IP Library Granted Patent US 10,513,202
Granted Patent B2
US 10,513,202 · App. 15/779,330 · Granted Dec 24, 2019

Seat depth adjuster

Inventors: Markus Gumbrich (Solingen, DE); Christian Klostermann (Holdorf, DE); Joerg Madsen (Rheinberg, DE); René Grahl (Viersen, DE); Ralph Brunner (Krefeld, DE); André Osterhues (Steinfeld-Mühlen, DE)
Assignees: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à r.l.; Müller-Technik GmbH
B60N2/0284B60N2/929B60N2002/952
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,513,202
App. No.
15/779,330
Granted
Dec 24, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle seat depth adjuster ( 1 ) includes a base plate ( 2 ) connectable to a seat structure ( 17 ); a detent unit ( 8 ); a carrier plate ( 3 ) moveably arranged above the base plate; a locking unit ( 4 ) detachably engaging the detent unit; and a drive unit ( 11 ) moving the carrier plate. The carrier plate is fixed in relation to the base plate in an engaged position of the locking unit and is moveable, between a retracted position and an extended position in a released position of the locking unit by the drive unit. The detent unit is arranged on the upper side ( 2.5 ) of the base plate, which faces the carrier plate, and includes receiving elements ( 8.1 ) staggered in the direction (L) of movement. The locking unit includes an unlocking lever ( 5 ) with at least one locking tooth ( 5.1 ) that engages in one of the detent receiving elements in the engaged position.

Claims (42)

1. A seat depth adjuster for a vehicle seat, the depth seat adjuster comprising:

a base plate which is connectable to a seat structure of the vehicle seat and which comprises a latching unit;

a carrier plate which is arranged above the base plate and which is displaceable relative to the base plate;

a locking unit which is releasably latched in the latching unit; and

a drive unit which acts on the carrier plate in the direction of displacement, wherein;

the carrier plate is fixed relative to the base plate in a latched position of the locking unit and is displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position in a released position of the locking unit and the drive unit causes a displacement of the carrier plate into the extended position, in the released position of the locking unit;

the latching unit is arranged on an upper face of the base plate, facing the carrier plate, and comprises latching receivers which are offset in the direction of displacement;

the locking unit comprises an unlocking lever with at least one locking tooth which engages in one of the latching receivers in a latched manner in the latched position;

the latching receivers are open upwardly and the at least one locking tooth is oriented downwardly;

the at least one locking tooth is arranged on the unlocking lever such that a free end of the at least one locking tooth is arranged below a second, opposing end region of the locking tooth, by which the locking tooth is arranged or configured on the unlocking lever; and

the at least one locking tooth is moveable upwardly out of the respective latching receiver for unlocking and the at least one locking tooth is moveable downwardly into the respective latching receiver for locking.

2. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one resetting element which acts on the locking unit toward the latched position.

3. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the unlocking lever with an actuating unit, which is coupled in an articulated manner, is movable between the latched position and the released position.

4. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the actuating unit and the unlocking lever are configured and arranged such that for moving the unlocking lever the actuating unit acts on an end region of the unlocking lever remote from at least one locking tooth.

5. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the unlocking lever is pivotably mounted about an axle.

6. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive unit comprises at least one spring element which acts between the base plate and the carrier plate.

7. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one spring element is configured as a tension spring or as a compression spring.

8. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base plate comprises through-bores, for receiving fastening elements for fixing the base plate to the seat structure, and domes which protrude vertically from a base plate lower face.

9. A method for mounting a seat depth adjuster, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the depth seat adjuster comprising a base plate which is connectable to a seat structure of the vehicle seat and which comprises a latching unit, a carrier plate which is arranged above the base plate and which is displaceable relative to the base plate, a locking unit which is releasably latched in the latching unit and a drive unit which acts on the carrier plate in the direction of displacements wherein the carrier plate is fixed relative to the base plate in a latched position of the locking unit and is displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position in a released position of the locking unit and the drive unit causes a displacement of the carrier plate into the extended position, in the released position of the locking unit, the latching unit is arranged on an upper face of the base plate, facing the carrier plate, and comprises latching receivers which are offset in the direction of displacement and the locking unit comprises an unlocking lever with at least one locking tooth which engages in one of the latching receivers in a latched manner in the latched position, the latching receivers being open upwardly and the at least one locking tooth is oriented downwardly, the at least one locking tooth being arranged on the unlocking lever such that a free end of the at least one locking tooth is arranged below a second, opposing end region of the locking tooth, by which the locking tooth is arranged or configured on the unlocking lever, the at least one locking tooth being moveable upwardly out of the respective latching receiver for unlocking and the at least one locking tooth is moveable downwardly into the respective latching receiver for locking;

providing the base comprising through-bores, for receiving fastening elements for fixing the base plate to the seat structure, and domes which protrude vertically from a base plate lower face;

positioning the base plate onto the seat structure in a vertical Z-direction with a pre-positioning by means of the domes; and

fixing the base plate by the fastening elements to the seat structure.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the free end of the at least one locking tooth and the second, opposing end region of the locking tooth face in a direction of the upper face of the base plate.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the free end of the at least one locking tooth and the second, opposing end region of the locking tooth face a direction away from the carrier plate.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the carrier plate comprises a lower surface facing in a direction of the upper face of the base plate, the latching receivers facing in a direction of the lower surface of the carrier element.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the unlocking lever comprises an unlocking lever portion extending in an interior space defined by the base plate and the carrier plate, the unlocking lever portion comprising an unlocking lever end portion, the at least one tooth extending from the unlocking lever end portion, wherein the unlocking lever end portion is located at a first position when the at least one locking tooth engages in the one of the latching receivers and the unlocking lever end portion is located at a second position when the at least one locking tooth is located at a spaced location from the one of the latching receivers, wherein a distance between the first position and the carrier plate is greater than a distance between the second position and the carrier plate.

14. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the free end of the at least one locking tooth and the second, opposing end region of the locking tooth face in a direction of the upper face of the base plate.

15. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the free end of the at least one locking tooth and the second opposing end region of the locking tooth face a direction away from the carrier plate.

16. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier plate comprises a lower surface facing in a direction of the upper face of the base plate, the latching receivers facing in a direction of the lower surface of the carrier element.

17. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the unlocking lever comprises an unlocking lever portion extending in an interior space defined by the base plate and the carrier plate, the unlocking lever portion comprising an unlocking lever end portion, the at least one tooth extending from the unlocking lever end portion, wherein the unlocking lever end portion is located at a first position when the at least one locking tooth engages in the one of the latching receivers and the unlocking lever end portion is located at a second position when the at least one locking tooth is located at a spaced location from the one of the latching receivers, wherein a distance between the first position and the carrier plate is greater than a distance between the second position and the carrier plate.

18. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising an actuating unit connected to the unlocking lever, wherein the unlocking lever is actuated via the actuating unit.

19. A seat depth adjuster for a vehicle seat, the depth seat adjuster comprising:

a base plate which is connectable to a seat structure of the vehicle seat and which comprises a latching unit;

a carrier plate which is arranged above the base plate and which is displaceable relative to the base plate;

a locking unit which is releasably latched in the latching unit; and

a drive unit which acts on the carrier plate in the direction of displacement, wherein:

the carrier plate is fixed relative to the base plate in a latched position of the locking unit and is displaceable between a retracted position and an extended position in a released position of the locking unit and the drive unit causes a displacement of the carrier plate into the extended position, in the released position of the locking unit;

the latching unit is arranged on an upper face of the base plate, facing the carrier plate, and comprises latching receivers which are offset in the direction of displacement;

the locking unit comprises an unlocking lever with at least one locking tooth which engages in one of the latching receivers in a latched manner in the latched position;

the drive unit comprises at least one spring element which acts between the base plate and the carrier plate.

20. The seat depth adjuster as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the at least one spring element is configured as a tension spring or as a compression spring.

Assignments (5)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2023
From: CNI ENTERPRISES, INC.; ADIENT US LLC
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063085/0391 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN IP Recorded Nov 17, 2022
From: ADIENT US LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061956/0301 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2022
From: ADIENT GLOBAL HOLDINGS LTD.
To: ADIENT US LLC
Reel/Frame 059002/0568 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2022
From: ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HOLDING S.A.R.L.
To: ADIENT GLOBAL HOLDINGS LTD.
Reel/Frame 058671/0541 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2018
From: GUMBRICH, MARKUS; KLOSTERMANN, CHRISTIAN; MADSEN, JOERG; GRAHL, RENÉ; BRUNNER, RALPH; OSTERHUES, ANDRÉ
To: ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HOLDING S.À.R.L.; MÜLLER-TECHNIK GMBH
Reel/Frame 047055/0162 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2015 223 607 · Nov 27, 2015 · national
DE 10 2016 218 014 · Sep 20, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180304776A1 · Oct 25, 2018