Patent ID: 7963496
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
1. A vehicle seat sliding apparatus having a lower rail adapted to be fixed to a vehicle-floor, an upper rail adapted to be fixed to a seat cushion and connected to the lower rail so as to be movable with respect to the lower rail, and a lock lever rotatably connected to the upper rail and adapted to engage the lower rail to selectively restrict the movement of the upper rail with respect to the lower rail, the apparatus comprising: a supporting bracket adapted to be fixed to the upper rail; an operating lever rotatably being connected to the supporting bracket and linked to the lock lever, and being capable of transmitting an operating force for releasing a restriction of the movement to the lock lever; and a torsion spring formed of a single wire member being connected to the supporting bracket and resiliently holding the operating lever, the supporting bracket including: a supporting wall portion which serves as a fulcrum of the rotation of the operating lever at an abutting portion of the operating lever with respect to an upper portion of the operating lever when the operating lever is inserted along the longitudinal direction of the upper rail; and a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion disposed on both sides of the operating lever in terms of the widthwise direction on the side of the lock lever with respect to the supporting wall portion in terms of the longitudinal direction of the upper rail, the torsion spring including: a first terminal portion adapted to be inserted through the first side wall portion; a first extending portion arranged between the first and second side wall portions and extending from a proximal end of the first terminal portion toward the lock lever side in terms of the longitudinal direction of the upper rail; a locked strip portion extending from a distal end of the first extending portion toward the second side wall portion side in terms of the widthwise direction of the upper rail and being locked on an upper portion of the operating lever; a second extending portion extending from a distal end of the locked strip portion toward the opposite side from the lock lever in terms of the longitudinal direction of the upper rail; a shaft portion bent from a distal end of the second extending portion and inserted through the second side wall portion, and serves as an axis of rotation of the first extending portion, the locked strip portion, and the second extending portion in cooperation with the first terminal portion; a locking portion folded back from a distal end of the shaft portion and inserted through the second side wall portion at a position different from the shaft portion, and adapted to cause the locked strip portion to generate an urging force for urging the upper portion of the operating lever downward; and a second terminal portion extending from a distal end of the locking portion and adapted to urge a lower portion of the operating lever upward on the lock lever side with respect to the supporting wall portion in terms of the longitudinal direction of the upper rail.