Longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat, and vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10933772-B2
Application number	US-201515534701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2015
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A longitudinal adjuster (3) for a vehicle seat (1) includes at least one rail pair (7), including a lower rail (9) and an upper rail (11), which can be moved longitudinally in relation to the lower rail (9). At least one locking unit (13) locks the upper rail (11). At least one actuating element (5) releases the locking of the upper rail (11). The locking unit (13) includes at least one locking element (15) and at least one spring element (17), which are operatively engaged with each other. The spring element (17) is interlockingly and frictionally connected to the upper rail (11) by an insertion locking connection (S). The spring element (17) applies a preloading force to the actuating element (5) and to the locking element (15). A vehicle seat (1) is also provided with at least one such longitudinal adjuster (3).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat, the longitudinal adjuster comprising:
at least one rail pair, comprising a lower rail and an upper rail, which the upper rail can be moved longitudinally relative to the lower rail;
at least one locking unit for locking the upper rail;
at least one actuating element for releasing the at least one locking unit of the upper rail; and
at least one spring element comprising a first spring end and a second spring end;
wherein:
the at least one locking unit comprises at least one locking element, the at least one locking element and the first spring end of the at least one spring element are in operative engagement with one another, the first spring end touching a flat surface of the at least one locking element;
the at least one actuating element and the second spring end of the at least one spring element are in operative engagement with one another;
the at least one spring element is force-fitting connected to the upper rail by a plug-in and latching connection;
the at least one spring element comprising at least one latching nose and at least one latching tab;
the at least one latching nose and the at least one latching tab being arranged in corresponding apertures in the upper rail to form the plug-in and latching connection; and
the at least one spring element having a first spring arm and a second spring arm, the first spring arm applies a preloading force to the at least one locking element and the second spring arm applies a preloading force to the at least one actuating element, wherein the at least one spring element is designed as a leaf spring, and the at least one latching nose and the at least one latching tab are arranged at one face side end of the at least one spring element, and the spring arms are arranged at an opposite face side end of the at least one spring element.

2. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one latching nose can be inserted into one of the corresponding apertures, and the at least one latching tab can be latched in a different one of the corresponding apertures.

3. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 2 , wherein:
the one of the corresponding apertures having the at least one latching nose inserted therein has two regions with widths that differ in a direction of a transverse axis; and
the at least one latching nose has two sections with widths that differ in the direction of the transverse axis.

4. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 3 , wherein a respective width of one region of the one of the corresponding apertures having the at least one latching nose inserted therein corresponds to a width of one section of the at least one latching nose.

5. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein one of the spring arms is in operative engagement with a stop of the at least one actuating element.

6. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuating element is mounted pivotably in a through opening of the at least one spring element.

7. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein an actuating end of the at least one actuating element is arranged between the at least one locking element and the upper rail.

8. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one locking element is arranged between the upper rail and the lower rail and has a guide peg.

9. A vehicle seat comprising at least one longitudinal adjuster comprising:
at least one rail pair, comprising a lower rail and an upper rail, which the upper rail can be moved longitudinally relative to the lower rail;
at least one locking unit for locking the upper rail;
at least one actuating element for releasing the at least one locking unit of the upper rail; and
at least one spring element comprising a first spring end and a second spring end;
wherein:
the at least one locking unit comprises at least one locking element, the at least one locking element and the first end of the at least one spring element are in operative engagement with one another;
the at least one actuating element and the second spring end of the at least one spring element are in operative engagement with one another;
the at least one spring element comprising at least one latching nose and at least one latching tab;
the at least one spring element is force-fitting connected to the upper rail in a form and force-fitting manner by a plug-in and latching connection, wherein the at least one latching nose and the at least one latching tab are arranged in corresponding apertures in the upper rail to form the plug-in and latching connection;
the at least one spring element having two spring arms, one of the spring arms applies a preloading force to the at least one actuating element and another one of the spring arms applies a preloading force to the at least one locking element, wherein one of the spring arms is in operative engagement with a stop of the at least one actuating element;
the at least one spring element is designed as a leaf spring; and
the at least one latching nose and the at least one latching tab are arranged at one face side end of the at least one spring element, and the spring arms are arranged at an opposite face side end of the at least one spring element.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one latching nose can be inserted into a first aperture of the corresponding apertures in the upper rail, and the at least one latching tab can be latched in a second aperture of the corresponding apertures in the upper rail.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 10 , wherein:
the first aperture corresponding to the at least one latching nose has two regions with widths that differ in a direction of a transverse axis; and
the at least one latching nose has two sections with widths that differ in the direction of the transverse axis.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 11 , wherein a respective width of one region of the first aperture corresponds to a width of one section of the at least one latching nose.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one actuating element is mounted pivotably in a through opening of the at least one spring element;
an actuating end of the at least one actuating element is arranged between the at least one locking element and the upper rail; and
the at least one locking element is arranged between the upper rail and the lower rail and has a guide peg.

14. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein:
the spring arms of the at least one spring element have different lengths;
the first spring end is at an end of the first spring arm and the second spring end is at an end of the second spring arm.

15. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 14 , wherein:
the first spring end engages the at least one locking element;
the first spring arm is longer than the second spring arm;
the second spring end engages the at least one actuating element.

16. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first spring end bears against a lower side of the at least one locking element.

17. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second spring end bears against a stop of the at least one actuating element.

18. The longitudinal adjuster according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one latching nose is inserted into a first aperture of the corresponding apertures in the upper rail and fixed in a plug-in connection to the upper rail; and

Assignees

• Adient Luxembourg Holding Sarl

Inventors

• Sprenger Erik

Classifications

• B60N2/0887

  with synchronised movements · CPC title

• B60N2/0806

  with pin alignment systems, e.g. with at least one of a plurality of locking pins always aligned w.r.t. at least one of a plurality of pin-receiving elements · CPC title

• B60N2/0818 Primary

  inside the rail · CPC title

• B60N2/0875 Primary

  in a vertical direction · CPC title

• B60N2/0715

  C or U-shaped · CPC title