FR2846918A1 - Vehicle seat slide, has locking mechanism with primary lock to immobilize two sections and additional lock connected to stem of spring, which brings back primary lock from unlocked position to locked position - Google Patents

Abstract

The slide has two sections (9, 10) mounted slidingly with respect to each other based on a longitudinal direction. A locking mechanism immobilizes the sections with respect to each other. The mechanism has a primary lock (13) to immobilize the sections and an additional lock (25) connected to a stem of an elastically deformable spring (16). The spring brings back the lock (13) from an unlocked position towards a locked position.

Description

The present invention relates to

slides

  for vehicle seats, including front seats of 5 vehicles. These slides are designed to support the seats slidably in a so-called longitudinal direction to allow their adjustment to the front and rear. The slides are generally grouped in sets of two parallel slides for each seat 10 supported.

  More particularly, the invention concerns, among these slides, those which comprise, on the one hand, first and second sections slidably mounted relative to each other in a longitudinal direction, and secondly, a locking mechanism for securing said first and second profiles relative to each other, the locking mechanism comprising - a longitudinal sequence of notches carried by the first section, - a main lock comprising a first series of teeth, the main latch being pivotally mounted on the second section between a locked position in which the first set of teeth cooperates with the notches of the first section to immobilize the first and second sections relative to each other, and an unlocked position in which the first set of teeth does not cooperate with the notches of the first profile to allow a longitudinal displacement of the first and second profiled relative to each other, and - control means comprising a control member for pivoting the main latch from its locked position to its unlocked position, and a resiliently deformable return rod to allow an automatic return of the main lock in its locked position. In known slideways of the kind in question, the pivoting mounting of the lock on the second section is achieved by cooperation of a fixed axis of the lock which is housed, for example, in a circular hole made in a vertical flange of the second profile. When applying a shock on the front or the rear of the vehicle, the assembly 10 constituted by the seat and its occupant is therefore biased either forward or backward, which tends to displace the second section of each slide towards the

first profile.

  The transfer of the bias is then effected successively, from the second profile to the lock by applying the circular hole of the second profile against the axis of the lock, then the lock to the first profile by applying the teeth of said lock against the notches of said

first profile.

  In order to relieve the transfer of stress between the axis of the lock and the circular hole of the second profile, it is known from French patent application FR 2 732 279, a slide in which the main lock comprises a tab intended to be housed in a light formed in the second profile, and intended to abut against this light, when the main latch is in the locked position and said slide is subjected to a longitudinal impact. Although this solution is entirely satisfactory, the main latch which is pivotally mounted on the movable section may contain a maximum of four teeth intended to cooperate with three notches of the first section. Indeed, it is not possible to increase the number of teeth on the main latch without increasing the angular displacement of said latch or more exactly the angular stroke of the end of the latch opposite to the pivot axis, between its positions. locked and unlocked to retract all the teeth of the notches of the first section. The travel or angular stroke of the main lock is therefore limited by the space occupied by the first and second sections, this space being delimited by the distance that

  separates the floor from the vehicle seat.

  Thus, the stresses are exerted on the first limited series of teeth and the lug of the same main lock which is then likely to undergo at least local deformations that may lead to cracks or tears in the main bolt that arises.

  generally in the form of a recessed wafer.

  The present invention aims to increase the transfer of stress between the first section and the second section of the slide without providing oversize of said profiles which would increase the distance between the floor of the vehicle and the seat to be able to increase the number of teeth made on the main lock. For this purpose, according to the invention, the slide of the kind in question is essentially characterized in that the return rod extends substantially in the longitudinal direction between a first end connected to the main lock and a second end connected to the second section. , said return rod being elastically deformable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, in that an additional latch 30 comprising a second series of teeth is fixedly attached to the elastically deformable return rod, said additional latch being disposed on said return rod so that, firstly, the second series of teeth cooperates with the notches of the first profile when the main lock is returned to its locked position by the return rod, and secondly, the second series of teeth does not cooperate with the notches of the first section when the main lock is brought 5 in its unlocked position, and in that the second profile comprises two bearing rigid arranged on either side of the additional lock, the said bearing surfaces being intended to rigid abut against respectively. the additional lock when strong stresses are exerted longitudinally backwards or forwards

on the second profile.

  In preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more of the following provisions may also be used: the two rigid surfaces are formed by two vertical edges of an opening made in the second section to allow the passage of the additional lock; the additional lock is fixed on the return rod by crimping or by welding; the first section is intended to be fixed on the floor of the vehicle and the second section is intended for

support the vehicle seat.

  Other features and benefits of the

  Description will become apparent from the following description of one of its embodiments, given by way of example

  non-limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a front passenger seat according to the provisions of the invention, FIG. 2 is a transverse half-section view along the line II-II of FIG. FIG. 3 is a top view in partial section of the slideway according to the invention, FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the slideway according to the invention, the movable section being immobilized relative to the fixed profile. and FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, the movable section slidable with respect to

fixed profile.

  In the different figures, the same references

  designate identical or similar elements.

  FIG. 1 represents a seat 1 of a vehicle 10 having a seat 2 mounted on the floor

  3 of the vehicle, and a backrest 4 mounted on the seat 2.

  The connection between the floor 3 of the vehicle and the seat 2 of the seat is achieved by means of two slide 5 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1) making it possible to adjust the position of the seat 1 on the floor 3 of the seat The seat 1, which is a vehicle front seat, also comprises a device 6 for locking and unlocking a seat belt 7 or more.

  precisely of are snap bolt 8.

  Thus, during a front or rear impact of the vehicle, the occupant of the seat 1, through the safety belt 10 or through the backrest 4, 25 transfer all efforts towards the slides 5 which must therefore support all the stresses in the longitudinal direction L. For this purpose, each slide comprises - a first so-called fixed profile 9 intended to be fixed on the floor 3 of the vehicle, a second section 10 said mobile to support the seat 1 and which is slidably mounted along the fixed profile 9 with interposition of balls 11 (Figure 2), - a locking mechanism for immobilizing the movable section 10 relative to the fixed profile 9, this mechanism comprising a longitudinal sequence of notches 12 carried by the fixed profile 9, and a main latch 13 5 pivotally mounted on the movable section 10 about a horizontal and transverse axis X connected to this movable section 10; this main lock 13 comprising a first series of teeth

  14 intended to cooperate with the notches 12 of the fixed profile 9.

  The main latch 13 is pivotally mounted on the movable section 10 between, on the one hand, a locked position (FIGS. 3 and 4) in which the first set of teeth 14 co-operates with the notches 12 of the fixed profile 9 in order to immobilize said movable section 10, and secondly, an unlocked position (FIG. 5) in which the first series of teeth 14 of the main latch 13 no longer co-operates with the notches 12 of the fixed section 9 in order to allow movement of the movable section. 10 in the direction

  longitudinal L relative to the fixed profile 9.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5, the locking mechanism also comprises control means which comprise a control member 15 for pivoting the main lock 13 from its locked position to its unlocked position, and a locking rod. elastically deformable return 16 to allow automatic return of the main latch 13 in its position

unlocked (Figure 4).

  In the embodiment considered here - the teeth 14 are materialized by four bridges which frame two by two three windows 17 (Figure 3) recessed in a horizontal plate 18 made in one piece with the main latch 13, - the notches 12 are oriented downwards (FIG. 2), the pivoting mounting of the main latch around the X axis linked to the movable section is done by cooperation of an annular collar 19 which is semi-cut in the main lock 13 with the edge. a circular hole 20 formed in an outer vertical wall 21 of the movable section 10, - the control member 15 is in the form of

  a horizontal arch whose end of a foot is secured to the main lock 13 and whose front crossbar is disposed under the front end of the seat 2 of the seat 1 (Figure 1) so as to be able to be 10 easily operated by the occupant of this seat.

  As can be seen in Figures 2 to 5, an opening 22 is formed in the outer vertical wall 21 of the movable section 10 so as to provide a passage to the main lock 13, or more precisely to its horizontal plate 18, so that the body of the main lock 13 is placed outside the slide while the notches 12 of the fixed profile 9 are, in the example

  considered here, located inside the movable section 10.

  The elastically deformable return rod 16 extends, as can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, between a first end 16a fixedly attached in a recess 23 formed on an upper horizontal flap 24 of the main latch 13, and a second end 16b connected

  fixed way to the movable section 10.

  The resiliently deformable return rod 16 has at least one substantially horizontal portion 16c on which is fixedly attached an additional lock 25 which also comprises a second series of teeth 26. In the example considered here, the second series 30 of teeth 26 of the additional lock 25 is materialized by

  three bridges that frame two by two, two windows 27.

  The additional lock 25 is in the form of a substantially horizontal plate which is provided with a housing 28 in which is housed and crimped the horizontal portion 16c of the return rod 16. According to an alternative embodiment, the return rod 16 can be directly

  welded in the housing 28 of the additional lock 25.

  This additional lock 25 is disposed on the horizontal portion 16c of the return rod 16 so that, firstly, the second set of teeth 26 cooperates with the notches 12 of the fixed profile 9 when the main lock 13 is brought back in its locked position (FIG. 4) under the effect of the elastic biasing of the return rod 16 and that, on the other hand, the second series of teeth 26 no longer cooperates with the notches 12 of the fixed profile 9 when the main latch 13 is brought into its unlocked position (FIG. 5) by actuation of the

order 15.

  Furthermore, the resiliently deformable return rod 16 is shaped in such a way that the additional lock moves substantially in the vertical direction when the main lock 13 pivots between its

  locked and unlocked positions.

  The outer vertical wall 21 of the movable section also has a substantially rectangular opening 29 delimited in its longitudinal direction by

two vertical edges 29a and 29b.

  The distance separating the two vertical edges 29a and 29b of the opening 29 is determined in such a way that said vertical edges 29a and 29b respectively abut against the vertical edges 25a and 25b of the additional lock 25 during a rear impact. or before the vehicle. Under these conditions, the transfer of longitudinal forces or shocks is effected not only at the collar 19 and the circular hole 20 with respect to the main lock 13, but also between the additional lock 25 and its opening 29 when said latch additional 25 cooperates with the notches 12 of the fixed profile 9. The anchoring resulting from this cooperation is distributed between the first assembly formed by the main nut 13, the notches 12 and the pivot axis 19, and the second formed by the additional nut 25, the notches 12 and the opening 29, which provides a particularly robust anchoring. The presence of the additional nut 25 makes it possible to significantly increase the total number of teeth intended to cooperate

  with the notches 12 of the fixed profile 9.

Claims (4)

CLAIMS CATI ONS   1. Slide for vehicle seat, comprising 5 firstly, a first and a second section (9,10) slidably mounted relative to each other in a longitudinal direction (L), and secondly a locking mechanism for securing said first and second sections (9,10) relative to one another, the locking mechanism comprising: - a longitudinal sequence of notches (12) carried by the first section (9 ), - a main lock (13) having a first set of teeth (14), the main lock (13) being pivotally mounted on the second profile (10) between a locked position in which the first set of teeth (14) cooperates with the notches (12) of the first profile (9) to immobilize the first and second profiles with respect to each other, and an unlocked position in which the first set of teeth (14) does not cooperate with the notches (12) of the first profile (9) to allow movement longitudinally of the first and second profiles (9,10) relative to each other, and - control means including a control member (15) for pivoting the main latch (13) from its locked position to its unlocked position, and a resiliently deformable return rod (16) to allow automatic return of the main lock (13) in its locked position, characterized in that the return rod (16) extends substantially in the longitudinal direction ( L) between a first end (16a) connected to the main lock (13) and a second end (16b) connected to the second profile he (10), said return rod (16) being elastically deformable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction longitudinal, in that an additional lock (25) having a second series of teeth (26) is fixedly attached to the resiliently deformable return rod (16), said additional lock (25) being disposed on said return rod (16) so that, on the one hand, the second set of teeth (26) cooperates with the notches (12) of the first profile (9) when the main latch (13) ) is returned to its locked position by the return rod (16), and secondly, the second set of teeth (26) does not cooperate with the notches (12) of the first profile (9) when the main lock ( 13) is brought into its unlocked position, and in that the second section (10) comprises two rigid seats (29a, 29b) arranged in   on either side of the additional lock (25), said rigid bearing surfaces (29a, 29b) being intended to abut respectively against the additional lock (25) when heavy stresses are exerted longitudinally 20 towards the rear or towards the before on the second section (10).   2. Slide according to claim 1, wherein   the two rigid seats (29a, 29b) are formed by two vertical edges (29a, 29b) of an opening (29) formed in the second section to allow passage of the additional lock (25).   3. Slide according to one or the other   1 and 2, wherein the additional latch (25) is fixed to the return rod (16) by crimping or welding.   4. Slide according to any one of   preceding claim, wherein the first profile (9) is intended to be fixed on the floor (3) of the vehicle and the second section (10) is intended to support the seat (1) vehicle.