Vehicle walk-in device

• US 7,588,293 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kojima, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Peter R
• Assistant Examiner(s): LYNCH, PATRICK D
• Application Number:
  US11/594,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 297/341, 297/344.11, 297/344.1
• US Class Current: 297/344.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0825 outside the rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0843 about a longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0887 with synchronised movements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable

Abstract

A vehicle walk-in device includes a fixed rail, a first lock member, a second lock member, a main mechanism, a sub mechanism, and a transmitting mechanism, the main mechanism having a first drive member, a first release link, and a link connecting shaft, the sub mechanism including a second release link actuated in conjunction with the first release link by means of the transmitting mechanism so that the second lock member is pressed so as to be unlocked and the transmitting mechanism made of a flexible cord-shaped member.

Claims

1. A vehicle walk-in device comprising;

a fixed rail on which a seat slides;

a first lock member provided at one side of the seat in a seat width direction for locking the seat so as not to slide relative to the fixed rail and for unlocking the seat so as to slide relative to the fixed rail;

a second lock member provided at the other side of the seat in the seat width direction for locking the seat so as not to slide relative to the fixed rail and for unlocking the seat so as to slide relative to the fixed rail;

a main mechanism provided at the one side of the seat and unlocking the first lock member in conjunction with an operation of a seat back of the seat;

a sub mechanism provided at the other side of the seat and unlocking the second lock member in conjunction with an actuation of the main mechanism;

a transmitting mechanism provided between the main mechanism and the sub mechanism and transmitting an operation of the main mechanism to the sub mechanism;

the main mechanism including;

a first drive member actuated in conjunction with the operation of the seat back of the seat,

a first release link actuated in conjunction with the first drive member so as to press the first lock member to be unlocked; and

a link connecting shaft by which the first drive member is relative-rotatably connected to the first release link;

the sub mechanism including a second release link actuated in conjunction with the first release link by means of the transmitting mechanism so that the second lock member is pressed so as to be unlocked;

the transmitting mechanism made of a flexible cord-shaped member and disposed in a manner where one end of the flexible cord-shaped member in a longitudinal direction thereof is connected to the link connecting shaft used for connecting the first drive member and the first release link in the main mechanism, and the other end of the flexible cord-shaped member in a longitudinal direction thereof is connected to the second release link of the sub mechanism;

the main mechanism including a first biasing member biasing the first release link in an opposite direction of an unlocking direction, and the sub mechanism includes a second biasing member biasing the second release link in the unlocking direction; and

wherein the first release link of the main mechanism includes a first contact portion pressing the first lock member so as to be unlocked, the second release link of the sub mechanism includes a second contact portion pressing the second lock member so as to be unlocked, at an initial position of an unlocking operation, a first clearance is defined between the first contact portion and the first lock member in the main mechanism, and at the initial position of the unlocking operation, the sub mechanism is configured in a manner where, one of;

the second contact portion contacts the second lock member in the sub mechanism; and

a second clearance, which is smaller than the first clearance, is defined between the second contact portion and the second lock member in the sub mechanism.

2. The vehicle walk-in device according to claim 1, wherein one of/each of the first biasing member and the second biasing member serves as a stopper for restricting one of/each of the first release link and the second release link so as not to be rotated excessively.

3. The vehicle walk-in device according to claim 2, wherein one of/each of the first biasing member and the second biasing member includes a torsion coil spring having a coil spring and an arm portion formed so as to continue to the coil spring, and the arm portion of the torsion coil spring serves as a stopper for restricting one of/both of the first release link and the second release link so as not to be rotated excessively.

4. The vehicle walk-in device according to claim 3, wherein one of/each of the first release link and the second release link includes a link stopper portion contacting the arm portion of the torsion coil spring.

5. A vehicle walk-in device comprising:

a fixed rail on which a seat slides;

a first lock member provided at one side of the seat in a seat width direction for locking the seat so as not to slide relative to the fixed rail and for unlocking the seat so as to slide relative to the fixed rail;

a second lock member provided at the other side of the seat in a seat width direction for locking the seat so as not to slide relative to the fixed rail and for unlocking the seat so as to slide relative to the fixed rail;

a main mechanism provided at the one side of the seat and unlocking the first lock member in conjunction with an operation of a seat back of the seat;

a sub mechanism provided at the other side of the seat and unlocking the second lock member in conjunction with an actuation of the main mechanism;

a transmitting mechanism provided between the main mechanism and the sub mechanism and transmitting an operation of the main mechanism to the sub mechanism;

the main mechanism including;

a first drive member actuated in conjunction with the operation of the seat back of the seat,

a first release link actuated in conjunction with the first drive member so as to press the first lock member to be unlocked;

a link connecting shaft by which the first drive member is relative-rotatably connected to the first release link; and

a first biasing member biasing the first release link in an opposite direction of an unlocking direction; and

the sub mechanism including;

a second release link actuated in conjunction with the first release link by means of the transmitting mechanism so that the second lock member is pressed so as to be unlocked; and

a second biasing member biasing the second release link in the unlocking direction;

wherein the first release link of the main mechanism includes a first contact portion pressing the first lock member so as to be unlocked, the second release link of the sub mechanism includes a second contact portion pressing the second lock member so as to be unlocked, at an initial position of an unlocking operation, a first clearance is defined between the first contact portion and the first lock member in the main mechanism, and at the initial position of the unlocking operation, the sub mechanism is configured in a manner where, one of;

the second contact portion contacts the second lock member in the sub mechanism; and

a second clearance, which is smaller than the first clearance is defined between the second contact portion and the second lock member in the sub mechanism.

6. The vehicle walk-in device according to claim 5, wherein one of/each of the first biasing member and the second biasing member includes a torsion coil spring having a coil spring and an arm portion formed so as to continue to the coil spring, and the arm portion of the torsion coil spring serves as a stopper for restricting one of/both of the first release link and the second release link so as not to rotate excessively.

7. The vehicle walk-in device according to claim 6, wherein one of/each of the first release link and the second release link includes a link stopper portion contacting the arm portion of the torsion coil spring.