Technical Field

The invention relates to back support mechanism for vehicle seats.

The invention particularly relates to an adjustment mechanism for back support for vehicle seats, which has been developed to provide support to the lumbar region of the users in vehicle seats used in the automotive industry, that allows the user to adjust the seat back support for himself.

Prior Art

Various support mechanisms and apparatus have been developed in the vehicle seats to provide support for the lumbar regions in order to enable the users to have a comfortable driving and journey.

Lumbar support mechanisms used in current applications have complex structures formed by the combination of a large number of parts. Some mechanisms have gear systems, and when gears fail, the entire gear system needs to be replaced to repair it. The effect of the springs used in the interior of the mechanism may decrease after a certain period of time. Electric motors are used in some mechanisms, but since an additional electrical line is required to control these motors, the structure becomes complex and additional elements are needed. Apart from this, in electric motor mechanisms, the electric motor must be located at the edge of the seat in a space equal to its volume.

The application KR100862707B1 was found as a result of the research conducted on the subject. The said application discloses an adjustment device for Bowden cable arrangement. The adjustment device for the Bowden cable arrangement, which is the subject of the said application, includes a manual lock or tension lock. The adjustment device also includes a housing, a helical shaft and two half shell sections. This device is especially used in a vehicle seat to support the pelvis and/or lumbar region. However, the adjusting device described here has a very complex structure and consists of a large number of elements. It contains an actuator to provide the rotational motion. In this application, there is no mention of a mechanism that will prevent the mechanism from running idle and that does not take up space in the seat.

Therefore, due to the drawbacks mentioned above and the inadequacy of the existing solutions on the subject, it became necessary to make an improvement in the relevant technical field.

Purpose of the Invention

The invention is inspired by the present situations and intends to solve the drawbacks mentioned above.

The main purpose of the invention is to provide an adjustment mechanism for back support for vehicle seats, which has been developed to provide support to the lumbar region of the users in vehicle seats used in the automotive industry, that allows the user to adjust the seat back support for himself.

Another purpose of the invention is to make it usable in seats both with and without armrests, due to the fact that it takes up a small space in the seat.

Another purpose of the invention is to prevent the lumbar from escaping backwards on the seat by means of its internal mechanical arrangement.

Another purpose of the invention is to prevent the mechanism from running idle due to the absence of a free play gap and thus to enable it to react immediately to the given action.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide the user with an adjustment capability with infinite steps.

To achieve the purposes described above, the invention is an adjustment mechanism for back support for vehicle seats, that allows the user to adjust the seat back support for himself, the said mechanism characterized by comprising, an inner surface and an outer surface, which are connected to each other by interlocking, that keep the mechanism together; at least one string structure located on the chassis of the lumbar support area of the vehicle seat that allows the adjustment of the lumbar support by stretching or loosening; at least one ball at the end of the string structure to be connected to the inner surface and the outer surface; an adjuster including guide walls in which the balls at the tip of the string structure move by entering, and a rotation shaft that, being turned by the user, moves the balls within the guide walls, allowing the string structure to loosen and stretch with the movement of the balls, thus allowing adjustment for the back support.

The structural and characteristic features of the invention and all its advantages will be understood more clearly by means of the figures presented below and the detailed description written by reference to these figures. For this reason, the evaluation should be made by considering these figures and the detailed description.

Figures to Help Understanding of the Invention

Figure 1 is the disassembled view of the adjustment mechanism for the back support, which is the subject of the invention.

Figure 2 is the view of the adjustment mechanism for the back support from various angles, which is the subject of the invention,

Figure 3 is the view of the adjustment mechanism for the back support as a whole with the seat chassis, which is the subject of the invention.

Figure 4 is the view of the adjustment mechanism for the back support on seats with armrests, which is the subject of the invention.

Figure 5 is the view of the adjustment mechanism for the back support on seats without armrests, which is the subject of the invention.

Figure 6 is the detail view of the adjuster included in the adjustment mechanism for the back support, which is the subject of the invention.

Description of Part References

A. Chassis

1. Inner surface

1.1. Slot

2. Outer surface

3. Adjuster

3.1. Guide walls

3.2. Rotation shaft

4. String structure

5. Ball Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed explanation, the preferred alternatives to the adjustment mechanism for back support for vehicle seats, which is the subject of the invention, are explained only for a better understanding of the subject and without any limiting effect

The invention is an adjustment mechanism for back support for vehicle seats that allows the user to adjust the seat back support for himself. In its most basic form, it comprises:

• an inner surface (1 ) and an outer surface (2), which are connected to each other by interlocking, that keep the mechanism together,

• at least one string structure (4) located on the chassis (A) of the lumbar support area of the vehicle seat that allows the adjustment of the lumbar support by stretching or loosening,

• at least one ball (5) at the end of the string structure (4) to be connected to the inner surface (1 ) and the outer surface (2),

• an adjuster (3) including o guide walls (3.1 ) in which the balls (5) at the tip of the string structure (4) move by entering, o a rotation shaft (3.2) that, being turned by the user, moves the balls (5) within the guide walls (3.1 ), allowing the string structure (4) to loosen and stretch with the movement of the balls (4), thus allowing adjustment for the back support.

In the disassembled view given in Figure 1 , all the elements of the adjustment mechanism of the invention can be seen in detail.

In Figure 2, views of the invention from various angles are given. In Figure 3, the view of the adjustment mechanism as a whole with the seat chassis (A) is given. The inner surface (1 ), outer surface (2) and adjuster (3) contained in the adjustment mechanism can be produced by plastic injection.

In a preferred configuration of the invention, the guide walls (3.1 ) included in the adjuster (3) are in spiral form. The detail view of the adjuster is given in Figure 6. The adjuster (3) guides the movement of the balls (5) connected to the string structure (4) with the guide walls (3.1 ) it contains. The spiral-shaped guide walls (3.1 ) distinguish the invention from the existing technique, both with its geometric structure and its design resistant to the pressure force and friction that the ball (5) will exert.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the operating principle is as follows:

There is a string structure (4) to provide lumbar support on the chassis (A) on the back of the vehicle seat. These string structures (4) are also known as Bowden cables in the art. At the end of the string structure, there are balls (5). By turning the rotation shaft (3.2) in the adjuster (4), the string structure (4) is stretched or loosened. Guide walls

(3.1 ) in spiral form have been developed in the adjuster (3). The balls (5) move spirally by hitting the guide walls (3.1 ) and as a result of this rotation, the string structure (4) is stretched and the lumbar support increases. When it is turned in the opposite direction, the string structure (4) loosens and the lumbar support decreases. In order to keep the adjuster (3) fixed and the ball (5) to stay within the guide walls (3.1 ), the rotation shaft

(3.2) enters through the hole (1 .1 ) on the inner surface (1 ) and then the inner surface (1 ) and outer surface (2) are connected to each other.

The invention is suitable for use in vehicle seats with armrests as well as in seats without armrests.

In its alternative configurations, the invention may vary according to the seat structure and place of use. Depending on whether the vehicle has an armrest or not, the length of the rotation shaft (3.2) shown in Figure 1 is made long or short. It can be used in seats with armrests when the rotation shaft (3.2) is long, and it can be used in lumbar support systems and lumbars of seats without armrests if the shaft is short.