Sliding device

One example of a sliding device that can sufficiently reduce a separation phenomenon is disclosed. The sliding device includes a fixed rail, a movable rail, a fixed-side hook, an engagement hook, and a reinforcing hook. The fixed rail is configured to be fixed to a vehicle. To the movable rail, the seat body is attachable. The movable rail is slidable with respect to the fixed rail. The fixed-side hook is configured to be fixed to the vehicle. The engagement hook is provided to the movable rail. The engagement hook is engageable with the fixed-side hook, and is formed by a first plate material curved approximately into a letter J or U shape. The reinforcing hook overlaps with the engagement hook in a thickness direction of the first plate material. The reinforcing hook is formed by a second plate material curved approximately into a letter J or U shape.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-0011284 filed on Jan. 25, 2019 with the Japan Patent Office, the entire of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a sliding device that supports a seat body of a vehicle seat in a slidable manner.

A sliding device disclosed in, for example, the official gazette of Japanese Patent No. 5239332 includes a hook member provided to a movable rail, such as an upper rail. The hook member engages, in a hooked manner, with a lower hook provided to a fixed rail, such as a lower rail.

In the sliding device, a phenomenon in which the movable rail is lifted up (hereinafter also referred to as a separation phenomenon) is inhibited by the engagement of the hook member and the lower hook. Hereinafter, a load that induces the separation phenomenon is referred to as a separation load.

SUMMARY

The sliding device disclosed in the aforementioned gazette, however, may not be able to sufficiently inhibit the separation phenomenon when a large separation load acts on the movable rail. It is desirable that the present disclosure provides a sliding device that can sufficiently inhibit the separation phenomenon.

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a sliding device configured to support a seat body of a vehicle seat in a slidable manner. The sliding device comprises a fixed rail, a movable rail, a fixed-side hook, an engagement hook, and a reinforcing hook. The fixed rail is configured to be fixed to a vehicle. To the movable rail, the seat body is attachable. The movable rail is slidable with respect to the fixed rail. The fixed-side hook is configured to be fixed to the vehicle. The engagement hook is provided to the movable rail so as to be engageable with the fixed-side hook. The engagement hook is formed by a first plate material curved approximately into a letter J shape or approximately into a letter U shape. The reinforcing hook overlaps with the engagement hook in a thickness direction of the first plate material. The reinforcing hook is formed by a second plate material curved approximately into a letter J shape or approximately into a letter U shape.

Due to this structure, the sliding device is configured to receive a separation load at the engagement hook and the reinforcing hook. Accordingly, the sliding device according to the present disclosure can sufficiently inhibit the separation phenomenon as compared to the sliding device disclosed in the aforementioned publication.

The sliding device may be configured, for example, as described below.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the sliding device may further comprise a coupling member and a clamp. The coupling member may penetrate the movable rail or the engagement hook and the reinforcing hook so as to couple the movable rail or the engagement hook with the reinforcing hook. The clamp may be provided to the movable rail and configured to fasten and secure the seat body. The coupling member may be disposed in a position closer to the clamp than to a distal end of the engagement hook.

Such a structure enables a separation force applied from the clamp to the movable rail to be more reliably transmitted to the reinforcing hook. Accordingly, the sliding device according to the present disclosure can sufficiently inhibit the separation phenomenon as compared to the sliding device disclosed in the aforementioned publication.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the distal end of the engagement hook and a distal end of the reinforcing hook may be welded. This makes the engagement hook and the reinforcing hook to behave as an integrated component, sufficiently inhibiting the separation phenomenon.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the sliding device may further comprise a step portion formed by the distal end of the engagement hook and the distal end of the reinforcing hook. This improves a workability for welding the engagement hook and the reinforcing hook.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the sliding device may further comprise at least one roller that makes the movable rail slidable with respect to the fixed rail. The movable rail may comprise at least one roller bracket supporting the at least one roller. The reinforcing hook may be integrated with the at least one roller bracket. This can facilitate production of the sliding device comprising the reinforcing hook.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the reinforcing hook may be located at an end of the movable rail in a sliding direction. This more reliably reinforces the portion of the movable rail on which the separation load is highly likely to be applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments below describe examples of embodiments within the technical scope of the present disclosure. In other words, matters specifying the invention recited in the appended claims are not limited to specific configurations and structures to be described below.

The embodiments below relate to a seat to be installed in a vehicle such as an automobile (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle seat). Arrows indicating the directions, hatched lines, and so on in the drawings are made for easy understanding of the relations between the drawings, the shapes of constituent members or portions, and so on.

Accordingly, the sliding device is not limited by the directions shown in the drawings. The directions shown in the figures are based on a state in which the vehicle seat according to the embodiments below is installed in the automobile.

In regard at least to a member or a portion provided with a reference numeral and explained below, there is at least one such member or portion unless it is specified, for example, that there is only one such member or portion. In other words, two or more of such members or portions may be provided if the number is not specified to be only one. The sliding device according to the present disclosure comprises at least components, such as the members or portions, provided with reference numerals and to be explained below.

First Embodiment

1. Overview of Vehicle Seat (seeFIG. 1)

A vehicle seat1according to the present embodiment at least comprises two sliding devices10and a seat body2. The seat body2at least includes a seat cushion3and a seatback5.

The seat cushion3supports the buttocks of an occupant. The seatback5supports the back of the occupant. The two sliding devices10support the seat body2of the vehicle seat1in a slidable manner.

The seat body2is slidably supported by the two sliding devices10. Specifically, among the two sliding devices10, a first sliding device10supports a first end of the seat body2in a seat width direction, and a second sliding device10supports a second end of the seat body2in the seat width direction.

2. Structure of Sliding Devices

In the present embodiment, the two sliding devices10have identical structures. The following description is directed to the sliding device10disposed on the left side in the seat width direction. As shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, the sliding device10at least comprises a fixed rail11, a movable rail12, engagement hooks13, and reinforcing hooks14.

<Fixed Rail and Movable Rail>

As shown inFIG. 1, the fixed rail11is fixed to the vehicle. The fixed rail11extends in a front-rear direction of the vehicle seat1. In the present embodiment, an extending direction of the fixed rail11corresponds to a front-rear direction of the vehicle.

The movable rail12is slidable with respect to the fixed rail11. The seat body2is attached to the movable rail12. Accordingly, the seat body2is slidable together with the movable rail12in the front-rear direction of the vehicle seat1(in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in the present embodiment).

As shown inFIG. 2, at least one roller16A and at least one roller bracket16(two rollers16A and two roller brackets16in the present embodiment) are provided at least at the rear end of the movable rail12in a sliding direction.

The two rollers16A are one example of rolling elements and make roll contact with the fixed rail11enabling the movable rail12to be slidable. The roller brackets16are fixed to the movable rail12while supporting the two rollers16A.

As shown inFIG. 4, the engagement hooks13and the reinforcing hooks14are portions of the movable rail12. In the present embodiment, more than one engagement hook13and more than one reinforcing hook14are provided.

Specifically, the two engagement hooks13are provided to a main body portion12A of the movable rail12. Among the engagement hooks13, a first engagement hook13is disposed at the left lower end of the main body portion12A, while a second engagement hook13is disposed at the right lower end of the main body portion12A.

The first engagement hook13and the second engagement hook13have symmetrical structures. Thus, when the first engagement hook13(hereinafter abbreviated as the engagement hook13), for example, is described below, description of the second engagement hook13will be omitted.

The engagement hook13is formed by a first plate material curved approximately into a letter J shape or a letter U shape. The engagement hook13can be engaged with a fixed-side hook11A. The fixed-side hook11A is fixed to the vehicle. The fixed-side hook11A is formed approximately into a letter J shape or a letter U shape.

The fixed-side hook11A according to the present embodiment is provided to the fixed rail11. In other words, the fixed-side hook11A is fixed to the vehicle through the fixed rail11. The engagement hook13according to the present embodiment is formed by a metal plate material so as to be integrated with the main body portion12A. The fixed-side hook11A is integrally formed with the fixed rail11.

The two reinforcing hooks14are provided to the main body portion12A of the movable rail12. Among the two reinforcing hooks14, a first reinforcing hook14is disposed at the left lower end of the main body portion12A, while a second reinforcing hook14is disposed at the right lower end of the main body portion12A.

The first reinforcing hook14and the second reinforcing hook14have symmetrical structures. Thus, when the first reinforcing hook14(hereinafter abbreviated as the reinforcing hook14), for example, is described below, description of the second reinforcing hook14will be omitted unless otherwise necessary.

The reinforcing hooks14are formed by plate materials each curved approximately into a letter J shape or a letter U shape, and are disposed so as to overlap with the engagement hooks13in thickness directions of the first plate materials forming the engagement hooks13. Specifically, the first reinforcing hook14is formed by a second plate material14A, while the second reinforcing hook14is formed by a third plate material14B.

As shown inFIG. 2, the plate materials14A,14B are members that also form the roller brackets16. In other words, in the present embodiment, the two reinforcing hooks14are integrated with the roller brackets16provided at the rear end of the movable rail12in the sliding direction.

<Fixing Structures of Reinforcing Hooks>

As shown inFIG. 4, while being disposed inside the main body portion12A, the plate materials14A,14B are fixed to the main body portion12A and the engagement hooks13.

That is, the plate materials14A,14B are coupled and fixed to the main body portion12A at least by a coupling member15. The coupling member15penetrates the main body portion12A and the plate materials14A,14B to couple and fasten the movable rail12, specifically the two engagement hooks13and the two reinforcing hooks14.

In other words, the coupling member15penetrates the movable rail12or the two engagement hooks13and the two reinforcing hooks14so as to couple the movable rail12or the two engagement hooks13with the two reinforcing hooks14.

While penetrating the main body portion12A and the plate materials14A,14B in the seat width direction, the coupling member15is swaged at a first end (at the left end inFIG. 4). The second plate material14A and the third plate material14B are integrated at their lower ends. Specifically, the second plate material14A and the third plate material14B are combined at a welded portion14D.

The coupling member15is located in a position closer to a clamp17than to distal ends13A of the two engagement hooks13. The clamp17is a portion of the movable rail12(the main body portion12A). The seat body2is secured to the clamp17by fastening.

The distal ends13A of the engagement hooks13are welded with distal ends14C of the reinforcing hooks14at welded portions14E. The welded portions14E are disposed at step portions14F. The step portions14F are provided at the distal ends14C of the reinforcing hooks14.

The step portions14F are formed due to the distal ends13A of the engagement hooks13being out of alignment and located upward relative to the distal ends14C of the reinforcing hooks14. The welded portions14E extend in the sliding direction so as to fill the step portions14F (seeFIG. 2).

Features of Vehicle Seat (Particularly, Sliding Devices) According to Present Embodiment

The sliding devices10each comprise the engagement hooks13, and the reinforcing hooks14that overlap with the engagement hooks13in the thicknesses directions of the first plate materials forming the engagement hooks13. Due to this structure, the sliding devices10are configured to receive a separation load at the engagement hooks13and the reinforcing hooks14. Accordingly, a separation phenomenon can be sufficiently inhibited in the sliding devices10.

The sliding devices10each comprise the coupling member15coupling the two engagement hooks13and the two reinforcing hooks14. The coupling member15is located in a position closer to the clamp17than to the distal ends13A of the two engagement hooks13.

This structure allows more reliable transmission of the separation force, applied from the clamp17to the movable rail12, to the two reinforcing hooks14. Accordingly, the separation phenomenon can be sufficiently inhibited in the sliding devices10.

The distal ends13A of the engagement hooks13are welded with the distal ends14C of the reinforcing hooks14. Thus, the two engagement hooks13and the two reinforcing hooks14behave as an integrated component, enabling sufficient reduction of the separation phenomenon.

The sliding devices10are each provided with the step portions14F formed by the out-of-alignment of the distal ends13A of the engagement hooks13with the distal ends14C of the reinforcing hooks14. Due to this structure, a workability for welding the engagement hooks13and the reinforcing hooks14is improved.

The reinforcing hooks14are integrated with the roller brackets16, thereby facilitating production of the sliding devices10comprising the reinforcing hooks14.

Moreover, the two reinforcing hooks14are located at the rear end of the movable rail12in the sliding direction, thereby more reliably reinforcing the portions of the movable rail12on which the separation load is likely to be applied.

Other Embodiments

For example, the movable rail12and the reinforcing hooks14may be integrated by welding.

For example, the coupling member15may be disposed below the distal ends13A of the engagement hooks13.

For example, the distal ends13A of the engagement hooks13and the distal ends14C of the reinforcing hooks14may be integrated by swaging or by mechanical fastening structures such as screws or rivets.

For example, the sliding device10may have no step portion14F.

For example, the reinforcing hooks14and the roller brackets16may be formed by separate members.

For example, the reinforcing hooks14may be located at the front end of the movable rail12in the sliding direction.

For example, the fixed-side hooks11A may be provided as separate members from the fixed rail11.

The present disclosure can be applied to seats used in other vehicles such as railroad vehicles, ships, boats, and aircrafts, and to stationary seats used in theaters and at homes, and other places.

Furthermore, the present disclosure is only required to conform to the gist of the invention described in the above-described embodiments, and thus is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure may be configured in combination of at least two of the aforementioned embodiments, or may be configured without some of the components illustrated in the drawings or described with reference numerals in the aforementioned embodiments.