Tiltable seat

Claim 2

In a seat, particularly in a vehicle seat, a combination comprising a seat element; a back element; means for mounting said back element on said seat element for tilting from a selected erect position in a frontward and a rearward range; two blocking arrangements interposed between said elements and each including engaging means normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same from tilting in both of said ranges, and abutment means normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same only from tilting in said rearward range; and means for releasing said back element for selective tilting, including shared first disengaging means for disengaging only said engaging means of both of said blocking arrangements to thereby release said back element for tilting only in said frontward range, and two mutually separate second disengaging means each for jointly disengaging both said engaging and said abutment means of only one of said blocking arrangements so as to require the actuation of both of said separate second disengaging means when it is desired to release said back element for tilting in said rearward range.

Claim 3

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes two hinges each at one side of the seat and each including two hinge members respectively rigid with said elements; and wherein said engaging and abutment means includes first engaging and abutment portions on one of said hinge members of each of said hinges, and cooperating second engaging and abutment portions on the other hinge member of each of said hinges.

Claim 4

In a seat, particularly in a vehicle seat, a combination comprising a seat element; a back element; means for mounting said back element on said seat element for tilting from a selected erect position in a frontward and a rearward range, including two hinges each at one side of the seat and each including two hinge members respectively rigid with said elements; two blocking arrangements each including an engaging pawl having first engaging portions on one, and cooperating second engaging portions on the other, of said hinge members of each of said hinges and normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same from tilting in both of said ranges, and an abutment pawl having first abutment portions on one, and cooperating second abutment portions on the other, of said hinge members of each of said hinges and normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same only from tilting in said rearward range; and means for releasing said back element for selective tilting, including shared first disengaging means for disengaging only said engaging pawls of both of said blocking arrangements to thereby release said back element for tilting only in said frontward range, and two mutually separate second disengaging means each for jointly disengaging both said engaging and said abutment pawl of only one of said blocking arrangements so as to require the actuation of both of said separate second disengaging means when it is desired to release said back element for tilting in said rearward range, including a coupling element connecting said pawls and causing disengagement of said engaging pawl in response to the actuation of said abutment pawl.

Claim 5

In a seat, particularly in a vehicle seat, a combination comprising a seat element; a back element; means for mounting said back element on said seat element for tilting from a selected erect position in a frontward and a rearward range, including two hinges each at one side of the seat and each including two hinge members respectively rigid with said elements; two blocking arrangements each including an engaging pawl having first engaging portions on one, and cooperating second engaging portions on the other, of said hinge members of each of said hinges and normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same from tilting in both of said ranges, and an abutment pawl having first abutment portions on one, and cooperating second abutment portions on the other, of said hinge members of each of said hinges and normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same only from tilting in said rearward range; and means for releasing said back element for selective tilting, including shared first disengaging means for disengaging only said engaging pawls of both of said blocking arrangements to thereby release said back element for tilting only in said frontward range, and two mutually separate second disengaging means each for jointly disengaging both said engaging and said abutment pawl of only one of said blocking arrangements so as to require the actuation of both of said separate second disengaging means when it is desired to release said back element for tilting in said rearward range, including a coupling element connecting said pawls and causing disengagement of said engaging pawl in response to the actuation of said abutment pawl.

Claim 6

A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said engaging pawl includes a supporting element springbiased towards engagement of said first engaging portion with said second engaging portion of said engaging means; wherein said first abutment portion is a nose of said abutment pawl; and wherein said second disengaging means includes an actuating portion integral with said abutment pawl.

Claim 7

A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said coupling element fixedly engages said abutment pawl and so engages said engaging pawl as to cause the same to become disengaged only when said coupling element moves in one of two opposite directions.

Claim 8

A combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said coupling element is a link having one end portion pivotably connected to said abutment pawl and another end portion pivotably and longitudinally shiftably connected to said engaging pawl.

Claim 9

In a seat, particularly in a vehicle seat, a combination comprising a seat element; a back element; means for mounting said back element on said seat element for tilting from a selected erect position in a frontward and a rearward range, including two hinges each at one side of the seat and each including two hinge members respectively rigid with said elements; two blocking arrangements each including engaging segments of teeth on the respective hinge members of each of said hinges which normally so block said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same from tilting in both of said ranges, and abutment shoulders on the respective hinge members of each of said hinges which normally so block said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same only from tilting in said rearward range; and means for releasing said back element for selective tilting, including shared first disengaging means for disengaging only said engaging segments of teeth of both of said blocking arrangements to thereby release said back element for tilting only in said frontward range, and two mutually separate second disengaging means each for jointly disengaging both said engaging segments of teeth and said abutment shoulders of only one of said blocking arrangements so as to require the actuation of both of said separate second disengaging means when it is desired to release said back element for tilting in said rearward range.

Claim 10

In a seat, particularly in a vehicle seat, a combination comprising a seat element; a back element; means for mounting said back element on said seat element for tilting from a selected erect position in a frontward and a rearward range, including two hinges each at one side of the seat and each including two hinge members respectively rigid with said elements; two blocking arrangements each including engaging segments of teeth on the respective hinge members of each of said hinges which normally so block said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same from tilting in both of said ranges, and abutment shoulders on the respective hinge members of each of said hinges which normally so block said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same only from tilting in said rearward range; and means for releasing said back element for selective tilting, including shared first disengaging means for disengaging only said engaging segments of teeth of both of said blocking arrangements to thereby release said back element for tilting only in said frontward range, and two mutually separate second disengaging means each for jointly disengaging both said engaging segments of teeth and said abutment shoulders of only one of said blocking arrangements so as to require the actuation of both of said separate second disengaging means when it is desired to release said back element for tilting in said rearward range.

Claim 11

In a seat, particularly in a vehicle seat, a combination comprising a seat element; a back element; means for mounting said back element on said seat element for tilting from a selected erect position in a frontward and a rearward range including two hinges each at one side of the seat and each including two hinge members respectively rigid with said elements and a pair of interengaging gears incorporated in one of said hinge members of each of said hinges, which assume a predetermined position relative to one another in said selected erect position of said back element and maintain the same during the tilting of said back element in said ranges; two blocking arrangements interposed between said elements and each including engaging means normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same from tilting in both of said ranges, and abutment means normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same only from tilting in said rearward range, including first engaging and abutment portions on the other of said hinge members of each of said hinges, and cooperating second engaging and abutment portions on one of said gears of said one hinge member of each of said hinges; and means for releasing said back element for selective tilting, including shared first disengaging means for disengaging only said engaging means of both of said blocking arrangements to thereby release said back element for tilting only in said frontward range, and two mutually separate second disengaging means each for jointly disengaging both said engaging and said abutment means of only one of said blocking arrangements so as to require the actuation of both of said separate second disengaging means when it is desired to release said back element for tilting in said rearward range.

Claim 12

In a seat, particularly in a vehicle seat, a combination comprising a seat element; a back element; means for mounting said back element on said seat element for tilting from a selected erect position in a frontward and a rearward range including two hinges each at one side of the seat and each including two hinge members respectively rigid with said elements and a pair of interengaging gears incorporated in one of said hinge members of each of said hinges, which assume a predetermined position relative to one another in said selected erect position of said back element and maintain the same during the tilting of said back element in said ranges; two blocking arrangements interposed between said elements and each including engaging means normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same from tilting in both of said ranges, and abutment means normally so blocking said back element in said selected erect position as to prevent the same only from tilting in said rearward range, including first engaging and abutment portions on the other of said hinge members of each of said hinges, and cooperating second engaging and abutment portions on one of said gears of said one hinge member of each of said hinges; and means for releasing said back element for selective tilting, including shared first disengaging means for disengaging only said engaging means of both of said blocking arrangements to thereby release said back element for tilting only in said frontward range, and two mutually separate second disengaging means each for jointly disengaging both said engaging and said abutment means of only one of said blocking arrangements so as to require the actuation of both of said separate second disengaging means when it is desired to release said back element for tilting in said rearward range.