LOCKING/GUIDING DEVICE

Abstract: Locking device (1) for longitudinal adjustment of a vehicle seat comprises a central load distributing plate (2) extruded as an integral piece provided with laterally extending legs (4, 5, 6, 7) for transfer of load and fastening means (3).

Description: Locking/guiding device The present invention relates to vehicle seat structures, and more particularly to a locking/guiding device in such structures, allowing for longitudinal adjustment of vehicle seats. Customarily such vehicle seat structures (frame, rail system and accessories) are made of steel components which means, in the case of seat rails, bearing structure, fastening/locking devices etc. based on steel sheets of appropriate thickness being cut, bent, welded into a functional configuration. The obvious drawback, besides high cost manufacturing comprising several operations, is the fact that dimensioning of the components is based on the expected load on the most exposed parts and thus the whole component is consequently overdimensioned and thus too heavy. Due to a general present tendency to reduce the overall vehicle weight some of the components, e.g. the seat rails, are already provided as extrusions of light metals, e.g. aluminium alloys, after redesign necessitated by differences inherent in the materials and the applied manufacturing process(es). It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel locking/guiding device for longitudinal adjustment of the vehicle seats, having a simplified configuration integrating several fastening/guiding and supporting functions as well. Another object of the invention is to provide a low weight locking device offering an optimal load distribution within the structural configuration of the device. These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by provision of a locking/guiding device as claimed in the accompanying patent claim 1. The invention will be readily understood and apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and mode of operation of the device as illustrated in the attached drawings, Figs. 1 -5, where: Fig. 1 is a schematic principal perspective view of a vehicle seat attachment to the vehicle body, Fig. 2 illustrates schematically in a perspective view the locking/guiding device provided with complementary parts, Fig. 3 shows in a partially broken perspective view another embodiment of a fastening arrangement, Fig. 4 shows in a perspective view another variant of the fastening arrangement, and finally Fig. 5 is still another simplified variant of the fastening arrangement. Referring to Figure 1 , illustrating schematically in a perspective view the locking/guiding device 1 being fastened to the vehicle bottom structure 18, the fastening means comprises, by the way of example, a fastening bracket 20 and a pair of longitudinally extending bolts/screws 19 accommodated by corres¬ pondingly, longitudinally extending slots (apertures) provided in the locking/guid- ing device 1 The combined locking/guiding function of the device 1 , being of a complementary configuration adapted to provide supporting and guiding means for the bearing rail 15 provided with attachment means 16,17 for a car seat (not shown in the Figure), will be more apparent from Figure 2 Figure 2 shows in a cross-sectional perspective view the locking/guiding arrangement comprising the locking device 1 completed by a roller 10 anchored between two side legs 5,6 parallelly extending from a load distributing base plate 2 and locked by means of perpendicularly extending combined bearing axel/locking pin 11 under remote control by spring means 12 advantageously situated in a retention groove 13 provided in the base plate 2 Two outwardly positioned, laterally extending legs 4,7 are provided for longitudinal/axial engagement of the seat rail 15 (not shown in the Figure) by means of downward oriented flanges 8,8' extending parallelly with the seat rail 15, terminated by specially configurated enlarged/retracted parts ensuring fixation of sliding shoes 9 The flanges 8,8' ensure a reliable gliding contact with the seat rail 15 being complementary shaped to "grasp" around the corresponding seat rail flanges 15', 15" An apparent advantage offered by extruding the load bearing/distributing plate 2 in one integral piece is the possibility of individual dimensioning of different parts according to the expected load/function of the part Thus the main body of base plate 2 serving as a load distributing element of the device is adequately dimensioned and provided with an appropriate wall thickness, while the remaining parts, e g. the laterally extending legs 4,5,6,7, are individually dimensioned, e.g the leg 5 having thinner wall thickness compared to leg 6 bearing most of the load in connection with locking of the roller 10 (seat rail frame 15) Figure 3 shows in a fractional (broken) perspective view a different configuration of the fastening grooves 3, in this case extruded as encapsulated apertures (holes) provided in the base plate 2. Furthermore, the special configuration (fastening details) of the flange(s) 8 ensuring fixation of the sliding shoes described in connection with Figure 2 (not shown) can be seen more clearly in Figure 3. Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of the fastening arrangement (device) for fastening of the device 1 to the vehicle floor (not shown in the Figure). A special fastening bracket 30 attached to the vehicle floor is thread into the central load distributing plate 2, the plate being provided with a pair of "rails" facing each other. Still another embodiment of the fastening arrangement is displayed in Figure 5, showing the load distributing plate 2 provided with a pair of flanges 25,27 extending outwardly of the laterally protruding legs 4,7. The flanges are provided with apertures 28,29 for easy fastening by means of bolts, screws etc. (not shown in the Figure) to the vehicle floor.

Claims: Claims 1. Locking/guiding device (1) for longitudinal adjustment of a vehicle seat rail (15) fastened to a vehicle floor structure (18), characterized in that the locking/guiding device (1) comprises a central load distributing part/plate (2) provided as an integral one piece extrusion on one side with fastening means (3) and several substantially parallel legs (4,5,6,7) extending from the opposite side of the central plate (2) providing for transfer of load and accommodation of fastening and supporting structural members (10,11 ) of the device (1 ). 2. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the centrally located pair of legs (5,6) accommodate a roller (10) supporting the vehicle seat frame, said legs exhibiting different wall thickness adjusted to the actual exposed load. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two outwardly situated (outer) legs (4,7) engage the seat rail (15) flanges (15', 15") and are further provided with longitudinally extending grooves (80,81) for clips fastening of gliding members (9) ensuring contact between the seat rail (15) and the device (1). 4. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking/guiding device is provided with a guiding groove (13) accommodating a spring wire (12) for remote control of locking/releasing of the roller (10). 5. Device according to one or more preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening means (3) have a configuration of longitudinally extending grooves (31,32) accommodating screws, bolts or the like fastened to the floor structure (18). 6. Device according to any preceding claims, characterized in that the integrally provided locking/guiding device (1) is extruded in one piece of an aluminium alloy.

Inventors: CLAUSEN EDVIN LIST, CLAUSEN, EDVIN, LIST
Applicants: CLAUSEN EDVIN LIST, NORSK HYDRO AS, CLAUSEN, EDVIN, LIST, NORSK HYDRO ASA
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B60N2
IPC codes: B60N2