Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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KOKINETICS GmbH
Mainstr. 6-10
DE-65830 Kriftel
CARRIER PLATE AND BASE PLATE FOR A SEAT DEPTH ADJUSTER, A
SEAT DEPTH ADJUSTER AND CAR SEAT
Technical area
The invention refers to a carrier plate and a base plate for a seat depth
adjuster,
a seat depth adjuster, and a car seat incorporating a seat depth adjuster
State of the art
Seat depth adjusters are already known and used in various forms and designs.
Thus, for example, such a seat depth adjuster is manifested in DE 10 2013 113
304 A1, which enables the adjustment of the seat depth to the thigh length of
the passenger.
Task of the invention
The task of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages in the
state
of the art. In particular, the object is to make available a seat depth
adjuster that
is particularly simple in terms of production and use.
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Solution to the task
The features of the independent requirements lead to the solution of the task.
The beneficial designs are described in the sub-requirements.
The present invention can be used in car seats in particular.
A carrier plate for a seat depth adjuster according to the present invention
can
include a holding element to incorporate a fastening element. The holding
element could be a bar, which can work in concert with a fastening element
constructed as a fastening clip. However, in addition to the pairing
consisting of
bar and fastening clip, other pairings of interacting fastening and holding
elements are conceivable, which are suitable for coming together in a
reversible
or irreversible connection. This might, for example, include a positive-
locking or
frictional connection. Here, standard fastening clips could be chosen as
fastening clips, so that the invented seat depth adjuster can work in concert
with
standardised fastening clips, which in turn would lead to the seat depth
adjustment being compatible with numerous seats containing such standard
fastening clips.
The fastening element can be part of a section or component of a seat, for
example a seat surface or seat surface section. The holding element can thus,
in combination with the fastening element, serve primarily to secure this
section
or component to the carrier plate.
The present invention therefore also comprises a car seat including a seat
depth adjuster with a carrier plate and a base plate, as well as front seat
surface
section assigned to the carrier plate, whereby the front seat surface section
comprises an integrated fastening element to secure the front seat surface
section to the holding element of the carrier plate.
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The front seat surface section can be at least partially foamed. The front
seat
surface section preferably has a foamed core and a cover made from fabric,
leather or similar.
The fastening element may, in particular in the front seat surface section, be
injected. The front seat surface section and the fastening element should
preferably be made in one piece.
Several fastening elements are conceivable. In particular, two fastening
elements are conceivable.
The carrier plate can comprise a guiding element. This could, in particular,
be a
sliding guide. Other guiding elements, particular sliding guides, are
conceivable.
Preferably, the carrier plate would comprise several guiding elements; four
guiding elements would be considered especially preferable. The guiding
elements would be constructed preferably as T-sliding guides.
At least one guiding element, in particular at least the T-sliding guide, can
be
equipped with integrated fat pockets or other devices, which lubricate the
guiding without action by the user.
At least one guiding element should preferably be connected in one piece with
the carrier plate or moulded to the carrier plate.
The carrier plate can comprise numerous other components, parts and
elements. For example, the carrier plate could comprise reinforcement ribs.
Furthermore, the carrier plate can comprise at least one trim channel
described
in more detail below. Furthermore, the carrier plate can also comprise a
sliding
support. The carrier plate can also at least comprise a lever support; in
particular, the carrier plate can comprise two lever supports. Furthermore,
the
carrier plate can comprise a groove, preferably two grooves, to hold one power
storage element each.
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The carrier plate can be made of plastic. If the carrier plate is manufactured
in
an injection moulding process, for example, the injection mould should
preferably be designed so that the carrier plate is made with a moulded
guiding
element or moulded guiding elements as a product of the injection moulding
process. The same applies to the fastening element and all other components,
parts and elements of the carrier plate listed above. While it is conceived of
in
the present invention that the above-mentioned components, parts and
elements are connected to the carrier plate afterwards, these should
preferably
by produced in one piece with the carrier plate.
The carrier plate can comprise at least one holding recess to fasten a holding
screen. Preferable, the carrier plate should comprise eight such holding
screens. Here, for example, it might be conceived that a car manufacturer
installs the seat depth adjuster in the vehicle and connects this to a screen
that
matches the interior of the vehicle. With the holding recess, the carrier
plate is
compatible with a large number of screens. Instead of the holding recess,
other
fastening elements might be conceived, which are moulded to the carrier plate
and serve to fasten the screen to the carrier plate.
The carrier plate can comprise at least one trim channel to hold a trimming
profile. For example, the carrier plate can comprise a trim channel at the
front
and at the back.
The present invention further comprises a base plate for a seat depth adjuster
comprising a sliding element, which is suitable for interacting with the
sliding
guide of a carrier plate. The sliding element can be a T-sliding element.
Several
sliding elements can be conceived, whose number should preferable match the
number of sliding guides of the corresponding carrier plate. The carrier plate
should preferably be the previously described carrier plate.
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In particular, two centred T-sliding guides and two side T-sliding guides can
be
conceived, which interact correspondingly with two centred T-sliding elements
and two side T-sliding elements. In contrast to existing seat depth adjusters
with
only two primarily centred pairs, comprising sliding guide and sliding element
as
well as side supporting elements to support the carrier plate vis-a-vis the
base
plate, a seat depth adjuster with four pairs comprising T-sliding guides and T-
sliding elements offers advantages. Thus, the above-mentioned side pairs serve
on the one hand to support the carrier plate vis-à-vis the base plate. On the
other hand, the side pairs enable a secure guiding and reliable sliding
ability of
the carrier plate vis-à-vis the base plate.
At least one sliding element and at least one sliding guide can thus interact
in a
way that the spatial location of base plate and carrier plate relative to one
another is determined, and the two plates can only move linearly or in one
direction relative to one another. This movement service preferably to set the
seat depth. The plates can be positioned into a maximum extended and a
minimum retracted position, as well as into at least one, preferably several,
interim positions.
The present invention further comprises a seat depth adjuster comprising a
base plate as well as a carrier plate as described above, whereby the carrier
plate is positioned moveably relative to the base plate in order to set a seat
depth.
The base plate can comprise at least one trim channel to hold a trimming
profile. Preferably, the base plate should comprise several trim channels to
hold
at least one trim profile each. For example, the base plate can comprise one
trim channel at the back and two trim channels at the side.
The present invention comprises numerous different designs of the above-
mentioned trim channels of base and carrier plate. Here, the trim channels can
be formed identically or differently.
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Each of the trim channels can have an essentially semi-circular or semi-oval
cross-section. Furthermore, the trim channel can have a groove-shaped form.
Irrespective of its consistency, each of the trim channels can comprise at
least
one holding element, which can serve, for example, to positively lock the trim
profile in the trim channel as soon as it has been placed in the trim channel.
Preferably, at least one holding element would thereby be moulded elastically,
so that the trim profile can be reversibly fixed in the trim channel. The
holding
element, such as the projection, has a fixed form and the trim profile is
elastic
and/or flexible.
The trimming profiles can be fixed to the seat cover, i.e. with the cover of
at
least one seat cushion, or with the cover of at least one seat surface by
sewing
them onto the cover, for example. The trimming profiles thus preferably
comprise a flat-stripe section and a retaining section. The flat-strip section
can
be a part of the cover or be sewn or otherwise attached, while the retaining
section is designed to be incorporated into the trim channel and fixed there.
The
retaining section can, for example, be a broader section in comparison with
the
flat-stripe section or an angled section.
In comparison to existing seat depth adjusters, there is no need for a
separate
so-called pre-padding carrier plate due to the integrated trim channels and/or
the integrated bars. Such carrier plates are used in existing seat depth
adjusters
in order to fix the separate pre-padded front seat surface section to the
carrier
plate.
The pre-padding carrier plate is a padded front seat area section. In detail,
this
means that the foam part is equipped with a cover or is pre-padded, and can
simply be subsequently clipped to the carrier plate.
In lieu of the trim channel, other devices for the fixing of seat covers can
be
assigned to the base plate and/or the carrier plate.
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The base plate can also comprise locked toothing. The locked toothing can
serve to determine the spatial location of base plate and carrier plate
relative to
one another or to fix these in place, through the interaction of the locked
toothing with a complementary moulded element of the carrier plate, in
particular with a locking element such as a locking slide. The design of the
locked toothing and the complementary locking element determine how many
discrete interim positions are available between the maximum extended and
minimum retracted positions.
The locking element, in particular the locking slide, can be made of plastic.
Preferably, the locking element or the locking slide are made from
polyoxymethylene (POM) or another type of plastic, in particular thermoplastic
resin with a low friction coefficient. This enables a favourable sliding
behaviour
of the locking slide without friction or catching, whereby the locking slide
can at
the same time interact reliably with the locked toothing.
The base plate can comprise at least one counter-bearing. At least one counter-
bearer can serve as a counter-bearer for a power storage element, for example
a spring, in particular a compression spring. If there are two counter-
bearers,
these interact preferably with two power storage elements. One end of the
spring abuts the counter-bearing of the base plate and the other end lies
directly
or indirect at a section of the carrier plate. A pretension of at least one
power
storage element is designed in a way that the carrier plate and the base plate
are placed in the maximum extended position, as long as there are no counter
forces and the plates are not locked in place or any movement of the plates is
prevented in any other way.
At least one counter-bearer can be fin- or pin-shaped.
Preferably, the seat depth adjuster comprises two power storage elements and
correspondingly, two counter-bearers. The power storage elements are
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preferably arranged in channels, which can be moulded to the carrier plate.
The
power storage elements can support themselves with the opposite end to the
counter-bearer at an end section of the channel. The channel or channels can
be designed as described for the spring channel according to DE 10 2011 054
927 A1. Here, the holding points manifested in the above-mentioned application
as well as the spring protection can be conceived. Further, the channel can be
designed as described for the channel to guide the spring in DE 10 2009 012
780 B3.
In order to install the seat depth adjuster, the above-described base plate is
installed by fixing it, for example, to the seat shell of a seat, in
particular a car
seat.
The base plate preferably comprises four recesses for a guiding mechanism. To
install the seat depth adjuster, one guiding mechanism is placed in each of
the
recesses. Such a guiding mechanism preferably comprises two resilient bends
and a base element. Its construction and function are described in DE 10 2012
108 271 A1.
The base plate comprises a slide holder, in which a slide with an interacting
locking slide as well as a compression spring are installed. The power storage
elements are placed into the channels moulded to the base plate.
The carrier plate further comprises a lever holder. The lever holder is
preferably
arranged at the front side of the carrier plate. A lever that serves to
operate the
seat depth adjuster can preferably be fixed in a pivoting manner on the lever
holder. Here, the lever should be arranged in such a way that the pivoting of
the
lever should, by counteracting the spring force, release the locking slide
from
the locked toothing, enabling the carrier plate to be freely repositioned
relative
to the base plate along the sliding guide, between the maximum extended and
maximum retracted position. Depending on the arrangement of the individual
components of the seat depth adjuster, the level must either be pivoted
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downwards, i.e. away from the seat surface, or upwards, i.e. towards the seat
surface, in order to release the locking slide from its connection with the
locked
toothing. By pivoting the lever as described above, repositioning the carrier
plate relative to the base plate and replacing the level to its original
position, the
seat depth is adjusted. In existing seat depth adjusters, a tension spring is
often
used instead of the above-mentioned compression spring. This requires more
space than a compression spring and is more difficult to install.
The base plate can comprise at least an injection screw, the base plate
comprises preferably four injection screws. These can serve to fasten the base
plate, and thus the entire seat depth adjuster, to the seat shell.
The base plate can be made of plastic. If the base plate is manufactured in an
injection moulding process, the injection mould should preferably be designed
in
such a way that the base plate is made with a moulded gliding element or
moulded gliding elements as a product of the injection moulding process. The
same applies to the locked toothing, the trim channel, the injection screws,
the
counter-bearers and all other components, parts and elements of the base
plate.
The manufacture of the base plate and/or the carrier plate as described above
in plastic, and in one piece with at least one of each of the components,
parts
and elements described in detail above, results in an advantageous function
integration and a saving of previously separately manufactured components,
parts and elements, which until now have had to be laboriously assembled in
order to make the seat depth adjuster available.
The invention-related seat and seat depth adjuster can optimally be equipped
with one or more tension straps. The use of at least one tension strap is
suitable
for repositioning the seat cover, when the carrier plate is moved relative to
the
base plate. These can be fastened at one end to the base plate or the seat
shell, for example, or at the other end on the seat cover, in order to tauten
it
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independently of the chosen seat depth and/or to reposition the seat cover in
every adjustment of the seat depth. This also prevents so-called crumb folds,
whereby the seat cover develops pocket-shaped bulges.
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Figure descriptions
Further advantages, features and details of the invention can be found in the
following description of preferred construction examples as well as on the
basis
of the drawings; these show in:
Figure 1, a perspective view from below of a base plate 2,
Figure 2, a perspective view from above of a base plate 2,
Figure 3, a perspective view from below of a carrier plate 3,
Figure 4, a perspective view from above of a carrier plate 3,
Figure 5, an exploded view of a seat depth adjuster 1 in an assembled state
comprising the carrier plate 3 and the base plate 2,
Figure 6, a perspective view from above of the seat depth adjuster 1 in an
assembled state 1 in the maximum extended position,
Figure 7, a perspective view from above of the seat depth adjuster 1 in the
maximum retracted position,
Figure 8, a perspective view from below of the seat depth adjuster 1 in the
maximum retracted position,
Figure 9, a perspective view from above of the seat depth adjuster 1 according
to Figure 7 as well as an exploded view of three trim profiles 32, 33, 34 and
two
tension straps 23,
Figure 10, a perspective view from above of the seat depth adjuster 1
according
to Figure 9 in an assembled state,
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Figure 11, a plan view of the seat depth adjuster 1 according to Figure 10,
Figure 12, a cutaway side view along a line A-A in Figure 11,
Figure 13, a partial cutaway perspective view of the seat depth adjuster 1 in
an
assembled state,
Figure 14, a plan view of a cut-out according to Figure 13,
Figure 15a, a frontal view of the seat depth adjuster 1,
Figure 15b, a frontal view of the seat foam 17,
Figure 16a, a side view of the seat depth adjuster 1,
Figure 16b, a side view of the seat foam 17,
Figure 17, a plan view of the seat depth adjuster 1 according to Figure 11
with
standard foam attachment clips 16,
Figure 18a, a cutaway side view of the seat depth adjuster 1 according to
Figure 17,
Figure 18b, an enlarged view of cut-out A of Figure 18a,
Figure 19a, a perspective view from above of the seat depth adjuster 1
according to Figure 6,
Figure 19b, a perspective view from above of the seat foam 17 with standard
foam attachment clips 16,
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Figure 19c, a cutaway detailed view, in which seat foam 17 of Figure 19b and
seat depth adjuster 1 of Figure 19a are connected.
The same elements and components have been given the same reference
signs. In some of the drawings, the reference signs of at least one element
have
been omitted for clarity. All drawings show different views of the same
construction forms of the components of the present invention. If a particular
element or a particular section of a component of the invention-related
fixture is
not shown in a drawing, the reference sign of this section or component can be
taken from another drawing.
Construction examples
A base plate 2 of a seat depth adjuster 1 is depicted in Figures 1 and 2 among
others. Underneath, this comprises four injection screws 25 as well as
reinforcement ribs 4.
On the top, it comprises four T-sliding elements 13, 14, which can be divided
into two central T-sliding elements 13 and two side T-sliding elements 14. The
base plate 2 further comprises two side trim channels 35 at the top, with two
holding elements each, and a back trim channel 21, which is interrupted by two
openings 22 and is thus divided into three parts. Several holding elements 36
are assigned to the back trim channel 21. Between the central T-sliding
elements 13, the base plate 2 comprises two counter-bearers 27 as well as a
locked toothing 5. Two recesses 26 are moulded each for one guiding
mechanism 10 within the side T-sliding element 14.
A carrier plate 3 of a seat depth adjuster 1 is depicted in Figures 3 and 4
among
others. Underneath, this comprises four T-sliding gu;des 11, 12, which can be
divided into two central T-sliding guides 11 and two side T-sliding guides 12.
Underneath, the carrier plate 13 further comprises two channels 7 as well as a
slide holder 37. On the top, the carrier plate 3 comprises two bars 15 as well
as
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a mesh of reinforcement ribs 4. In front, the carrier plate has eight holding
recesses as well as two lever holders. A front trim channel 19 is arranged
above
the lever holders 31 and the holding recesses 18. A three-part back trim
channel 20 is arranged opposite the front trim channel 19 on the top of the
carrier plate.
Figure 5 shows essential individual components required for assembly of the
seat depth adjuster 1.
Figure 9 shows the fully installed seat depth adjuster 1 as well as several
components 23, 32, 33, 34, with whose help the seat depth adjuster can be
adjusted to components of a car seat or attached to this car seat.
With reference to Figures 1 to 19, the function of the invention-related
fixture
can be explained as follows:
The individual components depicted in the exploded view 5 are assembled to
make available a seat depth adjuster according to a first construction example
of the present invention.
The guiding mechanisms 10 are installed in the corresponding recesses 26, in
order to ensure as low a backlash movement of the carrier plate 3 relative to
the
base plate 2 as possible, when the seat depth is adjusted by means of the seat
depth adjuster 1. The slide 29 is installed together with the locking slide 28
and
the compression spring 30 into the corresponding slide holder 37. The toothing
40 of the locking slide 28 is designed in such a way that it can be actuated
with
the locked toothing 5 of the base plate 2, which can be seen in a comparison
with Figures 3 and 5.
The lever 6 is installed in the lever holder 31, for example clipped in. Here,
the
lever 6 is preferably installed from below in the lever holder 31, which can
be
seen in Figures 3, 4 and 8. The lever holder 31 preferably comprises two
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downwards opening cut-outs, which can take and hold complementary moulded
sections of the lever 6. Only one or more than two lever holders 31 can of
course also be conceived. The lever 6 would then advantageously be designed
with just as many complementary sections that fit into the lever holders 31.
Mounting the lever 6 from below facilitates installation and the replacement
of
lever 6. Here, the lever 6 should be placed into the lever holder 31 in such a
way that the bolt counter-bearer 42 can interact with the bolts 41 of the
slide 29.
This can also be seen in a comparison with Figures 3 and 5. The springs 8 are
installed in the channels 7. They are placed at one end at the lever side of
channels 7 and at the other end at the counter-bearers 27. The pretension of
the springs 8 have the effect of subjecting the carrier plate 3 with
continuous
pressure, which facilitates movement to the maximum extended position.
The compression spring 30, in turn, subjects the slide 29 to a force acting in
the
direction of lever 6. The slide 29 can thus be moved at least between a front
position, in which it can come to rest within the slide holder 37 in a
position
located towards lever 6, and a back position, in which it can come to rest in
a
position located away from lever 6. Here, the pretension of the compression
spring 30 ensures that the slide 29 is placed into the front position. If the
lever 6
is now pivoted downwards counter to the force of the compression spring, the
bolt counter-bearers 42 transfer the pivot movement of the lever 6 to the
bolts
41 and thus to the slide 29, so that these are brought into the back position
and
the locking slide 28 is released from the locked toothing 5. As a comparison
with the Figures 6 and 19a shows, the lever 6 is in a resting position in
Figure 6,
which facilitates the pretension of the compression spring 30. In Figure 19a,
by
contrast, the lever 6 is pivoted downwards and the connection of the locking
slide 28 with the locked toothing 5 is released.
In the front position, the toothing 40 of the locking slide 28 interacts with
the
locked toothing 5 of the carrier plate 2. By contrast, if the slide 29 is
moved into
the back position, the action between the locking slide 28 and the locked
toothing 5 is released and the carrier plate 3 can be moved relative to the
base
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plate 2. Here, only a linear shift is possible in a direction prespecified by
the
interaction of T-sliding guides 11, 12 and T-sliding elements 13, 14.
The carrier plate 3 can be attached to a pre-padded seat surface section,
which
can be seen in Figures 15 to 19. The car seat usually continues to comprise a
back seat surface section, whereby an area of the thigh of a passenger close
to
the knee lies on the front seat surface section. With the help of the seat
depth
adjuster 1, the front seat surface section is moved towards or away from the
hollow of the passenger's knee in order to adjust the seat depth.
In order to connect the pre-padded seat foam 17 of the front seat surface
section with the carrier plate 3, the seat foam 17 comprises two integrated
standard foam attachment clips 16, which serve as additional securing against
a
repositioning of the foam part. These are clipped onto the bars 15 of the
carrier
plate 3.
As the seat foam 17 is generally covered by a cover or seat cover, the cover
on
the seat foam 17 is trimmed after the above-described clipping on of the seat
foam 17. Here, the cover is suitably attached to a front trim profile 32 and a
back trim profile 33, which are fixed in a front trim channel 19 and a back
trim
channel 20. For this, the flat strip section 38 of the trim profile 32, 33 is
attached
to the cover, while the retaining section 39 of the trim profile 32, 33 is
fixed in
the trim channel 19, 20. The retaining section 39 can, for example, be held in
moulded form in the trim channel 19, 20, for example with the help of
appropriate holding elements 36. This is shown clearly in Figure 18.
The back seat surface section (not depicted) is trimmed with the help of trim
profile 34 for the base plate 2, which can be placed into the respective trim
channel 21 of the base plate 2 in the same way as described above with regard
to the trim channels 19, 20 of the carrier plate 3.
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The carrier plate 3 is further designed to be connected with any type of
screen,
such as design screens. The appearance of the screens can be matched to the
interior of a vehicle, in which the seat depth adjuster 1 is to be used. Such
a
screen is thereby attached to the holding recess 18.
Furthermore, the functional principle of the optional tension straps 23 can be
seen in Figures 9 to 14.
In general, the seat foam 17 of the front seat surface section as well as the
seat
foam of the back seat surface section (not depicted) are covered. Moreover,
both covers are connected as a rule. Out of necessity, the section of the
cover
arranged between the seat surface sections is measured at least in such a way
as that it permits the carrier plate 3 to be extended to its maximum position.
If
the carrier plate 3 is now placed in the maximum extended position, the above-
mentioned section of the cover, which is arranged between the seat surface
sections, will fold. This can result in a so-called crumb fold, where the
previously-mentioned section of the cover folds into a pocket shape. Crumbs
and other dirt can accumulate in these pockets, which is undesirable.
The tension straps 23 can be conceived to tauten and/or reposition the section
of the seat cover that is located between the seat surface sections. Here, the
tension straps 23 can be equipped with a fastening hole, by means of which
they can be fixed to the corresponding protrusion 43 or similar of the base
plate
2 or the seat shell 9, or fixed to the seat in another manner. At the one end,
the
tension straps 23 can be fixed to the seat, the seat inell 9 or fixed or
integrated
in another manner. At the other end, the tension straps 23 are attached to the
seat cover. A comparison of Figures 12 and 13 shows in particular how the
tension straps 23 behave in the event of movement or repositioning of the
carrier plate 3.
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Arat & Partner mbB
European Patent Attorneys
File no.: P 5250/DE Date: 14/12/2016
List of reference signs
Seat depth adjuster 34 Trim profile for base plate
2 Base plate 35 Side trim profile for base plate
3 Carrier plate 36 Holding element
4 Reinforcement ribs 37 Slide holder
5 Locked toothing 38 Flat stripe section
6 Lever 39 Retaining section
7 Channel 40 Toothing
8 Spring 41 Bolt
9 Seat shell 42 Bolt counter-bearer
.10 Guiding mechanism 43 Protrusion
11 Central T-sliding guide 44
12 Side T- sliding guide 45
_13 Central T-sliding element 46
14 Side T-sliding element 47
Bar 48
16 Standard foam attachment clips 49
17 Seat foam 50
18 Holding recess
19 Front trim channel of the carrier plate
Back trim channel of the carrier plate
21 Back trim channel of the base plate
22 _Opening
23 Tension strap
24 Fastening hole
Injection screw
26 Recess for guiding mechanism
27 Counter-bearer
28 Locking slide
29 Slide
Compression spring
31 Lever holder
32 Front trim profile for carrier plate
33 Back trim profile for carrier plate A Cut-out
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