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EP-4739538-A1 - LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOCKING A BACKREST OF A VEHICLE SEAT AND MANUFACTURING METHOD

EP4739538A1EP 4739538 A1EP4739538 A1EP 4739538A1EP-4739538-A1

Abstract

A locking device (1A-1C) for locking a backrest (20) of a vehicle seat (2), comprises a mount (10A-10C), a striker (11A-11C) and a drive unit (12) for displacing the striker (11A- 11C) relative to the mount (10A-10C) and comprising a gearbox (120) in engagement with the striker (11A-11C), wherein the gearbox (120) is pivotably mounted on the mount (10A-10C) about a pivot axis (A).

Inventors

  • KUMAR, SANDEEP
  • PATIL, Pankaja
  • RAJPUT, CHETANSINGH

Assignees

  • Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240704

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A locking device (1 A-1C) for locking a backrest (20) of a vehicle seat (2), comprising: a mount (10A-10C), a striker (11 A-11C) and a drive unit (12) for displacing the striker (11A-11C) relative to the mount (10A- 10C) and comprising a gearbox (120) in engagement with the striker (11A-11C), wherein the gearbox (120) is pivotably mounted on the mount (10A-10C) about a pivot axis (A).
  2. 2. The locking device (1A-1C) according to claim 1 , characterized by an elastic element (13A-13C) arranged to be tensioned when the gearbox (120) is pivoted relative to the mount (10A-10C) about the pivot axis (A).
  3. 3. The locking device (1A-1C) according to claim 2, characterized in that the elastic element (13A-13C) is arranged outside of the gearbox (120).
  4. 4. The locking device (1A-1C) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the striker (11) comprises an elongate rod (110A-110C) extending through the gearbox (120).
  5. 5. The locking device (1A-1C) according to claim 4, characterized in that the rod (110A-110C) extends perpendicular to the pivot axis (A).
  6. 6. The locking device (1A-1C) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the rod (110A-110C) has a thread (113) engaged with a spindle nut (128) of the gearbox (120).
  7. 7. The locking device (1C) according to any of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the rod (110C) has opposite flat surfaces (117) extending along a longitudinal extension of the rod (110C), the rod (110C) extending through an opening (180) of a guide bush (18) fixedly mounted with respect to the drive unit (12), the opening (180) mating with the opposite flat surfaces (114) of the rod (110C).
  8. 8. The locking device (1A-1C) according to any of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the rod (110A-110C) is a first rod (110A-110C) and the striker (11A-11C) comprises a second rod (111A-111C), wherein at least parts of the first rod (110A-100C) and the second rod (111A-111C) extend parallel to one another.
  9. 9. The locking device (1A, 1B) according to claim 2 or any of claims 3-8 when referring to claim 2, characterized in that the striker (11 A, 11 B) is connected with the mount (10A, 10B) by the elastic element (13A, 13B).
  10. 10. The locking device (1A, 1B) according to claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the second rod (111 A, 111 B) extends through at least one hole (100) of the mount (10A, 10B), the hole (100) having opposite ends, wherein the elastic element (13A, 13B) is configured to urge the second rod (111 A, 111 B) into a position between the opposite ends of the hole (100) and to allow a deflection of the second rod (111 A, 111 B) from the position between the opposite ends towards at least one of the opposite ends.
  11. 11. The locking device (1 B) according to claim 8 and according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the first rod (110B) and the second rod (111B) both extend through the elastic element (13B).
  12. 12. The locking device (1A, 1B) according to any of claims 9 to 11 , characterized in that the elastic element (13A, 13B) is pretensioned against the striker (11 A, 11 B) on at least two opposite sides of the striker (11 A, 11 B).
  13. 13. The locking device (1A-1C) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sliding joint (S) is provided at a location displaced from the pivot axis (A) allowing a movement of the drive unit (12) relative to the mount (10A-10C).
  14. 14. The locking device (1A-1C) according to claim 13, characterized in that the sliding joint (S) comprises a mounting element (14) fixed to one of the mount (10A-10C) and the drive unit (12), the mounting element (14) being engaged with a receptacle (122).
  15. 15. The locking device (1A-1C) according to claim 14, characterized in that the receptacle (122) is elongate.
  16. 16. The locking device (1C) according to claim 2 and according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the elastic element (13C) is arranged in the receptacle (122).
  17. 17. The locking device (1A-1C) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gearbox (120) is pivotable about the pivot axis (A) with respect to the mount (10A-10C) by at least 0,6°.
  18. 18. The locking device (1A, 1B) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the striker (11 A, 11 B) has teeth (112) engageable with the mount (10A, 10B) for blocking a displacement of the striker (11 A, 11 B) with respect to the mount (10A, 10B).
  19. 19. The locking device (1A-1C) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive unit (12), including the gearbox (120), is pivotably mounted on the mount (10A-10C) about the pivot axis (A).
  20. 20. A vehicle seat (2), characterized by the locking device (1A-1C) according to any of the preceding claims.

Description

LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOCKING A BACKREST OF A VEHICLE SEAT AND MANUFACTURING METHOD Description The invention relates to a locking device for a vehicle seat, to a vehicle seat and to a method for manufacturing a locking device. Locking devices with a striker are regularly used to lock backrests of vehicle seats to a body of a vehicle or to a neighboring backrest. For this purpose, a locking device can be fixed, e.g., to the vehicle body. A hook or other latching element may be mounted on the backrest to engage with the striker of the locking device. When the vehicle seat is movable back and forth, e.g., to reduce or increase a trunk volume behind the vehicle seat, or when the backrest of the vehicle seat is pivotable, locking devices with a displaceable striker can be used. Such a solution is described in DE 10 2018 127297 A1. This concept, however, uses two spindle nuts leading to an increased product complexity and cost. By pivoting the backrest, not only the position of the hook is changed in a longitudinal (X) direction, but also in a height direction (Z) vertical to the longitudinal direction. To maintain an engagement between a latch on the backrest and the striker on the vehicle body, US 11,505,096 B2 proposes to mount the latch rotatably on the backrest. This leads to a complicated design with movable parts both on the backrest and on the vehicle body. CN 112977194 A describes a striker movable along a curved path. Such an approach is difficult to adapt for different vehicle types. CN 204845609 U proposes to use elastic elements to allow a certain movement of the striker. This restricts use of such a locking device from applications where elasticity is not wanted. Further, according to this solution, both of two parallel rods pass through a gearbox, and this increases the packaging size on the vehicle body in the lateral direction (Y). However, a smaller Y packaging is needed in many power striker applications due to constraints in an available volume. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved locking device for a backrest of a vehicle. This object is achieved with a device having the features of claim 1. Accordingly, a locking device for locking a backrest of a vehicle seat (e.g., a rear seat) comprises a mount (e.g., in the shape of a mounting bracket), a striker and a drive unit. The drive unit is configured for displacing the striker relative to the mount. The drive unit comprises a gearbox in engagement with the striker. The gearbox is pivotably mounted on the mount about a pivot axis relative to the mount. By this, elements of the gearbox, such as a spindle nut, can be made of metal, so that a high strength is possible. In comparison with known solutions which apply elastic spindle nuts, a longer travel is possible, because of a more robust gearbox having less play. Further, the gearbox is less sensitive to lateral forces, because its length in the direction along the striker can be designed compact compared to concepts with elastic gearbox elements. Thus, the described solution allows a robust, yet simple design and a small packaging size, hence, an improved locking device for a backrest of a vehicle. The locking device may particularly comprise an elastic element. The elastic element (e.g., exactly one elastic element) may be arranged such that it is tensionable by the gearbox being pivoted relative to the mount about the pivot axis. This allows to urge the striker in a predefined position. The elastic element may be arranged on the striker. For example, the elastic element may be in contact with the striker. The elastic element may be an elastic guide. The elastic element may be an elastic guide for the striker. The elastic element may be arranged outside of the gearbox. This allows a robust gearbox design and comparably strong returning forces due to a larger distance to the pivot axis. The striker may comprise an elongate rod. The rod may extend through the gearbox. This allows a simple design. For example, the rod extends perpendicular to the pivot axis. In the installed condition, the pivot axis may extend parallel to the lateral vehicle direction (Y). The rod may have a thread, e.g., an eternal thread. The thread may be engaged with a spindle nut of the gearbox. This allows a simple and robust design. The spindle and/or the spindle nut may be made of metal, e.g., steel. Optionally, the rod has opposite flat surfaces, i.e., flat surfaces on opposite sides of the rod. The opposite flat surfaces may be parallel to one another. The opposite flat surfaces may extend along a longitudinal extension of the elongate rod. The rod may extend through an opening of a guide bush fixedly mounted with respect to the drive unit. The opening of the guide bush may be formed mating with the opposite flat surfaces of the rod. This allows to prevent a rotation of the rod around its longitudinal axis in a simple manner that only needs little space. Optionally, the rod is a first rod an