Seat slide apparatus for a vehicle

• US 7,328,877 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Yukifumi, Nihonmatsu, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez; Ramon O
• Application Number:
  US11/311,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20060131470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 248/430, 248/424, 248/429, 297/344.1
• US Class Current: 248/430
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0715 C or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0818 inside the rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0856 about a vertical axis

Abstract

A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes a first rail fixedly mounted on a vehicle, a second rail secured to a seat and mounted to be rotatable relative to the first rail, a sliding member arranged between the first rail and the second rail and slidably movable in response to a relative movement between the first rail and the second rail, and a lock member associated with the second rail and movable with the second rail, the lock member provided to be engageable with engagement bores provided at the first rail and the second rail and being biased in a direction to be engaged with the engagement bores, the lock member being accommodated in a space defined by the first rail and the second rail.

Claims

1. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a first rail fixedly mounted on a vehicle;

a second rail secured to a seat and mounted to be longitudinally slidable relative to the first rail;

a sliding member arranged between the first rail and the second rail and slidably movable in response to a relative movement between the first rail and the second rail; and

a first lock member and a second lock member each associated with the second rail and movable with the second rail, each of the first and second lock members provided to be engageable with engagement bores provided at the first rail and the second rail and being biased in a direction to be engaged with the engagement bores, each of the first and second lock members being accommodated in a space defined by the first rail and the second rail, wherein the second lock member is disengaged from the engagement bores of the first rail when the first lock member is engaged with the engagement bores of the first rail.

2. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a movement position of the sliding member between the first rail and the second rail is positioned so as not to mutually interfere in a position at which the first and second lock members are engaged with the engagement bores.

3. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the first rail comprises:

a bottom wall;

first side walls extending upwards from left and right ends of the bottom wall and making a lateral pair; and

second side walls formed by bending downwards upper end portions of the first side walls, and

the second rail comprises;

an upper wall;

first side walls extending downwards from left and right ends of the upper wall and making a lateral pair; and

second side walls formed by bending upwards lower end and portions of the first side walls and making a lateral pair,

wherein the first rail and the second rail are assembled with the second side walls of the first rail interposing between the corresponding first side wall and the corresponding second side wall, of the second rail, and

wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at at least one of the second side walls of the first rail and are provided at the position at which one of the first and second lock member members is engaged with the first and second side walls of the second rail corresponding to the at least one of the second side walls.

4. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at the pair of second side walls of the first rail with a pitch equally spaced between each adjacent bore and in a symmetrical manner in a vehicle lateral direction, and wherein the position, at which the one of the first lock member and the second lock member is engaged, is shifted, between the first and second lock members based upon the equally spaced pitch for the engagement bores, every shifting amount obtained by “

pitch/the number of lock members”

.

5. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at the pair of second side walls of the first rail with a pitch equally spaced between each adjacent bore and are shifted, in a longitudinal direction between the pair of second side walls, every shifting amount obtained by “

pitch/the number of lock members”

, and wherein the position at which the one of the first and second lock members is engaged with the first and second side walls of the second rail, is provided in a symmetrical manner in a vehicle lateral direction relative to the corresponding first and second side walls of the second rail.

6. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the first lock member and the second lock member are housed in the space defined by the first rail and the second rail in such a manner that a movement position of the sliding member between the first rail and the second rail is positioned so as not to mutually interfere in the position at which the one of the first and second lock members is engaged with the first and second side walls corresponding to the at least one of the second side walls.

7. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the first lock member and the second lock member are pivotably supported by pins secured in a vehicle vertical direction in the space defined by the first rail and the second rail, and the first lock member and the second lock member are operated to lock in a horizontal surface with the pin as a pivot axis.

8. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a movement position of the sliding member between the first rail and the second rail is positioned so as not to mutually interfere in a position at which the one of the first lock member and of the second lock member is engaged with the engagement bores.

9. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the first rail comprises:

a bottom wall;

first side walls extending upwards from left and right ends of the bottom wall and making a lateral pair; and

second side walls formed by bending downwards upper end portions of the first side walls, and

the second rail comprises;

an upper wall;

first side walls extending downwards from left and right ends of the upper wall and making a lateral pair; and

second side walls formed by bending upwards lower end portions of the first side walls and making a lateral pair,

wherein the first rail and the second rail are assembled with the second side walls of the first rail interposing between the corresponding first side wall and the corresponding second side wall, of the second rail, and

wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at at least one of the second side walls of the first rail and provided at the position at which one of the first lock member and the second lock member is engaged with the first and second side walls of the second rail corresponding to the at least one of the second side walls.

10. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at the pair of second side walls of the first rail with a pitch equally spaced between each adjacent bore and in a symmetrical manner in a vehicle lateral direction, and wherein the position, at which the one of the first lock member and the second lock member is engaged, is shifted, between the first and second lock members based upon the equally spaced pitch for the engagement bores, every shifting amount obtained by “

pitch/the number of lock members”

.

11. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at the pair of second side walls of the first rail with a pitch equally spaced between each adjacent bore and are shifted, in a longitudinal direction between the pair of second side walls, every shifting amount obtained by “

pitch/the number of lock members”

, and wherein the position, at which the one of the first and second lock members is engaged with the first and second side walls of the second rail, is provided in a symmetrical manner in a vehicle lateral direction relative to the corresponding first and second side walls of the second rail.

12. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the first lock member and the second lock member are housed in the space defined by the first rail and the second rail in such a manner that a movement position of the sliding member between the first rail and the second rail is positioned so as not to mutually interfere in the position at which the one of the first lock member and the second lock member is engaged with the first and second side walls corresponding to the at least one of the second side walls.

13. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first rail comprises:

a bottom wall;

first side walls extending upwards from left and right ends of the bottom wall and making a lateral pair; and

second side walls formed by bending downwards upper end portions of the first side walls, and

the second rail comprises;

an upper wall;

first side walls extending downwards from left and right ends of the upper wall and making a lateral pair; and

second side walls formed by bending upwards lower end portions of the first side walls and making a lateral pair,

wherein the first rail and the second rail are assembled with the respective second side walls of the first rail interposing between the corresponding first side wall and the corresponding second side wall, of the second rail, and

wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at at least one of the second side walls of the first rail and are provided at a position at which the first lock member is engaged with the first and second side walls of the second rail corresponding to the at least one of the second side walls.

14. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the first lock member and the second lock member are housed in the space defined by the first rail and the second rail in such a manner that a movement position of the sliding member between the first rail and the second rail is positioned so as not to mutually interfere in the position at which the first lock member is engaged with the first and second side walls corresponding to the at least one of the second side walls.

15. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first rail comprises:

a bottom wall;

first side walls extending upwards from left and right ends of the bottom wall and making a lateral pair; and

second side walls formed by bending downwards upper end portions of the first side walls, and

the second rail comprises;

an upper wall;

first side walls extending downwards from left and right ends of the upper wall and making a lateral pair; and

second side walls formed by bending upwards lower end portions of the first side walls and making a lateral pair,

wherein the first rail and the second rail are assembled with the respective second side walls of the first rail interposing between the corresponding first side wall and the corresponding second side wall, of the second rail, and

wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at at least one of the second side walls of the first rail and are provided at a position at which one of the first lock member and the second lock member is engaged with the first and second side walls of the second rail corresponding to the at least one of the second side walls.

16. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at the pair of second side walls of the first rail with a pitch equally spaced between each adjacent bore and in a symmetrical manner in a vehicle lateral direction, and wherein the position, at which the one of the first lock member and the second lock member is engaged, is shifted, between the first and second lock members based upon the equally spaced pitch for the engagement bores, every shifting amount obtained by “

pitch/the number of lock members”

.

17. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the engagement bores are provided continuously and longitudinally at the pair of second side walls of the first rail with a pitch equally spaced between each adjacent bore and are shifted, in a longitudinal direction between the pair of second side walls, every shifting amount obtained by “

pitch/the number of lock members”

, and wherein the position, at which the one of the first and second lock members is engaged with the first and second side walls of the second rail, is provided in a symmetrical manner in a vehicle lateral direction relative to the corresponding first and second side walls of the second rail.

18. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the first lock member and the second lock member are housed in the space defined by the first rail and the second rail in such a manner that a movement position of the sliding member between the first rail and the second rail is positioned so as not to mutually interfere in the position at which the one of the first lock member and the second lock member is engaged with the first and second side walls corresponding to the at least one of the second side walls.

19. A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first lock member and the second lock member are pivotably supported by pins secured in a vehicle vertical direction in the space defined by the first rail and the second rail, and the first lock member and the second lock member are operated to lock in a horizontal surface with the pins as pivot axes.