Patent ID: 12257931

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same or similar constituent elements are assigned with the same reference numerals regardless of reference numerals, and the repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

The suffixes “module”, “unit”, “part”, and “portion” used to describe constituent elements in the following description are used together or interchangeably in order to facilitate the description, but the suffixes themselves do not have distinguishable meanings or functions.

In the description of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, the specific descriptions of publicly known related technologies will be omitted when it is determined that the specific descriptions may obscure the subject matter of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification. In addition, it should be interpreted that the accompanying drawings are provided only to allow those skilled in the art to easily understand the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and the technical spirit disclosed in the present specification is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and includes all alterations, equivalents, and alternatives that are included in the spirit and the technical scope of the present invention.

The terms including ordinal numbers such as “first,” “second,” and the like may be used to describe various constituent elements, but the constituent elements are not limited by the terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one constituent element from another constituent element.

When one constituent element is described as being “coupled” or “connected” to another constituent element, it should be understood that one constituent element can be coupled or connected directly to another constituent element, and an intervening constituent element can also be present between the constituent elements. When one constituent element is described as being “coupled directly to” or “connected directly to” another constituent element, it should be understood that no intervening constituent element is present between the constituent elements.

Singular expressions include plural expressions unless clearly described as different meanings in the context.

In the present specification, it should be understood the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “containing,” “has,” “having” or other variations thereof are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

With reference toFIGS.1to8, an embodiment of a seat rail locking device for a vehicle of the present invention includes a lower rail5having a plurality of locking grooves3formed in an inner flange1and opened downward; a locking plate9having a plurality of locking teeth7configured to be inserted into or withdrawn from the plurality of locking grooves3when the locking plate9moves upward or downward; an upper rail11inserted into the lower rail5so as to be slidable straight and having a locking-lifting mechanism configured to switch a locking state by moving the locking plate9upward or downward; and an anti-rotation mechanism configured to suppress a rotation of the locking plate9against a transverse load applied to the upper rail11.

That is, in the present invention, the rotation of the locking plate9is suppressed by the anti-rotation mechanism when a force for rotating the upper rail11and the locking plate9relative to the lower rail5is applied by the transverse load applied to the upper rail11. Therefore, the locking plate9may not be withdrawn from the locking grooves3of the lower rail5, such that the locking state of the seat rail may be stably maintained without being released, thereby significantly improving the stability of the seat.

For reference, in this case, the seat rail6includes the lower rail5and the upper rail11. The lower rail5is mainly fixed to a floor of a vehicle body. The upper rail11is connected to a seat. When the upper rail11slides straight relative to the lower rail5, the seat may move in a forward/rearward direction relative to the vehicle body. When the locking-lifting mechanism moves the locking plate9upward, the locking teeth7are inserted into the locking grooves3of the lower rail5, such that the locking state of the seat rail is implemented. When the locking-lifting mechanism moves the locking plate9downward, the locking teeth7are withdrawn from the locking grooves3, such that the locking state of the seat rail6is released.

In the present embodiment, the locking-lifting mechanism includes a guide bracket15fixed to the upper rail11and having a guide pin13for guiding the upward and downward movements of the locking plate9, springs17configured to elastically support the locking plate9upward with respect to the guide bracket to allow the locking plate9to be coupled to the locking grooves3of the lower rail5, and a center pin19configured to allow the locking plate9to be withdrawn from the locking grooves3by moving downward while overcoming elastic forces of the springs17by means of a straight displacement provided from the outside.

In this case, the center pin19is configured to receive a straight displacement from an operating lever separately provided on the seat.

Therefore, when a user manipulates the operating lever, a straight displacement for moving the center pin19downward is generated and pushes the center pin19downward. Therefore, when the locking plate9moves downward, the locking teeth7of the locking plate9are withdrawn from the locking grooves3of the lower rail5, such that the upper rail11may freely slide in the forward/rearward direction relative to the lower rail5.

In addition, when the user releases the operating lever, the locking plate9is moved upward by the elastic forces of the springs17, such that the locking teeth7are inserted into the locking grooves3of the lower rail and restrict the straight sliding motion of the upper rail11relative to the lower rail5.

For reference,FIG.3also illustrates retainers21configured to softly guide the straight sliding motion of the upper rail11relative to the lower rail5.

In addition, the seat rail6inFIG.1is any one of the pair of seat rails6installed below the seat.

Meanwhile, as illustrated inFIG.9, a buckle27coupled to a seat belt25is connected to the upper rail11through a seat cushion frame in a seat23mounted in the vehicle. Therefore, it is understood that a transverse load is applied to the upper rail11as a force, which is generated when the seat belt25is pulled in the event of a collision accident of the vehicle, is transmitted through the buckle27and the seat cushion frame.

In the present embodiment, the anti-rotation mechanism is configured by a plurality of catching protrusions29provided on the locking teeth7of the locking plate9.

For reference, as another example, the anti-rotation mechanism may be implemented as a configuration in which a catching pin protruding downward from the upper rail11is inserted into a catching hole of the locking plate9when the locking state is implemented as the locking plate9moves upward.

In the present embodiment, the locking plate9includes a central portion31connected to the upper rail11, and the plurality of locking teeth7protruding from two opposite sides of the central portion31. The catching protrusions29are respectively provided at ends of the locking teeth7.

The central portion31of the locking plate9is elongated in a longitudinal direction of the lower rail5. The plurality of locking teeth7protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lower rail5and is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the central portion31at predetermined intervals. The catching protrusion29is shaped to protrude locally from the end of each of the locking teeth7in the longitudinal direction of the lower rail5.

In addition, as illustrated inFIG.8, based on the central portion31of the locking plate9, the catching protrusions29at one side protrude forward from the locking teeth7, and the catching protrusions29at the other side protrude rearward from the locking teeth7.

Meanwhile, as illustrated inFIG.10, when a direction of the seat23installed to be close to one side based on a centerline of a vehicle body33is defined as a first reference direction, the catching protrusions29protrude forward from the locking teeth7, which protrude in the first reference direction, based on the central portion31of the locking plate9, and the catching protrusions29protrude rearward from the locking teeth7, which protrude in a direction opposite to the first reference direction, based on the central portion31of the locking plate9.

In addition, among the plurality of locking teeth7protruding in the first reference direction of the locking plate9, only the locking teeth7at the front side have the catching protrusions29, but the locking teeth7at the rear side do not have the catching protrusions29.

In addition, among the plurality of locking teeth7protruding in the direction opposite to the first reference direction of the locking plate9, only the locking teeth7at the rear side have the catching protrusions29, but the locking teeth7at the front side do not have the catching protrusions29.

Therefore, unlike the seat23inFIG.10, the locking plate9, which is installed on the seat rail6used to support the seat23installed at the right side based on the centerline of the vehicle body33inFIG.10, is installed inversely so that the postures of the locking teeth7are changed vertically based on the central portion31of the locking plate9inFIG.8.

In this case, an operation of the locking plate9, which is in a state illustrated inFIG.8and installed on the seat23inFIG.10, will be described with reference toFIG.11. When a transverse component F of a load, which is applied to the seat belt25by various types of accidents of the vehicle, is transmitted to the upper rail11and the locking plate9through the cushion frame of the seat23, the locking plate9receives a clockwise rotational force FR, as illustrated inFIG.11. In this case, the catching protrusions29formed on the locking teeth7are caught by the locking grooves3of the upper rail11and suppress the rotation of the locking plate9.

Therefore, the locking state in which the locking plate9is inserted into the locking grooves3of the upper rail11may be more stably maintained.

That is, in the present invention, the catching protrusions29provided on the locking teeth7are appropriately formed only at positions and in directions that are required to restrict the rotation of the locking plate9in accordance with the position at which the locking plate9is mounted in the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to ensure the stable seat locking state by restricting the rotation of the locking plate9and prevent an increase in manufacturing costs caused when unnecessary catching protrusions29are formed.

Meanwhile, the installation positions and directions of the catching protrusions29of the locking plate9may also be expressed as follows.

That is, when a transverse direction of the vehicle body33connected to a safety belt installed to connect the vehicle body33and the seat23is defined as a second reference direction, the catching protrusions29protrude forward from the locking teeth7, which protrude in the second reference direction, based on the central portion31of the locking plate9, and the catching protrusions29protrude rearward from the locking teeth7, which protrude in a direction opposite to the second reference direction, based on the central portion31of the locking plate9.

In addition, among the plurality of locking teeth7protruding in the second reference direction of the locking plate9, only the locking teeth7at the front side have the catching protrusions29, and the locking teeth7at the rear side do not have the catching protrusions29. Among the plurality of locking teeth7protruding in the direction opposite to the second reference direction of the locking plate9, only the locking teeth7at the rear side have the catching protrusions29, and the locking teeth7at the front side do not have the catching protrusions29.

That is, in the situation inFIG.10, the seat23is installed at the left side based on the centerline of the vehicle body33, and the seat belt25of the seat23is connected to a left sidewall of the vehicle body33. Therefore, the first reference direction and the second reference direction mean substantially the same direction, and the positions and directions of the catching protrusions29of the locking plate9are also configured in the same way as those inFIG.8.

The present invention may also be expressed as follows.

That is, the seat rail locking device for a vehicle of the present invention includes the lower rail5having the plurality of locking grooves3, the upper rail11inserted into the lower rail5so as to be slidable straight, the locking plate9installed to be inserted into or withdrawn from the locking grooves3of the lower rail5by moving upward or downward relative to the upper rail11, the springs17configured to elastically support the locking plate9upward and allow the locking teeth7of the locking plate9to be inserted into the locking grooves3of the lower rail5, and the center pin19provided to implement a state in which the locking teeth7are withdrawn from the locking grooves by moving the locking plate9downward while overcoming the elastic forces of the springs17by means of a straight displacement provided from the outside. The catching protrusions29are provided on the locking teeth7of the locking plate9and prevent the rotation and withdrawal of the locking plate9relative to the lower rail5.

The locking plate9has the central portion31disposed at a center thereof and elongated in the longitudinal direction of the upper rail11. The plurality of locking teeth7protrudes from the two opposite sides of the central portion31so as to be correspondingly inserted into the locking grooves3of the lower rail5.

In addition, the locking plate9has the catching protrusions29protruding forward from the plurality of locking teeth7positioned at the front side of one side based on the central portion31, and the catching protrusions29protruding rearward from the plurality of locking teeth7positioned at the rear side of the other side based on the central portion31.

The catching protrusions29protrude from the ends of the locking teeth7in the longitudinal direction of the central portion31.

While the specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be variously modified and changed without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention defined in the appended claims.