FR3111854A1 - Height-adjustable seat device with brake - Google Patents

Abstract

Seat device comprising a seat having two sides, as well as an adjustment mechanism configured to allow adjustment of the height of at least part of the seat, said seat device comprising:- an actuation system, arranged one of the two sides of the seat,- a brake device (3), arranged on the other of the two sides of the seat comprising:- a pinion (30) configured so that a movement of said at least part of the seat in height by the actuation system is possible if the pinion is free to rotate, the blocking of the rotation of the pinion prohibiting the height adjustment of the seat, -at least one friction member (31) configured to take two stable positions, including a braking position (P1) in which said at least one friction member (31) comes into pressure against the pinion. Abstract figure: No. 6

Description

Height-adjustable seat device with brake

The present disclosure relates to a seat device comprising a seat, as well as an adjustment mechanism configured to allow adjustment of the height of at least part of the seat relative to a fixed part, said seat device comprising, on the one hand, an actuation system, manual or motorized, arranged on one of the two sides of the seat, and on the other hand, a brake device, preferably arranged on the other of the two sides of the seat.

The present disclosure relates to the field of mechanisms for adjusting the height of at least part of a vehicle seat, and in particular the adjustment of the seat of a vehicle seat.

The present disclosure is concerned, without limitation, with adjustment mechanisms of the manual type, authorizing the adjustment of the height of the seat under the manual actuation energy of the occupant of the seat, typically by pumping movement on a member input, but also to motorized mechanisms, the actuating energy causing the adjustment of the height of the seat from an electric actuator, such as an electric motor, controlled by a control interface for a user.

This disclosure is of particular interest when the actuator is an electric actuator.

It is for example known from document FR 2.809.355 of the present Applicant, a manual actuation system of the type having an irreversible adjustment mechanism. Such a mechanism comprises a support and an input member, integral with a lever. The input member is pivotally mounted relative to the support around an axis of rotation, elastically biased towards a rest position, manually movable in a first direction, in a first angular sector, and in a second direction, in a second angular sector of the adjustment system.

This adjustment mechanism is configured to move the part of the height-adjustable seat upwards (resp. downwards) when the input member is moved away from its rest position in a first direction and to move the part of the seat adjustable in height downwards (resp. upwards) when the input member is moved away from its rest position in the second direction.

The mechanism further comprises an output member, pivotally mounted around the axis of rotation, as well as a drive and locking system configured to ensure the drive of the output member by the input member when the input member is moved away from its rest position (in the first direction, or even in the second direction), and configured to block the rotation of the output member when the input member returns to its resting position.

Such an actuation system with an irreversible adjustment mechanism is integral with one of the two sides of the seat, the output member of the mechanism driving, for example, a first pinion meshing with a first rack, the first pinion/first rack pair disposed on the same side of the seat as the irreversible adjustment mechanism, or close to it. A second pinion can mesh with a second rack arranged on the side of the seat opposite to that to which said irreversible adjustment mechanism is fixed. This second pinion is driven by a transmission shaft connecting the first pinion and the second pinion.

According to other possible configurations:
- the raising system comprises only one pinion/rack pair, placed on one of the two sides of the seat,
- the rack (single or in particular first rack and second rack) is replaced by a toothed sector (in particular first toothed sector and second toothed sector)

In such an irreversible, manually operated adjustment mechanism, the maintenance of the height of the seat (including the vertical load bearing of the occupant of the seat) is ensured solely by the irreversibility of the adjustment mechanism, and only on the side of the seat to which the irreversible adjustment mechanism is mounted.

In the case of a motorized actuation system, this irreversible adjustment mechanism is replaced by an irreversible gearmotor. In such a motorized actuation system, maintaining the height of the seat is ensured only by the irreversibility of the gearmotor.

According to the observations of the inventors, and in the event of an impact tending to change the height of the seat cushion, for example during a sudden vertical movement of the vehicle, the vertical load of the seat and of its occupant is transmitted, in the case of the example described above by the first rack to the first pinion and by the second rack to the second pinion, then transmitted entirely by the transmission shaft to the mechanism of the actuation system, which resumes alone, and only one side of the seat, the entire impact force. In other words, the vertical load, in the case of such a shock, is entirely taken up by the irreversible adjustment mechanism such as that of document FR 2,809,355 in the case of a manual actuation system, and only a single side of the seat. The same applies when the raising system comprises only a single pinion/rack pair and/or even when the rack (in particular first rack and second rack) is replaced by a toothed sector (in particular first toothed sector and second toothed sector ) In the case of a motorized system, and in a similar way, this load is again entirely taken up by the mechanism of the irreversible geared motor, and only on the side of the seat to which the geared motor of the motorized actuation system is fixed.

Summary

This disclosure improves the situation.

There is proposed a seat device comprising a seat having two sides, as well as an adjustment mechanism configured to allow adjustment of the height of at least part of the seat, relative to a fixed part, said seat device comprising :
- an actuation system, manual or motorized, arranged on one of the two sides of the seat,
- a brake device, preferably arranged on the other of the two sides of the seat comprising:
-- a pinion configured so that a displacement of said at least part of the seat in height by the actuation system is possible if the pinion is free to rotate, the blocking of the rotation of the pinion prohibiting the height adjustment of the seat,
-- at least one friction member configured to assume two stable positions under the control of an electric actuator, including a braking position in which said at least one friction member comes into pressure against a bearing surface of the pinion, device, in order to slow the rotation of the pinion by friction, and a retracted position in which said at least one friction member is moved away from the bearing surface so as to eliminate the friction between said at least one friction member and the pinion , so as to release the rotation of the pinion.

The following features can be implemented alone or in combination.

According to one embodiment, said brake device has an energy dissipation function, configured, in said braking position, so that the friction between the bearing surface of the pinion and said at least one friction member ensures dissipation energy in the event of an impact tending to change the height position of the height-adjustable part of the seat relative to said fixed part, with the possibility of sliding between said at least friction member and the support surface .

According to one embodiment, the brake device has a mechanism ensuring passage of said at least one friction member from the braking position to the retracted position comprising a fixed support on which said at least one friction member is pivotally articulated. friction, along a pivot axis, with an axis parallel to an axis of rotation of the pinion, said at least one friction member being configured to pass from the retracted position for which said at least one friction member is moved away from the surface of support until the braking position for which said at least friction member comes into pressure against the support surface, and vice versa, by pivoting said at least one friction member about said pivot axis between said friction member and said fixed support.

According to one embodiment, said at least one friction member is controlled from the retracted position to the braking position by a control wheel actuated in rotation by said electric actuator, the control wheel pivotally articulated at its center according to a pivot axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the pinion, said control wheel comprising at least one cam extending along a trajectory (in particular in a spiral) with respect to the center of the control wheel, over an angular sector of the control wheel and in which the said at least one friction member comprises a cam follower, configured to follow the trajectory of the cam and in which the passage of the said at least one friction member from the retracted position to the braking position is obtained by the rotation of the control wheel according to a first direction of rotation according to a determined angular travel, the cam follower following the trajectory of the cam so as to cause the pitch sage of said at least friction member from its separated position to its position in pressure against the bearing surface, the passage of said at least friction member from the braking position to the retracted position obtained by the rotation of the control wheel of the determined angular stroke, in a second direction of rotation. For example, the determined angular stroke is between 30° and 90°

According to one embodiment, the control wheel has a guide surface on an internal diameter, cooperating in sliding with an external guide surface of the pinion, so as to ensure the guidance of the control wheel around the pinion along an axis of rotation coincides with the pivot axis of the pinion.

According to one embodiment, said at least one friction member is an elongated element having a first longitudinal end pivotally articulated to the fixed support along said pivot axis between said friction member and said fixed support and a second longitudinal end carrying the follower of cam.

According to one embodiment, the slender element constituting said at least one friction member is curved extending lengthwise along an arc of a circle, presenting a friction surface, concave, on the inside of the path in an arc of a circle, said friction surface in pressure against the bearing surface of the pinion in the braking position of said at least one friction member. For example, the radius of curvature of the concave friction surface is greater than or equal to, or even preferably strictly greater than, the radius of curvature of the bearing surface of the pinion. For example, the radius of curvature of the friction surface is between 100% and 120% of the radius of curvature of the bearing surface, for example between 100% and 105% of the radius of curvature of the bearing surface.

According to one embodiment, the cam is constituted by a groove (or a slot) made in a wall of the control wheel, the cam follower in the form of a guide stud arranged at the second longitudinal end of said at least member friction, received in said groove (or said slot).

According to one embodiment, the fixed support is formed by a cowling covering at least the pinion and the control wheel, and said at least friction member, the first longitudinal end of said at least one friction member comprising a lug coming into engagement by interlocking in a pivot with a cavity on an internal wall of the cowling to form said pivot pin between said friction member and said fixed support.

According to one embodiment, said at least one friction member comprises two friction members, including a first friction member and a second friction member, distributed on either side of said pinion, said first friction member and said second pressure member being configured to each pass from the position separated from the bearing surface of the pinion in said retracted position to the position in pressure against the bearing surface of the pinion in said braking position for which said pinion is braked, engaged between said first friction member and said second friction member.

According to one embodiment, the electric actuator is an electric motor, the output shaft of which drives the rotation of the control wheel via a gear reducer, and a device ensuring the irreversibility of the transmission between the electric motor and the control wheel, both belonging to said brake device.

The term “device ensuring the irreversibility of the transmission between the electric motor and the control wheel” means a device preventing a torque transmitted directly to the control wheel from driving the axle of the electric motor.
According to one embodiment, the device ensuring the irreversibility of the transmission between the electric motor and the control wheel can be the gear reducer which is then irreversible. For example according to one embodiment, the irreversible gear reducer has a gear comprising a worm, drive, and a toothed wheel, driven by the worm ensuring the irreversibility of the gear reducer

According to one embodiment, the worm is integral with the output shaft of the electric motor, the worm meshing with the toothed wheel constituted by, like a first toothed wheel, a second toothed wheel of smaller diameter than the first toothed wheel, being coaxial with and integral with the first toothed wheel, meshing with a peripheral toothing of the control wheel.

According to one embodiment, said at least one friction member, where appropriate first friction member and second friction member, having a friction surface, configured to come against the bearing surface of the pinion in said braking position, said friction surface of said at least friction member, on the one hand, and the bearing surface of the pinion, on the other hand being smooth, mutually engaging contact surfaces.

According to one possibility, the actuation system is motorized comprising:
- an irreversible gear motor ensuring the motorized adjustment of the height of said at least one part of the seat relative to said fixed part,
- an electric control of said gear motor configured to allow adjustment by the user of said at least one part of the seat, when descending and ascending,
and in which the electric control is configured to control the electric actuator of the said brake device so as to release the rotation of the pinion by passing the said at least one friction member from the braking position to the said retracted position during a lowering or raising said at least one height-adjustable seat part, and braking the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least one friction member from the retracted position to said braking position when the gear motor is no longer activated.

According to another possibility, the actuation system is manual comprising an irreversible adjustment mechanism comprising:
-- a support:
-- an input member, pivotally mounted relative to the support around an axis of rotation, elastically biased towards a rest position, manually movable in a first direction, in a first angular sector, and in a second direction, in a second angular sector adjustment system,
and wherein said adjustment mechanism is configured to move the height-adjustable seat portion upward when the input member is moved away from its rest position in a first direction of and to move the height-adjustable seat portion downwards when the input member is moved away from its rest position in the second direction,
- an output member, pivotally mounted about the axis of rotation and a drive and locking system configured to ensure the drive of the output member by the input member when the input member is moved away from its rest position in the first direction, or in the second direction and configured to block the rotation of the output member when the input member returns to its rest position,
- a means configured to control the electric actuator of said brake device so as to release the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least one friction member from the braking position to said retracted position when said input member is moved away from its rest position, and to slow the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least one friction member from the retracted position to said braking position when said input member is in its rest position

Other characteristics, details and advantages will appear on reading the detailed description below, and on analyzing the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1

shows on the left view, the left side of a seat with manual actuation system with irreversible adjustment mechanism according to a first possibility, and on the right view, the left side of the seat equipped with an actuation system motorized, according to a second possibility.

Fig. 2

shows the right side of the seat of figure 1 equipped with a brake device on this right side, if necessary when the seat has on its left side a manual actuation system according to the left view of figure 1, or another motorized actuation system according to the right view of Figure 1.

Fig. 3

is a detail view of the brake device of the seat of FIG. 2 in said retracted position of said at least one friction member (rotation of the pinion released)

Fig. 4

is a view of the brake device of FIG. 3, according to a torque plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pinion, illustrating more particularly the two friction members in their retracted position, including a first friction member and a second friction member, both spaced from the pinion and pivotally articulated on the cowling,

Fig. 5

is a view of Figure 3, in the braking position of the friction members, configured to brake the rotation of the pinion.

Fig. 6

is a view of the brake device of FIG. 5, according to a torque plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pinion, illustrating more particularly the two friction members in their position under pressure on the bearing surface of the pinion (position braking), including a first friction member and a second friction member, between which the pinion engages, preventing the rotation of the pinion, or at the very least braking the rotation of the pinion.

Fig. 7

is a detail view showing, on the left, the two friction members in their braking position under pressure on the bearing surface of the pinion, and on the right, the two bearing members in their retracted position, releasing the rotation of the pinion .

Fig. 8

is a rear detail view, showing the control wheel, the pinion, and two friction members.

Fig. 9

is a detail view showing, on the one hand, on the left, the pinion with its functional surfaces, including, in the direction of the axis of rotation of the pinion, a first section comprising the toothing of the pinion, a second cylindrical section , forming a guide surface, cylindrical, configured to cooperate with a guide surface on an internal diameter of the control wheel to ensure the rotational guidance of the control wheel around the pinion, and a third section, cylindrical, of diameter greater than the first section and the second section, the third section forming the bearing surface against which said at least one friction member rubs in its braking position, and on the other hand, on the right, the control wheel comprising a central opening configured to receive the pinion, and two slots extending in a spiral along the plane of said control wheel, with a cam function for the friction members, and further toothing, device

Fig. 10

is a view illustrating the inner side of the cowling of the brake device, one of the two friction members, and the rear part of the pinion, illustrating more particularly a cavity of the cowling receiving a lug of the friction member to form a pivot connection between the friction member and the cowling, as well as three guide projections, angularly distributed at 120° around the axis of rotation of the pinion on the cowling, intended to come into a guide cavity of the pinion to provide guidance in rotation of the pinion on the cowling.

Also, the present disclosure relates to a seat device comprising a seat 1 having two sides C1, C2 as well as an adjustment mechanism configured to allow adjustment of the height of at least part of the seat, relative to a fixed part, and more particularly the adjustment of the seat, the seat, or even the seat back.

For this purpose said seat device comprises an actuation system 2, manual or motorized, arranged on one of the two sides of the seat 1.

The actuation system 2 can be manual comprising an irreversible adjustment mechanism comprising, as illustrated in the left view of Figure 1:
-- a support,
-- an input member Oe, pivotally mounted relative to the support around an axis of rotation X, elastically biased towards a rest position N, manually movable in a first direction, in a first angular sector SI, and in a second direction) in a second angular sector SII of the adjustment mechanism.

Such an adjustment mechanism is configured to move the height-adjustable seat part upwards when the input member is moved away from its rest position in the first direction and to move the height-adjustable seat part downwards when the input member is moved away from its rest position in the second direction.

Such an adjustment mechanism comprises an output member, pivotally mounted around the axis of rotation and a drive and locking system configured to ensure the drive of the output member by the input member when the the input member is moved away from its rest position in the first direction in the first angular sector SI, or even in the second direction in the second angular sector SII,, on the one hand, and configured to block the rotation of the output member when the input member returns to its rest position N, on the other hand.

Such an irreversible adjustment mechanism is well known to those skilled in the art and is therefore not described in more detail. For more detail on the structure of the irreversible adjustment mechanism, those skilled in the art can refer to the teaching of document FR 2.809.355.

Such an irreversible adjustment mechanism allows the user to raise the height-adjustable part of the seat, by pumping movements of the input member in the first angular sector, and to lower the part height-adjustable seat, by pumping movements in the second angular sector.

The output member typically drives a (first) pinion or the like, disposed on the side of the seat to which the adjustment mechanism is mounted and meshing with a first rack on that side. A second pinion is fixed in rotation to the first pinion by a transmission shaft and typically meshes with a second rack on the other side of the seat.

Alternatively, the raising system may comprise only one pinion/rack pair. The rack (single or in particular first rack and second rack) can be replaced by a toothed sector (in particular first toothed sector and second toothed sector)

Such an irreversible adjustment mechanism already ensures in itself the recovery of the vertical load of the seat part (such as the seat or even a backrest of the seat), as well as the load of the occupant resting on the part of the seat, but only on the side of the seat on which the adjustment mechanism is mounted. In such a case, all of the impact force transmitted by the second rack is transmitted to the irreversible adjustment mechanism via the transmission shaft.

Alternatively, the actuation system can be motorized, and for this purpose include a geared motor M, as illustrated schematically in the right view of Figure 1.

Such a motorized actuation system comprises:
- an irreversible gear motor M ensuring the motorized adjustment of the height of said at least part of the seat relative to said fixed part,
- An electric control of said gear motor M configured to allow adjustment by the user of said at least one part of the seat, on descent and on ascent.

The output of the gear motor M typically drives a (first) pinion or the like, disposed on the side of the seat to which the adjustment mechanism is mounted and meshing with a first rack on this side. A second pinion is integral in rotation with the first pinion by a transmission shaft and typically meshes with a second rack on the other side of the seat.

Alternatively, the raising system may comprise only one pinion/rack pair. The rack (single or in particular first rack and second rack) can be replaced by a toothed sector (in particular single toothed sector or first toothed sector and second toothed sector)

Such an irreversible geared motor already ensures in itself the absorption of the vertical load of the seat part (such as the seat or even a backrest of the seat), as well as the load of the occupant resting on the part of the seat, but only on the side of the seat on which the gearmotor is mounted. In such a case, all of the impact force transmitted by the second rack is transmitted to the irreversible gearmotor via the transmission shaft.

According to the present disclosure, advantageously the mechanism for adjusting the height of the part of the seat further comprises a brake device 3, preferably separate from the actuation system in particular, manual or motorized, and preferably arranged on the other of the two sides C1 , C2 of the seat, namely on the side of the seat opposite to that on which the irreversible adjustment mechanism is mounted in the case of a manual type actuation system as illustrated in the left view of Figure 1, or even on the side opposite to that on which the gearmotor M is mounted in the case of a motorized actuation system, in the case of the right view of Figure 1.

Thus and in Figure 1, the irreversible adjustment mechanism (left view) or the gear motor M (right view) is mounted on a first side C1 of the seat, while the brake device 3 is mounted on the second side C2 of the seat.

Such a brake device 3 is advantageously configured to take up the vertical load of the seat part (seat, or even backrest), as well as its occupant, and preferably on the side opposite the actuation system.

To this end, such a brake device 3 comprises:
-- a pinion 30 configured so that a displacement of said at least part of the seat 1 in height by the actuation system is possible if the pinion is free to rotate, the blocking of the rotation of the pinion prohibiting the adjustment in seat height,
-- at least one friction member 31 configured to assume two stable positions under the control of an electric actuator El, including a braking position P1 in which said at least one friction member 31 comes into pressure against a surface of support 301 of the pinion, peripheral, in order to slow the rotation of the pinion 30 by friction, and a retracted position P2 in which said at least one friction member 31 is separated from the bearing surface 301 so as to eliminate the friction between said at least one friction member 31 and the pinion 30, so as to release the rotation of the pinion.

In the case of the motorized actuation system, as illustrated in the right view of Figure 1, the electric control is configured to control, in addition to the geared motor M, the electric actuator El of said brake device 3 so to release the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least one friction member 31 from the braking position P1 to said retracted position P2 during a command to lower and/or raise said at least part of seat, and to slow the rotation of pinion 3 by passing said at least one friction member 31 from the retracted position P2 to said braking position P1 when the geared motor M is no longer actuated.

The electrical control may in particular comprise a user interface, comprising for example one or more control button(s), or else for example a touch screen.

In the case of the manual type actuation system, as illustrated in the left view of Figure 1, a means is configured to control the electric actuator El of said brake device 3 so as to release the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least one friction member 31 from the braking position P1 to said retracted position P2 when said input member is away from its rest position N, and in braking the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least a friction member 31 from the retracted position P2 to said braking position P1 when said input member is in its rest position N.

Such a means may comprise an electric button, on the control lever integral with the input member of the irreversible adjustment mechanism, on which the occupant of the seat must press, before actuating the input member according to the first direction or in the second direction by moving it away from its rest position N. Pressing the button makes it possible to control the electric actuator El so as to pass said at least friction member 31 from the braking position P1 to 'to the retracted position P2. Once the button is released, this button controls the electrical actuation so as to pass said at least friction member 31 from the retracted position P2 to the braking position P1. The passage from the position of the retracted position P2 to the braking position P1 can be immediate.

According to another possibility, such a means may comprise an electrical contact within the irreversible adjustment mechanism itself which detects that the input member is away from its rest position N, this contact controlling the electrical actuator El of the brake 3 so as to pass to said at least friction member 31 from the braking position P1 to the retracted position P2. The detection by the electrical contact of the rest position N of the input member controls the electric actuator El so as to pass said at least friction member 31 from the retracted position P2 to the braking position P1, braking the rotation of the pinion. The implementation of this braking can be immediate after the detection of the rest position.

The pinion 30 of the brake device 3 can mesh with a rack, and can thus be constituted by the second pinion, itself integral in rotation via a transmission shaft of the first pinion, and as previously described.

According to the present disclosure, the mechanism for adjusting the height of the part of the seat is advantageous compared to the aforementioned state of the art in that, and in the case of a shock tending to modify the height of the part of the adjustable seat in height, the vertical load of the height-adjustable part of the seat (including the seat occupant), is taken up more efficiently and preferably on both sides, of the seat, i.e., on the one hand, not only on the one of the two sides by the irreversible mechanism of the actuating system, whether it is a manual irreversible adjustment mechanism, or else the irreversible gearmotor, but also on the other hand, on the other side of the seat, by the device of brake 3.

The adjustment mechanism improves safety, by better picking up the vertical load in the event of an impact.

According to one embodiment, the brake device 3 has an energy dissipation function, configured, in said braking position P1, so that the friction between the bearing surface 301 of the pinion 31 and the said at least one friction 31 ensure dissipation of energy in the event of a shock tending to change the position in height of the part of the seat 1 adjustable in height with respect to said fixed part, with the possibility of sliding between said at least one member of friction and said bearing surface.

For this purpose said at least one friction member 31, where appropriate first friction member and second friction member as described below, having a friction surface, configured to come against the bearing surface 301 of the pinion 30 in said braking position P1, said friction surface 311 of said at least friction member 311, on the one hand, and the support surface 301 of the pinion, on the other hand being smooth, mutually engaging contact surfaces.

The mutually engaging smooth contact surfaces, of friction surface 311 of said friction member and of bearing surface 301 of the pinion, allow braking of the pinion with dissipation of energy, by friction between said at least one friction member and the pinion 30 during its rotation, improving safety. The smooth surfaces allow braking of the pinion regardless of its angular position around its axis of rotation.

Such energy dissipation braking makes it possible to absorb the shock, and avoid breakage of the brake mechanism such as would be encountered if the device totally prohibited the rotation of the pinion by a position locking, without the possibility of slippage.

On the contrary, the friction generated in the braking position P1 is such as to prohibit the rotation of the pinion 30 when the braking torque is below a threshold value, but to allow the sliding of said at least one friction member on the surface of support of the pinion during the rotation of the pinion when the torque of the pinion exceeds the threshold value in the event of an impact.

The brake device 3 may comprise a mechanism ensuring the passage of said at least one friction member from the braking position P1 to the retracted position P2 comprising a fixed support 32 on which said at least one friction member is pivotally articulated. 31, for example along a pivot axis A31, with an axis parallel to an axis of rotation A30 of the pinion 30.

Said at least one friction member 31 is configured to pass from the retracted position P2 for which said at least one friction member 31 is moved away from the bearing surface 31 to the braking position P1 for which said at least member friction member 31 comes into pressure against the bearing surface 301, and vice versa, by pivoting said at least one friction member 31 around said pivot axis A31 between said at least one friction member 31 and said fixed support 32.

The fixed support 32 may comprise a cowling covering the pinion, fixed on one side of the seat to a frame fixed to the fixed part, or on the contrary to a frame fixed to the height-adjustable part of the seat.

According to one embodiment, said at least one friction member 31 is controlled from the retracted position P2 to the braking position P1 by a control wheel 33 actuated in rotation by said electric actuator El.

This control wheel 33 is pivotally articulated at its center, along a pivot axis coincident with the axis of rotation A30 of the pinion 30 and comprises at least one cam 330 extending along a spiral path with respect to the center of the control wheel, on an angular sector of the control wheel 33.

Said at least one friction member 31 then comprises a cam follower 310, configured to follow the trajectory of the cam 330. The passage of said at least one friction member 31 from the retracted position P2 to the braking position P1 is obtained by the rotation of the control wheel 33 in a first direction of rotation S1 according to a determined angular stroke.

During the rotation of the control wheel relative to the fixed support 42, the cam follower 310 of said at least one friction member 31 follows the path of the cam 330 so as to cause the passage of said at least one friction member 31 from its separated position to its position in pressure against the bearing surface 301.

The passage of said at least friction member 31 from the braking position P1 to the retracted position P2 is obtained by the rotation of the control wheel 33 of the determined angular stroke, according to the opposite direction of rotation, namely according to a second direction of rotation S2.

The cam 330 can be materialized by a groove, or a (through) slot extending in particular along a spiral path along the plane of the control wheel, and the cam follower 331 of said friction member by a stud received in the groove (or slot), configured to follow the path of the groove (or slot)

Thus, and in FIG. 3, when the control wheel 33 is actuated in the second direction of rotation S2, it can be seen that the cam follower 310, in the form of a stud, in particular of circular section, comes into abutment against a longitudinal end of the slot embodying the cam. At this end of the cam, as seen in Figure 3, the cam follower 310, in space the stud, is located at a distance from the axis of rotation A30 of the pinion greater than the distance from the cam follower 310 when the latter is at the other longitudinal end of the cam, and as seen in Figure 5.

Thus, and when the control wheel is actuated in the second direction of rotation S2 of the determined angular travel, the cam follower 310 comes into abutment against the end of the cam as seen in FIG. 3, said friction member being then pivoted into its retracted position P2, releasing the rotation of the pinion 30, as seen in Figure 4, or even in the right view of Figure 7.

On the contrary, when the control wheel 33 is actuated according to the first direction of rotation S1 of the determined angular stroke, the cam follower 310 comes into abutment against the other end of the cam, and as visible in FIG. 3, said friction member 31 then being pivoted into its braking position P1, as seen in Figure 6, or even in the left view of Figure 7.

According to one embodiment, the determined angular travel (i.e ensuring the passage of said at least one friction member 31 from the retracted position P2 to the braking position P1, following the first direction of rotation S1 of the control wheel 33 , and the passage of said friction member 31 from the braking position P1 to the retracted position P2 in the second direction of rotation S2 of the control wheel 33) is typically less than 180°, for example between 30° and 90°

According to one embodiment, the control wheel 33 has a guide surface 331 on an internal diameter, cooperating in sliding with an external guide surface 302 of the pinion, so as to guide the control wheel 33 around the pinion 30 along an axis of rotation coinciding with the pivot axis A30 of the pinion 30. In particular, the control wheel 33 may have a central opening through which the pinion 33 passes. The cooperation of the guide surface 331 on the internal diameter of the control wheel 33 with the outer guide surface 302 of the pinion ensures the rotational guidance of the control wheel around the pinion, and along an axis of rotation of the control wheel coaxial with the axis of rotation A30 of the pinion 30 by relative to the fixed support 32. The mutually engaging guide surfaces 302 and 301 may be substantially cylindrical

According to one embodiment, said at least one friction member 31 is an elongated element having, on the one hand, a first longitudinal end pivotally articulated to the fixed support 32 along said pivot axis A31 between said friction member 31 and said fixed support 32 and, on the other hand, a second longitudinal end carrying the cam follower 310.

According to one embodiment, the slender element constituting said at least one friction member 31 is curved while extending in length along an arc of a circle. This slender element has a friction surface 311, concave, on the inside of the arcuate trajectory, said friction surface 311 pressing against the bearing surface 301 of the pinion 30 in the braking position P1 of said at least one member. of friction 31.

In particular, the radius of curvature of the friction surface 111, in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pinion is (slightly) greater than the radius of curvature of the bearing surface 301 of the pinion 31. For example, the radius of curvature of the friction surface 311 is strictly greater (or greater than or equal) to the radius of the bearing surface 301, between 100% and 120%, in particular between 100% and 110% of the radius of curvature of the surface of support 301.

According to one embodiment, the cam 33 is formed by a groove or a slot made in a wall of the control wheel 33, the cam follower 310 in the form of a guide stud arranged at the second longitudinal end of said at least friction member 31, this stud being received in said groove or said slot forming the cam 330.

According to one embodiment, the fixed support 32 is formed by a cowling covering at least the pinion 31 and the control wheel 33, and said at least friction member 31, the first longitudinal end of said at least one friction member 31 comprising a lug 312 coming engaged by fitting in a pivot with a cavity 320 on an internal wall of the cowling to form said pivot axis A31 between said friction member and said fixed support 32.

Thus, and as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 10, it can be seen that the first longitudinal end of said slender element constituting said friction member 31 includes said lug 312 intended to be housed in cavity 320 on the inner wall of the cowling in order to constitute the pivot joint between said friction member 31 and said fixed support 32 along the axis of rotation A31, and while the second end of said elongated element constituting said friction member comprises the stud constituting the follower of cam 310.

The stud with cam follower function arranged at the second end, on the one hand, and said lug arranged at the first end, on the other hand, protrude from said elongate element, in opposite directions (relative to the plane, perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pinion passing through said slender element), and as shown in Figure 10.

Note that the inner wall of the cowling may comprise one or more projections 321, in particular three in number, with a guiding function, penetrating into a circular cavity 303 on the rear part of the pinion 30, and as visible in FIG. 10. projections 321 on the cowling and the cavity 303 on the rear part of the pinion cooperate to ensure the rotational guidance of the pinion on the cowling, along the axis of rotation A30 of the pinion 30. The pinion 30 can be guided at its other end ( along the axis of rotation A30) by a cylindrical protrusion 304 intended to come into a complementary opening of a fixed part other than the cowling.

Thus, and as illustrated by way of example in the figure, the pinion 30 can comprise different sections, along the axis of rotation A30 of the pinion 30, including a first section bearing the toothing of the pinion, a second cylindrical section constituting the guide surface 302, intended to cooperate with the guide surface 331 of the control wheel 33 to ensure the rotational guidance of the control wheel 33, and a third cylindrical section carrying the bearing surface 301 on which said at least one friction member 31 rubs in its braking position 31.

The first section bearing the teeth may be preceded by the cylindrical protuberance, and the back of the third section may bear the circular cavity 303, both configured to ensure the rotational guidance of the pinion at the two ends of the pinion 30.

The diameter of the third section 301, which is cylindrical, may be greater than the diameter of the second section 302, forming a shoulder 305 intended to bear against a surface of the control wheel 33, to ensure the setting of the control wheel 33 relative to pinion 30 in the direction of axis of rotation 30.

Generally, said at least one friction member 31 may comprise several friction members (two, three or more). For example, said at least one friction member comprises two friction members, including a first friction member and a second friction member, distributed on either side of said pinion 30.

Said first friction member and said second friction member are each configured to pass from the position separated from the bearing surface of the pinion in said retracted position P2 to the position in pressure against the bearing surface 301 of the pinion 30 in said braking position P1 for which said pinion is braked, engaged between said first friction member and said second friction member.

Preferably, the friction zone Z1 between the first friction member and the bearing surface 301 and the friction zone Z2 between the second friction member and the bearing surface 301 are arranged diametrically opposite with respect to the center of the pinion. on the axis of rotation A30 of the pinion.

According to one embodiment, the electric actuator El is an electric motor, the output shaft of which drives the rotation of the control wheel 33, preferably via a reduction gear 4 with gears and a device ensuring the irreversibility of the transmission between the output of the electric motor and the toothed wheel, both belonging to said brake device 3.

The gear reducer 4 can constitute the device ensuring the irreversibility of the transmission, and be irreversible in itself.

In such a case, the irreversibility of the gear reducer (or of the device ensuring the irreversibility of the transmission when separate from the gear reducer) prevents said at least one friction member from changing position under the load during a shock. , ensuring two stable positions (namely the braking position P1 and the retracted position P2) for said at least one friction member 31. For example, the irreversible gear reducer 4 has a gear comprising a worm screw 40, drive, and a toothed wheel 41, driven by the endless screw. This driving worm screw/driven toothed wheel pair ensures the irreversibility of the gear reducer 4

According to one embodiment, the worm 40 is secured to the output shaft of the electric motor M, the worm 40 meshing with the toothed wheel 41 consisting of, like a first toothed wheel, a second toothed wheel 42 more smaller diameter than the first toothed wheel 41, being coaxial with and integral with the first toothed wheel, meshing with a peripheral toothing 43 of the control wheel 33.

Of course, the number of gearbox gears is given here only as an indication, and can be increased or decreased as needed.

Benefits

The mechanism for adjusting the height of the seat part of the seat device according to the present disclosure notably comprising, not only the actuating system on one side of the seat, but also the brake device, preferably located the other side of the seat, substantially increasing safety in the event of an impact, in particular in the vertical direction in a normal position of the seat, by retaining the height-adjustable part of the seat (seat or even backrest), including a taking up the load of the occupant, this load being able to be distributed on both sides of the seat during an impact, namely a first taking up of the vertical load by the actuation system, irreversible, on one side of the seat and a second pick-up of the load by the brake device on the other side of the seat.

When the actuation system is associated with a first rack on the side of the actuation system driven by a first pinion (or first toothed sector) of the actuation system, and a second rack (or second toothed sector) on the side of the brake driven by a second pinion, on the side of the brake device, the first pinion and the second pinion secured by a transmission shaft, the actuation system makes it possible to essentially take up the vertical load transmitted by the first rack and the brake device ( in the braking position P1) to essentially take up the vertical load via the second rack. In particular, it is avoided or limited that the force linked to the shock passes through the transmission shaft between the first pinion and the second pinion. In such a case, the pinion 30 of the brake device 3 can constitute the second pinion.

Nomenclature

List of reference signs:
- 1. Seat
- 2. Actuation system,
- 3. Brake device
- 30. Pinion,
-31. Friction body,
- 311. Friction surface,
-301. Support surface (pinion for friction device),
- 302. Guide surface (pinion for control wheel),
- 303. Cavity (guiding on projection of cowling),
- 304. Protuberance,
- 305. Shoulder
- 31. Friction body,
- 310. Cam follower,
- 311. Friction surface,
- 312. Ergot
- 32. Fixed support (particularly cowling),
- 320. Cavity (for lug of the friction device),
- 321 Projections (for cavity on the back of the gable)
- 33. Drive wheel,
- 330 Cam (control wheel),
- 331. Guide surface (drive wheel for pinion),
- 4. Gear reducer, irreversible,
- 40. Driving worm,
- 41. Driven tooth wheel,
- 42 Second gear wheel,
- 43. Toothing (drive wheel)
- A30. Rotation axis (pinion),
- A31. Axis of rotation (Friction member 31 on fixed support 32)
- C1, C2. Seat sides,
- El. Electric actuator (Brake device),
- M. Motor (Motorized drive system)
- Oh. Input device (manual actuation system with irreversible adjustment mechanism)
- P1. Braking position,
- P2. retracted position,
- S1. First direction of rotation (Drive wheel),
- S2. Second direction of rotation (Drive wheel),
- WHETHER. First angular sector (manual actuation system input device),
- II. Second angular sector (manual actuation system input device),
- Z1, Z2. Friction zones (respectively between the first and the second friction member, on the one hand, and the bearing surface, on the other hand)

Claims (17)

Seat device comprising a seat (1) having two sides (C1, C2), as well as an adjustment mechanism configured to allow adjustment of the height of at least part of the seat, relative to a fixed part, said seat device comprising:
- an actuation system (2), manual or motorized, arranged on one of the two sides of the seat (1),
- a brake device (3), preferably arranged on the other of the two sides (C1, C2) of the seat comprising:
-- a pinion (30) configured so that a displacement of said at least part of the seat (1) in height by the actuation system is possible if the pinion is free to rotate, the blocking of the rotation of the pinion prohibiting the height adjustment of the seat,
-- at least one friction member (31) configured to assume two stable positions under the control of an electric actuator (El), including a braking position (P1) in which said at least one friction member (31) comes into pressure against a bearing surface (301) of the pinion, peripheral, in order to brake the rotation of the pinion (30) by friction, and a retracted position (P2) in which said at least one friction member (31) is separated from the support surface (301) so as to eliminate the friction between said at least one friction member (31) and the pinion (30), so as to release the rotation of the pinion. Seat device according to Claim 1, in which the said brake device (3) has an energy dissipation function, configured, in the said braking position (P1), so that the friction between the bearing surface (301) of the pinion (31) and said at least one friction member (31) ensure dissipation of energy in the event of an impact tending to change the position in height of the part of the seat (1) adjustable in height with respect to said fixed part, with the possibility of sliding between said at least one friction member (31) and the bearing surface (301). Seat device according to claim 1 or 2, having a mechanism ensuring the passage of said at least one friction member from the braking position (P1) to the retracted position (P2) comprising a fixed support (32) on which is pivotally articulated said at least one friction member (31), along a pivot axis (A31), with an axis parallel to an axis of rotation (A30) of the pinion (30), said at least one friction member (31 ) being configured to move from the retracted position (P2) for which said at least one friction member (31) is moved away from the bearing surface (31) to the braking position (P1) for which said at least friction member (31) comes into pressure against the bearing surface (301), and vice versa, by pivoting said at least one friction member (31) around said pivot axis (A31) between said friction member (31) and said fixed support (32). Seat device according to Claim 3, in which the said at least one friction member (31) is controlled from the retracted position (P2) to the braking position (P1) by a control wheel (33) actuated in rotation by said electric actuator, the control wheel (33) pivotally articulated at its center along a pivot axis coinciding with the axis of rotation (A30) of the pinion (30), said control wheel (33) comprising at least one cam (330) extending along a spiral path with respect to the center of the control wheel, over an angular sector of the control wheel (33) and in which the said at least one friction member (31) comprises a follower cam (310), configured to follow the trajectory of the cam (330) and in which the passage of said at least one friction member (31) from the retracted position (P2) to the braking position (P1) is obtained by the rotation of the control wheel (33) in a first direction of rotation (S1) according to a determined angular stroke, the cam follower (310) following the trajectory of the cam (330) so as to cause said at least friction member (31) to pass from its separated position to its position in pressure against the surface of support (301), the passage of said at least friction member (31) from the braking position (P1) to the retracted position (P2) obtained by the rotation of the control wheel (33) of the angular travel determined, in a second direction of rotation (S2). Device according to Claim 4, in which the determined angular stroke is between 30° and 90° Seat device according to Claim 4 or 5, in which the control wheel (33) has a guide surface (331) on an internal diameter, cooperating in sliding with an external guide surface (302) of the pinion, so as to guiding the control wheel (33) around the pinion (30) along an axis of rotation coinciding with the pivot axis (A30) of the pinion (30). Seat device according to Claim 4 or 5, in which the said at least one friction member (31) is an elongated element having a first longitudinal end pivotally articulated to the fixed support (32) along the said pivot axis (A31) between the said friction member and said fixed support (32) and a second longitudinal end carrying the cam follower (310). Device according to Claim 7, in which the elongate element constituting the said at least one friction member (31) is curved while extending lengthwise along an arc of a circle, presenting a friction surface (311), concave, on the inside of the arcuate trajectory, said friction surface (311) pressing against the bearing surface (301) of the pinion (30) in the braking position (P1) of said at least one friction member (31). Device according to one of Claims 7 or 8, in which the cam (330) is constituted by a groove or a slot made in a wall of the control wheel (33), the cam follower (310) in the form of a a guide stud arranged at the second longitudinal end of said at least friction member (31), received in said groove or said slot. Device according to one of Claims 7 to 9, in which the fixed support (32) is formed by a cowling covering at least the pinion (31) and the control wheel (33), and the said at least friction member (31 ), the first longitudinal end of said at least one friction member (31) comprising a lug (312) coming into engagement by interlocking in a pivot with a cavity (320) on an internal wall of the cowling to form said pivot axis (A31) between said friction member and said fixed support (32). Seat device according to one of Claims 1 to 10, in which the said at least one friction member (31) comprises two friction members, including a first friction member and a second friction member, distributed on both sides. the other of said pinion (30), said first friction member and said second pressure member each being configured to pass from the position separated from the bearing surface of the pinion in said retracted position (P2) up to the pressurized position against the bearing surface (301) of the pinion (30) in the said braking position (P1) for which the said pinion is braked, in engagement between the said first friction member and the said second friction member. Seat device according to Claim 4 alone or taken in combination with one of Claims 5 to 11, in which the electric actuator (El) is an electric motor whose output shaft causes the rotation of the control wheel ( 33) via a reduction gear (4) with gears, and a device ensuring the irreversibility of the transmission between the electric motor and the control wheel (33); belonging to said brake device (3). Seat device according to claim 12, in which the gear reducer (4) is irreversible and constitutes the device ensuring the irreversibility of the transmission of the transmission between the electric motor and the control wheel (33); having for example a gear comprising a worm (40), drive, and a toothed wheel (41), driven by the worm ensuring the irreversibility of the gear reducer (4) Seat device according to Claim 13, in which the worm (40) is integral with the output shaft of the electric motor (M), the worm (40) meshing with the toothed wheel (41) constituted by a first toothed wheel, a second toothed wheel (42) of smaller diameter than the first toothed wheel (41), being coaxial and integral with the first toothed wheel, meshing with a peripheral toothing (43) of the control wheel (33 ). Seat device according to one of Claims 1 to 14, in which the said at least one friction member (31), where appropriate the first friction member and the second friction member, has a friction surface, configured to come against the surface support (301) of the pinion (30) in said braking position (P1), said friction surface (311) of said at least friction member (311), on the one hand, and the support surface (301 ) of the pinion, on the other hand being smooth contact surfaces. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 15, in which the said actuation system (2) is motorized comprising:
- an irreversible gear motor (M) ensuring the motorized adjustment of the height of said at least one part of the seat relative to said fixed part,
- an electric control of said geared motor (M), configured to allow adjustment by the user of said at least one part of the seat, when descending and ascending,
and in which the electric control is configured to control the electric actuator (El) of the said brake device so as to release the rotation of the pinion by passing the said at least one friction member (31) from the braking position (P1) to 'to said retracted position (P2) during a command to lower or raise said at least one seat part, and to slow the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least one friction member (31) of the retracted position (P2) to said braking position (P1) when the geared motor (M) is no longer actuated. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 15, in which the said actuation system (2) is manual comprising an irreversible adjustment mechanism comprising:
- a support:
- an input member (Oe), pivotally mounted relative to the support around an axis of rotation (X), elastically biased towards a rest position (N), manually movable in a first direction, in a first angular sector (SI), and in a second direction, in a second angular sector (SII) of the adjustment mechanism,
and wherein said adjustment mechanism is configured to move the height-adjustable seat portion upward when the input member is moved away from its rest position in a first direction of and to move the height-adjustable seat portion downwards when the input member is moved away from its rest position in the second direction,
- an output member, pivotally mounted about the axis of rotation and a drive and locking system configured to ensure the drive of the output member by the input member when the input member is moved away from its rest position in the first direction, or in the second direction and configured to block the rotation of the output member when the input member returns to its rest position,
- means configured to control the electric actuator (El) of said brake device (3) so as to release the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least one friction member (31) from the braking position (P1) to to said retracted position (P2) when said input member is away from its rest position (N), and to slow the rotation of the pinion by passing said at least one friction member (31) from the retracted position (P2 ) to said braking position (P1) when said input member is in its rest position (N)