Abstract:
A device locks and unlocks a first hardware component and a second hardware component relative to each other, particularly for a motor vehicle seat. The first hardware component and the second hardware component form a housing having an interior and are disposed on a common axis. At least one latching device is disposed in a first plane perpendicular to the axis and at least one second latching device is disposed in a second plane also perpendicular to the axis and displaced along the axis relative to the first plane. The first latching device comprises a first latch and first retaining cam and the second latching device comprises a second latch and a second retaining cam.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2010/002928, filed May 12, 2010, designating the United States, and claiming priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2009 020 953.0, filed May 12, 2009 and German Patent Application No. 10 2009 032 904.8, filed Jul. 10, 2009. The foregoing applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     The present invention relates to a device for locking and unlocking a first and a second hardware component, particularly in a motor vehicle seat, relative to each other, and in particular for adjusting the relative position of a backrest part of the vehicle seat relative to a seat part of the vehicle seat. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A plurality of devices are known for locking and unlocking the inclination adjustment of hardware components, particularly for motor vehicle seats, relative to each other. Such devices, in particular when loaded, have to be able to be unlocked easily and uniformly. When applied to a motor vehicle seat it has to be possible to unlock the device between the seat part and backrest, even when a torque acts on the backrest part. Moreover, such devices have to satisfy high requirements relative to strength and wear resistance, in order to withstand the loads which occur in long-term operation—when used in motor vehicle seats typically over many years and/or approximately 10 years. Moreover, safety requirements have to be fulfilled, in particular self-opening of the device has to be reliably prevented, and it has to withstand loads in the event of an accident. DE 699 08 135 T2 discloses such a device which is arranged in a housing and comprises a retaining and adjustment means as well as a plurality of latching pawls, wherein the retaining and adjustment means is arranged fixedly in terms of rotation on a rotating shaft and is able to be rotated counter to the force of a force means, whereby the latching pawls are unlocked so that the inclination of the hardware components may be adjusted relative to each other. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is the object of the present invention to provide a device for locking and unlocking a first hardware component and a second hardware component, particularly for motor vehicle seats, relative to each other, which has improved safety relative to self-opening in the event of an accident, but which may be easily unlocked, which has high strength, which satisfies high requirements relative to the compensation of internal tolerances and which is also able to be small, manufactured cost-effectively and able to be mounted easily and cost-effectively. 
     The object is achieved by a device for locking and unlocking a first hardware component and a second hardware component, particularly for a motor vehicle seat, relative to each other, wherein the first hardware component and the second hardware component form a housing having an interior and are disposed on a common axis, wherein at least one first latching means is disposed in a first plane perpendicular to the axis, wherein at least one second latching means is disposed in a second plane also perpendicular to the axis and displaced along the axis relative to the first plane, wherein the first latching means comprises a first latching pawl and a first retaining cam and the second latching means comprises a second latching pawl and a second retaining cam. 
     By the arrangement of the latching means in different planes, in particular two planes and/or four planes, it is possible to distribute the forces acting in the device, so that smaller forces act for each latching means. As a result, it is possible to produce the individual latching means from thinner material. As a result, precision cutting techniques do not have to be used when producing the components. In contrast to normal cutting, in which a workpiece is cut off by shearing, during precision cutting the workpiece is cut off after clamping on all sides. Therefore, in a precision-cut workpiece the cutting surface is to a large extent planar. However, a compromise has to be made in the choice of material, on the one hand, between the flexibility of the material which influences the deviation in shape or deflection of the component and, on the other hand, the force to be applied during precision cutting, wherein the tool and the production process become more expensive where greater forces are required. The edge deformation leads to a reduction in load-bearing capacity so that with a relatively flexible material thermal treatment may be necessary for increasing the strength. As a result of the effort required when clamping the material, the high tool costs and the thermal treatment for tempering the components, producing components by means of precision cutting is expensive. Moreover, the materials which are able to be used are restricted due to the aforementioned compromise. According to the present invention, these drawbacks may be avoided as thinner material may be used for producing the latching means and yet (due to the arrangement in a plurality of planes) a comparatively high load-bearing capacity is possible. If required, a plurality of planes of relatively small material thickness are superimposed in the manner of a laminate (i.e. displaced in parallel along the axis) and to a large extent have the same contour, thus they may be produced using the same shaping tools. As a result, the automated handling of the components in the production process is simple. For example, when producing the components the same machines may be used inexpensively for all elements of a component by retrofitting or even without retrofitting, in particular during normal cutting or laser welding. According to the invention, therefore, production methods are used for producing the elements of the latching means in which less force is required, the tool costs are therefore lower, the cost for clamping the workpieces is lower or is even eliminated and in which in comparison with precision cutting harder materials may also be used. Preferably, the elements of the latching means are produced by means of normal cutting, which advantageously is cost-effective relative to precision cutting and may be carried out at high processing speeds. Also, the tool costs are considerably lower in comparison with precision cutting. The person skilled in the art understands that other cutting methods may also be used which have sufficient processing speed and are cost-effective. Preferably, the elements have the same thickness so that production and storage is particularly simple and cost-effective due to the small number of different types of components. Moreover, the mechanical load-bearing capacity of the component with the same thickness of the elements may be very easily scaled by the number of superimposed elements and/or the number of planes. In a preferred embodiment, the elements are made of steel, particularly preferably from high-strength steel. Thus in comparison with the materials able to be used in precision cutting this results in a marked reduction in weight. 
     According to the invention, it is particularly preferred that the device comprises a first transmission means which is rotatable about the axis and a second transmission means which is rotatable about the axis, wherein the first transmission means is operatively connected to the first retaining cam and wherein the second transmission means is operatively connected to the second retaining cam. As a result, dimensional tolerances which inevitably occur during production of the individual parts of the device according to the invention, and in particular require a variable angular position of the retaining cams, may be separately compensated for each latching means. As a result, the requirements for dimensional accuracy of the various individual parts of the overall device may be reduced, so that the production costs may be reduced. 
     According to the invention, it is further preferred that the device in the first plane comprises a third latching means and that the device in the second plane comprises a fourth latching means, wherein the third latching means comprises a third latching pawl and a third retaining cam and the fourth latching means comprises a fourth latching pawl and a fourth retaining cam, wherein in particular the device comprises a third transmission means which is rotatable about the axis and a fourth transmission means which is rotatable about the axis, wherein the third transmission means is operatively connected to the third retaining cam and wherein the fourth transmission means is operatively connected to the fourth retaining cam. According to the invention, therefore, in each case it is possible to arrange in a simple manner two (or three or four or more) latching means in two planes of the device spaced apart in parallel and perpendicular to the axis, so that a locking force (in particular in the case of an accident) is transmitted to the largest possible regions of locking teeth present, which is why the material thickness of each individual latching means may be reduced for the purpose of a simplified and more cost-effective production of the individual parts. The adjustment of the relative position of the hardware components about the axis is in each case ensured in a redundant manner by the presence of at least two latching means and/or a plurality of latching means in the same plane, so that the device is additionally improved relative to safety as regards self-opening in the event of an accident. Moreover, the device may be locked in an improved manner in the event of loads from different preferred loading directions. The different latching means are particularly preferably constructed symmetrically within one plane, so that (in spite of a higher number of individual parts) a lower number of different parts (and/or a greater number of identical parts) results, which as a whole reduces the production costs of the device. Moreover, by the symmetrical configuration of the latching means within one plane substantially symmetrical forces act in the direction of the axis so that the overall load is distributed over a greater region of the components and/or a greater number of components (and/or the forces are partially compensated) and the components—with the same overall load-bearing capacity—may have smaller dimensions or may be able to be produced from less expensive material. 
     According to the invention, it is further preferred that the first and third transmission means are designed as identical parts and/or that the second and fourth transmission means are designed as identical parts, wherein in particular the first and third transmission means and/or the second and fourth transmission means are installed in the device, oriented opposite one another with one respective corresponding side. As a result, it is possible in a simple manner to produce the device according to the invention by an increased number of identical parts in a particularly cost-effective manner. 
     Moreover, according to the invention, it is also preferred that the latching means may be moved by rotating an actuating means about the axis in a first rotational direction into a locked position and by rotating the actuating means about the axis in a second rotational direction opposing the first rotational direction into an unlocked position, wherein the first and second hardware components are latched relative to one another in the locked position relative to rotation about the axis and are rotatable about the axis in the unlocked position. The actuation of the locking and unlocking device and/or the device according to the invention may thus take place in a particularly simple manner and in particular with a particularly small actuating path, whereby an improvement in comfort during operation of the device may be achieved. In a preferred embodiment, the first hardware component is connected to a first positive and/or non-positive connection means, in particular a first locking tooth, and the second hardware component is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the plurality of latching pawls, which in each case comprise a second positive and/or non-positive connection means, in particular a second locking tooth, wherein the first positive and/or non-positive connection means and the second positive and/or non-positive connection means are connected in the locked position, in particular are in engagement with one another and not connected in the unlocked position, in particular are not in engagement with one another. Teeth are preferred as first and second positive and/or non-positive connection means. According to the invention, naturally also the first hardware component is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the plurality of latching pawls (and thus the second positive and/or non-positive connection means) and the second hardware component to the first positive and/or non-positive connection means. 
     According to the invention, it is particularly preferred, moreover, that the first and second transmission means or the first, second, third and fourth transmission means in each case is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the actuating means by means of a transmission structure, wherein the transmission structure is provided, in particular, in the form of an internal serration in each case. As a result, it is advantageously possible that the latching means are always arranged in a defined position relative to one another and are able to be adjusted together by means of the actuating means and namely always starting from the same (initial) relative arrangement to one another. As a result, the latching means may also be arranged on very small area relative to one another so that during adjustment they do not hinder one another. A further particular advantage may also be achieved by means of such a design as the (possibly different) internal tolerance positions of the plurality of latching means may be compensated by simple means independently of one another. As a result, the synchronization of a plurality of latching means may be implemented in a simple manner—whether it is a plurality of latching means within the same device according to the invention or between a plurality of devices according to the invention (in particular two) coupled together, for example attached to two external sides of a motor vehicle seat, provided for adjusting the motor vehicle seat and devices connected together via a rotating actuating shaft. Preferably, the actuating means comprises a bushing (for example made of plastics material or even of a relatively easily deformable material such as a metal material) to which the transmission structure of the plurality of transmission means in each case is connected fixedly in terms of rotation (in particular positively). 
     Preferably, the device comprises in each case a mechanical energy storage device (common to all latching means) or a plurality of energy storage devices for one or more latching means, wherein the energy storage device or the energy storage devices acts/act on the latching pawls and/or the retaining cams of the plurality of latching means and pretensions/pretension the latching means in their respective locked position. The unlocked position is then able to be adjusted counter to the action of the force of the energy storage device or the energy storage devices. 
     According to the invention, it is further preferred that the transmission structure is distributed over the periphery of the actuating means such that a connection which is fixed in terms of rotation between the actuating means, on the one hand, and in each case the first and second transmission means or the first, second, third and fourth transmission means, on the other hand, may be effected about the axis in the respective angular position of the transmission means. As a result, a decoupling of the component tolerances of the different latching means may be implemented such that when assembling the device (i.e. initially) the transmission means (depending on tolerance conditions between the individual parts (locking pawl/retaining cam/transmission means) of the latching means) are arranged in different positions and held in this initial position by the non-positive and/or positive cooperation between the actuating means (in particular a bushing of the actuating means) and the transmission structure. Particularly preferably, moreover, in the installed position of the first and second transmission means, the transmission structures of the first and second transmission means are positioned on the periphery of the actuating means without overlapping, wherein the transmission structures extend in each case, in particular, over less than 180° of the periphery and/or it is preferred that in the installed position of the first, second, third and fourth transmission means the transmission structures of the first, second, third and fourth transmission means are positioned on the periphery of the actuating means without overlapping, wherein the transmission structures extend in each case, in particular, over less than 90° of the periphery. In this manner, according to the invention in a simple manner it is possible that when the actuating means are assembled (in particular, when the bushing of the actuating means is pressed in, such that said bushing is plastically deformed by the transmission structures) this does not result in the different latching means affecting one another. 
     According to the invention, it is further preferred that the latching pawls and the retaining cams of the latching means are designed in each case as identical parts. As a result, the production costs of the device according to the invention may be further reduced. 
     According to the invention, it is further preferred that the transmission means are operatively connected in each case to the retaining cams by means of a transmission means tooth and a retaining cam tooth, wherein the retaining cams in each case are rotatable about a further axis which is spaced apart from the axis, for adjusting the locked position and the unlocked position of the latching means. As a result, even with a slight alteration of the position of the transmission means and/or the retaining cam relative to the latching means a more secure engagement may be ensured and when unlocking the device a uniform unlocking sensation may be imparted to the user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The figures show by way of example and schematically different embodiments of the invention. The descriptions do not restrict the general inventive idea. 
         FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4  show schematic views of a device according to the invention in the opened state (i.e. without a part of the housing) and/or a detailed view. 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic side view of a vehicle seat. 
         FIGS. 5 to 8  and  10  to  12  show different embodiments of transmission means for devices according to the present invention. 
         FIGS. 9 and 13  show different views of different embodiments of latching means. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a device  1  according to the invention in the opened state, i.e. without a part of the housing. The device  1  according to the invention is used, in particular, in a vehicle seat  13  shown schematically in a side view in  FIG. 2 , in particular for the inclination adjustment of a seat part  11  relative to a backrest part  12  of the vehicle seat  13 . To this end, the device  1  according to the invention and/or adjustment device  1  comprises a first hardware component  2  and a second hardware component  3  which are arranged to be rotatable and/or pivotable about a common axis  4  relative to one another and form a housing having an interior  9 . In  FIG. 1  the inner surface  9 ′ of the first hardware component  2  is visible, at least partially surrounding the interior  9 . A first latching means  51  and a third latching means  53  are arranged in the interior  9  of the housing in a first plane  5 . The first latching means  51  has a first latching pawl  71  and a first retaining cam  81 . The third latching means  53  has a third latching pawl  73  and a third retaining cam  83 . According to the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures of the device  1  according to the invention, said device also comprises a second plane  6  in addition to the first plane  5 . The second plane  6  comprises a second latching means  62  and a fourth latching means  64 . The second latching means  62  comprises a second latching pawl  72  and a second retaining cam  82 . The fourth latching means  64  comprises a fourth latching pawl  74  and a fourth retaining cam  84 . 
     According to the invention at least two planes  5 ,  6  are present and each plane has at least one latching means. This means that at least the first latching means  51  and the second latching means  62  are present. 
     Preferably, however, according to the present invention (and shown exclusively in the figures) in each of the at least two planes (at least) two latching means, namely the first and third latching means  51 ,  53 , are present in the first plane  5  and the second and fourth latching means  62 ,  64  are present in the second plane  6 . In  FIG. 3 , a further view of the device  1  according to the invention (and/or its first plane  5 ) is shown and in  FIG. 4  a detailed view of a part of two latching means  51 ,  53 ,  62 ,  64  arranged in one of the planes  5 ,  6  is shown, wherein for the sake of simplicity reference is made to the first plane and the first and third latching means  51 ,  53 . It is visible from  FIG. 4  that the first retaining cam  81  may be moved by means of a first transmission means  91  and the third retaining cam  83  may be moved by means of a third transmission means  93 . The same also applies to the second latching means  62  and the fourth latching means (not shown in each case), i.e. the second retaining cam  82  may be moved by means of a second transmission means  92  and the fourth retaining cam  84  may be moved by means of a fourth transmission means  94 . In this case, the transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  and the retaining cams  81 ,  82 ,  83 ,  84  in each case comprise teeth meshing with one another, which as a whole are denoted as retaining cam teeth  85  and/or as transmission means teeth  95 . 
     In  FIGS. 5 to 13 , different embodiments are now shown, in particular of the transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94 . According to  FIG. 6  one transmission means is shown and according to  FIG. 8  two transmission means  91 ,  93  and/or  92 ,  94  are shown which in each case are provided for the latching means  51 ,  53  and/or  62 ,  64  of one plane  5 ,  6 . The transmission means  91 ,  93  and/or  92 ,  94  are configured according to the invention, in particular as identical parts. In the installed situation, for example, for the first plane  5  the third transmission means  93  is positioned rotated by 180° relative to the first transmission means  91 , wherein corresponding surfaces are oriented opposing one another and/or bearing against one another. By means of recesses  96 , according to the invention it is possible that the transmission means (in the example of  FIG. 8  the first and third transmission means  91 ,  93 , but the same also applies to the second plane  6  and the second and fourth transmission means  92 ,  94 ) may be adjusted relative to one another in different rotational positions about the axis  4 . As a result, a compensation of tolerances may be achieved, wherein the different latching means  51 ,  53 ,  62 ,  64  are completely independent of one another relative to tolerance compensation. The transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  further comprise (on the inner face thereof which faces the axis  4 ) in each case a transmission structure  91 ′,  92 ′,  93 ′,  94 ′. By means of the transmission structure  91 ′,  92 ′,  93 ′,  94 ′ the transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  are connected fixedly in terms of rotation to one another and to an actuating means  10  which is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7  together with two transmission means  91 ,  93 . The transmission structure  93 ′, which is clearly visible in  FIG. 6 , of the third transmission means  93  is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the actuating means  10  (in particular by pressing into a bushing of the actuating means  10 ). As a result, the transmission structure  93 ′ intersects a partial region of the actuating means  10  and this results in a relative fixing of the position. 
     The embodiment of the transmission structure  91 ′,  92 ′,  93 ′,  94 ′ according to  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7  differs from the embodiment according to  FIGS. 8 to 13 . In the embodiment according to  FIGS. 8 to 13 , the transmission structure  91 ′,  92 ′,  93 ′,  94 ′ of each individual transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  is merely provided on a peripheral region (of the inner periphery of the transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  and/or of the periphery of the actuating means  10 ) of slightly less than 90°. As a result, this does not lead to an overlap of the transmission structures  91 ′,  92 ′,  93 ′,  94 ′ on the periphery so that the relative positions of the transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  to be fixed (and compensating for the respective tolerance situation in the respective latching means  51 ,  53 ,  62 ,  64 ) do not influence one another when the actuating means  10  is pressed in. In  FIG. 9 , the two planes  5 ,  6  of the device  1  according to the invention as well as the latching means  51 ,  53 ,  62 ,  64  may be seen particularly clearly. In  FIG. 10 , the four different transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  for providing two planes  5 ,  6  are shown in an exploded view. It is particularly clear from this that the transmission structures  91 ′,  92 ′,  93 ′,  94 ′ in each case are formed only over approximately 90° (and/or possibly less). In  FIG. 11  the transmission structures  91 ′,  92 ′,  93 ′,  94 ′ are visible particularly clearly by means of the view parallel to the extension of the axis  4 . In  FIG. 12  the transmission means  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  are shown in a perspective view in their installed situation. In  FIG. 13 , a plan view of the second plane  6  is shown. The same plan view of  FIG. 13  applies to the first plane  5 . 
     For details of the shape of the latching pawls  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74  and the retaining cams  81 ,  82 ,  83 ,  84  relative to one another and for the view of a mechanical force storage device for pretensioning the latching means  51 ,  53 ,  62 ,  64  in their locked position, the disclosure of the German publication DE 10 2004 047 420 B4 is incorporated in the present disclosure by reference. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           1  Device 
           2  First hardware component 
           3  Second hardware component 
           4  Axis 
           5  First plane 
           6  Second plane 
           9  Interior 
           9 ′ Inner surface of first hardware component 
           10  Actuating means 
           11  Seat part 
           12  Backrest part 
           13  Vehicle seat 
           51  First latching means 
           53  Third latching means 
           62  Second latching means 
           64  Fourth latching means 
           71  First latching pawl 
           72  Second latching pawl 
           73  Third latching pawl 
           74  Fourth latching pawl 
           81  First retaining cam 
           82  Second retaining cam 
           83  Third retaining cam 
           84  Fourth retaining cam 
           85  Retaining cam teeth 
           91  First transmission means 
           92  Second transmission means 
           93  Third transmission means 
           94  Fourth transmission means 
           91 ′,  92 ′,  93 ′,  94 ′ Transmission structure 
           95  Transmission means tooth