Patent Publication Number: US-2009218868-A1

Title: Seat lifting apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application 2008-049981, filed on Feb. 29, 2008, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a seat lifting apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A known seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a seat lifting apparatus for adjusting a height-position of a seat in response to a physique and preference of an occupant seated thereon. JP1993-7077Y (hereinafter, referred to as reference 1) discloses such seat lifting apparatus as an example. According to the reference 1, the seat lifting apparatus includes a lifting shaft, a sector gear and a driving gear. The lifting shaft is employed for upwardly and downwardly moving one of a base frame (a fixture member) and a seat frame (a movable member) relative to the other one of the base frame and the seat frame. The sector gear (serving as a driven gear) is fixed to the lifting shaft. The driving gear is supported by the base frame via a shaft member so as to engage with the sector gear (the driven gear) and is rotatably driven by a rotational operating mechanism. An engagement supporting portion for preventing the sector gear from disengaging from the driving gear is formed to cover a side surface of an engagement portion between the sector gear and the driving gear. Still further, a shaft hole, through which the lifting shaft is inserted via a bush member, is formed at one of the base frame and the seat frame. A diameter of the shaft hole is arranged to be larger than a diameter of the lifting shaft by a length of an overlapping portion between the engagement supporting portion and the sector gear. 
     Further, JP1994-65069U (hereinafter, referred to as reference 2) discloses a seat lifting apparatus, which includes a pinion gear and a sector gear (driven gear) engaged with the pinion gear as a torque-transmitting unit. According to the reference 2, an arc-shaped groove portion is formed at the sector gear (the driven gear) so as to have a rotational shaft of the sector gear as a center of the arc-shaped portion. The pinion gear is fitted into the arc-shaped groove portion. A toothed portion, which is to be engaged with the pinion gear, is formed at an inner circumferential surface of the groove portion. Further, an outer circumferential surface of the groove portion makes contact with the pinion gear, thereby restraining a movement of the pinion gear in a direction to be away from a center of the sector gear. Thus, a distance between the center of the pinion gear and the center of the sector gear is maintained in a range where the pinion gear and the sector gear are allowed to rotatably move relative to each other. 
     According to the seat lifting apparatuses disclosed in the references 1 and 2, a pivot link (a connection link) is provided in order to absorb a deviation between an arc-shaped locus of a cushion-side member (including a seat cushion), on which a front side portion of the seat cushion moves in an upper-lower direction by being pivotally supported at a rear side portion thereof, and an arc-shaped locus of a link member, on which the link member moves by being pivotally supported at a front side portion thereof so as to transmit a driving torque for moving the seat cushion in the upper-lower directions. The pivot link (the connection link) is connected between the seat cushion and the link member so as to be relatively rotatable thereto by caulking such as by means of a pin as an example, and a slight backlash is generated at a connected portion of the pivot link. Further, lack in rigidity of the link member in a lateral direction of the seat cushion occurs. Still further, although the reduction of the number of components structuring the seat lifting apparatus has been required, the reduction of the number of components may be difficult because such pivot link is pivotally supported by caulking by means of the separately-provided pin. 
     A need thus exists for a seat lifting apparatus, which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a seat lifting apparatus includes a seat cushion frame, a driven gear, a pivotal link member and a side frame plate. The seat cushion frame is pivotally upwardly and downwardly moves about a pivot center provided at a lower frame. The driven gear has a first end portion engaged with a driving gear connected to a driving mechanism. The pivotal link member is provided between a second end portion of the driven gear and the seat cushion frame for absorbing a deviation between a locus of the second end portion of the driven gear and an arc-shaped locus of the seat cushion frame. The side frame plate is pivotally supported by the lower arm about the pivot center provided at the lower frame for supporting the seat cushion frame. The side frame plate including a sidewall portion arranged to be parallel with an operational plane of the driven gear and the pivotal link member. The pivotal link member and the side surface portion of the side frame plate are engaged with each other at plural portions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view schematically illustrating a seat lifting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view illustrating the seat lifting apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view illustrating the seat lifting apparatus; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial view schematically illustrating an assembling condition of a pivotal link member of the seat lifting apparatus according to a modified embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial view schematically illustrating an assembling condition of the pivotal link member of the seat lifting apparatus according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is an explanatory view illustrating an operational condition of the seat lifting apparatus; and 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view illustrating a snap-fit structure of the seat lifting apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings. Directions, such as “front-rear (longitudinal)”, “right-left (lateral)”, “upper-lower (vertical)”, and the like, correspond to the orientation of a vehicle to which a seat lifting apparatus  20  according to the embodiment is adapted. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a seat apparatus  2  is mainly structured with left and right lower rails  4  of a seat slide apparatus, left and right upper rails  6  of the seat slide apparatus, left and right lower arms  8  onto which a seat cushion  7  is assembled, left and right upper arms  10  onto which a seat back  9  is assembled, and left and right seat lifting apparatuses (each serving as a seat lifting apparatus)  20 . 
     More specifically, the lower rails  4  are provided on a floor  1  of the vehicle so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by means of brackets  5 , respectively. The upper rails  6  are slidably mounted on the lower rails  4 , respectively. A relative sliding movement between the lower rails  4  and the corresponding upper rails  6  of the seat slide apparatus is locked and unlocked by a lock-unlock mechanism The lower arms (each serving as a lower frame)  8  are provided at upper portions of the corresponding upper rails  6  via brackets  11  and connecting members  12  (bolts and nuts), respectively. Further, the upper arms  10 , onto which the seatback  9  is assembled, are provided at rear upper portions of the corresponding lower arms  8  so as to be pivotable relative to the lower arms  8  via a reclining mechanism. Hereinafter, the description refers only one of the right and left sides of the seat apparatus  2  (for example, the right side of the seat apparatus  2 ) as an example of each of the right and left sides of the seat apparatus  2 , unless otherwise indicated. 
     The seat lifting apparatus  20  is provided at a front portion of the lower arms  8 . The seat lifting apparatus  20  is structured with a side frame plate  22 , a sector gear (serving as a driven gear)  24 , a pinion gear (serving as a driving gear)  26 , a driving motor mechanism (serving as a driving mechanism)  28  and a pivotal link member  30 . The pinion gear  26  is engaged with an arc-shaped outer tooth portion formed at a first end portion of the sector gear  24 . The driving motor mechanism  28  is employed for driving the pinion gear  26 . The pivotal link member  30  is connected to a second end portion of the sector gear  24 . The side frame plate  22  is made from a metallic material, for example, and is bent to form an upper wall portion  22   a  and a sidewall portion  22   b,  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Further, a pivot center hole  32  (hereinafter, referred to as a pivot center  32 ) is formed at a rear end portion of the sidewall portion  22   b  of the side frame plate  22  (see  FIG. 1 ). The sidewall portion  22   b  of the side frame plate  22  is supported at an inner side surface of the lower arm  8  (serving as a lower frame) so as to be pivotally movable relative to the lower arm  8  about the pivot center  32 . Further, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the sidewall portion  22   b  of the side frame plate  22  includes a through hole  34 , an elongated hole portion  36 , a loose shaft hole  38  and a shaft hole  40 . The pinion gear  26  of the driving motor mechanism  28  is inserted through the through hole  34 . A supporting rod member (described below) for fixing the driving motor mechanism  28  to the lower arm  8  is inserted through the elongated hole portion  36 . The loose shaft hole (serving as a hole and as an elongated hole)  38  extends in forward and backward directions of the seat lifting apparatus  20 , i.e., in forward and backward directions of the side frame plate  22 . A connected portion between the second end portion of the sector gear  24  and a first end portion of the pivotal link member  30 , i.e., the connected portion at which the link member  30  and the sector gear  24  are relatively pivotably connected, is engaged with the shaft hole  38  so as to be loosely movable within the shaft hole  38 . A second end portion of the pivotal link member  30  is engaged with the shaft hole  40 . More specifically, a circumferential engagement protruding portion  58  (described below in detail) is formed at the second end portion of the pivotal link member  30 , while a boss portion is formed at the shaft hole  40  of the sidewall portion  22   b  so as to protrude therefrom by a burring process. The circumferential engagement protruding portion  58  of the pivotal link member  30  fits into the shaft hole  40  in a manner where a circumferential surface of the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58  contacts the boss portion of the shaft hole  40 , thereby a rotational axis of the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58  of the pivotal link member  30  will not be out of alignment. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a front panel  42  is fixed to the upper wall portion  22   a  of the side frame plate  22  by means of a connecting member  44  such as a rivet, for example. The front panel  42  serves as a cushion frame fixed to a lower surface of the seat cushion  7 . 
     A rotational center hole  46  is formed at a central portion of the sector gear  24 . The arc-shaped outer tooth portion is formed at the first end portion of the sector gear  24 . Further, an operational hole  60  is defined (pierced) at the second end portion of the sector gear  24 . The operational hole  60  of the sector gear  24  is connected to the pivotal link member  30 , which will be described below in detail. A fixation screw (an external thread member)  48  is relatively unrotatably assembled to the rotational center hole  46 . More specifically, the fixation screw  48  includes a collar portion  48   a,  a circumferential slidable portion  48   b  and a serration portion  48   c,  which are formed sequentially from a base end portion of the fixation screw  48  towards the lower plate  8  (see  FIG. 3 ). The serration portion  48   c  of the fixation screw  48  is relatively unrotatably connected to the rotational center hole  46  formed at the sector gear  24 . Further, the serration portion  48   c  of the fixation screw  48  is fitted into an end portion of a torque transmitting rod  50 . The torque transmitting rod  50  transmits the driving torque from the driving motor mechanism  28  to the left seat lifting apparatus  20 , for example, which is structured with a lifting link member formed at another end portion of the torque transmitting rod  50 , a left pivotal link member  30 , and a left side frame plate  22 . The circumferential slidable portion  48   b  of the fixation screw  48  is pivotably supported to an attachment hole  52  formed at the lower arm  8 . The arc-shaped outer tooth portion of the sector gear  24  is engaged with the pinion gear  26  of the driving motor mechanism  28 . The driving motor mechanism  28  includes a motor  28   a  and a reduction device  28   b.  The reduction device  28   b  reduces the torque of the motor  28   a  by means of a worm gear so as to transmit the torque to the pinion gear  26 . The driving motor mechanism  28  includes plural supporting portions  28   c  (two supporting portions  28   c  are provided, according to the embodiment). Each of the supporting portions  28   c  protrudes from a side portion of the driving motor mechanism  28  in the lateral direction of the vehicle and includes an internal thread portion. The driving motor mechanism  28  is fixed to the lower arm  8  via the supporting portions  28   c  and plural external thread members  54 , which are inserted into the internal thread portions of the supporting portions  28   c,  respectively. A guide groove  55  is formed at the sector gear  24 . The guide groove  55  extends along the arc-shaped outer tooth portion of the sector gear  24 . The supporting portions  28   c  of the driving motor mechanism  28  are fitted into the groove portion  55  of the sector gear  24 , thereby guiding a movement of the sector gear  24 . 
     The pivotal link member  30  is an elongated plate member, which is formed by a known hard resin material having abrasion resistance and high elasticity. In other words, the pivotal link member is made from a material of which rigidity is lower than that of the material for the side frame plate  22 . The pivotal link member  30  includes a connecting hole  56  at the first end portion thereof and the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58 , which functions as a snap-fit structure, at the second end portion thereof (see  FIG. 7 ). A pivotal movement supporting member  62  is inserted into the connecting hole  56  and the, operational hole  60  defined at the second end portion of the sector gear  24  so as to be relatively rotatable thereto. The pivotal movement supporting member  62  includes a collar portion  62   a,  a first circumferential slidable portion  62   b  and a second circumferential slidable portion  62   c,  which are formed sequentially from a base end portion of the pivotal movement supporting member  62  in the lateral direction. An outer diameter of the second circumferential slidable portion  62   c  is smaller than an outer diameter of the first circumferential slidable portion  62   b.  The first circumferential slidable portion  62   b  is inserted through the loose shaft hole  38  of the side frame plate  22  and the connecting hole  56  of the pivotal link member  30 , and the second circumferential portion  62   c  is inserted through the operational hole  60  of the sector gear  24  and is connected thereto by caulking (see  FIG. 5 ). The pivotal link member  30  and the sector gear  24  are engaged with each other at the connected portion structured with the connecting hole  56  of the link member  30  and the operational hole  60  of the sector gear  24  so as to be relatively pivotable due to a play generated between the loose shaft hole  38  formed at the side frame  22  and the pivotal movement supporting member  62 . Further, the pivotal link member  30  and the side frame plate  22  are supported between the collar portion  62   a  of the pivotal movement supporting member  62  and the sector gear  24  by being interposed therebetween. The circumferential engagement protruding portion  58 , which is formed at the second end portion of the pivotal link member  30 , is inserted into and pivotably engaged with the shaft hole  40  of the side frame plate  22 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58  of the pivotal link member  30  includes plural cantilever beams, which are aligned in a circumferential direction of the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58 . Each of the cantilever beams includes a hook portion  58   a,  and an elastic portion  58   b.  More specifically, each hook portion  58   a  is formed at an end portion of the corresponding cantilever beam, and each elastic portion  58   b  is formed at a base portion of the corresponding cantilever beam, i.e., the elastic portion  58   b  of each cantilever beam extends from a surface of the pivotal link member  30 , and the hook portion  58   a  is formed at an end portion of the corresponding elastic portion  58   b.  The hook portion  58   a  includes a tapered portion, which has an inclined surface inclining from an end of the hook portion  58   a  towards the end portion of the elastic portion  58   b  so that a cross sectional thickness thereof is reduced to be smaller towards the end of the hook portion  58   a.  Further, a circumferential portion of the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58  is structured with the elastic portions  58   b  of the cantilever beams, which are aligned in the circumferential direction thereof, and is fitted into the shaft hole  40  of the side frame plate  22 . When inserting the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58  into the shaft hole  40  of the side frame plate  22 , the inclined surface of each hook portion  58   a  guides the elastic portion  58   b  to be elastically deformed in a radially inner direction of the shaft hole  40 . Then, after the hook portion  58   a  passes through the shaft hole  40 , the hook portion  58   a  of each of the cantilever beams moves radially outwardly by an elastic force of the elastic portion  58   b  and engages a rim of the shaft hole  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a driving mechanism  70  for the seat slide apparatus is provided at the upper rail  6  of the seat slide apparatus. The driving mechanism  70  mainly includes a screw shaft, a nut member, a gear unit, a torque reduction gear unit and a motor device. The upper rail  6  slidably moves in the longitudinal direction relative to the lower rail  4  by the torque (driving force) of the motor device of the driving mechanism  70 . 
     An operation of the seat apparatus  2  structured as described above will be described hereinbelow. For example, when upwardly moving the seat cushion  7 , the motor  28   a  of the driving motor mechanism  28  is actuated, and the driving force (torque) of the motor  28   a  is transmitted to the pinion gear  26  via the reduction device  28   b,  thereby rotating the pinion gear  26 . Then, the first end portion of the sector gear  24 , which is engaged with the outer tooth portion of the pinion gear  26  by the rotation thereof, pivotally moves in the clockwise direction in  FIG. 6  (i.e., downwardly moves), thereby upwardly moving the second end portion of the sector gear  24 . The pivotal link member  30 , which is relatively movably connected to the second end portion of the sector gear  24 , pivotally moves upwardly in accordance with the pivotal movement of the sector gear  24 . At this time, because the second end portion of the sector gear  24  and the first end portion of the pivotal link member  30  are engaged with each other at the loose shaft hole  38  of the side fame plate  22  via the pivotal movement supporting member  62 , the side frame plate  22  also pivotally moves upwardly in cooperation with the pivotal movement of the pivotal link member  30 . However, the side frame plate  22  pivots about the pivot center  32  provided at the lower arm  8 . The second end portion of the pivotal link member  30  is fitted into the shaft hole  40  formed at the side frame plate  22 . Then, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a distance from the pivot center hole  46  of the sector gear  24  to the pivotal link member  30  is increased in accordance with an increase of an angle formed between the sector gear  24  and the pivotal link member  30 , and the increase of the angle formed between the pivotal link member  30  and the sector gear  24  absorbs a deviation between a locus of the sector gear  24  pivotally moving about the pivot center hole  46  and a locus of the side frame plate  22  pivotally moving about the pivot center  32 . The side frame plate  22  upwardly moves the front panel  42  fixed at the upper wall portion  22   a  of the side frame plate  22 . Because the front panel  42  is further fixed to the lower surface of the seat S cushion  7 , a front side portion of the seat cushion  7  pivotally moves upwardly about the pivot center  32  formed at the lower arm  8 . Further, by the driving torque transmitted from the torque transmitting rod  50 , the other seat lifting apparatus  20  (the left seat lifting apparatus  20 ), which is structured with the left lifting link member, the left pivotal link member  30  and the left side frame plate  22 , are operated in the same manner as described. Thus, the left and right seat lifting apparatuses  2  are synchronously operated, thereby upwardly moving the seat cushion  7 . 
     Thus, according to the seat lifting apparatus  20 , the first end portion of the pivotal link member  30  is engaged with the side frame plate  22  along with the second end portion of the sector gear  24 . Further, the second end portion of the pivotal link member  30  is engaged with the shaft hole  40  of the side frame plate  22 . Therefore, a moment applied to the pivotal link member  30  in the lateral direction of the seat is supported by the side frame plate  22 . Accordingly, high rigidity of the seat lifting apparatus  20  is assured without forming the pivotal link member  30  and the connected portion which is structured with the first end portion of the pivotal link member  30  and the second end portion of the sector gear  24  by a material with high rigidity. 
     Further, because the pivotal link member  30  may not necessarily be formed of such material with high rigidity, the pivotal link member  30  is formed of a resin material, which can be processed at low cost. Then, because such resin material is employed for the pivotal link member  30 , a pivotal shaft portion (such as the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58 ) of the link member  30 , which is to be assembled to the side frame plate  22 , for example, is integrally formed at the pivotal link member  30 . Therefore, a pin member for assembling the pivotal link member  30  to the side frame plate  22  may be omitted without separately providing the same, thereby reducing the number of components of the seat lifting apparatus  20 . Further, the pivotal link member  30  is assembled onto the side frame plate  22  by the snap-fit structure. Therefore, an assembling process of the seat lifting apparatus  20  can be rapidly executed, thereby improving the productivity of the seat lifting apparatus  20 . 
     Still further, although the moment in the lateral direction is generated the largest at the connected portion structured with the first end portion of the link member  30  and the second end portion of the sector gear  24 , the connected portion is supported by the side frame plate  22  by being engaged with the loose shaft hole  38  formed at the side frame plate  22 . Therefore, such connected portion is highly effectively reinforced by the side frame plate  22 . Still further, because the connected portion between the pivotal link member  30  and the sector gear  24  pivotally moves, the angle formed between the pivotal link member  30  and the sector gear  24  is flexibly changed with a small movement. Accordingly, the seat lifting apparatus  20  can be downsized. 
     According to the embodiment described above, the sector gear  24  is employed as the driven gear. Alternatively, the worm gear, which is engaged with the pinion gear  26  connected to the driving motor mechanism  28  and is operated to move in accordance with the rotation of the pinion gear  26 , may be employed as the driven gear. 
     Further according to the embodiment, the circumferential engagement protruding portion  58  is provided at the pivotal link member  30  and is fitted into the shaft hole  40  so that the pivotal link member  30  is assembled onto the side frame plate  22 . Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a pin member  80  made of metal may be inserted through the pivotal link member  30  and the shaft hole  40  of the side frame plate  22  and fixed by caulking. 
     Still further according to the embodiment, the pivotal link member  30  is engaged with the side frame plate  22  at the loose shaft hole  38  and the shaft hole  40  formed at the side frame plate  22 . Alternatively, another engagement protruding portion may be formed at a central portion of the pivotal link member  30  while another pivot hole may be formed at the side frame plate  22 , as an example. Thus, the pivotal link member  30  may be engaged with the side frame plate  22  via more than three portions. 
     Due to the above described structure, because the pivotal link member  30  is engaged with the side frame plate  22  at more than two portions, the moment, which is generated in the lateral direction (i.e., in a direction being perpendicular to an operational plane of the sector gear  24  and the pivotal link member  30 ) when the torque is transmitted from the sector gear  24 , may be supported by the side frame plate  22 . Therefore, high rigidity of the seat lifting apparatus  20  is assured without forming the pivotal link member  30  and the connected portion between the pivotal link member  30  and the sector gear  24  by a material with high rigidity. 
     Further according to the embodiment, the loose shaft hole  38  is formed at the sidewall portion  22   b  of the side frame plate  22 . The first end potion of the pivotal link member  30  and the second end portion of the sector gear  24  are relatively rotatably connected with each other. The connected portion between the first end portion of the pivotal link member  30  and the second end portion of the driven gear is connected to the lose shaft hole  38  of the side frame plate so as to be movable within the loose shaft hole  38 . 
     Further, the loose shaft hole  38  formed at the sidewall portion  22   b  of the side frame plate  22  is formed in an elongated shape. 
     Still further, the loose shaft hole  38  extends in the forward and backward directions of the seat lifting apparatus  20 . 
     Due to the above described structure, although the moment in the lateral direction is generated the largest at the connected portion structured with the first end portion of the link member  30  and the second end portion of the sector gear  24 , the connected portion is supported by the side frame plate  22  by being engaged with the loose shaft hole  38  formed at the side frame plate  22 . Therefore, the connected portion is highly effectively reinforced by the side frame plate  22 . Still further, because the connected portion between the pivotal link member  30  and the sector gear  24  pivotally moves, the angle formed between the pivotal link member  30  and the sector gear  24  is flexibly changed with a small movement. Accordingly, the seat lifting apparatus  20  can be downsized. 
     Further according to the embodiment, the pivotal link member  30  is made from a material of which rigidity is lower than that of a material for the side frame plate  22 . 
     More specifically, the pivotal link member  30  is made from a resin material. 
     Further, the side frame plate  22  is made from a metallic material. 
     Due to the above described structure, the pivotal link member  30  may not necessarily be made from the material with high rigidity. Alternatively, the pivotal link member  30  is made from the resin material, which is produced with low cost. Further, because the resin material is employed for producing the pivotal link member  30 , a pin member for assembling the pivotal link member  30  to the side frame plate  22  may be omitted without separately providing such pin, thereby reducing the number of components of the seat lifting apparatus  20 . 
     Still further according to the embodiment, the pivotal link member  30  includes the snap-fit structure. Further, the pivotal link member  30  is assembled to the sector gear  24  and the side frame plate  22  through the snap-fit structure. 
     Due to the above described structure, because the pivotal link member  30  is assembled to the sector gear  24  and to the side frame plate  22  by the snap-fit structure, an assembling process may be rapidly executed, thereby improving the productivity of the seat lifting apparatus  20 . 
     The principles, preferred embodiment and mode of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, be embraced thereby.