SLIDE STRUCTURE OF SEAT FOR VEHICLE

• US 20120104218A1
• Filed: 10/24/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: NONOMIYA, Masaaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,857,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/429
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0715 C or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0747 the opening of the cross section being oriented in a direction different from the vertical, e.g. transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0825 outside the rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0843 about a longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0881 Activation of the latches by the control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1665 Hydraulic or pneumatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/167 Ratchet mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/168 and provided with braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear

Abstract

A slide structure of a seat for a vehicle positions a cushion seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle has a stationary outer rail which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a substantially C-shaped cross section, an open portion which is oriented to be inner in the widthwise direction, and is disposed such that its cross section is elongate in the vertical direction, a movable inner rail which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and fits over the stationary outer rail so as to be slid relative to the stationary outer rail in the longitudinal direction and is fixed on the cushion seat and includes a substantially C-shaped cross section, an open portion of which is oriented to be outer in the widthwise direction, and is disposed in such a way that its side surface is elongate in the vertical direction.

Claims

1. A slide structure of a seat for a vehicle which positions a cushion seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle comprises

a stationary outer rail which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and includes a substantially C-shaped cross section an open portion of which is oriented to be inner in the widthwise direction, and is disposed in such a way that its cross section is elongate in the vertical direction,

a movable inner rail which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and fits over the stationary outer rail so as to be slid relative to the stationary outer rail in the longitudinal direction and is fixed on the cushion seat and includes a substantially C-shaped cross section an open portion of which is oriented to be outer in the widthwise direction, and is disposed in such a way that its side surface is elongate in the vertical direction, whereby the movable inner rail fits with the stationary outer rail in such a way that open portions formed by the respective C-shaped cross sections are opposed to each other, so that in a case where the cushion seat is located to be in the most front position, the front end of the movable inner rail protrudes forward from the front end of the stationary outer rail, while, in a case where the cushion seat is located to be in the most rear position, the rear end of the movable inner rail protrudes rearward from the rear end of the stationary outer rail,

said slide structure further comprises a parallelogram link mechanism rotatable about a horizontal axis including a front link and a rear link parallel to each other one end of each of which is pinned to the cushion seat, while the other end of each of which is pinned to the side surface of the movable inner rail, and

a means for adjusting the widthwise position which functions to adjust the relative positional relationship in the widthwise direction between the movable inner rail and the front link or the rear link in such a way that the shear load transmitted from the front link or the rear link passes through the shear center situated to be inner in the widthwise direction of the side surface of the movable inner rail.

2. The slide structure of the seat for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said slide structure further comprises link pins each of which pins the respective front and rear links to the side surface portion of the movable inner rail, each of the link pins includes a body portion with a non-circular cross section and a reduced-diameter threaded portion with a circular cross section on a circumferential surface of which a threaded portion is provided, a shoulder portion is formed between the body portion and the threaded portion, an non-circular opening into which the body portion penetrates is provided on the side surface of the movable inner rail in such a way that the link pin cannot rotate about the axial direction of the link pin, the means for positioning in the widthwise direction includes a protruding flange on the circumferential surface of the link pin, the one surface of which protruding flange abuts against the side surface of the movable inner rail and the other surface of which protruding flange opposite to the one surface abuts against the fork lift and which protruding flange includes a predetermined thickness in such a way that a shear load transmitted from the front link or the rear link passes through the shear center of the movable inner rail, and a circular opening into which the body portion can penetrate is provided on the front link or the rear link.

3. The slide structure of the seat for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said slide structure further comprises link pins each of which pins the respective front and rear links to the side surface portion of the movable inner rail, each of the link pins includes a body portion with a non-circular cross section, a flange portion is provided on one end of the body portion and a reduced-diameter threaded portion with a circular cross section on a circumferential surface of which a threaded portion is provided is provided on the other end of the body portion, a shoulder portion is formed between the body portion and the threaded portion, an non-circular opening into which the body portion penetrates is provided on the side surface of the movable inner rail in such a way that the link pin cannot rotate about the axial direction of the link pin, the means for positioning in the widthwise direction includes a positioning collar including on its peripheral surface a protruding flange, the one surface of which abuts against the side surface of the movable inner rail and the other surface of which opposite to the one surface abuts against the fork lift and which includes a predetermined thickness in such a way that a shear load transmitted from the front link or the rear link passes through the shear center of the movable inner rail, the positioning collar includes a perforated hole with a non-circular cross section which can fit over the outer peripheral surface of the body portion of the link pin and an outer circumferential surface with a circular cross section, and a circular opening into which the body portion can penetrate is provided on the front link or the rear link.

4. The slide structure of the seat for the vehicle according to claim 2 further comprises a nut threaded into the threaded portion and a washer including an opening into which the threaded portion can penetrate, whereby the one surface of the washer is brought into abutment with the side surface of the front link or the rear link by making the threaded portion penetrate into the washer and screwing the nut, and the front link or the rear link is fixed in the widthwise direction relative to the movable inner rail by pressing the front link or the rear link against the movable inner rail.

5. The slide structure of the seat for the vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the positioning collar includes a fitting portion to be fitted with the non-circular opening of the movable inner rail on the one surface of the protruding flange, and the axial length of the positioning collar is the same as that of the body portion, whereby the end surface of the positioning collar is pressed to be fixed by the washer.

6. The slide structure of the seat for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein a driving bush is interposed between the protruding flange and the front link or the rear link.

7. The slide structure of the seat for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the stationary outer rail includes a stationary side surface oriented to be in the vertical direction, a stationary protruding upper surface protruding inner in the widthwise direction from the upper edge of the stationary side surface, and a stationary protruding lower surface protruding inner in the widthwise direction from the lower edge of the stationary side surface, the movable inner rail includes a movable side surface oriented to be in the vertical direction, a movable protruding upper surface protruding outer in the widthwise direction from the upper edge of the movable side surface, and a movable protruding lower surface protruding outer in the widthwise direction from the lower edge of the movable side surface.

8. A slide structure of a seat for a vehicle which positions a cushion seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle comprises

a stationary inner rail which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and includes a substantially C-shaped cross section an open portion of which is oriented to be inner in the widthwise direction, and is disposed in such a way that its cross section is elongate in the vertical direction,

a movable outer rail which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and fits over the stationary inner rail so as to be slid relative to the stationary inner rail in the longitudinal direction and is fixed on the cushion seat and includes a substantially C-shaped cross section, and is disposed in such a way that its side surface is elongate in the vertical direction, whereby the movable outer rail fits with the stationary inner rail in such a way that open portions formed by the respective C-shaped cross sections are opposed to each other, so that in a case where the cushion seat is located to be in the most front position, the front end of the movable outer rail protrudes forward from the front end of the stationary inner rail, while, in a case where the cushion seat is located to be in the most rear position, the rear end of the movable outer rail protrudes rearward from the rear end of the stationary inner rail,

said slide structure further comprises a parallelogram link mechanism rotatable about a horizontal axis including a front link and a rear link parallel to each other one end of each of which is pinned to the cushion seat, while the other end of each of which is pinned to the side surface of the movable outer rail, and

a means for adjusting the widthwise position which functions to adjust the relative positional relationship in the widthwise direction between the movable outer rail and the front link or the rear link in such a way that the shear load transmitted from the front link or the rear link passes through the shear center situated to be outer in the widthwise direction of the side surface of the movable outer rail.

9. The slide structure of the seat for the vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said slide structure further comprises link pins each of which pins the respective front and rear links to the side surface portion of the movable inner rail, each of the link pins includes a body portion with a non-circular cross section and a reduced-diameter threaded portion with a circular cross section on a circumferential surface of which a threaded portion is provided, a shoulder portion is formed between the body portion and the threaded portion, an non-circular opening into which the body portion penetrates is provided on the side surface of the movable inner rail in such a way that the link pin cannot rotate about the axial direction of the link pin, the means for positioning in the widthwise direction includes a protruding flange on the circumferential surface of the link pin, the one surface of which protruding flange abuts against the side surface of the movable inner rail and the other surface of which protruding flange opposite to the one surface abuts against the fork lift and which protruding flange includes a predetermined thickness in such a way that a shear load transmitted from the front link or the rear link passes through the shear center of the movable inner rail, and a circular opening into which the body portion can penetrate is provided on the front link or the rear link.

10. The slide structure of the seat for the vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said slide structure further comprises link pins each of which pins the respective front and rear links to the side surface portion of the movable inner rail, each of the link pins includes a body portion with a non-circular cross section, a flange portion is provided on one end of the body portion and a reduced-diameter threaded portion with a circular cross section on a circumferential surface of which a threaded portion is provided is provided on the other end of the body portion, a shoulder portion is formed between the body portion and the threaded portion, an non-circular opening into which the body portion penetrates is provided on the side surface of the movable inner rail in such a way that the link pin cannot rotate about the axial direction of the link pin, the means for positioning in the widthwise direction includes a positioning collar including on its peripheral surface a protruding flange, the one surface of which abuts against the side surface of the movable inner rail and the other surface of which opposite to the one surface abuts against the fork lift and which includes a predetermined thickness in such a way that a shear load transmitted from the front link or the rear link passes through the shear center of the movable inner rail, the positioning collar includes a perforated hole with a non-circular cross section which can fit over the outer peripheral surface of the body portion of the link pin and an outer circumferential surface with a circular cross section, and a circular opening into which the body portion can penetrate is provided on the front link or the rear link.