The present invention relates to a device for guiding mobil elements of various mechanism, in particular of a spring- mounted vehicle seat. But it can be used .a.o. for manipulator-levers, lifting and similar equipments too.

THE BACKGROUND ART

In the practice various types of mechanism, such as devices having parallel levers or sliders or rollers or shear-like levers are used for guiding the mutually oveable elements or structural parts of spring-mounted vehicle seats, manipulators, lifting equipments, etc. But the traditional devices provide a straight-line or arcuate displacements only, for the more complicated spatial displacements additional sliding or rolling means, shear-like levers etc. are to be used. These additional devices are too complicated, as to their structure and arrangement, furthermore, they need a relatively large built-in space, their frictional losses are too high and they can be used in limited extent only.

From the US-PS 4-248-103 and the DE-OS 3-108-552 guiding devices have been known which are suitable solely for straight-line or arcuate displacements. In the above publications there are described such arrangements wherein a mechanism is hingedly incorporated between two relatively mobil but rigid structural parts. The mechanism consists of two co-operating mechanism parts being arranged in inclined position to each other. Both of the mechanism parts comprise two elements which are hingendly connected at their outer end to one of the mobile structural parts and at their inner end to each other. In each mechanism parts the pivot shafts are parallel to one another, that is why the imaginary displacement surfaces and the straight-line of their

intersection defines . the -resultant displacement of the equipments. With other words, the above devices are to be used excusively for straight-line quiding of mobile units. The arms of the mechanism parts project too long- ih the collapsed state of the device.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is aimed at elimination of the above shortcomings with an improved device for guiding mobil elements of a mechanism, mainly of spring-mounted vehicle seats by means of which the stroke (length of the resultant displacement) of the device can considerably be increased by relatively simple and inexpensive manner. but without any enlargement of the joint lever length.

The essence of the claimed invention lies in that at least one of the mechanism parts consists of two elements wherein the first element is hingedly coupled to the second one by an intermediate joint. The outer free end of the first element is also hingedly coupled to the first structural part by a first joint and the free end of the second element to the second structural part by a second joint. The second joint is arranged in such a manner that it can perform a movement in both directions - from its central position to its both extreme positions - transverse to an imaginary line which is laid through the first and second joints. The second joint can be found in the closest position to the first joint in its central basic position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the motion path of the second joint is arranged with a predetermined spacing from the first joint. By this arrangement an involuntarily turn-around of the mechanism part at the middle joint can be avoided.

According to a further feature of the invention such a

construction is also feasible, where the device consists of two symmetrically arranged mechanism parts. In a given case, a third mechanism part can be used for the transversal guiding, that is perpendicular to the first and second mechanism parts.

Within each mechanism parts the axes of the joints can be parallel to each other. In this case the resultant displacement of the device is a straight-line movement. But the axes of the joints can intersect each other in an outer point, even they can deviate from each other. In the last mentioned two cases the resultant displacement of the device is not straight-line but a spatial or planar curve, respectively. These embodiments can meet all the user's requirements even in the cases of any special curved resultant movements.

It is advantageous furthermore, when the jointed first and second elements of the mechanism part are formed as pivoted arms having the same length. In this embodiment the motion path between the two extreme positions of the mobil second joint, that is the resultant displacement of the device can be at least triplicate, even 3,6 times so much as the length of the elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Two ways if carrying out the invention is described in detail below with reference to drawings which illustrate only specific embodiments, in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device in accordance with the invention, broken out in part, - Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the left part of the device according to Figure 1,

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

> DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The first embodiment of the device for ⁾ guiding mobil elements of spring-mounted vehicle seats according to Figure 1 and 2 is especially applicable for omnibuses. For the better intelligibility the driver seat and its spring support have not been illustrated in the drawings.

The guiding device according to the invention is designated as a whole with 1 in Figure 1 which is hingedly incorporated between too mutually displaceable but rigid structural parts 2 and 3. In the present case the first stuctural parts 2 is a fixed base plate but the second structural part 3 is an upward moveable bearer plate on which the driver seat (with its fittings) is arranged (not illustrated) .

The guiding device 1 consists of two co-operating mechanism parts 4 and 5 being arranged symmetrically. On the other hand, the device 1 is provided with a third mechanism part 6 for guiding in transversal direction and therefor it is arranged perpendicular to the first and second mechanism parts 4 and 5, respectively.

The schematic arrangement and details of the first mechanism part 4 can be seen in Figure 2. It consists of two elements 8 and 9 which are hinged together by an intermediate joint 7. The outer free end of the first element 8 is hingedly coupled to the first structural part 2 by a first joint 10. The free end of the second element 9 is also hingedly coupled to the moveable second structural part 3 through a second joint 11.

In Figure 2 the first and second elements 8 and 9, as well as the second joint 11 in their middle basic position are

illustrated with full line. In this position an imaginary line 12 can be laid through the first end second joints 10 and 11, respectively _r and this line 12 is perpendicular to the vertical plane of the first structural part 2.

According to the invention, the second joint 11 is arranged in such a manner that it can move from its central basic position to its both extreme positions, that is in both directions (up and down) , as indicated with an arrow 13 in Figure 2, transverse to said imaginary line 12. The upper and lower extreme positions of the second joint 11 are designated with 11' and 11", respectively.

In Figure 2 the elements 8, 9 are also designated with broken lines and their upper extreme positions with 8' and 9', respectively, but their lower extreme positions with 8" and 9", respectively. The upper and lower extreme positions of the intermediate joint 7 are designated with 7' and 7", respectively.

In Figure 2 it is clear that the second joint 11 can be found closest to the fix first joint 10 in its middle basic position. Towards its extreme positions 11' and 11" the distances between the joints 10 and 11 are increasing.

It can be seen in Figure 2 that there is a spacing 14 between the first and second joints 10, 11. This spacing 14 is the same as the common length 1 of the elements 8 and 9. By means of this spacing 14 an involuntarily turn-around of the middle joint 7 can be avoided.

Compared to the elements 8 and 9 having the same length 1 , the second joint 11 can be moved upwards or downwards along a path Li to its extreme positions 11' and 11" from its middle position (marked with the imaginary line 12 in Figur 2) . The length of the path I-i corresponds in this case to 1,8 times value of the length 1 of the elements 8 and 9.

Consequently, the whole motion path L is double the path L _] _ which corresponds about to the 3,6 times value of the length 3. of said elements 8 and 9.

It can be seen in Figur 1 that the mechanism parts 4 and 5 are arranged symmetrically. In the mechanism part 4 axes of the joint 7, 10 and 11 are designated with 15, 16 and 17, respectively. These are parallel to ^" each other in this embodiment. According to the sense it holds true of the other mechanism part 5, as well.

In Figur 1 a third mechanism part 6 can be seen too which has the task to guide the device 1 in transversal direction, that is perpendicular to the first and second mechanism parts 4 and 5. As to the construction of said third mechanism part 6, it fully corresponds to that of the mechanism part 4 (Figur 2) . For the sake of simplicity its joints are designated with the same reference characters, that is a middle joint with 1 , a first joint with 10 and a second joint with 11. Axes of the joints 7, 10 and 11 are marked with 18, 19 and 20, respectively, which are parallel to each other but perpendicular to the axes 11, 15 and 16.

From Figure 1 it is clear that the first rigid structural part 2 is a fixed base plate of U-configuration. In its side walls 21 and 22 the first joints 10 are embedded. The second structural part 3 is formed in this case as a displaceable bearer plate which is provided with foots 23 embedding the second joints 11.

In the embodiment according to Figures 1 and 2 the second structural part 3 together with the second joint 11 can be moved from the lower extreme position 11" to the upper extreme position 11' , and between said two extreme positions 11', 11" it can be maintained in any interim position owning to the present invention. By the proposed simple construction about double amount of the motion path L can be

achieved, compared to the prior solutions, under very favourable space utilization.

It is to be noted that in further embodiments the axes 15-17 or 18-20 of at least one of the mechanism parts 4 and 6 can intersect each other in an outer point, or even they can derivate from each other according to the present invention.

In these embodiments the resultant displacement of the devices are not straight-line but spatial or planar curve. In this way the resultant displacement of the device according to the invention can fulfil any special requirements of the applierε.

In Figure 3 a further preferred embodiment of the device l is illustrated which is provided with a mechanism part 4 (the similar parts have been marked with the same reference characters as in Figure 1 and 2) . A first structural part 2 is fixed to a framework of an omnibus (not illustrated) , on the other hand, on a removeable second structural part 3 a driver seat is mounted (not illustrated) . In this embodiment a common axis 16 of the first joints 10 and an axis 15 of the middle joints 7, as well as an axis 17 of the second joints 11 intersect each other in a point being outer of the device outlines (not illustrated in Figure 3) .

It can be seen in Figure 3 that an other mechanism part 24 has been used which essentially departs from the mechanism part 4. This mechanism part 24 comprises two elements 25 and 26 which are hinged together by an intermediate joint 27. The free end of the element 26 is higedly coupled to the first structural part 2 by a joint 28. The free end of the other element 25 is also hingedly coupled to the moveable second structural part 3 by a joint 29. Axes 30, 31, 32 of said joints 27, 28 and 29, respectively, are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the flat surfaces of the structural parts 2 and 3, as it can be seen in Figure 3.

The resultant displacement of the device 1 was marked with an arrow 33 in Figure 3 which is a spatial curve.

An additional advantage of this embodiment that it provides a relatively long motion path but it needs small space for its arrangement.

The most important- advantages of the present invention lies in that it needs the possibly fewest structural elements; its construction is very simple and easy to manufacture, furthermore, it does not need any special maintenance even after a longer sevice life. Compared to the traditional devices - having the same lever length - the device 1 according to the invention provides even two times so long motion path, which should be a technical surprise for a person having ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, it is to be noted that such a further embodiment can also be possible wherein the device 1 comprises a single mechanism part according to the present invention only, and it can be associated with each of the known mechanism parts.

There is an extreme small space requirement for arrangement of a further embodiment in which the angular arrangement of the mechanism parts can be carried out in such a way that in the middle basic position the intermediate joint in the first mechanism part gets a lower position, and at the same time the intermediate joint in the second mechanism part gets an upper position.