Abstract: In a seat slide device applicable to an automotive vehicle, a lock mechanism includes: a lock arm disposed on an upper rail to be pivotable around a pivotal center axis; lock pawls formed on the lock arm along the elongate direction of the upper rail; lock holes formed on a lower rail and the upper rail, the lock pawls being inserted through the lock holes to lock the upper rail with respect to the lower rail; a pair of slits formed at predetermined front-and-rear positions of a side surface of the upper rail; and a bearing bracket, the bearing bracket and the lock arm being disposed within an enclosed space between the upper rail and the lower rail and including a pair of bearing portions and both ends of the lock arm and the pair of bearing portions being disposed within inner spaces defined by the pair of slits.

Abstract: A steering column device for a vehicle which includes: a steering column jacket; a detachable bracket detachably attached to an attachment bracket for supporting the steering column jacket; a tearable first energy absorbing member having one end fixed to the attachment bracket and the other end fixed to the detachable bracket; a tearable second energy absorbing member having one end fixed to the detachable bracket and the other end engageable with the attachment bracket; and an engaging device for engagement between the second energy absorbing member and the attachment bracket. The engaging device leaves the second energy absorbing member unengaged with the attachment bracket under a low-impact load condition, and has the second energy absorbing member engaged with the attachment bracket under a high-impact load condition.

Abstract: A first reduction ratio established between first internal teeth of an input gear and first external teeth of a first planetary gear of an annular planetary gear unit is set different from a second reduction ratio established between a second internal teeth of an output gear and second external teeth of a second planetary gear of the annular planetary gear unit. A rotation cam unit is installed in a circular opening of the annular planetary gear unit to cause, upon rotation thereof, the first and second planetary gears to make an eccentric rotation relative to a common axis of the first and second internal teeth thereby to induce a circumferential movement of a first meshed portion between the first external teeth and the first internal teeth and a second meshed portion between the second external teeth and the second internal teeth. The rotation cam unit is actuated by an electric motor.

Abstract: In a steer-by-wire vehicle steering system configured to execute a direct-coupled mode via a clutch for failsafe, the clutch includes a first member fixed to a clutch output shaft, a second member defining a cylindrical outer peripheral wall surface in rolling-contact with a cylindrical inner peripheral wall surface of the first member, and a pair of spring-loaded wedges movably interposed between the two members. Also provided is a lock pin, which squeezes into and retreats out of a space defined between the two opposing first wedge ends to ensure a lock state, namely, the engaged state with the jammed wedges and an unlock state, namely, the disengaged state with the unjammed wedges. A steering-movement transmission member, fixed to a clutch input shaft, is interleaved between the circumferentially-spaced second wedge ends to keep the two opposing first wedge ends in close proximity to each other.

Abstract: In a seat slide device applicable to an automotive vehicle, a lock mechanism includes: a lock arm disposed on an upper rail to be pivotable around a pivotal center axis; lock pawls formed on the lock arm along the elongate direction of the upper rail; lock holes formed on a lower rail and the upper rail, the lock pawls being inserted through the lock holes to lock the upper rail with respect to the lower rail; a pair of slits formed at predetermined front-and-rear positions of a side surface of the upper rail; and a bearing bracket, the bearing bracket and the lock arm being disposed within an enclosed space between the upper rail and the lower rail and including a pair of bearing portions and both ends of the lock arm and the pair of bearing portions being disposed within inner spaces defined by the pair of slits.

Abstract: A steering column device for a vehicle which includes: a steering column jacket; a detachable bracket detachably attached to a part of a vehicle body for supporting the steering column jacket; a tearable first energy absorbing member having one end fixed to the part of the vehicle body and the other end fixed to the detachable bracket; a tearable second energy absorbing member having one end fixed to the part of the vehicle body and the other end engageable with the detachable bracket; and an engaging device for engagement between the second energy absorbing member and the detachable bracket. The engaging device leaves the second energy absorbing member unengaged with the detachable bracket under a low-impact load condition, and has the second energy absorbing member engaged with the detachable bracket under a high-impact load condition.

Abstract: A stopper structure for a seat lifter includes a stopper formed at another end of a connecting rod to abut on a connecting shaft when a cushion frame is located in a lifting limit position and a lowering limit position with respect to the base frame. When the cushion frame is located in the lifting limit position, the stopper restricts rotation of a sector gear in the direction of lifting the cushion frame with respect to the base frame. When the cushion frame is located in the lowering limit position, the stopper restricts rotation of the sector gear in the direction of lowering the cushion frame with respect to the base frame.

Abstract: A stopper structure for a seat lifter includes a stopper formed at another end of a connecting rod to abut on a connecting shaft when a cushion frame is located in a lifting limit position and a lowering limit position with respect to the base frame. When the cushion frame is located in the lifting limit position, the stopper restricts rotation of a sector gear in the direction of lifting the cushion frame with respect to the base frame. When the cushion frame is located in the lowering limit position, the stopper restricts rotation of the sector gear in the direction of lowering the cushion frame with respect to the base frame.

Abstract: A casing 10 includes second gears 20 having second locking cams 25 disposed in axial symmetry with a rotational axis of the casing 10, and guides 11A each having a slide-contacting face 11c, disposed in axial symmetry with a rotational axis of the casing 10 and on a straight line L4 perpendicular to a line L3 passing through the second locking cams 25. A cam 40 includes a plurality of first locking cams 41 for pressing the second locking cams 25, disposed in axial symmetry with a rotational axis of the cam 40, and guiding faces 45 disposed in axial symmetry with a rotational axis of the cam 40 and on a straight line L2 perpendicular to a line L1 passing through the first locking cams 41. A shaft 30 includes coupling portions 32, 34 for transmitting external torque and is press-fitted into the center hole 42 of cam 40 at a predetermined rotational angle.

Abstract: A casing 10 includes second gears 20 having second locking cams 25 disposed in axial symmetry with a rotational axis of the casing 10, and guides 11A each having a slide-contacting face 11c, disposed in axial symmetry with a rotational axis of the casing 10 and on a straight line L4 perpendicular to a line L3 passing through the second locking cams 25. A cam 40 includes a plurality of first locking cams 41 for pressing the second locking cams 25, disposed in axial symmetry with a rotational axis of the cam 40, and guiding faces 45 disposed in axial symmetry with a rotational axis of the cam 40 and on a straight line L2 perpendicular to a line L1 passing through the first locking cams 41. A shaft 30 includes coupling portions 32, 34 for transmitting external torque and is press-fitted into the center hole 42 of cam 40 at a predetermined rotational angle.

Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus for vehicles includes a casing, which has a recess and a mount extending from the recess, and a cap, which has a fringe and an inside gear formed along the inner periphery of the cap. The cap is received in the recess of the casing. The fringe of the cap and the periphery of the casing are held together by a binding frame so as not to separate from each other. The binding frame has a groove, and the fringe of the cap and the periphery of the casing are received in the groove. A lock mechanism is placed in the recess of the casing. The lock mechanism includes one or more lock gears. Each lock gear has arched gear teeth, and is movable between a meshed position, at which the lock gear is meshed with the inside gear of the cap, and a retracted position, at which the lock gear is disengaged from the inside gear. A driving shaft penetrating through the cap and the casing.

Abstract: A first supporting member (10) supports a first seat member. A second supporting member (60) supports a second seat member rotatable relative to the first seat member. An angular restrictor (80, 90) is provided between the first and the second supporting members (10, 60) for restricting an angle between the first and the second supporting members (10, 60) within an angular range.

Abstract: A seat sliding apparatus includes: a pair of right and left lower rails (20, 20) each having lock teeth (22, 22); a first and a second upper rails (30A, 30B); first and second lock plates (40A, 40B); lock springs (50, 50) provided at the first and second upper rails (30A, 30B) respectively; and an operation lever (70) attached to the first and second lock plates (40A, 40B). In the above construction, a first end portion (70a) of the operation lever (70) is attached to the neighborhood of the pivot portion (41) of the first lock plate (40A). Furthermore, an operation lever attachment member (45) for attaching a second end portion (70b) of the operation lever (70) to the neighborhood of the pivot portion (41) of the second lockplate (40B) is provided to be rotatable and freely up and down.

Abstract: A seat sliding apparatus, includes: a pair of right and left upper rails; a pair of lock plates mounted respectively to the pair of right and left upper rails in such a manner such that vicinities of base portions of the lock plates are pivoted via a shaft so that the lock plates are capable of swinging around the shaft; lock holes formed on a lower portion of a free end of the lock plates to engage with lock gear teeth formed on the pair of right and left lower rails; a lock spring biasing the lock plates to swing so that the lock holes are engaged with lock gear teeth, whereby a movement of the seat main body in a front-and-rear direction is prevented, and whereby the seat main body can be moved in the front-and-rear direction by releasing the engagement: and an operation lever mounted to the pair of lock plates so that the lock plates can be operated simultaneously by operating the operation lever.

Abstract: An adjustable hinge mount in which a first hinge member is fixed to a seat proper or frame and a second hinge member fixed to the seat back comprises a control arrangement acting on a bearing plate with upper teeth for locking engagement with internal teeth of the second hinge member. The bearing plate is guided by spaced guide walls of the first hinge member and pushed by an elevated portion of a cam pivotable about an axle together with a lever which is pivotable about the axle. Pivoting the lever to an unlocking or released position causes the cam to disengage from the internal teeth.

Abstract: An adjustable hinge mount for a seat having an adjustable seat back comprises an axle interconnecting first and second hinge members for pivotal motion relative to each other, an internal teeth formed in the second hinge member, a bearing plate having teeth for locking cooperation with the internal teeth, spaced guide walls formed in the first hinge member for guiding the bearing plate in reciprocal directions, and an control arrangement for controlling motion of the bearing plate into and out of engagement with the internal teeth. The control arrangement includes a lever and a cam in unitary motion with the lever for cooperation with the bearing plate. The cam is mounted to the first hinge member for pivotal motion about a cam axis located at a position spaced from an axis of the axle.

Abstract: A seat for an automotive vehicle comprises upper rails engaged with lower rails and having wall portions, a connecting rod rotatably arranged between the wall portions of the upper rails, links mounted to the connecting rod, side brackets rotatably mounted to the links, and base plates mounted to the side brackets.

Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus comprises a pair of base plates (10A, 10B) on the outer side and on the inner side fixedly mounted respectively on both right- and left-hand sides of a seat cushion, and a pair of arms (90) fixedly mounted respectively on both left- and right-hand sides of a seat back, and mounted respectively on the base plates. The seat reclining apparatus further comprises a pair of locking mechanisms which have a pair of upper teeth (20) mounted respectively on the arms, a pair of lower teeth (30) engageable with and disengageable from the upper teeth, respectively, and a pair of cam members (50) for operating the lower teeth, respectively. The arrangement is such that the cam members are operated by operation of an operating lever (40) which is mounted on one of the base plates. In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the pair of upper teeth is so set as to be movable angularly through a predetermined angle with respect to a corresponding one of the arms.

Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus for adjusting an inclining angle of a seat back to a seat cushion is provided with a base plate secured to the seat cushion. An arm is secured to the seat back and is pivotably supported by the base plate. An upper tooth is secured to the arm, while a lower tooth for engaging the upper tooth is pivotably supported by the base plate. An operating structure is pivotably supported by the base plate, which operating structure operates the lower tooth to engage and disengage the lower tooth and the upper tooth.

Abstract: A vehicle safety belt pre-tensioning system includes a slider to which a cable is attached. The slider is affixed to a safety belt buckle and to a cable for pulling the buckle forcibly downward to secure a seat occupant upon occurrence of an emergency condition. The cable is arranged parallel to a guide groove of a guide plate and is guide into a sensor mechanism via a roller. The other end of the cable is affixed to a piston. A portion of the cable is fixed in a tube which is arranged in the sensor mechanism. The sensor mechanism activates a trigger upon detecting an emergency condition. Between the sensor mechanism and the piston, a coil spring is held in a compressed state. Within the sensor mechanism, the tube is retained by a pawl which also contacts a link which is positioned proximate a pin, or trigger, associated with a sensor mass. When vehicle motion indicatives an emergency condition, the sensor mass moves so as to cause the pin to break the link. Thus, the pawl moves so as to release the tube.