Patent Publication Number: US-2023135531-A1

Title: Seat adjustment apparatus for mobility

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0148778, filed on Nov. 2, 2021, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Present Disclosure 
     The present disclosure relates to a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility configured such that, when a seat cushion is tilted, the front side of the seat cushion is moved upwards, and the rear side thereof is moved downwards, implementing a stable occupant posture. 
     Description of Related Art 
     In general, a vehicle includes a driver seat and a passenger seat in the front row, and rear seats for additional occupants in the rear row, and various convenience devices are provided on the seats to improve occupant convenience. 
     For example, a convenience device mounted on a seat includes a seat position adjustment device for adjusting the seat position by moving the seat forwards/backwards according to the occupant&#39;s physique, a reclining device for adjusting the inclination of the seatback, a height adjustment device for adjusting the seat height, and a tilting device for configured for adjusting the tilting angle of the seat. 
     In line with recent development of autonomous vehicles, seat position adjustment is applied more widely. However, in the case of a conventional tilting device, the seat is tilted as a whole, and both the occupant&#39;s lower body and buttocks are moved upwards. This causes a problem in that, in a seat tilting mode, the occupant&#39;s seating height is changed, making the seating posture uncomfortable. 
     The information included in this Background of the present disclosure is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the present disclosure and may not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility, wherein, during seat cushion tilting, the front portion of the seat cushion is moved upwards, and the rear portion thereof is moved downwards so that the occupant&#39;s lower body is not moved upwards as a whole, and the occupant&#39;s feet are not excessively lifted; accordingly, there is no need for a separate footrest for supporting the occupant&#39;s feet; and seating convenience is improved by implementing a stable occupant posture. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility includes: a set bracket to which a back frame is rotatably connected; a height link including a plurality of links and rotatably connected to a front portion of the set bracket; a tilting frame including a front pipe and a side member, the side member including a front end portion connected to the front pipe and a rear end portion rotatably connected to the back frame; a tilting bar rotatably connected to a front end portion of the side member and extending in an identical direction to the front pipe, the height link being coupled to the tilting bar; and a driving unit provided at the front pipe and connected to the tilting bar to rotate the tilting bar as a length thereof is changed in forward and backward directions during an operation thereof. 
     The height link may include a dive link rotatably connected to the set bracket, and a tilt link coupled to the tilting bar, and the dive link and tilt link may be rotatably connected to each other. 
     The dive link may be formed to be curved upward, and the tilt link may be formed to wrap around the dive link to be hinged to the dive link while wrapping around the dive link and is coupled to the tilting bar. 
     The side member of the tilting frame may include a front hockey bar including a front end portion to which the front pipe and the tilting bar are connected, and a rear hockey bar including a front end portion rotatably connected to the front hockey bar and a rear end portion rotatably connected to the back frame. 
     The set bracket may further include a support link rotatably connected to a middle portion thereof, and the support link may be rotatably connected to the front hockey bar or the rear hockey bar. 
     The set bracket may further include a support link rotatably connected to a middle portion thereof, and the support link may be rotatably connected to a point at which the front hockey bar and the rear hockey bar are pivotally connected to each other, sharing a rotation center point of the front hockey bar and the rear hockey bar. 
     The driving unit may include a driving motor provided at the front pipe of the tilting frame, and a power transmission unit rotatably connected to the tilting bar and configured to be drawn into or out of the driving motor during an operation of the driving motor. 
     A moving link may be coupled to the tilting bar and rotated along with the tilting bar, and the power transmission unit may be rotatably connected to the moving link. 
     The driving motor may be provided obliquely downwardly from the front pipe, and the power transmission unit may be drawn out of or into a rear side of the driving motor. 
     A seat adjustment apparatus for mobility including the above-mentioned structure is advantageous in that, during seat cushion tilting, the front portion of the seat cushion is moved upwards, and the rear portion thereof is moved downwards so that the occupant&#39;s lower body is not moved upwards as a whole, and the occupant&#39;s feet are not excessively lifted. Accordingly, there is no need for a separate footrest for supporting the occupant&#39;s feet, and seating convenience is improved by implementing a stable occupant posture. 
     Furthermore, a tilting bar provided for seat cushion tilting supports a seat frame so that the posture of the occupant&#39;s lower body does not collapse due to deformation of the seat cushion during a collision, securing the occupant&#39;s stability. 
     The methods and apparatuses of the present disclosure have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    illustrates an initial state of the seat adjustment apparatus for mobility, shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a height link, a tilting frame, a tilting bar, and a driving unit in the initial state of a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a height link, a tilting frame, a tilting bar, and a driving unit, which are interlocked with each other during a tilting operation of a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  5    illustrates the connection of a front hockey bar, a rear hockey bar, a support link of a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  6    illustrates a state in which a tilting mode is implemented in the seat adjustment apparatus for mobility, shown in  FIG.  1   ; and 
         FIG.  7    illustrates a state in which a back frame is folded in the seat adjustment apparatus for mobility, shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     It may be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the present disclosure. The specific design features of the present disclosure as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particularly intended application and use environment. 
     In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present disclosure throughout the several figures of the drawing. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the present disclosure(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the present disclosure(s) to those exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. On the other hand, the present disclosure(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. 
     Hereinafter, a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,  FIG.  2    illustrates an initial state of the seat adjustment apparatus for mobility, shown in  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  3    illustrates a height link, a tilting frame, a tilting bar, and a driving unit in the initial state of a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG.  4    illustrates a height link, a tilting frame, a tilting bar, and a driving unit, which are interlocked with each other during a tilting operation of a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  5    illustrates the connection of a front hockey bar, a rear hockey bar, a support link of a seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a state in which a tilting mode is implemented in the seat adjustment apparatus for mobility, shown in  FIG.  1   , and  FIG.  7    illustrates a state in which a back frame is folded in the seat adjustment apparatus for mobility, shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2   ,  FIG.  3   , and  FIG.  4   , the seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a set bracket  100  to which a back frame B is rotatably connected; a height link  200  including a plurality of links and rotatably connected to the front portion of the set bracket  100 ; a tilting frame  300  including a front pipe  310  and side members  320 , the each of side members  320  including a front end portion connected to the front pipe  310  and a rear end portion rotatably connected to the back frame B; a tilting bar  400  rotatably connected to the front end portion of the side member  320  and extending in the same direction as the front pipe  310 , the height link  200  being coupled to the tilting bar; and a driving unit  500  provided at the front pipe  310  and connected to the tilting bar  400  to rotate the tilting bar  400  as the length thereof is changed in the forward and backward directions during an operation thereof, whereby the respective links of the height link  200  connected to the tilting bar  400  are deployed or folded so that the position of the front end portion of the tilting frame  300  is adjusted in the upward and downward directions. 
     The set bracket  100  may be provided on a moving rail R 2  sliding on a fixed rail R 1  to be moved together with the moving rail R 2  along the fixed rail R 1 . The set bracket  100  may be provided with a base bracket  120  in consideration of the installation position of the back frame B, and the back frame B may be rotatably provided at the base bracket  120  via a recliner. 
     The set bracket  100  is provided with the height link  200  configured by the plurality of links and includes the tilting frame  300  provided to be tiltable via the height link  200 . 
     The tilting frame  300  includes the front pipe  310  and the side members  320 , the front pipe  310  is provided on the frontmost portion of a seat cushion and extends in the lateral direction, and the pair of side members  320  extend backward from both end portions of the front pipe  310 . Accordingly, the tilting frame  300  forms a space in which the occupant&#39;s lower body is accommodated. 
     The tilting bar  400  extending laterally along the front pipe  310  is rotatably connected to each of the side members  320  of the tilting frame  300 . 
     Furthermore, the height link  200  is coupled to the tilting bar  400  so that the respective links of the height link  200  are operated to be unfolded or folded when the tilting bar  400  is rotated. 
     Here, the driving unit  500  is provided on the front pipe  310  of the tilting frame  300 , and the driving unit  500  is connected to the tilting bar  400  so that the tilting bar  400  is rotated according to whether the driving unit  500  is operated. 
     Accordingly, when the driving unit  500  is operated and the tilting bar  400  is thus rotated, the tilting bar  400  is rotated with respect to the side member  320  so that the respective links of the height link  200  connected to the tilting bar  400  are unfolded. Therefore, the length of the height link  200  is increased upwards. Accordingly, the tilting frame  300  performs a tilting operation as the position of the front end portion thereof to which the tilting bar  400  is connected is adjusted in the upward direction thereof. 
     According to the detailed description of the present disclosure described above, as shown in  FIG.  2   ,  FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4   , the height link  200  includes a dive link  210  rotatably connected to the set bracket  100 , and a tilt link  200  coupled to the tilting bar  400 , and the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  are rotatably connected to each other. 
     As described above, the height link  200  is configured by the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220 , and the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  are rotatably connected to each other so that the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  may be operated to be unfolded or folded. 
     The dive link  210  is rotatably connected to the set bracket  100 , and the tilt link  220  is coupled to the tilting bar  400  so that the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  are provided vertically. The dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  are rotatably connected so that when the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  are unfolded, the height formed thereby is increased upward or downward and when the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  are folded, the height formed thereby is decreased. 
     The dive link  210  may be formed to be curved upward, and the tilt link  220  may be formed to wrap around the dive link  210  to be hinged to the dive link  210  while wrapping around the dive link  210  and may be coupled to the tilting bar  400 . 
     The dive link  210  extends to be bent forward so that the length of the dive link  210  may be secured and the change amount in the vertical height of the height link  200  caused by the rotation of the dive link  210  may be secured. As a result, a tilting angle of the tilting frame  300  is increased. 
     The tilt link  220  is formed to wrap around the dive link  210  and is hinged to the end portion of the dive link  210  while wrapping around the same, securing the connection between the tilt link  220  and the dive link  210 . Furthermore, the tilt link  220  is formed to surround the dive link  210  to have the increased contact area with the tilting bar  400 , and thus may be securely fixed to the tilting bar  400 . 
     Meanwhile, as shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   , the set bracket  100  further includes a support link  110  rotatably connected to the middle portion thereof, and the support link  110  is rotatably connected to the middle portion of the tilting frame  300 . 
     That is, the support link  110  is rotatably hinged to the middle portions of the set bracket  100  and the tilting frame  300  to support the tilting frame  300  with respect to the set bracket  100  and determine a tilting position. 
     The support link  110  guides a tilting operation of the tilting frame  300  while rotating along with the tilting frame  300  when the tilting frame  300  is tilted upwards and downwards. Furthermore, the support link  110  supports the tilting frame  300  with respect to the set bracket  100  to support so that the tilted position of the tilting frame  300  is maintained. 
     The side members  320  of the tilting frame  300  include: a front hockey bar  321  including a front end portion to which the front pipe  310  and the tilting bar  400  are connected and the rear end portion to which the support link  110  is rotatably connected; and a rear hockey bar  322  including a front end portion rotatably connected to the front hockey bar  321  and a rear end portion rotatably connected to the back frame B. 
     As described above, the side members  320  include the front hockey bar  321  and the rear hockey bar  322 , and the front hockey bar  321  and the rear hockey bar  322  are rotatably connected to each other. Thus, the front hockey bar  321  is rotated with respect to the rear hockey bar  322  to enable a tilting operation. 
     That is, the front pipe  310  is connected to the front end portion of the front hockey bar  321  so that the overall shape of the tilting frame  300  is formed. The tilting bar  400  is rotatably connected to the front end portion of the front hockey bar  321  and thus the tilting bar  400  is freely rotated with respect to the front hockey bar  321  so that when the tilting bar  400  is moved in the upward and downward directions by the height link  200 , the front hockey bar  321  moves in the upward and downward directions together. 
     The front end portion of the rear hockey bar  322  is rotatably connected to the rear end portion of the front hockey bar  321 , and the rear end portion of the rear hockey bar  322  is rotatably connected to the back frame B. Here, the front hockey bar  321  may extend linearly in forward/backward directions, and the rear hockey bar  322  may extend to be curved backward thereof. 
     In the present disclosure, the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  forming the height link  200  are unfolded according to the rotation of the tilting bar  400  during an operation of the driving unit  500  so that the tilting bar  400  is raised and the front hockey bar  321  connected to the tilting bar  400  to is accordingly raised. At the instant time, the front hockey bar  321  is rotated with respect to the rear hockey bar  322 , and the rear hockey bar  322  is rotated backward in association with the rotation of the front hockey bar  321 . 
     Accordingly, during the tilting operation through the tilting frame  300 , rather than the entire body of an occupant sitting on the seat cushion is raised, the front portions of his or her legs are only raised and his or her buttocks are lowered, maintaining a comfortable sitting posture. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the support link  110  may be rotatably connected to a point at which the front hockey bar  321  and the rear hockey bar  322  are connected to each other, and thus may share a rotation center point P of the front hockey bar  321  and the rear hockey bar  322 . 
     Because the front hockey bar  321 , the rear hockey bar  322 , and the support link  110  share the rotation center point P, and the front hockey bar  321 , the rear hockey bar  322 , and the support link  110  may be rotatably connected to one another by a single hinge. 
     Accordingly, the front hockey bar  321 , the rear hockey bar  322 , and the support link  110  may be operated in conjunction with one another, based on the rotation center point P. Furthermore, the front hockey bar  321 , the rear hockey bar  322 , and the support link  110 , which are rotatably connected to one another by a single hinge, enable the simplified structure thereof and reduced manufacturing cost. 
     The driving unit  500  includes: the driving motor  510  provided at the front pipe  310  of the tilting frame  300 ; and a power transmission unit  520  rotatably connected to the tilting bar  400  and drawn into or out of the driving motor  510  during an operation of the driving motor  510 . 
     As described above, the driving unit  500  includes the driving motor  510  and the power transmission unit  520 . The driving motor  510  may be configured as a motor configured for forward and reverse rotation and may be provided at the front pipe  310  via a motor bracket  511 . 
     The power transmission unit  520  may be configured as a load screw that receives rotation force from the driving motor  510  to be drawn out of or drawn into the same. Furthermore, the power transmission unit  520  is rotatably connected to the tilting bar  400 , and thus the tilting bar  400  is rotated by a linear motion of the power transmission unit  520 . 
     Accordingly, a moving link  410  is coupled to the tilting bar  400  to be rotated along with the tilting bar  400 , and the power transmission unit  520  is rotatably connected to the moving link  410 . 
     That is, the moving link  410  is coupled to the tilting bar  400  and hinged to the power transmission unit  520 , so that the same is pushed and rotated by the movement of the power transmission unit  520  when the power transmission unit  520  moves linearly according to an operation of the driving motor  510 . Accordingly, the tilting bar  400  integrally combined with the moving link  410  is rotated along with the moving link  410  so that the tilting frame  300  can perform a tilting operation by the rotation of the height link  200 . 
     The moving link  410  may be hinged to the power transmission unit  520 , and a portion to which a hinge is coupled may be formed as a long groove to absorb clearance generated by the rotation of the moving link  410  during linear motion of the power transmission unit  520 . 
     Therefore, the tilting bar  400  is rotated along with the moving link  410  as the power transmission unit  520  which is linearly moved during an operation of the driving motor  510  rotates the moving link  410 . Due to a direct connection structure formed by the power transmission unit  520  and the moving link  410 , the tilting bar  400  is immediately rotated when the driving motor  510  is operated, securing operation performance resulting from the tilting operation of the tilting frame  300 . 
     Furthermore, the driving motor  510  is provided obliquely downwardly from the front pipe  310 , and the power transmission unit  520  is drawn into or out of the rear side of the driving motor  510 . 
     As described above, the driving motor  510  is provided at the front pipe  310 , and the driving motor  510  is moved upward and downward during the tilting operation of the tilting frame  300 , so that a space below the tilting frame  300  is secured. 
     Furthermore, the driving motor  510  is provided obliquely downwardly from the front pipe  310  and the power transmission unit  520  is drawn into or out of the driving motor  510  diagonally downward, so that the rotation of the tilting bar  400  is smoothly performed by the linear motion of the power transmission unit  520 . Furthermore, the tilting bar  400  and the power transmission unit  520  may be provided adjacent to each other by configuring the power transmission unit  520  to be diagonally drawn into or out, facilitating advantageous package. 
     The seat adjustment apparatus for mobility according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be operated as follows. 
     In the beginning, the tilting frame  300 , the support link  110 , the height link  200 , and the tilting bar  400  are positioned as shown in  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  3   . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  4  and  6   , during a tilting operation of the tilting frame  300 , the power transmission unit  520  is drawn out to rotate the tilting bar  400  by operation of the driving motor  510  of the driving unit  500 , and the tilt link  220  of the height link  200  connected to the tilting bar  400  is rotated to be moved apart from the dive link  210 . Accordingly, the dive link  210  and the tilt link  220  forming the height link  200  are rotated to be apart from each other with respect to the tilting frame  300  so that the front hockey bar  321  is raised in the upward direction thereof. At the instant time, the support link  110  is also rotated with respect to the set bracket  100  to support the rotation of the front hockey bar  321 , and as the rear hockey bar  322  is rotated and moved backward along with the front hockey bar  321 , the front hockey bar  321  of the tilting frame  300  is raised to be inclined upward and the rear hockey bar  322  is lowered. 
     Therefore, in a tilting mode of the seat cushion, the occupant&#39;s buttocks do not rise high and thus the occupant&#39;s lower body may be maintained in a stable posture. That is, the occupant&#39;s hip point is downwardly moved lower than the occupant&#39;s legs are raised. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , when the back frame B is folded, the rear hockey bar  322  forming the tilting frame  300  is moved forward in association with of the back frame B in the folding direction of thereof and the front hockey bar  321  is also moved forward thereof. 
     At the present time, the dive link  210  forming the height link  200  is folded onto the tilt link  220  while being rotated, and the support link  110  is also rotated with respect to the set bracket  100  so that the tilting frame  300  is lowered while being moved forward thereof. 
     Accordingly, when the back frame B is folded, the seat cushion is lowered so that a space above the back frame B is secured. 
     In the seat adjustment apparatus for mobility, configured as described above, when the seat cushion is tilted, the front portion of the seat cushion is raised and the rear portion of the seat cushion is lowered. Accordingly, the occupant&#39;s lower body is not entirely raised to prevent the occupant&#39;s feet from excessively rising from the floor. As a result, a separate footrest for supporting the occupant&#39; feet is not required, and convenience is improved by realizing a stable posture of an occupant. 
     Furthermore, the tilting bar  400  provided for tilting the seat cushion supports the seat frame, and accordingly, the lower body posture of the occupant is prevented from collapsing due to deformation of the seat cushion when a collision occurs, securing the occupant&#39;s stability. 
     For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “up”, “down”, “upwards”, “downwards”, “front”, “rear”, “back”, “inside”, “outside”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “interior”, “exterior”, “internal”, “external”, “forwards”, and “backwards” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. It will be further understood that the term “connect” or its derivatives refer both to direct and indirect connection. 
     The foregoing descriptions of predetermined exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the present disclosure be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.