Vehicle seat

Vehicle seat includes seat frame, an articulated backrest frame lockable by an angle adjuster adjustable between an upright basic position, a partially forwardly-folded easy-entry position, and a completely forwardly folded cargo position. A release shaft is pivotable by a release lever to release the angle adjuster. The backrest frame can only be moved out of the basic position into the cargo position by being folded forward into the easy-entry position, locked by resetting the release lever, then unlocked by actuating the release lever and folded forward into cargo position. An easy-entry mechanism includes the following: control cams on the backrest frame with an easy-entry stop, a locking hook articulated to the seat frame to engage the easy-entry stop, and a pushrod eccentrically articulated to the release shaft that, when the backrest is folded forward, is initially in an inactive position, and then releases the locking hook in an active position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This claims the priority of German application no. 10 2004 056 507.4, filed Nov. 24, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a vehicle seat of the type including a seat frame, a backrest frame articulated to the seat frame and lockable in a seat angle adjuster, and a release shaft running along a backrest swivel axis, and being pivotable by a release lever to release the seat angle adjusters. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle seat of this type which further includes that the backrest frame is adjustable between an upright basic or use position, a partially forwardly folded easy-entry position, and a completely forwardly folded cargo position after releasing the seat angle adjusters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The angle of a vehicle seat disclosed in WO 99/38723 A1 can be adjusted within a comfort zone from a basic or use position with an essentially upright backrest. After the backrest angle adjuster is released, the backrest is partially folded forward into an easy-entry position, or completely into a cargo position. WO 99/38723 A1 provides a first and second Bowden wire to release the angle adjusting device, and each Bowden cable can be actuated by a handle on the backrest. The first Bowden cable serves to adjust to the angle of the backrest when a passenger is in the vehicle seat, and the second Bowden cable is used to set the easy-entry position by pivoting an unlocking lever or release lever on a release shaft.

DE 198 82 413 T1 and DE 42 01 829 A1 disclose vehicle seats that can be moved into an easy-entry position or a position that enables easier access. Usually, the locked lengthwise movement of the vehicle seat is simultaneously released to increase access to the rear row of seats.

In such systems, handles or levers are generally provided for the different positions which can cause user confusion and potential mistakes requiring an inconvenient resetting of the vehicle seat.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to create a vehicle seat that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to create a vehicle seat that enables selective displacement into the three above-cited positions and that can be employed in a user-friendly manner without requiring a great deal of prior knowledge.

This object is accomplished by a vehicle seat including a seat frame, and a backrest frame articulated to the seat frame and lockable by seat angle adjusters. The vehicle seat may further include a release shaft provided and running along a backrest swivel axis, and being pivotable by a release lever to release the seat angle adjusters. The backrest frame may be adjustable between an upright basic position, a partially forwardly folded easy-entry position, and a completely forwardly folded cargo position after releasing the seat angle adjusters. The backrest frame can only be moved out of the upright basic position into the cargo position by being folded forward into the easy-entry position, subsequently locked by resetting the release lever, then unlocked by actuating the release lever, and then folded forward into the cargo position. A control cam may be provided on the backrest frame and include an easy-entry stop. An adjustable locking hook, spring biased against the control cam, may be affixed to the seat frame, the locking hook contacting the easy-entry stop when the backrest frame is folded forward into the easy-entry position and blocking the backrest frame in the easy-entry position. A pushrod may be eccentrically articulated to the release shaft, the pushrod first advancing into an inactive position after the backrest frame is folded forward out of the use position in the easy-entry position, the pushrod does not release the locking hook when in the inactive position, and the pushrod moves into an active position after the release lever is reset and subsequently actuated in which it releases the locking hook.

These and other objects are accomplished by a vehicle seat including the additional features set forth below.

According to the invention, only one lever is provided for the basic or comfort position, the easy-entry position and cargo position. The lever releases the seat angle adjuster, and makes it easy to securely set the easy-entry position and cargo position. The initial actuation of the release lever is for the comfort setting in which the backrest swings, pivots, or folds within the comfort range and can be folded forward into the easy-entry position. An easy-entry mechanism is provided between the seat frame and backrest frame. When the release lever is actuated, the easy-entry mechanism first provides an easy-entry stop into which an adjustable seat-frame-side locking hook engages so that the user cannot swing the backrest too far forward. On the other side of the vehicle seat, additional engaging means can be provided to release the lengthwise locking of the seat.

To move the backrest into cargo position, the user must then first reset or release the release lever since the engagement of the seat-frame-side locking hook can only be released by reactuating the release lever. The backrest can be advantageously returned from cargo position to basic position without any hindrance in a single step.

To achieve this function, a control cam according to the invention is provided on the backrest frame with an easy-entry stop in which the locking hook articulated to the seat frame engages and accordingly blocks further forward movement. The locked locking hook is released according to the invention when the release lever is released from the locked easy-entry position by a pushrod that is offset or eccentrically seated on the release shaft. After the backrest is partially folded forward, the pushrod first assumes an inactive position from which it is transferred into an active position after the release lever is first reset and then reactuated. In this position, it releases the locking lever so that the backrest can be a folded forward into the cargo position.

Instead of a guide roller, a backrest-side guide surface can be provided on which the pushrod glides. The release lever can also be actuated by a handle or a Bowden cable provided in the top of the backrest.

Relative terms such as left, right, up, and down are for convenience only and are not intended to be limiting.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle seat1includes a seat frame2and a backrest frame3articulated to the seat frame2on a backrest swivel axis A. The backrest frame may be provided on axis A and lockable in its foldable or swivelable positions to the seat frame2by a known backrest angle adjuster4(not shown in detail). To release the backrest angle adjuster4, a release lever5is provided on the outside of the seat, i.e., on the left inFIG. 7, that is on a release shaft6lying in the backrest swivel axis A and extending through the seat frame2and backrest frame3. Unillustrated springs of the backrest angle adjuster4move the release lever5from its unactuated position inFIGS. 1,3downward into its locked position. When the release lever5is pivoted up, stops or stop blocks, for example, in the angle adjusters4are displaced so that the backrest frame3is unlocked or released, and can be adjusted within a comfort range. In this regard, the backrest frame3can be biased in a forward direction and, for example, be adjusted or positioned by the user by providing a counter-pressure with his back.

On the inside of the seat, a shackle7is welded onto the release shaft6, and the shackle projects rearwardly from the release shaft6in the locked position ofFIGS. 1 and 3when the release lever5is lowered. A connecting pipe8is affixed to the shackle7eccentric to the backrest swivel axis A and is accordingly pivoted when the release lever5is actuated. The connecting pipe8serves to link the two angle adjusters4on the illustrated left side of the vehicle seat1and on the unillustrated right side so that the angle adjuster is also released on the right side when the release lever5is actuated or pivoted upward. A pushrod9is also pivotally mounted on a swivel axis B on the connecting pipe8and biased rearwardly by a spring10around connecting pipe8, i.e. biased clockwise inFIGS. 1to5. On the inside of the backrest frame3, there is a control cam12provided under the backrest pivot axis A, for example a component screwed or riveted to the backrest frame3. The control cam12has a rear, essentially convex curved area12aand a front easy-entry stop12b, as viewed in the direction of travel. Furthermore, a guide roller14is affixed to the backrest frame3, e.g. on the component of the control cam12, and the guide roller projects axially toward the inside of the seat. In the basic position shown inFIG. 1, the pushrod9extends forwardly and downwardly, and its rear edge9alies against the guide roller14so that, when the release lever5pivots, its rear edge9arolls on the guide roller14affixed to the backrest.

Furthermore, a locking hook16is articulated or pivotably attached to the seat frame2in a hook axis C below the backrest frame3. Its pivot angle or angle of rotation is limited by a control window20in the seat frame2through which its lever16aextends in an axial direction. When the locking hook16is biased upwardly, i.e. clockwise inFIGS. 1 to 5by a spring22anchored to the seat frame2, the hook projection16bof the locking hook presses against the control cam12.

Components6to22form an easy-entry control mechanism24that enables the vehicle seat1to be adjusted from the use position ofFIG. 1to the easy-entry position ofFIG. 3and subsequently into the cargo position ofFIG. 5by using a single handle, i.e. the release lever5that also serves to release the seat angle adjuster4. This adjustment will be described below:

The adjustment into the easy-entry position occurs by actuating or pivoting up the release lever5and partially swinging or folding the released backrest frame3into the easy-entry position ofFIG. 2. This folding movement causes the hook projection16bof the locking hook16to slide on the control cam12. During the initial pivoting within the comfort range, it remains on the rear convex curved area12aof the control cam12. As it continues to pivot forward, it contacts an easy-entry stop12bof the control cam12in which it locks under spring tension and initially blocks additional forward pivoting of the backrest frame3. As the backrest frame3pivots or folds forward, the spring-tensioned pushrod9initially pivots to the rear, as its spring10relaxes, and rolls along the guide roller14. As the pivoting movement of the backrest frame3continues, its rear edge9acontacts a projection16cextending axially inward of the upward-pivoting locking hook16and glides on it so that it releases contact with the guide roller14.

Once the release lever5is released upon reaching the easy-entry position ofFIG. 2, the release lever is pulled downward into the position ofFIG. 3by the restoring force of the springs in the seat angle adjuster4, so that the backrest frame3is locked in the easy-entry position. The downward-pivoting release lever5causes the shackle7with the connecting tube8and the pushrod9mounted on it to pivot upward. The rear edge9aof the pushrod9contacts the guide roller14affixed to the backrest, and its bottom edge9bis then positioned above the projection16c.

If the user wants a further adjustment of the backrest into the cargo position, he again actuates or operates the release lever5so that, as inFIG. 4, the shackle7with the connecting pipe8and the pushrod9are pivoted downward. The bottom edge9bof the pushrod9presses on the projection16cof the locking hook16and pivots it downward against spring tension so that its hook projection16bdisengages from the easy-entry stop12bof the control cam12attached to the backrest and hence releases the backrest frame3.

FIGS. 2 and 4show different states of the easy-entry mechanism24with the locking lever5and backrest frame3at the same pivoting angle, the pushrod9being in an inactive position ofFIG. 2and in an active position ofFIG. 4in which it releases the locking hook16.

The user can then subsequently fold the released backrest frame3forwardly into the cargo position ofFIG. 5or allow the backrest frame3to independently fold forwardly under its spring tension. The clockwise biased pushrod9is held against projection16cof the locking hook16by its bottom contact region9cextending further downward next to the bottom edge9b, and the spring tension of the locking hook causes its lever16ato reach the upper edge of the control window20as an end position.

The backrest is restored or returned from the cargo position ofFIG. 5to the use position ofFIG. 1when the user first actuates the release lever5and releases the backrest angle adjuster4. The pushrod9is again pivoted downward which, however, has no additional functional effect. As the backrest frame3is subsequently folded upward, the locking hook16glides against the control cam12releasing spring tension, which also has no effect since it does not lock in the control cam12due to the shape of the control cam12in this pivoting direction. The backrest with the backrest frame3can then be completely folded upward into the basic or use position ofFIG. 1.