CA3146904A1 - Fine cutting process for the production of a seat slide adjustment rail - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclose is a fine cutting process for manufacturing a seat adjustment rail from a metal strip comprising precutting two catch holes into the metal strip and fixing the metal strip at the catch holes, notching at least one relief hole per first cantilever tooth and the second cantilever inclined hole, simultaneously notching the two second cantilever teeth with the first cantilever inclined hole, the two second cantilever teeth being arranged offset in each case next to the two first cantilever teeth, subsequently nothing the rectangular hole in an end region of the second end of the seat adjustment rail, cutting an outer contour out by a stamp from the first side, and ejecting the seat adjustment rail by means of an ejector from the second side of the metal strip, wherein the ejector calibrates the cantilever teeth and cantilever inclined holes.

Description

Fine cutting process for the production of a seat slide adjustment rail Technical field The invention relates to a fine cutting process for manufacturing a seat adjustment rail according to the preamble of claim 1.
Prior Art Such fine cutting processes are already known and in use in a variety of forms and designs.
For example, the DE 10 2016 123 550 Al discloses a process for producing a cam strip - a metal strip is stamped with a first stamp and at least one further stamp arranged in parallel, so that an indentation is formed on the side facing the stamps and a cam is pressed out on the side facing away from the stamps, wherein the stamps each consist of a base and a partially conical shoulder, wherein the stamps have a total height of 7 mm and wherein the base has a height of 7 to 8 mm, in particular 7.1 mm, and the shoulder has a further height of 0.3 mm to 1 mm, in particular 0.5 mm, and are arranged at an angle of 45 to the base, wherein a stamping surface is formed on the shoulder, wherein the stamp surface has a diameter of 6 mm to 7 mm, in particular 6.55 mm, wherein the first stamp has a first distance to the further stamp, wherein the two parallel arranged stamps are pressed into the metal strip, wherein the first cam and the second cam are stamped into the metal strip, wherein there is a further distance between the first cam and the second cam, and the metal strip is displaced, wherein the two parallel arranged stamps are pressed into the metal strip in a further step, so that one of the two stamps is pressed into the further section, so that a third cam is stamped between the first cam and the second cam.
Similarly described in this case in the US 6,722,177 B1 . The US 5,642,641 Al also describes a process for producing a corresponding metal strip by means of a special stamp geometry. Likewise, reference is made to the disclosure of the US

2,421,732 Al.
Further, the US 4,679,289 Al describes a method in which stamps arranged side by side press openings into a tubular element.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27 For the sake of completeness, reference is also made to the US 2,089,892 Al, which discloses a method of manufacturing a metal strip in which the cams are to form on both sides of the strip.
Object of the invention The object of the present invention is to provide a fine cutting process for manufacturing a seat adjustment rail from a metal strip, in which the error rate is reduced and the manufacturing speed is increased.
Achievement of the object The features according to claim 1 lead to the achievement of the object.
Preferred embodiments can be found in the dependent claims.
A process according to the invention is a fine cutting process. This is a particular form of metalworking. It is a process similar to stamping, but the fine cutting process offers the advantage that post-processing is often unnecessary. The reason for this is the flush-cut, which prevents the feathering in the fine cutting process, for example.
However, it is also known that the tool design for the fine cutting process can be more complex than for stamping.
In contrast to stamping, the stamp in the fine cutting process moves from the bottom to the top. The bottom here means the base on which the device performing the process stands. For this purpose, the raw material is held along the cutting contour by means of a so-called ring jag. A stamp with the desired shape then cuts the metal. The component is then ejected by means of an ejector.
The fine cutting process according to the invention may also be referred to as the process according to the invention within the context of the disclosure.
The fine cutting process according to the invention is used to manufacture a seat adjustment rail from a metal strip. The metal strip is a metallic strip, which may come Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

- 3 -as a starting material, for example, from a forge. The metal material may be steel or aluminium, for example.
The seat adjustment rail forms a double web at a first end. The double web forms a T-shape at the first end of the seat adjustment rail. The double web is defined in such a way that a first web branches off at the first end at a right angle in a first direction, and a second web branches off at the first end at a position 1800 offset, i.e.
also substantially at a right angle from the first end in a second direction. The two webs form a common bar structure that blends smoothly into the rest of the seat adjustment rail, so that the overall impression of a strip remains unchanged.
Furthermore, a cantilever is formed at the second end. This cantilever represents a flat extension of the second end of the seat adjustment rail. The cantilever protrudes in the first direction.
The seat adjustment rail to be manufactured is constructed in such a way that from the first end to the second end, it should first be noted that the double web is formed at the first end, and then a first cantilever inclined hole and then at least four cantilever teeth are arranged. After the at least four cantilever teeth, a second cantilever inclined hole is formed. After the second cantilevered angled hole, in turn, at least one rectangular hole is recessed or molded into the seat adjustment rail. The at least four cantilever teeth are thereby divided into two first cantilever teeth and two second cantilever teeth.
The first cantilever teeth and the second cantilever teeth are identical. The numbering serves only to make the fine cutting process according to the invention easier to follow.
The rectangular hole is again formed in the region of the cantilever. In the region of the cantilever does not mean here that the cantilever accommodates the rectangular hole.
Rather, the rectangular hole is arranged to extend substantially along the extent of the cantilever teeth. Regardless, the cantilever is branched from the rectangular hole to the first direction.
The seat adjustment rail has a first side and a second side. On the first side of the seat adjustment rail, the cantilever teeth are merely flat openings or recesses respectively holes. On the second side of the seat adjustment rail, the cantilever inclined holes and cantilever teeth protrude. In the fine cutting process according to the invention, this Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

- 4 -protrusion results from the fact that material of the metal strip is processed by corresponding fine cutting stamps in such a way, that the material of the originally flat metal strip is protruded to the second side so that the cantilever teeth and the cantilever inclined holes protrude to the second side.
The method according to the invention is executed in such a way, that first at least two catch holes are pre-cut in the metal strip, whereby the metal strip is held or fixed at the catch holes. A fixation is achieved by inserting corresponding catching parts protruding or gripping from the first or second side through the catch holes into the catch holes of the metal strip in order to prevent a lateral displacement of the metal strip.
It is also conceivable that the catching parts are of conical design. It is also conceivable that catching stamps are guided to the metal strip in the opposite direction to the catching parts, e.g. to engage in the catch holes. This also prevents displacement of the metal strip in the three-dimensional plane.
At the same time as the two catch holes, at least one relief hole per first cantilever tooth and the second cantilever inclined hole is cut into the metal strip.
Only then the two second cantilever teeth are cut in at the same time as the first cantilever inclined hole, wherein the two second cantilever teeth are arranged offset in each case next to the two first cantilever teeth. In the next process step, the rectangular hole is introduced or cut in the region of the cantilever.
Further, an outer contour is cut out by a stamp from the first side, the outer contour running partially tangentially along the relief holes, the outer contour having a smooth edge. The advantage of the process according to the invention is, that the relief holes introduced initially represent an unnecessary step, particularly during fine cutting, but during final processing, i.e. cutting out the outer contour, it results in less material tearing and also allow deformations that occur due to the high cutting load during fine cutting to be absorbed more or less as a buffer. The disadvantage of the additional relief holes and the associated additional work step is more than compensated for by the advantage of less wasted material.
The seat adjustment rail is then ejected from the second side of the metal strip by means of an ejector, which calibrates the cantilever teeth and cantilever inclined holes.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

- 5 -In this context, calibrated means that the ejector smoothens the surface of the cantilever inclined holes and the cantilever teeth against the defined force of the stamp, deburrs them if necessary, or brings them to a specific height. This also applies to the surroundings of the cantilever teeth and the cantilever inclined holes.
The catch holes are cut or pre-cut into the edge region of a longitudinal extension of the metal strip. This means that the catch holes are made at the longer edges of the metal strip at a defined distance from each other and the edge region, i.e. in the end region of the longitudinal extension, i.e. the longitudinal edge, i.e. the longer edge. The seat adjustment rail has an outer contour, which is cut out as a pitch circle.
This means that it describes a slight arc from the first end to the second end. During subsequent use, it has been found to be advantageous that the cantilever inclined holes protrude towards the second side of the seat adjustment rail. This means that they protrude towards the second side of the seat adjustment rail. The same applies to the first cantilever inclined hole and the second cantilever inclined hole. The first cantilevered angled hole forms a first ramp rising toward the second end. The second cantilever inclined hole forms a second ramp rising towards the first end. The respective ramps start at the level of the second side of the seat adjustment rail and protrude to the second side to the maximum extent that the cantilever teeth protrude. The upper edge of the two ramps form a plane with the upper edges of the cantilever teeth in the extension. The two ramps simplify the subsequent handling of the seat adjustment rail.
Further, exactly two rectangular holes can also be cut adjacent to each other in the end region of the second end of the seat adjustment rail.
In a preferred embodiment, exactly six first cantilever teeth and exactly six second cantilever teeth are cut. This results in a total of 12 cantilever teeth arranged between the first cantilever hole and the second cantilever hole. This has the advantage of almost infinite adjustability of a subsequent seat slide adjuster. The seat adjustment rail is installed a seat slide adjuster of a vehicle seat. A corresponding use is hereby disclosed.
The number of relief holes to be cut depends on the ratio of the number of cantilever teeth to be cut. One relief hole is cut for every two cantilever teeth. The distribution of Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

- 6 -the relief holes is not congruent with the distribution of the cantilever teeth, since, for example, the first cantilever inclined hole additionally receives its own relief hole from the relief holes calculated in relation to the cantilever teeth.
In the process according to the invention, the stamp is first moved down to the first side of the metal strip and thus of the seat adjustment rail and cuts into the metal strip to cut the outer contour of the seat adjustment rail out of the metal strip. The ejector approaches the second side of the metal strip and either presses the cutout seat adjustment rail against the stamp for a short moment in order to be able to calibrate the surface of the second side of the seat adjustment rail accordingly or uses the moment of inertia of the seat adjustment rail. After calibration, the ejector ejects the cut seat adjustment rail from the remaining metal strip. The surface of the ejector is designed so that calibration can be performed. There are corresponding openings in the ejector in which the cantilever teeth and cantilever inclined holes protruding from the second side can enter.
The relief holes can be cut out as through bores or clearance holes. However, it is also conceivable that the relief holes are cut out as a partial recess. In the case of a partial recess, no break-through of the relief holes is made from the first side to the second side. A mixture is also possible. This means that some relief holes can be continuous borings and other relief holes can be only partially cut.
As already described above, it is provided that at least one of the relief holes is assigned to the first cantilever inclined hole. This means that the relief hole is precut in such a way that the first cantilever inclined hole is precut at a defined distance below or above the relief hole.
The steps of the manufacture of the seat adjustment rail chronologically arranged and described in the invention apply to the manufacture of the one seat adjustment rail. In the series, all the steps of manufacture are performed either one after the other or, for the most part, all at once. A conceivable exception here could be the ejector, which acts against the direction of the fine cutting ram to the stamp and the rectangular ram.
The parts acting in one direction can, but do not have to be executed chronologically together.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

- 7 -Detailed description of the figures Further advantages, features and details of the invention result from the following description of preferred embodiment and from the drawings; these show in:
Figure 1 a metal strip showing different steps of the manufacturing process according to the invention as manufacturing steps;
Figure 2 a partially transparent view of the metal strip showing a first step of the manufacturing process;
Figure 3 the second step of the fine cutting process according to the invention;
Figure 4 the third step of the fine cutting process according to the invention;
Figure 5 the fourth step of the fine cutting process according to the invention;
Figure 6 the fifth step of a fine cutting process according to the invention;
Figure 7 the sixth step of a fine cutting process according to the invention;
Figure 8 a seat adjustment rail according to the invention.
Embodiment Figure 1 shows a metal strip 2. The metal strip 2 shows repeating features which do not have the same reference numbers throughout. However, it is pointed out in the context of the further description that the identical locations of the metal strip 2 should also have the identical reference numbers, even if this has not been indicated throughout accordingly by reference numbers. The metal strip 2 has a first catch hole 19.1 and a second catch hole 19.2 in the end regions of its longitudinal extension. The two catch holes 19.1, 19.2 extend more or less over the part of the metal strip to be processed, in each case in the end region. In the first process step, the relief holes 10 are cut. Alternatively, the catch holes 19.1, 19.2 can also be cut or precut.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

- 8 -In a further step, a second cantilever inclined hole 8 and six first cantilever teeth 6.1, 6.2 are then cut into the metal strip. Next, a first cantilever inclined hole 5 and the same number of second cantilever teeth 7.1, 7.2 are cut into the metal strip.
Subsequently, two rectangular holes 9.1, 9.2 are cut into the metal strip. The two rectangular holes

9.1, 9.2 are arranged between the second cantilever inclined hole 8 and the second catch hole 19.2.
The seat adjustment rail 1, or rather its outer contour 11, is then cut out of the metal strip 2. A partially bent shape of the seat adjustment rail 1 is predetermined. At the first end, the seat adjustment rail 1 forms a double web 3. At the second end, there is a cantilever 4. The outer contour 11 cuts tangentially into two rows of relief holes 10 arranged parallel to one another in such a way that the surface of the outer contour 11 is smooth and the relief holes are cut tangentially.
Figure 2 shows the first step, after which the relief holes 10 are cut into the metal strip 2. Further, the two catch holes 19.1 and 19.2 are cut into the metal strip either simultaneously or successively. In this process, the relief holes 10 are cut into the metal strip by a number of corresponding fine cutting rams 16.
The two catch holes 19.1, 19.2 are cut by corresponding catch hole rams 20.1, 20.2.
In the next step, the catch holes 19.1, 19.2 are held and fixed by catching parts 17.1, 17.2.
Figure 3 now shows how, in a second step, second cantilever inclined holes 8 and the first cantilever teeth 6.1, 6.2 are stamped or cut into the metal strip using second fine cutting rams.
Figure 4 shows how third fine cutting rams 22 impress or cut the first cantilever inclined hole 5 and the second cantilever teeth 7.1, 7.2 into the metal strip. In doing so, the second cantilever teeth 7.1, 7.2 are placed next to the first cantilever teeth 6.1, 6.2 in such a way that a continuous arrangement of the cantilever teeth 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2 is formed.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27 Figure 5 shows how two rectangular rams 23 impress the rectangular holes 9.1, 9.2 into the metal strip.
Figure 6 shows how a stamp 12 cuts into the metal strip 2, thereby separating or cutting out the outer contour 11 of the seat adjustment rail 1 from the metal strip 2.
Figure 7 now shows the cutting out of the outer contour 11 of the seat adjustment rail 1 from another perspective. It can be clearly seen how the stamp 12 approaches the metal strip 2 from the first side in order to cut the outer contour 11 of the seat adjustment rail out of the metal strip 2. It is further shown how an ejector 13 moves towards the metal strip 2 from the second side in order to hold, calibrate and then eject the cutout seat adjustment rail 1. The ejection process is shown again in Figure 8. The finished seat adjustment rail 1 can be seen here, which has the corresponding cutout borings and holes. In detail, these are six first cantilever teeth 6.1, 6.2 and six second cantilever teeth 7.1, 7.2, as well as the two rectangular holes 9.1, 9.2 and the cantilever 4. The rectangular holes 9.1, 9. 2 and the cantilever 4 are located at the second end of the seat adjustment rail 1 and the double web 3 is located at the first end of the seat adjustment rail 1. In addition, the outer contour 11 of the seat adjustment rail 1 can be clearly seen. Also, it can be well seen in the figure 8 how the cantilever teeth 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2 protrudes towards the ejector 13 from the surface of the second end of the seat adjustment rail 1 and the first cantilever inclined hole 5 forms a first ramp 14 starting from the double web 3 and the second cantilever inclined hole 8 forms a second ramp 15 starting from the rectangular holes 9.1, 9.2 just starting.
The steps of the manufacture of the seat adjustment rail 1 arranged and described chronologically in the invention apply to the manufacture of the one seat adjustment rail 1. In the series, all steps of the manufacture are performed either one after the other or for the most part all at once. A conceivable exception here could be the ejector 13, which acts against the direction of the fine cutting rams 16, 21, 22, the stamp 12 and the rectangular ram 23. The parts acting in one direction can, but do not have to, be executed chronologically together.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

- 10 -Reference symbol list 1 seat adjustment rail 2 metal strip 3 double web 4 cantilever first cantilever inclined hole 6 first cantilever tooth 7 second cantilever tooth 8 second cantilever inclined hole 9 rectangular hole relief holes

11 outer contour

12 stamp

13 ejector

14 first ramp second ramp 16 first fine cutting ram 17 catching part 19 catch hole catch hole ram 21 second fine cutting ram 22 third fine cutting ram 23 rectangular ram Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

Claims (10)

Claims

1. Fine cutting process for manufacturing a seat adjustment rail (1) from a metal strip (2), wherein the seat adjustment rail (1) forms a double web (3) at a first end and forms a cantilever (4) at its second end, wherein from the first end to the second end first a first cantilever inclined hole (5) and subsequently at least four cantilever teeth (6. 1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) are arranged, wherein the four cantilever teeth (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) consist of two first cantilever teeth (6. 1, 6.2) and two second cantilever teeth (7.1, 7.2) and a second cantilever inclined hole (8) is formed towards the second end, wherein a rectangular hole (9.1, 9. 2) is formed in the region of the cantilever (4), the seat adjustment rail (1) having a first side from which the cantilever teeth (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) and cantilever inclined holes (5, 8) protrude and having a second side, characterized by the following steps:
- two catch holes (19.1, 19.2) are first precut into the metal strip (2) and the metal strip (2) is fixed at the catch holes (19.1, 19.2);
- simultaneously with the two catch holes (19.1, 19.2), at least one relief hole (10) is notched per first cantilever tooth (6.1, 6.2) and the second cantilever inclined hole (8);
- subsequently, the two second cantilever teeth (7.1, 7.2) are notched simultaneously with the first cantilever inclined hole (5), the two second cantilever teeth (7.1, 7.2) being arranged (6.1, 6.2) offset in each case next to the two first cantilever teeth;
- subsequently, the rectangular hole (9.1, 9.2) is notched in an end region of the second end of the seat adjustment rail;
- an outer contour (11) is cut out by a stamp (12) from the first side, wherein the outer contour (11) partially runs tangentially along the relief holes (10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4);
- the seat adjustment rail (1) is ejected by means of an ejector (13) from the second side of the metal strip (2), wherein the ejector (13) calibrates the cantilever teeth (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) and cantilever inclined holes (8, 9).
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

2. Process for manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that in the metal strip (2) one of the catch holes (19.1, 19.2) each is precut in the edge region of a longitudinal extension.

3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer contour (11) is cut out as a pitch circle.

4. Process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cantilever inclined holes (5, 8) protrude towards the second side of the seat adjustment rail (1), the first cantilever inclined hole (5) forming a first ramp (14) rising towards the second end and the second cantilever inclined hole (8) forming a second ramp (15) rising towards the first end.

5. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that exactly two rectangular holes (9.1, 9.2) are notched.

6. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that exactly six first cantilever teeth (6.1, 6.2) and exactly six second cantilever teeth (7.1, 7.2) are notched.

7. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for each relief hole (10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4) impressed, double two cantilever teeth (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) are notched.

8. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stamp (12) first cuts into the first side of the metal strip (2) and thus of the seat adjustment rail (1) in order to cut the outer contour (11) out of the metal strip (2) and the ejector (13) presses in on the second side of the metal strip (2) and thus of the seat adjustment rail (1), the ejector (13) ejecting the cutout seat adjustment rail (1) from the remaining metal strip (2).

9. Process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the relief holes (10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4) are cut out as through holes and/or as partial recesses.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27

10. Process according to one of the preceding claims, in that one of the relief holes (10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4) is assigned to the first cantilever inclined hole (5).
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27