Abstract:
An actuation device of an adjustment unit for automotive vehicle seats has a hand lever and a frame. The frame carries the hand lever and accommodates an output shaft. The hand lever adopts a central position when the actuation device is in a position of rest, and may be pivoted alternatively in the two directions of rotation against the action of an elastic means biasing it in the central position. The hand lever has a first driving region. An adjustment wheel having circumferential gear teeth is centred on the output shaft. A pivotal lever has a long hole surrounding the output shaft, has a left engagement region and a right engagement region substantially extending as a continuation of the long hole. These regions are both provided with teeth matching the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel and being disengaged from the teeth of the adjustment wheel in the position of rest of the actuation device. The pivotal lever is provided with a second driving region that is in engagement with the first driving region of the hand lever.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to an actuation device of an adjusting facility for automotive vehicle seats. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   DE 195 40 631 A describes an actuation device of an adjusting facility for automotive vehicle seats having a hand lever that is carried pivotal about an axis which is fixed with respect to the frame. Said lever is maintained in a central position by elastic means. A pivotal lever, which has two engagement regions, is pivotally hinged to the hand lever. An adjustment wheel that is provided with circumferential gear teeth is rotatably carried on the frame. The adjustment wheel is rotated in the one or in the other direction of rotation through the actuation movements of the hand lever. When the hand lever is actuated, the engagement region located in front in the direction of rotation moves into mesh with the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel, carrying it forward. Upon completion of the driving stroke, a control facility first causes the driving engagement region which is located in front in the direction of rotation to move away from the adjustment wheel, then the return stroke may take place. As a result thereof, the return stroke makes no rattling sound when an engagement region engaged with the teeth of the adjustment wheel is moved back. The two engagement regions are located in immediate proximity to each other; viewed from the axis of the output shaft, they are positioned at an angle of less than 90° to each other. 
   Such type actuation devices have basically proved efficient. The documents DE 44 00 910 A and EP 0 960 765 A describe similar actuation devices. 
   It is the object of the invention to improve the actuation device according to DE 195 40 631.1 in such a manner that it is simpler in construction and capable of taking higher manufacturing tolerances while still maintaining silent operation during the working stroke and the return stroke. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This object is achieved by an actuation device of an adjustment facility for automotive vehicle seats provided with a) a frame that carries a hand lever and accommodates an output shaft, b) a hand lever which, out of a central position which it adopts when the actuation device is in a position of rest, may be pivoted alternatively in the two directions of rotation against the action of an elastic means biasing it in the central position and which has a first driving region, c) an adjustment wheel having circumferential gear teeth and being centered on the output shaft and d) a pivotal lever which has a long hole surrounding the output shaft, a left engagement region and a right engagement region substantially extending as a continuation of the long hole, both of these regions being provided with teeth matching the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel and being disengaged from the teeth of the adjustment wheel in the position of rest of the actuation device, and a second driving region that is in engagement with the first driving region of the hand lever. 
   In this actuation device, the pivotal lever is no longer carried on the hand lever but rather on the output shaft. The two engagement regions are no longer positioned at an angle of less than 90° but are substantially diametrically opposed, i.e., they are for example positioned at an angle ranging from 150 to 210°. A completely different design is thus possible. The rotating drive is no longer achieved by the engagement region of the pivotal lever which is located in front in the direction of rotation, the meshing engagement region is now located at the back in the direction of rotation. The torque applied to the hand lever is transmitted to the pivotal lever through the first and the second driving region. The initial pivot path of the hand lever is used to laterally displace or pivot the pivotal lever until one of the engagement regions thereof are engaged with the adjustment wheel. Then, rotational transport takes place. For decoupling, the initial pivot path of the return movement is also made use of. 
   In this actuation device, the hand lever may be rotationally carried on the frame, outside of the adjustment wheel to be driven; in this case, gear reduction or transmission is possible in the driving path, meaning between the movement of the hand lever and the movement of the pivotal lever and, as a result thereof, of the adjustment wheel. It is however also possible to have the hand lever carried within the circumference of the adjustment wheel, more specifically to have it disposed in such a manner that it is rotatable about the output shaft. 
   The pivotal lever is constantly in operative communication with the hand lever. In the rest position of the actuation device, the pivotal lever is not in operative communication with the adjustment wheel. In order to bring it into operative communication with the adjustment wheel, it first must be displaced or pivoted toward the left or the right to the extent that the corresponding engagement region is capable of engaging with the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel. The two engagement regions are facing each other. If the circumferential gear teeth of the adjustment wheel are external gear teeth, the two engagement regions are designed in such a manner that the tips of the teeth point toward the output shaft. If the circumferential gear teeth of the adjustment wheel are internal gear teeth, the teeth of the engagement regions point outward from the output shaft. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the adjustment wheel is part of a silent ratchet as it is described for example in DE 199 58 300 A. In this case, the adjustment wheel is not non-rotatably connected to the output shaft; the output shaft is normally locked and is only rotated when the adjustment wheel has been caused to slightly turn, namely to the extent that the silent ratchet is released from the locked position and is allowed to carry the shaft along. 
   The first portion of the pivotal movement of the hand lever out of its central position is used to move the pivotal lever into mesh with the adjustment wheel, meaning to move the corresponding engagement region of the pivotal lever into mesh with the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel. As the hand lever is caused to pivot further along its pivot path, said engagement is positively maintained by the fact that one component participating in the driving force is directed in such a manner that it maintains the engagement between the engagement region and the adjustment wheel. Only when the hand lever is caused to move in the reverse pivotal direction is this positive coupling force cancelled. 
   The pivotal lever has a long hole surrounding the output shaft and extending in the direction of the joining line between the two guide axes. In this way, the sequence of movements the pivotal lever is allowed to execute relative to the adjustment wheel is easily realized. At the beginning, the pivotal lever is to be displaced to the left or to the right relative to the adjustment wheel, the long hole is suited for this purpose and is chosen sufficiently long therefore. Next, the pivotal lever is to rotate together with the adjustment wheel, the long hole providing sufficient support for the pivotal lever. For, on the one side, said pivotal lever is supported by the adjustment wheel at its meshing engagement region and, on the other side, it is directly supported by the output shaft through the long hole. 
   In a preferred embodiment of the invention a rotation fixation device is assigned to the pivotal lever, which rotation fixation device is rotatably carried on the output shaft and is provided with a left and a right supporting region supporting a respective one of the associated left and right engagement regions. The rotation fixation device promotes the initial displacement movement of the pivotal lever, which is necessary for coupling. The rotation fixation device allows the pivotal lever to slide laterally, meaning to the left or to the right. For this purpose it is provided with the two supporting regions. The left supporting region is located beneath the left engagement region and, on the right side, the right supporting region is located in the same way beneath the right engagement region. As the rotation fixation device is rotatably carried about the output shaft, it is also capable of rotating about the output shaft. This happens as soon as the pivotal lever and the adjustment wheel are engaged, thus allowing the adjustment wheel to rotate. 
   In another preferred embodiment, there is provided that the pivotal lever is configured to substantially form an isosceles triangle, that the engagement regions are located at the two ends of said isosceles triangle&#39;s base and are oriented substantially parallel to each other and that the second driving region is positioned in spaced relationship from the base and is preferably arranged above the center of the base. It is important that the second driving region be positioned in spaced relationship from the base so that a rotational movement may be imparted by the hand lever to the pivotal lever. If the second driving region were located on the base, the pivotal lever could be readily displaced but it could not be driven rotationally. By disposing the second driving region centrally above the base it is achieved that the coupling movement and the drive movement are executed in the same way in the two directions of rotation of the adjustment wheel. 
   In the preferred development, the pivotal lever is elastically biased in such a manner that, when the actuation device is in its position of rest, it adopts a central position in which the two engagement regions thereof are removed from engagement with the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel. The central position of the pivotal lever is predetermined as a result thereof. The elastic means may for example be springs that are accommodated in the long hole to the left and right side of the drive shaft, i.e., they are supported on the one side by the output shaft and on the other side by the left or right end region of the long hole. However, the elastic means may also be formed by spring levers that are disposed laterally and act onto the pivotal lever in such a manner that it is biased in its central position. Simultaneously, a mechanical guide and a mechanical catch may be achieved by way of these pivotal levers or similar devices. 
   In a further improvement it is suggested that the engagement regions have external faces that are centered on the axis of the output shaft and that a left spring lever and a right spring lever having stop faces are provided which are free in inward direction, are centered on the axis of the output shaft and are located in immediate proximity to the external faces. Within the pivoting angle of the pivotal lever the external faces of the engagement regions may slide along the stop faces by means of which they are guided. This occurs during the return stroke for example. 
   In further developing the just discussed improvement it is suggested that the left and the right spring lever have driving faces that are facing each other, between the two of which are located a stop of the frame and a catch of the hand lever, that they each have a guide region in which they are pivotal about a left or a right guide axis rigidly mounted to the frame and are slidably guided in the direction of the long hole, that they are urged by a spring acting along a line which is oriented beneath the stop and the catch on the one hand and above the guide regions on the other hand and elastically biases the two spring levers toward each other. 
   With the external face of its disengaged engagement region, the pivotal lever only pushes the neighboring spring lever outward as long as a working stroke is being performed, meaning as long as the hand lever is moved away from its central position. As soon as the hand lever starts the return stroke toward the central position, the hand lever no longer exerts onto the pivotal lever the force ensuring engagement between the corresponding engagement region and the adjustment wheel, which is necessary for causing the adjustment wheel to move. The described deviated spring lever rather pushes the pivotal lever back into its central position until it is brought to fit on the other spring lever. As a result thereof, the pivotal lever is not allowed to move beyond its central position and remains in said position. In said central position it is then rotated back into its initial position which corresponds to the hand lever which is in its central position. 
   The guide regions perform two functions. On the one side, they allow the spring lever to pivot about a guide axis, on the other side, they allow the guide lever to be guided in a longitudinal guide. Altogether, the spring levers are not firmly disposed or carried somewhere but are rather kept in place by the spring alone and are ineffectual when the spring fails. 
   In an advantageous development it is suggested that the line along which the spring acts is substantially nearer to the stop and to the catch than to the axis of the output shaft. As a result thereof, the force needed for deviating a spring lever is smaller in the region of the pivotal lever than in the region of the catch. The line along which the spring acts is oriented transversely to the joining line between the output shaft and the stop of the frame. 
   In still another preferred embodiment the spring levers are each provided with retaining means that fix the pivotal lever so as to prevent rotation thereof and that may be overcome when the torque applied to the pivotal lever is high enough. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the retaining means of each spring lever is formed by a lug which is disposed on the lower end of the spring lever and protrudes toward the output shaft, engaging below a lower end region of the engagement region of the neighboring spring lever when the actuation device is in its position of rest. Thanks to said retaining means, the pivotal lever is displaced first and only rotates thereafter, more specifically after engagement thereof. The retaining means, which is configured as a lug for example, is configured, molded for example, in such a manner that the retaining means may only be overcome by a torque such as it is generated during the drive of the adjustment wheel. 
   Further advantages and characteristics will become apparent in the remaining claims and in the following non restrictive description of embodiments, given by way of example only with reference to the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view in the form of an assembly drawing of a first embodiment of the actuation unit, 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of an actuation unit similar to  FIG. 1 , but without cover for the frame and modified base plate of the frame, 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view in the form of an assembly drawing of a second embodiment of the actuation device, 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of an actuation device in a third embodiment; it differs from the first embodiment according to  FIG. 2  by an additional rotation fixation device, the actuation device being shown in its position of rest, 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the third exemplary embodiment after coupling, 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the third exemplary embodiment after completed transport, 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the third exemplary embodiment after completed transport and after decoupling, 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of a fourth exemplary embodiment which is in a position of rest and differs from  FIG. 4  in that the pivotal lever is articulated to the rotation fixation device and 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a rotation fixation device in the same viewing direction as in  FIG. 3 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The actuation device has a frame which, in the first embodiment according to  FIG. 1 , is provided with a base plate  20  and with a cover  22 . A first stud bolt  24  protrudes from the top portion of the base plate  20  of the frame, said stud bolt engaging into a bearing sleeve  26  of a hand lever  28 , the hand lever  28  being pivotally carried on the frame as a result thereof. Further, the base plate  20  of the frame has a stop  30  that protrudes somewhat underneath the first stud bolt. Approximately in the center of the base plate  20  there is a bearing bore  32  for an output shaft  34  of an adjustment wheel  36 . A pinion  38  can be seen, which is non-rotatably connected to the output shaft  34  and which may be passed through the bearing bore  32 . The adjustment wheel  36  is centered on the output shaft  34  and rotates in unison therewith upon actuation of a silent ratchet  40 . The silent ratchet  40  is well known in the art and will not be described in closer detail herein. 
   On either side of the output shaft  34 , a right stud bolt  42  and a left stud bolt  44  protrude parallel to the first stud bolt  24 . 
   The already mentioned hand lever  28  has an actuation region  46 . At its end opposite the actuation region  46  and in proximity to the bearing sleeve  26 , it further has a catch  48  and at the free end it has a first driving region  50  configured to form gear teeth that are centered on the axis of the bearing sleeve  26  in the present case. 
   On the left side of the silent ratchet  40  there is located a left spring lever  52 , on the right side of the silent ratchet  40  there is located a right spring lever  54 . In the top portion, each spring lever  52 ,  54  has a driving face  56 . The two driving faces  56  of the two spring levers  52 ,  54  are facing each other. The catch  48  of the hand lever  28  on the one side and the stop  30  of the frame on the other side are located therein between. The catch  48  is thereby nearer to an axis  58  of the output shaft  34  than the stop  30 . 
   In the lower region of these driving faces  56  and above the silent ratchet  40 , there is disposed a spring  60  which is configured as a tension spring and is supported at one end region thereof by the left spring lever  52  and at the other end region by the right spring lever  54 . It pulls the two spring levers  52 ,  54  toward each other. As a result, when the actuation device is in its position of rest, the two driving faces  56  abut on both the catch  48  and the stop  30 . 
   From their upper portion, in which the two spring levers  52 ,  54  are provided with the driving faces  56 , the two spring levers  52 ,  54  extend downward in a curved region, where they conform to the contour of the substantially round silent ratchet  40 . They extend through slightly more than 90° spandrel. In said lower region, the spring levers  52 ,  54  have one guide region each. In the guide region, they are pivotally arranged about a guide axis which is rigidly mounted to the frame and is realized by a respective one of the two stud bolts  42 ,  44 . Further, the guide region is provided with a longitudinal guide  62  which is formed by an oblong hole provided in the respective one of the spring levers  52 ,  54  and extends in the direction of one of the two stud bolts  42 ,  44  and as a result thereof, in the direction of a line  64  joining the two guide axes. 
   As a result, the spring levers  52 ,  54  may be pivoted independent of one another about the respective one of the stud bolts  42 ,  44  on the one hand and on the other hand they may be displaced outward within their longitudinal guide  62 . The spring  60  ensures that, when the actuation device is in its position of rest, the stud bolts  42 ,  44  abut on the end of the longitudinal guide  62  which is remote from the axis  58 . Said axis  58  lies slightly underneath the joining line  64 . 
   In proximity to the guide region, the spring levers  52 ,  54  each form a stop face  66  that is substantially centered on the axis  58 . At the lower free end, the spring levers  52 ,  54  each have a retaining means  68  in the form of a lug. The lug protrudes toward the axis  58  and has small dimensions. 
   The adjustment wheel  36  has circumferential gear teeth. A pivotal lever  70 , which has a long hole  72  surrounding the output shaft  34 , is disposed in front of the adjustment wheel. The long hole  72  extends parallel to the joining line  64 . Further, the pivotal lever  70  has a left engagement region  74  and a right engagement region  76 . These regions are facing each other, in the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  they are facing each other on a diameter which is oriented parallel to the joining line  64 . The engagement regions  74 ,  76  have teeth  78  that are configured to match the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel  36  with which they cooperate. In the position of rest, the teeth  78  are released from engagement with the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel  36 . 
   Finally, the pivotal lever  70  has a second driving region  80  which is constantly engaged with the first driving region  50  of the hand lever  28  and is configured as a module gear in the same way as said first region in the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1 . 
   As may be more specifically surveyed from  FIG. 2 , the pivotal lever  70  may be described substantially as an isosceles triangle. Said triangle has a base on the two ends of which there are located the engagement regions  74 ,  76 , which are oriented substantially parallel to each other. The second driving region  80  is positioned in spaced relationship from the base and on a center line of the triangle. When the actuation device is in its position of rest, the axis  58  of the output shaft  34 , the center of the engagement between the first driving region  50  and the second driving region  80 , the catch  48 , the stop  30  and the axis of the bearing sleeve  26  are aligned along a line  82  in the sequential order mentioned. Said line  82  is oriented perpendicular to the joining line  64 . Except for the flared form of the hand lever  28 , of its actuation region in particular, the arrangement exhibits 2-fold symmetry about a plane which is defined by the line  82  and the axis  58 . The line along which the spring  60  acts is oriented perpendicular to said line  82  and is located in proximity to the catch  48  and outside of the adjustment wheel  36 . 
   The second exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 3  differs from the embodiment discussed herein above in that the hand lever  28  is now disposed so as to be pivotal about the axis  58  of the output shaft  34 . The first driving region  50  thereof is now configured as an oblong hole that is in engagement with a bolt which forms the second driving region  80  and protrudes from the pivotal lever  70  of which it is a part toward the axis  58 . 
   But for this feature, this exemplary embodiment does not differ from the first embodiment according to the  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
   The third exemplary embodiment according to the  FIGS. 4 through 8  differs from the first embodiment in that there is provided an additional rotation fixation device  84 . It is assigned to the pivotal lever  70  and cooperates therewith. It has a bore  86  by which it is carried so as to be pivotal about the output shaft  34 . It further has a left supporting region  88  and a right supporting region  90 . Said regions engage beneath the respective one of the engagement regions  74 ,  76  of the pivotal lever  70 . Thanks to its long hole  72 , the pivotal lever  70  may be displaced to the left and to the right, the lower ends of the engagement regions  74 ,  76  thereof sliding thereby on the supporting regions  88 ,  90 . 
   The sequence of operation will be described herein after with reference to the third exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the four different actuation conditions represented in the  FIGS. 4 through 7 . 
   In the position of rest shown in  FIG. 4 , the parts are symmetrically arranged. The pivotal lever  70  is disengaged from the adjustment wheel  36 , the output shaft  34  abuts on the top and the bottom of the long hole  72  and is otherwise centered within the long hole  72  so that a second air gap  92  forms between the left end region of the long hole  72  and the output shaft  34  and a fourth air gap  94  forms between the output shaft  34  and the right end region of the long hole  72 . Said air gaps  92 ,  94  have substantially the same dimensions. A first air gap  96 , which is not greater than, and preferably as great as, the second air gap  92 , is left free between the left engagement region  74  and the adjustment wheel. In just the same way, a third air gap  98 , which is not greater than, and preferably as great as, the fourth air gap  92 , is left free between the right engagement region  76  and the adjustment wheel  36 . 
   The stop faces  66  of the spring levers  52 ,  54  are located in proximity to the neighboring outer borders of the engagement regions  74 ,  76 . In proximity to their supporting regions  88 ,  90 , the rotation fixation device  84  has steps  104  on which abut the retaining means  68 , i.e., the lugs at the lower end of the spring levers  52 ,  54 . As a result, the rotation fixation device  84  is at first locked against rotation. 
   In view of  FIG. 4 , the hand lever  28  in  FIG. 5  is pivoted upward in the direction of the arrow  102  to such an extent that, through the transmission of its movement via the driving regions  50 ,  80 , the pivotal lever  70  is displaced to the left. It is displaced to the left to such an extent that its right engagement region  76  is now in engagement with the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel  36 . The left engagement region  74 , by contrast, has moved further away from the adjustment wheel  36  and abuts now with its outer border on the stop face  66  of the left spring lever  52 . The latter has remained in position. The right spring lever  54  however is slightly deviated on the top by the catch  58  which pushed the driving face  56  of the right spring lever  54  to the right; the movement occurs about the axis formed by the right stud bolt  42 . 
   The condition according to  FIG. 5  shows the completed coupling between the pivotal lever  70  and the adjustment wheel  36 ; a driving stroke is now possible. The force acting in the direction of the arrow  102  during the working stroke keeps the pivotal lever  70  in the coupled condition. Accordingly, the driving force promotes coupling. As, in the position shown in  FIG. 5 , the pivotal lever  70  can no longer be displaced because it now abuts on the adjustment wheel  36 , it is necessarily rotated; the adjustment wheel  36  is rotated through the coupled pivotal lever  70 , the result thereof is shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     FIG. 6  shows the condition of the already completed driving stroke. The shoulders  104  of the rotation fixation device  84  have been released from engagement with the lugs  68  by the rotating drive. This applies to the right shoulder which lifted the right lug outward. It also applies to a left lower edge of the left engagement region  74  which lifted the left lug outward so that it now abuts on the outer wall of the left engagement region  74 . The right lug abuts on the outer wall of the rotation fixation device  84 . 
   As the driving force comes to an end, the position according to  FIG. 7  is obtained starting from the representation in  FIG. 6 . As soon as the driving force diminishes and the hand lever  28  is pivoted against the direction of arrow  102 , i.e., is moved back into the central position, the left lug  68  first pushes the pivotal lever  70 , which is released from engagement in its right engagement region  76 , to the right, second the pivotal lever  70  is displaced to the right through the return movement of the hand lever  28  and through the driving regions  50 ,  80 , third the right engagement region  76  is pushed out of engagement with the adjustment wheel  36  because the teeth there no longer self-lock. The pivotal lever  70  reaches the position according to  FIG. 7  in which it is released from engagement with the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel  36 , i.e., in which it is decoupled. Now, the return stroke into the position according to  FIG. 4  may be performed. The pivotal lever  70  is hereby guided by the spring lever  52 ,  54 , it can not be moved into mesh with the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel  36  before it has not reached the initial position according to  FIG. 4 . 
   Eventually,  FIG. 8  shows an embodiment in which, in addition to the third variant described with reference to the  FIGS. 4 through 7 , the pivotal lever  70  is additionally connected to the rotation fixation device  84  in a lower region thereof so as to be pivotal about a bearing  106 . The bearing  106  is approximately located at the lowest point of the gear teeth of the adjustment wheel  36 . In this exemplary embodiment, the sequence of movements is the same as has just been described with reference to the third embodiment. But now, the pivotal lever  70  is not plainly displaced, it is rather pivoted about the bearing  106 . The supporting regions  88 ,  90  are either matched thereto or dispensed with. 
   The configuration of the rotation fixation device  84  may be surveyed from  FIG. 9 . The rotation fixation device  84  is carried in the bore  86  so as to be pivotal about the output shaft  58 . The rotation fixation device forms a left supporting region (concealed) and a right supporting region  90 . It is provided with a step  104  in the immediate proximity to each supporting region. It is advantageous to dispose elastic means between the supporting regions  88 ,  90  and the corresponding engagement region, for example to fasten an undulated leaf spring on each supporting region  88 ,  90 . 
   The term “output shaft” is also to be construed as an axle journal that has the same axis as the output shaft and is not rotating in unison therewith.