Slide rail locking system with continuous adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12233757-B2
Application number	US-202217842134-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2022
Priority date	Jun 21, 2021
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

A system for locking a slide rail for a vehicle seat with continuous adjustment, comprises a fixed rail, and two blocking members urged towards each other by an elastic member to ensure their bracing on the rail, as well as to an unlocking mechanism comprising an unlocking member ensuring the release of the sliding of the slide rail by a separation of the two blocking members.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A slide rail locking system with continuous adjustment for a vehicle seat, comprising;
a slide rail comprising a first, lower, slide rail element configured to be fixed to a floor of the vehicle, and a second, upper, slide rail element configured to slide along the first slide rail element and
a system of locking by bracing, comprising:
a rail, extending in length along the slide rail, fixed relative to the first slide rail element, the rail presenting a first, upper, friction surface, and an opposite second, lower, friction surface,
a first blocking member and a second blocking member, mounted to be integral with the second slide rail element, with positions that are offset along a longitudinal axis of the rail, the first blocking member comprising a first wall and a facing second wall, configured to rub respectively along the first friction surface and the second friction surface of the rail, the second blocking member comprising a third wall and a facing fourth wall, configured to rub respectively along the first friction surface and the second friction surface of the rail,
an elastic member mounted between the first blocking member and the second blocking member, generating a return force configured to urge the first blocking member and the second blocking member towards each other, with generation of a first force between the first blocking member and a first brace integral with the second slide rail element, and generation of a second force between the second blocking member and a second brace integral with the second slide rail element,

and wherein the first force generated by the first brace on the first blocking member ensures bracing of the first blocking member on the rail, ensuring locking of the second slide rail element relative to the first slide rail element in a first sliding direction, by two reactions of the rail on the first blocking member, with a first reaction between the first upper friction surface of the rail and the first wall of the first blocking member on the one hand, and a second reaction between the second lower friction surface of the rail and the second wall of the first blocking member on the other hand,
and wherein the second force generated by the second brace on the second blocking member ensures bracing of the second blocking member on the rail, ensuring locking of the second slide rail element relative to the first slide rail element in a second sliding direction, by two reactions of the rail on the second blocking member, with a third reaction between the first upper friction surface of the rail and the third wall of the second blocking member on the one hand, and a fourth reaction between the second lower friction surface of the rail and the fourth wall of the second blocking member on the other hand,
an unlocking mechanism comprising a mobile unlocking member, configured to transition from a first position which allows bracing the first blocking member and second blocking member on the rail by the action of the elastic member, to a second position where the unlocking member separates the first blocking member and second blocking member against the return force of the elastic member, with release of the sliding of the second slide rail element relative to the first slide rail element.

2. The slide rail locking system of claim 1 , wherein the first slide rail element is a lower section and the second slide rail element is an upper section, mounted so as to slide along the lower section, the first blocking member and the second blocking member extending inwardly into the interspace between the upper section and the lower section.

3. The slide rail locking system of claim 2 , wherein the first blocking member and the second blocking member project beyond the upper section, through two upper apertures of the upper section.

4. The slide rail locking system of claim 2 , wherein the rail is a part separate from the lower section, received in the interspace between the upper section and the lower section.

5. The slide rail locking system of claim 4 , wherein a first bracket connects a first longitudinal end of the rail with the lower section and a second bracket connects a second end of the rail with the lower section.

6. The slide rail locking system of claim 1 , wherein the first blocking member and the second blocking member respectively comprise a first guide wall and a second guide wall which face each other and are inclined relative to each other by converging from the second slide rail element towards the first slide rail element, respectively configured to engage with the unlocking member during its deployment to ensure a separation of the first blocking member and of the second blocking member against the return force of the elastic member, with elimination of the first force and of the second force, in the second position of the unlocking member.

7. The slide rail locking system of claim 1 , wherein the first brace and/or the second brace are composed of elements separate from the second slide rail element, comprising a mechanism for adjusting the position of the first brace and/or of the second brace on the second slide rail element, along the longitudinal axis of the slide rail.

8. The slide rail locking system of claim 3 , wherein the first brace for the first blocking member and the second brace for the second blocking member are braces physically and directly formed by the upper section.

9. The slide rail locking system of claim 3 , wherein the first brace for the first blocking member consists of an edge of the upper aperture traversed by the first blocking member and the second brace for the second blocking member consists of an edge of the upper aperture traversed by the second blocking member.

10. The slide rail locking system of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is a shaped strip spring, urged in extension, presenting a first longitudinal end bearing on a bearing surface of the first blocking member and a second longitudinal end bearing on a bearing surface of the second blocking member, and a section of intermediate length mainly extending along the longitudinal axis of the slide rail and joining the two ends consisting of the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end, the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end being oriented towards each other.

11. The slide rail locking system of claim 1 , wherein the slide rail extends in length along a direction X, transversely along a direction Y, and in height along a direction Z, from bottom to top, and wherein the first blocking member and the second blocking member extend substantially along direction Z:
the areas where the forces generated by the elastic member are exerted on the first blocking member and on the second blocking member are arranged, along direction Z, below the first upper surface of the rail,
the areas where the forces generated by the unlocking member are exerted on the first blocking member and on the second blocking member are arranged, along direction Z, below the first upper surface of the rail,
the first brace generating the first force and the second brace generating the second force which ensure the bracing of the first blocking member and second blocking member, are arranged, along direction Z, above the first upper surface of the rail.

12. A motor vehicle seat comprising a seating portion and a backrest as well as the slide rail locking system of claim 1 , wherein the first slide rail element is anchored to the floor of the vehicle and the second slide rail element is integral with a frame of the seating portion.

Assignees

• Faurecia Sieges Dautomobile

Inventors

• Petit Fabrice
• Nardin Vincent
• Kircher Olivier
• Stoia Dan

Classifications

• B60N2/0702

  characterised by its cross-section · CPC title

• B60N2/0727

  Stop members for limiting sliding movement · CPC title

• B60N2/929

  linear · CPC title

• B60N2/08 Primary

  characterised by the locking device · CPC title

• B60N2/0707 Primary

  J-shaped · CPC title