Patent ID: 7044543

Claim:
A vehicle seat for being mounted to a vehicle structure, and for operating advantageously in the event of a crash of predetermined magnitude, the vehicle seat comprising: at least one multi-bar linkage, wherein the multi-bar linkage includes at least four link mechanisms, wherein prior to the crash of predetermined magnitude the multi-bar linkage is effective as a four-bar linkage for setting the seat's height, and wherein the at least four link mechanisms includes at least (a) a frame for being fixed with respect to the vehicle structure, (b) a rocker, and (c) a link mechanism positioned between the frame and the rocker; a crash locking unit for locking at least the frame and the rocker to one another in the event of the crash of predetermined magnitude; and a second locking unit, wherein for two adjacent link mechanisms of the at least four link mechanisms, the second locking unit provides a frictional interaction by way of which the second locking unit rigidly connects the two adjacent link mechanisms together prior to the crash of predetermined magnitude, the second locking unit is operative for opening after a limit force is exceeded in response to the crash of predetermined magnitude, so that relative movement can occur between the two adjacent link mechanisms, and the second locking unit includes (a) a locking bar pivotably mounted on a first of the two adjacent link mechanisms, (b) a counterpart on a second of the two adjacent link mechanisms, and (c) a spring between the locking bar and the first of the two adjacent link mechanisms.