IP Library Granted Patent US 10,493,867
Granted Patent B2
US 10,493,867 · App. 15/560,685 · Granted Dec 3, 2019

Adjusting device for a vehicle seat and vehicle seat

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,493,867
App. No.
15/560,685
Granted
Dec 3, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An adjusting device ( 3 ), for a vehicle seat ( 1 ), includes at least one first adjusting element ( 5 ), at least one second adjusting element ( 7 ) that moves relative to the first adjusting element ( 5 ), a spindle ( 11 ) associated with the first adjusting element ( 5 ) and having an outer thread ( 13 ) for cooperating with an inner thread ( 64 ) of a spindle nut ( 60 ) associated with the second adjusting element ( 7 ). A base body ( 62 ) of the spindle nut ( 60 ) is made of metal, in particular steel, and at least sections of the inner thread ( 64 ) of the spindle nut ( 60 ) is made of a plastic or is covered with a plastic layer. A vehicle seat ( 1 ) is also provided having an adjusting device ( 3 ) of this type.

Claims (42)

1. An adjusting device for a vehicle seat, the adjusting device comprising:

at least one first adjusting element;

at least one second adjusting element which can be moved relative to the first adjusting element;

a spindle nut which is assigned to the second adjusting element; and

a spindle which is assigned to the first adjusting element and has an external thread for interacting with an internal thread of the spindle nut, wherein a main body of the spindle nut comprises metal and the internal thread of the spindle nut comprises a plastics material or is coated by a plastics-material layer and the internal thread of the spindle nut is of two-start configuration comprising a first thread helix and a second thread helix, wherein the first thread helix is formed of steel, and the second thread helix is formed of plastics material or is coated by the plastics-material layer and first thread helix and the second thread helix are intertwined with each other on the spindle nut.

2. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting device is a longitudinal adjuster having at least one first seat rail as the first adjusting element and at least one second seat rail as the second adjusting element.

3. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the internal thread of the spindle nut is of multi-start configuration.

4. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plastics material forming the second thread helix is introduced into a helically running groove in the main body of the spindle nut to form the second thread helix.

5. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the second thread helix is produced by injection molding with plastic material of the second thread helix introduced into the helically running groove in the main body of the spindle nut by injection molding.

6. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a flank clearance between the external thread and the second thread helix is smaller than a flank clearance between the external thread and the first thread helix.

7. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

during normal operation of the adjusting device, the second thread helix is in contact with the external thread and the first thread helix has an amount of clearance in relation to the external thread; and

under crash-induced loading, the first thread helix is in contact with the external thread.

8. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second thread helix is plastically deformable under crash-induced loading.

9. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the external thread of the spindle consists of steel.

10. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a main body of the spindle consists of metal and the external thread of the spindle comprises plastics material or is coated by plastics-material layer.

11. An adjusting device for a vehicle seat, the adjusting device comprising:

at least one first adjusting element;

at least one second adjusting element, which can be moved relative to the first adjusting element;

a spindle nut assigned to the second adjusting element;

a spindle, which is assigned to the first adjusting element and has an external thread for interacting with an internal thread of the spindle nut, wherein:

a main body of the spindle consists of metal and the external thread of the spindle consists, at least in part, of plastics material or is coated by a plastics-material layer;

the internal thread of the spindle nut is of a multi-start configuration comprising a first thread helix and a second thread helix; and

the first thread helix and the second thread helix are intertwined on the spindle nut.

12. A vehicle seat comprising an adjusting device comprising:

at least one first adjusting element;

at least one second adjusting element which can be moved relative to the first adjusting element;

a spindle nut which is assigned to the second adjusting element, the spindle nut having an internal thread having a two-start configuration comprising a first thread helix and a second thread helix intertwined with the first thread helix; and

a spindle assigned to the first adjusting element and having an external thread for interacting with the internal thread of the spindle nut, wherein:

a main body of the spindle nut comprises metal and the internal thread of the spindle nut comprises a plastics material or is coated by a plastics-material layer and the first thread helix is formed of steel and the second thread helix is formed of plastics material or is coated by the plastics-material layer; or

a main body of the spindle comprises metal and the external thread of the spindle comprises plastics material or is coated by a plastics-material layer; or

a main body of the spindle nut comprises metal and the internal thread of the spindle nut comprises a plastics material or is coated by a plastics-material layer and the first thread helix is formed of steel and the second thread helix is formed of plastics material or is coated by the plastics-material layer and a main body of the spindle comprises metal and the external thread of the spindle comprises plastics material or is coated by a plastics-material layer.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the adjusting device is a longitudinal adjuster having at least one first seat rail as the first adjusting element and at least one second seat rail as the second adjusting element.

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the plastics material forming the second thread helix is introduced into a helically running groove in the main body of the spindle nut to form the second thread helix.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the second thread helix is produced by injection molding with plastic material of the second thread helix introduced into the helically running groove in the main body of the spindle nut by injection molding.

16. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a flank clearance between the external thread and the second thread helix is smaller than a flank clearance between the external thread and the first thread helix.

17. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12 , wherein:

during normal operation of the adjusting device, the second thread helix is in contact with the external thread and the first thread helix has an amount of clearance in relation to the external thread; and

under crash-induced loading, the first thread helix is in contact with the external thread.

18. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the second thread helix is plastically deformable under crash-induced loading.

19. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the external thread of the spindle consists of steel.

20. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the internal thread of the spindle nut consists entirely of plastics material or is coated by the plastics-material layer.

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 057434/0573 →
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 Mar 16, 2018
From: BALZAR, DAVID; HOFFMANN, ANDREAS
To: ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HOLDING S.À.R.L.
Reel/Frame 045251/0015 →