JPH08164779A - Locking device for seat track - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To constitute a locking device that is able to perform a lock release to a lower rail of an upper rail forming a seat track, maintenance of a lock releasing state, and restoration to a locking state from the lock releasing state automatically in a simple structure, besides lighter in weight and inexpensive in cost. CONSTITUTION: This device is equipped with a turning shaft 11 rotatably supported on the sidepiece of an upper rail 22, a lock lever 12 being clamped to this turning shaft and fitted in a part of plural pieces of engaged holes 21a installed in a lower rail 21 in the longitudinal direction while rotating by a rotative motion of the turning shaft 11 and then to be slipped out of the engaged hole 21a, an electric motor 13 installed in the upper rail 22, and one linkage connecting its output shaft and the turning shaft 11 in a torque transmissible manner, respectively. In this constitution, the lock lever 12 is fitted in the engaged hole 21a or slipped out by drive of the motor 13, whereby locking an unlocking are carried out, and then the unlocking is performed by a stop of the motor 13, holding the locking state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seat track locking device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A seat track locking device locks an upper rail that is slidably attached to a lower rail fixed to a vehicle floor forming a seat track in the longitudinal direction of the lower rail so as to be released. The position of the supported vehicle seat in the front-rear direction can be adjusted.

However, in the conventional seat track locking device, generally, a seat track handle rotatably supported by the upper rail and extending along the upper rail, and a plurality of seat track handles fixed to the seat track handle and provided in the lower rail in the longitudinal direction are provided. A structure provided with a lock lever that is fitted in a part of the locking hole and is pulled out from the locking hole by the rotation operation of the seat track handle, and a spring member that urges the lock lever in a direction to be fitted in the locking hole. Has become. In the lock device, when the seat track handle is rotated, the lock lever is pulled out from the locking hole of the lower rail and the lock of the upper rail with respect to the lower rail is released. Slide it to
The position of the seat in the front-back direction can be adjusted.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional locking device, the seat track handle must be held in the rotational operation state when the position of the seat in the front-rear direction is adjusted, and the seat is not moved. The seat must be pushed back and forth while holding the seat track handle with one hand. For this reason, it may be difficult for the elderly, physically handicapped persons, children, etc. to adjust the position of the seat in the front-rear direction. As a seat track that can deal with this,
There is a seat track in which an upper rail can be slid forward and backward by an electric motor. The electric seat track can automatically adjust the seat to a desired position only by operating a switch, and has an advantage that the position of the seat in the front-rear direction can be easily adjusted regardless of the occupant. However, since the electric seat track slides the upper rail supporting the seat on which the occupant is seated by driving the electric motor, a large load is applied to the electric motor. Therefore, the seat track requires a large-sized electric motor with large horsepower, and a complicated transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the electric motor to the upper rail, which complicates the structure of the seat track. There is a problem that the weight is increased and the price is inevitably increased.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a locking device which can automatically unlock the upper rails constituting the seat track with respect to the lower rails, maintain the unlocked state, and return from the unlocked state to the locked state. The structure is lightweight and inexpensive, and the position of the seat in the front-rear direction can be adjusted with both hands, so that the position of the seat in the front-rear direction can be easily adjusted regardless of the occupant.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a seat track locking device for releasably locking an upper rail that is slidably mounted in a longitudinal direction on a lower rail fixed to a vehicle floor. And a rotary shaft rotatably supported on the same part, and fitted into a part of a plurality of locking holes fixed to the rotary shaft and provided in the lower rail in the longitudinal direction, and rotated by the rotary operation of the rotary shaft to lock the same. The present invention is characterized by including a lock lever that is pulled out from a hole, an electric motor provided on the upper rail, and a link mechanism that connects the output shaft of the electric motor and the rotating shaft so that torque can be transmitted.

In the lock device, the link mechanism is connected to the output shaft of the electric motor to rotate.
And a second link fixedly connected to the rotary shaft, and a third link rotatably connecting the two links, and the second link and the third link. The link is inserted into the elongated hole provided in the third link in the longitudinal direction through the connecting pin provided in the second link, and the lock lever is attached in the direction of fitting into the locking hole. It is preferable that a spring member that urges is provided.

[0008]

In the seat track having the lock device constructed as described above, the lock lever is fitted into the locking hole of the lower rail by transmitting the torque of the electric motor to the rotary shaft through the link mechanism. Then, the upper rail can be locked to the lower rail, and the lock lever can be pulled out from the locking hole of the lower rail to unlock the upper rail with respect to the lower rail, and the lock lever can be locked by stopping the drive of the electric motor. Can be held unlocked.

Therefore, according to the seat track,
When adjusting the position of the seat in the fore-and-aft direction, if the electric motor is driven and then stopped temporarily, the upper rail with respect to the lower rail is unlocked and this released state is maintained. Can be moved in any direction. Also, after moving the seat to the desired position, the electric motor is driven in the reverse rotation direction to the above, and then stopped.
The upper rail is locked to the lower rail and the locked state is maintained.

Therefore, according to the seat track provided with the lock device, the position of the seat in the front-rear direction can be easily adjusted regardless of the occupant. Further, the electric motor used in the lock device operates only to insert and withdraw the lock lever into and from the locking hole of the lower rail, and therefore may have a small horsepower, and is a lightweight and small electric motor. Should be adopted. Further, since the link mechanism only needs to connect the electric motor and the rotary shaft so that torque can be transmitted, the link mechanism may have a simple structure. Therefore, the structure of the lock device and the seat track is simple, and it is possible to suppress an increase in weight and an increase in cost.

Further, in the lock device, the link mechanism includes a first link which is connected to the output shaft of the electric motor to rotate, a second link which is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft, and both links. And a third link that rotatably connects each other, and the second link and the third link
The link is inserted into the elongated hole provided in the third link in the longitudinal direction through the connecting pin provided in the second link, and the lock lever is attached in the direction of fitting into the locking hole of the lower rail. If the structure is provided with a biasing spring member, the third
The long hole of the link, the connecting pin of the second link, and the spring member function as a waiting mechanism. Therefore, when the lock lever does not face the locking hole when it is fitted into the locking hole of the lower rail, the lock lever once elastically abuts the side surface of the lower rail and waits, and then the upper rail With a slight movement, it is fitted into the locking hole so as to face it, and the upper rail is reliably locked to the lower rail by the lock lever.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A locking device 1 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS.
A seat track 20 with 0 is shown. The seat track 20 is one of a pair of left and right seat tracks, and includes a lower rail 21 and an upper rail 22. The lower rail 21 is fixed to the vehicle floor and extends in the front-rear direction, and the upper rail 22 is fitted to the lower rail 21 and slidably assembled in its longitudinal direction. The upper rail 22 includes a lower arm portion 22b extending upward from the rail portion 22a, and the lower arm portion 22b.
Supports a sheet (not shown). Therefore, the seat can be adjusted in the front-rear direction by sliding the upper rail 22 in the front-rear direction.

The lock device 10 includes a rotary shaft 11, a lock lever 12, an electric motor 13, a gear box 14, a link mechanism 15, and a torsion spring 16. The rotating shaft 11 is the first rail provided on the side surface of the upper rail 22.
The bracket 23 is rotatably supported and extends forward below the second bracket 24 provided on the side surface of the upper rail 22. A lock lever 12 is fixed to the rear portion of the rotary shaft 11. The lock lever 12 can be fitted into a part of a plurality of locking holes 21a provided in the longitudinal direction on the side surface of the lower rail 21 by its rotating operation, and can be pulled out from the locking hole 21a by a rotating operation in the opposite direction. Is.

The electric motor 13 and the gear box 14 are assembled on the upper surface of the second bracket 24, and the output shaft 13a of the electric motor 13 faces the inside of the gear box 14. In the box 14, a worm 14a provided on the output shaft 13a and a worm wheel 14b mesh with each other, and a shaft portion 14c of the worm wheel 14b is fixedly connected to a first link 15a constituting a link mechanism 15. ing. The electric motor 13 is driven by a pressing operation of the seesaw type switch 13b to rotate forward and backward, and is configured to stop when a load of a predetermined amount or more is applied.

The link mechanism 15 includes a first link 15a and a second link 15a.
Second link 15b and third link 15c
The link 15b is fixedly connected to the front end of the rotary shaft 11. One end of the third link 15c has the first link 15c.
It is rotatably connected to the tip of a and the other end is connected to the tip of the second link 15b.
5a and 15b are rotatably connected to each other. The second link 15b and the third link 15c are connected by inserting the connecting pin 15d provided in the second link 15b into the elongated hole 15e provided in the third link 15c and extending in the longitudinal direction. In this state, the connecting pin 15d has a long hole 15
It is slidable in the longitudinal direction. The torsion spring 16 is fitted to the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 11 and has one end hooked on the rotating shaft 11 and the other end hooked on the first bracket 23, so that the rotating shaft 11 moves clockwise in the drawing of FIG. I am biased.

In the lock mechanism 10 thus constructed, as shown in FIG. 2, in the normal state, the lock lever 12 is fitted in a part of the locking hole 21a, and the upper rail 22 with respect to the lower rail 21. It's locked. In this state, when the electric motor 13 is driven to rotate in the forward direction by pushing one of the switches 13b, the electric motor 13 is rotated.
Is transmitted to the first link 15a of the link mechanism 15 to operate the link mechanism 15, causing the rotary shaft 11 to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 2 against the torsion spring 16. This causes the lock lever 12 to move the lower rail 2
The lock of the upper rail 22 with respect to the lower rail 21 is released by pulling out from the locking hole 21a of No. 1. Further, when the lock lever 12 is completely pulled out, the rotation of the rotary shaft 11 is restricted, and a load larger than a predetermined value is applied to the electric motor 13, and the electric motor 13 stops. Therefore, the rotation shaft 11 stops at the rotation position and the lock lever 12
Is held in the unlocked state, the seat occupant is released from the switch operation, and both hands are free. Therefore, the seated person can adjust the seat to an arbitrary position by moving the seat in the front-back direction using both hands.

After that, when the operation switch 13b is pushed in the other direction to drive the electric motor 13 to reversely rotate,
The torque of the electric motor 13 is transmitted to the first link 15a of the link mechanism 15 to operate the same, and the rotation of the second link 15b in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2 causes the rotary shaft 11 to act as the torsion spring 16. To rotate in the same direction. As a result, the lock lever 12 is fitted into a part of the locking hole 21 a of the lower rail 21 to lock the upper rail 22 with respect to the lower rail 21. Further, when the lock lever 12 is completely fitted, the rotation of the rotary shaft 11 is restricted, and a load larger than a predetermined load is applied to the electric motor 13, and the electric motor 13 stops. Therefore, the rotary shaft 11 stops at the rotation return position and holds the lock lever 12 in the locked state.

Therefore, according to the seat track 20 having the lock device 10, the position of the seat in the front-rear direction can be easily adjusted regardless of the occupant. In addition, the electric motor 13 used in the lock device 10
Locks the lock lever 12 to the locking hole 21a of the lower rail 21.
Since it is operated only for inserting and withdrawing, a small horsepower may be used, and a lightweight and small electric motor may be used. Further, the link mechanism 15 only needs to connect the electric motor 13 and the rotary shaft 11 so that torque can be transmitted,
The link mechanism 15 also has a simple structure. Therefore, the structures of the lock device 10 and the seat track 20 are simple, and it is possible to suppress an increase in weight and an increase in cost.

Further, in the lock device 10, the second link 15b and the third link 15c constituting the link mechanism 15 are connected to each other, and the connecting pin 15d provided to the second link 15b is provided to the third link 15c. It is inserted through the long hole 15e. For this reason, when the upper rail 22 is locked to the lower rail 21, if the lock lever 12 is located at a portion that cannot be fitted into the locking hole 21a of the lower rail 21, the lock lever 12 acts on the torsion spring 16 to move to the side surface of the lower rail 21. The second link 15b slightly abuts elastically, and the second link 15b slightly rotates along the elongated hole 15e of the third link 15c and waits. At this point, the driving of the electric motor 13 is stopped. In this state, if the seat is slightly moved to move the upper rail 22 in the front-rear direction, the lock lever 12 faces one of the locking holes 21a of the lower rail 21 and the torsion spring 16 acts to lock the locking hole 21a. The upper rail 22 is elastically fitted to securely lock the upper rail 22 to the lower rail 21.

In the above description, the example in which the lock device 10 is provided on one of the seat tracks 20 has been described.
If the other seat track in parallel with the seat track 20 is also provided with the lock device, the lock device of the seat track must also be operated in the same manner in conjunction with the lock device 10. In this case, the link mechanism is used. The first link 15a constituting 15 is provided with a rotary lever 17a shown in FIG. 2, and the rotary lever 17a may be connected to the link mechanism of the other locking device by the equalizing wire 17b.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat track including a locking device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional front view of the same seat track as seen in the direction of the arrow 2-2 in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Lock device, 11 ... Rotating shaft, 12 ... Lock lever, 13 ... Electric motor, 15 ... Link mechanism, 15a ... 1st link, 15b ... 2nd link, 15c ... 3rd link,
15d ... connecting pin, 15e ... elongated hole, 16 ... torsion spring, 20 ... seat track, 21 ... lower rail,
21a ... Locking hole, 22 ... Upper rail.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A seat track locking device for releasably locking an upper rail, which is slidably mounted in a longitudinal direction on a lower rail fixed to a vehicle floor, and which is rotatably supported on a side portion of the upper rail. A shaft, and a lock lever that is fixed to the rotary shaft and that is fitted into a part of a plurality of locking holes provided in the lower rail in the longitudinal direction and that is rotated by the rotating operation of the rotary shaft and pulled out from the locking hole. A seat track locking device comprising: an electric motor provided on the upper rail; and a link mechanism that connects the output shaft of the electric motor and the rotating shaft so that torque can be transmitted. 2. The seat track locking device according to claim 1, wherein the link mechanism is fixedly connected to the rotary shaft and a first link that is connected to the output shaft of the electric motor to rotate. And a third link that rotatably connects the two links to each other, and the second link and the third link are provided in the third link. The second in the long hole in the longitudinal direction
A lock device for a seat track, comprising a spring member which is connected by inserting a connecting pin provided in the link and which biases the lock lever in a direction to be fitted into the locking hole.