U.S. patent application number 11/770590 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-21 for recliner regulating device.
This patent application is currently assigned to HUBEI AVIATION PRECISION MACHINERY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Zhengkun HUANG, Xianhu LUO.
Application Number | 20080197687 11/770590 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39628227 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080197687 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LUO; Xianhu ; et
al. |
August 21, 2008 |
RECLINER REGULATING DEVICE
Abstract
The present invention discloses a recliner regulating device
comprising a cam, a return spring, a housing plate, a ratchet gear
connected with a central shaft. The external hook of the return
spring is fixed in a hole of the housing plate. Sliders are fitted
in sliding grooves of the housing plate with the bosses of the
sliders being attached with the sliding grooves of the cam. Wedges
are fitted in the sliding grooves of the housing plate with the
bosses of the wedges being attached with the sliding grooves of the
housing plate. The sliding grooves for sliders are perpendicular to
the sliding grooves for wedges. A two-point locking-up is formed
between the self-locking surfaces of the sliders and the
self-locking surfaces of the wedges after the position of the cam
is fixed through the central shaft under the action of the return
spring.
Inventors: |
LUO; Xianhu; (Xiangfan,
CN) ; HUANG; Zhengkun; (Xiangfan, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WORKMAN NYDEGGER
60 EAST SOUTH TEMPLE, 1000 EAGLE GATE TOWER
SALT LAKE CITY
UT
84111
US
|
Assignee: |
HUBEI AVIATION PRECISION MACHINERY
TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Xiangfan
CN
|
Family ID: |
39628227 |
Appl. No.: |
11/770590 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/367R |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/236 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/367 |
International
Class: |
B60N 2/08 20060101
B60N002/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 16, 2007 |
CN |
200710079390.6 |
Claims
1. A recliner regulating device comprising: a central shaft; a cam
connected with the central shaft, wherein the cam comprises first
grooves and second grooves; a return spring connected with the
central shaft and with the cam; a housing plate connected with the
central shaft, the housing plate having first sliding grooves and
second sliding grooves; a ratchet gear connected with the central
shaft; wedges located on opposite sides of the central shaft, the
wedges each having two self-locking surfaces and a boss, wherein
the wedges are fitted in the first sliding grooves of the housing
plate and the bosses are connected with the first grooves of the
cam such that the first grooves drive the wedges; and sliders
located on opposite sides of the central shaft, the sliders each
having two self-locking surfaces and a boss, wherein the sliders
are fitted in the second sliding grooves of the housing plate and
the bosses are connected with the second grooves of the cam such
that the second grooves drive the sliders, wherein the first
grooves and the second grooves drive the wedges and the sliders in
different directions relative to the central shaft; wherein a
two-point locking-up is formed between the self-locking surfaces of
the sliders and the self-locking surfaces of the wedges when the
sliders are driven away from the central shaft and the wedges are
driven toward the central shaft.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cam and the return
spring are connected with the central shaft such that a square hole
of the cam and an inner square hole of the return spring form a
shaft connection through an outer square part of the central
shaft.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sliders have slider
teeth and the ratchet gear has ratchet gear teeth; the slider teeth
are disengaged with the ratchet gear teeth after the central shaft
rotates; and after the cam is restored through the central shaft
under the action of the return spring, the ratchet gear teeth
engage with the slider teeth such that the two point locking-up
between the self-locking surfaces of the sliders and the
self-locking surfaces of the wedges is formed.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the ratchet gear
further has ratchet gear sliding surfaces which come into contact
with the ratchet gear teeth after the cam is restored through the
central shaft under the action of the return spring.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the ratchet gear has
bosses connecting with a connecting plate of the recliner back.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing plate has
bosses connecting with a connecting plate of the recliner seat.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device further
includes a jacket connecting the ratchet gear with the housing
plate.
8. A recliner regulating device comprising: a central shaft;
sliders having slider teeth that engage with a ratchet gear having
ratchet teeth to secure the device in a particular position; first
and second wedges located on opposite sides of the central shaft,
wherein the first and second wedges have two locking surfaces that
interact with the sliders to maintain the device in the particular
position and form a two point locking-up with each of the first and
second wedge; and a cam having first grooves and second grooves,
the first grooves connecting with the sliders and the second
grooves connecting with the first and second wedges, wherein the
first and second grooves are configured to drive the sliders and
the first and second wedges to release the two point locking-up
when the cam is rotated by an external force.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to the field of mechanical
technology, in particular to a recliner regulating device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] At present, functions of angle-regulating and back's
quick-folding can be realized in most of the recliner which then
will be locked up after the angle-regulating is completed so as to
fix the angle between the recliner seat and the recliner back.
[0003] The prior mode to achieve the above mentioned functions is
disclosed for example in Chinese Utility Model Patent No.
200420017699.4 titled "Plate spring type armchair angle regulating
and back folder nuclear installation". As shown in FIG. 1, in this
device, two sliders 103 are supported by two self-locking surfaces
102 of the locking cam 101 under the action of the return spring.
Therefore, the engagement between the slider teeth on two sliders
103 and the ratchet gear teeth is more stable, thereby the angle of
the chair can be fixed after the angle between the chair seat and
the chair back is regulated.
[0004] In the above armchair angle-regulating device, there is only
one bearing point at the self-locking surface 102 of the
self-locking cam 101 between each slider 103 and the locking cam
101. As a result, after the angle between the chair seat and the
chair back was regulated and fixed when a user leans against and
exerts forces on the chair back, the problem caused by supporting
each slider 103 at only one point is that the engagement strength
between the teeth of the slider 103 and the ratchet gear teeth is
low, which causes the chair back unstable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In views of this, the object of the present invention is to
provide a recliner regulating device to solve the problem in the
prior arts that the engagement strength between the teeth of the
slider and the ratchet gear teeth is low when applying forces to
the recliner back under the one-point support mode.
[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the present invention
provides a recliner regulating device comprising a cam, a return
spring, a coulisse, a ratchet gear, a central shaft, sliders having
two self-locking surfaces, and wedges having two self-locking
surfaces, wherein the cam, the return spring, the coulisse and the
ratchet gear are connected with the central shaft; the sliders are
connected with the coulisse; the wedges are fitted in sliding
grooves of the coulisse; bosses on the wedges are connected with
sliding grooves on the cam, and wherein a two-point locking-up is
formed between the self-locking surfaces of the sliders and the
self-locking surfaces of the wedges.
[0007] Preferably, the cam and the return spring are connected with
the central shaft such that a square hole of the cam and an inner
square hole of the return spring form a shaft connection through an
outer square part of the central shaft.
[0008] Preferably, the slider has slider teeth and the ratchet gear
has ratchet gear teeth; the slider teeth are disengaged with the
ratchet gear teeth after the central shaft rotates; and after the
cam is restored through the central shaft under the action of the
return spring, the ratchet gear teeth engage with the slider teeth
such that the locking-up between the self-locking surfaces of the
sliders and the self-locking surfaces of the wedges is formed.
[0009] Preferably, the ratchet gear further has ratchet gear
sliding surfaces which come into contact with the ratchet gear
teeth after the cam is restored through the central shaft under the
action of the return spring.
[0010] Preferably, the ratchet gear has bosses connecting with a
connecting plate of the recliner back.
[0011] Preferably, the coulisse has bosses connecting with a
connecting plate of the recliner seat.
[0012] Preferably, the device further includes a jacket connecting
the ratchet gear with the coulisse.
[0013] When the angle-regulation of the recliner is completed, the
device of the invention enables the two symmetrical self-locking
surfaces of each wedge to correspond with the self-locking surfaces
of the sliders and form a two-point locking-up. When the ratchet
gear teeth engage with the slider teeth, the locking and unlocking
of the sliders with the ratchet gear can be controlled through the
rotation of the cam driven by the external force and the force
applied by the spiral return spring so that the angle-regulation of
the recliner back is realized. Since the ratchet gear has two
segments of evenly arranged ratchet gear teeth and two segments of
evenly arranged ratchet gear sliding surfaces, the recliner back
can be quick-folded when the ratchet gear sliding surfaces face to
the slider teeth. The above components are fixedly attached by the
jacket into a relatively independent device which cannot be
disassembled and free of maintenance. The device is versatile as it
can be used with different connecting plates and applied to various
vehicles depending on the user's requirements. The additional
advantages of the invention are that the device has compacted
structure, small volume, high strength, good unlocking performance
on both sides, high regulation precision and the convenience of the
angle-regulation and quick-folding of the recliner back, etc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a sketch map of the one-point locking in the prior
arts.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a front view of a cam locking-up part according to
an embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the cam locking-up part according
to the embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a sketch map of formation of locking-up in the
embodiment of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a recliner regulating device
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a further perspective view of the recliner
regulating device according to the embodiment of the invention.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a front view of the assembled recliner regulating
device according to the embodiment of the invention.
[0021] FIG. 8 is a left view of the assembled recliner regulating
device according to the embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 9 is a rear view of the assembled recliner regulating
device according to the embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The description will be made by way of an embodiment of the
invention with reference to the attached drawings.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, in the embodiment, the
locking-up part of the cam 4 is described firstly so as to better
understand the kernel technology of the locking-up in the
invention. The cam 4 has two symmetrical sliding grooves 19 and two
symmetrical sliding grooves 5. Two sliders 25 are connected by
means of the bosses 8 thereon with the sliding grooves 5, two
wedges 9 are connected by means of the bosses 18 thereon with the
sliding grooves 19. A new recliner regulating device is formed when
the locking-up part of the cam 4 is used for the angle-regulation
of the recliner.
[0025] After the cam 4 rotates, the two symmetrical self-locking
surfaces 29 on the sliders 25 and the two symmetrical self-locking
surfaces 30 on the wedges 9 form a two-point locking-up.
[0026] The recliner regulating device having the locking part of
the cam 4 will be described with reference to the perspective view
of the embodiment.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the two symmetrical sliders
25 are fitted in two sliding grooves 13 of the coulisse 10. A
clearance fit is formed between the side surfaces 7 of the sliders
and the side surfaces 14 of the sliding grooves on the coulisse 10.
The sliders 25 have on their distal ends a segment of slider teeth
6 and have on their middle a boss 8, respectively.
[0028] The two symmetrical wedges 9 are fitted in the sliding
grooves 11 of the coulisse 10. A clearance fit is formed between
the side surfaces 22 of the wedges 9 and the sliding grooves 11.
The wedges 9 have on their middle a boss 18.
[0029] The cam 4 has two symmetrical cam grooves 5 for driving the
sliders 25 and two symmetrical cam grooves 19 for driving the
wedges 9. A square hole 20 in the center of the cam 4 is fitted
with the central shaft 17. Two segments of symmetrical ratchet gear
teeth 28 and two segments of symmetrical ratchet gear sliding
surfaces 26 are arranged on the ratchet gear 2. A round hole 21 in
the center of the ratchet gear 2 and the filleted end portion 33 on
the central shaft 17 are fitted with clearance. The outer
circumference 3 of the ratchet gear 2 is fitted with the inner
circumference 15 of the coulisse 10. A round hole 12 in the center
of the coulisse 10 is fitted with the filleted end portion 31 of
the central shaft 17. The inner square hole 24 in the center of
return spring 27 located in the circular groove 16 of the coulisse
10 is fixed on the outer square part 32 of the central shaft 17.
The external hook 23 of the return spring 27 is fixed in the hole
40 in the coulisse 10. The position of the hole 40 is shown in FIG.
9. Finally, all the components are connected together through the
clamping of the jacket 1.
[0030] The operation of the device will be described below in
detail. Six semi-punched bosses on the ratchet gear 2 are connected
with the connecting plate of the recliner back thus connected with
the recliner back. Four semi-punched bosses on the coulisse 10 are
connected with the connecting plate of the recliner seat thus
connected with the recliner seat.
[0031] When the external torque is transferred by the central shaft
17 to the cam 4 through the square hole 20 in the center of the cam
4, the bosses 18 on the two wedges 9 are moved by the cam grooves
19 on the cam 4 away from the central shaft 17 and the bosses 8 on
the sliders 25 are brought by the two cam grooves 5 on the cam 4 to
make translation toward the center until the slider teeth 6 are
disengaged with the ratchet gear teeth 28 completely. At this time,
the outer circumference 3 of the ratchet gear 2 and the inner
circumference 15 of the coulisse 10 can rotate freely relative to
each other so that angle-regulation of the recliner back is
realized.
[0032] When the angle of the recliner back is regulated to a
desired angle, the external torque is released. Urged by the return
spring 27, the wedges 9 are brought by the cam grooves 19 of the
cam 4 to make translation toward the center, such that the
self-locking surfaces 30 of the wedges 9 contact with the
self-locking surfaces 29 of the sliders 25 and the sliders 25 are
pushed along the sliding grooves 13 of the coulisse 10 to make
translation outwardly until the slider teeth 6 engage with the
ratchet gear teeth 28 completely.
[0033] In this point, the angle of the recliner back can be locked
at this angle due to the self-locking between the self-locking
surfaces 30 of the wedges 9 and the self-locking surfaces 29 of the
sliders. In addition, owing to the two segments of symmetrical
ratchet gear teeth 28 and two segments of ratchet gear sliding
surfaces 26 on the ratchet gear 2, when the slider teeth 6 face to
the ratchet gear sliding surfaces 26, the slider teeth 6 can slide
freely on the ratchet gear sliding surfaces 26. At this time, the
device can be folded.
[0034] The shape of the above components after assembled is shown
in FIG. 7 which is a front view of the embodiment. Six semi-punched
bosses arranged circumferentially on the ratchet gear 2 are
configured to connect with the connecting plate of the recliner
back thus connect with the recliner back. FIG. 8 is a left view of
the embodiment and FIG. 9 is a rear view of the embodiment. Four
semi-punched bosses arranged circumferentially on the coulisse 10
are configured to connect with the connecting plate of the recliner
seat thus connect with the recliner seat.
[0035] It is only given a design of two sliders and two wedges in
the above embodiment, but the design is not limited to two sliders
and two wedges. Three sliders and three wedges or more sliders and
wedges can be used to carry out the device of the invention.
[0036] When the angle-regulation of the recliner is completed, the
device of the invention enables the two symmetrical self-locking
surfaces 30 of each wedge 9 to correspond with the self-locking
surfaces 29 of the sliders 25 and form a two-point locking-up. When
the ratchet gear teeth 28 engage with the slider teeth 6, the
locking and unlocking of the sliders 25 with the ratchet gear 2 can
be controlled through the rotation of the cam 4 driven by the
external force and the force applied by the spiral return spring 27
so that the angle-regulation of the recliner back is realized.
Since the ratchet gear 2 has two segments of evenly arranged
ratchet gear teeth 28 and two segments of evenly arranged ratchet
gear sliding surfaces 26, the recliner back can be quick-folded
when the ratchet gear sliding surfaces 26 face to the slider teeth
6. The above components are fixedly attached by the jacket 1 into a
relatively independent device which cannot be disassembled and free
of maintenance. The device is versatile as it can be used with
different connecting plates and applied to various vehicles
depending on the user's requirements. The additional advantages of
the invention are that the device has compacted structure, small
volume, high strength, good unlocking performance on both sides,
high regulation precision and the convenience of the
angle-regulation and quick-folding of the recliner back, etc..
[0037] While the invention has been described above by way of
embodiments, the invention is not limited to such embodiments.
Various modifications, equivalent substitutions or improvements may
be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *