Abstract:
An adjustment unit, for a vehicle seat, is provided for adjusting a position and/or inclination of a component of the vehicle seat. The adjustment unit has a handling element, which is provided in a first direction for applying a first adjustment movement of the component, and in a second direction for applying a second adjustment movement of the component. The adjustment unit is embodied in such a way that the first adjustment movement permits more rapid adjustment of the component than the second adjustment movement.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a United States National Phase Application of International Application PCT/EP2013/064849 filed Jul. 12, 2013 and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Patent Application DE 10 2012 014 139.4 filed Jul. 18, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is based on an adjustment unit for a vehicle seat. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Adjustment units for vehicle seats are basically known from the prior art and are used to individually adjust the position or orientation of a seat element of the vehicle seat in order to increase the convenience or safety of a vehicle occupant. For example, seat adjusters can individually adjust the inclination of the backrest. In this connection, the prior art includes both electrically adjustable adjustment units for vehicle seats (also known as power seats) and manually adjustable adjustment units for vehicle seats. 
         [0004]    In the adjustment units known from the prior art, it is disadvantageous that the action of setting the correct position of the seat element to be adjusted can be carried out either quickly, in which case it is not possible to achieve a precise setting, or slowly, in which case the adjustment of the seat element takes a comparatively long time. It is also disadvantageous that vehicle seats that must be manually adjusted are significantly less convenient for the user than electrically adjustable vehicle seats, whereas the electrically operated vehicle seats are significantly more expensive than manually adjustable vehicle seats. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An object of the invention therefore is to disclose an adjustment unit for a vehicle seat that permits a quick and precise adjustment of a seat element to be adjusted. A manually operable adjustment unit should also be achieved, which ensures a user virtually the same operating convenience as an electrically operated adjustment unit and is nevertheless inexpensive. 
         [0006]    This object is attained with an adjustment unit for a vehicle seat in which the adjustment unit is provided for adjusting the position and/or inclination of a component of the vehicle seat; the adjustment unit has a control element, which is provided for initiating a first adjusting movement of the component in a first direction and is provided for initiating a second adjusting movement of the component in a second direction; and the adjustment unit is embodied so that the first adjusting movement permits a quicker adjustment of the component than the second adjusting movement. 
         [0007]    The adjustment unit according to the invention therefore advantageously permits both a quick adjustment of the component by moving it along the first direction and a precise adjustment of the component by moving it along the second direction. In this way, a user of the vehicle seat can set the optimum position or orientation of the component at any time. The simpler, quicker, and more precise adjustability also increases the safety for the user since the user is thus more likely to set the vehicle seat correctly for his or her size requirements. The adjustment unit according to the invention consequently combines the advantages of an electrical adjustment unit such as increased operating convenience with the advantages of a manual adjustment unit such as low production costs. 
         [0008]    According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment unit is embodied so that the first adjusting movement merely releases a orientation locking mechanism of the component, thus allowing the user to freely adjust the position and/or orientation of the component, particularly by means of his or her weight and/or muscle power and so that the second adjusting movement initiates an active change in the position and/or orientation of the component. Thanks to the release of the orientation locking mechanism, the component can be adjusted by the user him- or herself relatively quickly and over a large adjustment range. It is conceivable that the adjustment in this case occurs along a gravitational force acting on the component and/or in a spring-assisted way. The active adjustment of the component through an actuation of the control along the second direction enables a precise adjustment along a predefined, short adjustment path as part of the second adjusting movement. It is conceivable, for example, that the component can be moved in steps in the second adjusting direction in opposition to a spring force by means of a pumping movement of the control element in the second direction. With a movement of the control element in the first direction, first, the orientation locking mechanism or another orientation locking mechanism of the adjustment unit is released and then, an adjusting mechanism of the adjustment unit is driven, which drives a movement of the component by a defined adjustment distance. It is conceivable that the first adjusting movement is carried out in the same direction as the force of gravity so that the force of gravity assists the user in making the adjustment, whereas the second adjusting movement is carried out, for example, in opposition to the force of gravity since in this case, a user-guided adjustment is more difficult and strenuous. Because of the slower adjustment, the second adjusting movement is advantageously also used for finely adjusting the component. This fine adjustment, however, preferably only occurs in opposition to the force of gravity while the freely moving, coarse or quick adjustment in the context of the first adjusting movement is possible, depending on the embodiment, only with assistance by the force of gravity or both in opposition to the force of gravity and with assistance by the force of gravity. The fine adjustment, however, is initiated and caused by the hand of the user on the control element, thus on the whole yielding a manually actuatable adjustment unit whose manufacturing costs are lower than those of the electric motor-driven adjusters. The coarse or quick adjustment is likewise initiated by the hand of the user on the control element, but the coarse or quick adjustment is caused by an introduction of force by the body of the user and/or by the force of gravity. For example, in the case of a component embodied in the form of a backrest, in the context of the first adjusting movement, the backrest is quickly adjusted forward or back in response to the user leaning forward or back whereas in the context of the second adjusting movement, it is possible to carry out a slow forward pumping of the backrest by means of the adjusting mechanism as a fine adjustment. 
         [0009]    Another subject of the present invention is a vehicle seat; the vehicle seat has a seat element and a backrest embodied in the form of an adjustable component; the inclination of the backrest relative to the seat element can be pivoted by means of the adjustment unit according to the invention. The adjustment unit has a control element that is provided to initiate a first inclination adjusting movement of the backrest in a first direction and to initiate a second inclination adjusting movement of the backrest in a second direction. The adjustment unit is embodied so that it is possible to carry out a first inclination adjusting movement more quickly than the second inclination adjusting movement. In particular, the first inclination adjusting movement is a free pivoting movement of the backrest, particularly both in the driving direction and against the driving direction, while the second inclination adjusting movement includes a pivoting movement that is restrictively guided by the movement of the control element and has a defined change in the angle of the backrest, particularly in the driving direction. When the control element is moved in the first direction, this releases a orientation locking mechanism, in particular a detent adjuster, of the backrest so that a user&#39;s back and his or her muscle power can be used to pivot the backrest rearward against the driving direction and in opposition to a spring force or so that the backrest can be pivoted forward in the driving direction by the spring force (when the user leans forward). When the control element is moved in the second direction, this likewise releases the orientation locking mechanism and pivots the backrest forward by a fixed angle in the driving direction by means of an adjusting mechanism. By pumping the control element several times in the second direction, it is possible to successively pivot the backrest forward to finely adjust it. The control element is preferably a lever, which can be pivoted around a pivot axis that is parallel to the pivot axis of the backrest and whose free end protrudes in the driving direction; lifting the lever involves a rotation along the first direction and depressing the lever involves a rotation along the second direction. Alternatively, it is conceivable for the free end of the lever to protrude against the driving direction and in an upward direction; pulling the lever forward along the driving direction involves a rotation along the second direction and pulling the lever backward against the driving direction involves a rotation along the first direction. In this way, the control element can always be operated by user in an intuitive fashion. 
         [0010]    Another subject or embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle seat; the vehicle seat includes a seat part embodied as an adjustable component; the inclination of the seat part can be pivoted by means of the adjustment unit according to the invention. The adjustment unit has a control element that is provided to initiate a first inclination adjusting movement of the seat part in a first direction and to initiate a second inclination adjusting movement of the seat part in a second direction. The adjustment unit is embodied so that it is possible to carry out a first inclination adjusting movement more quickly than the second inclination adjusting movement. The seat part includes either the entire seat surface or only a frontal subregion of the seat surface of the vehicle seat. In particular, the first inclination adjusting movement is a freely moving or spring-force-driven pivoting movement of the seat part while the second inclination adjusting movement involves a pivoting movement that is restrictively guided by the movement of the control element, with a defined change in the angle of the seat part. 
         [0011]    Another subject or embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle seat; the vehicle seat includes a seat part as an adjustable component; the height of the seat part can be adjusted by means of the adjustment unit according to the invention. The adjustment unit has a control element, which is provided to initiate a first height adjusting movement of the seat part in a first direction and to initiate a second height adjusting movement of the seat part in a second direction. The adjustment unit is embodied so as to permit a quicker first height adjusting movement than the second adjusting movement. The seat part includes either the entire seat surface or only a frontal subregion of the seat surface of the vehicle seat. In particular, the first height adjusting movement is a freely moving or spring-force-driven pivoting movement of the seat part while the second height adjusting movement includes a pivoting movement that is restrictively guided by the movement of the control element, with a defined change in the angle of the seat part. It is conceivable for the first height adjusting movement to include both a gravity-assisted lowering of the seat part by means of the user&#39;s weight in opposition to a spring force, and a spring-force-assisted lifting of the seat part (when the user lifts him- or herself up), while the second height adjusting movement includes a restrictively guided “pumping up” of the set part through exertion of the user&#39;s muscle power on the control element. 
         [0012]    Another subject or embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle seat; the vehicle seat includes a seat part as an adjustable component, which is mounted to a vehicle floor by means of a longitudinal seat adjusting unit and is supported by means of the longitudinal seat adjusting unit so that it is able to move longitudinally along a driving direction of the vehicle; the longitudinal position of the seat part can be adjusted by means of the adjustment unit according to the invention. The adjustment unit has a control element, which is provided to initiate a first longitudinal adjusting movement of the seat part in a first direction and to initiate a second longitudinal adjusting movement of the seat part in a second direction. The adjustment unit is embodied so as to permit a quicker first longitudinal adjusting movement than the second longitudinal adjusting movement. In particular, the first longitudinal movement is a freely moving or spring-force-driven sliding movement of the seat part along the driving direction, while the second longitudinal adjusting movement includes a sliding movement that is restrictively guided by the movement of the control element, with a defined position change in the position of the seat part in the longitudinal direction. 
         [0013]    Other details, features, and advantages of the invention ensue from the drawings and the description of advantageous embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention that are merely examples and do not significantly restrict the concept of the invention. 
         [0014]    The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    In the drawings: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a schematic depiction of a vehicle seat with a plurality of adjustment units according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a schematic depiction of a vehicle seat with a plurality of adjustment units according to other exemplary embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a schematic depiction of a vehicle seat with a plurality of adjustment units according to other exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    In the different figures, parts that are the same have been consistently provided with the same reference numerals and are therefore as a rule only named or mentioned once. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a vehicle seat  1  with adjustment units  2  according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle seat  1  has a seat part  3  and a backrest  4 . The seat part  3  is fastened by means of a longitudinal seat adjusting unit  5 , in particular a rail system, to a vehicle floor that is affixed to the body of the vehicle (not shown). The longitudinal position of the vehicle seat  1  along the driving direction  100  can be adjusted by means of the longitudinal seat adjusting unit  5 . The vehicle seat  1  also has a seat height adjusting mechanism (not shown) by means of which it is possible to adjust the height and/or the inclination of the seat part  3  relative to the vehicle floor. The backrest  4  can be pivoted by means of an inclination adjusting mechanism (not shown) around a pivot axis  6  perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in order to correspondingly adjust the inclination of the backrest  4 . 
         [0021]    In order to actuate the inclination adjusting mechanism, the vehicle seat  1  has a first adjustment unit  10  with a first control element  11 , which is provided to initiate a first inclination adjusting movement  13  of the backrest  4  in a first direction  12  and to initiate a second inclination adjusting movement  15  of the backrest  4  in a second direction  14 . The first adjustment unit  10  is embodied so that it is possible to carry out a first inclination adjusting movement  13  more quickly than the second inclination adjusting movement  15  (illustrated by different length arrows). The first inclination adjusting movement  13  includes a free pivoting movement of the backrest  4  by means of an adjusting force exerted by the user or by means of a spring force; the movement of the first control element  11  merely releases a orientation locking mechanism of the backrest  4  for this purpose. The second inclination adjusting movement  15 , however, includes a pivoting movement that is oriented forward in the driving direction  100  and restrictively guided by the movement of the first control element  11 , with a defined change in the angle of the backrest  4 . With a movement of the first control element in the first direction  12 , the locking mechanism—in particular a detent adjuster—of the backrest  4  is released so that the backrest  4  can be pivoted by the user&#39;s back rearward against the driving direction  100  and in opposition to a spring force or so that the backrest  4  can be pivoted forward in the driving direction  100  by the spring force (when the user leans forward). With a movement of the first control element  11  in the second direction  14 , the locking mechanism is likewise released and an adjusting mechanism pivots the backrest  4  by a fixed angle forward against the driving direction  100 . By pumping the first control element  11  several times in the second direction  14 , it is thus possible to successively pivot the backrest  4  forward. The first control element  11  in this case is a lever that can be pivoted around the pivot axis  6  and whose free end protrudes in the driving direction  100 ; lifting the lever constitutes a rotation along the first direction  12  and depressing the lever constitutes a rotation along the second direction  14 . 
         [0022]    To actuate the height adjusting mechanism of the seat part  3 , the vehicle seat  1  has a second adjustment unit  20  with a second control element  21 , which is provided to initiate a first height adjusting movement  23  of the seat part  3  in a first direction  22  and to initiate a second height adjusting movement  25  of the seat part  3  in a second direction  24 . The second adjustment unit  20  is embodied so as to permit a quicker first height adjusting movement  23  than the second adjusting movement  25  (illustrated by different length arrows). The first height adjusting movement  23  includes a freely moving or at most spring-damped downward movement of the seat part  3  by the weight of the user or a spring-loaded upward movement of the seat part  3  when the user reduces the amount of weight acting on the seat part  3 ; the movement of the second control element  21  releases a height locking mechanism of the seat part  3  for this purpose. By contrast, the second height adjusting movement  25  includes an upward movement of the seat part  3  that is restrictively guided by the movement of the second control element  21  by a smaller, defined height. By pumping the second control element  21  repeatedly in the second direction  24 , it is possible to successively move the seat part  3  upward. The second control element  21  is a lever that can be pivoted around another pivot axis  7  parallel to the pivot axis  6  and whose free end protrudes in the driving direction  100 ; lifting the lever constitutes a rotation along the second direction  24  and depressing the lever constitutes a rotation along the first direction  22 . 
         [0023]    In order to actuate the longitudinal adjusting mechanism of the vehicle seat  1 , the vehicle seat  1  has a third adjustment unit  30  with a third control element  31 , which is provided to initiate a first longitudinal adjusting movement  33  of the vehicle seat  1  in a first direction  32  and to initiate a second longitudinal adjusting movement  35  of the vehicle seat  1  in a second direction  34 . The third adjustment unit  30  is embodied so as to permit a quicker first longitudinal adjusting movement  33  than the second longitudinal adjusting movement  35  (illustrated by different length arrows). The first longitudinal movement  33  includes a freely moving or at most spring-damped longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat  1  in the driving direction  100  or against the driving direction  100 , which is produced by the muscle power of the user; the movement of the third control element  31  merely releases a longitudinal locking mechanism of the longitudinal seat adjusting unit  5  for this purpose. By contrast, the second longitudinal adjusting movement  35  includes a forward movement of the vehicle seat  1  in the driving direction  1  that is restrictively guided by the movement of the third control element  31 , with a defined length of the movement. By pumping the third control element  31  repeatedly in the second direction  35 , it is possible to successively move the vehicle seat  1  forward. The third control element  31  is a lever that can be pivoted around another pivot axis  7  parallel to the pivot axis  6  and whose free end protrudes in the driving direction  100 ; lifting the lever constitutes a rotation along the first direction  32  and depressing the lever constitutes a rotation along the second direction  34 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic side view of a vehicle seat with adjustment units according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; the second exemplary embodiment is essentially identical to the first exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; by contrast with it, the second and third adjustment units  20 ,  30  are integrated into a shared fourth adjustment unit  40 . The fourth adjustment unit  40  includes a fourth control element  41 , which simultaneously fulfills the functionality of the second and third control elements  21 ,  31 . The fourth control element  41  can be moved against the driving direction  100  in order to produce the movement of the third control element  31  in the first direction  32  and to initiate the first longitudinal adjusting movement  33 . The fourth control element  41  can also be moved in the driving direction  100  in order to produce the movement of the third control element  31  in the second direction  34  and to initiate the second longitudinal adjusting movement  35 . The fourth control element  41  can also be moved opposite the upward direction  101  in order to produce the movement of the second control element  21  in the first direction  22  and to initiate the first height adjusting movement  23 . The fourth control element  41  can also be moved in the upward direction  101  in order to produce the movement of the second control element  21  in the second direction  24  and to initiate the second height adjusting movement  25 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic side view of a vehicle seat with adjustment units according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention; the third exemplary embodiment is essentially identical to the second exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; by contrast with it, the free end of the lever of the first control element  11  protrudes against the driving direction  100  and in a diagonally upward direction  101 ; pulling the lever forward along the driving direction  100  constitutes a rotation along the second direction  14  and pulling the lever back against the driving direction  100  constitutes a rotation along the first direction  12 . 
         [0026]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.