Articulated fitting for vehicle seats

Claim 1

An articulated fitting for vehicle seats, particularly motor vehicle seats, comprising: an upper fitting element to be connected with a back rest; a lower fitting element to be connected with a seat portion; and an intermediate element pivotably connected both with the upper fitting element and with the lower fitting element about a pivot axis and a lower-lying folding axis spaced apart from said pivot axis, respectively, said lower fitting element having a toothed surface and a slide surface; an adjusting and holding device that engages the upper fitting element and the intermediate element for the adjustment of the angle of inclination of the back rest; and a folding lock which permits a pivoting of the upper fitting element and the intermediate element about the folding axis only when in the unlocked condition; wherein said pivot axis and said folding axis are located, when the folding lock is locked, such that a line between the pivot axis and the folding axis subtends an angle of no more than 30 degrees with a line extending vertically downward in the assembled position of the pivot axis; and wherein a stop is provided which limits the pivot range of the intermediate element toward the rear, and the folding lock includes a detent pawl which automatically falls into a locking position only in the rear position of the intermediate row of teeth, said segment engaging with the toothed surface of the lower fitting element when the lock is locked and at least one of the teeth of the first toothed segment lies on the slide surface of the lower fitting element when the folding lock is unlocked; whereby when the seat is folded forward, the arrangement of the folding and pivoting axes precludes the seat from interfering with the roof of the vehicle.