Seat cushion adjustment for vehicle seats

Claim 2

A seat cushion adjustment device for a vehicle seat comprising: a pair of seat frame side parts, for attachment to opposite sides of the vehicle seat; a seat cushion carried by the side parts; first adjustment means for a main adjustment of the vehicle seat within a defined adjustment area; second adjustment means coupled to said first adjustment means for adjusting the seat cushion in dependence on the main adjustment of the vehicle seat, whereby said first and second adjustment means define a development curve for movement of the seat cushion; and separate adjustment means coupled to said second adjustment means for fixing the development curve of the seat cushion adjustment within a restricted area, whereby maximum adjustment positions of the seat cushion are associated with maximum adjustment positions of at least one main adjustment of the vehicle seat to avoid exceeding predetermined outer range limits of the seat cushion adjustment, wherein said separate adjustment means includes: a first slide guide formed in each side part to facilitate longitudinal only movement of the seat cushion; and a second slide guide formed in each side part to facilitate seat cushion movement selected from the group consisting of longitudinal movement and incline movement.

Claim 3

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second adjustment means are coupled together by mechanical gearing.

Claim 4

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 1 wherein the first adjustment means is adopted to adjust a longitudinal position of the vehicle seat.

Claim 5

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 1 wherein the separate adjustment means comprises at least one pin attached to the seat cushion that projects into respective slide guides, whereby placement of the at least one pin against closed ends of the slide guides defines an adjustment limit for the seat cushion relative to the seat.

Claim 6

A seat cushion adjustment device for a vehicle seat comprising: a seat cushion; first adjustment means for a main adjustment of the vehicle seat within a defined adjustment area, wherein the first adjustment means comprises: a seat rail for accommodating longitudinal slidable movement of the vehicle seat thereon; and a toothed rod attached to the seat rail; second adjustment means coupled to said first adjustment means for adjusting the seat cushion in dependence on the main adjustment of the vehicle seat, whereby said first and second adjustment means define a development curve for movement of the seat cushion; and separate adjustment means coupled to adjustment means selected from the group consisting of said first adjustment means and said second adjustment means for fixing the development curve of the seat cushion adjustment within a restricted area, whereby maximum adjustment positions of the seat cushion are associated with maximum adjustment positions of at least one main adjustment of the vehicle seat to avoid exceeding predetermined outer range limits of the seat cushion adjustment.

Claim 7

A seat cushion adjustment device for a vehicle seat comprising: a seat cushion; first adjustment means for a main adjustment of the vehicle seat within a defined adjustment area, wherein the first adjustment means comprises: a seat rail for accommodating longitudinal slidable movement of the vehicle seat thereon; and a toothed rod attached to the seat rail; second adjustment means coupled to said first adjustment means for adjusting the seat cushion in dependence on the main adjustment of the vehicle seat, whereby said first and second adjustment means define a development curve for movement of the seat cushion; and separate adjustment means coupled to adjustment means selected from the group consisting of said first adjustment means and said second adjustment means for fixing the development curve of the seat cushion adjustment within a restricted area, whereby maximum adjustment positions of the seat cushion are associated with maximum adjustment positions of at least one main adjustment of the vehicle seat to avoid exceeding predetermined outer range limits of the seat cushion adjustment.

Claim 8

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 5 wherein the second adjustment means comprises: an adjustment plate adopted to be attached to the seat cushion; and a toothed rod attached to the adjustment plate.

Claim 9

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 6 wherein said first and second adjustment means are coupled together by a toothed rod pinion gear interposed between the toothed rod of the seat rail and the toothed rod of the adjustment plate, wherein rotational movement of the toothed rod pinion gear effects longitudinal movement of the seat cushion and seat rail in opposite directions.

Claim 10

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 6 wherein the second adjustment means comprises: a first gear wheel having a toothed portion engaged with a toothed rod of the seat cushion; a second gear wheel having a toothed portion engaged with the toothed rod of the seat rail, wherein the second gear wheel is axially connected with the first gear wheel, wherein rotational movement of the first and second gear wheels effects longitudinal movement of the seat cushion and seat rail in opposite directions.

Claim 11

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 8 wherein the first gear wheel has an outside diameter less than an outside diameter of the second gear wheel, whereby rotational movement of the first and second gear wheels effects greater longitudinal movement of the seat cushion than that of the seat.

Claim 12

A seat cushion adjustment device for simultaneously adjusting a seat cushion of a vehicle seat in a vehicle while adjusting forward and rearward placement of the vehicle seat within the vehicle, the device comprising: a pair of seat frame side parts for attachment to opposite sides of the vehicle seat; a seat cushion carried by the side parts; a first adjustment means for adjusting longitudinal placement of the vehicle seat within a vehicle; a second adjustment means coupled to the first adjustment means by at least one mechanical gear for adjusting at least longitudinal placement of the seat cushion relative to the seat, wherein movement of the second adjustment means is dependent on movement of the first adjustment means, and wherein said first and second adjustment means define a development curve of the seat cushion adjustment; and separate adjustment means coupled to said second adjustment means for fixing the development curve of the seat cushion adjustment within a restricted area, whereby maximum adjustment positions of the seat cushion are associated with maximum adjustment longitudinal positions of the vehicle seat to avoid exceeding predetermined outer range limits of the seat cushion adjustment, wherein said separate adjustment means includes: a first slide guide formed in each said side part to facilitate longitudinal only movement of the said seat cushion; and a second slide guide formed in each said side part to facilitate seat cushion movement selected from the group consisting of longitudinal movement and incline movement.

Claim 13

A seat cushion adjustment device for simultaneously adjusting a seat cushion of a vehicle seat in a vehicle while adjusting forward and rearward placement of the vehicle seat within the vehicle, the device comprising: a pair of seat frame side parts for attachment to opposite sides of the vehicle seat; a seat cushion carried by the side parts; a first adjustment means for adjusting longitudinal placement of the vehicle seat within a vehicle; a second adjustment means coupled to the first adjustment means by at least one mechanical gear for adjusting at least longitudinal placement of the seat cushion relative to the seat, wherein movement of the second adjustment means is dependent on movement of the first adjustment means, and wherein said first and second adjustment means define a development curve of the seat cushion adjustment; and separate adjustment means coupled to said second adjustment means for fixing the development curve of the seat cushion adjustment within a restricted area, whereby maximum adjustment positions of the seat cushion are associated with maximum adjustment longitudinal positions of the vehicle seat to avoid exceeding predetermined outer range limits of the seat cushion adjustment, wherein said separate adjustment means includes: a first slide guide formed in each said side part to facilitate longitudinal only movement of the said seat cushion; and a second slide guide formed in each said side part to facilitate seat cushion movement selected from the group consisting of longitudinal movement and incline movement.

Claim 14

A seat cushion adjustment device for simultaneously adjusting a seat cushion of a vehicle seat in a vehicle while adjusting forward and rearward placement of the vehicle seat within the vehicle, the device comprising: a seat cushion; a first adjustment means for adjusting longitudinal placement of the vehicle seat within a vehicle, wherein the first adjustment means comprises: a vehicle seat rail for accommodating longitudinal slidable displacement of a vehicle seat disposed thereon; and a toothed rod attached to the seat rail; a second adjustment means coupled to the first adjustment means by at least one mechanical gear for adjusting at least longitudinal placement of the seat cushion relative to the seat, wherein movement of the second adjustment means is dependent on movement of the first adjustment means, and wherein said first and second adjustment means define a development curve of the seat cushion adjustment; and separate adjustment means coupled to said second adjustment means for fixing the development curve of the seat cushion adjustment within a restricted area, whereby maximum adjustment positions of the seat cushion are associated with maximum longitudinal adjustment positions of the vehicle seat to avoid exceeding predetermined outer range limits of the seat cushion adjustment.

Claim 15

A seat cushion adjustment device for simultaneously adjusting a seat cushion of a vehicle seat in a vehicle while adjusting forward and rearward placement of the vehicle seat within the vehicle, the device comprising: a seat cushion; a first adjustment means for adjusting longitudinal placement of the vehicle seat within a vehicle, wherein the first adjustment means comprises: a vehicle seat rail for accommodating longitudinal slidable displacement of a vehicle seat disposed thereon; and a toothed rod attached to the seat rail; a second adjustment means coupled to the first adjustment means by at least one mechanical gear for adjusting at least longitudinal placement of the seat cushion relative to the seat, wherein movement of the second adjustment means is dependent on movement of the first adjustment means, and wherein said first and second adjustment means define a development curve of the seat cushion adjustment; and separate adjustment means coupled to said second adjustment means for fixing the development curve of the seat cushion adjustment within a restricted area, whereby maximum adjustment positions of the seat cushion are associated with maximum longitudinal adjustment positions of the vehicle seat to avoid exceeding predetermined outer range limits of the seat cushion adjustment.

Claim 16

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 11 wherein the second adjustment means comprises: an adjustment plate attached to the seat cushion; and a toothed rod attached to the adjustment plate.

Claim 17

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 12 wherein the at least one mechanical gear comprises a toothed rod pinion gear interposed between the first and second adjustment means, wherein the toothed rod pinion gear engages the toothed rod of the seat rail at one end, and engages the toothed rod of the adjustment plate at an opposite end, and wherein rotational movement of the toothed rod pinion gear effects longitudinal movement of the seat cushion and seat rail in opposite directions.

Claim 18

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 13 wherein the separate adjustment means comprises: at least one slide guide in the form of longitudinal openings disposed in a frame of the vehicle seat; and at least one pin attached to the seat cushion that projects into a respective said at least one slide guide, whereby placement of the at least one pin against closed ends of the at least one slide guide defines an adjustment limit for the seat cushion relative to the seat.

Claim 19

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 11 wherein the at least one mechanical gear comprises: a first gear wheel having a toothed portion engaged with a toothed rod of the seat cushion; and a second gear wheel having a toothed portion engaged with the toothed rod of the seat rail, wherein the second gear wheel is axially connected with the first gear wheel, and wherein rotational movement of the first and second gear wheels effects longitudinal movement of the seat cushion in a direction opposite from that of the seat rail.

Claim 20

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 15 wherein the first gear wheel has an outside diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the second gear wheel, whereby rotational movement of the first and second gear wheels effects relatively greater longitudinal movement of the seat cushion than oppositely directed longitudinal movement of the seat rail.

Claim 21

The seat cushion adjustment device as recited in claim 15 wherein the second adjustment means simultaneously adjusts a longitudinal position of the seat cushion and an incline of the seat cushion.