EP3887236B1 - Handling device for inserting a piece of equipment at an angle into a system - Google Patents

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to manipulation devices which are intended to allow manipulation by persons of equipment to be introduced into systems.

State of the art

As known to those skilled in the art, the installation of certain heavy and/or bulky equipment in certain systems can be difficult. This is, for example and not limited to, the case of front seats which must be introduced into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle being assembled on an assembly line. A device according to the state of the art is disclosed in the document JP S56103668 A .

In order to facilitate this installation, and in particular to prevent the person in charge of it from being forced to perform complex (not very ergonomic) movements while carrying the equipment, a manipulation device is used. The latter generally comprises a support part intended to be suspended close to the system (into which equipment must be introduced) and to which is coupled a fixing assembly to which this equipment is intended to be temporarily fixed in a standby position. The support piece generally comprises a ring which is secured to an arm of a gantry which is movable relative to the system.

When the bulk of the equipment increases without the part of the system through which it is introduced changing substantially, the handling device described above is no longer perfectly suitable. This is particularly the case, for example, when one is forced to install a front seat in a vehicle when it is pre-equipped with its head restraint, because the latter is connected to the backrest by at least an electrical cable (for example connected to built-in speakers). In this case, the headrest must be electrically connected to the backrest in order to guarantee electrical continuity and to avoid stains and additional operations on the assembly line.

The presence of such a headrest forces the person who uses the handling device to tilt the assembly for fixing with the seat in order to pass them through the doorway without damaging the peripheral door seal. The angle of inclination, which is typically between 45° and 50°, forces the person to exert a lifting force on the lower part of the seat to make it pivot with the fixing assembly, then to keep the seat tilted fixing assembly with the seat at the same time as it moves the gantry to make them penetrate into the passenger compartment. This lifting effort amounts to carrying a load of approximately 13 kg, which is not ergonomic and proves tiring, in particular in the event of numerous repetitions in the same day.

The object of the invention is therefore in particular to improve the situation.

Presentation of the invention

It proposes in particular for this purpose a manipulation device, on the one hand, intended to allow the manipulation by a person of equipment to be introduced at an angle into a system, and, on the other hand, comprising a support part intended to be suspended close to the system and to which is coupled a fixing assembly to which the equipment is intended to be temporarily fixed in a standby position.

• qu'il comprend un rail curviligne solidarisé fixement à l'ensemble de fixation et comprenant une poignée de manipulation, et
• que sa pièce de support comprend une glissière curviligne dans laquelle est monté à coulissement le rail curviligne afin, lorsque la personne fait coulisser ce dernier au moyen de la poignée de manipulation, de le faire passer d'une position initiale à une position finale dans laquelle l'équipement est dans une position déportée et inclinée adaptée à son introduction en biais dans le système.

This handling device is characterized by the fact:

• that it comprises a curvilinear rail fixedly secured to the fixing assembly and comprising a handling handle, and
• that its support part comprises a curvilinear slide in which the curvilinear rail is slidably mounted in order, when the person slides the latter by means of the handling handle, to do so move from an initial position to a final position in which the equipment is in an offset and inclined position suitable for its introduction at an angle into the system.

Thus, the person no longer has to exert a lifting force on the lower part of the seat to make it pivot with the fastening assembly, and any effort to keep the fastening assembly inclined with the seat.

• dans sa position initiale l'ensemble de fixation peut être destiné à maintenir l'équipement dans une position d'attente verticale ;
• dans sa position finale l'ensemble de fixation peut être destiné à maintenir l'équipement dans une position déportée et inclinée d'un angle compris entre 30° et 60° par rapport à la position d'attente ;
• son rail curviligne peut comprendre une encoche. Dans ce cas, sa glissière peut comprendre une protubérance destinée à être logée dans cette encoche lorsque le rail curviligne est dans sa position finale, afin de maintenir le rail curviligne dans cette position finale ;
  • ➢ l'encoche peut être définie dans une partie de la poignée de manipulation ;
• en variante, sa glissière peut comprendre une encoche. Dans ce cas, son rail curviligne peut comprendre une protubérance destinée à être logée dans cette encoche lorsque le rail curviligne est dans sa position finale, afin de maintenir le rail curviligne dans cette position finale ;
  • ➢ la protubérance peut être définie dans une partie de la poignée de manipulation ;
• sa glissière peut comprendre une face latérale munie d'une poignée de maintien permettant à la personne de maintenir la pièce de support dans une position fixe pendant le coulissement du rail curviligne.

The manipulation device according to the invention may comprise other characteristics which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

• in its initial position, the fixing assembly may be intended to hold the equipment in a vertical standby position;
• in its final position, the fixing assembly may be intended to hold the equipment in an offset position and inclined at an angle of between 30° and 60° relative to the standby position;
• its curvilinear rail may include a notch. In this case, its slide may include a protrusion intended to be housed in this notch when the curvilinear rail is in its final position, in order to maintain the curvilinear rail in this final position;
  • ➢ the notch can be defined in part of the handling handle;
• as a variant, its slide may comprise a notch. In this case, its curvilinear rail may comprise a protrusion intended to be housed in this notch when the curvilinear rail is in its final position, in order to maintain the curvilinear rail in this final position;
  • ➢ the protrusion can be defined in part of the handling handle;
• its slide may include a side face provided with a grab handle allowing the person to hold the support piece in a fixed position during the sliding of the curvilinear rail.

A manipulation device of the type presented above can be used to manipulate equipment constituting a seat in order to introduce it obliquely into a system constituting a vehicle. For example, this equipment can constitute a front seat comprising a backrest comprising a headrest connected to at least one cable, and this vehicle can be of the automobile type.

Brief description of figures

• [Fig. 1] illustre schématiquement, dans une vue en perspective, un exemple de réalisation d'une partie supérieure d'un dispositif de manipulation selon l'invention,
• [Fig. 2] illustre schématiquement, dans une vue de face, le dispositif de manipulation de la figure 1 sans l'équipement à manipuler et avec son rail curviligne placé dans sa position initiale,
• [Fig. 3] illustre schématiquement, dans une vue de face, le dispositif de manipulation de la figure 1 sans l'équipement à manipuler et avec son rail curviligne placé dans sa position finale, et
• [Fig. 4] illustre schématiquement, dans une vue en perspective, une petite partie du dispositif de manipulation de la figure 1.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examination of the detailed description below, and of the appended drawings, in which:

• [ Fig. 1 ] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, an embodiment of an upper part of a manipulation device according to the invention,
• [ Fig. 2 ] schematically illustrates, in a front view, the device for handling the figure 1 without the equipment to be handled and with its curvilinear rail placed in its initial position,
• [ Fig. 3 ] schematically illustrates, in a front view, the device for handling the figure 1 without the equipment to be handled and with its curvilinear track placed in its final position, and
• [ Fig. 4 ] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, a small part of the device for handling the figure 1 .

Detailed description of the invention

The object of the invention is in particular to propose a manipulation device 1 intended to allow the manipulation by a person of equipment to be introduced at an angle into a system.

In what follows, it is considered, by way of non-limiting example, that the equipment constitutes a seat to be introduced at an angle into a system constituting a vehicle. However, the invention is not limited either to this type of equipment or to this type of system.

Furthermore, it is considered in what follows, by way of non-limiting example, that the vehicle is of the automobile type. This is for example a car. But the invention is not limited to this type of vehicle. It relates in fact to any type of vehicle comprising at least one door giving access to a passenger compartment and through which at least one seat must be introduced at an angle. Consequently, the invention relates at least to land vehicles (and in particular motor vehicles, commercial vehicles, road construction machinery, trucks, coaches (or buses), construction machinery and all-terrain machinery ), certain boats, and some aircraft.

Schematically represented on the figures 1 to 3 , at least partially, part of an exemplary embodiment of a manipulation device 1 according to the invention, without the equipment (here a front seat with a headrest) that it is intended to introduce at an angle into a system (here a motor vehicle).

As illustrated on the figures 1 to 3 , a manipulation device 1, according to the invention, comprises a support part 2, a curvilinear rail 3, and a fixing assembly 4.

The fixing assembly 4 is intended to allow the temporary fixing of equipment, to be introduced at an angle into the system (here via a vehicle door passage), in a waiting position. This fixing assembly 4 is adapted to the equipment to be fixed on it. The invention does not relate directly to this fixing assembly 4 (illustrated on the figure 2 and 3 ), it is not described in detail here. Those skilled in the art will understand that it can be substantially identical to that which is commonly used in the prior art, for example for the introduction of front seats without headrests.

The curvilinear rail 3 is fixedly secured to the fixing assembly and comprises a handling handle 5 suitable for gripping by a hand of a person (or a technician) in charge of introducing the equipment in the system. This fixed connection can be made by welding or by bolting, for example.

The support piece 2 is intended to be suspended close to the system (here a vehicle). For this purpose, and as illustrated without limitation on the figures 1 to 3 , the support piece 2 may comprise a ring 6 which is intended to be secured to an arm of a gantry (not shown), movable relative to the system. This gantry is optionally part of the handling device 1.

This support piece 2 comprises a curvilinear slide 7 in which is slidably mounted the curvilinear rail 3. Thus, the fixing assembly is coupled to the support part 2 via the curvilinear rail 3.

The curvature of the slide 7 is identical to that of the curvilinear rail 3, even if the length of the latter (3) is preferably significantly greater than that of the slide 7. Thanks to this arrangement, when the person slides the rail curvilinear 3 with respect to the slide 7, by means of the manipulation handle 5, the curvilinear rail 3 passes from an initial position (illustrated in the picture 2 ) to a final position (shown in the picture 3 ) in which the equipment is in an offset and inclined position suitable for its introduction at an angle into the system.

It will be understood that the angular sector over which the curvilinear rail 3 extends depends on the angle of inclination that the equipment must have in its offset and inclined position in order to be able to be introduced easily into the system.

Thanks to the invention, the person therefore no longer has to exert a lifting force on the lower part of the seat to make it pivot with the fixing assembly, and no effort to keep the fixing assembly inclined with headquarters. He must however exert a force by means of the handling handle 5 to move the curvilinear rail 3 from its initial position to its final position, but this force is notably weaker and much more ergonomic than the effort of raising the prior art. Furthermore, once the curvilinear rail 3 is in its final position (shown in the picture 3 ) the person handling it automatically knows that the angle of introduction of the seat into the system (here a vehicle) is the right one.

As illustrated without limitation on the picture 2 , when the curvilinear rail 3 is in its initial position, the fixing assembly 4 may be intended to maintain the equipment in a waiting position which is vertical. In this case, the entire sliding stroke of the curvilinear rail 3 is used to place the equipment (here a seat) in its offset and predefined inclined position.

For example, when the curvilinear rail 3 is in its final position, the fixing assembly 4 can be intended to hold the equipment in an offset position and inclined at an angle of between 30° and 60° with respect to the waiting position. Such examples of angle of inclination are well suited to the case where the equipment is a front seat equipped with a headrest connected by wire to the backrest.

It will be noted that the substantially rectangular shape of the manipulation handle 5, illustrated on the figure 1 , is illustrative. Consequently, any other shape can be envisaged as long as it allows gripping by one hand. In particular, this shape may be U-shaped or I-shaped or even C-shaped, for example.

In order to allow temporary immobilization of the curvilinear rail 3 in its final position (in which the equipment is offset and inclined), at least two embodiments can be envisaged.

In a first embodiment illustrated without limitation on the figure 1 and 4 , the curvilinear rail 3 may include a notch 8, and the slide 7 may include a protrusion 9 intended to be housed in this notch 8 when the curvilinear rail 3 is in its final position, in order to maintain this curvilinear rail 3 in this final position . With such an arrangement, when the person slides the curvilinear rail 3 from its initial position to its final position, when the curvilinear rail 3 reaches this final position, the notch 8 surrounds (and houses) the protrusion 9 and therefore the curvilinear rail 3 finds itself immobilized in its final position relative to the slide 7 (and therefore relative to the support piece 2).

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in the figure 4 , the protrusion 9 may have the shape of a sawtooth (substantially triangular), and in this case the notch 8 has a triangular shape substantially homologous to that of the protrusion 9 to house it.

Also for example, and as illustrated without limitation on the figure 1 and 4 , the notch 8 can be defined in a part of the manipulation handle 5. This part is, here, located on one of the two connections between the curvilinear rail 3 and the manipulation handle 5.

In a second embodiment (not illustrated), the slide 7 may include a notch, and the curvilinear rail 3 may include a protrusion intended to be housed in this notch when the rail curvilinear 3 is in its final position, in order to maintain the curvilinear rail 3 in this final position. With such an arrangement, when the person slides the curvilinear rail 3 from its initial position to its final position, when the curvilinear rail 3 reaches this final position, the protuberance enters the notch and therefore the curvilinear rail 3 finds itself immobilized in its final position relative to the slide 7 (and therefore relative to the support piece 2).

For example, and as in the first embodiment, the protuberance may have the shape of a sawtooth (substantially triangular), and in this case the notch has a triangular shape substantially homologous to that of the protuberance to accommodate it.

Also for example, the protuberance can be defined in a part of the handling handle 5. This part can be located on one of the two connections between the curvilinear rail 3 and the handling handle 5.

It will also be noted, as illustrated without limitation on the figures 1 to 3 , that the slide 7 can advantageously comprise a side face 10 provided with a grab handle 11 allowing the person to hold the support piece 2 in a fixed position during the sliding of the curvilinear rail 3. This makes it possible to stabilize the piece of support 2 and thus facilitate the aforementioned sliding. In addition, this makes it easier for the person to control the movement of the mobile gantry to the arm of which the support part 2 is coupled.

It will also be noted that the U-shape of the grab handle 11, illustrated on the figure 1 , is illustrative. Consequently, any other shape can be envisaged as long as it allows gripping by one hand. In particular, this shape may be a rectangular or I-shaped or even C-shaped, for example.

Claims (10)

1. Handling device (1) for allowing the manipulation by a person of equipment to be inserted obliquely into a system, said device (1) comprising a support piece (2) intended to be suspended close to said system and to which is coupled a fastening assembly (4) to which is intended to be temporarily fastened said equipment in a waiting position, characterized in that it comprises a curvilinear rail (3) fixedly secured to said fastening assembly (4) and comprising a handling handle (5), and in that said support piece (2) comprises a curvilinear slide (7) in which said curvilinear rail (3) is slidably mounted (2) in order, when the said person causes the latter (3) to slide by means of the said handling handle (5), to move it from an initial position to a final position in which the said equipment is in a offset and inclined position suitable for its introduction into the said system.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that in said initial position said fixing assembly (4) is intended to keep said equipment in a vertical waiting position.
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in said final position said fixing assembly (4) is intended to keep said equipment in a position offset and inclined by an angle of between 30° and 60° with respect to said waiting position.
4. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that i) said curvilinear rail (3) comprises a notch (8), and ii) said slide (7) comprises a protrusion (9) intended to be housed in said notch (8) when said curvilinear rail (3) is in its final position, in order to maintain said curvilinear rail (3) in this final position.
5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said notch (8) is defined in a part of said handling handle (5).
6. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that i) said slide (7) comprises a notch, and ii) said curvilinear rail (3) comprises a protrusion intended to be housed in said notch when said curvilinear rail (3) is in its final position, in order to maintain said curvilinear rail (3) in this final position.
7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said protuberance is defined in a part of said handling handle (5).
8. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the said slide (7) comprises a lateral face (10) provided with a holding handle (11) allowing the said person to hold the said support piece (2) in a fixed position during the said slide.
9. Use of the handling device (1) according to one of the preceding claims for handling equipment constituting a seat in order to introduce it obliquely into a system constituting a vehicle.
10. Use according to Claim 9, characterized in that the said equipment constitutes a front seat comprising a backrest comprising a headrest connected to at least one cable, and in that the said vehicle is of the automobile type.

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