Rail adjustment system for a motor vehicle seat

• US 8,328,155 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Inventors: Kostin, Sergej
• Primary Examiner(s): McKinnon, Terrell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Breslin, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US12/128,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 248/424, 248/429, 248/430, 296/65.15, 297/344.1, 74/891.4
• US Class Current: 248/429
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02253 characterised by the transmission between the electric motor and the seat or seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02258 characterised by the mounting of the electric motor for adjusting the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped

Abstract

The invention relates to a rail adjustment system for a motor vehicle seat, wherein the rail adjustment system includes an electromotive spindle drive and a threaded spindle that can be coupled to a flexible drive shaft for the longitudinal adjustment of a rail pair. The rails of said rail pair are connected to one another by means of a retaining element, which includes an integrated guide duct for holding the drive shaft.

Claims

1. A rail adjustment system for a motor vehicle seat, the rail system comprising

an electromotive spindle drive;

and

a flexible drive shaft configured to be coupled to a threaded spindle for the longitudinal adjustment of a rail pair whose rails are connected to one another by means of a retaining element,

wherein the retaining element has a guide duct for holding the drive shaft,

wherein the guide duct is formed by a plurality of support elements and support gaps, and

wherein the guide duct is bounded by a first support row on one side of the guide duct, the first support row comprising support elements and support gaps that are arranged one behind the other and such that they alternate in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, and by a second support row, which is situated opposite and at a distance from the first support row, the second support row comprising support elements and support gaps that are different from the support elements and support gaps of the first support row.

2. The rail adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein each support element at least partially spans an opposite support gap.

3. The rail adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein a local support point is integrally formed on each support element.

4. The rail adjustment system according to claim 3, wherein in each case two support points are arranged opposite and inclined in relation to one another.

5. The rail adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the guide duct runs between two side walls of the retaining element that are situated opposite and at a distance from one another.

6. The rail adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element comprises a recess, which is arranged off-center, for mounting the spindle drive, so as to form a comparatively long carrier section and a comparatively short carrier section, the guide duct extending along the comparatively long carrier section.

7. The rail adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element comprises a frame-like lattice structure that flanks both sides of the guide duct.

8. The rail adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element is fixed to the rails, which are situated opposite and at a distance from one another, in particular to at least one of a plurality of upper rails, by means of retaining lugs on either end.

9. The rail adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element comprises plastic.

10. A motor vehicle comprising the rail adjustment system according to claim 1.

11. A rail adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the second support row comprises support elements and support gaps that are arranged offset in relation to the first support row.