Protection cover structure of slide detection apparatus for vehicle seat

• US 8,806,936 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kakumu, Michinori, Inoue, Keiichiro, Suzuki, Yuya, Takase, Tomoyuki, Ando, Shinya, Maeda, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shabman, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US13/228,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20120073369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 734/31
• US Class Current: 73/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06

Abstract

A protection cover structure of a slide detection apparatus for a vehicle seat is provided. The slide detection apparatus is configured to detect a slide state of the vehicle seat with a magnetic detector which is provided to one of a fixed rail and a movable rail configuring a slide rail mechanism of the vehicle seat, and a detectable member provided to the other of the rails. The protection cover structure includes a protection cover provided to the one rail and configured to cover and protect the magnetic detector. The protection cover integrally includes a side cover part which covers a side of the magnetic detector, and a cover part which covers a detection part of the magnetic detector. A tip end portion of the cover part is formed with a lip-shaped contact part which is configured to slidably contact a sidewall surface of the other rail.

Claims

1. A protection cover structure of a slide detection apparatus for a vehicle seat, the slide detection apparatus being configured to detect a slide state of the vehicle seat with a magnetic detector which is provided to one of a fixed rail and a movable rail configuring a slide rail mechanism of the vehicle seat, and a detectable member provided to the other one of the fixed rail and the movable rail, the protection cover structure comprising:

a protection cover provided to one of the fixed rail and the movable rail, the protection cover being configured to cover and protect the magnetic detector such that an inner surface of the protection cover faces the magnetic detector,

wherein the protection cover includes;

a side cover part which covers a side of the magnetic detector; and

a cover part which covers a detection part of the magnetic detector, and

wherein a tip end portion of the cover part is formed with a lip-shaped contact part which is configured to slidably contact a sidewall surface of the other one of the fixed rail and the movable rail such that the inner surface of the protection cover faces a detectable part of the detectable member.

2. The protection cover structure according to claim 1,

wherein the contact part of the cover part is formed of a rubber material which elastically deforms to slide over a part of the detectable member provided on the sidewall surface of the other one of the fixed rail and the movable rail while contacting the detectable member.

3. The protection cover structure according to claim 1,

wherein a rigidity of the protection cover except for the contact part is higher than a rigidity of the contact part.

4. A protection cover structure of a slide detection apparatus for a vehicle seat, the slide detection apparatus being configured to detect a slide state of the vehicle seat with a magnetic detector which is provided on a movable rail of a slide rail mechanism of the vehicle seat, and a detectable member provided on a fixed rail of the slide rail mechanism, the protection cover structure comprising:

a protection cover provided to the movable rail and configured to cover and protect the magnetic detector,

wherein the protection cover includes;

a side cover part which covers a side of the magnetic detector; and

a cover part which covers a detection part of the magnetic detector, and

wherein a tip end portion of the cover part is formed with a lip-shaped contact part which is configured to slidably contact a sidewall surface of the fixed rail and cover a detectable part of the detectable member from a lower side thereof.

5. The protection cover structure according to claim 4,

wherein the lip-shaped contact part of the cover part is a rubber material which elastically deforms to slide over a side part of the detectable member provided on the sidewall surface of the fixed rail while contacting the detectable member.

6. The protection cover structure according to claim 4,

wherein a rigidity of the protection cover except for the contact part is higher than a rigidity of the contact part.

7. The protection cover structure according to claim 4, wherein a bracket is provided on the movable rail such that the magnetic detector and the protection cover are fixable thereto.

8. The protection cover structure according to claim 7, wherein the bracket is adjustably provided on an upper plate part of the movable rail and includes a base plate part, a side plate part and an upper plate part, and wherein the side plate part includes an attaching piece that extends from a rear-end side of the side plate part.

9. The protection cover structure according to claim 8, wherein the magnetic detector is connected to the bracket via the side plate part and the protection cover is connected to the bracket via the attaching piece.

10. The protection cover structure according to claim 8, wherein the protection cover covers the upper plate part of the bracket.