Patent US3673891A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3673891A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reclining seat adjuster
Assignee: Ferro Manufacturing Corp
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Filing: 1970-09-14
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Granted: 1972-07-04
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Expires: 1990-09-14
Abstract
Abstract Irreversible epicyclic gearing connects the seat back to the seat and includes a manually rotatable shaft having an eccentric portion on which is mounted a drive gear engaged in an internal gear carried by the seat or seat back member and having limited lost motion connection with the other member.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Pickles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 07:24
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H1/00; F16H1/28; F16H1/32; B; B60; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/02; B60N2/22; B60N2/225; B60N2/2252
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
290 words
Adjustable support structure for a seat back of a reclining seat comprising a stationary support member, an arm member pivoted to said stationary support member, pivot means comprising a rotatable shaft connecting said members, said shaft having a circular cross-section first portion defining the pivot axis between said members, and a circular cross-section second portion eccentric to said first portion, irreversible drive gearing connecting said members comprising an externally toothed annular drive gear rotatable on the eccentric portion of said shaft and having a series of circular openings disposed in a circular array around and concentric with said eccentric portion, one of said members having an internally toothed recess constituting an internal gear and receiving said drive gear in mesh therewith, the number of teeth in said internal gear exceeding the number of teeth in said drive gear by a small number representing a small fraction of the total number of teeth in said recess, said other member having a circular array of pin-like elements extending into said circular openings, the diameter of said array being equal to the diameter of the circular array of openings in said drive gear, the diameter of said circular openings exceeding the diameter of said elements by double the eccentricity of the eccentric portion of said shaft, said one member being formed of flat metal plate-like material, and an annular abutment on said one member closing one end of the internal gear and serving to engage one side of said drive gear to limit axial movement thereof in one direction, said other member having an annular portion positioned to engage the other side of said drive gear to limit axial movement thereof in the other direction, and manually operated means for rotating shaft shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
290 words
Adjustable support structure for a seat back of a reclining seat comprising a stationary support member, an arm member pivoted to said stationary support member, pivot means comprising a rotatable shaft connecting said members, said shaft having a circular cross-section first portion defining the pivot axis between said members, and a circular cross-section second portion eccentric to said first portion, irreversible drive gearing connecting said members comprising an externally toothed annular drive gear rotatable on the eccentric portion of said shaft and having a series of circular openings disposed in a circular array around and concentric with said eccentric portion, one of said members having an internally toothed recess constituting an internal gear and receiving said drive gear in mesh therewith, the number of teeth in said internal gear exceeding the number of teeth in said drive gear by a small number representing a small fraction of the total number of teeth in said recess, said other member having a circular array of pin-like elements extending into said circular openings, the diameter of said array being equal to the diameter of the circular array of openings in said drive gear, the diameter of said circular openings exceeding the diameter of said elements by double the eccentricity of the eccentric portion of said shaft, said one member being formed of flat metal plate-like material, and an annular abutment on said one member closing one end of the internal gear and serving to engage one side of said drive gear to limit axial movement thereof in one direction, said other member having an annular portion positioned to engage the other side of said drive gear to limit axial movement thereof in the other direction, and manually operated means for rotating shaft shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
Structure as defined in claim 1 in which said internal gear and said annular abutment are both formed from unitary rigid plate-like material, and said abutment is a gear shape laterally stamped partially from but not severed from the sheet material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
Structure as defined in claim 1 in which said other member is formed of plate-like material and said pin-like elements are stamped extrusions extending laterally from one side of said other member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
Structure as defined in claim 2 in which said other member is formed of plate-like material and said pin-like elements are stamped extrusions extending laterally from one side of said other member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
Structure as defined in claim 4, said drive gear being formed of plate-like metal of about the same thickness as said members and having opposed flat surfaces in sliding contact with the confronting surface of the annular abutment on said one member and the side of said other member, whereby the operating structure at the pivot connections between said members exclusive of said shaft has an overall thickness about equal to the combined thickness of said members and drive gear.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
Structure as defined in claim 2, said other member comprising substantially paired concave shaped portions, one of said portions having a substantially cylindrically shaped flange guidingly engaging the crests of the teeth of said gear-shaped stamping.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
Structure as defined in claim 6, said one concave shaped portion having an inwardly formed arcuate portion having an arcuate generally cylindrical area guidingly engaging the crests of the teeth of said gear-shaped stamping in a zone generally opposite the zone thereof engaged by said flange.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
Structure as defined in claim 1, the annular abutment on said one member having a generally cylindrical outer peripheral portion, said other member comprising substantially paired concave shaped portions, one of said portions having a substantially cylindrically shaped flange guidingly engaging the outer peripheral portions of said abutment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
Structure as defined in claim 8 in which said concave shaped portions are formed of sheet material having stiffening flanges around their edge portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
Structure as defined in claim 9 in which said pin-like elements extend between and rigidly interconnect said concave shaped portions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
Structure as defined in claim 8, said one concave-shaped portion having an inwardly formed arcuate portion having an arcuate generally cylindrical area guidingly engaging the outer peripheral portions of said abutment in a zone generally opposite the zone thereof engaged by said flange.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-04 | 1976-01-03 | 1976-07-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-04 | 1980-01-03 | 1980-07-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-04 | 1984-01-03 | 1984-07-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |