Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Patent
1997-03-28
1998-10-06
Marmor, Charles A.
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
248429, G05G 506, B60N 208
Patent
active
058161104
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a locking device for vehicle seats, especially seats of motor powered vehicles. Such locking devices are used primarily to lock the top rail of a pair of rails supporting the vehicle seat in any position within the adjusting range, in a form-locking manner. The top rail is guided longitudinally slidably in a bottom rail connected with the vehicle body structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In known vehicle seat locking devices, for continuous longitudinal adjustability of the seat, a capacity to be locked without play in any position within the longitudinal adjusting range requires a wedge-shaped or conical contact surface on the locking bolt. The locking bolt, dependent upon its alignment with the detent openings, must then penetrate more or less deeply into the detent openings, until the contact surface engages the boundary surface of the detent opening which is to receive the locking bolt. Disadvantageously, the structural requirements for snapping the locking bolt arrangement into the detent opening is relatively great. Additionally, when the detent openings are provided in a rail, the locking bolt ends project outwardly for a distance beyond the rail, causing other interference. Further, not in the least on account of the different depths of penetration of the bolt, a form-locking security mechanism holding the locking bolt in its locking position cannot be realized in a simple manner. Thus, in a practical sense, only automatic locking is available as means to prevent lifting of the locking bolt out of the detent opening in case of overloading, as can occur in case of a crash.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects of the present invention are to provide a locking device for vehicle seats which avoids the aforementioned drawbacks of the known vehicle seat locking devices.
The foregoing objects are basically obtained by a locking device for vehicle seats comprising first and second parts which are continuously adjustably coupled. The first part has a plurality of first detent openings arranged in a row, each of the openings having a boundary surface. The second part has a plurality of spring-biased locking bolts arranged one behind another and aligned with the detent openings. The locking bolts are independently movable in a first direction relative to the second part between unlocking and locking settings. In the locking settings, the locking bolts penetrate the detent openings to a predetermined depth independently of one another, thereby locking releaseably the parts against adjustment without any play in adjusting directions. Each of said locking bolt has at least a first portion thereof movable in a second direction independently of movement of the locking bolts in said first direction such that a surface area thereof contacts one of the boundary surfaces without play and without varying the predetermined depth of locking bolt penetration into one of the detent openings.
Each locking bolt or at least one of its parts incorporates mobility for penetrating into one of the detent openings, and also has mobility by which a surface area of the locking bolt provided for play-free contact on the boundary surface is brought into contact on the boundary surface without modifying the penetration depth of the locking bolt in the detent opening. Thus, a uniform depth of penetration of all the bolt elements is attained, and each locking bolt can be constructed so that the ends of the bolts do not project out or only minimally project out of the detent openings. Furthermore, the locking bolts, by virtue of their snap-fitting penetration into the detent openings, remain uniform in penetration depth. Thus, in a very simple manner the locking bolts allow for securing by form-locking, countering any possible movement out of the detent openings.
Such a locking device can be constructed in various manners. For example, at least the end segment of the locking bolt, which engages in the locking setting in one of the detent openings, can have a cross section with
REFERENCES:
patent: 4645160 (1987-02-01), Van Duser
patent: 4712759 (1987-12-01), Sugama et al.
patent: 5234189 (1993-08-01), Myers
patent: 5560262 (1996-10-01), Orzech
patent: 5564315 (1996-10-01), Schuler et al.
patent: 5596910 (1997-01-01), Bauer et al.
Mitulla Gerhard
Schuler Rolf
Stemmer Jurgen
Voss Heinz
Battista Mary Ann
Keiper Recaro GmbH & Co.
Marmor Charles A.
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