Patent ID: 6227596
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
A slide rail for a vehicle seat, comprising:a fixed section intended to be fixed to the vehicle,a mobile section which is slidingly mounted along the fixed section and which is intended to be fixed to the seat to allow movement of this seat in a so-called longitudinal direction, forwards and backwards, the mobile section delimiting with the fixed section a hollow inner space in the slide rail,a slide rail catch which is mounted on the mobile section and which is movable between, on the one hand, a locked position wherein said slide rail catch engages with the fixed section to lock the mobile section, and on the other hand, an unlocked position wherein said slide rail catch does not engage with the fixed section and allows said mobile section to slide, the slide rail catch being resiliently biased to its locked position,a memory retaining runner which is slidingly mounted relative to the fixed section parallel to the longitudinal direction, this memory retaining runner being placed in the inner space of the slide rail and defining a memorized position of the mobile section,a runner catch which is carried by the memory retaining runner and which is movable between, on the one hand, a locked position wherein said runner catch engages with notches integral with the fixed section so as to immobilize the memory retaining runner relative to the fixed section, and on the other hand, an unlocked position wherein said runner catch does not immobilize the memory retaining runner,a runner lock-on device which is mounted on the mobile section and which is movable between, on the one hand, an attached position wherein said lock-on device fixes the memory retaining runner to the mobile section, and on the other hand, an unattached position wherein said lock-on device does not fix the memory retaining runner to the mobile section,first control means the slide rail in a first unlocked state wherein the slide rail catch is in its unlocked position and the lock-on device is in its attached position, so as to allow simultaneous sliding of the mobile section and the memory retaining runner relative to the fixed section, either forwards or backwards, in order to adjust the memorized position of the seat,and second control means the slide rail in a second unlocked state wherein the slide rail catch is in its unlocked position and the lock-on device is in its unattached position, so as to allow forward sliding of the mobile section without moving the memory retaining runner,wherein the memory retaining runner engages by friction fitting, with a longitudinal guide integral with the fixed section,wherein the runner catch is resiliently biased to its unlocked position by a spring mounted on the memory retaining runner,and wherein the mobile section of the slide rail comprises a wedge which projects into the hollow inner space of said slide rail, this wedge having at least a cam surface which is adapted to engage with a support surface belonging to the runner catch, said cam surface being configured so as to leave the runner catch in its unlocked position when the mobile section of the slide rail is in its memorized position, and to move the runner catch into its locked position when the mobile section is not in its memorized position, at least when said mobile section leaves its memorized position or returns to said memorized position, and the friction between the memory retaining runner and said guide being significant enough for the action of the wedge cam surface on the runner catch support surface not to cause any longitudinal sliding of the memory retaining runner.