FR2888173A1 - Vehicle seat pivoting device, has stopping unit integrated to frame and independent from bolt that comprises tooth penetrating into notch of another frame, and cam pushing tooth end in contact with notch bottom in locked position - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a stopping unit (33) integrated to a pivoting frame and independent from a bolt (17) comprising a tooth (18) which penetrates into a notch (20) of another pivoting frame (10). The unit (33) cooperates with the frame (10) to limit a relative pivot between the two frames in which a flank of the tooth is supported against a lateral edge of the notch when the bolt is in a locked position. A metal cam (26) pushes an end of the tooth in contact with a bottom of the notch in locked position in which another flank of the tooth does not contact with another lateral edge of the notch. An independent claim is also included for a vehicle seat comprising a base and a backrest connected by a pivoting device.

Description

Swivel device for a vehicle seat and seat comprising such

device.

  The present invention relates to pivoting devices for vehicle seats and seats comprising such devices.

  More particularly, the invention relates to a pivoting device for a vehicle seat, comprising: at least first and second armatures pivotally mounted with respect to one another about a pivot axis; on the first armature between a locked position where said lock immobilizes the second armature with respect to the first armature and an unlocked position where said lock allows a pivoting of the second armature with respect to the first armature, a first element selected from said lock and said second armature comprising at least a first tooth adapted to penetrate a first notch secured to a second element selected from the latch and the second armature when the lock is in the locked position, said first notch comprising at least one bottom and first and second lateral edges, said first tooth comprising at least one end available next to the bottom of the first notch when the latch is in the locked position and first and second flanks respectively facing the first and second side edges of the first notch when the latch is in the locked position, - a suitable control device to selectively move the lock between its locked position and its unlocked position, a stop member secured to the first frame and adapted to cooperate by abutment with the second frame thereby limiting a relative pivoting between the first frame and the second frame in a abutment position where said first tooth is opposite the first notch and wherein the first flank of the first tooth bears against the first side edge of the first notch when the latch is in the locked position.

  Document DE-A-103 42 832 describes an example of such a device, in which the stop is formed by a pivot bearing the lock, this pivot being eccentric and adjustable by rotation so that the first side of the first tooth is contact with the first side edge of the first notch.

  The present invention aims to further improve the devices of this type, in particular to simplify and increase the performance in terms of resistance.

  For this purpose, according to the invention, a device of the kind in question is characterized in that the abutment member is independent of the latch, and in that the control device is adapted to push back the end of said first tooth. in contact with the bottom of the first notch in locked position, the first tooth having, between its first and second flanks, a width adapted so that the end face of said first tooth comes into contact with the bottom of the first notch; locked position without the second side coming into contact with the second side edge of the first notch.

  Thanks to these provisions, the device according to the invention is simplified compared to that of DE-A-103 42 832. In addition, the engagement of the first tooth in the first notch is perfectly defined despite the manufacturing tolerances, so that: - the resistance of the lock is also perfectly defined and does not vary from one copy to another of the device, - and to control the lock, it is generally not necessary to adopt control systems with catch-up play, relatively expensive.

  In various embodiments of the invention, one or more of the following arrangements may optionally be used: the first element is the latch and the second element is the second armature; the first element further comprises at least one second tooth adapted to engage with play in a second notch belonging to the second element in the locked position; the abutment member is connected to the first armature by a movable assembly allowing adjustment of the abutment position of the second armature relative to the first armature and by at least one rigid connection adapted to immobilize the abutment member by relative to the first armature after adjustment; - The stop member is slidably mounted relative to the first frame and cooperates by cam effect with a bearing edge belonging to the second frame to adjust the stop position of said second frame; - The second armature is disposed between the first armature and a closure flange fixed to said first armature, the first armature and the closure flange respectively having first and second mutually matching slots in which the stop member slides; the rigid connection comprises at least one weld; the pivoting device further comprises a hinge mechanism having third and fourth armatures pivotally mounted relative to one another about the pivot axis, the hinge mechanism being adapted to allow angular position adjustment between the third and fourth armatures, the second armature being fixed to the third armature.

  Moreover, the subject of the invention is also a vehicle seat comprising a seat and a backrest interconnected by at least one pivoting device as defined above, the first and second armatures being connected (directly or indirectly) to the seat. one on the record and the other on the seat.

  In addition, the invention also relates to an assembly intended to form a pivoting device as defined above, comprising: at least first and second armatures pivotally mounted relative to each other around a pivot axis, - a latch movably mounted on the first armature between a locked position where said latch immobilizes the second armature relative to the first armature and an unlocked position where said latch allows a pivoting of the second armature with respect to the first armature a first element selected from said latch and said second armature comprising at least a first tooth adapted to penetrate a notch secured to a second element selected from the latch and the second armature when the latch is in the locked position, said notch comprising at least one minus one bottom and first and second side edges, said first tooth comprising at least one end isposée opposite the bottom of the first notch when the lock is in the locked position and first and second sidewalls disposed respectively facing the first and second side edges of the first notch when the lock is in the locked position, a control device adapted for selectively move the lock between its locked position and its unlocked position, - a stop member solidarisable to the first frame and adapted to cooperate by abutment with the second frame thereby limiting a relative pivot between the first frame and the second frame in a position stopper wherein said first tooth is opposite the first notch and wherein the first edge of the first tooth bears against the first lateral edge of the first notch when the lock is in the locked position, characterized in that the member stop and independent of the lock, and in that the control device de is adapted to push the end face of said first tooth in contact with the bottom of the first notch in the locked position, the first tooth having, between its first and second flanks, a width adapted so that the end face of said first tooth comes into contact with the bottom of the first notch in the locked position without the second flank coming into contact with the second lateral edge of the first notch.

  Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of four of its embodiments, given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vehicle seat that can be equipped with a pivoting device according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a pivoting device that can equip the seat of FIG. 1, in one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is a side view of the device of FIG. 2; FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively sectional views along lines IV- IV and VV visible in FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a view of detail VI of FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is a view of the device of FIG. 2 without its first armature, seen in direction VII of FIG. 2.

  In the different figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements.

  Figure 1 shows a vehicle seat 1 having a seat 2 mounted on the floor 3 of the vehicle and a backrest 4 pivotally mounted on the seat 2 about a pivot axis Xl.

  The seat 1 may be provided with a handle 5, or any other control device, allowing a user to adjust the angular position of the backrest 4 by pivoting about the pivot axis Xl. In addition, the backrest 4 may further comprise a control lever 6 or other actuating member, arranged for example in the upper part of the backrest, allowing a user to fold the backrest 4 forward with a relatively large amplitude of pivoting, if necessary by unlocking slides 2a which can optionally connect the seat 2 to the floor 3 of the vehicle. In this case, the actuation of the lever 6 may allow for example the user to access the rear seats of a vehicle with three doors, or more generally to access more easily to a space behind the seat 1.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the seat 1 may be provided with a pivoting device 7 which may comprise, for example: a first armature 8, for example in the form of a plate flange which extends mainly perpendicularly to the pivot axis Xl and which can belong for example to the frame of the backrest 4 (or more generally to be connected to the backrest), - a closure flange 9 which can also be made of sheet metal and extend parallel to the first armature 8, the closure flange 9 being for example welded to the first armature 8, a second armature 10 may for example be in the form of an intermediate plate flange extending perpendicular to the pivot axis xl.

  This second armature 10 has a recess delimited by an inner edge 10a and a shoulder 10b delimiting a circular outer edge 10e which journalled in a circular opening 9 of the closure flange 9 (see also FIG. 4), so as to allow relative pivoting. between the first and second armatures 8, 10 around the pivot axis Xl.

  The second armature 10 is trapped axially between the first armature 8 and the closure flange 9.

  As can be seen in FIG. 4, the second armature 10 can be connected to a lateral flange 11 belonging to the armature of the seat 2, via a hinge mechanism 12.

  The hinge mechanism 12, known per se, is adapted to allow a tilting adjustment of the backrest by pivoting about the axis Xl during the actuation of the handle 5. An example of hinge mechanism used in the part of the present invention is given in particular in document FR-A-2 740 406.

  In the example shown in the drawings, the articulation mechanism 12 may comprise, for example: a third armature 13 that may be in the form of a plate flange parallel to the first and second armatures 8, 10 and integral with the second armature 10, a fourth armature 14, for example in the form of a plate flange parallel to the third armature 13 and secured to the aforementioned flange 11 of the seat armature, and a crimped metal ring 15 or any another closure means delimiting with the third and fourth armatures 13, 14 a closed housing that can contain a locking device such as for example that described in the document FR-A-2 740 406 mentioned above, or any other locking device or training conventionally used in articulation mechanisms of this type.

  As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the first and second armatures are interconnected by a locking mechanism 16 adapted to selectively secure these two frames together or allow relative pivoting between these two frames around the pivot axis Xl.

  The locking mechanism 16 may comprise for example a latch 17 which may be in particular in the form of a cut sheet metal plate, parallel to the frames 8, 10 and extending longitudinally between two ends 17a, 17b.

  The latch 17 may be pivotally mounted relative to the first armature 8 around an axis of rotation X2 parallel to the axis X1. For this purpose, the end 17a of the lock may comprise, for example, journals 17c pivotally mounted on the first armature 8 and the closure flange 9.

  The latch 17 further includes, towards its second end 17b, teeth 18, 19 (see FIGS. 2, 6 and 7), oriented towards the second armature 10 and adapted to penetrate respectively into notches 20, 21 formed at the periphery. outer 22 of the second frame, so as to secure together the first and second frames 8, 10.

  As shown in more detail in FIG. 6, the first tooth 18 of the lock 17, that is to say the tooth located closest to the end 17b of the lock, has first and second lateral flanks 18a, 18b and one end 18c.

  In the locked position visible in FIG. 6, the first tooth 18 penetrates into a first corresponding notch 20, which has first and second lateral edges 20a, 20b disposed respectively facing the first and second sidewalls 18a, 18b and a bottom 20c disposed facing the end 18c of the first tooth. In this locked position, the first flank 18a of the first tooth comes into contact with the first lateral edge 20a of the first notch and the end 18c of the first tooth comes into contact with the bottom 20c of the first notch, while the second side edge 18b of the first tooth is separated from the second side edge 20b of the first notch by a certain clearance.

  Furthermore, the second tooth 19 of the lock enters the second notch 21 of the second frame when the latch 17 is in the locked position. Preferably, the second tooth 19 does not come into contact with the lateral edges and the bottom of the second notch 21, so as not to interfere with the correct positioning of the first tooth 18. In the same way, the portions of the outer periphery 22 of the second frame, which are located between the notches 20, 21, do not come into contact with the portions of the side edge 23 of the latch which are located opposite, so as not to interfere with the correct positioning of the latch 17 in the locked position.

  If necessary, the lateral edge 23 of the lock may have a projection 24 inward and the outer periphery 22 of the second frame may also have a projection 25 located opposite the projection 24, so as to complete the effect of interlocking the teeth 18, 19 in the notches 20, 21 in the locked position. The projections 24, 25 may be located between the second tooth 19 and the first end 17a of the lock, in the vicinity of said second tooth 19. The projections 24, 25 are adjacent to each other without being in mutual contact in the locked position of the lock 17, so as to avoid interference with the proper positioning of the lock.

  The latch 17 is normally maintained in the locked position shown in Figure 2, by a metal cam 26 which is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation X3 parallel to the axes X1 and X2 and which extends in the same plane as the lock 17.

  The cam 26 may comprise, for example, journals 26a which are pivotally mounted in corresponding recesses of the first armature 8 and of the closure flange 9. Said cam 26 is elastically biased by a spring 27 (FIG. 7) towards the rest position visible in Figure 3, wherein said cam 26 bears on a bearing edge 28 of the latch 17 opposite the teeth 18. The spring 27 may be a spiral spring whose one end is fixed to the second frame 8 and whose other end acts for example on a lever 29 integral with the cam 26.

  The lever 29 (or another lever integral with the cam 26) can also be fixed for example at one end of a sheathed cable connected to the control lever 6, so as to be able to rotate the cam 26 in the direction of the arrow 26b when actuating the control lever 6. The cam 26 then interferes with an unlocking finger 30 belonging to the latch 17, by pivoting the latch 17 in the direction of the arrow 31 (FIGS. 2 and 7) to releasing the teeth 18, 19 of the notches 20, 21, which allows a relative pivoting of the first frame 8 relative to the second frame 10, that is to say the backrest 4 relative to the seat 2.

  When the latch 17 is unlocked, the backrest 4 can be folded forward in the direction of the arrow 32 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 7), in particular to access the space situated at the rear of the seat 1 as explained previously. During this movement, the teeth 18 of the latch 17 are facing a circular portion of the periphery of the second frame, so that the latch 17 remains in the unlocked position. When the user then straightens the back 4, the teeth 18, 19 slide against the periphery 22 until the first armature 8 is in a stop position relative to the second armature 10, which corresponds to the position initial file 4.

  Once this abutment position is reached, the teeth 18, 19 of the lock are in correspondence with the notches 20, 21 of the second armature 10, so that the latch 17 returns to the locked position and again immobilizes the first flange 8 by compared to the second flange 10.

  The aforementioned abutment position is defined by the contact between an abutment member 33 integral with the first frame 8 and a abutment 34 formed for example by an edge of the second frame 10 abutting the abutment member 33 in a substantially orthoradial direction. relative to the pivot axis Xl.

  The abutment member 33 is initially mounted movable relative to the first frame 8 and to the closure flange 9.

  Thus, as shown in Figures 2, 5 and 7, the stop member 33 may be in the form of a pin extending longitudinally parallel to the axis Xl and slidably mounted in two parallel slots 35, 36 formed respectively in the first armature 8 and in the closure flange 9, which slots extend for example longitudinally in a sliding direction C substantially radial with respect to the axis Xl. The abutment member may optionally comprise a narrow end 33a which slides in the slot 36 and, opposite this narrow end 33a, an enlarged head 33b which bears against the outer face of the first frame 8 ( see Figure 5).

  The abutment 34, for its part, may be formed by a bearing edge belonging to the second armature 10 which extends obliquely with respect to the radial direction, so as to converge towards the direction of sliding C in the direction of the inside.

  During manufacture of the pivoting device 7, it is thus possible to slide the abutment member 33 parallel to the direction C towards the axis X1, so that the stop member 33 comes to bear against the abutment 34 of the second frame.

  Given the bias orientation of the abutment 34, this movement comes to press the first lateral edge 20a of the first notch 20 against the first flank 18a of the first tooth 18.

  This defines perfectly the relative position of abutment between the first frame 8 and the second frame 10, as defined above, without leaving play between these two frames in rotation about the axis Xl.

  Once the abutment member 33 is in place, it is welded to the first frame 8 and / or the closure flange 9 by welds 37, 38. These welds 37, 38 can be made in particular at the edges of the slots 35, 36 by any known welding technique.

  These welds could be replaced by any other rigid connection (in particular by punching, crimping or other) and the sliding mounting of the stop 33 could be replaced by any other movable arrangement for adjusting the stop position of the second armature 10 relative to at the first frame 8.

Claims (9)

  Pivoting device for a vehicle seat, comprising: - at least first and second armatures (8, 10) pivotally mounted relative to one another about a pivot axis (X1), - a latch ( 17) movably mounted on the first armature (8) between a locked position where said lock immobilizes the second armature (10) with respect to the first armature and an unlocked position where said lock allows a pivoting of the second armature (10) relative to at the first armature, a first element selected from said latch (17) and said second armature (10) comprising at least a first tooth (18) adapted to penetrate into a first notch (20) secured to a second element selected from the latch (17) and the second armature (10) when the latch is in the locked position, said first notch (20) comprising at least one bottom (20c) and first and second lateral edges (20a, 20b), said first tooth ( 18) comprising at least one end (18c) arranged facing the bottom (20c) of the first notch when the lock is in the locked position and first and second sidewalls (18a, 18b) arranged respectively facing the first and second side edges (20a). 20b) of the first notch when the latch is in the locked position, a control device (26) adapted to selectively move the latch (17) between its locked position and its unlocked position, - a stop member (33) secured to to the first armature (8) and adapted to cooperate by abutment with the second armature (10) thereby limiting a relative pivoting between the first armature (8) and the second armature (10) in an abutment position where said first tooth (10) 18) is opposite the first notch (20) and wherein the first flank (18a) of the first tooth bears against the first side edge (20a) of the first notch (20) when the latch is in the locked position, characterized in that the abutment member (33) is independent of the latch, and in that the control device (26) is adapted to push back the end (18c) of said first tooth in contact with the latch. bottom (20c) of the first notch in locked position, the first tooth (18) having, between its first and second flanks (18a, 18b), a width adapted for the end (18c) of said first tooth to come into contact with the bottom (20c) of the first notch in the locked position without the second flank (18b) coming into contact with the second lateral edge (20b) of the first notch.   2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the first element is the latch (17) and the second element is the second armature (10).   3. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first element (17) further comprises at least one second tooth (19) adapted to engage with play in a second notch (21) belonging to the second element ( 10) in the locked position.   4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stop member (33) is connected to the first armature (8) by a movable assembly (35, 36) for adjusting the stop position of the second armature relative to the first armature and at least one rigid connection (37, 38) adapted to immobilize the abutment member (33) relative to the first armature (8) after adjustment.   5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the stop member (33) is slidably mounted relative to the first frame (8) and cooperates by cam effect with a bearing edge (34) belonging to the second frame (10) for adjusting the stop position of said second armature.   6. Device according to claim 5, wherein the second armature (10) is disposed between the first armature (8) and a closure flange (9) fixed to said first armature, the first armature (8) and the closure flange (9) respectively having mutually corresponding first and second slots (35, 36) in which the stop member (33) slides.   7. Device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the rigid connection comprises at least one weld.   8. Device according to any one of   preceding claims, further comprising   articulation mechanism (12) having third and fourth armatures (13, 14) pivotally mounted relative to one another about the pivot axis (X1), the articulation mechanism (12) being adapted to allow adjustment of angular position between the third and fourth armatures (13, 14), the second armature (10) being fixed to the third armature (13).   9. Vehicle seat comprising a seat (4) and a backrest (2) interconnected by at least one pivoting device (7) according to any one of the preceding claims, the first and second armatures (8, 10) being connected one on the back (2) and the other on the seat (4).