vehicle seat device according to claim 1 , wherein the electric actuator does not include a worm reduction gear.

3 . The vehicle seat device according to claim 1 , wherein the lock claw sensor is provided with a lever configured to be displaced by being pushed by the lock claw, and detect a position of the lock claw based on a position of the lever.

4 . The vehicle seat device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the rotatable portion and the base portion is provided with a detecting piece made of a magnetic material, and another of the rotatable portion and the base portion is provided with a magnetic proximity sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to a distance from the detecting piece.

5 . The vehicle seat device according to claim 1 , wherein a stopper is provided between the base portion and the rotatable portion for limiting a rotational range of the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion so that the rotatable portion is rotatable relative to the base portion between an inner rotational limit which is displaced by 180 degrees or less in an inboard direction from a reference rotational position defined as a position of the seat cushion facing forward and an outer rotational limit which is displaced by 90 degrees or less in an outboard direction from the reference rotational position.

6 . A vehicle seat device having a rotation device provided between a floor and a seat cushion to rotatably support the seat cushion relative to the floor,

the rotation device comprising,

a base portion provided on the floor;

a rotatable portion provided on the seat cushion and rotatably supported by the base portion;

an electric actuator for rotating the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion; and

a rotation lock device for selectively prohibiting rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion,

the base portion is provided with a base plate having a vertically facing major plane, and a fixing member having a ring-shape and extending upward from the base plate, and the rotatable portion is provided with a rotatable plate rotatably supported on an upper surface of the base plate, the fixing member extending above an outer peripheral part of the rotatable plate, a slidable member being positioned between an upper surface of the rotatable plate and the fixing member.

7 . The vehicle seat device according to claim 6 , wherein the fixing member presses the rotatable plate toward the base plate via the slidable member.

8 . The vehicle seat device according to claim 6 , wherein a first bearing hole is formed in a central part of the base plate, a second bearing hole is formed in a central part of the rotatable plate, a vertically extending support tube is passed through the first bearing hole and the second bearing hole, and an outer circumference of the support tube is provided with a radially outwardly bulging annular ribs that prevent a vertical movement of the rotatable plate.

9 . The vehicle seat device according to claim 8 , wherein an enlarged diameter portion is provided in a lower end of the support tube, and the base plate is restricted from vertical movement by one of the annular ribs and the enlarged diameter portion.

10 . A method for manufacturing a vehicle,

wherein a seat device has a rotation device provided between a floor and a seat cushion to rotatably support the seat cushion relative to the floor,

the rotation device comprising,

a base portion provided on the floor;

a rotatable portion provided on the seat cushion and rotatably supported by the base portion;

an electric actuator for rotating the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion; and

a rotation lock device for selectively prohibiting rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion,

the rotation lock device is configured to be manually switched between a locked state and a released state, and the electric actuator is configured to allow rotation of the rotatable portion with respect to the base portion when the rotation lock device is released and electric power is not supplied to the electric actuator,

the base portion is provided with a base plate having a vertically facing major plane, and the rotatable portion is provided with a rotatable plate rotatably supported on an upper surface of the base plate,

the method comprising the step of:

disposing the lock claw and the lock claw sensor, in plan view, radially inward of an outer peripheral edge of the rotatable plate.