Adjustment assembly having a variable gear ratio

摘要

An adjustment assembly is provided, including a rack and a stepped gear. The rack has an array of rack teeth. The rack is moveable in a generally linear direction as an amount of force is exerted on the rack in the linear direction. The stepped gear includes an inner step and an outer step. One of the inner step and the outer step has a set of teeth. The set of teeth are meshed with the array of rack teeth. A center axis is oriented at about a center of the outer step. An axis of rotation is offset from the center axis of the stepped gear, and is configured to create a variable gear ratio between the set of teeth of the inner step or the outer step of the stepped gear and the array of rack teeth as the rack is moved in a linear direction.

主权项

1. An adjustment assembly, comprising:
a rack having an array of rack teeth, the rack moveable in a generally linear direction as an amount of force is exerted on the rack in the linear direction; and a stepped gear comprising:
an inner step and an outer step, one of the inner step and the outer step having a set of teeth, the set of teeth meshed with the array of rack teeth;a center axis oriented at about a center of the outer step;an axis of rotation that is offset from the center axis of the stepped gear configured to create a variable gear ratio between the set of teeth of the inner step or the outer step of the stepped gear and the array of rack teeth as the rack is moved in a linear direction between a first position and a second position;a lever that is selectively rotated about a lever axis of rotation by rotation of the stepped gear; andan adjustment assembly comprising a cam assembly that is received by a portion of the lever, rotation of the lever configured to rotate the cam assembly about the lever axis of rotation.