JP2004267794A - Reclining device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reclining device causing no looseness. <P>SOLUTION: External teeth 35 are arranged between a lower arm plate 30 and a ratchet plate 32, and are formed for meshing with internal teeth 33. A surface on the opposite side of a surface for forming the external teeth 35 is provided with a pole 34 for forming a second surface 39 having an inclination for approaching the external teeth 35 direction toward a rear part of a seat, guides 36 and 37 arranged on the lower arm plate 30, and guiding the pole 34 in the radial direction of a circle with a hinge pin (the rotational axis) 31 as the center, a first cam 44 rotatably arranged with the hinge pin 31 as the center, and having a second surface 46 opposed to the second surface 39 of the pole 34, and a circular second cam 41 capable of abutting on the second surface 46 of the pole 34, the second surface 46 of the first cam 44, and the guide 37. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a reclining device for tilting a seat back of a seat of an automobile or the like.

  As an example of a reclining device, there is one having a configuration as shown in FIG. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a lower arm fixed to a seat cushion side, and an upper arm 3 fixed to a seat back side by a hinge pin 2 is pivotably supported on the lower arm 1.

  A ratchet plate 5 having internal teeth 4 formed on a circumference centered on the hinge pin 2 is fixed to the upper arm 3. Between the lower arm 1 and the upper arm 3, three pawls 7 each having outer teeth 6 that can mesh with the inner teeth of the ratchet plate 5 are arranged. Each of the pawls 7 is guided by three sets of guides 8 formed on the lower arm 1 and is movable in a radial direction about the hinge pin 2.

  The hinge pin 2 is provided with a cam 10 having a surface 10a capable of pressing a surface of the pawl 7 opposite to the surface on which the external teeth 6 are formed. The cam 10 is urged by the three springs 11 in a direction to press a surface 7a of the pawl 7 opposite to the surface on which the external teeth 6 are formed.

  Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. Usually, when the cam 10 urged by the spring 11 presses the surface 7a of the pawl 7, the external teeth 6 of the pawl 7 mesh with the internal teeth 4 of the ratchet plate 5 on the upper arm 3 side, and the tilt of the upper arm 3 is reduced. Prohibited (locked).

  Here, when the cam 10 (hinge pin 2) is rotated against the urging force of the spring 11, the engagement between the external teeth 6 of the pawl 7 and the internal teeth 4 of the ratchet plate 5 on the upper arm 3 side is released, and the upper arm Reference numeral 3 denotes a state in which it can be tilted with respect to the lower arm 1 (an unlock state).

When the desired reclining angle is obtained by tilting the upper arm 3, the operating force for rotating the cam 10 (hinge pin 2) is released. Then, the external teeth 6 of the pawl 7 are again engaged with the internal teeth 4 of the ratchet plate 5 by the urging force of the spring 11, and a locked state is established (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP-A-2-228914 (pages 3 to 5, see FIGS. 1 to 6)

  However, in the reclining device having the configuration as shown in FIG. 4, some gap is generated between the side surface of the pole 7 and the guide 8. On the other hand, in the locked state, the cam 10 urged by the spring 11 has its surface 10 a pressed against the surface 7 a of the pawl 7. That is, the contact is at only one location.

  Accordingly, when a load is applied to the ratchet plate 5 in the direction of tilting the seat back backward (the direction of arrow D in FIG. 4) due to the pressure on the back of the occupant, the external teeth 6 meshing with the internal teeth 4 of the ratchet plate 5 are moved. The pole 7 has a problem that it tilts in the direction of arrow E in FIG.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a reclining device with less backlash.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seat back provided with a lower arm plate provided on a seat cushion side, and rotatably provided with respect to the lower arm plate, and formed with internal teeth about a rotation center axis. Ratchet plate fixed to the side, the lower arm plate, provided between the ratchet plate, formed with external teeth that can mesh with the internal teeth, on the surface opposite to the surface on which the external teeth are formed, A pole having a surface having a slope approaching the direction of the external teeth toward a rear portion of the seat; and a guide provided on the lower arm plate for guiding the pole in a radial direction of a circle centered on the rotation center axis. A first cam provided rotatably about the rotation center axis and having a surface facing the surface of the pawl; Thus, the surface having the inclination approaching the direction of the external teeth, the surface of the first cam facing the surface of the pole, and the circular second cam that can abut the guide, and the external teeth of the pole are Biasing means for biasing the pawl via the first cam in a direction in which the pawls mesh with the internal teeth of the ratchet plate; a release lever for releasing meshing between the external teeth of the pawl and the internal teeth of the ratchet plate;
It is a reclining device characterized by having.

Normally, the urging force of the urging means is transmitted to the pawl via a cam and a circular second cam, and the outer teeth of the pawl mesh with the inner teeth of the ratchet plate to inhibit the seat back from tilting.
When the release arm is rotated against the urging force of the urging means, the external teeth of the pawl are separated from the internal teeth of the ratchet plate, the meshing state is released, and the seat back can be tilted with respect to the seat cushion.

  Then, when the desired tilt angle of the ratchet plate is obtained, the operating force of the release arm is released. Then, the urging force of the urging means causes the outer teeth of the pawl to mesh with the inner teeth of the ratchet plate again, and the tilting of the seat back is prohibited.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the load on the ratchet plate in the direction of tilting the seat back backward acts on the ratchet plate due to the pressure on the back of the seated person, and the pawl meshing with the internal teeth of the ratchet plate tends to tilt. However, since the second cam vertically presses the surface of the pole having the inclination approaching the direction of the external teeth toward the rear of the seat, a rotational moment in the direction opposite to the inclination direction is generated on the pole, and Tilt is prevented.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a side view of a reclining device on both sides according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line CC in FIG.

  The embodiment is a two-sided reclining device, and FIGS. 1 to 3 show one reclining device, and the other reclining device is the same except for the shape of the release arm, so that the description is omitted.

  In these figures, a hinge pin 31 is provided upright on a lower arm plate 30 attached to a rear portion of a lower arm provided on the seat cushion side. The hinge pin 31 is rotatably provided with a ratchet plate 32 fixed to an upper arm provided on the seat back side and composed of two plates 32a and 32b. At the lower part of the ratchet plate 32, internal teeth 33 centering on the hinge pin 31 are formed.

Between the lower arm plate 30 and the ratchet plate 32, there is provided a pawl 34 having external teeth 35 which can mesh with the internal teeth 33 of the ratchet plate 32.
On the other hand, guides 36 and 37 for guiding the pawl 34 in the radial direction around the hinge pin 31 are formed on the lower arm plate 30 by a method such as half blow.

  On a surface of the pole 34 opposite to the surface on which the external teeth 35 are formed, a first surface 38 formed on the front side of the lower arm plate 30 and external teeth 35 are formed from the first surface 38. The second surface 39 is set so as to have a shorter distance from the surface and has a slope approaching the direction of the external teeth 35 from the front to the rear of the lower arm plate 30. That is, the first surface 38 and the second surface 39 are formed in this order from the front side of the sheet. Further, a pin 40 is erected on the pole 34.

In the vicinity of the second surface 39 of the pole 34, a circular second cam 41 whose diameter is set to be larger than the distance between the first surface 38 and the second surface 39 of the pole 34 is movably disposed. ing.
The release arm 42 rotatably provided on the hinge pin 31 has an elongated hole 43 formed in the ratchet plate 32 and engaged with the pin 40 of the pole 34 that is inserted through the elongated hole 32 e having the hinge pin 31 as a center. Is formed. The shape of the elongated hole 43 has a portion close to the internal teeth 33 of the ratchet plate 32 and a portion apart from the internal teeth 33, and when the release arm 42 rotates, the pawl 34 is centered on the hinge pin 31. The outer teeth 35 of the pawl 34 are set so as to move in the radial direction and engage and disengage with the inner teeth 33 of the ratchet plate 32.

  The first cam 44 rotatably provided on the hinge pin 31 is provided with a first surface 45 opposed to the first surface 38 of the pawl 34 via a slight space, and a continuous connection with the first surface 45. A second surface 46 that is capable of pressing the second surface 39 of the pawl 34 via the second cam 41 and a second surface 46, the slope being gradually approaching in the direction of the hinge pin 31; A third surface 49 approaching the hinge pin 31 direction is formed with a greater inclination than the second surface 46.

  A connecting pipe 47 has one end rotatably attached to the hinge pin 31 and the other end rotatably attached to the hinge pin of the other reclining device. A base end of a hook plate 48 having a hole 48a drilled at the distal end is fixed to the connecting pipe 47.

  On the other hand, the first cam 44 has a first arm portion 44a which engages with the hole 48a of the hook plate 48 through an arc-shaped long hole 30a centered on the hinge pin 31 formed on the lower arm plate 30; A second arm portion 44b that engages with the hole 42a of the release arm 42 is formed through an arc-shaped long hole 32c around the hinge pin 31 formed in the ratchet plate 32.

  Further, the release cam 42 has one end locked to the release arm 42 and the other end locked to the lower arm plate 30 by a spring 50 serving as a biasing means. A biasing force in the direction of pressing the pawl 34 is provided through the cam 41 of the first embodiment.

  53 is a stopper plate provided on the lower arm plate 30 using the pins 51 and 52 at both ends so as to cover the lower part of the ratchet plate 32. At the lower part of the ratchet plate 32, a stopper projection 32d capable of contacting the pins 51, 52 is formed, and the ratchet plate 32 can be tilted while the stopper projection 32d contacts the pins 51, 52.

  A groove 31a is formed in the hinge pin 31, and an inner end of a spiral spring 56 whose outer end is locked to a pin 55 whose outer end is erected on the ratchet plate 32 is locked to the groove 31a. The ratchet plate 32 (upper arm) is urged in the forward tilt direction. Further, the hinge pin 31 is prevented from coming off using an E-ring 58.

  Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. In the state shown in FIG. 1, the first cam 44 is connected to the second cam 41 via the second cam 41 abutting against the second surface 46 of the first cam 44, the guide 37, and the second surface 39 of the pawl 34. 34, the external teeth 35 of the pawl 34 mesh with the internal teeth 33 of the ratchet plate 32, the rotation of the ratchet plate 32 is prohibited, and the reclining (tilting) of the seat back is locked.

  From this state, when the release arm 42 at the solid line position is rotated to the two-dot chain line position against the urging force of the spring 50, the first arm that engages with the release arm 42 via the second arm portion 44b. The cam 44 rotates in the same direction, the surface facing the second cam 41 shifts to the third surface 49, and the pawl 34 of the pawl 34 passes through the second cam 41 on the second surface 46 of the first cam 44. The pressing state on the second surface 39 is released.

  Also, the pawl 34 having the pin 40 that engages with the elongated hole 43 of the release arm 42 is guided by the guides 36 and 37 and moves in the direction of the hinge pin 31 so that the outer teeth 35 of the pawl 34 and the inner teeth 33 of the ratchet plate 32 move. The meshing state is released, and the ratchet plate 32 (seat back) is in a state where it can be tilted.

  Further, when the first cam 44 rotates, the release arm of the other reclining device also rotates via the first arm portion 44a, the hook plate 48, and the connecting pipe 47, and the ratchet plate of the other reclining device also tilts. It is possible.

  The seated person tilts the desired seat back, and releases the operating force of the release arm 42 when a desired tilt angle is obtained. Then, by the urging force of the spring 50, the release arm 42 returns from the two-dot chain line position to the solid line position, the first cam 44 rotates in the opposite direction to the previous direction, and the second surface 46 of the first cam 44 The second surface 39 of the pawl 34 is pressed again via the second cam 41.

  Further, the pawl 34 moves in a direction away from the hinge pin 31, the outer teeth 35 of the pawl 34 mesh with the inner teeth 33 of the ratchet plate 32 again, and the tilting of the ratchet plate 32 is prohibited.

  Further, when the first cam 44 rotates, the release arm of the other reclining device also rotates in the opposite direction to the previous one via the first arm portion 44a, the hook plate 48, and the connecting pipe 47, and The ratchet plate of the apparatus is also in a state where the tilting is prohibited.

  According to the above configuration, since the first cam 44, the second cam 41, the pawl 34, and the like are arranged between the lower arm plate 30 and the ratchet plate 32, the appearance is improved by saving space.

  Further, since the reclining device is provided on the lower arm plate 30 and the ratchet plate 32, and the lower arm plate 30 is attached to the lower arm and the ratchet plate 32 is attached to the upper arm, the reclining device can be shared.

  Furthermore, the dimensional accuracy of the guides 37 and 38 formed by a method such as half blow is not so high, and a slight gap is generated between the side surface of the pole 34 and the guides 37 and 38.

  In such a case, due to the pressure on the back of the occupant, a load acts on the ratchet plate 32 in the direction of tilting the seat back backward (the direction of arrow D in FIG. 1), and the pawl meshes with the internal teeth 33 of the ratchet plate 32. Numeral 34 tends to tilt in the direction of arrow E in FIG. However, since the second cam 41 vertically presses the second surface 39 of the pole 34 having a slope approaching the direction of the external teeth 35 from the front to the rear of the lower arm plate 30, the pole 34 has A reverse rotational moment is generated, and the inclination of the pole 34 is prevented.

  Further, even if the pole 34 tilts in the E direction by overcoming the pressing force of the second cam 41, the first surface 38 of the pole 34 abuts on the first surface 45 of the first cam 44, Further inclination of the pawl 34 is prohibited, and the meshing state between the external teeth 35 of the pawl 34 and the internal teeth 33 of the ratchet plate 32 is maintained.

It is a side view of the reclining device of both sides of an embodiment of the invention. It is BB sectional drawing in FIG. It is CC sectional drawing in FIG. It is a figure explaining a conventional reclining device.

Explanation of reference numerals

30 Lower arm plate 31 Hinge pin (rotation center axis)
32 Ratchet plate 33 Internal teeth 34 Poles 35 External teeth 39, 46 Second surface (surface)
41 Second cam

Claims (1)

A lower arm plate provided on the seat cushion side,
A ratchet plate provided rotatably with respect to the lower arm plate, formed with internal teeth about a rotation center axis, and fixed to the seat back side;
External teeth are provided between the lower arm plate and the ratchet plate, the external teeth being meshable with the internal teeth, and the external teeth are formed on the surface opposite to the surface on which the external teeth are formed, toward the rear of the seat. A pole formed with a surface having a slope approaching the tooth direction,
A guide provided on the lower arm plate, for guiding the pawl in a radial direction of a circle around the rotation center axis;
A first cam rotatably provided around the rotation center axis and having a surface facing the surface of the pawl;
A circular second cam which can contact the surface of the pole having a slope approaching the direction of the external teeth toward the rear of the seat, the surface of the first cam facing the surface of the pole, and the guide. When,
Biasing means for biasing the pawl via the first cam in a direction in which the external teeth of the pawl mesh with the internal teeth of the ratchet plate;
A release lever for releasing the engagement between the external teeth of the pawl and the internal teeth of the ratchet plate,
A reclining device comprising:

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