FR2622852A1 - HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT DEVICE WITH REMOTE ACTUATED RELEASE FOR FASTENING OR RETURNING LATCHES OF A SEAT BELT - Google Patents

Abstract

The locking device to be mounted on an element of the vehicle body is provided with a guide rail, is equipped with a sliding element, as a carrier element for the fitting, can move longitudinally and is fixed by steps engagement in positions of associated notches of the guide rail by means of a spring loaded lock in the locked position, the unlocking of the associated lock being effected by means of a release lever. According to the invention, the locking mechanism 13, 19 is coupled to a transmission element 21 for unlocking actuated remotely, and a force / stroke accumulator buffer 22 is disposed between the locking mechanism 13, 19 and the transmission element 21.

Description

The present invention relates to a height adjustment device with

  unlocking remotely operated

  for the mounting hardware or upper return of a system

  seat belt, particularly in motor vehicles, consisting of a locking device to be mounted on an element of the vehicle body and provided

  a guide rail, in which a sliding element

  sant, as a supporting element of the fitting, can be

  place longitudinally and is fixed by no interlocking

  lying in associated notch positions of the slide

  guideway by means of a spring loaded lock in the locked position, unlocking the lock

  partner carried out by means of a released lever

  rator. A height adjustment device of this type is known from German patent application DE-35 24 121, according to which the unlocking of the spring loaded lock at the locking position is effected by the actuation of a configured release lever. as a pivoting lever, which can be pivoted by hand or via an associated lever, after which the associated sliding element,

  as a carrier for the fitting, can be moved

  freely at the desired locking position in the guide rail. A height adjustment device is also known from German patent application DE-30 07 986, according to which the actuation of the lever and consequently an unlocking of the lock is only necessary in the direction of adjustment of the fitting towards the bottom, while the adjustment upwards can be carried out simply by pushing the fitting upwards, since, owing to the arrangement of the lock in the sliding element, an automatic unlocking takes place in this direction of adjustment, We also know from German patent DE-26 22 556 that a height-adjustable return fitting can be coupled with a sliding vehicle seat, by means of a transmission element in the form of a Bowden cable, in such a way that the sliding of the vehicle seat is also accompanied by the height adjustment of the fitting

  of return of a corresponding amount. However, the mechanic

  Locking device for the height adjustment device is configured here so that free movement

  of the associated sliding element in the guide rail

  associated age and consequently the desired adaptation of the height position of the fitting to the size of the seat occupant

  is only possible when the seat belt is disengaged

  when the belt is put on, a lock

  the non-removable part ensures an irremovable position of the device.

positive height adjustment.

  Such a configuration of a height-adjusted device operated remotely therefore has the disadvantage that the adjustment of the fitting is not possible when the seat belt is put on; However, and in particular in view of the obligation to put on the belt which is currently in force, it should be noted that the user of seat belts must from the start put on the belt, and that this

  only then, as can happen quite frequently

  only during a long journey, that it corrects the position of the seat; but it is precisely this latter operation which is completely impossible with the height adjustment device known according to German patent DE-26 22 556, because

  moving the seat is no longer possible when the

  positive height adjustment is locked and the seat is rigidly coupled to it via the deflection element. This situation can be remedied at

  by means of a height adjustment device of the men-

  tioned in the introduction, which is permanently locked by engaging the latch with the guide rail; but this then has the drawback that, when the locking mechanism is actuated remotely, a defined unlocking cannot be achieved, so that partial locks and "tooth on tooth" locks of the height adjustment device can not

be excluded.

  The present invention therefore aims to improve a height adjustment device of the type mentioned in the introduction, so that the adjustment device

  in height, of a conforming construction method, either ac-

  remotely operable and that incorrect locking of the height adjustment device is reliably prevented. The height adjustment device must in particular,

  while the adjustment strokes are most often different

  can be coupled to the movement of a seat

of the vehicle.

  According to the invention, this object is achieved by the fact that the locking mechanism of the height adjustment device of the type mentioned in the introduction is coupled to a transmission element for unlocking operated remotely, a force / stroke accumulator buffer. being provided between the latch and the transmission element, buffer which is first of all loaded by the displacement of the transmission element, without taking place - despite

  the coupling between the lock and the transmission element

  sion- an unlocking of the height adjustment device.

  Only when the transmission element trans-

  puts a stroke which exceeds a determined unlocking stroke of the locking mechanism, that the buffer is released and generates a desired unlocking of the lock, so that as a result of this, the sliding element reaches the next notching position either traction on the belt strap, either by means of a suitably provided drive spring. It is thus guaranteed that all slight movements, even unexpected ones or possibly due to the mode

  of construction, of the transmission element, not accom-

  with a desired adaptation of the height position of the return fitting, are not transformed into an unlocking of the height adjustment device. It should be considered, in particular if the height adjustment device is to be coupled via the transmission element to a sliding vehicle seat, that the seat adjustment stroke is greater than the adjustment stroke of the fitting. return, whereas the notch for the vehicle seat has a greater number of notches than that of the height adjustment device. The consequence of this is that, under certain circumstances, a seat adjustment of only a notching position does not

  must not yet cause adjustment of the fitting of the

  positive height adjustment. This problem is solved in a particularly advantageous manner by the arrangement

  according to the invention of a tampon, if the reduction in addition ne-

  first of all is neglected. In addition, thanks to

  defined and constructively fixed sequences of movements

  the partial locking or unlocking as well as the "tooth on tooth" locking of the

  height adjustment are excluded.

  The possibility is thus advantageously provided

  bility to couple the height adjustment device, in particular in motor vehicles, to sliding vehicle seats, since the seats are, via the transmission element, connected to the

  height adjustment device such that a displacement

  cemeht of the seat to a predetermined extent generates a

  corresponding placement of the sliding element, as a supporting element for the fixing or return fitting. It is thus advantageously guaranteed, on the one hand that the seat, even once the belt is put on, can still slide and consequently that the height position of the fitting can be readjusted, and on the other hand that the adjustment device in height, except for short movement movements

  duration, is always in a locked position

  lée receiving the load, and that at the same time, as pointed out above, only minimal displacements of the seat do not yet generate unlocking of the device.

height adjustment.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the tam-

  pon force accumulator itself has a release mechanism which generates the unlocking of the height adjustment device only after passing, by the

  actuation stroke transmitted by the transmission element-

  sion, of a predetermined unlocking stroke, a plate

  that pressure and a pusher being coupled to the transmission element, between which rests the buffer made in the form of a spiral spring. The pusher itself

  acts during a linear movement on the action lever-

  nement, which pulls the lock out of the notching positions of the guide rail, the pusher being however initially blocked by a locking lever, which, after exceeding a predetermined free stroke, is brought by the pressure plate out of engagement with the

  pusher, so that the pusher can complete its movement

liberating.

  We will now describe an embodiment of the invention which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

  Figure 1 is a sectional view of a re-dispsoitif

  height adjustment in the locked position; and Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1

  of the height adjustment device in the unlocking position

  rusting. The height adjustment device consists essentially of a guide slide 10, which can be fixed, in a manner not shown, on an element of the body of a motor vehicle. In the guide slide 10 can move a sliding element 11 as a carrier element of a fixing or return fitting which is simply suggested by a stud 12. In the sliding element 11, a latch 13 is mounted movable in pivoting around a point of rotation 18, a front locking edge 14 of the lock 13 cooperating in the locking position visible in FIG. 1 with locking lugs 15 projecting from the bottom of the guide slide 10. The lock 13 is biased in the locking position by a spring 17 which acts on the lock and which bears against a part 16 of the sliding element. Lock 13 is coupled

  to an actuating lever 19 protruding from the plane of the slide

  guide track 10 so that a pivoting of the actuating lever 19 generates a pivoting of the latch 13 towards

  the unlocking position (Figure 2). The assembly builds

  tif, not shown in detail, of the actuation lever

  19, and its assembly with the latch 13, can be made

  in accordance with the exemplary embodiment described in German patent application DE-35 24 121, which corresponds to

  preamble to this application, and to which reference is made

will be on the matter.

  A housing 20 is mounted outside the guide slide 10 on the sliding and sliding element 11

  with the latter; this box is used to couple an element

  transmission 21 with the operating lever 19,

  with interposition of a force accumulator buffer 22.

  In the embodiment shown, the transmission element 21 is produced in the form of a Bowden cable, the central cable of which is connected on the one hand to a pressure plate 24 and on the other hand, to the lower end, to a pusher 24, the pusher 24 itself being movable upward on the central cable of the Bowden cable 21, from a lower final stop configured as a fixing screw 25, and coupled to the actuation lever 19. The pressure plate 23 is, by means of a holding element 26, fixed to the transmission element 21, so that it finds a complementary stop

  on the housing 20 in the locking position of the device

height adjustment.

  Between the pressure plate 23 and the pusher 24 a spiral spring 22 is supported as a force accumulator

  which in the locking position of the retaining device

  height adjustment, which is shown in Figure 1, is relaxed. At the same time, the pusher 24 is fixed against a projecting part 24 by means of a blocking lever 28 which engages therein with a hook 29, the blocking lever 28 being disposed so as to pivot against the casing. against the action of a spring 30 rotating in

  blocking position, so that this blocking lever

  cage 28 can move from the hand locking position

  holding the pusher 24 in a position releasing the latter.

  To this end, the locking lever 28 has, at its

  end turned towards the pressure plate 23, a bi-

  introduction bucket 31 which enters the displacement path

  linear cementation of the pressure plate 23.

  In order to allow the adjustment movement of the sliding element in both directions, the sheath 34 of the Bowden cable 21 is fixed stationary, for example on the

  guide rail for the height adjustment device

  body, or on the vehicle body; the reference 35 thus designates a stationary receiving part 35 for the

sheath 34 of the Bowden cable 21.

  The height-adjustable device that can be operated remotely, with the construction features

  described above simply as an example of realization

  tion, works as follows: if in the locked position

  lage and therefore rest of the height adjustment device, which is shown in Figure 1, an adjustment pulse

  part of the transmission element 21, according to which the e-

  the sliding element 11 must be moved downwards, the central cable of the Bowden cable 21 is displaced downwards. In doing so, the lower end provided with the fixing stop 25 slides through the pusher 24, because the latter is initially blocked by the locking lever 28. At the same time, the displacement of the pressure plate 23, fixed by through the holding element 26 to the transmission element 21, generates the

  tension of the spiral spring 22 downwards.

  If now the displacements of the element of trans-

  mission 21 are only minimal and remain below the

  constructively fixed release stroke, these displacements

  cements then do not yet generate an unlocking of the latch 13 of the height adjustment device, whereas the pusher 24, acting on the actuating lever 19 for the latch 13, remains locked in position by the locking lever 28; to this extent, small linear displacements are compensated by the spring 22 or

  still the free travel of the pressure plate 23.

  It is only when the displacement path of the element

  transmission 21 is large enough for the pressure plate, after the preload of the spring 22, to advance on the insertion bevel 31 of the locking lever 28 and then pivot the latter sufficiently outwards so that its hook 29 disengages from the projecting part 27 of the pusher, that the relaxation of the spring 22 generates an abrupt movement of the pusher 24 on the

  Bowden cable 21 to the stop 25, so that the push

  evening 24 press the actuation lever 19 and stop

  vote the latter down. Following the assembly at two points of the actuating lever 19, by means of a lower bearing point 32 and an upper traction point 33, with the bolt 13, the actuating lever 19 drives jointly during its pivoting, the

  as described in detail in the German patent application

  mand DE-35 24 121 which corresponds to the preamble to the pre-

  feel request, the lock 13 and pulls the latter from the locking position shown in Figure 1 to

  the interior of the sliding element 11, so that the element

  sliding element 11 can now slide freely in the guide slide 10. In this position, the sliding element l is now movable with the fitting 12,

  either by pulling on the belt strap or by

  through an additional thrust spring acting

  on the sliding element 11, towards the locking position

  next stage, after which the transmission element

  sion 21 remaining stationary; the buffer elements return

  are at the initial position corresponding to the representation

tion of Figure 1.

  If, through the transmission element

  21, an impulse is exerted for the displacement of the element

  sliding upwards 11, the transmission element 21 then bears, by means of the pressure plate 23, directly against the housing 20; due to the pulling force acting upwards as well as the configuration of the bolt 13 and the associated locking edge 14 as well as the configuration of the locking pins 15 of

  the guide rail 10, the latch 13 is pushed automatically

  matically inside the sliding element 11 and thus unlocked, as is for example known by

  German patent application DE-30 27 986.

  With this configuration, unlike the downward displacement, the displacement of the sliding element 11

  upwards is therefore carried out each time in a syn-

  chrone with the movement of the transmission element

  21, but following automatic unlocking

  so dried, each time immediately a new anchoring of the sliding element 11, following the traction exerted on the belt strap or as the case of the action of the thrust spring provided for the sliding element . Following unlocking, the sliding element must - as described - be moved each time with a greater or lesser stroke to the next notching position, either by pulling on the belt strap , or via the additional thrust spring. In order to allow this movement, without modifying

  pride remote actuation or seat positioning

  ge, a racing accumulator, not shown in detail in the figures, is also incorporated in the element

  transmission 21, namely in the present example of reali-

  sation in the central cable of the Bowden cable. This accumulated-

  race guard is sized so that it is

  for example actuated by pulling the belt strap

  ture in the event of an accident, and thus enables the travel

  cement to the next notching position. Accumulated-

  The corresponding racing gear can be found in

  anywhere on the transmission element 21.

  In order to improve and make more reliable this process of

  placement upwards, it can, in a manner not shown

  felt, be provided with another action-force accumulator

  adjustable by the transmission element 21, which, in accordance with the device for moving the fitting downwards, also ensures an active movement of the sliding element 11 upwards only if a predetermined travel movement of the transmission element 21 upwards

is exceeded.

  Whereas, due in particular to the configuration

  constructive, it makes sure that the locking edge

  lage 14 of latch 13 does not refer to the lugs of ver-

  rusting 15 of the guide rail 10, but does not come

  in fixed engagement with the latter that in charge, we have

  poses a certain freedom for the latch 13, with a friction

  accordingly reduced, both for the

  automatic upwards only for unlocking

  active when moving down.

  The present invention is therefore, as already mentioned, particularly suitable and applicable with a sliding vehicle seat, and in this case it eliminates

  the problem posed, particularly in the case of vehicle seats

  continuously adjustable, by the fact that these seats do not have fixed locking positions, which could possibly be synchronized with corresponding locking positions of the height adjustment device; it is precisely with such continuously adjustable seats that minimal displacements are possible and likely, which should not yet cause a readjustment of the height position of the fitting.

fixation or dismissal.

  The invention is however not limited to such a

  application, but on the contrary it is also applica-

  ble to transmission elements actuated by hand or in any other way for height-adjustable devices that can be operated remotely, since the same problem is encountered every time; finally, the invention is not limited to Bowden cables like

  transmission elements, but on the contrary it is also

  Can also be used with other types of trans-

mission.

Claims (11)

- CLAIMS -   1. Height adjustment device for the fixing bracket or upper return of the seat belt system   safety, especially in motor vehicles,   killed by a locking device to be mounted on an element of the vehicle body and fitted with a slide   guide, in which a sliding element, as an   fitting carrier, can move longitudinally   and is fixed by no interlocking in posi-   associated notches from the guide rail to the   by means of a spring loaded lock in the locked position   lage, the unlocking of the associated lock being effected by means of a release lever, characterized in that   the locking mechanism (13,19) is coupled to an element   transmission (21) for unlocking operated remotely, and a force / stroke accumulator buffer (22) is arranged between the locking mechanism (13,19) and the transmission element (21).   2. Height adjustment device as claimed   cation 1, characterized in that the buffer (22) itself   even a liberating mechanism (23,24) which does not generate the   locking of the height adjustment device (11,13) only after passing, by the actuating stroke transmitted by the transmission element (21), of a stroke   of predetermined unlocking.   3. Height adjustment device as claimed   cation 1 or 2, characterized in that the buffer consists of a spiral spring (22), which is supported between a pressure plate (23) and a pusher (24) respectively assembled with the transmission element (21), the pusher (24) being   fixed in its initial position by a locking lever (28).   4. Height adjustment device according to one   conch of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the   pressure plate (23) is fixed by a holding element (26) to the transmission element (21) so that it 26-22852   is supported in the locking direction of the retaining device   sliding in height against a housing (20) integral with the   sliding element, and in that the pusher (24) is   can be placed on the transmission element (21) and is locked at the lower end of the latter by means of a screw stop (25).   5. Height adjustment device according to one   conch of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the   pusher (24) is coupled to the locking mechanism   (13,19) of the height adjustment device.   6. Height adjustment device according to resale   dication 5, characterized in that an actuating lever (19) is disposed between the pusher (24) and the latch (13), a lever which transforms the linear movement of the pusher (24) into a pivoting movement of the latch ( 13) in the sense   unlocking of the height adjustment device (11).   7. Height adjustment device according to one which   conch of claims i to 6, characterized in that the   locking lever (28) is pivotally mounted under spring load (30), and can be moved by the pressure plate   (23) to a release position for the pusher (24).   8. Height adjustment device according to one which   conch of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a   free sliding stroke is provided between the pressure plate (23) and an insertion bevel (31) of the locking lever (30) which extends in the movement path of the pressure plate (23).   9. Height adjustment device according to one which   conch of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the   height adjustment device has an accumulator   force / stroke for upward movement of the element   sliding element (11), which is loaded by the movement of the transmission element (21) and which acts on the element sliding (11).   10. Height adjustment device according to one   any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a   stroke accumulator is incorporated in the transmission element (21) to compensate for intermediate displacements. 11. Height adjustment device according to one   any of claims 1 to 10 for a set of   seat belt especially in a motor vehicle   with adjustable seats, essentially horizontally, character-   characterized in that the seats are connected via the transmission element (21) to the adjustment device   in associated height (11, 13,19,24,23).