Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a drive mechanism for a power seat apparatus for a vehicle includes an electric motor, a speed-reduction gear mechanism, a gear housing for housing therein the speed-reduction gear mechanism and supporting thereto the electric motor, the gear housing including a housing body having an accommodating space, a cover mounted to the housing body, and a retaining member provided on the housing body for fixedly retaining the cover on the housing body by rotating the cover relative to the housing body upon assembly, and a bracket through which the gear housing is supported by the driven member, the bracket including a receiving portion and a rotation-restricting surface.

Abstract: A vehicle seat apparatus including a cushion body provided on a frame member, a seat cushion, a gear member, a driving mechanism, an arm, and a link mechanism having a first bracket rotatably supported at the gear member, a second bracket rotatably supported at the first bracket, and a link bracket, a first end of which is rotatably supported at the second bracket, and a second end of which is connected to the arm. The arm is connected to the gear member through the link mechanism, and with an up-and-down operation of a front-end portion of the cushion body relative to the frame member by means of a swing of the arm, a length of the seating surface is variable in a longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A seat status detecting device includes a seat status detecting device includes a seat slide portion provided at a seat, a magnetic sensor provided at the seat slide portion for detecting a seat status, and a protective cover assembled to the magnetic sensor for surrounding the magnetic sensor.

Abstract: A power seat slide apparatus includes a lower rail adapted to be provided on a floor of a vehicle, an upper rail slidably supported by the lower rail and adapted to support a seat for a vehicle, a screw member supported by the upper rail and the lower rail, a feed nut member arranged on one of the lower rail and the upper rail and threaded onto the screw member, a retaining bracket arranged on the other one of the lower rail and the upper rail and the screw member being positioned in the retaining bracket, a first engaging member and a second engaging member arranged on the screw member so as to oppose each other via the retaining bracket and cooperatively sandwiching the retaining bracket in an axial direction of the screw member, and a drive unit transmitting a rotating drive force to the screw member.

Abstract: A vehicle seat apparatus including a cushion body provided on a frame member, a seat cushion, a gear member, a driving mechanism, an arm, and a link mechanism having a first bracket rotatably supported at the gear member, a second bracket rotatably supported at the first bracket, and a link bracket, a first end of which is rotatably supported at the second bracket, and a second end of which is connected to the arm. The arm is connected to the gear member through the link mechanism, and with an up-and-down operation of a front-end portion of the cushion body relative to the frame member by means of a swing of the arm, a length of the seating surface is variable in a longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a cable possessing connecting portions at both ends, one of the connecting portions inserted into a groove of an output shaft at one side, and the other one of the connecting portions inserted into a groove of an input shaft at the other side, wherein rotational torque from the output shaft is transmitted to the input shaft, and at least two projected portions provided on the respective connecting portions and arranged with a predetermined distance therebetween in a longitudinal direction of the cable, wherein the respective connecting portions possess bent-shaped structures and the two projected portions of the respective connecting portions become in contact with opposed surfaces of the respective grooves.

Abstract: A seat position detecting apparatus includes a fixed rail fixed on a vehicle floor, a movable rail at which a vehicle seat is fixed for sliding on the fixed rail, and a position detecting means directly mounted at one of either the fixed rail or the movable rail for detecting a relative position between the fixed rail and the movable rail by detecting the other of either the fixed rail or the movable rail, wherein a first engaging means is provided at either the fixed rail or the movable rail at which the position detecting means is mounted, and a second engaging means provided complementarily to the first engaging means engages with the first engaging means through the position detecting means.

Abstract: A seat status detecting device includes a seat status detecting device includes a seat slide portion provided at a seat, a magnetic sensor provided at the seat slide portion for detecting a seat status, and a protective cover assembled to the magnetic sensor for surrounding the magnetic sensor.

Abstract: A vertical movement apparatus for a vehicle seat includes a seat bracket supported on a seat member, a floor bracket adapted to be supported on a floor member, a link supported by the floor bracket to move the seat bracket in the vertical direction of the seat member, a driving member operatively connected to the link to drive the link and move the seat bracket in the vertical direction, and a link control mechanism. The link control mechanism includes an elongated hole located in either the seat bracket or the floor bracket, a pin operatively engaged with the other of the floor bracket or the seat bracket and slidably disposed within the elongated hole, and a depression portion located on the inside surface of the elongated hole to prevent the pin from sliding within the elongated hole.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a cable possessing connecting portions at both ends, one of the connecting portions inserted into a groove of an output shaft at one side, and the other one of the connecting portions inserted into a groove of an input shaft at the other side, wherein rotational torque from the output shaft is transmitted to the input shaft, and at least two projected portions provided on the respective connecting portions and arranged with a predetermined distance therebetween in a longitudinal direction of the cable, wherein the respective connecting portions possess bent-shaped structures and the two projected portions of the respective connecting portions become in contact with opposed surfaces of the respective grooves.

Abstract: A vertical movement apparatus for a vehicle seat includes a seat bracket supported on a seat member, a floor bracket adapted to be supported on a floor member, a link supported by the floor bracket to move the seat bracket in the vertical direction of the seat member, a driving member operatively connected to the link to drive the link and move the seat bracket in the vertical direction, and a link control mechanism. The link control mechanism includes an elongated hole located in either the seat bracket or the floor bracket, a pin operatively engaged with the other of the floor bracket or the seat bracket and slidably disposed within the elongated hole, and a depression portion located on the inside surface of the elongated hole to prevent the pin from sliding within the elongated hole.

Abstract: A seat reclining device has an external gear member and an internal gear member positioned in opposing relation, and a stopper member between the opposing gear members for regulating the reclining movement of the backrest relative to the seat cushion. The stopper member includes a first convex portion on the external gear (or internal gear) member and a stopper provided on the outer peripheral surface of the internal gear (or external gear) member. A second convex portion is also provided on the external gear (or internal gear) member. By engaging the second convex portion with a bore on a ring member that surrounds the periphery of the internal and external gear members, a part of the contact force between the stopper and the first convex portion is transmitted to the ring member.

Abstract: A vertical movement apparatus for a vehicle seat includes a seat bracket supported on a seat member, a floor bracket adapted to be supported on a floor member, a link supported by the floor bracket to move the seat bracket in the vertical direction of the seat member, a driving member operatively connected to the link to drive the link and move the seat bracket in the vertical direction, and a link control mechanism. The link control mechanism includes an elongated hole located in either the seat bracket or the floor bracket, a pin operatively engaged with the other of the floor bracket or the seat bracket and slidably disposed within the elongated hole, and a depression portion located on the inside surface of the elongated hole to prevent the pin from sliding within the elongated hole.

Abstract: A seat reclining device has an external gear member and an internal gear member positioned in opposing relation, and a stopper member between the opposing gear members for regulating the reclining movement of the backrest relative to the seat cushion. The stopper member includes a first convex portion on the external gear (or internal gear) member and a stopper provided on the outer peripheral surface of the internal gear (or external gear) member. A second convex portion is also provided on the external gear (or internal gear) member. By engaging the second convex portion with a bore on a ring member that surrounds the periphery of the internal and external gear members, a part of the contact force between the stopper and the first convex portion is transmitted to the ring member.

Abstract: A seat vertical positioning device for a vehicle seat includes a seat side member supported by the vehicle seat, a bracket fixed to a vehicle floor side member and a link having on end pivotally connected with the bracket at a first pivot point and another end pivotally connected with the seat side member at a second pivot point. The seat vertical positioning device further includes a pin for moving the first pivot point of the link relative to the bracket when the seat side member receives a load which exceeds a predetermined value. A plurality of recesses are formed on the bracket at a position separated from the first pivot point, and a lock pin is fixed to the link and engageable with the recesses when the pivot point of the link is moved.

Abstract: A vertical movement apparatus for a vehicle seat includes a seat bracket supported on a seat member, a floor bracket adapted to be supported on a floor member, a link supported by the floor bracket to move the seat bracket in the vertical direction of the seat member, a driving member operatively connected to the link to drive the link and move the seat bracket in the vertical direction, and a link control mechanism. The link control mechanism includes an elongated hole located in either the seat bracket or the floor bracket, a pin operatively engaged with the other of the floor bracket or the seat bracket and slidably disposed within the elongated hole, and a depression portion located on the inside surface of the elongated hole to prevent the pin from sliding within the elongated hole.

Abstract: A seat slide device for seat position adjustment, comprising: a lower rail arranged on an installing portion of a vehicle body; an upper rail retaining the seat and adapted to move along the lower rail; and an electric motor, so that the position of the seat may be adjusted by the lower rail, the upper rail and the electric motor through a drive unit. Further comprised is a bracket which has the drive unit arranged and is retained by the upper rail while retaining one end of a screw member arranged movably in the lower rail. The bracket includes an abutment face for abutting against a shoulder portion of one end of the upper rail below the top face of the same.

Abstract: A power seat device includes a lifting mechanism having a rocking member for moving a seat cushion up and down, an axially movable screw member retained at its one end by the rocking member, and a housing box provided with a gear mechanism for reducing the revolution of a motor to move the screw member axially. The power seat device is also provided with a holding member for retaining and holding the housing box.

Abstract: A gasification furnace main body, having both a water-cooled wall structure and a duct having a water-cooled wall structure and containing therein a group of gas cooling heat-exchangers disposed within a pressure vessel, is improved in order to prevent a reduction in temperature of gas within the pressure vessel which would otherwise occur due to convection and to avoid the risk of fire and explosion which would otherwise be created by char accumulating within the pressure vessel. The improvements reside in an outlet of the duct and the inside of the pressure vessel communicating with each other at a defined location in the apparatus, a partition wall connecting the wall of the duct with an inner wall surface of the pressure vessel at a level higher than that location, and equalizing valves for placing the spaces on respective sides of the partition wall in communication with each other when a pressure difference between the respective sides of the partition wall has become a predetermined value or larger.

Abstract: A footrest apparatus for supporting the calves of a passenger seated in the rear seat of an automobile includes a stationary plate secured to the floor of the vehicle, a link mechanism turnably provided on a forward end of the stationary plate, a footrest member turnably connected to a rearward end of the stationary plate and connected to one end of the link mechanism, a screw turned by a drive source via a reduction device, and a nut threadedly engaged with the screw. The link mechanism is turned by relative movement of the nut to move the footrest member up and down about the rearward end thereof.