VEHICLE SEAT AND TORSION BAR

摘要

A vehicle seat includes a torsion bar that biases a seat back toward a seat bottom about a pivot axis when in a loaded condition, thereby providing a return force when the seat back is in a reclined position. The torsion bar has a transverse portion that engages a stationary hook. The transverse portion of the torsion bar is oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to the seat pivot axis so that the torsion bar remains engaged with the stationary hook during twisting motion of the torsion bar that occurs with increased torsion bar loading.

主权项

1. A vehicle seat having opposite inboard and outboard sides, the vehicle seat comprising:
a seat back pivotably coupled with a seat bottom by a locking mechanism for relative movement toward and away from each other about a transverse pivot axis, wherein the locking mechanism is changeable between a locked position, in which the locking mechanism prevents the seat back and seat bottom from moving relative to each other, and an unlocked position, in which the locking mechanism allows the seat back and seat bottom to freely move relative to each other; and a torsion bar that biases the seat back toward the seat bottom about the pivot axis when in a loaded condition, the torsion bar comprising:
a transverse portion having opposite first and second ends spaced apart along a torsional axis;a first engagement portion in a fixed position relative to the seat bottom and radially spaced from the torsional axis by a first lever arm extending from the first end of the transverse portion of the torsion bar; anda second engagement portion in a fixed position relative to the seat back and radially spaced from the torsional axis by a second lever arm extending from the second end of the transverse portion of the torsion bar, wherein the torsional axis forms an angle with the transverse pivot axis, said angle being in a range between 0.5 degrees and 45 degrees.