Hinge, particularly for seats with adjustable backs

Claim 1

A hinge, particularly for a seat with an adjustable back, comprising two hinge parts movable relative to one another about a pivot axis between a plurality of relative positions: a rotatable shaft member defining said pivot axis; and means for adjusting the relative position between said hinge parts and formed as a transmission, said adjusting means including an eccentric arranged on said shaft member for joint rotation therewith and having an inclined surface, a first gear associated with one of said hinge parts, and a second gear associated with the other of said hinge parts and engaging with said first gear, said first gear being provided with a bearing engaging with said surface of said eccentric, said shaft member together with said eccentric being displaceable in an axial direction with the aid of an accumulator for obtaining a radial displacement between said hinge parts, said eccentric being formed as a truncated cone having a predetermined inclination, and said bearing having a conical bore, with an inclination corresponding to the inclination of said truncated cone of said eccentric and having a somewhat greater diameter than the latter, said truncated cone of said eccentric and said conical bore of said bearing forming a bearing pair having predetermined static friction angle and sliding friction angle, said inclination having an angle which is smaller than said static friction angle and greater than said sliding friction angle of said bearing pair, and the relative position of said hinge parts being adjustable by a user by only rotating said shaft member with said eccentric.