Patents Assigned to Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
  • Patent number: 7726744
    Abstract: A motor-driven actuator for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle seat, is for being situated between two components of the vehicle or vehicle seat that can be displaced in relation to one another. The motor-driven actuator comprises a motor, at least one first gear stage that is located on the output side of the motor, a second gear stage that acts as a load-bearing gear and is located on the output side of the first gear stage, and at least one sealing element. The motor, gear stages and sealing element are integrated into the motor-driven actuator. The sealing element is adapted for being in a predetermined sealing configuration for protecting the motor and/or its electrical contact and/or at least one of the gear stages during manufacturing. The sealing element is adapted for not being in the predetermined sealing configuration when the motor-driven actuator is installed and ready to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rolf Schüler
  • Patent number: 7726741
    Abstract: In a longitudinal adjuster (3) for a vehicle seat having a backrest that can pivot freely, a first seat rail (13), and a second seat rail (15) relative to which the first seat rail (13) can be displaced longitudinally, a locking device (16) for locking the longitudinal adjuster (3), a memory device assigned to the first seat rail (13) and interacting with the second seat rail (15), said memory device memorizing a set longitudinal seat position which is relinquished when the vehicle seat (1) is longitudinally displaced during the free pivoting of the backrest (5) and is then re-assumed once the seat is displaced back again, and an actuation device (101) assigned to the first seat rail (13), which actuation device actuates the resetting of the memory device and the unlocking of the locking device (16), the actuation device (101) is arranged with limited movement capability in the longitudinal direction relative to the first seat rail (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Klahold, Gerhard Mitulla
  • Patent number: 7726743
    Abstract: A fitting (10) for a vehicle seat comprises a first fitting part (11) and a second fitting part (12), which may rotate relative to each other in a circumferential direction, and which form a disc-shaped unit; a clamping ring (13) that holds the disc-shaped unit together by engaging radially outwardly over the first fitting part (11) and by being fixed to the second fitting part (12); and a group of internal stopper elements (51, 53) which limit the relative rotation between the first fitting part (11) and the second fitting part (12). Each of the first fitting part (11) and the clamping ring (13) has at least one internal stopper element of the group of internal stopper elements (51, 53).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Don Smith, Gunter Feickert, Joseph Gallatin, Keith B. Cooper, Ralph Schmitz, Ralf Flesch, Dirk Brassat, Martin Stilleke
  • Publication number: 20100072802
    Abstract: A fitting (10) for a vehicle seat comprises a first fitting part (11) and a second fitting part (12), which may rotate relative to each other in a circumferential direction, and which form a disc-shaped unit; a clamping ring (13) that holds the disc-shaped unit together by engaging radially outwardly over the first fitting part (11) and by being fixed to the second fitting part (12); and a group of internal stopper elements (51, 53) which limit the relative rotation between the first fitting part (11) and the second fitting part (12). Each of the first fitting part (11) and the clamping ring (13) has at least one internal stopper element of the group of internal stopper elements (51, 53).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Don Smith, Gunter Feickert, Joseph Gallatin, Keith B. Cooper, Ralph Schmitz, Ralf Flesch, Dirk Brassat, Martin Stilleke
  • Patent number: 7677667
    Abstract: A fitting has a first fitting part, a second fitting part which is rotatable about an axis relative to the first fitting part, a drivable eccentric mounted rotatably about the axis, locking elements moved radially outward by the eccentric to interact with the second fitting part to lock the fitting, a disc cam which pulls the locking elements radially inwards to unlock the fitting, and a free-pivoting control element which, in a certain free-pivoting angular range corresponding to a relative angular range of the fitting parts, prevents the fitting from locking. The free-pivoting control element has at least one first stop track, and at least one second stop track which is offset axially and/or radially with respect to the first stop track. The locking elements comprise first locking elements which interact with the first stop track, and second locking elements which interact with the second stop track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christoph Peters, Ulrich Lehmann
  • Patent number: 7677665
    Abstract: A compound fitting (18) for a vehicle seat, especially for an automotive seat, comprises two individual fittings (10, 50) that are arranged axially juxtaposed and in parallel in relation to the flow of force, and that each have at least two fitting parts (11, 12, 40, 51, 52) that can be rotated in relation to one another, the inner fitting parts being interlinkable and the outer fitting parts being interlinkable. One of the individual fittings is a adjusting fitting (10) for adjusting the compound fitting (8), and the other individual fitting is a locking fitting (50) for locking the compound fitting (8). Two fitting parts (11, 12) of the adjusting fitting (10) can be interlinked by way of a non-self-locking eccentric epicyclic gear. At least to a large extent, the locked locking fitting (50) bridges the adjusting fitting (10) in terms of the flow of force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dietmar Eppert, Jürgen Stemmer, Ulrich Lehmann
  • Patent number: 7669824
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive for adjusting motor vehicle seats comprising a spindle (5) fixed to a first (4) of two rails (3, 4) which are adjustable with respect to each other with the aid of holding devices (60) arranged on the end of the spindle (5). A transmission (9) actuated by a motor (2) is placed on the second rail (3), According to id invention, the holding devices (60) comprise an external bowl-shaped supporting surface (66) in which each end of the spindle (5) is fixedly mounted, respectively. Said solution is more advantageous in comparison with conventional holding devices which are embodied in the form of flexible stamped parts, in particular the inventive holding devices exhibit a high resistance in the case of crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignees: IMS Gear GmbH, Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Woehrle, Hans Dropmann, Andreas Gapp, Urban Knoepfle, Stefan Wetzig
  • Patent number: 7651166
    Abstract: In the case of a vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, with a central structure, a seat cushion (219) which is carried by the central structure and has a seat cushion structure (218) and padding (220) at least partially resting on the seat cushion structure (218), and a backrest which can be pivoted relative to the central structure and/or to the seat cushion (219), the vehicle seat being transferable from a use position, in which it can be sat in, into a flat lowered position by pivoting of the backrest and lowering of the seat cushion (219), the padding (220) partially rests on a seat cushion support (241) which can be moved relative to the seat cushion structure (218) in order to transfer the vehicle seat into the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Schwingenschlögel, Markus Petry
  • Patent number: 7648203
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fitting (10) for the seat of a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising a first fitting part (11), a second fitting part (12) which is mechanically linked to the first fitting part (11), a locking eccentric, and a running eccentric (131), wherein the running eccentric (131) is mounted in relation to the first fitting part (11) and second fitting part (12) by way of a rolling bearing or sliding bearing bushing (28,33), wherein friction between the running eccentric (131) and the sliding bearing bushings (28,33) or between at least one sliding bearing bushing (28, 33) and the associated fitting part (11, 12) is lower than the friction between the locking eccentric and at least one of the fitting parts (11, 12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Heinz Voss, Tobias Ewald, Ulrich Lehmann, Artur Komainda, Rainer Messerschmidt, Grit Scholz, Andreas Norbisrath, Jürgen Stemmer, Heinrich Busch, Holger Finner, Dirk Angermann, Markus Vesper, Gregor Vossmann
  • Patent number: 7631578
    Abstract: In the case of a gear stage (1) of an actuating drive, in particular for a vehicle seat, having a bearing (12) which defines an axis (A12) and having an oscillatory body (11) which is mounted in a rotatable manner by the bearing (12), defines a further axis (A11) and, upon rotation of a driving mechanism (21), executes a rolling movement on the bearing (12), the axis (A11) of the oscillatory body (11) is inclined obliquely at an angle (?) relative to the axis (A12) of the bearing (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rolf Schüler, Karsten Kalmus
  • Patent number: 7628449
    Abstract: A vehicle seat, particularly a motor vehicle seat is provided that includes a seat part structure (3), at least one backrest support (8) which is hingedly connected to the seat part structure (3) in a blockable manner by means of at least one fitting (7), and a backrest structure (4) that is hingedly connected to the backrest support (8) with the aid of a joint (18) and can be blocked along with the backrest support (8) by means of a blocking mechanism (22). The vehicle seat (1) can be transferred from an operative sitting position into a flat inoperative position by unblocking and swiveling the backrest support (8) and/or the backrest structure (4), the unblocked backrest structure (4) swiveling forward and the unblocked backrest support (8) swiveling rearward during the transition from the operative into the inoperative position. The backrest support (8) is unblocked in a force-controlled manner by swiveling the backrest structure (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Dieter Harth
  • Patent number: 7614700
    Abstract: In a fitting for a vehicle seat having a first fitting part (7), a second fitting part (8) that can be rotated relative to the first fitting part (7) around an axis (A) for freely swinging a backrest (4), an eccentric (11) that is drivable and is rotatably supported around the axis (A), at least two latches (13) that are driven radially outwardly by the eccentric (11) to lock the fitting (5), a control disc (19) that pulls the latches (13) radially inwardly in order to unlock the fitting (5), and a swing-free control element (21) which, during free swinging of the backrest (4) between at least one use position and one swung-free position, prevents locking of the fitting (5), characterized in that during free swinging of the backrest (4), the second fitting part (8) locks the control disc (19), by way of the swing-free control element (21) so that the latches (13) remain open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Christoph Peters
  • Patent number: 7585245
    Abstract: A gear step (1) for an actuator in a motor vehicle, in particular for a vehicle seat, comprises a housing (3) provided with a drive (1) mounted thereon in such a way that it is rotatable around an axis (A), and a driven output (21) rotatable about a second axis (B) differing from the axes (A). The drive (11) is used for receiving the driven output (21) by way of at least one rolling body (31), so that the axes (A, B) are parallelly offset by an eccentricity (E) and the driven output is driven by rotating the thus obtained rolling eccentricity, wherein the driven output (21) carries out a tumbling rolling movement on the housing (3) by way of a friction oscillating gear (33, 35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rolf Schüler, Michael Berres, Bernd Bossmanns, Karsten Kalmus
  • Patent number: 7571962
    Abstract: In the case of a fitting (10) for a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, having a first fitting part (11), a second fitting part (12) in geared connection with the first fitting part (11), and a rotatably mounted eccentric (26, 27) driven by a driver (21, 26) to cause relative rolling between the first fitting part (11) and the second fitting part (12), the first fitting part (11) and the second fitting part (12) together form a disc-shaped unit held together by a clamping ring (51), and a third fitting part (74) can be both pivoted relative to the first fitting part (11) and locked with respect to the first fitting part (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Peter Thiel, Ralf Flesch, Martin Stilleke, Tony Ferenc, Ray Weir
  • Patent number: 7571666
    Abstract: Case parts of an adjustment mechanism for a seat adjustment device of a motor vehicle can be joined together along a parting line via joint surfaces. The joint surfaces are provided for the purpose of reciprocal placement of the case parts by way of a joining process. Contact surfaces of the case parts are present in addition to the joint surfaces The contact surfaces are in non-parallel alignment to the joint surfaces. Transferred gear forces running parallel to at least a section of the joint surfaces are absorbed by the contact surfaces. The case parts are fastened to one another by way of screw connections. The contact surfaces of the one case part are respectively held in position with respect to the contact surfaces of the other case part solely due to the screw connections. With such a case, high loads can be absorbed in spite of a small size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignees: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG, IMS Gear GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Borbe, Stefan Wetzig, Wolfram Hofschulte, Michael Wöhrle
  • Patent number: 7571963
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fitting for a vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, comprising a first fitting part; a second fitting part which can be rotated about an axis in relation to the first fitting part; an eccentric which is rotationally mounted about the axis and which can be driven; at least two locking devices, which are guided in a radial direction by the first fitting part, can be displaced in a radial direction in an outward manner by the eccentric and which co-operate in a radial manner towards the outside with the second fitting part in order to lock the fitting; and at least one spring arrangement (17) which impinges upon the eccentric. The spring arrangement (17) comprises two springs (27, 28) which are arranged in a central manner and are placed within each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christoph Peters, Ulrich Lehmann
  • Patent number: 7563049
    Abstract: A fitting (5) for a vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, comprises a first fitting part (7); a second fitting part (8) that can be rotated about an axis (A) relative to the first fitting part (7); a drivable eccentric (11; 111) that is mounted for rotating about the axis (A); and at least two locking elements (13) that are guided in the radial direction with respect to the axis (A) by the first fitting part (7), can be moved radially outward under the action of the eccentric (11; 111), and interact radially outward with the second fitting part (8) in order to lock the fitting (5). When the fitting (5) is in the locked state, at least one locking element (13) tilts in the counter direction in relation to the adjacent locking device (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Christoph Peters
  • Patent number: 7547069
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle seat (1), particularly a motor vehicle seat, comprising a seat part (3), at least one fitting (5) which is provided with a first fitting part (7) and a second fitting part (8) that can be swiveled relative to the first fitting part (7) about an axis (A), and a backrest (4) which is mounted on the seat part (3) by way of the fitting (5) and can be swiveled relative to the seat part (3) about the axis (A). A sensor (15) is provided on the first fitting part (7) while a signaler (14) is provided on the second fitting part (8). The sensor (15) transmits a signal by cooperating with the signaler (14) when the second fitting part (8) swivels relative to the first fitting part (7), the signal making it possible to determine the relative angular position of the fitting parts (7, 8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Diehl, Norbert Heeg
  • Patent number: 7544143
    Abstract: In a drive unit (10) of an adjuster (80) in a vehicle, having at least one particularly electronically commutated motor (12) and at least one gear stage (14) provided on the output side of the motor (12), the gear stage (14) is designed as a differential gear, which by making use of two different speeds and/or directions of rotation causes a movement of an output (54) around an axis (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rolf Schüler, Michael Berres, Bernd Bossmanns, Karsten Kalmus, Christoph Schuhn, Heinz Voss
  • Patent number: 7544142
    Abstract: In an adjuster (80) for a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, having at least two components (81, 82) forming a load-bearing gear, which are movable relative to each other by way of a drive unit (10), wherein the drive unit (10) has a particularly electronically commutated motor (12) and a gear stage (14), the drive unit (10) is integrated into the load-bearing gear, and the motor (12) has at least one rotor (22, 24) borne in the load-bearing gear and rotating around an axis (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rolf Schüler, Michael Berres, Bernd Bossmanns, Karsten Kalmus, Christoph Schuhn, Heinz Voss