Seat apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,245,994 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2010
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Yukifumi, Goto, Naoki, Isobe, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Duckworth, Bradley
• Application Number:
  US12/695,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20100187397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 248/424, 248/425, 248/429, 248/430, 297/311, 297/344.1, 297/344.11, 297/344.18, 297/344.24
• US Class Current: 248/429
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/062 transversally slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/073 Reinforcement members preventing slide dislocation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4249 fixed structures, i.e. where neither the seat nor a part thereof are displaced during a crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/688 Particular seat belt attachment and guiding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a longitudinal sliding mechanism including a first lower rail adapted to be fixed to a vehicle floor and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a first upper rail slidably supported to the first lower rail, a width-directional sliding mechanism including a second lower rail mounted on the first upper rail and extending in a width direction of the vehicle and a second upper rail slidably supported to the second lower rail and adapted to be fixed to a seat frame member, and an attachment bracket extending in parallel to the second lower rail and including an upper wall portion and first and second engagement portions extending downwardly from the upper wall portion, facing each other in the longitudinal direction, and supported by the first upper rail, wherein the second lower rail is fixed between the first and second engagement portions.

Claims

1. A seat apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a longitudinal sliding mechanism including a first lower rail adapted to be fixed to a vehicle floor and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a first upper rail supported to be slidable relative to the first lower rail;

a width-directional sliding mechanism including a second lower rail mounted on the first upper rail and extending in a width direction of the vehicle and a second upper rail supported to be slidable relative to the second lower rail and adapted to be fixed to a seat frame member; and

an attachment bracket extending in parallel to the second lower rail and including an upper wall portion and first and second engagement portions which extend downwardly from the upper wall portion while facing each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and which are supported by the first upper rail, wherein the second lower rail is fixed between the first and second engagement portions of the attachment bracket.

2. The seat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

an accommodating portion having a pouch-shape in a cross section is formed at an upper portion of the first upper rail, the accommodating portion including an upper wall portion and sidewall portions facing each other,

the first and second engagement portions of the attachment bracket include engagement holes respectively that open in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle,

an axial end portion of the accommodating portion of the first upper rail is divided into a first accommodating portion and a second accommodating portion by a slit into which one of the first and second engagement portions of the attachment bracket is inserted from an upper side of the first upper rail, and

the attachment bracket and the first upper rail are connected to each other when a connecting member penetrating through the first and second engagement portions is fixed within the accommodating portion in a state where the first accommodating portion is disposed between the first and second engagement portions.

3. The seat apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the accommodating portion accommodates a nut member to which the connecting member is screwed.

4. The seat apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a load transmitting member fixed to the second upper rail and extending downwardly in a movable manner in the width direction of the vehicle relative to the attachment bracket, the load transmitting member being engageable with the attachment bracket while being restricted to move in the vertical direction.

5. The seat apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a load transmitting member fixed to the second upper rail and extending downwardly in a movable manner in the width direction of the vehicle relative to the attachment bracket, the load transmitting member being engageable with the attachment bracket while being restricted to move in the vertical direction.

6. The seat apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a load transmitting member fixed to the second upper rail and extending downwardly in a movable manner in the width direction of the vehicle relative to the attachment bracket, the load transmitting member being engageable with the attachment bracket while being restricted to move in the vertical direction.

7. The seat apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

elongated holes are formed at a center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle of the upper wall portion of the attachment bracket and at a center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle of a bottom wall portion of the second lower rail respectively, the elongated holes extending in the width direction of the vehicle, and

the load transmitting member includes an upper shaft portion fixed to an upper wall portion of the second upper rail, a lower end of the upper shaft portion being in contact with an upper peripheral edge surface of the elongated hole of the second lower rail, a lower shaft portion extending downwardly from the upper shaft portion and penetrating through the elongated holes while having a small clearance therewith, and a flanged portion formed at a lower end of the lower shaft portion and in contact with a lower peripheral edge surface of the elongated hole of the attachment bracket.

8. The seat apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

elongated holes are formed at a center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle of the upper wall portion of the attachment bracket and at a center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle of a bottom wall portion of the second lower rail respectively, the elongated holes extending in the width direction of the vehicle, and

the load transmitting member includes an upper shaft portion fixed to an upper wall portion of the second upper rail, a lower end of the upper shaft portion being in contact with an upper peripheral edge surface of the elongated hole of the second lower rail, a lower shaft portion extending downwardly from the upper shaft portion and penetrating through the elongated holes while having a small clearance therewith, and a flanged portion formed at a lower end of the lower shaft portion and in contact with a lower peripheral edge surface of the elongated hole of the attachment bracket.

9. The seat apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

elongated holes are formed at a center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle of the upper wall portion of the attachment bracket and at a center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle of a bottom wall portion of the second lower rail respectively, the elongated holes extending in the width direction of the vehicle, and

the load transmitting member includes an upper shaft portion fixed to an upper wall portion of the second upper rail, a lower end of the upper shaft portion being in contact with an upper peripheral edge surface of the elongated hole of the second lower rail, a lower shaft portion extending downwardly from the upper shaft portion and penetrating through the elongated holes while having a small clearance therewith, and a flanged portion formed at a lower end of the lower shaft portion and in contact with a lower peripheral edge surface of the elongated hole of the attachment bracket.

10. The seat apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the nut member including an internal thread is movably accommodated within the accommodating portion in a longitudinal direction thereof, the nut member including a groove portion at a side surface in contact with the accommodating portion, the groove portion extending in a direction similar to a screwing direction of the internal thread of the nut member and having a tapered groove portion of which an end portion is gradually narrower towards a center portion of the first upper rail, and

the first upper rail includes a deformation portion formed at a side surface of the accommodating portion and inserted into the groove portion formed at the side surface of the nut member, the deformation portion engaging with the tapered groove portion in association with a movement of the nut member towards an end surface of an end portion of the first upper rail in a case where the attachment bracket is fixed to the first upper rail by the connecting member meshed with the nut member.

11. The seat apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the slit includes a first slit formed at a portion of the accommodating portion in the longitudinal direction thereof,

an upper portion of the nut member is divided into a through-hole portion and an internally threaded portion including the internal thread by a second slit having a same width as a width of the first slit, the groove portion having the tapered groove portion being formed at one of side surfaces of the through-hole portion and the internally threaded portion,

the first accommodating portion is disposed between the first and second engagement portions formed at the attachment bracket, and

the deformation portion engages with the tapered groove portion in association with the movement of the nut member towards the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail in a case where the attachment bracket is fixed to the first upper rail by the connecting member penetrating through the through-hole portion and meshed with the internal thread of the internally threaded portion.

12. The seat apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the nut member including an internal thread is movably accommodated within the accommodating portion in a longitudinal direction thereof, the nut member including a groove portion at a side surface in contact with the accommodating portion, the groove portion extending in a direction similar to a screwing direction of the internal thread of the nut member,

an elastic member is disposed between the nut member and the accommodating portion to cover an upper surface and the side surface of the nut member, and

the first upper rail includes a deformation portion formed at a side surface of the accommodating portion and inserted into the groove portion formed at the side surface of the nut member, the deformation portion engaging with an end surface of the groove portion in association with a movement of the nut member towards an end surface of an end portion of the first upper rail in a case where the attachment bracket is fixed to the first upper rail by the connecting member meshed with the nut member.

13. The seat apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the slit includes a first slit formed at a portion of the accommodating portion in the longitudinal direction thereof,

an upper portion of the nut member is divided into a through-hole portion and an internally threaded portion including an internal thread by a second slit having a same width as a width of the first slit, the groove portion being formed at one of side surfaces of the through-hole portion and the internally threaded portion,

the first accommodating portion is disposed between the first and second engagement portions formed at the attachment bracket, and

the deformation portion engages with the end surface of the groove portion in association with the movement of the nut member towards the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail in a case where the attachment bracket is fixed to the first upper rail by the connecting member penetrating through the through-hole portion and meshed with the internal thread of the internally threaded portion.

14. The seat apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an end surface of the nut member facing the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail is positioned away therefrom towards the center portion of the first upper rail in an initial state where the deformation portion formed at the side surface of the accommodating portion is inserted into the groove portion formed at the side surface of the nut member, and the end surface of the nut member projects in an axially outer direction from the end surface of the end portion of the upper rail in a state where the deformation portion engages with the tapered groove portion of the groove portion in association with the movement of the nut member towards the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail when the connecting member penetrates through an attachment bore formed at the attachment bracket and is meshed with the nut member.

15. The seat apparatus according to claim 11, wherein an end surface of the nut member facing the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail is positioned away therefrom towards the center portion of the first upper rail in an initial state where the deformation portion formed at the side surface of the accommodating portion is inserted into the groove portion formed at the side surface of the nut member, and the end surface of the nut member projects in an axially outer direction from the end surface of the end portion of the upper rail in a state where the deformation portion engages with the tapered groove portion of the groove portion in association with the movement of the nut member towards the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail when the connecting member penetrates through an attachment bore formed at the attachment bracket and is meshed with the nut member.

16. The seat apparatus according to claim 12, wherein an end surface of the nut member facing the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail is positioned away therefrom towards the center portion of the first upper rail in an initial state where the deformation portion formed at the side surface of the accommodating portion is inserted into the groove portion formed at the side surface of the nut member, and the end surface of the nut member projects in an axially outer direction from the end surface of the end portion of the upper rail in a state where the deformation portion engages with the end surface of the groove portion in association with the movement of the nut member towards the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail when the connecting member that penetrates through an attachment bore formed at the attachment bracket meshed with the nut member.

17. The seat apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an end surface of the nut member facing the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail is positioned away therefrom towards the center portion of the first upper rail in an initial state where the deformation portion formed at the side surface of the accommodating portion is inserted into the groove portion formed at the side surface of the nut member, and the end surface of the nut member projects in an axially outer direction from the end surface of the end portion of the upper rail in a state where the deformation portion engages with the end surface of the groove portion in association with the movement of the nut member towards the end surface of the end portion of the first upper rail when the connecting member that penetrates through an attachment bore formed at the attachment bracket meshed with the nut member.

18. A vehicle seat apparatus comprising:

a longitudinal sliding mechanism possessing a first lower rail and a first upper rail slidably connected to the first lower rail, the first lower rail extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and being connectable to a vehicle floor;

a width-directional sliding mechanism possessing a second lower rail and a second upper rail slidably connected to the second lower rail, the second lower rail being mounted on the first upper rail and extending in a width direction of the vehicle, and the second upper rail being connectable to a seat frame member;

an attachment bracket extending parallel to the second lower rail and possessing an upper wall portion, a first engagement portion, and a second engagement portion, the first and second engagement portions extending downwardly away from the upper wall portion and facing one another, the first and second engagement portions being supported by the first upper rail at respective spaced apart locations; and

a connector positioned inwardly of the first and second engagement portions and connecting the second lower rail to the attachment bracket.

19. The vehicle seat apparatus of claim 18, wherein the connector extends through a hole in the second lower rail and a hole in the upper wall portion of the attachment bracket.

20. A vehicle seat apparatus comprising:

a longitudinal sliding mechanism possessing a first lower rail and a first upper rail slidably connected to the first lower rail, the first lower rail extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and being connectable to a vehicle floor;

a width-directional sliding mechanism possessing a second lower rail and a second upper rail slidably connected to the second lower rail, the second lower rail being mounted on the first upper rail and extending in a width direction of the vehicle, and the second upper rail being connectable to a seat frame member;

an attachment bracket extending parallel to the second lower rail and possessing an upper wall portion, a first engagement portion, and a second engagement portion, the first and second engagement portions extending downwardly away from the upper wall portion and facing one another, the first and second engagement portions each possessing a free end remote from the upper wall portion; and

a connector positioned inwardly of the first and second engagement portions and connecting the second lower rail to the attachment bracket.