WO1997016326B1

WO1997016326B1 - Gimballed drive block for vehicle seat adjuster

Info

Publication number: WO1997016326B1
Application number: PCT/US1996/017340
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1996-10-22
Publication date: 1997-06-05

Abstract

A drive apparatus suitable for a power seat adjuster includes a rotatable lead screw (58) disposed between an upper track (16) movably mounted with respect to a stationary lower track (10). A drive block (30) is rotatably mounted in the lower track (10) for rotation about an axis extending perpendicular to the lower track (10). A first bore (56) extends through the drive block (30) for receiving the lead screw (58) carried on the upper track (16). An insert body (70) is movably mounted in a second bore (62) in the drive block (30), the second bore (62) extending transversely to and intersecting the first bore (56). A transverse, threaded third bore formed in the insert body (70) threadingly engages the lead screw (58). The first bore (56) has a larger diameter than the diameter of the lead screw (58) to permit pivotal movement of the insert body (70) and the lead screw (58) about an axis extending through the second bore (62). The first bore (56) also has a larger diameter than the third bore in the insert body (70) to permit lateral movement of the insert body (70) within the drive block (30) while maintaining a first bore (56) and the third bore in the insert body (70) in communication.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 1 May 1997 (01.05.97);

original claims 10-13 and 20-28 cancelled; original claims 1 and 14-19 amended;

new claim 29 added; remaining claims unchanged (9 pages)] 1. A drive apparatus comprising:

first and second members, the first member movable relative to the second member;

a threaded shaft carried with the first member; means, coupled to the threaded shaft, for imparting rotation to the shaft;

a drive block carried with the second member; and

means, coacting with the drive block and the threaded shaft, for allowing pivotal movement of the threaded shaft relative to the drive block about two perpendicular axos, each of the two axes disposed

mutually exclusively perpendicular to an axis of rotation Of the threaded shaft, the coacting means including:

a first bore extending through the drive block and having an inner diameter greater than a maximum outer diameter of the threaded shaft;

a body rotatably carried by the drive block in ax third bore in the drive block transversely to and intersecting the first bore in the drive block, the body being rotatable with respect to the drive block about a longitudinal axis of the third bore perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first bore; and

a threaded second bore formed in the body disposed perpendicular to the first bore and threadingly engaging the threaded shaft;

the first bore having a diameter larger than a diameter of the second bore to permit lateral adjustment of the body disposed in the third bore with respect to the drive block while retaining the first and second bores in communication. 2. The drive apparatus of claim 1 wherein the coacting means comprises: means, carried with the drive block and

threadingly engaging the threaded shaft, for causing linear movement of the threaded shaft and the first member relative to the drive block and the second member as the threaded shaft is rotated; and

the threadingly engaging means rotatable about a first axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the threaded shaft. 3. The drive apparatus of claim 1 wherein the coacting means further comprises:

means, carried with the drive block and formed in the second member, for substantially axially fixedly mounting the drive block to the second member and for allowing rotation of the drive block about a longitudinal axis extending through the drive block substantially perpendicular to the second member.

is threaded into the threaded bore in the mounting collar to space the drive block from the second member so as to enable rotation of the drive block with respect to the second member about an axis extending through the

mounting collar and the drive block.

10. Cancelled.

11. Cancelled.

12. Cancelled

13. Cancelled 14. The drive apparatus of claim l wherein: the body is formed of a plastic material; and at least one deformable rib formed exteriorly on the body, a maximum outer diameter of the body and the at least one deformable rib being greater than the inner diameter of the third bore in the drive block such that the at least one deformable rib is deformed as the body is mounted in the third bore to firmly and movably mount the body in the third bore of the drive block. 15. The drive apparatus of claim 1 wherein: conical inward extending surfaces are formed between the ends or the second bore and outer surfacee or the body. 16. The drive apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body comprises:

a tubular sleeve having opposed first, and second ends; and

an enlarged end flange formed at the second end, the enlarged end flange having a diameter greater than a diameter of a tubular portion of the tubular sleeve.

17. The drive apparatus of claim 16 wherein the body comprises:

an enlarged end flange is formed at the first end of the tubular sleeve;

diameters of both of the end flanges at the first and second ends of the tubular sleeve being greater than a diameter of the third bore to retain the body in the drive block. 18. The drive apparatus of claim 17 wherein: the length of the tubular sleeve between the end flanges at the first and second ends of the tubular sleeve is greater than a total length of the drive block along the third bore. 19. The drive apparatus of claim l wherein the first and second members comprise:

upper and lower tracks of a vehicle seat adjuster track assembly, respectively;

the threaded shaft interposed between the lower and upper tracks;

the drive block mounted in the lower track; and means for carrying the threaded shaft on the upper track for co-extensive linear movement of the upper track and the threaded shaft upon rotation of the threaded shaft through the drive block mounted in the lower track.

20. Cancelled.

21. Cancelled.

22. Cancelled.

23. Cancelled.

24. Cancelled.

25. Cancelled.

26. Cancelled.

27. Cancelled.

28. Cancelled. 29. A drive apparatus comprising:

first, and second members, the first member movable relative to the second member;

a threaded shaft carried with the firβt member; means, coupled to the threaded shaft, for imparting rotation to the shaft;

means, coacting with the second member, the drive block and the threaded shaft, for allowing pivotal movement of the threaded shaft relative to the second member over at least a limited angular extent about a first axis and over α substantially large angular extent about a second axis, the first and second axes being perpendicular to each other and each disposed mutually exclusively perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the threaded shaft.

STATEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 19

The amendments to claims 1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, and the addition of new claim 29 are submitted to more specifically set forth the features of the invention. Such amendments point out the various rotation axes and lateral movement axes provided to the drive nut and insert of the present invention. The combination of such rotation axes and lateral movement axes represent a novel and inventive step over the prior art.