LOWER GUIDE FRAME OF A VERTICAL SUSPENSION SYSTEM, SLIDING SEAT GUIDE OF A VEHICLE SEAT, VERTICAL SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE SEAT, AND VEHICLE SEAT

Abstract

A lower guide frame for a vertical suspension system of a vehicle seat having a left-hand slide and, parallel thereto, a right-hand slide which are connected to each other via a lower crosspiece. Attached to an upper side of at least one slide is a reinforcing profile which has a horizontal portion, via which it is connected to the upper side of one slide, and adjoining the horizontal portion is an oblique portion that is oriented obliquely downwards and outward. Adjoining the oblique portion is a vertical portion that, in the assembled state, extends to just above a vehicle floor.

Claims

1. A lower guide frame for a vertical suspension system of a vehicle seat, having a left-hand slide and, parallel thereto, a right-hand slide, which are connected to each other via a lower crosspiece, wherein, attached to the upper side of at least one slide, there is a reinforcing profile, which has a horizontal portion, via which it is connected to the upper side of one slide, and adjoining the horizontal portion has an oblique portion that is oriented obliquely downwards and outwards, and adjoining the oblique portion has a vertical portion that, in the assembled state, extends to just above a vehicle floor.

2. The lower guide frame according to claim 1, wherein, adjoining the lower end of the vertical portion, there is a profile portion, which transitions, via a bent connecting portion, into a vertical region, such that the vertical portion, with the connecting portion and the vertical region, together produce an upwardly open first channel.

3. The lower guide frame according to claim 2, wherein the upper end of the profile portion ends beneath the upper end of the vertical portion.

4. The lower guide frame according to claim 1, wherein, attached to the upper side of the other slide, there is a further reinforcing profile, which is realized in a mirror-inverted manner, with respect to a vertical plane that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in relation to the above-mentioned reinforcing profile.

5. The lower guide frame according to claim 4, wherein one end and/or the other end of the lower crosspiece (5) is/are designed such that the reinforcing profile, or the two reinforcing profiles, bears or bear in a form-fitting manner, with their respective horizontal portion and with their respective oblique portion, against the respectively assigned end of the lower crosspiece.

6. A sliding seat guide, having a left-hand guide rail and, parallel thereto, a right-hand guide rail, which are both connected to a vehicle floor, wherein, attached at the underside of at least one of the guide rails, there is a guide profile, which has a horizontal part, which is located between vehicle floor and guide rail, and adjoining which there is a vertical part having the shape of a downwardly open first guide channel that has two mutually parallel, vertical sub-portions, which are connected to each other via a bent region at their upper end, wherein the bent region is located above the upper end of the guide rail.

7. The sliding seat guide according to claim 6, wherein, attached to the underside of the other guide rail, there is a further guide profile, which is realized in a mirror-inverted manner, with respect to a vertical plane that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in relation to the above-mentioned guide profile.

8. A vertical suspension system for a vehicle seat, having a lower guide frame according to claim 7, which is connected to an upper guide frame via a lever arrangement.

9. The vertical suspension system according to claim 8, wherein a vertical portion of the reinforcing profile is in engagement with a vertical part of the guide profile, and/or the vertical portion of the further reinforcing profile is in engagement with the vertical part of the further guide profile, in particular in that the first channel and the first guide channel and/or the second channel and the second guide channel engage in each other.

10. A vehicle seat having a vertical suspension system according to claim 8.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further advantages and details of the invention are explained on the basis of the embodiment example represented in the figures in which:

[0022] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a known suspension system with sliding seat guide,

[0023] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the device from FIG. 1,

[0024] FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of the left-hand lower part of FIG. 2,

[0025] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a suspension system according to the invention with sliding seat guide,

[0026] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the device according to the invention from FIG. 4, and

[0027] FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail of the left-hand lower part of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION THE INVENTION

[0028] Represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a vertical suspension system for a vehicle seat, together with a sliding seat guide according to the state of the art, in engagement therewith. In the following, unless the specifically mentioned figure is meant individually, reference is made to these three figures as a whole.

[0029] Represented in an isometric view from rear left in FIG. 1 is a vertical suspension system for a vehicle seat, which is disposed in a longitudinally displaceable manner in a sliding seat guide 12 that is fixedly connected to a vehicle floor 2. The vertical suspension system has an upper guide frame 4, which is connected in a known manner to a lower guide frame 1 by means of a lever arrangement 3. In addition, the upper guide frame 4 and lower guide frame 1 are also connected to each other in a known manner via a check belt 6, which is fastened to an upper crosspiece 11 and a lower crosspiece 5.

[0030] To enable greater forces to be transferred, there is a respective reinforcing metal plate 7 mounted on both sides of the lower guide frame 1. Each reinforcing metal plate 7 is substantially L-shaped in its cross section and superposes at the rear end the upper side and outer face of the lower guide frame 1.

[0031] Attached to the underside of the lower guide frame 1, on each side, there is a frame-side profile 8, which is realized like a channel in the respective side region. This channel engages in a downwardly open, channel-type portion in the side region of a floor-side profile 9, which is directly fastened on the vehicle floor 2, fixedly mounted on which is a respectively assigned guide rail 10 of the sliding seat guide 12.

[0032] If the vehicle seat, in this case the vertical suspension system as a constituent part thereof, is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (perpendicularly in relation to the plane of the drawing in FIGS. 2 and 3), the channel-type portions of the frame-side profile 8 and floor-side profile 9 move relative to each other. The longitudinal adjustment can be performed quite easily without being inhibited by friction between the two profiles 8, 9, since these two profiles 8, 9 do not touch, only their respective free ends engaging in each other instead. Owing to the two profiles 8, 9 being in engagement with each other over a long length, the horizontal forces acting on the vertical suspension system can be diverted effectively into the vehicle floor 2.

[0033] FIGS. 4 to 6 represent an embodiment example of a combination, according to the invention, of a vertical suspension system according to the invention and a sliding seat guide 12 according to the invention. In this case, alsoas already above with respect to FIGS. 1 to 3in the following, unless the specifically mentioned figure is meant individually, reference is made to these three figures as a whole.

[0034] In FIG. 4, the complete system is represented from the same direction as the device in FIG. 1. In FIG. 5, the complete system is represented as viewed from the rear (in FIG. 4, this is from the rear right direction). FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail in the region of the left-hand guide rail 10.

[0035] In the following, only the differences in relation to the state of the art represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 are explained. These consist only in the design of the parts that are designated as a reinforcing metal plate 7, frame-side profile 8 and floor-side profile 9 in the state of the art, and in the shape of the two ends of the lower crosspiece 5. The invention has parts realized in a mirror-inverted manner on both sides. It therefore suffices to explain only one sidein this case, only the left-hand side is described.

[0036] In the case of the invention, the part designated as a floor-side profile 9 in the state of the art has been replaced by a guide profile 21. The guide profile 21 has a horizontal part 22, adjoining which, outside the guide rail 10, there is a vertical part 23. The vertical part 23 has two vertical sub-portions 24, 25, which are connected to each other at their upper ends via a bent region 26. The second vertical sub-portion 25 in this case adjoins the horizontal part 22. The vertical region 23 thus forms a downwardly open channel. The bent region 26 is located higher than in the case of an item according to the state of the art (see FIG. 3), and protrudes significantly over the upper end of the guide rail 10.

[0037] At its ends, the lower crosspiece 5 has a trapezoidal shape, out of which a recess 20 is taken in the region of the outer lower corner. The bent region 26 of the guide profile 21 is disposed, at a slight distance, in this recess 20.

[0038] In the invention, the parts, reinforcing metal plate 7 and frame-side profile 8, known from the state of the art have been replaced by a single part, a reinforcing profile 13. The reinforcing profile 13 has a horizontal portion 14, which is connected to the upper side of the lower guide frame 1. Adjoining the horizontal portion 14 there is an oblique portion 15, which runs obliquely outwards, parallel to the outer end of the lower crosspiece 5. In the region of the recess 20, the oblique portion 15 transitions into a vertical portion 16, adjoining which, in its lower region, there is a bent connecting portion 18. Adjoining the connecting portion 18, in turn, there is a vertical region 19. The vertical portion 16, connecting portion 18 and vertical region 19 together form a channel-type profile portion 17, which is open upwards.

[0039] The profile portion 16 of the reinforcing profile 13 and the vertical part 23 of the guide profile 21 are shaped such that the channels respectively formed by them engage in each other in such a manner that their constituent parts are disposed at a slight distance apart from each other. Thus, in comparison with the state of the art, a significantly greater overlap region is obtained, in which the aforementioned parts engage in each other, resulting in an efficient transfer of the forces to be diverted into the vehicle floor. Moreover, in comparison with the state of the art, there is a saving of a part, since the reinforcing profile 13 replaces the two parts, reinforcing metal plate 7 and frame side profile 8, resulting in saving of material and easier production and assembly of the system.

[0040] In the case of an item according to the invention, additional uses such as, for example, a bellows mounting, are also easily possible.

[0041] Overall, it may be stated that the following advantages are achieved by the invention:

[0042] The greater structural height renders possible a greater section modulus; a reduction of the thickness of material; better form-fit characteristics, owing to longer functional limbs of the two form-fit profiles (profile portion 17 and vertical part 23); favourable production methods such as, for example, roll-profiling, owing to simple, two-dimensionally shaped form-fit profiles 17, 23; the structural space required for disposing the form-fit profiles 17, 23 is less, relative to the track dimension; the increased section modulus of the form-fit profiles 17, 23 and the possible simple production methods, as well as the simple profile shape, in addition to reducing the metal plate thickness additionally also render possible the use of high strength and ultra-high strength steel materials; an absolutely direct transfer of force, the (upper) reinforcing profile 13, with the horizontal portion 14 plus oblique portion 15, reinforcing the lower guide frame 1, and being able to be assembled in the conventional production process; the form-fit profiles 17, 23 are positioned with sufficient distance, in order to avoid contact, friction and noise generation; the form-fit regions of the form-fit profiles 17, 23 have a sufficiently large overlap region for the efficient transfer of force over the entire adjustment path of the sliding seat guide 12; the rows of screwed connections on the lower guide frame 1 and on the rail-side floor fastening of the guide profile 21 are located above one another, or are offset laterally only to a negligible extent, such that the introduction of force into the interlocking region periodically causes a clockwise or anticlockwise moment; this results from the described distance and the effective force, the resultant transverse force resulting in the profile arrangement being supported on the sliding seat guide 12 and on the lower guide frame 1.

[0043] Although an exemplary description of the invention has been set forth above to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, that description should not be construed to limit the invention, and various modifications and variations can be made to the description without departing from the scope of the invention, as will be understood by those with ordinary skill in the art, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0044] 1. lower guide frame [0045] 2. vehicle floor [0046] 3. lever arrangement [0047] 4. upper guide frame [0048] 5. lower crosspiece [0049] 6. check belt [0050] 7. reinforcing metal plate [0051] 8. frame-side profile [0052] 9. floor-side profile [0053] 10. guide rail [0054] 11. upper crosspiece [0055] 12. sliding seat guide [0056] 13. reinforcing profile [0057] 14. horizontal portion [0058] 15. oblique portion [0059] 16. vertical portion [0060] 17. profile portion [0061] 18. connecting portion [0062] 19. vertical region [0063] 20. recess [0064] 21. guide profile [0065] 22. horizontal part [0066] 23. vertical part [0067] 24. first vertical sub-portion [0068] 25. second vertical sub-portion [0069] 26. bent region