FR3123023A1 - Slide adjustment and locking system - Google Patents

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system (1) for adjusting and locking a slide for a vehicle comprising; - the slide comprising a first slide element (20) formed by a lower profile configured to be fixed to a floor (PL) of the vehicle, and a second slide element, - a lock system comprising blocking members configured to pass from an unlocked state to a locked state in which the blocking members (31) engage with adjustment openings of the lower profile, all or part of the blocking members (31) projecting from the adjustment openings, externally to the slide, and in which the lower profile comprises tabs (4) bent outwards from the slide towards the floor (PL), the said tabs being arranged to constitute spacers maintaining the projecting blocking members of the adjustment openings at a distance from the floor (PL). Abstract Figure: Figure 10

Description

Slide adjustment and locking system

This disclosure relates to a system for adjusting and locking a rail for a motor vehicle, as well as to a motor vehicle seat equipped with such a system. The present disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing such a system.

This disclosure relates to the field of systems for adjusting and locking a slideway for a motor vehicle. It relates more particularly to the adjustment systems whose slides connect a base of the seat to the floor of the vehicle.

In the present disclosure, and in known manner, a vehicle seat may typically comprise:
- a seat, which extends in a direction X, from a front edge and to a rear edge, and extends transversely in a direction Y, from a first side edge to a second side edge,
- a backrest which extends in height from the rear edge of the seat, in a direction Z, vertical, or typically inclined backwards, from a lower edge to an upper edge of the backrest, and extends transversely along a Y direction, from a first side edge, to a second side edge.

The backrest can be tilted relative to the seat, typically by a pivot axis between the backrest frame and the seat frame, extending in the transverse direction Y.

The position of the seat in the vehicle can typically be adjusted, in the direction X, by means of an adjustment and locking system according to the present disclosure, or even preferably two adjustment and locking system systems, with two slides parallel connecting the seat to the floor of the vehicle.

Thus, the or each of the two slides comprises two slide elements with a first slide element secured to the floor, typically a lower section, and a second slide element secured to the seat cushion, typically an upper section, the two elements of slides being configured to slide relative to each other in the direction X.

The adjustment and locking system further comprises a locking system, including a control member which is activated, typically manually, to unlock the slide in order to allow the occupant of the seat to adjust the position of the seat by moving the first sliding element, mobile, relative to said second sliding element.

Once the position of the seat has been adjusted, the control member is released to ensure the locking of the seat in the adjustment positions corresponding to adjustment steps of the slide.

To this end, the lock system comprises a support, integral with the second slide element, and blocking members, movable relative to the support, configured to penetrate adjustment openings integral with the first slide element in a locked state. of the lock system, under the action of elastic means such as springs. The control member, when actuated, makes it possible to constrain the locking members against the force of the springs and thus to extract the locking members from the adjustment openings, freeing the sliding of the slide.

There is thus known a first family of lock system, usually referred to by those skilled in the art by the English name " step lock " for which the locking members, typically integral with each other, do not block the slide only if the relative position between the two slide elements, first slide element, and second slide element corresponds to an adjustment pitch of the slide

In other words, when the two slide elements are in any intermediate position between two consecutive adjustment positions (corresponding to two adjustment pitches of the slide), the lock system does not ensure any blocking of the first slide element with respect to to the second slide element. In the event of an impact, and strong acceleration/deceleration, and if ever the locking system is left in this intermediate position, the seat and its occupant can slide over the entire travel of the slide without the springs being able to constrain the components blocking in the adjustment openings, and therefore without locking the position of the slide.

A second family of lock system is also known, with improved security compared to the first family, usually designated by those skilled in the art under the English name “ instant lock ” which always ensures blocking of the two elements of the slide. , and even if the position between the two slide elements, first slide element and second slide element is in any intermediate position between two consecutive adjustment positions.

For this purpose, the locking members are independent of each other configured so that at least one of the members comes to penetrate and lock in one of the adjustment openings, typically oblong, and even if the slide is in this position any intermediary, between two adjustment steps, namely two consecutive adjustment positions of the slide.

The slide can then only slide over a stroke corresponding to the adjustment pitch of the slide. Slight sliding of the first slide element relative to the second slide element allows the other non-penetrating locking members to come opposite and lock into the adjustment openings when the slide is moved in one (or the other) of the two consecutive adjustment positions, in order to obtain the locking of the slide.

The present disclosure finds a particular application whether the lock system belongs to the family of lock systems called "instant lock" as described in detail and illustrated in the figures, or even to the family of lock systems belonging to the family called " step lock ” (not shown).

In the event of a crash, for example a frontal impact, the adjustment and locking system plays an important safety role in that it must prevent the sliding of the seat relative to the floor during an impact in order to retain the seat and its occupant restrained by the seat belt, and even when the guide rails and their sections are deformed under the intensity of the impact.

The locking of the components in the locking openings must be reliable and of crash-resistant design. With a view to reinforcing this resistance, it is known for example from document EP2004447 to reinforce the base of the lower profile comprising the adjustment openings, with a reinforcement plate, superimposed on the base, this reinforcement plate itself having openings of adjustment, opposite those of the base of the lower profile. When locked, the blocking device comes into engagement with the base of the lower profile, and simultaneously with the reinforcement plate.

Still in order to increase the safety of the slides in the event of a crash, document EP2552741 B1 also discloses a slide system whose guide function support for the blocking devices is secured to the upper section. Significantly in EP2552741 B1 this guide has a free edge, immediately opposite an inner surface of the lower profile, at a short distance from it before a crash. During a crash, and under the deformation of the slide, the free edge of the guide secured to the upper profile comes into abutment against the lower profile, increasing the friction between the two slide profiles, thus contributing to the locking of the slide during of the crash.

Document US Pat. No. 9,387,778 also discloses a system for adjusting and locking a slide, the upper and lower sections of which are of stiffness reinforced by cold rolling, at certain corner zones of the sections. To the of document US 9,387,778, this prior art describes a variant for which the locking between the two slide rail sections is obtained by engagement of a locking member (a stud) in an opening of a base of the lower section, a conical portion at the end of the pedestal protruding below the base of the lower profile. According to the findings of the inventors, the fact that the stud in engagement protrudes externally below the base of the lower profile can pose a safety problem if this protruding part of the stud ever impacts the floor of the vehicle when the slide (or even the floor ) deforms. In fact, the impact can cause the stud to come out undesired, causing the slider to unlock inadvertently.

The version of the of US Pat. No. 9,387,778 teaches, however, to lock the lower profile by cooperation of the conical portion, with an internal member, projecting from the base of the lower profile, namely without the conical portion of the stud having to cross the lower profile . The problem of impact of the floor mentioned above is solved, but at the sacrifice of the cost of the slide which requires the addition of an internal, additional organ, as well as at the sacrifice of the compactness of the slide according to the vertical in what the stud, in the locking position, is, at the in a higher vertical position than the version of the where the stud protrudes under the lower section.

The versions of Figures 12 to 18 also teach that the base of the lower profile can include locking teeth for the stud, obtained by bending the material from the cutouts of the lower profile towards the inside of the profile. In the locking state of the slide, the stud(s) integral with the upper profile come into engagement with these teeth, formed by projecting tongues inside the slide, and without the stud having to cross the base of the profile. . According to the findings of the inventors, the recovery by these tabs of the axial force between the two slide elements during a crash is not optimal, compared to a conventional recovery for which the stud comes to engage with the edge of an adjustment opening in the base of the lower profile. Moreover, such a design is not optimal in terms of the vertical compactness of the slide and the associated lock system.

Summary

This disclosure improves the situation.

There is proposed a system for adjusting and locking a slide for a vehicle comprising:
- the slider comprising a first slider element formed by a lower profile configured to be fixed to a floor of the vehicle, and a second slider element configured to slide along the lower profile
- a lock system comprising a support secured to the second slide element and blocking members mounted movable relative to the support configured to pass from an unlocking state releasing the sliding between the first slide element and said second slide element until in a locking state in which the locking members engage with adjustment openings of the lower profile in a locking position in which all or part of the locking members project from the adjusting openings, externally to the slide, in the direction of the floor, said adjustment openings being distributed over the length of the lower profile to ensure the locking of the position of the first slide element relative to the second slide element in several adjustment positions between the first slide element and the second slide element .

According to the present disclosure, the lower section has tongues bent outside the slide towards the floor, said tongues being arranged to constitute spacers maintaining the projecting blocking members of the adjustment openings at a distance from the floor.

The features set out in the following paragraphs can optionally be implemented, independently of each other or in combination with each other:
- the bent tongues can be obtained by bending the material of the lower profile coming from the adjustment openings; in particular the lower profile extending in a longitudinal direction X, the adjustment openings being made in a base of the lower profile, the base extending transversely, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, in a direction Y and in which the openings of adjustment are distributed along the X direction, and in which the adjustment openings each have an upstream edge, and a downstream edge, offset along the X direction, configured to engage with the locking members, and a first lateral edge and a second edge lateral extending in parallel between the upstream and downstream edges, offset in the direction Y, and in which the tongues are adjacent to the lateral edges of the adjustment openings consisting of the first and/or the second lateral edges;
- the tabs can be located on the same lateral side of the adjustment openings, linked to the first lateral edges, or alternatively to the second lateral edges;
- the tabs are distributed along the lower profile on both sides of the adjustment openings, staggered, alternating between the first side edge and the second side edge of the adjustment openings;
- the folded tabs may have a curved section, seen along a plane perpendicular to their longitudinal direction;
- the tongues are distributed uniformly over the entire length section of the lower profile carrying said adjustment openings;
- the tabs are distributed over a portion of intermediate length of the lower profile carrying said adjustment openings, in particular the portion of intermediate length carrying the strips can be of a length less than half the length section of the profile carrying the openings of settings, extending from the first setting opening to the last setting opening.

According to one embodiment, the tabs are obtained by bending the material from openings which are separate from the adjustment openings.

According to a second aspect, the present disclosure relates to a motor vehicle seat comprising a seat cushion and a backrest, as well as an adjustment and locking system according to the present disclosure, the first sliding element of which is formed by the lower section of the slide is anchored to a floor of the vehicle, the spacer function tongues directed towards the floor and the second slide element is integral with a frame of the seat.

According to a third aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing an adjustment and locking system according to the present disclosure in which the adjustment openings of the lower section and the tongues with a spacer function are obtained in the same tooling, by the same stamping cutting operation.

Other characteristics, details and advantages will appear on reading the detailed description below, and on analyzing the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1

is a perspective view of a slide adjustment and locking system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first slide element in the form of a lower profile and the second slide element in the form of an upper profile, the upper profile carrying the support and the locking members of the lock system, a control lever articulated to the upper profile being configured to pass the locking members from their locking state to their unlocking state when pivoted against the spring restoring force.

Fig. 2

is a view of the lower part of the system slide of the , illustrating the tongues with a spacer function, extending under the base of the lower profile, as well as projecting portions of two locking members in the locking position in two adjustment openings of the lower profile.

Fig. 3

is a partial view, seen along the axis of the slide of the system according to the (lock system not shown).

Fig. 4

is a schematic view of the lock system, including a support fixed to the second slide element, and three independent blocking members, movable, in a direction of sliding relative to the substantially vertical support, two blocking members projecting two adjustment openings under the slide, supported laterally via a sloping surface, in particular conical, against the downstream edge and the upstream edge of the two adjustment openings, and while a third blocking member, on the right, is not aligned with an adjustment opening , in abutment against the base of the lower section, a control lever being configured to cooperate with shoulders of the blocking members to move the blocking members relative to the support in their unlocked state by causing the blocking members to come out of the openings adjustment, against the return force of springs, the springs mounted around the locking members, in compression against a depth upper island forming the second slide element.

Fig. 5

shows a view from below of the lower profile of the system according to the , the tongues being obtained by bending the material coming from the adjustment openings, the tongues, extending substantially in a plane, arranged on the same side of the adjustment openings, adjoining the first side edges of said openings on this side.

Fig. 5a

is a profile view of the , side view, the tongues extending substantially along a plane parallel to the plane XZ, or slightly inclined by a few degrees (for example 5°) around the axis X.

Fig. 6

illustrates side view, a lower profile according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure for which the tabs are obtained by bending the material coming from the adjustment openings, the tabs distributed along the lower profile, in staggered rows, alternating between the two lateral sides of the opening, namely between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge of the adjustment openings.

Fig. 6a

is a view from below of the lower section of the .

Fig. 6b

illustrates two views of two consecutive adjustment openings, with curved section tabs.

Fig. 7

illustrates side view, a lower profile, according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure for which the tabs are obtained by folding the material coming from openings distinct from the adjustment openings, the tab extending over the length of the profile lower only on an intermediate portion of the length section of the lower profile carrying the adjustment openings.

Fig. 7a

is a bottom view of the lower profile according to the third embodiment of the .

Fig. 8

is a side view of a lower profile, according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8a

is a view from below of the lower section of the , the tabs with a spacer function being obtained by bending the material coming from the adjustment openings over an intermediate portion of the length section bearing the adjustment openings, and not over the entire length of the length section of the lower profile bearing adjustment openings.

Fig. 9

is seen from below of the lower profile according to a fifth embodiment, the tongues having a spacer function being obtained by bending the material coming from the adjustment openings over the entire length of the length section of the lower profile carrying the adjustment openings .

Fig. 10

is seen of the safety distance obtained by the bracing obtained by the tabs resting on the floor of the vehicle, guaranteeing an inter-space between the floor and the blocking members engaged with the adjustment openings, projecting from the openings of adjustment, avoiding accidental contact between the floor and the locking devices, with the risk of undesired unlocking of the slide.

Fig. 11

is seen of a slide according to the state of the prior art with contact of the blocking members and the floor in the event of a crash, at the origin of an undesired accidental unlocking of the adjustment and locking system of a slide .

The present technical solutions can find application in vehicles for which the slides are anchored to the floor, with a small floor pan, and therefore presenting a significant risk of contact between the projecting blocking members and the floor during a crash.

The slider and slider locking system according to the present disclosure finds particular application in electric vehicles for which batteries are received under the floor of the vehicle.

Claims (12)

System (1) for adjusting and locking a slide for a vehicle comprising;
- the slider (2) comprising a first slider element (20) formed by a lower profile (PFinf) configured to be fixed to a floor (PL) of the vehicle, and a second slider element (21) configured to slide along of the lower profile
- a lock system (3) comprising a support (30) secured to the second slide element (21) and blocking members (31) mounted to move relative to the support configured to pass from an unlocked state releasing the sliding between the first slide element (20) and said second slide element (21) up to a locking state in which the locking members (31) engage with adjustment openings (32) of the lower profile (PFinf) in a locking position in which all or part of the locking members (31) project from the adjustment openings (32), externally to the slide, in the direction of the floor (PL), the said adjustment openings (32) being distributed over the length of the lower profile to ensure the locking of the position of the first slide element relative to the second slide element in several adjustment positions between the first slide element (20) and the second slide element e (21)
characterized in that the lower section (PFinf) comprises tabs (4) bent outside the slide towards the floor (PL), the said tabs being arranged to form spacers maintaining the projecting blocking members of the adjustment openings at a distance from the floor (PL). System (1) for adjusting and locking a slide according to claim 1, in which the bent tabs (4) are obtained by bending the material of the lower section (PFinf) coming from the adjustment openings (32). System (1) for adjusting and locking a slide according to claim 2, in which the lower profile (PFinf) extending in a longitudinal direction X, the adjustment openings (32) being formed in a base (B) of the lower section, the base (B) extending transversely, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, along a Y direction and in which the adjustment openings (32) are distributed along the X direction, and in which the adjustment openings each have an upstream edge (320), and a downstream edge (321), offset along the direction X, configured to engage with the locking members (31), and a first side edge (322) and a second side edge (323) s extending in parallel between the upstream and downstream edges, offset along the Y direction, in which the tabs (4) abut the side edges of the adjustment openings consisting of the first and/or the second side edges (322,323). System (1) for adjusting and locking a slide according to claim 3, in which the tongues (4) are located on the same lateral side of the adjustment openings (32), linked to the first lateral edges (322), or alternatively to the second side edges (323). System (1) for adjusting and locking a slide according to claim 3, in which the tabs (4) are distributed along the lower profile on both sides of the adjustment openings, in staggered rows, alternately between the first lateral edge (322) and the second side edge (323) of the adjustment openings. System (1) for adjusting and locking a slide according to one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the bent tabs (4) have a curved section, seen along a plane perpendicular to their longitudinal direction. Adjustment and locking system (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the tongues (4) are distributed uniformly over the entire length section of the lower profile carrying the said adjustment openings (32). Adjustment and locking system (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the tongues (4) are distributed over a portion of intermediate length (Pint) of the lower profile (Pinf) carrying the said adjustment openings. Adjustment and locking system (1) according to Claim 8, in which the portion of intermediate length (Pint) carrying the tabs is of a length less than half the length section (L1) of the profile carrying the adjustment openings , extending from a first adjustment aperture to a last adjustment aperture. Adjustment and locking system (1) according to Claim 1 alone, or taken in combination with one of Claims 6 to 9, in which the tongues (4) are obtained by bending the material coming from openings (40) which are distinct from the adjustment openings (32). Motor vehicle seat comprising a seat and a backrest, as well as an adjustment and locking system (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, the first sliding element (20) of which is formed by the lower profile (PFinf) of the slideway is anchored to a floor (PL) of the vehicle, the tongues (4) with a spacer function being directed towards the floor (PL) and the second slider element (21) is integral with a frame of the seated. Method of manufacturing an adjustment and locking system (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, in which the adjustment openings (32) of the lower profile (PFinf) and the tongues (4) with a function of spacer in the same tool, by the same stamping cutting operation.