JP3524473B2 - Ratchet lever mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is applicable to a ratchet type lever mechanism for transmitting a rotational operation force of a drive lever to a braking shaft of a brake unit, and in particular, as a driving means for a seat lifter that supports a seat so that it can be raised and lowered. The present invention relates to a ratchet type lever mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a seat lifter that can secure a seat height according to a seated person's body shape and taste, and a viewpoint height suitable for driving etc. under arbitrary adjustment, It is mounted on a seat of an automobile or the like as a seating posture control device.

The seat lifter is provided with, for example, front and rear lifter links that support the seat so that it can be raised and lowered. A seat lifter of this type is configured so that the seat can be raised and lowered under the synchronized rotation of each link by the driving means having a handle, a lever and the like as a driving member.

By the way, the seat lifter driving means is formed, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-342036, having a bifurcated ratchet pawl that can be interlocked with a drive lever. After selectively engaging one of the ratchet pawls of the body with the ratchet gear under the rotation operation of the drive lever, by further rotating the drive lever, the ratchet gear, and eventually the braking shaft of the brake unit, etc. A so-called ratchet type lever mechanism capable of outputting a rotational force is provided.

According to such a ratchet type lever mechanism, since the drive lever is rotated, the operating force is reduced by the lever principle. Then, since the rotating force in one arbitrary direction can be output under the repeated turning operation of the drive lever without requiring a specific switching operation,
The driving operation for the seat lifter can be simplified.

[0006]

The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
In known ratcheting lever mechanisms, such as 11-342036, the drive lever and the lever plate to which the ratchet pawl is pivotally attached have their respective neutral positions under the biasing forces of the individual return springs. Biased and retained. Then, under the rotation of the drive lever from the neutral position against the biasing force of the return spring, the ratchet pawl on the corresponding side of the ratchet pawl body is selectively meshed with the ratchet gear, whereby the drive lever is driven. It is possible to rotate the ratchet gear.

However, in this known construction, the drive lever and the lever plate are biased and held in their respective neutral positions under the biasing force of the individual return springs, so that an increase in the number of parts is avoided. However, the configuration is complicated and the cost is likely to increase.

Here, in this type of ratchet type lever mechanism, the amount of rotation operation of the drive lever per operation is limited to within a predetermined range. Therefore, if the operation amount is small,
It is easy to request a large number of operations when raising and lowering the seat. Therefore, it is undeniable that the operation is likely to be complicated and the operability may be deteriorated.

As a countermeasure against this, it is conceivable to enlarge the range of rotation of the drive lever. However, in order to expand the rotation range of the drive lever, it is necessary to secure a vast space around the ratchet type lever mechanism that can ensure the rotation of the drive lever. It is undeniable that the rotating operation is inferior in adaptability because it tends to cause inferior operability.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ratchet type lever mechanism which simplifies the structure and improves its operability.

[0011]

In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention, a brake unit having a braking shaft rotationally braked in one direction penetrates the braking shaft into a base bracket which also serves as a fixed base. The ratchet gear, which is fixed together with the base bracket and serves as the external gear of the gear plate, is rotatably arranged and held around the support shaft of the base bracket, and the first gear formed on the gear plate. The brake shaft of the brake unit is linked to the brake shaft of the brake unit via speed-increasing gear means that is a combination with a second gear integrally attached to the brake shaft of the brake unit. Further, a lever bracket integrally connected and fixed to the drive lever, and a lever plate having an extending portion extending outside the peripheral end of the ratchet gear are rotatably arranged around the support shaft, A bifurcated ratchet pawl that is integrally supported and has ratchet pawls for up and down that can be meshed with the ratchet gear is pivotally attached to the lever plate extension on the extension line of the radius of the ratchet gear and The lever bracket is linked to the lever bracket via a linking means.

Then, under the biasing force applied integrally from the single return spring, the lever plate and the lever bracket are biased and held in the neutral position with respect to the base bracket, respectively, and the biasing force of the return spring is resisted. The ratchet pawl on the corresponding side is selectively meshed with the ratchet gear by the tilting of the ratchet pawl associated with the integral rotation of the drive lever and the lever bracket from the neutral position, and the drive lever from this meshed state is rotated. The ratchet gear is rotated by a corresponding amount by the rotation of the lever plate in the corresponding direction in accordance with the further rotation operation, and the rotation of the ratchet gear is increased by the increase in the rotation amount by the speed increasing gear means. It can be transmitted to the braking shaft of.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a ratchet type lever mechanism 10 according to the present invention has a ratchet gear 12 as an external gear and a bifurcated ratchet pawl 16 connected to a drive lever 14 so as to be interlocked. It has and. Then, by selectively engaging one of the up and down ratchet pawls 18u, 18d of the ratchet pawl body 16 with the ratchet gear 12 under the rotation operation of the drive lever 14, the ratchet gear is formed. The ratchet type lever mechanism 10 is configured so that a predetermined movable body can be moved by rotating the ratchet gear in a corresponding direction and transmitting the rotation of the ratchet gear to a predetermined output end.

Generally, this type of ratchet lever mechanism
Reference numeral 10 is provided as a drive unit such as a device having a movable body that bears a large load, for example, a seat lifter using the seat itself as the movable body.

The seat lifter itself is known,
Further, as a seat lifter provided with this type of ratchet type lever mechanism as a driving means, those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-342036 and the like can be exemplified, which is not the gist of the present invention. The description is omitted here.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, in the ratchet type lever mechanism 10 provided in the seat lifter or the like, its output is applied to the braking shaft 24 of the brake unit 22 to which the braking force is applied in the rotation in one direction. Edge 24a is defined,
From this output end, the rotational operation force of the drive lever 14 is transmitted to the seat lifter. Then, by making the braking direction of the braking shaft 24 coincide with the descending direction of the seat in the seat lifter, it is possible to prevent the unexpected lowering of the seat and to hold the seat at an arbitrary height.

The structure of the brake unit 22 is known, and the structure itself is not the purpose of the present invention.
It will not be described in detail here.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the brake unit 22 is usually formed by integrally having a plurality of fixed legs 26, which are spaced apart at equal angles and the like, at a base portion 22a thereof. It is fixed to a member to be attached, for example, the upper frame 28 or the like in the seat lifter. Then, in the embodiment of the present invention, the base bracket 30 that also serves as the fixed base portion of the ratchet type lever mechanism 10 is formed so as to be arranged so as to cover the brake unit 22, and is the same fixing member as the brake unit, that is, the seat lifter. By being fixed to the upper frame 28 and the like via its own leg portion 30a, it is integrally fixed to the brake unit.

In this structure, the input end 24b of the braking shaft 24 of the brake unit is projected through the insertion hole 32 of the base bracket 30 to the opposite surface side of the base bracket, that is, the upper surface side in FIG. There is.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 3, in this configuration, the support shaft 34 is displaced from the braking shaft 24 of the brake unit by a predetermined distance, and the upper surface of the base bracket 30 shown in FIG. A gear plate 36, which is protruded on the side and has the ratchet gear 12 as an external gear at its outer peripheral end, is disposed and supported via an insertion hole 38 so as to be rotatable around this support shaft. Further, in the present invention, the speed increasing gear means 40, which is a combination of the first gear formed on the gear plate 36 and the second gear integrally engaged with and fixed to the braking shaft 24 of the brake unit, is provided. Ratchet gear
12 is connected to the braking shaft so as to be interlockable.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the ratchet gear 12 of the gear plate is also used as the first gear of the speed increasing gear means 40, and the external gear 42 meshing with this ratchet gear is used.
Is integrally attached to the braking shaft of the brake unit as a second gear corresponding to the first gear, and further to the input end 24b thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2, the braking shaft 24 of the brake unit serves as a serration shaft, the bearing 42a of the second gear (external gear) 42 serves as a corresponding serration bearing, and further around this bearing. By fitting a locking member 44 such as a so-called C-ring, the integral locking and fixing can be easily secured.

The ratchet type lever mechanism of the present invention
In 10, the lever plate 46 having the extending portion 46a extending outward from the peripheral end of the ratchet gear 12 and the lever bracket 48 having the similar extending portion 48a are provided around the support shaft 34 of the base bracket. Is rotatably disposed and supported through the insertion hole 50 and the insertion hole 52, respectively.

A bifurcated ratchet pawl 16 having up and down ratchet pawls 18u and 18d, which can be meshed with the ratchet gear 12, integrally formed on the bifurcated end 16a of the ratchet pawl 16.
The ratchet gear, that is, the lever plate extending portion 46a defined on the extension line of the radius of the gear plate 36, is pivotally attached via a ratchet fulcrum 54 composed of a pivot pin, and a predetermined connecting means 56, for example, a lock. Via the combination of the claw 16b and the engagement window 58 into which the locking claw is loosely inserted, the claw 16b is operably connected to the lever bracket 48.

It should be noted that this type of ratchet type lever mechanism 10
In the above, since the ascending / descending direction of the seat and the operating direction of the drive lever 14 coincide with each other, the upper side of the bifurcated end 16a in FIG. 1 is the up ratchet claw 18u, and the lower side thereof is the down ratchet claw 18d. Each is specified.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it is preferable that the crushed portion of the pivot pin serving as the ratchet fulcrum 54 be escaped by, for example, a step 59 provided on the lever bracket 48.

Here, in the embodiment of the present invention, the combination of the base bracket 30 and the cover plate 60 serves as a unit base of the ratchet type lever mechanism 10, and this ratchet type lever mechanism is used as a base. Is a unit. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover plate 60 is disposed outside the lever bracket 48 (upper side in FIG. 3) with the protruding end 34a of the support shaft 34 inserted therein, and also serves as a spacer. It is integrally fixed to the base bracket 30 via the leg portions 60a.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the drive lever 14 is formed as a resin exterior body in a predetermined shape, for example, a shape that covers the ratchet gear 12, the lever plate 46, the lever bracket 48, etc. in a plane. The cover plate 60 is integrally connected and fixed to the lever bracket from the outside (upper side in FIG. 3).

By the way, ratchet claw of ratchet claw body
In the configuration of the present invention in which 18u and 18d can be selectively meshed with the ratchet gear 12, the disengagement position of both ratchet pawls with respect to the ratchet gear shown in FIG. In addition to being defined as the neutral position, the normal position of the lever plate 46, that is, the neutral position is defined in advance as an alignment position with a predetermined portion of the base bracket 30, for example. Then, in the present invention, both the drive lever 14 and the lever plate 46 are biased to their respective neutral positions under the biasing force of the single return spring 62,
It can be held.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 3, in the present invention, a torsion spring is used as the return spring 62. Then, for example, the return spring 62 is disposed under the winding around the support shaft base portion 34b arranged on the back surface (the lower surface in FIG. 3) of the base bracket 30 coaxially with the support shaft 34, Base bracket 3 with almost the same width
0, the lever plate 46, and the holding portions 30b, 46b, 48b of the lever bracket 48 are connected to the pair of terminals 62a, 6 of the return spring.
This return spring is configured so that the lever plate and the drive lever 14 can be biased and held at the respective neutral positions that are the aligned positions by sandwiching them integrally between the 2b.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the lever plate 46 and the lever bracket 48 which are provided at the position aligned with any one leg portion 30a of the base bracket.
The extended bent pieces are formed as the holding portions 46b and 48b, respectively, and as shown in FIG. 1, the holding portions serving as the extended bent pieces are held together with the leg portions of the base bracket,
Return spring terminals 62a, 62b are provided.

The state in which the lever plate 48 and the drive lever 14 are biased and held at their neutral positions by the biasing force of the return spring 62, that is, the non-operating state of the drive lever is set as the initial state of the ratchet type lever mechanism 10 as shown in FIG. Shown in. Normally, in the ratchet type lever mechanism 10 of this type, the operating direction of the drive lever 14 coincides with the ascending / descending direction of the seat, and therefore the seat is raised by rotating the drive lever counterclockwise in this figure from the initial state. (Up), and the lowering (down) of the seat can be secured by rotating the drive lever clockwise in the drawing.

From the initial state shown in FIG. 1, when the drive lever 14 is rotated, for example, in the up direction, that is, the counterclockwise direction in the drawing, first, the drive lever, that is, the lever bracket 48 rotates around the support shaft 34. The return spring in the lower terminal
By independently rotating this lever bracket without the lever plate 46 by independently rotating against the biasing force acting on 62b, the ratchet pawl 16 is tilted under the interlocking movement via the connecting means 56. , Ratchet claw 18u for up is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the ratchet gear 12 is meshed with the corresponding portion. Then, when the up ratchet pawl 18u is meshed with the ratchet gear 14, the ratchet pawl body 16 is tilted thereafter about the ratchet fulcrum 54, that is, the lever bracket 48 is independently rotated without the lever plate 46. In this state, the drive lever 14 is turned counterclockwise to the up direction,
If it is further rotated against the biasing force acting on 62b, the result shown in FIG.
As shown in, the ratchet gear 12 is rotated by a corresponding amount in the corresponding direction, that is, in the up direction, under the rotation of the lever plate about the support shaft 34.

Here, in the ratchet type lever mechanism 10, the speed increasing gear means 40 is operated in accordance with the rotation of the ratchet gear 12. That is, when the ratchet gear 12 is rotated by the corresponding amount by the drive lever 14, the braking shaft 24 of the brake unit is rotated under the rotation of the second gear 42 meshing with the ratchet gear.

The rotational operation force of the drive lever 14 is the speed increasing gear means.
In this configuration in which the rotation amount is transmitted to the braking shaft 24 of the brake unit via 40, the rotation amount is increased and transmitted, so that the rotation amount increased more than the rotation operation amount of the drive lever is applied to the braking shaft 24. It is output from 24 output terminals 24a. Then, the rotation of the braking shaft 24 is output and transmitted from the output end 24a thereof to the seat lifter, and thereby the seat lifter is operated, whereby the seat is raised by a corresponding amount.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the drive lever 14
Is restricted by, for example, engagement of the engaging end 48c of the lever bracket 48 with the leg portion 60a of the cover plate. If the operating force of the drive lever is released at this rotation limit position, the drive lever, and The lever plates are respectively biased and held in the neutral position in FIG. 1 under the biasing force of the return spring 62, that is, the biasing force acting on the lower end 62b of the return spring in the figure.

When the drive lever 14 is again rotated in the up direction from the neutral position shown in FIG. 1, the seat is lifted by the corresponding rotation amount of the ratchet gear 12, and thus the braking shaft 24, in the same manner as above. Therefore, by repeating this operation, the operator can raise the seat to a desired height.

When lowering the seat, the drive lever 14 is rotated in the down direction (clockwise in FIG. 1) from the neutral position against the biasing force of the return spring acting on the upper end 62a in the figure. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the down ratchet pawl 18d of the ratchet pawl is engaged with the corresponding portion of the ratchet gear 12, and from this state, the drive lever is opposed to the biasing force acting on the upper end of the return spring. Then, by further rotating in the down direction, it is possible to secure the descent of the seat according to the rotation amount of the ratchet gear, and thus the rotation amount of the braking shaft 24.

As described above, in the ratchet type lever mechanism 10 of the present invention, the drive lever 14 and the lever plate 46 are respectively biased and held at the neutral positions under the biasing force of the single return spring 62. It is possible.

That is, the drive lever 14 and the lever plate 46
Since individual return springs for etc. are not required,
According to the present invention, it is possible to surely reduce the number of parts, and thereby, it is possible to sufficiently simplify the configuration of the ratchet type lever mechanism 10 and reduce the cost.

The drive operation by repeatedly rotating the drive lever 14 in an arbitrary direction, that is, the drive operation with high operability that enables the direction selection at the same time, is also achieved in the ratchet type drive mechanism 10 of the present invention. Since this is no different from the above, it is possible to easily ensure simplification of the configuration and reduction of cost without impairing the high operability.

Further, according to the present invention, the ratchet gear 12 is rotated by the first gear and the second gear integrally engaged with the braking shaft 24 of the brake unit.
Via the speed increasing gear means 40 which is a combination with 42,
Since it is transmitted to the braking shaft, a rotation amount that is larger than the rotation operation amount of the drive lever 14 is transmitted and output to the braking shaft. In other words, since the amount of lifting and lowering of the seat can be surely increased by rotating the drive lever 14 once, the operability is surely improved according to the present invention.

Further, in the present invention, the return spring
62 is a torsion spring 62 wound around the support shaft base 34b, and the lever plate 46 and the holding portions 46b and 48b serving as extended bent pieces of the lever bracket 48 are provided together with the leg portion 30a of the base bracket. Since it suffices to integrally clamp the terminals 62a and 62b, the return springs for the lever plate and the lever bracket can be unified easily and appropriately without complicating the configuration.

In this structure, since it is sufficient to wind the return spring 62, which is a torsion spring, around the support shaft base portion 34b on the rear surface of the base bracket, it is possible to reliably prevent the unit from becoming large in the thickness direction. Therefore,
The return spring 62 is integrated into the ratchet type lever mechanism 10
It can be easily secured without increasing the size.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 3, in the embodiment of the present invention, the holding portions 46b and 48b are formed as bent pieces extending from the lever plate 46 and the lever bracket 48, respectively. However, it is sufficient if the biasing force can be applied to both the lever plate and the lever bracket while being clamped by the pair of terminals 62a, 62b of the return spring. It is not limited to a piece.

A modified example of this holding portion is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. As can be seen from FIGS. 7 and 8, also in the ratchet type lever mechanism 110 according to this modification, the torsion spring wound around the support shaft base portion 34b is used as the return spring 162. Then, the lever plate 146 and the lever bracket 148 are formed, for example, integrally with flat extension pieces 146c and 148c instead of the extension bent pieces,
A pair of arcuate elongated holes 164, 166 into which the pair of terminals 162a, 162b of the return spring 162 can be inserted are formed in the flat extension piece at positions separated by a predetermined distance.

Further, in this structure, a pair of arcuate elongated holes 168 aligned with the arcuate elongated holes 164, 166 are formed at corresponding portions of the base bracket 130, and these aligned arcuate elongated holes are continuously formed. By inserting and sandwiching the isolating portion existing between the pair of arc-shaped elongated holes and having substantially the same width between the pair of terminals 162a and 162b of the return spring, the isolating portion is attached to the base bracket, the lever plate, and The gripping portions 130b, 146b, 148b of the lever bracket are respectively defined.

The lever plate 146 provided in this configuration and the flat extension pieces 146c, 1 of the lever bracket 148 are provided.
Since the 48c is certainly shorter than the extending bent piece in the above-described embodiment, the size and the weight of these members can be surely reduced. Since the bending step at the time of manufacturing is omitted, the cost is surely reduced by simplifying the manufacturing process in addition to downsizing and weight saving of the lever plate 146 and the lever bracket 148.

The base bracket 13 described here is used.
Members other than 0, the lever plate 146, the lever bracket 148, and the return spring 162 are the same as those in the above-described embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and the like, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted here. .

In the embodiment of the present invention,
The ratchet gear 12 is also used as the first gear of the speed increasing gear means 40. The first gear is an external gear that can mesh with the second gear 42 of the braking shaft, and is rotatable integrally with the ratchet gear. The number of external gears other than the ratchet gear is not limited to this, because it is sufficient if the gear plate 36 is used.
The external gear may be formed on a protrusion provided on the second gear and meshed with the second gear as the first gear.

However, as in this embodiment,
If the ratchet gear 12 also serves as the first gear of the speed increasing gear means 40, the simplification of the structure can be surely achieved.

By the way, as can be seen from FIG. 1, in the ratchet type lever mechanism of this type, the ratchet pawls 18u and 18d of the ratchet pawl body are usually the ratchet gear 1
It is formed as a plurality of gear-shaped teeth that can mesh with 2. Then, if the ratchet pawls 18u, 18d are formed as such a plurality of gear-shaped teeth, the load is dispersed and the like.
The rigidity is sufficiently high and can be secured.

Here, in general, the ratchet pawls 18u, 18
The length of the teeth forming d is formed to be almost the same regardless of the position. However, ratchet claw 16
If the teeth near the bifurcated boundary side of the ratchet gear 18 have the same length as the teeth located on the outer side, the ratchet gear 12 has ratchet pawls 18u, 18
The tilting stroke of the ratchet pawl 16 for engaging and disengaging d is likely to be large.

Therefore, FIGS. 9A and 9B and FIG.
According to the present invention, as shown in FIG.
The lengths of the plurality of teeth forming u and 18d are sequentially reduced toward the bifurcation boundary side of the ratchet pawl 16, that is, the assumed dividing line 70 side that divides the bifurcated end 16a.

That is, when the lengths of the plurality of teeth forming the ratchet pawls 18u and 18d are sequentially set to L1, L2, and L3 from the bifurcated boundary side teeth of the ratchet pawl body 16, the relationship is L1 <L2 <L3. As described above, the tooth lengths of the ratchet claws are set respectively.

In such a configuration, for example, of the plurality of teeth forming the ratchet pawls 18u, 18d, the outermost tooth is set to the standard length of the teeth meshing with the ratchet gear 12. With the outermost tooth as a reference, the length of the tooth on the bifurcated boundary side is set to be successively shorter.

According to the ratchet pawl body 16 having the ratchet pawls 18u, 18d composed of a plurality of teeth which become shorter on the bifurcated boundary side, the outermost tooth of the ratchet pawl is relative to the ratchet gear 12. Since it serves as a reference for engagement and disengagement, the neutral position shown in FIG.
The tilting stroke of the ratchet pawl between the engagement position shown in FIG. In other words, the rotation stroke of the drive lever 14 required for engagement and disengagement of the ratchet pawls 18u, 18d with respect to the ratchet gear 12, that is, the amount of play is sufficiently suppressed, so that the operability thereof is improved.

Then, as usual, the ratchet claws 18u, 18d
Since there is no difference in meshing the plurality of teeth forming the ratchet gear 12 with the ratchet gear 12, the operability can be easily improved without lowering the rigidity, durability, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 10, it is preferable that the tips of the plurality of teeth forming the ratchets 18u and 18d are inwardly inclined so as to incline toward the forked boundary. With such a configuration, it is possible to easily secure a tooth having a shape corresponding to the tilting of the ratchet pawl 16 with respect to the ratchet gear 12, so that the tilting stroke of the ratchet pawl is further suppressed.

Here, for example, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the ratchet type lever mechanism 10 of the present invention includes a drive lever 14 which is a resin outer casing.
Is embodied as a structure in which the ratchet pawl 16 that is interlocked with the drive lever is tilted by integrally mounting and fixing on the lever bracket 48. According to this configuration, the drive lever 14 becomes an integral part of a unit whose base is a unit base composed of the base bracket 30 and the cover plate 60, so that the configuration is simplified and the mounting work is simplified. Can be easily secured.

However, the ratchet type lever mechanism is not limited to the integral structure of the drive lever, and the drive lever, which is separate from the unit, can be attached by retrofitting, for example.

This drive lever shown in FIG. 11 and FIG.
In a ratchet-type lever mechanism 210 that can be retrofitted to 214, a shaft-shaped spindle holder 272 that can be rotatably attached to a spindle 234 is integrally fixed to a lever bracket 248 and is formed in the spindle holder. The lever bracket is rotatably disposed and supported around the support shaft under the mounting of the support shaft holder by loosely inserting the support shaft into the recess 272a. Then, the gear plate 236 of the ratchet gear 12 and the lever plate 246 are rotatably arranged around the support shaft 234 through the insertion of the support shaft holder 272 into the insertion holes 238, 250, and the resin exterior body is provided. The drive lever 214, which is
The drive lever and the lever bracket 248 are integrated with each other in this configuration by integrally connecting and fixing to a spindle holder projecting to the outside (upward in FIG. 12) of the cover plate 260 via the. Has been.

As shown in FIG. 11, the spindle holder 272 serves as a serration shaft, the bearing 214a of the drive lever 214 serves as a corresponding serration bearing, and the drive lever is further attached to the spindle holder by a set screw 274 or the like. By stopping, the integral connection and fixation can be easily secured.

Since the members other than the members described here are the same as those of the above-described embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, detailed description thereof will be omitted here. To do.

In such a structure, the drive lever 21
4 is formed separately from the lever bracket 248, and the drive lever is connected and fixed to the spindle holder 272 after unitization of the ratchet type lever mechanism 210 based on the unit base composed of the base bracket 30 and the cover plate 60 as a base. Since it is sufficient, so-called retrofitting of the drive lever to the ratchet type lever mechanism is possible. With such a configuration in which the drive lever 214 can be retrofitted, it is possible to cover and hide the ratchet type lever mechanism 210, which is a unit, with a decorative member called a trim cover, a finisher, or the like. Visual quality is improved.

Furthermore, since the shape of the drive lever 214 can be formed independently of the shape of the lever bracket 248 and the like, the degree of freedom in the shape of the drive lever is increased. That is, since the shape of the drive lever 214 can be appropriately selected according to the shape of the seat, the interior of the vehicle, and the like, the present invention is not limited to the seat, and it is easy to improve the overall appearance quality of the interior of the vehicle. It comes off.

In the embodiment of the present invention,
A seat lifter is embodied as a device having a ratchet type lever mechanism as a driving means. However, the ratchet type lever mechanism of the present invention may be applied to drive devices for other devices of the seat, such as a reclining device and a seat slide device, without being limited to the seat lifter.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are for explaining the present invention, and do not limit the present invention in any way, and those which are modified or modified within the technical scope of the present invention are also applicable. It goes without saying that all are included in this invention.

[0070]

As described above, according to the ratchet type lever mechanism of the present invention, the drive lever and the lever plate can be respectively biased and held at the neutral positions under the biasing force of the single return spring. Therefore, the number of parts can be surely reduced. Therefore, the structure of the ratchet type lever mechanism can be simplified and the cost can be reduced sufficiently.

The ratchet-type drive mechanism of the present invention can obtain a driving operation with high operability in which the direction can be simultaneously selected by repeatedly rotating the drive lever in an arbitrary direction. It is possible to easily ensure simplification of the configuration and reduction of cost without impairing operability.

Further, the rotation of the ratchet gear is braked through the speed increasing gear means which is a combination of the first gear integrated with the ratchet gear and the second gear integrally engaged with the braking shaft of the brake unit. Since it is transmitted to the shaft, a rotation amount that is larger than the rotation operation amount of the drive lever is transmitted and output to the braking shaft. That is, since the amount of lifting and lowering of the seat can be surely increased by rotating the drive lever once, the operability is surely improved according to the present invention.

Further, if the return spring is a torsion spring wound around the support shaft base, and the base bracket, the lever plate, and the holding portion of the lever bracket are integrally held between the ends of the return spring, the lever plate, Also, the single return spring for the lever bracket can be secured easily and properly without complicating the structure.

Since it suffices to wind the return spring, which serves as a torsion spring, around the support shaft base portion on the rear surface of the base bracket, it is possible to reliably prevent the unit from becoming large in the thickness direction. Therefore, the return spring can be easily unified without increasing the size of the ratchet type lever mechanism.

Further, in the structure in which the base bracket, the lever plate, and the separating portion between the pair of arcuate elongated holes formed in the lever bracket are sandwiched by the pair of ends of the return spring, the lever plate, and The size and weight of the lever bracket can be surely reduced. Further, since a bending step is not required at the time of manufacturing, the cost is surely reduced by simplifying the manufacturing process in addition to downsizing and weight saving of the lever plate and the lever bracket.

If the second gear of the speed increasing gear means is formed as an external gear that meshes with the ratchet gear, and this ratchet gear is also used as the first gear of the speed increasing gear means, the ratchet gear can be used. Since it is not necessary to form another external gear on the gear plate, simplification of the structure is surely achieved.

Then, the ratchet pawl is formed from a plurality of teeth that can be meshed with the ratchet gear, and the length of the plurality of teeth is set to become shorter as the ratchet pawl body becomes closer to the bifurcated boundary side. Since the tilting stroke of the ratchet pawl between the ratchet gear and the meshing position with respect to the ratchet gear is surely reduced, the play amount of the drive lever is sufficiently suppressed, and the operability thereof is improved.

Further, since the plurality of teeth forming the ratchet pawl can be integrally meshed with the ratchet gear, the operability can be easily improved without lowering the rigidity, durability and the like.

If the tips of the plurality of teeth forming the ratchet are inwardly inclined to the bifurcated boundary side,
Since the tooth having a shape corresponding to the tilting of the ratchet pawl with respect to the ratchet gear can be easily secured, the tilting stroke of the ratchet pawl is further suppressed.

If the drive lever, which is a resin exterior body, is integrally mounted and fixed to the lever bracket, the drive lever becomes an integral part of the unit whose base is the unit base. It is possible to easily ensure simplification and simplification of installation work.

Further, a support shaft holder integrally fixed to the lever bracket is mounted rotatably around the support shaft, and the gear plate of the ratchet gear and the lever are inserted through the support shaft holder. The plate is rotatably mounted around the support shaft, and the drive lever, which is a resin exterior body, is integrally connected and fixed to the lever bracket via the support shaft holder. Retrofitting is possible. With such a configuration in which the drive lever can be retrofitted, the ratchet type lever mechanism as a unit can be covered and hidden by a decorative member called a trim cover, a finisher, or the like. The appearance quality is improved.

Since the shape of the drive lever can be molded independently of the shape of the lever bracket, the degree of freedom in the shape of the drive lever is increased. In other words, the shape of the drive lever can be appropriately selected according to the shape of the seat, the interior of the vehicle, etc., and therefore, it is not limited to the seat, and it is easy to improve the overall appearance quality of the interior of the vehicle. Get rid of.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a ratchet type lever mechanism according to the present invention in a neutral position.

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a ratchet type lever mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a ratchet type lever mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the ratchet type lever mechanism at the start of rotation in the up direction.

FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of the ratchet type lever mechanism at the rotation limit position in the up direction.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of the ratchet type lever mechanism at the time of starting rotation in the down direction.

FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of a ratchet type lever mechanism in a neutral position, showing a modified example of a return spring.

8 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the ratchet type lever mechanism shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a schematic enlarged front view of a ratchet gear and a ratchet pawl body at a neutral position and a meshing position, showing a modified example of the ratchet pawl.

FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged front view of the ratchet pawl showing a modified example of the ratchet pawl.

FIG. 11 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a ratchet type lever mechanism showing a modified example of a drive lever.

12 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the ratchet type lever mechanism shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10,110,210 Ratchet type lever mechanism 12 Ratchet gear (1st gear) 14,214 drive lever 16 ratchet claw body 18u, 18d ratchet claw 22 Brake unit 24 braking axis 34,234 spindle 36 gear plate 40 Speed increasing gear means 42 Second gear 46,146,246 Lever plate 48,148,248 Lever bracket 62,162 Return spring 164,166,168 Arc-shaped long hole 272 Spindle holder

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A47C 7/02 B60N 2/00-2/54 F16D 41/12

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A brake unit having a braking shaft rotatively braked in one direction is fixed together with a base bracket, which also serves as a fixed base, through the arrangement of the braking shaft, and is fixed as an external gear of a gear plate. The ratchet gear is rotatably arranged and held around the support shaft of the base bracket, and the first gear formed on the gear plate and the second gear integrally attached to the braking shaft of the brake unit. This ratchet gear is operably connected to the braking shaft of the brake unit via the speed-increasing gear means, which is a combination of the above, and the lever bracket that is integrally connected and fixed to the drive lever and the outer peripheral end of the ratchet gear. Lever plates each having an extending portion extending in the direction of the ratchet are rotatably disposed and supported around the support shaft. For engagement only up to Ya, together with the ratchet pawl body forked shape with a ratchet pawl for down together is pivotally connected to the lever plates extending portion on the radial extension of the ratchet gear,
The lever plate and the lever bracket are operatively connected to the lever bracket through a predetermined connecting means, and the lever plate and the lever bracket are brought into a neutral position with respect to the base bracket under a biasing force integrally applied from a single return spring. The ratchet pawl on the corresponding side is selected as the ratchet gear by the tilting of the ratchet pawl that is biased and held, and resists the biasing force of the return spring, and the drive lever from the neutral position and the lever bracket are integrally rotated with the lever bracket. And the rotation of the lever plate in the corresponding direction accompanying the further rotation operation of the drive lever from this meshed state,
A ratchet type lever mechanism that rotates the ratchet gear by a corresponding amount and transmits the rotation of the ratchet gear to the braking shaft of the brake unit after increasing the amount of rotation by the speed increasing gear means. 2. The return spring is a torsion spring wound around a support shaft base portion on the back surface of the base bracket, and the holding portion of the base bracket, the lever plate, and the lever bracket, which are formed to have substantially the same width, is attached to the torsion spring of the torsion spring. The ratchet type lever mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the lever plate and the lever bracket can be biased and held at the respective neutral positions that are the aligned positions by sandwiching them between the pair of terminals. 3. A pair of arc-shaped elongated holes through which a pair of ends of the return spring can be continuously inserted are formed in the base bracket, the lever plate, and the lever bracket at positions separated by a predetermined distance. The ratchet type lever mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the separating portion between the arcuate elongated holes has substantially the same width, and the separating portion is a holding portion which is held by a pair of ends of the return spring. 4. The ratchet gear is also used as the first gear of the speed increasing gear means by forming the second gear of the speed increasing gear means as an external gear meshing with the ratchet gear. Ratchet type lever mechanism described in any one of. 5. The ratchet pawl is formed of a plurality of teeth that can be meshed with a ratchet gear, and the lengths of the plurality of teeth are set to be successively shorter toward the forked boundary side of the ratchet pawl body. Ratchet type lever mechanism described in any one of. 6. The ratchet pawl is formed as a plurality of teeth capable of meshing with a ratchet gear, and the lengths of the plurality of teeth are sequentially set shorter toward the forked boundary side of the ratchet pawl body, and the plurality of teeth are formed. The ratchet type lever mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tip end shape of the ratchet is an inwardly inclined shape that inclines toward the forked boundary. 7. The ratchet type lever mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a drive lever, which is a resin exterior body, is integrally mounted on and fixed to a lever bracket. 8. A shaft-shaped support shaft holder integrally fixed to a lever bracket is rotatably mounted on a support shaft,
Through the insertion of the spindle holder, the gear plate of the ratchet gear and the lever plate are rotatably arranged around the spindle, and the drive lever, which is a resin exterior body, is integrally connected to the spindle holder. The ratchet type lever mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is fixed.