Track for seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325504-B2
Application number	US-202016798957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2020
Priority date	Feb 26, 2019
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a track for an automotive vehicle seat comprising: a first, upper, rail and a second, lower, rail mounted sliding relative to each other along a sliding axis, that define a cavity between them; a bolt comprising at least one locking member movable from a locked position in which the at least one locking member immobilizes the first rail and the second rail relative to each other, and an unlocked position and a guiding system for the at least one locking member between the first locked position and the second unlocked position, secured to the first, upper, rail, where the guiding system comprises an inner guide secured to the first rail at two anchoring points extending respectively the guide forming body above and below a guiding orifice.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A track for an automotive vehicle seat comprising:
a first upper rail and a second lower rail mounted for sliding movement relative to each other along a sliding axis, the first and second rails defining a cavity between them;
the first rail has a horizontal upper wall, and a vertical lateral wall extending downward from the upper wall,
a bolt comprising:
at least one locking member movable from a locked position in which the at least one locking member immobilizes the first rail and the second rail relative to each other, and an unlocked position in which the at least one locking member allows the first rail and the second rail to slide relative to each other, said at least one locking member having a longitudinal axis which is inclined relative to the horizontal upper wall by an angle α less than 45°, said at least one locking member going through said vertical lateral wall; and
a guiding system for the at least one locking member between the locked position and the unlocked position, the guiding system being secured to the first rail;
wherein the guiding system comprises an inner guide, arranged inside the cavity and secured to the first rail, wherein the inner guide comprises a body with a guiding opening configured to allow the guiding of the at least one locking member between the locked position and the unlocked position,
wherein the inner guide is anchored on the first rail near:
at least one first anchoring point on the horizontal upper wall for which the first rail has at least one assembly opening receiving a complementary assembly part from the body of the internal guide, wherein the assembly part extends the body above the guiding opening;
at least one second anchoring point, with a position laterally offset relative to the at least one first anchoring point for which the body of the inner guide has at least one attachment part extending the body below the guiding opening, and fixed to the first rail, the attachment part having a mounting opening, wherein the inner guide is secured to the vertical lateral wall of the first rail by an attachment member passing through the at least one mounting opening and a corresponding opening of the first rail near the second anchoring point,
wherein the body of the inner guide is a metal sheet cut to form at least the complementary part and the guiding opening, the cut sheet metal of the inner guide is folded having, along the sliding axis, a U-shaped section, including:
a first section part bearing the at least one attachment part with the mounting opening, wherein the attachment part is bearing on said vertical lateral wall of the first rail, wherein the attachment member passes through the mounting opening and is configured to provide the at least one second anchoring point;
a second section part, offset laterally along a direction perpendicular to the sliding axis of the track, bearing the at least one guiding opening and the complementary part received in the assembly opening on the horizontal upper wall, and configured to provide the at least one first anchoring point; and
a third section connecting the first section part and the second section part to the lower part thereof,
wherein the guiding system comprises an outer guide, outside the cavity, secured to the first rail, and comprising at least one guiding opening for the at least one locking member, and wherein the guiding opening for the outer guide and the guiding opening for the inner guide respectively provide the guiding of the at least one locking member following two positions offset along the longitudinal axis of the at least one locking member, on both sides of the vertical lateral wall of the first rail, inside and outside said cavity, the guiding opening for the outer guide and the guiding opening for the inner guide being oriented for inclining the longitudinal axis of said at least one locking member at said angle α.

2. The track of claim 1 , wherein the outer guide has at least one mounting opening, where the outer guide is secured to the first rail via an attachment member passing through the at least one mounting opening and a corresponding opening of the first rail.

3. The track of claim 2 , wherein the attachment member passing through the at least one mounting opening of the inner guide and the first rail and the attachment member passing through the mounting opening of the outer guide and the first rail are a single attachment member simultaneously providing the attachment of the inner guide and the outer guide to the first rail.

4. The track of claim 3 , wherein the bolt comprises a command lever, that engages with the at least one locking member and is configured for moving the at least one locking member from the locked position thereof to the unlocked position thereof when manually actuated.

5. The track of claim 1 , wherein the body of the outer guide comprises a support part on which the command lever is pivotably hinged.

6. The track of claim 5 , wherein the complementary assembly part comprises at least one tooth, projecting to the upper part of the body of the inner guide, and the assembly opening is a slit, receiving the tooth in the nesting play.

7. The track of claim 1 , wherein the section of the sheet metal bearing the at least one guiding opening, has at least one reinforcing bend, at of the ends of the sheet metal, along the sliding axis.

8. The track of claim 7 , comprising two first anchoring points with positions offset along the sliding axis of the track, with two assembly openings for the first rail, receiving respectively as inserts two complementary assembly parts of the body of the inner guide.

9. The track of claim 8 , comprising two second anchoring points, with positions offset along the sliding axis, where the body of the inner guide has two attachment parts each extending the body below the at least one guiding opening and separated by a recess allowing passage without guiding of the at least one locking member.

10. A vehicle seat comprising a seat cushion structure and at least one track of claim 1 , and wherein the first rail of the track is attached to the seat cushion structure.

Assignees

• Faurecia Sieges Dautomobile

Inventors

• Feuillet Patrick
• Kircher Olivier

Classifications

• B60N2/0868

  in a transversal direction · CPC title

• B60N2/0818 Primary

  inside the rail · CPC title

• B60N2/0727 Primary

  Stop members for limiting sliding movement · CPC title

• B60N2/0722 Primary

  Constructive details · CPC title

• B60N2/0705

  omega-shaped · CPC title