Tachi-s Co., Ltd.

Fuji Kiko Co., Ltd.

Masaaki Yokota

Atsushi Koike

Hiromitsu Ogasawara

Masamitsu Minai

Masatoshi Takahara

Kazuhiro Yokoi

A headrest for vehicle seat includes: a generally inverted-U-shaped frame having a pair of headrest stays defined therein; and an impact absorption bar fixedly connected between those two headrest stays. The impact absorption bar is located in a predetermined spaced relation with an upper horizontal frame portion of the generally inverted-U-shaped frame. When a rear-end collision or the like occurs, a head of seat occupant is stably received by those impact absorption bar and upper horizontal frame portion, while the impact absorption bar being readily deformed by backward excessive great load applied thereto from the seat occupant's head to thereby absorb and reduce a corresponding impact energy to be imparted to the head.

Headrest for vehicle seat

In a seat back with movable headrest, a pressure receiving element is movably provided, which includes pressure receiving regions for receiving loads applied from lumber and dorsal parts of seat occupant. The pressure receiving element is movably connected with a crank member which is movably provided between two lateral frame members of seat back frame. Further, that pressure receiving element is connected with a support shaft extended between a par of rotating links rotatably arranged on the respective afore-said two lateral frame members. A biasing element is provided to normally bias the headrest to a home position.

Seat back structure of vehicle seat

In a seat back structure, an auxiliary frame having a pressure receiving portion and a headrest mounted thereon is movably provided in seat back frame via guide element and link element. The guide and link elements are respectively disposed in upper and lower portions respectively of the auxiliary and seat back frames. Biasing element is provided to the link element, such that a line of force of the former is positioned on one side of a pivotal point of the link element, thereby retaining the headrest at initial position, and that, when excessive backward load is applied to the pressure receiving portion, the link element is rotated to displace the line of force toward another side of the first pivotal point, whereby the auxiliary frame is displaced forwardly and upwardly of the seat back frame, thereby causing the headrest to move to a position for supporting a head of seat occupant.

A seat height adjustment mechanism is provided, which includes a backward link element, a ratchet-type drive mechanism operable by an operating lever to cause vertical movement of the backward link element to adjust height of seat, and a locking mechanism. The backward link element is normally locked by the locking mechanism to reinforce the backward link element itself. When the operating lever is rotated during an idle strokeS) inherently given in the ratchet-type drive mechanism, the locking mechanism is actuated to unlock the backward link element, thereby allowing the backward link element to be vertically displaceable through operation of the ratchet-type drive mechanism by further rotation of the operating lever.

Seat height adjustment mechanism

Impact absorption structure is provided in side frame element of seat cushion frame, wherein the side frame element is basically of a closed cross-section portion therein, including forward and backward support points therein. In the structure, an opened cross-section area is defined in the closed cross-section by forming a cut-away portion in a lower part of a forward local region of such closed cross-section portion between the forward and backward support points, so that the opened cross-section area is deformable at said cut-away portion by a great load transmitted from a seat back frame thereto, thereby absorbing a corresponding impact.

Impact absorption structure of vehicle seat

A seat slide device including two slide assemblies each having an upper slide element which is slid by a drive unit along a lower track element via a flexible drive transmission element. The drive unit is provided in the seat and the flexible drive transmission element is arranged between the drive unit and two slide assemblies, such that a part of the flexible drive transmission element extends along a direction in which the two slide assemblies extend. An auxiliary flexible drive transmission element may be added to insure imparting a drive force to the upper slide element. A lock operation/control system is provided to insure precise locking and unlocking of the upper slide element with respect to the lower track element, while simultaneously effecting selective switch-over operation of the drive unit to cause forward and backward movement of the upper slide element along the lower track element.

Slide device for automotive seat

A seat slide device for a vehicle is provided which comprises a lower rail, an upper rail and a lock mechanism for releasably locking the upper rail to the lower rail. The lock mechanism includes one or more locking fingers pivotally installed on an upper rail side, a plurality of engaged portions provided to a lower rail side, and a biasing unit for urging the one or more locking fingers in the direction to engage a corresponding number of the engaged portions. The one or more locking fingers and the biasing unit are disposed within a space between the upper rail and the lower rail. The lock mechanism further includes a lock plate having the engagement portions. The lock plate is an independent part, disposed within the space and secured to the lower rail.

Seat slide device for vehicles

A seat slide device in which an upper slide element is slid by a drive unit along a lower track element via a flexible drive transmission element. The drive unit is provided in a floor, and the flexible drive transmission element is arranged between the drive unit and upper slide element, such that a whole drive transmission path assumes a generally 'Z' or 'inverted Z' shape in plan, or a triangular shape in plan. An auxiliary flexible drive transmission element may be added so that the whole drive transmission path assumes a generally &#x201c;figure-of-eight&#x201d; shape in plan. A lock operation/control system is provided to insure precise locking and unlocking of the upper slide element with respect to the lower track element, while simultaneously effecting selective switch-over operation of the drive unit to cause forward and backward movement of the upper slide element along the lower track element.

An arrangement for securing springs in a vehicle seat frame, which comprises holes formed in the vehicle seat frame and anchor members. The anchor members are each formed by a plate spring comprising a generally &ldquo;U&rdquo; shaped body portion and a pair of flange portions, with a whole of such metallic plate spring being coated with a synthetic resin material. Each of the anchor members is fitted in each of the holes, and each of the support springs is engaged with the generally &ldquo;U&rdquo; shaped body portion of each of the anchor members, whereby the support springs are secured in the vehicle seat frame. In this arrangement, a through-hole may be formed in that anchor member's &ldquo;U&rdquo; shaped body portion, so that other support springs of different modes may each be engaged in such through-hole, instead of being engaged with the &ldquo;U&rdquo; shaped body portion.

Arrangement for securing support springs in vehicle seat frame

A slide rail device for a vehicle seat including a lower rail member fixed on a floor of the vehicle and an upper rail member slidably fitted in the lower rail member. Basically, a stopper and a notch are provided respectively at the forward and rearward ends of the upper rail member, while a striker is provided at the floor of the vehicle, erecting therefrom. When the upper rail member is located at a home position upon the lower rail member, the stopper is abutted against the forward end of the upper rail member and side of the floor, with the notch being engaged over the striker, whereby the upper rail member is prevented against separation from the lower rail member. Another striker and hook-like lock member may be provided in the case where the vehicle seat is of a jump-seat type having a seat belt anchor, so that not only the seat is locked to the upper rail member against forward jumping, but also an upwardly slant pulling force applied through the seat belt anchor is dispersed and escaped to the floor through the stopper, two strikers, the lock member and the notch. Further, a guide roller arrangement is provided at the upper rail member for supportive sliding in the lower member, which includes a guide piece at one of the guide rollers that will be exposed from the lower rail member when the upper rail member is slid away from the lower rail member, such that the exposed portion of the upper rail member can be withdrawn into the lower rail member, with guiding aid of the guide piece.

Slide rail device for vehicle seat

A method and device for controlling a headrest, as well as a headrest drive mechanism, wherein the headrest is to be controlled so as to cause the same to automatically return to the use position if it disposed and stopped between an intermediate position and use position.

Method and device for controlling headrest, and drive mechanism the

A cover structure for covering a slide rail of a seat adjuster, wherein there is provided cover member extending over a required length of lower rail and its rearward end side as well as the leg support member fixed to the lower rail. An integral covering lug of the cover member overlies a head of rivet adjacent the rearward end of cover member.

Cover structure for slide rail in seat adjuster

A method of assembling a seat back of split type, which involves preparing a lower seat-back frame having a pre-formed upper seat-back section, then forming a lower seat-back upholstery unit having an upper opening therein, and producing the seat back by inserting the upper seat-back section though the opening of lower seat-back upholstery unit.

Method of assembling a seat back

An armrest for a vehicle seat, wherein armrest is rotatable between a use position for supporting an arm of an occupant and non-use position where the armrest body stands upright along the vertical direction of the seat back of the seat, under the force of a return spring, and wherein there is arranged a buffer means for reducing a rotation rate at which the armrest is rotated downwardly to the non-use position. Thus, the armrest body may be rotated at a moderate rate towards the non-use position, thereby avoiding a serious collision of the armrest body against a part of the vehicle.

Armrest for vehicle seat

A seat back structure of an automotive seat comprising a back support plate, plural springs, and torsion bar. The back support plate is supported in a seat back frame by the springs and torsion bar in a more positively resilient way. The provision of the torsion bar avoids the sudden backward movement of the back support plate which has been found in a conventional seat back structure wherein the support plate is only supported by springs.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Masaaki Yokota