Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Patent
1996-09-19
1998-07-21
Marmor, Charles A.
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
248429, B60N 208
Patent
active
057821380
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a locking device for car seats, in particular motor vehicle seats.
In the case of prior art locking devices of this kind for two parts, which can be adjusted infinitely with respect to each other (EP 0 408 932 B1, DE 41 20 616 A1), a tight lock in each position of the parts that can be adjusted relative to each other is achieved by providing the locking teeth or the snap-in holes with an inclined face on at least one of the two sides facing in the direction of adjustment. The locking teeth's or the snap-in holes' conical shape that is produced by the inclined face(s) enables at least one section of the locking teeth to penetrate, in any position of the mutually adjustable parts, the snap-in hole(s) that is/are in alignment with said locking teeth until the surfaces facing in the direction of adjustment come to rest without play. However, the consequence of the conical shape of the locking teeth or the snap-in holes is that a load on one of the two mutually adjustable parts in the direction of adjustment results in a load on the locking teeth in the sense of a displacement out of the locking position into the release position. Since this condition places a restriction on the choice of lip angle, an infinitely variable locking mechanism is possible only with a significant number of locking teeth.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a locking device for two continuously, mutually adjustable parts of a car seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, for which there is no danger of the locking device becoming totally or partially ineffective if the load is increased, as in the case, for example, of a crash.
According to the present invention the inclined faces point in a direction at right angles to the direction of adjustment, the consequence of loading at least one of the two parts that can be moved relative to each other in the direction of adjustment is in any case such a low force component at the locking teeth in the sense of releasing the locking mechanism that the mechanism cannot be unlocked. This situation is especially true, when the locking teeth's faces facing in the direction of adjustment exhibit no slope relative to the locking teeth's direction of movement. Yet due to the locking teeth's inclined faces facing in the transverse direction of the rail and due to the snap-in holes' inside width that varies continuously in the longitudinal direction of the rail, a tight lock is achieved in any position of the parts that can be moved relative to each other. The rail provided with the snap-in holes does not have to be a rail-shaped component. The snap-in holes can also be provided in a region of a component that extends in the direction of adjustment or in one of the two parts that can be adjusted relative to each other. Furthermore, the rail does not have to be linear. It can also exhibit a curvature.
To lock the two mutually adjustable parts in both directions of adjustment, the locking teeth have to be arranged in such a manner in the longitudinal direction of the rail that in any position of the mutually adjustable parts, except for at least one locking tooth, which causes a tight lock in the one direction of adjustment, at least one of the other locking teeth can drop in such a manner into one of the snap-in holes that in the locking position in the other direction of adjustment said locking tooth comes to rest without play against the snap-in hole.
In a preferred embodiment the snap-in holes and the locking teeth are designed symmetrically into a common symmetric plane that extends in the longitudinal direction of the rail. In the locking position the locking teeth are positively engaged with both longitudinal sides of the snap-in hole in the direction of adjustment. Insofar as it suffices for the teeth to rest against one side, the one longitudinal side of the snap-in holes can extend in the direction of adjustment. Then the locking teeth's side face facing this longitudinal side does no
REFERENCES:
patent: 2463771 (1949-03-01), Hunz
patent: 3714843 (1973-02-01), Bracey
patent: 4189957 (1980-02-01), Gedig et al.
patent: 4712759 (1987-12-01), Sugama et al.
patent: 5564315 (1996-10-01), Schuler et al.
International Search Report dated May 18, 1995 (3 pages).
Battista MaryAnn
Keiper Recaro GmbH & Co.
Marmor Charles A.
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