JPH053819A - Device for locking notched rod - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a lock device for a support rod with a notch for adjusting the height of a head rest of a seat as an economical one having few parts. CONSTITUTION: A lock device for a support rod 30 with a notch is a plastic molding consisting of two members, a housing 1 and a lock member 20. The lock member of a single member is provided sequentially from the tip end with an elastic plate 23, a clasp projection 26, an elastic leg, the clasp projection 26, a hole 25 and a press part 24. The lock member 20 can adjustably vertically move the rod to the notch in a position suited for the construction of a passenger since the lock member 20 pushes the press part 24 from the lock position shown in Fig.7 against the urge of the elastic plate 23 to disengage the clasp projection 26 from the notch of the rod 30.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for locking a notched rod so that the height of a headrest (headrest) can be adjusted (for example, the backrest of a motor vehicle seat for the support rod of the headrest). Device provided in).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional head supporting rod locking device requires many members including a spring member and the like in addition to a locking member, and has a complicated structure and a high manufacturing and assembling cost.

[0003]

The present invention is directed to a simple and economical device.

[0004]

Therefore, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a device comprising a housing having a hole into which a rod can be inserted deeply, the device being molded from a thermoplastic material and having a housing seat. A single locking member that slides in a guide along the seat at a right angle to the hole to lock the rod, the member including at least one elastic blade, the elastic blade including a back wall of the seat. By abutting against and elastically deforming the member, the member can be inserted into the seat so as to take an unlocked position where the rod can freely pass through the hole of the housing, and the elastic restoring force of the elastic blade causes the member to move. Is configured to allow the member to return to the locked position projecting into the hole, the retaining projection engaging the notch of the rod and being held in engagement by the action of the resilient blade. Characteristic To propose a device of the type to be.

Thus, the locking member, as a single member, integrates the functions conventionally performed by locking or unlocking means and springs. Furthermore, the silent operation of the device is possible based on the constituent materials.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the locking member includes at least one elastic leg that overhangs when installed in the seat, the elastic leg including an elastic blade when the member does not abut the rod. Of the seat, so that the locking member is held in the standby position in the housing, and the elastic legs assume a retracted position that allows them to jump over the stopper when the member is mounted on the seat. it can.

Thus, the lock member in the seat is attached by a simple locking.

According to another feature of the invention, the locking member includes an operating surface for moving the locking member to the unlocked position.

By virtue of the above features, the notch of the rod and the stop projection that engages the notch are in the locked position while the locking member acts on the rod inserting the rod into the hole or pulling the rod out of the hole. It can be configured to be retained and then directly manipulated by the locking member for control.

Therefore, according to the invention, a complete locking device is obtained which has only two components (housing and locking member), each of which can be easily molded from a thermoplastic material such as plastic and which is particularly easy to assemble. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The housing 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is obtained by molding a thermoplastic material. The housing includes a hole 2, a head 3, and a leg tube 4 having a small diameter, in which case the head and leg tube are coaxial with the hole 2.

The seat 5 is formed on the head of the housing. The seat has a flat lower surface 6 diametrically crossing the hole 2, a flat upper surface 7, a back wall 8 at one end, and an opening 9 facing the back wall, and from the opening 9 to the back wall 8. Sequentially, the narrow first part 10 and the slightly wider second part 1
1, and two stepped stoppers 12A and 12B facing each other are formed at the boundary between the first portion and the second portion.

The opening 9 is provided so as to be pulled in from the peripheral edge of the head 3, and the recess 15 is formed between the opening 9 and the peripheral edge of the head. The lower surface and the side surface of the recess are the lower surface 6 and the lower surface of the receiver, respectively. Continuing on the sides 16A, 16B of the part 10 of the receiver 5.

The leg 4 is locked in a hole in a support member (eg the top of the backrest of a motor vehicle seat) to which the housing is to be fixed and thus comprises a holding means, eg a tooth 17 (FIG. 2), On the other hand, the lower surface of the head 3 is provided with a holding means, particularly a downwardly pointed claw 18 (FIG. 3).

The lock member 20 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is obtained by molding a thermoplastic material. The locking member corresponds to the width of the first part of the seat 5. The lock member has two elastic legs that are movable between an expanded position (see FIGS. 4 and 5) that is wider than the width of the first portion and that is retracted to the hollow portions 22A and 22B and not extended. 21A and 21B are included. An elastic blade 23 is provided at one end of the lock member 20, and a pressing portion 24 is provided at the opposite end.
There is a hole 25 between the blade and the blade 23, and a stop projection 26 (see FIG. 6) protruding from the surface of the hole on the elastic blade side is provided.

More specifically, the member 20 has a square hole 2
5 has a substantially square frame shape with 5, the arc-shaped elastic blade 23 is connected to the outside of the front end, and the outside of the rear end,
An arcuate pressing portion 24 is provided. Stop projection 26
Are provided on the inner surface of the front end portion, and reinforcing ribs 27 are provided at each corner of the hole 25. The elastic legs 21A and 21B and the hollow portions 22A and 22 are provided on the front portions of the outer surfaces of the left and right sides.
B is provided, while the rear portions of the left and right sides are recessed 15
Of the seat and the side surfaces 16A, 16B of the seat 5 to form a guide side that cooperates.

Further, as is apparent from FIG. 6, the thickness of the member 20 corresponds to the height of the seat 5 except for the pressing portion 24.

When mounting the member 20 on the seat 5, first, the blade 23 is introduced into the opening 9, and then the locking member is pushed toward the bottom 8. When the elastic legs 21A and 21B come into contact with the side surface of the depression 15, the hollow portions 22A and 22B are formed on the side surface.
It is pushed into B and retracted, and in that state, it makes sliding contact with the side surfaces 16A, 16B of the first portion 10. Finally, the elastic blade 2
3 abuts the bottom 8 and still pushes the member 20 further,
When the free ends of the legs 21A and 21B are located inside the second portion 11, the elastic legs 21A and 21B that have been pushed in open a little outwardly due to the elastic restoring force and come into contact with the side surface of the second portion 11. The fact that the elastic legs 21A and 21B have been opened can be seen from the feeling of pushing the member in. Thus, when the pushing is stopped there, the elastic blade 23 that is in contact with the bottom portion 8 and is deformed.
The lock member 20 is pushed back by the restoring force of the elastic leg 2
Since the free ends of 1A and 21B are locked by the stoppers 12A and 12B, the lock member 20 is pushed back further and does not come out. In this state, the seat 5 is in the standby position shown in FIG.

The lock member is inserted into the seat 5 so as to be slidably guided at a right angle to the hole 2 by the tactile pressing portion from the standby position which is the maximum withdrawal position of the member 20. it can. The insertion operation can be performed until the contact surface 28 of the pressing portion 24 contacts the upper end surface 29 of the opening 9,
Then, when the pressing portion is released, the blade 23 returns the member 20 to the standby position shown in FIG.

In order for the notched rod 30 to be installed in the device, it must be freely insertable into the hole 2. Therefore, at least the locking member 20 is pushed into the seat 5 so that the stop projection 26 does not project into the hole 2. Thus, the rod can pass through the hole 25. Next, when the pressing portion is released, the lock member returns due to the restoring force of the elastic blade 23, and the stop projection 26 projects into the hole 2 and comes into contact with the rod 30. If the stop projection is between the two notches, then the rod may be slightly pushed or pulled to engage the stop projection with either the upper or lower notch. Thus, FIG.
The rod 30 is locked as shown in FIG.

When changing the lock position of the rod, the same operation is performed, but in this case, starting from the lock position rather than from the standby position. That is, the elastic blade 23 abutting on the bottom 8 is compressed and the locking member 20 is released until the stop projection 26 no longer obstructs the passage of the rod in the hole 25 until the stop projection 26 presses the blade 23. Adjust the rod position to engage the new notch.

The stop projection 26 and rod notch are circular as shown, so that the stop projection 26 remains engaged in the rod notch when the rod is pushed or pulled hard.

Further, in the locked position (FIG. 7), the peripheral surface 31 and the upper surface 32 of the pressing portion 24 are on the extension lines of the corresponding surfaces of the housing, that is, they do not project outward,
Therefore, it is preferable in terms of safety and appearance.

In some cases, the blade 23 can be replaced by a plurality of elastic blades, and the elastic legs 21A,
21B can also be replaced by one elastic leg, or more than two elastic legs, and the shape of the seat and locking member can also be changed.

Further, the device according to the present invention can be used for applications other than locking the support rod of the headrest (headrest).

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but many design changes are possible.

[0027]

The device of the present invention does not include a metal spring or the like,
Due to the small number of two parts, manufacturing and assembly costs are low, and no noise is generated during operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the housing of the device.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a cross section of a part of a lock member.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the lock member as viewed from the left side in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lock member in a standby position.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a state where the notched rod is introduced into the device and the lock member is in the lock position.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 housing 2 holes 5 seats The back wall of 8 seats 20 Lock member 23 Elastic Blade 26 Stop projection 30 Notched rod

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A locking device for a notched rod, comprising:
In the type including a housing having a hole into which the rod can be inserted deeply anyway, the device is molded from a thermoplastic material and is guided in the seat (5) of the housing along the seat at a right angle to the hole (2). The locking member (2) including a single component (20) which is slid and slid to lock the rod (30).
0) comprises at least one elastic blade (23),
The rod (30) passes freely through the hole (2) of the housing (1) by pushing the lock member (20) into the seat and pressing the elastic blade against the back wall (8) of the housing to elastically deform it. The lock member (20) can be returned to the lock position in which the locking projection (26) of the lock member projects into the hole (2) by the elastic restoration of the blade. A locking device for a notched rod, wherein the stop projection is configured to be engaged with the notch of the rod (30) and to be held in the engaged state by the action of the elastic blade (23). 2. The locking device (20) has at least one elastic leg (21A, 21) protruding after being installed in the seat (5).
B), the elastic legs are pressed against the seat stoppers (12A, 12B) by the action of the elastic blades if the device does not abut the rod (30), thus the device is attached to the housing (1). Is held in the standby position inside and the elastic legs (21A, 21A
2. The locking device for the notched rod according to claim 1, wherein B) can be in a retracted position where it can jump over the stoppers (12A, 12B) when the device (20) is installed on the seat (5). 3. Locking device for a notched rod according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking device (20) comprises an operating surface (31, 32) for moving said device to the unlocked position. 4. The seat (5) of the housing (1) extends diametrically across the hole (2), has a back wall (8) at one end, and an opening (9) on the opposite side of said back wall. Having a narrow first portion (10) and a second portion (11) wider than the opening (9) in the direction from the opening (9) to the back wall (8),
The back wall (8) at the boundary between the first part (10) and the second part (11)
Forming at least one stopper (12A, 12B) directed to the locking device (20), the locking device (20) having a width corresponding to the width of the first portion, and an extension position extending outside the width; The elastic blade (23) includes at least one elastic leg (21A, 21B) movable between the retracted position and the retracted position, and the elastic blade (23) is
The device is installed at a first end of the device, and the device includes a pressing part (24) at an opposite end, and an opening (2) is provided between the pressing part and the blade.
5), the opening including the stop projection (26) on the surface facing the elastic blade, and the rod (30) having the opening (2).
5), the locking device (20) first introduces the elastic blade (23) through the opening (9) and then pushes it into the seat (5) until it abuts the back wall (8) of the seat. The elastic legs (21A, 21A,
21B) is in the retracted position for passing through the first part (10) of the seat and then in the expanded position in the second part (11) of the seat. The locking device for a rod with a notch according to any one of the above. 5. The housing comprises a head (3) comprising said seat including an opening (9) recessed relative to the periphery of the head (3), while a recess (15) comprises an opening in the seat. The lower surface and the side surface of the recess formed between (9) and the peripheral edge of the head follow the lower surface (6) and the side surfaces (16A, 16B) of the seat, and the locking device (20) is opened at the unlocked position ( 9)
Has a contact surface (28) that contacts the upper end surface (29) of the head, and a peripheral surface (31) and an upper surface (32) that respectively follow the peripheral surface and the upper surface of the head at the locked position, and are located outside the seat. Locking device for a notched rod according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a part (24). 6. The housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a head (3) coaxial with the hole (2) and a leg tube (4) of small diameter. Locking device for the notched rod described. 7. Locking device for a notched rod according to claim 1, characterized in that it is used for locking the support rod (30) of the headrest.