Seat slide device

Abstract

A seat slide device includes a lever member, a lock member, a rear biasing member, an operation member, and a front biasing member. A cylindrical portion of the operation member is inserted into the lever member. At a front end of the front biasing member inserted into the cylindrical portion of the operation member, a holding portion and a release portion are formed. The holding portion prevents the operation member from moving forward, and the release portion extends forward from the holding portion. A through-hole penetrating into an inside of the cylindrical portion of the operation member is formed in an upper surface or a lower surface of a portion of the cylindrical portion of the operation member forward of the portion inserted into the lever member, at a position facing the release portion or at a position forward of the release portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a seat sliding device for a vehicle seat. Background Technology

[0002] In a seat sliding device for a vehicle, an upper guide rail fixed to the seat is configured to slidably move on a lower guide rail fixed to the vehicle body, and locking teeth (locking portions) of a locking member attached to the upper guide rail engage with locking grooves (locked portions) in the lower guide rail to lock the seat. The seat sliding device has a lever member for operating the locking portion in a locking release direction, the front portion of which is biased upward from the center of rotation by a biasing member. An operating member is connected to the front end of the lever member, and the lever member is configured to rotate together with the operating member by lifting the operating member upward.

[0003] In JP2013-166434A, the lever member is rotatably supported about an axis in the left-right direction relative to the upper guide rail, and a locking portion is provided at the rear end of the lever member, which disengages from a locking groove that is continuous in the longitudinal direction. The locking groove is provided in the lower guide rail. Furthermore, an operating member is connected to the front end of the lever member, and the lever member is configured to rotate upwards as a whole by lifting the operating handle. An offset member is provided between the operating member and the lever member to prevent the operating member from moving relative to the lever member in the front-back direction.

[0004] Meanwhile, JP2001-219768A discloses a structure in which an arrow-shaped object disposed at the front end of a locking plate (lever member) is inserted into the interior of a sliding lever (operating member). In JP2001-219768A, a cylindrical spring is provided between the inner surface of the operating member and the arrow-shaped object of the lever member to hold the operating member. Summary of the Invention

[0005] However, in JP2013-166434A, because the offset member is located below the operating member, the operating range (angle) for allowing the operating member to operate is reduced. Meanwhile, in JP2001-219768A, because the arrowhead is inserted inside the operating member, the two vertical walls are formed in an overlapping manner, and the increased diameter of the operating member significantly affects the increase in weight, resulting in a small arrowhead that cannot achieve sufficient strength. Furthermore, in JP2001-219768A, if the cross-section is made quadrilateral to ensure the strength of the arrowhead, for example, with the spring and operating member located on its outer side, the operating member and lever member become larger vertically, thus reducing the operating range (angle) for allowing operation. Additionally, to reduce the operator's burden when attaching and detaching the operating member and to shorten operating time, it is desirable to facilitate the attachment and detachment of the operating member from the lever member, especially the removal of the operating member from the lever member.

[0006] Therefore, in this invention, the biasing member is provided in a manner that does not affect the operating range of the operating member and the lever member, the shape of the biasing member is simplified, and this invention aims to further facilitate the attachment and disassembly of the operating member.

[0007] The seat sliding device according to the invention includes: a lower guide rail extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; an upper guide rail movable relative to the lower guide rail in the longitudinal direction; a lever member rotatably supported about an axis in the left-right direction relative to the upper guide rail; a locking member disposed at the rear end of the lever member, the locking member including a locking portion movable between a locked position and a locked-out position, wherein in the locked position the locking portion engages with a locked portion formed in the lower guide rail, and in the locked-out position the locking portion is away from the locked portion; a rear biasing member biasing the locking portion toward the locked position; and an operating member connected to the front end of the lever member. The lever member includes: a pair of left and right sidewalls extending in the longitudinal direction of the upper guide rail; an upper support portion disposed at the upper end of the front end of at least one of the left and right sidewalls and extending toward the other sidewall in the left-right direction; and a lower support portion disposed at the lower end of the front end of the at least one of the left and right sidewalls and extending toward the other sidewall in the left-right direction. The front end of the lever member is formed into a roughly square cross-section by a pair of left and right sidewalls, an upper support portion, and a lower support portion, and the cylindrical portion of the operating member is inserted into the front end of the lever member. A front biasing member is provided, which is formed of a rod-shaped member and has a support portion that engages with a connecting portion provided in the upper guide rail and a front end that is inserted into the cylindrical portion of the operating member. A retaining portion and a releasing portion are formed at the front end of the front biasing member. The retaining portion biases the operating member upward and presses the operating member against the upper support portion, and engages with an inner protrusion provided at the operating member to prevent the operating member from moving forward. The releasing portion extends forward from the retaining portion. A through hole penetrating into the interior of the cylindrical portion of the operating member is formed in the upper or lower surface of the portion in front of the portion inserted into the lever member, at a position facing the releasing portion or at a position in front of the releasing portion.

[0008] According to the present invention, the biasing member can be configured to not affect the operating range of the operating member and the lever member, the shape of the biasing member can be simplified, and the attachment and disassembly of the operating member can be facilitated. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a seat sliding device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view of a seat sliding device including lower guide balls and upper guide balls located between the upper and lower guide rails.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a 3D view of the lower guide rail.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a 3D view of the upper guide rail.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a 3D view of the locking component.

[0014] Figure 6 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the lever component.

[0015] Figure 7 It is a 3D diagram of the offset component.

[0016] Figure 8 This is a rear view of the rear end of the operating component, viewed from the rear.

[0017] Figure 9 This is a plan view of the lever and offset components as seen from above.

[0018] Figure 10A This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding mechanism, showing a support section.

[0019] Figure 10B This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding mechanism, which shows another support portion.

[0020] Figure 11A This is a plan view of the lever assembly viewed from above before the operating components are attached.

[0021] Figure 11B This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding mechanism, showing its state before the operating components are attached.

[0022] Figure 12A This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding device before the operation of removing the operating components.

[0023] Figure 12B yes Figure 12A The cross-sectional view of the operating component shown.

[0024] Figure 13A This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding device during the removal of the operating components.

[0025] Figure 13B yes Figure 13A The cross-sectional view of the operating component shown.

[0026] Figure 14 This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding mechanism.

[0027] Figure 15 This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding mechanism, showing the operating member in the locking / releasing direction.

[0028] Figure 16 This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding mechanism, showing the state of the load acting on the operating member in the anti-lock release direction.

[0029] Figure 17 This is a plan view of the lever member and the offset member of the seat sliding device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above.

[0030] Figure 18 This is an enlarged side sectional view of the main part of the seat sliding device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing the state during the operation of removing the operating member. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] [First Implementation Method]

[0033] Figure 1 The seat sliding device 101 shown according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a manual seat sliding device for manually adjusting the position of a vehicle seat in the fore-and-aft direction. The seat sliding device 101 includes a lower guide rail 103 and an upper guide rail 105. The lower guide rail 103 is mounted on the floor surface of the vehicle and extends in the fore-and-aft direction. The upper guide rail 105 is mounted on the back of the seat portion (not shown) and is assembled to be movable relative to each other within the lower guide rail 103 in its longitudinal direction. The lower guide rail 103 and the upper guide rail 105 constitute a guide rail body 106, and a pair of left and right guide rail bodies 106 are provided. Note that in the following description (including other embodiments), "front" refers to the front FR side of the vehicle, i.e. Figure 1 On the left side of the text, "rear" refers to the rear (RR) side of the vehicle. Figure 1 The right side of the vehicle, "left and right" refers to the left and right directions when viewing the front of the vehicle from the rear.

[0034] The lower guide rail 103 has a lower bottom wall 103a, which has a rectangular plate shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, such as... Figure 2 As shown. A pair of lower outer walls 103b rise from the two end edges of the lower bottom wall 103a in the vehicle width direction, slightly inclined outward from the lower bottom wall 103a in the upward direction. A lower inclined wall 103c is formed between the lower ends of the pair of lower outer walls 103b and the lower bottom wall 103a. A pair of lower upper walls 103d extending parallel to the lower bottom wall 103a are provided from the upper end edges of the pair of lower outer walls 103b in the direction in which the lower outer walls 103b approach each other.

[0035] A pair of lower inner walls 103e are provided, which extend from the inner edge of the pair of lower upper walls 103d toward the lower bottom wall 103a. The gap between the lower inner walls 103e, which are parallel to each other and face each other, is set such that the upper guide rail 105, which is housed in the lower guide rail 103, is movable.

[0036] The upper guide rail 105 has an upper top wall 105a, which is a rectangular plate extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. A pair of upper side walls 105b hang down from the two end edges of the upper top wall 105a in the vehicle width direction. Two upper downward inclined walls 105c rise obliquely outward and upward from the lower end edges of the left and right upper side walls 105b. An upper upward inclined wall 105e rises obliquely upward from the upper end edges of the pair of upper downward inclined walls 105c via a bent portion 105d toward the lower upper wall 103d.

[0037] A lower guide ball 107 is rotatably disposed between the lower arcuate portion 103f and the upper lower inclined wall 105c of the upper guide rail 105. The lower arcuate portion 103f is formed between the lower bottom wall 103a and the lower inclined wall 103c of the lower guide rail 103. An upper guide ball 109 is rotatably disposed between the upper arcuate portion 103g and the upper upper inclined wall 105e of the upper guide rail 105. The upper arcuate portion 103g is formed between the lower outer wall 103b and the lower upper wall 103d of the lower guide rail 103.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, the lower guide ball 107 and the upper guide ball 109 are rotatably supported on Figure 2 In the ball retainer 111 (not shown). Each ball retainer 111 supports a total of four guide balls, which are two lower guide balls 107 and two upper guide balls 109. The two ball retainers 111 supporting the lower guide balls 107 and the upper guide balls 109 are arranged in each housing portion 113 (defined by the lower outer wall 103b, the lower inclined wall 103c, the lower upper wall 103d, and the lower inner wall 103e). Figure 2 The ball retainers 111 are located at two positions on the front and rear sides of the left and right guide rail bodies 106.

[0039] like Figure 14As shown, in the assembled state of the guide rail body 106, the lever member 131 is rotatably supported on the upper sidewall 105b of the front side of the upper guide rail 105 by the shaft member 115. The shaft member 115 extends across the upper sidewalls 105b of the upper guide rail 105. Furthermore, a locking member 117 is provided at the rear end of the lever member 131 relative to the rotation center (shaft member 115). Simultaneously, an operating member 133 is connected to the front end of the lever member 131 relative to the rotation center (shaft member 115).

[0040] like Figure 5 As shown, the locking member 117 is a flat plate with a convex shape, and two rectangular holes 125a are formed in the front-back direction near each of its left and right edges. Locking teeth 125b are formed on the portion of the locking member 117 adjacent to each hole 125a in the front-back direction; the locking teeth 125b are locking portions protruding to the left and right. The locking teeth 125b are formed at three locations on each of the left and right sides. The ends of the locking teeth 125b at the three locations on each of the left and right sides are configured to connect to each other via connecting portions 125c extending in the front-back direction.

[0041] In this embodiment, among the three locking teeth 125b located on the right side in the vehicle width direction, the foremost locking tooth 125b forms a main locking tooth 125m, which is wider than the other locking teeth 125b in the front-rear direction. The main locking tooth 125m is only one of the multiple locking teeth provided on the left and right sides (six positions).

[0042] Furthermore, at the center of the locking member 117 in the left-right direction, the front fixing hole 117a, the upper protrusion 117b protruding upward from the locking member 117, the lower protrusion 117c protruding downward from the locking member 117, and the rear fixing hole 117d are arranged in this order from front to back. The upper protrusion 117b is formed by causing a portion of the locking member 117 to protrude upward, and the lower protrusion 117c is formed by cutting the locking member 117 and displacing a portion of the locking member 117.

[0043] like Figure 4As shown, the locking tooth receiving recess 129 is formed approximately at the center of the upper guide rail 105 in the front-rear direction, and extends from the upper left and right sidewalls 105b to the upper left and right lower inclined walls 105c. Three locking tooth receiving recesses 129 are formed at three positions in the front-rear direction on each of the left and right sides. With the guide rail body 106 assembled, the three locking teeth 125b of the locking member 117 are inserted into the three locking tooth receiving recesses 129 from below. At this time, the protrusion 126 located between the locking tooth receiving recesses 129 is inserted into the hole 125a of the locking member 117. In this case, to avoid interference between the upper guide rail 105 and the portion surrounding the connecting portion 125c of the locking member 117, an opening 128 continuous with the lower part of the locking tooth receiving recess 129 and a recessed opening 130 formed in the upper part of the upper inclined wall 105e are provided on each of the left and right sides of the upper guide rail 105.

[0044] Furthermore, the upper sidewalls 105b of the upper guide rail 105 have support holes 105f and a pair of left and right engaging portions 105g. The shaft member 115 is inserted through the support holes 105f. The engaging portions 105g are formed at the same position relative to the vehicle's longitudinal and vertical directions and engage with the offset member 132, which will be described later. In the upper sidewalls 105b, the pair of left and right engaging portions 105g are provided on the rear side of the lever member 131 from the rotation center (shaft member 115). Furthermore, the engaging portions 105g are formed by cutting the upper sidewalls 105b and shifting a portion of the upper sidewalls 105b inward.

[0045] At the same time, such as Figure 3 As shown, except for the front and rear portions near the lower inner walls 103e on the left and right sides, a plurality of locking grooves 127 are provided in the lower guide rail 103 in the front-back direction. These locking grooves are the locked portions. By inserting the locking teeth 125b of the locking member 117 from below into the locking grooves 127, the locking member 117 is locked to the lower guide rail 103, wherein the locking teeth 125b are positioned in the locking tooth receiving recesses 129. This prevents the upper guide rail 105, to which the locking member 117 is attached, from moving relative to the lower guide rail 103 in the front-back direction.

[0046] The biasing member 132 generates an upward elastic force when the locking member 117 is attached to the upper guide rail 105, thus maintaining the locking tooth 125b inserted in the locking groove 127. In this state, operation in the locking release direction (upward) is possible. Figure 1 The operating member 133 causes the locking member 117 to move downward via the lever member 131, thus releasing the lock. The operating member 133 is inserted into the upper guide rail 105 from the front and is configured to interlock with the lever member 131.

[0047] like Figure 6 As shown, the lever member 131 includes left and right side walls 147 and a lower wall 134. The left and right side walls 147 extend relative to the upper guide rail 105 in the longitudinal direction and face each other in the left and right directions with a predetermined gap between them. The lower wall 134 connects the lower ends of the left and right side walls 147 to each other in the region except for the front ends of the left and right side walls 147.

[0048] A pair of recessed grooves 147a (which are support portions) are formed at the upper front end of the side wall 147, relative to the middle position in the front-rear direction of the lever member 131. In this pair of recessed grooves 147a, the lower surface of the right recessed groove 147a is formed as a semi-circular arc-shaped surface with a radius slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft member 115 (see [reference]). Figure 10A The lower surface of the left recessed groove 147a is formed as a flat surface extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (see...). Figure 10B The recessed groove 147a engages with the shaft member 115 from below, and the lever member 131 is biased upward at both ends to maintain the engagement of the recessed groove 147a with the shaft member 115. Therefore, the lower surfaces of the pair of left and right recessed grooves 147a contact the shaft member 115 at a single point in the vertical direction. The radius of the aforementioned arcuate surface is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft member 115, so that the engagement with the shaft member 115 does not become a press fit due to dimensional changes.

[0049] Although not shown in the figures, in another embodiment, one of the pair of left and right supports may be formed as a round hole, and the other support may be formed as an elongated hole extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0050] Furthermore, at the lower wall 134 at the rear end of the lever member 131, a front protrusion 134a, a positioning hole 134b, and a rear protrusion 134c protruding downward from the lower wall 134 are arranged in this order from front to back. The front protrusion 134a and the rear protrusion 134c are both formed by cutting the lower wall 134 and displacing a portion of the lower wall 134 downward.

[0051] The front protrusion 134a and rear protrusion 134c of the lever member 131 are respectively inserted into the front fixing hole 117a and rear fixing hole 117d of the locking member 117, and the upper protrusion 117b of the locking member 117 is inserted into the positioning hole 134b of the lever member 131 by press fitting. In this state, the locking member 117 is fixed to the rear end of the lever member 131 by staking the front protrusion 134a and rear protrusion 134c (see...). Figure 14 ).

[0052] The lower ends of the front ends of the lever member 131, facing opposite sides, are connected to each other via a front lower wall 147b, which is a front lower support portion extending in the left-right direction. The upper surface of the front lower wall 147b forms a front lower support surface 147c. At the upper end of the front end of one of the side walls 147, a front upper protrusion 157 is formed as a front upper support portion, which extends inward in the left-right direction by bending from one side wall 147 toward the other side wall 147 facing that side wall 147. That is, the upper support portion has the front upper protrusion 157 as a front upper support portion positioned further forward than the rotation center (shaft member 115) of the lever member 131. The lower surface of the front upper protrusion 157 forms a front upper support surface 157a.

[0053] At the upper end of the front end of the two sidewalls 147, a front upper protrusion 157 may be formed as a front upper support portion extending from the two sidewalls 147 in the left-right direction in a manner that bends toward opposite sides facing each other. The ends of the left and right front upper protrusions 157 separate from each other, forming a gap between them.

[0054] At the upper part of one of the sidewalls 147 (located behind the front upper protrusion 157 and in front of the recessed groove 147a), a rear upper protrusion 158 is formed as a rear upper support portion extending inward in the left-right direction by bending from one sidewall 147 toward the other sidewall 147 facing that sidewall 147. That is, the upper support portion has the rear upper protrusion 158 as a rear upper support portion disposed between the rotation center (shaft member 115) of the lever member 131 and the front upper support portion (front upper protrusion 157). The lower surface of the rear upper protrusion 158 constitutes the rear upper support surface 158a. That is, a pair of front and rear upper support surfaces (front upper support surface 157a and rear upper support surface 158a) facing the upper surface 169b1 of the rear end of the operating member 133 are disposed at the front end of the lever member 131. Here, a gap is provided between the pair of front and rear upper support surfaces in the vehicle's front-rear direction. Furthermore, the lower front support surface 147c facing the rear end of the operating member 133 is provided below the upper front support surface 157a of the front end of the lever member 131.

[0055] At the upper part of the two sidewalls 147, located behind the front upper protrusion 157 and in front of the recessed groove 147a, a rear upper protrusion 158 can be formed as a rear upper support portion extending in the left-right direction from the two sidewalls 147 in a manner that bends toward opposite sides facing each other. In this case, the ends of the left and right rear upper protrusions 158 are separated from each other, and a gap is formed between them.

[0056] The front end of the lever member 131 forms a roughly square cross-section through the front upper support surface 157a, the front lower support surface 147c and the two side walls 147, and the rear end of the operating member 133 is inserted into the front end of the lever member 131.

[0057] Additionally, movement-preventing protrusions 147d are formed on the two sidewalls 147, protruding from the two sidewalls 147 toward two opposing sides. The movement-preventing protrusions 147d are positioned behind the rear upper protrusion 158 and in front of the recessed groove 147a. The movement-preventing protrusions 147d are formed by causing a portion of the two sidewalls 147 to protrude inward.

[0058] Additionally, a pair of left and right recesses 147e are provided on the two side walls 147. These left and right recesses 147e are positioned behind the recessed grooves 147a and in front of the front protrusions 134a, and form narrow portions 147f. The gap between the two side walls 147 is narrower than the gap between the front ends and the gap between the rear ends. As a result, a gap in the left and right direction is formed between the pair of upper side walls 105b of the upper guide rail 105 and the narrow portions 147f.

[0059] like Figure 7 As shown, the biasing member 132 is formed by a pair of left and right rod-shaped elongated members extending substantially parallel to each other, and extends in the front-rear direction along the upper sidewall 105b of the upper guide rail 105. The biasing member 132 has a front biasing member 135, which includes a pair of left and right front acting portions 135a, which contact the front end of the lever member 131 to bias the front end of the lever member 131 upward. In addition, the biasing member 132 has a rear biasing member 136, which includes a pair of left and right rear acting portions 136a, which contact the rear end of the lever member 131 to bias the rear end of the lever member 131 upward. In addition, the biasing member 132 has a pair of left and right intermediate support portions 137, which are formed between the front action portion 135a and the rear action portion 136a and engage with a pair of left and right engagement portions 105g provided on the upper side wall 105b of the upper guide rail 105.

[0060] The rear biasing member 136 has a connecting portion 136b extending from the intermediate support portion 137 to the rear actuating portion 136a along the inner surface of the upper sidewalls 105b on the left and right sides, and the left and right pairs of rear actuating portions 136a are connected to each other by the connecting portion 136b located at the rear end of the rear biasing member 136. Therefore, the rear biasing member 136 (biasing member 132) is formed in a generally U-shape in the plan view. The connecting portion 136b of the rear biasing member 136 contacts the lower surface of the locking member 117 from below, so that the rear actuating portion 136a (connecting portion 136b) biases the locking member 117 upward (towards the locked position). The connecting portion 136b of the rear biasing member 136 is positioned between the lower protrusion 117c and the rear protrusion 134c, thereby defining the range of movement of the rear biasing member 136 (biasing member 132) in the front-rear direction.

[0061] The rear end of the rear bias member 136 (a pair of left and right rear action portions 136a and connecting portions 136b) is positioned below the lever member 131 and the locking member 117, and the middle portion (a pair of left and right middle support portions 137) extends above the lever member 131 through the recess 147e (the gap between the narrow portion 147f and the upper sidewall 105b).

[0062] Simultaneously, the front biasing member 135 extends from the intermediate support portion 137 to the front actuating portion 135a along the inner surface of the left and right upper sidewalls 105b. The left and right pairs of front actuating portions 135a of the biasing member 132 are biased by the elastic force of the biasing member 132 to separate outwards from each other in the left and right direction, and are also biased upwards. The left and right pairs of front actuating portions 135a of the front biasing member 135 respectively contact the inner surface of the operating member 133 from below, and each front actuating portion 135a biases the front end of the lever member 131 upwards via the operating member 133.

[0063] At the front (end) of a pair of left and right front-acting portions 135a, a guide portion 138 is formed. When the operating member 133 is attached to the lever member 131, the guide portion 138 is inclined relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction to guide the front-acting portion 135a into the connecting end 169 of the operating member 133. Furthermore, the left and right pairs of front-acting portions 135a contact the front end of the lever member 131 at different positions relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction between the front upper support surface 157a and the rear upper support surface 158a, respectively. Additionally, in the pair of left and right front-acting portions 135a, the front-side front-acting portion 135a has a retaining portion 139 extending from one side of the flat portion 170a of the operating member 133 in the left-right direction to the other. Furthermore, in the pair of left and right front-acting portions 135a, the front-side front-acting portion 135a has a release portion 140 extending further forward from the retaining portion 139. The release portion 140 is inclined inward in the left-right direction and extends forward to be inclined downward.

[0064] That is, in the pair of left and right front-acting portions 135a, the front-acting portion 135a provided on the front side has an approximate crank shape that bends from one end of the flat portion 170a in the left-right direction to the other end. The portion of the front-acting portion 135a provided on the front side that extends in the left-right direction serves as a holding portion 139, and the portion of the front-acting portion 135a provided on the front side that extends along the other end of the flat portion 170a in the front-rear direction serves as a release portion 140.

[0065] The front biasing member 135 extends forward between the two sidewalls 147, wherein the rear end (a pair of left and right intermediate support portions 137) is positioned above the lever member 131, and the front end (a pair of left and right front action portions 135a, guide portion 138, retaining portion 139 and release portion 140) bends inward close to each other.

[0066] The front offset member 135 and the rear offset member 136 are integrally formed (one member).

[0067] Although not shown in the figures, in another embodiment, the front bias member 135 and the rear bias member 136 may be separate components (separate parts).

[0068] like Figure 1 As shown, the operating component 133 includes a pair of left and right arms 167 respectively provided to a pair of left and right guide rail bodies 106, and a handle 168 extending in the vehicle width direction and connecting the left and right arms 167 to each other. The left and right arms 167 extend in the front-rear direction, and their rear ends are inserted into the front ends of the left and right upper guide rails 105. When the occupant operates the operating component 133, the occupant grasps the handle 168.

[0069] like Figure 14 As shown, the rear end of arm 167 is inserted between the left and right sidewalls 147 of lever member 131. Arm 167 is formed integrally from a cylindrical member including handle 168, and the rear end of arm 167 is a connecting end 169, which serves as a rear connecting portion formed by molding the cylindrical member.

[0070] like Figure 8 As shown, the connecting end 169 includes an upper surface 169b1, side surfaces 169b2 extending downward from the left and right ends of the upper surface 169b1, and a lower surface 169b3 disposed at the lower ends of the left and right side surfaces 169b2. The connecting end 169 is formed with a generally semi-circular cross-section having a flat portion 170a at the upper part and a downwardly protruding arcuate portion 170b at the lower part. A pair of left and right front-acting portions 135a of the front offset member 135 are disposed at the left and right ends of the flat portion 170a. That is, the pair of left and right front-acting portions 135a are disposed at the outer ends of the flat portion 170a in the left and right directions by the elastic force of the front-acting portions 135a.

[0071] In addition, such as Figure 11A and Figure 11B As shown, an inner protrusion 173 protruding downward from the flat portion 170a is formed on the upper inner surface of the connecting end 169. The inner protrusion 173 is formed by cutting the flat portion 170a of the connecting end 169 and shifting a portion of the flat portion 170a downward. That is, the inner protrusion 173 is formed by bending a portion of the flat portion 170a of the connecting end 169 to protrude inward.

[0072] An inclined surface 174, which is inclined relative to the flat portion 170a, is formed at the rear of the inner protrusion 173, so that the holding portion 139 can pass over the inner protrusion 173 when the operating member 133 is attached to the lever member 131. In addition, an engagement surface 175, which is orthogonal to the flat portion 170a, is formed at the front of the inner protrusion 173, so that the operating member 133 is prevented from moving forward when it is attached to the lever member 131 and the holding portion 139 and the inner protrusion 173 are engaged with each other.

[0073] Furthermore, a through hole 176 is formed in the upper surface 169b1 of the connecting end 169 of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133, located in front of the portion inserted into the lever member 131, penetrating into the interior of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133. The through hole 176 is formed in front of the inner protrusion 173 of the flat portion 170a and on the upper surface 169b1 of the connecting end 169, facing the front end of the release portion 140. The through hole 176 is formed to allow the lever-shaped release member 180 (see...) Figure 12A and Figure 12B The dimension is inserted from above (upper surface 169b1), and in this embodiment, the through hole 176 is formed by a round hole. The release member 180 is used to release the engagement between the retaining portion 139 and the inner protrusion 173, and may be a special member for disengaging the aforementioned engagement or a tool such as a screwdriver.

[0074] In this embodiment, the through hole 176 is formed in the upper surface 169b1 of the connecting end 169, but the through hole 176 can also be formed in the lower surface 169b3 of the connecting end 169. In this case, the through hole 176 is formed to allow the rod-shaped release member 180 (see...) Figure 12A and Figure 12B The dimension is inserted from below (lower surface 169b3), and the shape of the release member 180 is appropriately set so that the release portion 140 can be pulled from below.

[0075] Before the operating member 133 is attached to the lever member 131, the front end (abutment portion) of the biasing member 132 is brought into contact with the front upper support surface 157a or the rear upper support surface 158a of the lever member 131. That is, the left and right pairs of front actuating portions 135a of the biasing member 132 are in contact with the front upper support surface 157a or the rear upper support surface 158a of the lever member 131. In addition, the left and right pairs of movement prevention protrusions 147d formed on the lever member 131 are in contact with the left and right pairs of front actuating portions 135a in the left and right direction. In the state where the operating member 133 is attached to the lever member 131 (see...) Figure 14 The front end (abutment portion) of the biasing member 132 contacts the lower surface (inner surface of the upper surface 169b1) of the operating member 133 from below, so as to bias the operating member 133 upward.

[0076] Next, an example description will be given of the process for assembling the operating member 133 to the guide rail body 106 (lever member 131) and the operation of disassembling the operating member 133 from the guide rail body 106 (lever member 131).

[0077] (1) Before attaching the operating component 133

[0078] The left and right front actuating portions 135a contact the upper support surfaces (front upper support surface 157a, rear upper support surface 158a) and the movement prevention protrusions 147d of the lever member 131, and are respectively disposed at the upper inner portion of the left and right side walls 147, and are inclined to face the center in the left-right direction and the up-down direction, so that each guide portion 138 enters the connecting end 169 of the operating member 133 (see...). Figure 11A ).

[0079] (2) When attaching the operating component 133

[0080] When the operating member 133 moves backward, the pair of left and right front actuating portions 135a are pushed downward by the guide portion 138 and moved to the inner side closer to the left and right direction, thereby entering the connecting end 169 of the operating member 133. The retaining portion 139 of the left front actuating portion 135a in the vehicle width direction is pushed downward by the inclined surface 174 of the inner protrusion 173 and passes over the inner protrusion 173.

[0081] (3) After attaching the operating component 133

[0082] The engagement surface 175 of the inner protrusion 173 faces the front actuating portion 135a on the left side in the vehicle width direction, thereby preventing the operating member 133 from moving forward (in the removal direction). Furthermore, the rear end surface of the operating member 133 faces the movement-preventing protrusion 147d, thereby preventing the operating member 133 from moving further rearward (in the pushing direction).

[0083] (4) Operation for removing operating component 133

[0084] In this embodiment, the operating member 133 is removed by pushing the operating member 133 from above (upper surface 169b1) using the release member 180 (see [link]). Figure 12A and Figure 12B The release member 180 is inserted into the connection end 169 of the operating member 133 through the through hole 176. The inserted release member 180 pushes the front end of the release portion 140 downward, thereby disengaging the engagement between the retaining portion 139 and the engagement surface 175 of the inner protrusion 173 (see...). Figure 13A and Figure 13B ).

[0085] like Figure 14 As shown, the lever member 131 is rotatably supported by the shaft member 115 on the upper sidewall 105b of the upper guide rail 105, and the biasing member 132 engages with the engaging portion 105g to prevent the biasing member 132 from moving downward. Additionally, on the left and right upper sidewalls 105b of the upper guide rail 105, a rear lower protrusion 148 is formed in front of the support hole 105f in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. This rear lower protrusion 148 is a rear lower support portion protruding from the two upper sidewalls 105b in a manner that bends towards both facing sides. The rear lower protrusion 148 is formed by cutting the upper sidewall 105b and displacing the upper sidewall 105b inward.

[0086] A pair of front-acting portions 135a of the biasing member 132 engage from below with the lower surface of the rear end of the operating member 133 (the inner surface of the upper surface 169b1) at a lower position between the front upper support surface 157a and the rear upper support surface 158a, thereby biasing the operating member 133 upward. Therefore, the upper surface 169b1 of the operating member 133 contacts the pair of upper support surfaces (the front upper support surface 157a and the rear upper support surface 158a). At this time, a gap C1 is provided in the vertical direction between the front lower support surface 147c provided in the lever member 131 and the lower surface 169b3 of the rear end of the operating member 133, and a gap C2 is provided in the vertical direction between the rear lower support surface 148a provided in the upper guide rail 105 and the lower surface 169b3 of the rear end of the operating member 133.

[0087] In this respect, such as Figure 14 As shown, on one side (the right side in the vehicle width direction), the length L1b between the contact point (support point P0) between the joint portion 105g and the intermediate support portion 137 of the bias member 132 and the contact point (front action point P1b) between the front end of the lever member 131 and the front action portion 135a of the bias member 132, and the length L2 between the contact point (support point P0) between the joint portion 105g and the intermediate support portion 137 of the bias member 132 and the contact point (rear action point P2) between the rear end of the lever member 131 and the rear action portion 136a of the bias member 132, is shorter than the length L2. <L2)。

[0088] In contrast, on the other side (left side in the vehicle width direction), the length L1a between the contact point (support point P0) between the joint portion 105g and the intermediate support portion 137 of the bias member 132 and the contact point (front action point P1a) between the front end of the lever member 131 and the front action portion 135a of the bias member 132, and the length L2 between the contact point (support point P0) between the joint portion 105g and the intermediate support portion 137 of the bias member 132 and the contact point (rear action point P2) between the rear end of the lever member 131 and the rear action portion 136a of the bias member 132, are approximately the same as the length L2 (L1a≈L2).

[0089] When the biasing forces acting on the front acting points P1a and P1b are the front biasing forces F1a and F1b and when the biasing force acting on the rear acting point P2 is the rear biasing force F2, the rotational torque at the support point P0 is obtained from the torque balance [M0 = (F1a * L1a + F1b * L1b) - F2 * L2 = 0] [F1a * L1a + F1b * L1b = F2 * L2]. In the present embodiment, the length L1b between the support point P0 and one of the front acting points P1b is set to be shorter than the length L2 between the support point P0 and the rear acting point P2 (L1b < L2). On the contrary, in the present embodiment, the length L1a between the support point P0 and the other front acting point P1a and the length L2 between the support point P0 and the rear acting point P2 are almost the same (L1a ≈ L2). That is, the force (F1a + F1b) biasing the front end of the biasing lever member 131 upward (in the locking release direction) is greater than the force F2 biasing the rear end of the biasing lever member 131 upward (in the locking direction) ((F1a + F1b) > F2).

[0090] Here, the length between the rotation center Q of the lever member 131 and the contact point (front acting point P1a) between the front end of the lever member 131 and the other front acting portion 135a of the biasing member 132 is defined as "L3a". On the contrary, the length between the rotation center Q of the lever member 131 and the contact point (front acting point P1b) between the front end of the lever member 131 and one front acting portion 135a of the biasing member 132 is defined as "L3b". In addition, the length between the rotation center Q of the lever member 131 and the contact point (rear acting point P2) between the rear end of the lever member 131 and the rear acting portion 136a of the biasing member 132 is defined as "L4". At this time, the lengths L3a, L3b, and L4 are set such that the rotational torque (Mb = F2 * L4) on the rear end side is greater than the sum Ma (Ma1 + Ma2 = F1a * L3a + F1b * L3b) of the rotational torques on the front end side at the rotation center Q of the lever member 131.

[0091] In the present embodiment, the length L3a is shorter than the length L1a (L1a > L3a), the length L3b is shorter than the length L1b (L1b > L3b), and the length L2 is shorter than the length L4 (L2 < L4). This enables the rotational torque (Mb = F2 * L4) on the rear end side to become greater than the sum Ma (Ma1 + Ma2 = F1a * L3a + F1b * L3b) of the rotational torques on the front end side at the rotation center Q of the lever member 131.

[0092] Therefore, the rotational torque at the rotation center Q of the lever member 131 serves as a biasing force that biases the rear end of the lever member 131 (locking member 117) in the locking direction.

[0093] Next, the operation of the seat sliding device 101 constructed as described above will be described.

[0094] Figure 14 The standby state is shown, in which the locking teeth 125b of the locking member 117 engage with the locking groove 127 of the lower guide rail 103, and are locked into the locking groove in the locked position (non-operating state where the operating member 133 is not operated). In this state, the operating member 133 is pressed against a pair of upper support surfaces (front upper support surface 157a and rear upper support surface 158a) by the front end (abutment portion) of the biasing member 132. The pressing force (biasing force) of the front end of the biasing member 132 is greater than the force that causes the operating member 133 to move downward due to its own weight. At the same time, the rotational torque used to rotate the locking member 117 toward the locked release position is less than the rotational torque toward the locked position generated by the pressing force (biasing force) at the rear end of the biasing member 132, thus maintaining the aforementioned standby state.

[0095] from Figure 14 In the indicated state, when the occupant lifts the handle 168 of the operating member 133, the operating member 133 rotates about the contact point (as a fulcrum) between the front upper support surface 157a and the upper surface 169b1 of the operating member 133, and the rear end of the operating member 133 moves downward by pushing the front end (abutment portion) of the biasing member 132 downward. In this state, when the handle 168 of the operating member 133 is further lifted, the lower surface 169b3 of the rear end of the operating member 133 contacts the rear lower support surface 148a provided in the upper guide rail 105, and the operating member 133 rotates about the contact point (as a fulcrum) between the rear lower support surface 148a and the lower surface 169b3 of the rear end of the operating member 133. Therefore, the upper surface 169b1 of the operating member 133 rotates and lifts the front upper support surface 157a of the lever member 131 upward, and the lever member 131 rotates the locking portion of the locking member 117 toward the locked release position (see...). Figure 15 ).

[0096] Therefore, lever member 131 surrounds shaft member 115. Figure 14 The lever member 131 swings and rotates clockwise. During this time, the lever member 131 pushes the locking member 117 downwards due to the swinging rotation, and the biasing member 132 (rear biasing member 136) elastically deforms downwards. As a result, the locking tooth 125b moves away from the locking groove 127 of the lower guide rail 103, thus releasing the lock (lock-released state). When the lock is released, the seat (not shown) can be moved back and forth relative to the vehicle floor surface on the side of the lower guide rail 103 along with the upper guide rail 105, and the seat position can be fixed to the desired position of the occupant.

[0097] When the occupant releases his or her hand from the operating member 133 while the seat position is confirmed, the biasing member 132 (rear biasing member 136) presses upward against the locking member 117, and the lever member 131 swings and rotates to return to the original position. Figure 14 The standby state is shown. At this time, lever member 131 surrounds shaft member 115. Figure 14 It swings and rotates counterclockwise.

[0098] exist Figure 14 In the indicated state, when a load is applied to the operating member 133 in the anti-lock release direction (downward), the operating member 133 rotates around the contact point (as a fulcrum) between the rear upper support surface 158a and the upper surface 169b1 of the operating member 133, and the operating member 133 can move downward by the amount of gap C1 between the lower surface 169b3 of the operating member 133 and the front lower support surface 147c (see...). Figure 16 At this time, the lever member 131 rotates downward around the interlocking position of the main locking tooth 125m, and the lower surface of the front end side of the two side walls 147 contacts the rear lower support surface 148a to prevent the lever member 131 from moving downward, thereby preventing the recessed groove 147a from moving away from the shaft member 115.

[0099] The operational effects of the seat sliding device 101 according to this embodiment will now be described.

[0100] (1) The seat sliding device 101 includes: a lower guide rail 103 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; an upper guide rail 105 movable relative to the lower guide rail 103 in the longitudinal direction; a lever member 131 rotatably supported about an axis in the left-right direction relative to the upper guide rail 105; a locking member 117 disposed at the rear end of the lever member 131, the locking member including a locking portion (locking tooth 125b) movable between a locked position and a locked release position, wherein in the locked position the locking portion engages with a locked portion (locking groove 127) formed in the lower guide rail 103, and in the locked release position the locking portion is away from the locked portion; a rear biasing member 136 biasing the locking portion toward the locked position; and an operating member 133 connected to the front end of the lever member 131. The lever member 131 includes: a pair of left and right sidewalls 147 extending along the longitudinal direction of the upper guide rail 105; an upper support portion (front upper protrusion 157, rear upper protrusion 158) disposed at the upper end of the front end of at least one of the left and right sidewalls 147 and extending toward the other sidewall 147 in the left-right direction; and a lower support portion (front lower wall 147b) disposed at the lower end of the front end of at least one of the left and right sidewalls 147 and extending toward the other sidewall 147 in the left-right direction. The front end of the lever member 131 is formed into a generally square cross-section by the left and right sidewalls 147, the upper support portion, and the lower support portion, and the cylindrical portion (connecting end 169) of the operating member 133 is inserted into the front end of the lever member. A front biasing member 135 is provided, which is formed of a rod-shaped member and has a support portion that engages with a engagement portion 105g provided in the upper guide rail 105 and a front end that is inserted into the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133. A retaining portion 139 and a releasing portion 140 are formed at the front end of the front biasing member 135. The retaining portion 139 biases the operating member 133 upward and presses the operating member 133 against the upper support portion, and engages with an inner protrusion 173 provided in the operating member 133 and prevents the operating member 133 from moving forward. The releasing portion 140 extends forward from the retaining portion 139. A through hole 176 is formed in the upper surface 169b1 or lower surface 169b3 of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133 in front of the portion inserted into the lever member 131, facing the releasing portion 140, penetrating into the interior of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133.

[0101] Because this structure allows the front biasing member 135 to be inserted into the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133, it eliminates the need to place the front biasing member 135 in the vertical space between the lever member 131 and the operating member 133, and ensures ample operating space for both the lever member 131 and the operating member 133. Therefore, the arrangement of the lever member 131 and the operating member 133 is optimal.

[0102] Since the front end of the front bias member 135 is formed by bending a slender rod-shaped member, the shape used for biasing and holding the front bias member 135 can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0103] Since the through hole 176 in the operating member 133 is positioned facing the release portion 140 at the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133, the release portion 140 can be pushed downward using the release member 180, and the engagement between the release portion 139 and the inner protrusion 173 can be disengaged. This facilitates the removal of the operating member 133 from the lever member 131.

[0104] (2) The upper support portion includes a front upper support portion (front upper protrusion 157) disposed closer to the front side than the rotation center (shaft member 115) of the lever member 131, and a rear upper support portion (rear upper protrusion 158) disposed between the rotation center of the lever member 131 and the front upper support portion. The front biasing member 135 has a pair of left and right front action portions 135a extending substantially parallel to each other. The left and right pair of front action portions 135a contact the operating member 133 at different positions relative to the front-rear direction between the front upper support portion and the rear upper support portion, respectively, and bias the operating member 133 upward. The holding portion 139 and the release portion 140 are formed at a position further forward than the front end of the other front action portion 135a where one of the front action portions 135a contacts the operating member 133 near the front upper support portion.

[0105] A pair of front actuating portions 135a, retaining portions 139, and releasing portions 140 can be arranged side-by-side compactly within the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and can suppress interference between the pair of front actuating portions 135a during vertical operation of the operating member 133.

[0106] (3) The portion of the cylindrical part of the operating member 133 that is inserted into the lever member 131 is formed with a generally semi-circular cross-section having a flat portion 170a at the top, and the inner protrusion 173 of the operating member 133 is formed by protruding a portion of the flat portion 170a inward. A pair of left and right front action portions 135a are provided at the outer ends of the flat portion 170a in the left and right directions by the elastic force of the front action portions 135a.

[0107] Since the left and right positions of the pair of front action portions 135a of the front offset member 135 are stable in the left and right directions, the abnormal noise and clicking sound caused by the displacement of the front offset member 135 can be suppressed.

[0108] Since the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133 can be molded by vertically pressing the end of the cylindrical tube member, machining is easy and the rigidity of the cylindrical portion can be enhanced.

[0109] (4) A front-acting portion 135a has an approximate crank shape that bends from one end of the flat portion 170a in the left-right direction to the other end. The portion of the front-acting portion 135a extending in the left-right direction serves as a holding portion 139, and the portion of the front-acting portion 135a extending in the front-back direction along the other end of the flat portion 170a serves as a releasing portion 140.

[0110] Since the front action portion 135a can be molded by bending the rod-shaped member into an approximate crank shape, the front offset member 135 including the front action portion 135a can be easily formed.

[0111] (5) The release portion 140 is inclined inward from the other end of the flat portion 170a in the left-right direction and extends forward to be inclined downward. The through hole 176 is formed in front of the inner protrusion 173 of the flat portion 170a and at a position on the upper surface 169b1 or lower surface 169b3 of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133, facing the front end of the release portion 140.

[0112] The release member 180 can be used to push the release portion 140 by inserting the release member 180 through the through hole 176 into the interior of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133 and pushing the release portion 140. Therefore, the engagement between the release portion 139 and the inner protrusion 173 can be easily disengaged, and the operating member 133 can be removed from the lever member 131.

[0113] (6) An inclined surface 174 is formed at the rear of the inner protrusion 173, the inclined surface being inclined such that when the operating member 133 is attached to the lever member 131, the retaining portion 139 can pass over the inner protrusion 173. An engagement surface 175 is formed at the front of the inner protrusion 173, such that when the operating member 133 is attached to the lever member 131 and the retaining portion 139 and the inner protrusion 173 are engaged with each other, the operating member 133 is prevented from moving forward.

[0114] The inner protrusion 173 engages with the release portion 139 of the front bias member 135 to prevent the operating member 133 from moving forward (removal direction).

[0115] Furthermore, when the operating member 133 is attached to the lever member 131, the inner protrusion 173 pushes the retaining portion 139 downward, so the operating member 133 can be easily assembled to the lever member 131.

[0116] (7) At the lever member 131, a movement prevention protrusion 147d is formed. The movement prevention protrusion 147d is located on the rear side from the upper support portion and prevents the operating member 133 from moving to the rear side. The movement prevention protrusion 147d is formed by causing a portion of the left and right pair of sidewalls 147 to protrude inward.

[0117] This allows control over the position of the operating member 133 relative to the lever member 131 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction and the holding portion 139 of the front offset member 135.

[0118] [Second Implementation]

[0119] Figure 17 and Figure 18 A seat sliding device 101A according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0120] The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment in terms of shape, structure, etc.

[0121] like Figure 17 and Figure 18 As shown, a through-hole 176A penetrating into the interior of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133A is formed in the lower surface 169b3 of the portion of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133A that is inserted into the lever member 133A. Furthermore, the through-hole 176A is formed in front of the front end of the release portion 140 and at a position on the lower surface 169b3 of the connecting end 169. The through-hole 176A is sized to allow the rod-shaped release member 180A to be inserted from below (lower surface 169b3), and in this embodiment, the through-hole 176A is composed of an elongated hole extending in the front-rear direction. The release member 180A is used to release the engagement between the retaining portion 139 and the inner protrusion 173, and can be a dedicated component or a tool such as a screwdriver for disengaging the aforementioned engagement.

[0122] In this embodiment, the through hole 176A is formed in the lower surface 169b3 of the connecting end 169, but the through hole 176A can also be formed in the upper surface 169b1 of the connecting end 169. In this case, the through hole 176A is sized to allow the rod-shaped release member 180A to be inserted from above (upper surface 169b1), and the shape of the release member 180A is appropriately configured such that the release portion 140 can be pushed downward from above.

[0123] Next, an example of the operation of removing the operating member 133A from the guide rail body 106 (lever member 131) will be described.

[0124] (Operation for removing operating component 133A)

[0125] In this embodiment, the operating member 133A is removed by pushing the operating member 133A downward from below (lower surface 169b3) using the release member 180A. The release member 180A is inserted into the interior of the connecting end 169 of the operating member 133 through the through hole 176A, and the end of the release member 180A is inserted between the release portion 140 and the upper surface 169b1 of the connecting end 169. Then, by rotating the release member 180A with the edge of the through hole 176A as a fulcrum, or by sliding the end of the release member 180A backward along the inner surface of the upper surface 169b1, the front end of the release portion 140 is pushed downward, and the engagement between the holding portion 139 and the engagement surface 175 of the inner protrusion 173 is disengaged.

[0126] The operational effects of the seat sliding device 101A according to the second embodiment will now be described. Operational effects common to the first embodiment described above will not be described.

[0127] (1) A through hole 176A is formed on the upper surface 169b1 or lower surface 169b3 of the part of the cylindrical part (connecting end 169) of the operating member 133A that is inserted into the lever member 131 and is located at the front side from the release part 140.

[0128] Since the through hole 176A provided in the operating member 133A is located on the front side of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133A from the release portion 140, the release portion 140 can be pushed downward using the release member 180A, and the engagement between the release portion 139 and the inner protrusion 173 can be disengaged. This facilitates the removal of the operating member 133A from the lever member 131.

[0129] (2) A through hole 176A is formed in front of the front end of the release portion 140 and at a position on the upper surface 169b1 or lower surface 169b3 of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133.

[0130] By inserting the release member 180A through the through hole 176A into the interior of the cylindrical portion of the operating member 133A and pushing the release portion 140, the release member 180A can be used to push the release portion 140. Therefore, the engagement between the release portion 139 and the inner protrusion 173 can be easily disengaged, and the operating member 133A can be removed from the lever member 131A.

[0131] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely illustrative to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the invention is not limited to these embodiments. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific technical matters disclosed in the above embodiments, but also includes various modifications, alterations, and alternative techniques that can be readily derived therefrom.

[0132] For example, in the above embodiment, the length L1a between the support point P0 and the front action point P1a on the other side (left side in the vehicle width direction) and the length L2 between the support point P0 and the rear action point P2 are almost the same (L1a≈L2), but similar to one side (right side in the vehicle width direction), the length L1a can be shorter than the length L2 (L1a<L2). If the resultant force of the front biasing force (F1a+F1b) is greater than the resultant force of the rear biasing force F2 ((F1a+F1b)>F2), then the length L1a can be longer than the length L2.

[0133] The lower ends of the front end of the lever member 131 are connected to each other via the front lower wall 147b, but the lower ends can be shaped to be connected to each other via the front upper protrusion 157. In this case, the lever member 131 has an inverted U-shape with an open bottom, wherein the lower wall 134 that connects the lower ends of the left and right side walls 147 to each other becomes the upper wall that connects the upper ends to each other.

Claims

1. A seat sliding device, comprising: The lower guide rail extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; The upper guide rail moves relative to the lower guide rail in the longitudinal direction; A lever component, which is rotatably supported about an axis in the left-right direction relative to the upper guide rail; A locking member is disposed at the rear end of the lever member and includes a locking portion movable between a locked position and a locked release position, wherein in the locked position the locking portion engages with a locked portion formed in the lower guide rail, and in the locked release position the locking portion moves away from the locked portion; A rear biasing member that biases the locking portion along the locking position direction; as well as An operating component, which is connected to the front end of the lever component, wherein: The lever component includes: A pair of left and right sidewalls extend in the longitudinal direction of the upper guide rail; An upper support portion is disposed at the upper end of the front end of at least one of the left and right sidewalls and extends toward the other sidewall in the left-right direction; and The lower support portion is disposed at the lower end of the front end of at least one of the left and right sidewalls, and extends toward the other sidewall in the left-right direction. The front end of the lever member is formed into a roughly square cross-section by the pair of left and right sidewalls, the upper support portion, and the lower support portion, and the cylindrical portion of the operating member is inserted into the front end of the lever member. A front offset member is provided, which is formed of a rod-shaped member and has a support portion that engages with a connecting portion provided in the upper guide rail and a front end that inserts into the cylindrical portion of the operating member. A retaining portion and a releasing portion are formed at the front end of the front biasing member. The retaining portion biases the operating member upward and presses the operating member against the upper support portion, and engages with an inner protrusion provided on the operating member to prevent the operating member from moving forward. The releasing portion extends forward from the retaining portion, and... A through hole is formed on the upper or lower surface of the cylindrical portion of the operating member, in front of the portion inserted into the lever member, at a position facing the release portion or at a position on the front side of the release portion, penetrating into the interior of the cylindrical portion of the operating member.

2. The seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein, The upper support portion includes a front upper support portion disposed on the front side from the rotation center of the lever member, and a rear upper support portion disposed between the rotation center of the lever member and the front upper support portion. The front offset member includes a pair of left and right front action portions extending generally parallel to each other. The left and right pairs of front-acting parts respectively contact the operating member at different positions relative to the front-rear direction between the front upper support part and the rear upper support part, and offset the operating member upwards. The retaining portion and the releasing portion are formed at a position further forward than the front end of another front-acting portion in the front-acting portion, and the first front-acting portion contacts the operating member at a position close to the upper support portion of the front.

3. The seat sliding device according to claim 2, wherein, The portion of the cylindrical part of the operating member that is inserted into the lever member is formed with a generally semi-circular cross-section having a flat portion at the top. The inner protrusion of the operating member is formed by causing a portion of the flat portion to protrude inward; and The left and right pairs of front-acting parts are positioned at the outer ends of the flat portion in the left and right directions by the elastic force of each front-acting part.

4. The seat sliding device according to claim 3, wherein, The front actuating portion has an approximate crank shape that bends from one end of the flat portion to the other in a left-right direction. The portion of the front-acting portion extending in the left-right direction serves as the retaining portion, and The portion of the front-acting portion that extends along the other end of the flat portion in the front-back direction serves as the release portion.

5. The seat sliding device according to claim 4, wherein, The release portion slopes inward from the other end of the flat portion in the left-right direction and extends forward at a downward slope. The through hole is formed in front of the inner protrusion of the flat portion and at a position on the upper or lower surface of the cylindrical portion of the operating member, thereby facing the front end of the release portion.

6. The seat sliding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The release portion is inclined inward in the left-right direction and extends forward at a downward angle. The through hole is formed in front of the front end of the release portion and at a position on the upper or lower surface of the cylindrical portion of the operating member.

7. The seat sliding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, An inclined surface is formed at the rear of the inner protrusion, the inclined surface being inclined such that when the operating member is attached to the lever member, the retaining portion can pass over the inner protrusion, and An engagement surface is formed at the front of the inner protrusion to prevent the operating member from moving forward when the operating member is attached to the lever member and the retaining portion and the inner protrusion are engaged with each other.

8. The seat sliding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, A movement-preventing protrusion is formed in the lever member. The movement-preventing protrusion is located on the rear side from the upper support portion and prevents the operating member from moving rearward. It is formed by causing a portion of the left and right pair of sidewalls to protrude inward.

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