GB2426548A

GB2426548A - Device for adjusting the height of an H-point machine

Info

Publication number: GB2426548A
Application number: GB0604796A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vinayak Shankar Gogate
Original assignee: Tata Motors Ltd
Current assignee: Tata Motors Ltd
Priority date: 2005-05-24
Filing date: 2006-03-10
Publication date: 2006-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 2026-03-10
Also published as: GB2426548B; GB0604796D0

Abstract

A device for adjusting the height of an H-point machine comprises a substantially flat body 4 and a tubular body (not shown). The flat body is provided with recesses 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, while the tubular body is provided with at least one pair of respectively opposing holes alignable with any one of the recesses by slidably telescoping the flat body within the tubular body. A locking assembly (11, Fig. 2), including a shank (13, 14, Fig. 2) which extends through the holes, prevents telescoping of the two bodies when its shank is engaged with one of the recesses. The first body may have a slot 5 in which the recesses are formed, and a part of the shank (13, Fig. 2) may have flat sides such that in one orientation it can slide along the slot, and at a recess it may be rotated to engage the recess.

Description

A DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF THE LOWER LEG

OF AN H-POINT MACHINE This invention relates to a device for adjusting the height of the lower leg of an H point machine. It is a mandatory and regulatory requirement to define the H point of a seat fitted in an automobile and an H point machine is used for establishing the hip pivot point of a seated occupant in an automobile. Conventionally, the construction of this machine is based on 50th percentile anthropometry of an average adult American. Nevertheless, it is essential to provide adjustment means for changing the length of the device depending upon the occupant in reference. Conventionally, lower leg segment and hip segments are adjustable to suit 10th and 50th percentile anthropometries. In a hitherto known H point machine, adjustment is effected by means of a device which consists of two parts, an inner part and an outer part. The inner part partially telescopes into the outer part. A slot is provided on the inner part while holes are provided on the outer part. These two parts are held together in a chosen relative position by means of pins and screws. Threaded screw and bush means keep the inner and outer parts pressed against each other so that friction between the two telescoping components holds them together in the chosen position. This arrangement does not provide a positive locking effect between the two parts. Often the relative position of the two parts gets disturbed due to inadequate friction between the two parts causing discomfort to the inspector of the seat. The objective of this invention is to provide a positive locking device for locking the inner and outer parts of the lower leg segment of the H point machine at a predetermined relative position. According to the present invention, there is provided a device for adjusting the height of a lower leg of an H-point machine in an automobile, comprising a substantially flat body having at least two recessed regions, a tubular body having at least one pair of respectively opposing holes therethrough alignable with any one of said recessed regions by slidably telescoping the flat body into and out of the tubular body, and a locking assembly including a shank extending through said holes and having a locking configuration wherein said shank is engaged with one of said recessed regions to prevent telescoping and an unlocked configuration wherein said shank is not so engaged and is slidable between recessed regions. There is further provided a lower leg of an H-point machine including such a device. According to the present invention, there is also provided a device for adjusting the height of the lower leg of an H point machine in an automobile comprising at least a first plane and second tubular bodies, said second tubular body partially telescoping into said first body which has recesses at predetermined heights, said second body has a through opening, a slidably disposed locking assembly having a shank capable of aligning with said recesses of the first body, the arrangement being such that the engagement of shank with recess holds inner and outer bodies together at desired height positions. An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I is a front view of a generally flat body forming an inner part of a lower leg of an H-point machine for extending into an outer part of the machine; Figure II is a sectional view of a locking screw for the inner part of, and; Figure III is a side view of the generally flat body of Figure 1 and the locking screw of Figure 2. In a lower leg of an H-point machine, an inner part 4 is moveable telescopically relative to an outer part (not shown) and means 11 is provided to lock the inner part 4 and the outer part at relative positions. In Figure 1, the inner part 4 is in the form of a generally flat elongate body having front and rear faces. An elongate slot 5 extends through the front and rear faces and is defined between generally parallel edges 6,7. The slot 5 has three broadened regions formed by three pairs of spaced concavely shaped recesses 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, lOb each extending from the front face to the rear face of the inner part 4. Each broadened region 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, lOb is shaped to form part of a notional cylinder. Both the faces are provided with a calibrated scale extending along the one edge 6 of the slot 5. Figure 2 shows the locking screw generally indicated at 11 and having a head 12 and a shank. The shank comprises a first shank portion 13 adjacent the head 12 followed by a second shank portion 14, and then a threaded portion 15. The first shank portion 13 is in the form of an "across flat" and is cylindrical except for a pair of parallel flattened faces on opposing longitudinal sides (illustrated by an "X" in Figure 2). The spacing of the faces is such as to permit the first shank portion 13 to slide along the slot 5 between the walls 6, 7 of the inner body 4 when the flattened faces are generally parallel to the edges 6, 7 of the slot 5. When the flattened faces are other than generally parallel to the edges 6, 7 the screw 11 cannot slide along the slot 5.The cylindrical part of the first shank portion 13 has the same diameter as the diameter across each broadened region 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b. The second shank portion 14 is cylindrical and of a diameter to fit between the edges 6, 7 of the slot 5. The threaded portion 15 is also of diameter to fit between the edges 6, 7 of the slot 5. A separate corresponding lock nut 16 engages with the threaded portion 15. The outer part (not shown) is in the form of an elongate tubular bar formed with three holes extending therethrough and attaches to a lower leg of an H-point machine. The locking screw 11 extends through one of the holes so that the first shank portion 13 is within is at least partially between the edges 6, 7 of the slot 5. First and second pins 17, 18 extend through respective holes in the outer part and provide guidance when the inner and outer parts are slid, also preventing any relative rotational movement of the inner part 4 and outer part. The locking screw 11 has the head 12 overlying the front face of the outer part and the first shank portion 13 arranged in the slot 5 with the threaded portion 15 projecting from the slot in the rear face of the outer part and engaging the lock nut 16. The pins 17, 18 engage the slot 5 to guide the inner part in sliding movement relative to the outer part. When the locking screw 11 is aligned with the broadened regions 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, lOb, the screw 11 is rotated so that the flattened faces are generally normal to the edges 6, 7. This locks the inner part 4 relative to the outer part by mechanical engagement. If it is desired to change the relative positions of the inner part 4 and the outer part, the locking screw 11 is rotated so that the flattened faces are generally parallel to the edge 6, 7.The inner part 4 is then moved relative to the outer part to a new relative disposition with the locking screw 11 passing along the slot 5. If at the new position the locking screw 11 is located elsewhere along the slot 5 than one of the broadened regions, the locking nut 16 is secured on the locking screw 11 tightly pressing against the rear wall of the outer part. The outer part and the inner part 4 are thereby pressed together and relative movement is prevented by friction. If at the new position, the locking screw 11 is located at a pair of recesses 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b , then the locking screw 11 is simply rotated to hold the parts 4together by mechanical engagement. In either case the pins 18, 19 are inserted and removed as required. The calibrated scale indicates the height at which the outer part is positioned relative to the inner part. The height of an H-point machine lower leg segment can thereby be adjusted without removing the locking screw 11 from the inner part 4 or outer part. When the locking screw is engaged at a broadened region, the inner part 4 and the outer part are held in their relative positions by the geometry of the arrangement of the inner part 4, the outer part and the locking screw 11. The pairs of recessed 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b are provided at those positions that are most commonly required so that, at these most used positions, the inner part 4 and the outer part are held by mechanical inter-engagement. This is plainly advantageous over an arrangement in which an inner part and an outer part are held in their relative positions in a known H-point machine lower leg segment. The broadened regions are located so that the lower leg of an H-point machine is at a frequently used height when the locking screw 11 is engaged in a particular broadened region. It should be understood that the locking nut 16 is only required when the locking screw 11 is not engaged in a broadened region to prevent the possibility of slip of the inner part 4 relative to the outer part- it is not necessarily required or alternative means could be used. In this specification, the word "tubular", when used to describe the outer part, is to be understood as meaning any shape that holds and guides the inner part 4 for sliding movement relative to the outer part.

Claims

1. A device for adjusting the height of a lower leg of an H-point machine in an automobile, comprising a substantially flat body having at least two recessed regions, a tubular body having at least one pair of respectively opposing holes therethrough alignable with any one of said recessed regions by slidably telescoping the flat body into and out of the tubular body, and a locking assembly including a shank extending through said holes and having a locking configuration wherein said shank is engaged with one of said recessed regions to prevent telescoping and an unlocked configuration wherein said shank is not so engaged and is slidable between recessed regions.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said flat body has a slot therethrough defined lengthwise by a pair of respectively opposing walls extending in the direction of telescoping, the recessed regions being each formed by a recess in one of both walls, the shank being slidable along said slot between recessed regions.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said shank has an across flat cross-section having a length and a width, the length being greater than the width, the locking assembly being slidable along said slot when said shank is orientated so that the length is parallel to the direction of telescoping and being rotatable at said recessed regions so that the length is not parallel to the direction of telescoping in order to engage said recesses.

4. A device according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said each recessed region comprises a pair of respectively opposing circularly concave recesses, each in a respective wall of the slot, said shank being shaped to, when engaged with one of the recessed regions, at least partially fill a recess.

5. A device according to one of claims 2 to 4 further comprising at least one pin for holding the flat body and the tubular body together insertable through further respectively opposing holes in the tubular member and extending through the slot between said holes.

6. A device according to any preceding claim wherein said flat body has a calibrated scale on a visible surface thereof to indicate the relative positions of the flat body and the tubular body.

7. A lower leg of an H-point machine including the device of any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A device for adjusting the lower leg of an H-point machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

9. A device for adjusting the height of the lower leg of an H point machine in an automobile comprising at least a first plane and second tubular bodies, said second tubular body partially telescoping into said first body which has recesses at predetermined heights, said second body has a through opening, a slidably disposed locking assembly having a shank capable of aligning with said recesses of the first body, the arrangement being such that the engagement of shank with recess holds inner and outer bodies together at desired height positions.

10. A lower leg of an H-point machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.