Seat recliner with easy entry release and method of manufacturing same

摘要

A vehicle seat and seat back adjustment mechanism are disclosed that provide for adjusting the angle of inclination of a seat back relative to a seat base and also permit easy entry to the area behind the seat by allowing the seat back to be released to move between an adjusted angle of inclination and a position in which the seat back is folded over the seat base. The adjustment mechanism includes at least one comfort tilt recliner mechanism and one easy entry recliner mechanism that are joined via a first interface and a second interface face each, respectively, located on the outer surfaces of the facing plates of the two mechanisms by a radial laser welding process, such that the mechanisms may be coaxially attached to the vehicle seat to permit the seat back to pivot about a single axis.

主权项

1. An adjustment apparatus for a vehicle seat that includes a seat base and a seat back that is pivotally connected to the seat base to pivot about an axis, the apparatus comprising a generally disc-shaped first adjustment mechanism including at least two plates that are rotatable relative to one another to provide for rotation of the seat back relative to the seat base about the axis, each of the plates of the first adjustment mechanism including an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of one of the plates includes a generally planar first interface, and a second, generally disc-shaped adjustment mechanism including at least two plates that are rotatable relative to one another to provide for rotation of the seat back about the axis, each of the plates of the second adjustment mechanism including an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of one of the plates includes a generally planar second interface, wherein the first and second adjustment mechanisms are mounted adjacent each other such that the first interface and the second interface abut, creating at least one contact location and creating a space between the plates at locations other than the abutting first and second interfaces, and the space between the plates is unobstructed in a radial direction from the outer perimeters of the plates to at least one of the contact locations between the first interface and the second interface, such that the first and second adjustment mechanisms are coaxially joined at the first interface and second interface by radial laser welding without the weld beam striking the plates at locations other than the at least one contact location between the first interface and the second interface.