IP Library Granted Patent US 7,527,336
Granted Patent B2
US 7,527,336 · App. 10/549,554 · Granted May 5, 2009

Recliner mechanism

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,527,336
App. No.
10/549,554
Granted
May 5, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device for blocking and adjusting the inclination of fittings, such as a recliner mechanism, a vehicle seat, has a first fitting part which has a latch tooth, and a latching element ( 2 ) which has a mating latch tooth, the latch tooth and the mating latch tooth are brought into engagement and arrested in the engagement position by means of a clamping element under the force of a spring, acts on the latching element and is movable counter to the force of the spring via adjusting means. The clamping element has a toothing in which is engaged by a mating toothing situated on a toothed element, the force of the spring acts on the toothed element and acts indirectly on the clamping element via the toothing and mating toothing.

Claims (44)

1. A recliner mechanism comprising:

a first fitting part including a first tooth;

a latching element including a second tooth that is engageable with the first tooth;

a clamping element engageable with the latching element, the clamping element including a third tooth; and

a toothed element including a fourth tooth and a spring, the fourth tooth being engageable with the third tooth, the spring being encircled by and at least partially received within the toothed element,

wherein the spring is configured to act on the toothed element and indirectly on the clamping element via the third tooth and the fourth tooth to hold the latching element in engagement with the first fitting part.

2. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the first fitting part, the latching element, the clamping element and the toothed element are pivotable relative to each other about respective pivot axes, the respective pivot axes being arranged parallel to one another.

3. The recliner mechanism of claim 2 wherein the first fitting part, the latching element, the clamping element and the toothed element each have a fastening opening arranged concentrically about the respective pivot axes.

4. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the toothed element comprises an outer ring and an inner ring, the spring being arranged concentrically with and between the outer ring and the inner ring.

5. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the clamping element includes a first fastening opening and the toothed element includes a second fastening opening, the first fastening opening and the second fastening opening each being configured to receive a transmission rod to accommodate different seating arrangements.

6. The recliner mechanism of claim 5 wherein a respective fine tooth is provided around an inner periphery of the first fastening opening and the second fastening opening.

7. The recliner mechanism of claim 5 further comprising a molded part configured to be inserted into the first fastening opening, the mold part having a profiled inner contour configured to receive a transmission rod.

8. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a second filling part, wherein the latching element, the clamping element and the toothed element are fastened to the second fitting part.

9. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the spring comprises a torsion spring.

10. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the spring comprises a leg spring.

11. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the spring comprises a flat spiral spring.

12. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the clamping element further includes a control contour for interacting with a corresponding control contour of the latching element.

13. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the tooth of the clamping element and the mating tooth of the toothed element are each an external tooth segment.

14. A recliner mechanism comprising:

a first fitting part including a first tooth;

a latching element including a second tooth that is engageable with the first tooth;

a clamping element engageable with the latching element, the clamping element including a third tooth and a first fastening opening;

a toothed element including a fourth tooth and a second fastening opening, the fourth tooth being engageable with the third tooth, and

a spring configured to act on the toothed element to hold the latching element in engagement with the first fitting part,

wherein the first fastening opening and the second fastening opening are each configured to receive a transmission rod to accommodate different seating arrangements.

15. The recliner mechanism of claim 14 wherein the spring is encircled by the toothed element.

16. The recliner mechanism of claim 15 wherein the spring is configured to act directly on the toothed element and indirectly on the clamping element via the third tooth and the fourth tooth to hold the latching element in engagement with the first fitting part.

17. The recliner mechanism of claim 14 wherein the toothed element comprises an outer ring and an inner ring, the spring being arranged concentrically with and between the outer ring and the inner ring.

18. The recliner mechanism of claim 14 wherein the first fitting part, the latching element, the clamping element and the toothed element are coupled to a second fitting part and pivotable relative to each other about respective pivot axes, the respective pivot axes being arranged parallel to one another.

19. A recliner mechanism comprising:

a first fitting part including a first tooth;

a latching element including a second tooth that is engageable with the first tooth;

a clamping element engageable with the latching element, the clamping element including a third tooth and a first fastening opening;

a toothed element including a fourth tooth and a second fastening opening, the fourth tooth being engageable with the third tooth, and

a spring configured to act on the toothed element to hold the latching element in engagement with the first fitting part,

wherein the first fastening opening and the second fastening opening are each configured to receive a transmission rod to accommodate different seating arrangements, and wherein a respective fine tooth is provided around an inner periphery of the first fastening opening and the second fastening opening.

20. A recliner mechanism comprising:

a first fitting part including a first tooth;

a latching element including a second tooth that is engageable with the first tooth;

a clamping element engageable with the latching element, the clamping element including a third tooth and a first fastening opening;

a toothed element including a fourth tooth and a second fastening opening, the fourth tooth being engageable with the third tooth;

a spring configured to act on the toothed element to hold the latching element in engagement with the first fitting part; and

a molded part configured to be inserted into the first fastening opening, the mold part having a profiled inner contour configured to receive a transmission rod,

wherein the first fastening opening and the second fastening opening are each configured to receive the transmission rod to accommodate different seating arrangements.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jul 12, 2021
From: ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HOLDING S.À.R.L.
To: ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HOLDING S.À.R.L.
Reel/Frame 056849/0896 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jul 12, 2021
From: ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HOLDING S.À.R.L.
To: ADIENT YANFENG SEATING MECHANISMS CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 057434/0577 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 12, 2021
From: ADIENT YANFENG SEATING MECHANISMS CO., LTD
To: KEIPER SEATING MECHANISMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057434/0584 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HOLDING S.A.R.L.
Reel/Frame 044531/0375 →