Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application Number 10-2013-0157591 filed on Dec. 17, 2013, the entire contents of which application are incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a rail locking device, and more particularly, to a rail locking device capable of allowing a rail and a slider embedded in the rail to move in a relative motion by automatically locking the rail to a latch when the rail is moved rearward and by automatically unlocking the rail from the latch when the rail is moved forward in a rotary motion. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, a slider-rail device is configured such that a slider having a moving roller is inserted into a rail forming a certain track and the slider is slidably moved along the track of the rail by a rotary motion of the roller. 
         [0006]    The rail has a predetermined length, and is attached to be fixed while forming a certain moving track. Meanwhile, the slider is attached to a moving body that moves along the rail, and the moving body is moved along the moving track formed by the rail. 
         [0007]    Further, a locking device that temporarily locks the slider to a predetermined position of the rail to restrict the slider so as not to be moved along the rail or releases the restriction of the slider to be moved along the rail may be further provided at the rail or the slider. 
         [0008]    On the other hand, there is a rail-slider device configured such that the slider is restricted by a fixed body so as not to be moved and the rail is attached to a moving body, so that the rail can be moved while being supported by the slider and the fixed body. 
         [0009]    In the rail-slider device, it is necessary to provide a locking device that unlocks the rail from the slider so as to allow the rail and the slider to be integrally restricted along with the motion of the rail or to allow the rail and the slider to move in a relative motion. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a locking device that temporarily restricts the rail by the slider to allow the rail not to be moved or unlocks the rail from the slider to allow the rail to be moved while being supported by the slider in the rail-slider device. 
         [0010]    The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0011]    The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a rail locking device having advantages of smoothly and automatically lock and unlock a rail and a slider by automatically locking the rail to the slider when the rail is moved rearward and by automatically unlocking the rail from the slider when the rail is moved forward in a rotary motion. 
         [0012]    Various aspects of the present invention provide a rail locking device. The rail locking device may include a movable rail, a slider that is embedded in the rail to move in a sliding motion along with movement of the rail, a swing arm that supports the slider and moves in a swing motion, and a locking member that is attached to the slider to lock the rail to the slider or unlock the rail from the slider. 
         [0013]    A striker may be attached to the rail to be fixed, and the locking member may be hooked to the striker to lock the rail to the slider through the striker, or the locking member is separated from the striker to unlock the rail from the slider. The locking member may be operated by the swing motion of the swing arm to unlock the striker. 
         [0014]    The rail may include a central rail that is positioned at a center portion in a height direction, an upper rail that is positioned higher than the central rail; and a lower rail that is positioned lower than the central rail. The central rail, the upper rail and the lower rail each may have a cross section of a “U” shape that is continuous in a longitudinal direction, openings of the upper rail and the lower rail may be disposed to be substantially perpendicular to an opening of the central rail, and the openings of the upper rail and the lower rail may face each other, and the striker may be attached to a bottom surface of a predetermined portion of the central rail in the longitudinal direction to protrude upward in the height direction. 
         [0015]    The slider may include a slider body having a substantially square flat shape and at least one roller that is rotatably provided at the slider body. The at least one roller may include two central rail rollers that are attached to a front surface of the slider body, and are inserted into the central rail to move in a rotary motion along with the movement of the rail, two upper rail rollers that are attached to the front surface of the slider body, and are inserted into the upper rail to move in a rotary motion along with the movement of the rail, and two lower rail rollers that are attached to the front surface of the slider body, and are inserted into the lower rail to move in a rotary motion along with the movement of the rail. 
         [0016]    An upper flange and a lower flange may be respectively formed to protrude from both edges of the slider body in a width direction, and one end of the swing arm may be inserted between the upper flange and the lower flange to be rotatably fastened. 
         [0017]    The swing arm may include a swing arm body, a cylindrical first flange that protrudes from one end of the swing arm body, and is inserted between the upper flange and the lower flange to be fastened by a first assembly pin, and two second flanges that are formed at left and right sides of the other end of the swing arm body in the width direction. A part of the first flange may be cut off, a pressurization edge that pressurizes the locking member to rotate the locking member may be formed at one edge of the cut-off portion, and a return spring may be embedded in the first flange. 
         [0018]    The second flanges of the swing arm body may be fastened to a mounting bracket by a second assembly pin, and a return spring that returns the swing arm may be provided at the second assembly pin. 
         [0019]    The locking member may include first and second latches that are rotatably provided at the lower flange of the swing arm body through third and fourth assembly pins. 
         [0020]    The first latch may include a hook that is formed at one portion from the assembly, a pressed protrusion that is formed at a side opposite to the hook with respect to the third assembly pin to be pressed by the pressurization edge, and a pressurizing spring that is provided at an outer circumference of the third assembly pin to pressurize the hook in one direction. 
         [0021]    The second latch may include a hook that has an open engagement groove formed by a first side having a short length and a second side having a long length longer than that of the first side, the second side being substantially parallel to the first side, the striker being detachably inserted into the engagement groove, an engagement protrusion that is detachably hooked to the hook of the first latch, and a pressurizing spring that pressurizes the hook in one direction. 
         [0022]    The rail may be attached to a vehicle door, and the swing arm may be attached to a vehicle body to move in the swing motion. 
         [0023]    According to various aspects of the present invention, in the rail locking device, when the rail is moved rearward, the latch of the slider is automatically hooked to the striker of the rail to integrally restrict the rail, the striker, and the slider. Meanwhile, when the rail is moved forward in a rotary motion, a slider support supporting the slider moves in a swing motion by the rail to operate the latch, and, thus, the restriction of the striker and the latch are released. Accordingly, the rail with the slider inserted is moved forward, so that the rail can be automatically and the smoothly locked and unlocked. 
         [0024]    When the rail is provided at the vehicle door and the slider is embedded in the rail while the slider support is fixed to the vehicle body, it is possible to open or close the vehicle door back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, since an attachment opening of the vehicle door formed in the vehicle body can be completely opened, it is possible to provide convenience in getting into or out of the vehicle. 
         [0025]    The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary locking device according to the present invention when a rail is locked to a slider. 
           [0027]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of an exemplary slider according to the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an exemplary swing arm according to the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an exemplary first latch and an exemplary second latch according to the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating a state where an exemplary second latch is unlocked to an exemplary first latch according to the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating a state where a rail is unlocked from an exemplary locking device according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a rail locking device according to various embodiments of the present invention may include a rail  10 . The rail  10  may include a central rail  12  that is positioned at a center or a center portion in a height direction, an upper rail  14  that is positioned higher than the central rail  12 , and a lower rail  16  that is positioned lower than the central rail  12 . The rail  10  may be formed by integrally or monolithically forming the central rail  12 , the upper rail  14  and the lower rail  16 . 
         [0034]    The central rail  12 , the upper rail  14  and the lower rail  16  may have a structure in which cross sections of a “U” shape are continuous in a longitudinal direction. Openings of the upper rail  14  and the lower rail  16  may be disposed to be perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an opening of the central rail  12 , and the openings of the upper rail  14  and the lower rail  16  may formed in a direction facing each other. 
         [0035]    A striker  18  may be attached to a bottom surface of a predetermined portion of the central rail  12  in a longitudinal direction so as to protrude upward in the height direction. The striker  18  may have a substantially “U” shape. 
         [0036]    The rail  10  may be attached to a moving body such as a vehicle door. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a slider  20  may be provided at the rail  10  to be movably inserted. The slider  20  may include a slider body  21  having a substantially square flat shape. 
         [0038]    Two central rail rollers  22  that are inserted into the central rail  12  to move in a rotary motion along with movement of the rail  10  may be rotatably attached to a front surface of the slider body  21  while being disposed with a predetermined distance in a width direction. 
         [0039]    Two upper rail rollers  23  that are inserted into the upper rail  14  to move in a rotary motion along with the movement of the rail  10  may be disposed at the front surface of the slider body  21  with a predetermined distance in the width direction, and may be rotatably attached upward. 
         [0040]    Two lower rail rollers  24  that are inserted into the lower rail  16  to move in a rotary motion along with the movement of the rail  10  may be disposed at the front surface of the slider body  21  with a predetermined distance in the width direction, and may be rotatably attached downward. 
         [0041]    An upper flange  25  and a lower flange  26  may be respectively formed at both edges of the slider body  21  in the width direction to vertically protrude, a first assembly hole  251  may be formed in the upper flange  25 , and a first assembly hole  261 , a second assembly hole  262 , and a third assembly hole  263  may be formed in the lower flange. 
         [0042]    One end of a swing arm  30  may be inserted between the upper flange  25  and the lower flange  26  of the slider body  21  to be rotatably fastened. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the swing arm  30  may include a swing arm body  31 , a cylindrical first flange  32  that protrudes to integrally or monolithically extend from one end of the swing arm body  31 , and two second flanges  33  that are disposed at left and right sides of the other end of the swing arm body  32  in the width direction and protrude to integrally or monolithically extend. 
         [0044]    A part of the first flange  32  is cut off, and a pressurization edge  34  that presses and rotates a latch to be described below is formed at one edge of the cut-off portion. 
         [0045]    A return spring  35  is embedded in a circular or substantially circular inner space of the first flange  32 , and the return spring  35  serves to return the swing arm  30  after moving in a swing motion to an original position. The first flange  32  of the swing arm  30  is inserted between the upper flange  25  and the lower flange  26  of the slider body  21  to be rotatably fastened by an assembly pin  36 . 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the second flanges  33  of the swing arm body  31  may be fastened to a mounting bracket  40  to be supported. One end of the mounting bracket  40  may be inserted between the two second flanges  33  of the swing arm body  31  to be fastened by an assembly pin  41 . Accordingly, the swing arm  30  can move a relative swing motion with respect to the mounting bracket  40 . 
         [0047]    After the swing arm  30  moves in the swing motion with respect to the mounting bracket  40 , in order to return the swing arm  30  to an original position, the return spring  42  may be provided to be wound around an outer circumference of the assembly pin  41 . 
         [0048]    The mounting bracket  40  may be attached to a fixed body such as a vehicle body to be fixed. 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , two first and second latches  50  and  60  may be rotatably provided at the lower flange  26  of the slider body  21 . 
         [0050]    The first latch  50  may be assembled with the second assembly hole  262  by an assembly pin  51 . A pressurizing spring  52  that pressurizes the first latch  50  in a clockwise direction may be provided to be wound around an outer circumference of the assembly pin  51 . The first latch  50  may include a hook  53 . The first latch  50  may include a pressed protrusion  54  that is formed to protrude from a side opposite to the hook  53  from the assembly pin  51  and is pressed by the pressurization edge  34 . 
         [0051]    The second latch  60  may be assembled with the third assembly hole  263  by an assembly pin  61 . A pressurizing spring  62  that pressurizes the second latch  60  in the clockwise direction may be provided to be wound around an outer circumference of the assembly pin  61 . The second latch  60  may include a hook  63  having an open engagement groove  633  that is formed by a first side having a short length and a second side having a relatively long length than the first side to be substantially parallel to the first side, and the hook  63  may be detachably hooked to the striker  18  through the open engagement groove  633 . The second latch  60  may include an engagement protrusion  64  that is detachably hooked to the hook  53  of the first latch  50 . 
         [0052]    The first latch  50  and the second latch  60  constitutes a locking member that locks or unlocks the rail  10  to or from the slider  20 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 1  illustrates a state where the rail  10  and the slider  20  are integrally restricted through the two first and second latches  50  and  60 . Accordingly, the rail  10  and the slider  20  do not move in a relative motion to each other. 
         [0054]    The slider  20  may be supported by the fixed body such as a vehicle body through the swing arm  30  and the mounting bracket  40 . 
         [0055]    In  FIG. 6 , when the swing arm  30  is rotated by about  80  degrees, the pressurization edge  34  of the swing arm  30  presses the pressed protrusion  54  of the first latch  50 , and, thus, the first latch  50  is rotated around the assembly pin  51  in a counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, the engagement protrusion  64  of the second latch  60  is released from the hook  53  of the first latch  50 , and, thus, the second latch  60  is freed from the first latch  50 . 
         [0056]    Accordingly, the rail  10  is restricted by the slider  20  through only the second latch  60  hooked to the striker  18 , and the striker  18  is inserted into the open engagement groove  633  of the hook  63  of the second latch  60  to be hooked. 
         [0057]    In this state, when the rail  10  moves in a direction spaced apart from the second latch  60  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , since the striker  18  of the rail  10  is naturally separated along an opening of the engagement groove  633 , the restriction of the rail  10  by the slider  20  is released. 
         [0058]    Accordingly, the rail  10  can move forward while being supported by the slider  20 , and the rollers of the slider  20  embedded in the rail  10  move in a rotary motion along with the movement of the rail  10  while coming in contact with the rail  10 . Thus, the motion of the rail  10  is smoothly moved. 
         [0059]    When the rail  10  is attached to the vehicle door and the swing arm  30  is attached to the vehicle body through the mounting bracket  40 , the vehicle door is smoothly moved forward, so that a vehicle compartment can be opened. 
         [0060]    Meanwhile, when the rail  10  is moved rearward, the two first and second latches  50  and  60  are hooked to the striker  18 , and, thus, the rail  10  is connected to the slider  20  to be restricted. The rail  10  is hooked to the fixed body such as the vehicle body by the slider  20  through the swing arm  30  and the mounting bracket  40  to be supported. 
         [0061]    That is, when the rail  10  is provided at the vehicle door, the vehicle door is supported by the vehicle body while closing a door opening formed in the vehicle body. 
         [0062]    For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper” or “lower”, “forward” or “rearward”, “inner” or “outer”, and etc. are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. 
         [0063]    The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

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