Motor-vehicle seat hinge

US4143905A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Keiper Automobiltechnik GmbH & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

• Wolfgang Hensel · Langenfeld, DE
• Paul Werner · Remscheid, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 14, 1977
• Grant date: Mar 13, 1979
• Expiry date: Sep 14, 1997

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T74/2133
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A motor-vehicle seat has a seat part and a back part interconnected by means of a hinge having a first hinge element secured to one of these parts and a second hinge element secured to the other part and pivotal on the first element about a horizontal axis. One of these elements is formed as a ring gear with an annular array of inwardly directed teeth and the other element carries a plurality of individually pivoted pawls which can be swung radially outwardly into mesh with these teeth to lock the two elements relative to each other. A cam is provided for radially pivoting these pawls to lock the seat back in any position relative to the seat part. Each pawl has a pivot pin secured in the respective hinge element which is also provided with a plurality of formations adjacent the front ends of these pawls so that even if the pivot pins of the pawls break off the pawls will be supported inside the hinge and the two hinge elements will not be able to pivot relative to each other.