FR2901192A1 - Seat`s front/rear slide for motor vehicle, has lock comprising projecting teeth leaving through slits arranged on one of slide elements and coming in contact with another slide element during impact, and security device locking slide - Google Patents

Abstract

The slide has slide elements mounted with respect to each other. A lock (22) is movably mounted between an unlocked position and a locked position, in which the lock immobilizes the elements. One of the elements has an axle (40) mounted with the lock and rotates the lock with respect to the element in case of a preset impact such that the lock prevents the mobility of the slide elements. The lock has projecting teeth (23) leaving through slits arranged on the element and coming in contact with another slide element (14) during the impact. A security device locks the slide.

Description

Slide for a vehicle seat with a latch, and seat comprising

such a slide

  The present invention relates to rails 5 for vehicle seats with safety devices, and seats with such rails. More particularly, the invention relates to a slide for a vehicle seat comprising: - first and second slide members 10 slidably mounted relative to each other in a longitudinal direction, - a latch movably mounted between an unlocked position and a locked position where said latch immobilizes the first and second slide members 15 relative to each other, - said first slide member comprising an axle integral with the latch, said pin allowing in case of predetermined shock the rotation the lock relative to the first slide member about a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, so that the lock permanently eliminates any mobility of the slide members relative to each other. Document DE 4123 102 describes an example of a slide of this type, which gives complete satisfaction. The present invention aims in particular to further improve the slides of this type, to ensure that the lock of the slide in an emergency situation or more precisely in case of predetermined shock of the vehicle, especially when the vehicle 30 undergoes an accident. For this purpose, according to the invention, a slide of the kind in question is characterized in that the latch has lateral teeth which, in the event of a predetermined shock, come out of windows arranged on the first slide element facing the teeth. , and come into contact with the second slide element.

  The actuation of the mobile mounted lock can be achieved by any known means, for example by pulling the safety belt of the seat occupant as will be explained hereinafter, by a flyweight actuator operating by inertia, or by a pyrotechnic actuator or other. In various embodiments of the seat according to the invention, it may optionally be resorted further to one and / or the other of the following provisions: - the axis allows a single non-reversible rotation of the lock relative to the first slide element; the axis is smooth or fluted and said axis is force-fitted into the first slide element; in the event of a predetermined shock, the limit torque Clim to exert on said axis to rotate said latch is greater than 100 N / m. the latch and the axis are made of a material of greater elastic limit than the material of the slide elements; - An angle bracket is mounted integral with the axis and converts, in case of predetermined shock, the tensile force F exerted at the lower attachment point by a safety belt in a torque C on said axis. Moreover, the invention also relates to a seat comprising a seat supported by at least one slide as defined above. The seat may comprise a safety belt having at least one fastening point secured to the waistband. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of one of its embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a seat 35 that can be fitted with slides according to one embodiment of the invention,

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a slide with a waistband according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lock according to a form of the invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the waistband with the lock presented in the locked position in the emergency situation of the safety device, in the second slide element; FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. with the first slide member, FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the slide with the lock in the on position, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are views similar to FIGS. 5 and 4, respectively, in the unlocked position. In the different figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements. FIG. 1 represents a vehicle seat 1, for example a motor vehicle seat, comprising a backrest 2 and a seat 3 which is connected to the floor 4 of the vehicle by means of slides 5, 6 allowing adjustment of the position assembly of the seat 1 by sliding forward and backward in a longitudinal direction X. In: The example shown in Figure 1, the seat 3 of the seat is carried by two front slides 5 and two rear slides 6, the two front slides being adjustable in position manually or by motorized means as known per se, and the two rear slides are normally free to slide. The seat 1 also comprises a safety belt 7 fixed at three points, namely an upper attachment point 8 (for example a retractor fixed to the body of the vehicle), a first lower fixing point 9 by

  4 example also fixed to the vehicle body, and a second lower attachment point 10 on which can lock the buckle 11 of the seat belt 7. In this embodiment, the second lower fastening point 10 of the belt The safety device is attached to one of the rear slides 6. To prevent the tensile forces exerted by the safety belt 7 on the slide 6 in case of acc_Ldent. do not result in excessive deformation and buckling of the structure of the seat 3, there is provided on the slideway 6 carrying the attachment point 10, a safety device 12 which is adapted to lock said slideway 6 in the event of a situation. urgency and corresponding to a predetermined shock of the vehicle.

  Note that a safety device 12 could be provided if necessary: - on the second rear slide 6 to lock it also in case of emergency (with the case of an actuating device different from that of the safety device 12 which will be described below, such as an inertia actuator, a pyrotechnic actuator actuated by an electronic circuit according to measurements of a sensor, etc.), or even on the front slides 5 (also with actuation different from that of the safety device 12 which will be described below). On the other hand, the seat 3 of the seat can be carried by only two parallel rails 6 substantially the depth of the seat 3 and adjustable in positions manually by another locking system or by motorized means as is known in itself, in addition to the safety device 12 which is adapted to lock said slide 6 in case of emergency.

  As can be seen in FIG. 2, each slideway 6 may comprise first and second slide members 13, 14 slidably mounted relative to one another in the longitudinal direction X and respectively fixed to the seat 3 and These two slide members 13, 14 are normally free to slide relative to one another. These first and second slide elements 13, 14 may for example be in the form of two sheet metal profiles nested one inside the other, similar to those described for example in document FR-A-2 736 311, but it could of course be a slide of a completely different type. In the example shown in the drawings, the profile forming the first slide element 13 may have substantially an inverted U shape, comprising: - a substantially horizontal upper core 15, - two lateral wings 16 bent substantially at 90 degrees downwards from the web 15, and two flaps 17 folded upwardly and outwardly from the lower ends of the lateral wings 16. In addition, the section forming the second slide element 14 may have, for example, a U-shape open up, comprising: - a bottom 18, - two substantially vertical side wings 19, extending upwardly and flanking the aforementioned flaps 17, and two inwardly folded inward troughs 20 and downwards from the upper ends of the lateral wings 19 by penetrating between the lateral wings 16 and the flaps 17 mentioned above. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, notches 21 may be recessed at regular intervals in the lower portion of the reentrant troughs 20 of the second slide member 14 thereby forming notches 26. The slideway 6 includes a latch 22 which can for example be in the form of a flat plate elongated in a direction D and horizontal which extends substantially parallel to the funds 18 of the second slide member 14 and the upper web 15 of the first slide member 13. This lock 22 is mounted integral with an axis 40 which passes therethrough substantially perpendicularly in a median portion in the form of a ring 24 surrounding the axis 40. The latch 22 thus has on both sides of said axis 40 elongated arms 25 in the direction D having on each lateral side protruding teeth 23 adapted to penetrate the notches 21 of the second slide member 14 through windows 27 m The latch 22 has at least two protruding teeth 23 arranged facing one another, but it advantageously has, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a series of protruding teeth 23a which are swept into the lateral wings 16 of the first slide element 13. and 23b disposed on the two arms 25 while being arranged one opposite the other. The protruding teeth 23 may have any shape studied to pass through the windows 27 visible in FIGS. 5 to 7 and to penetrate the notches 21, but these teeth 23 may advantageously have an arcuate shape centered on the axis 40, making it possible to better enter the notches 21 of the second slide member 14, better hook or lock this second slide member 14 and better withstand the shear forces of these teeth 23 as will be described below. The shaft 40 which is secured to the latch 22 and a belt bracket 28 (Figure 2), passes through a hole of the first slide member 13 in which it is fitted.

  7 in strength. The axis 40 may be smooth or advantageously grooved. The waistband 28 may for example have a generally L shape, with a first leg 30, and a second leg 31 which extends laterally. The first leg 30 is integral with the axis 40 and has a hole 32 pierced or formed by any means in the center of said first leg 30. The hole 32 allows for example the fitting of the waistband 28 in the 40 axis, making them by this method, integral with each other. The second leg 31 has at least one hole 33 pierced or formed by any means, as for the first leg 30. The hole 33 is then used to fix the second lower fastening point 10 of the safety belt 7. The square belt 28 may have on the entire outer perimeter of the first and second branches 30 and 31 and around the holes 32 and 33, a rim 29 raised increasing the rigidity thereof.

  In the normal mounting position, the latch 22 is in an unlocked position shown in Figures 7 and 8, so that its direction D is substantially collinear with the longitudinal direction X and so that the slide 6 remains free to slide.

  When the vehicle in which the seat is installed is subjected to an impact or an accident, if a sufficient traction is exerted on the seat belt 7, the seatbelt 7 rotates the integral assembly of the seatbelt 28, axis 40 and latch 22, as it can be seen in Figures 4 to 6. Although the force F (straight arrow in Figure 4) applied to the hole 33 by the belt 7 is not purely perpendicular to the axis 40, the waistband 28 transforms, in an emergency situation, by its dimensional characteristics and its connections, said force F into a torque C (curved arrow in FIG. 4) on said axis 40. If a torque C exerted on said axis 40 is greater than one certain limit torque Clim, the connection by fitting between said axis 40 and the first slide member 13 gives way; that is to say that there is sliding between the two parts or that splines present on the axis 40 and / or the first slide member 13 are sheared to rupture by the significant torque C. The axis 40 is then advantageously made in a material of greater elastic limit than the material of the first slide member 13. The limiting torque Ciim to exert to rotate the axis 40 is for example greater than 100 N / m, corresponding thus at an F1im limit force on the seat belt 7 in an emergency situation of about 10.000 N. The latch 22 integral with the axis 40 pivots by an angle a, in a non-reversible rotation of the latch 22 relative to the first slide member 13. protruding teeth 23 of the latch 22 pass through the windows 27 of the first slide member 13 and come into contact with the second slide member 14, and penetrate into the notches 21 of the second slide member 14 or deform one or several notches 26 of said second slide element 14, so that the latch 22 locks the slide 6 by eliminating any mobility of the first and second slide members 13 and 14; one compared to the other. Once the lock is in the locked position, it resumes by the protruding teeth 23 taken in shear against the notches 26, a large part of the tensile forces exerted by the seat belt 7 on its second lower attachment point 10, without soliciting the structure of the seat 3, which therefore strengthens the resistance of the seat 1 and thus the safety of the occupant of the seat during an impact or an accident. The latch 22 and its protruding teeth 23 are

9

  advantageously made in a material of greater elastic limit than the material of the second slide member 14. Moreover, during the rotation of the latch 22, only a series of teeth 23a through the windows 27 of the first slide element 13. The embodiment symmetrical lock 22 with two sets of teeth 23a and 23b can mount the same type of lock on the right or left seats of the vehicle, and avoids any error in mounting the seat that would be seriously detrimental to the safety of the occupant of the seat during an impact or an accident. Note that the slide can, as described above, not have an additional lock, in which case the slide can freely slide permanently but locks in case of accident: slides of this type may be useful for example as the rear slides of a four-slide seat, of which only the front runners are equipped with a longitudinal position adjustment system. However, the invention will not be limited to this case, and the slide may comprise an additional lock operable by the occupant of the seat to adjust the longitudinal position of the seat, in which case the aforementioned lock just reinforces the locking of the slide in accident case. In addition, the slide may also include a motorized adjustment device for adjusting the longitudinal position of the seat, in which case the aforementioned lock further reinforces the immobilization of the seat in case of accident.

Claims (7)

  1. Slide for vehicle seat comprising: - first and second slide members 5 (13,14) slidably mounted relative to each other in a longitudinal direction (X), - a latch (22) mounted movably between an unlocked position and a locked position where said latch immobilizes the first and second slide members 10 relative to each other, - said first slide member (13) including an axle (40) integral with the latch , said axis {40) allowing, in the event of a predetermined shock, the rotation of the latch (22) relative to the first slide element (13) around a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) so that the lock permanently eliminates all mobility of the slide elements relative to each other, characterized in that the latch (22) has lateral teeth (23) which, in the event of a predetermined impact, exit through windows (27) arranged on the first slider element (13) facing the teeth (23), and come into contact with the second slider element (14).   2. Slide according to claim 1, wherein the axis (40) allows a single non-reversible rotation of the latch (22) relative to the first slide member (13).   A slide as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the axis (40) is smooth or fluted and said axis (40) is force-fitted into the first slide member (13).   4. Slide according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in case of predetermined shock the limiting torque Crin to exert on said axis (40) to rotate said latch (22) is greater than 100 N / m.   5. Slide according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the latch (22) and the axis (40) are made of a material of greater elastic limit than the material of the slide elements (13, 14).   6. Slide according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a waistband (28) is mounted integral with the axis (40) and transforms, in case of predetermined shock, the tensile force F exerted at the point of lower fastening (10) by a safety belt (7) in a torque C on said axis (40).   7. Seat comprising a seat supported (3) by at least one slide (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, said seat comprising a seat belt (7) having at least one attachment point (10) integral with the waistband (28).