Patent ID: 7287814

Claim:
A fitting for a vehicle seat, the fitting comprising: a lower fitting part; an upper fitting part mounted to a bearing bolt for pivoting relative to the lower fitting part; a locking device movably connected to the lower fitting part for engaging with the upper fitting part and thereby locking the fitting; a control cam connected to the locking device for engaging with at least one control element of the upper fitting part and thereby at least partially controlling the engaging between the locking device and the upper fitting part, wherein (a) the at least one control element includes at least two different steps that are for interacting with the control cam, and (b) the steps are respectively positioned at different radial distances from the bearing bolt; and at least one spring-loaded clamping eccentric, wherein in a first configuration of the fitting, the spring-loaded clamping eccentric at least indirectly acts on the locking device to at least partially secure the engaging of the locking device with the upper fitting part at least under normal conditions, a first actuating force is required for moving the spring-loaded clamping eccentric so that the fitting can be transitioned from the first configuration to a second configuration, with the second configuration including (a) the locking device being disengaged from the upper fitting part, and (b) the control cam being engaged to the at least one control element, a second actuating force is required for moving the spring-loaded clamping eccentric so that the fitting can be transitioned from the second configuration to a third configuration, with the third configuration including (a) the locking device being disengaged from the upper fitting part, and (b) the control cam being at least substantially disengaged from the at least one control element, a control device includes a system of springs for defining the first actuating force and the second actuating force, the system of springs includes at least two springs, the control device further includes a base and at least two movable levers, the movable levers includes (a) a control lever that is preloaded with respect to the base by at least one of the springs, and (b) a clamping lever that is preloaded with respect to the base by at least one of the springs, and the fitting further comprising a coupling operatively associated with the clamping lever and the control lever so that (a) during transitioning from the first configuration to the third configuration, the clamping lever is carried along by the control lever after the control lever has moved relative to the clamping lever, and (b) during transitioning from the first configuration to the second configuration, the control lever is moved without the clamping lever being moved.