Fastening device with a retaining bracket to which a piece of equipment can be temporarily fixed by means of a fixing device.

Abstract

A fastening device (1) connected to a vehicle, comprising a retaining bracket (2) to which an equipment element can be temporarily fixed by means of a fixing means, wherein the fastening device (1) has a guide (3) equipped with two opposing sections of at least one wall surface (4) as a positioning aid for the fixing means, which can be fixed to the retaining bracket (2), wherein the wall surface (4) has at least one groove-shaped opening (8) through which the retaining bracket (2) can be inserted against an elastic restoring force of at least one partial area of ​​the wall surface (4) up to a fixing position (10) that positively engages the retaining bracket (2), wherein the partial area is deflectable along the opening (8) against the elastic restoring force (direction of arrow 12) when the retaining bracket (2) is inserted, characterized in that the partial area is designed as a locking rocker (11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20),which is deflectable into a recess (13, 16) in the wall surface (4) (direction of arrow 12) and with an end face (14) facing the retaining bracket (2) in the fixing position (10) rests against the circumference of the wire- or pin-shaped bracket material of the retaining bracket (2), wherein the retaining bracket (2) is pre-tensioned in its fixing position by means of the locking rocker (11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a fastening device connected to a vehicle, in particular to a vehicle seat, comprising a retaining bracket to which an equipment element, for example a child seat, can be temporarily secured by means of a fixing means of the equipment element, wherein the fastening device comprises a guide provided with two opposing sections of at least one wall surface as a positioning aid for the fixing means, which guide can be permanently fixed to the retaining bracket, wherein the wall surfaces each comprise a groove-shaped opening in a region facing the rear side remote from the visible side of the guide, through which the retaining bracket can be inserted against an elastic restoring force of at least a partial region of the wall surface up to a fixing position that positively encloses the retaining bracket,wherein the partial area can be deflected along the opening against the elastic restoring force when the retaining bracket is inserted.

[0002] Such a fastening device is already known from DE 10 2011 002 045 A1. In this device, a retaining bracket is secured by means of a retaining device with a spring tongue that projects into a slot. After installation, the retaining bracket is held under the pressure of the cushion in a form-locking device that is functionally and spatially separate from the retaining device. If the cushion pressure decreases or the form-locking connection is otherwise lost, the retaining bracket, which slides or springs back into the slot, is caught by a retaining device.

[0003] A fastening device known as Isofix is ​​already widely used, in particular for securing child seats in a motor vehicle, and is therefore already considered to be state of the art due to obvious prior use.

[0004] With this fastening device, a resilient connection is created between the structurally fixed retaining bracket and the equipment element to be attached to it in a fixed position. The fastening element engages with the structurally fixed retaining bracket. This connection allows the equipment element to be securely positioned and also transfers the forces generated in an accident, ensuring that the equipment element is securely held in the predetermined position.

[0005] The fixing device typically has two retaining jaws that enclose the retaining bracket between them. The use position of the equipment element is secured by a locking pawl that encloses the retaining bracket and preferably locks automatically upon insertion of the retaining bracket. An actuating element is provided to release the locking pawl.

[0006] In known applications of the Isofix fastening device in a child seat, the retaining bracket is, for example, attached to the structure of the body or the vehicle seat structure and the fixing means is arranged on the structure of the child seat.

[0007] From DE 10 2009 036 726 A1, a cover for a standard-compliant Isofix fastening device is known, which is equipped with a flap that is displaced in the use position of the equipment element.

[0008] DE 102 06 780 A1 describes a vehicle seat with a backrest and a seat cushion. In the in-use position, the retaining brackets protrude through the slot between the backrest and the seat cushion, protruding into a seating area of ​​the vehicle seat. In their in-use position, the retaining brackets are easily accessible, for example, for anchoring a child seat to the fastening elements, while the fastening elements are not visible when not in use.

[0009] In contrast, the aim of future designs of such fastening devices is to ensure that access to the retaining brackets is visible even when not in use, so that the presence and position of the Isofix retaining brackets in the interior of the vehicle is signalled in order to improve safety.

[0010] In addition, in order to improve practicality, the aim is to make it possible to attach objects, in particular child seats, to the support brackets without first operating or removing covers or cushioning elements, as is disclosed, for example, in the solution in the document DE 102 06 780 A1.

[0011] Since, on the one hand, the openings are visible to the user, and, on the other hand, the support brackets themselves should not protrude from the plane of the seat or backrest to avoid impairing their usability, the support brackets are arranged within a guide for the fastening device, forming a panel or frame, the opening width of which is adapted to the corresponding dimensions of conventional fastening devices. Thus, the respective support bracket is easily accessible within the guide, but without protruding from the plane of a visible side of the guide.

[0012] It is a standard measure to fix the guide to the associated retaining bracket, in particular in a non-detachable manner, in order to enable a clear relative positioning of the guide to the retaining bracket.

[0013] The guide is fixed via slot-shaped openings in the side walls, which extend from a rear side to an area between the rear side and the visible side, by inserting the retaining bracket into these openings.

[0014] Due to the undersize of the aperture width compared to the material thickness of the retaining bracket, an elastic restoring force caused by the deformation of the side walls must be overcome during insertion until the retaining bracket is held in a form-fitting manner in a radial extension of the aperture in the locking position. It is not intended for the user to break this connection between the guide and the retaining bracket. However, the forces acting on the guide can become comparatively high during use, which can lead to the guide becoming undesirably detached from the retaining bracket.

[0015] Consideration has already been given to reducing the width of the slotted opening in order to increase the force to be overcome when releasing the guide from the retaining bracket by providing a corresponding resistance to deformation. However, this measure also leads to significantly increased assembly forces.

[0016] Against this background, the object of the invention is to design a fastening device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that a reliable and particularly resilient connection between the guide and the retaining bracket is achieved without an undesirable increase in the assembly forces.

[0017] This object is achieved with a fastening device according to the features of patent claim 1. The subclaims relate to particularly expedient developments of the invention.

[0018] According to the invention, a fastening device is provided in which the locking rocker rests against the circumference of the wire- or pin-shaped bracket material of the bracket with an end face facing the retaining bracket in the fixing position, wherein the retaining bracket is pretensioned in its fixing position by means of the locking rocker. By the locking rocker resting with its end face against the circumference of the wire- or pin-shaped bracket material, the latter is reliably held in the fixing position. In particular, this prevents undesirable relative mobility between the guide and the retaining bracket. For this purpose, the retaining bracket is preferably pretensioned in its fixing position by means of the locking rocker so that manufacturing tolerances can also be compensated for at the same time.In this way, the aesthetic appearance of the structural element or cushion element supporting the guide is simultaneously improved by allowing the predetermined relative position to be adjusted with reproducible accuracy.

[0019] When the retaining bracket is secured, the respective, in particular strip-shaped, section of the wall surface is displaced into the corresponding recess, which in particular only has a slight oversize compared to the corresponding section. The elastic restoring force of the wall surface to be overcome depends essentially on the material weakening in the transition area between the strip-shaped section, which is bordered along its long sides on the one hand by the opening and on the other hand by the recess, and the remaining wall surface. Any desired reduction in the effective restoring forces can therefore be easily achieved by further weakening the material in this transition area.The invention is therefore based on the finding that the restoring forces to be overcome can be significantly reduced by elastically deforming not a large area of ​​the wall surface, but only a small portion that is connected to the wall surface only in a small area by the recess and the opening, so that the elastic deformation forces only need to be overcome in this transition area. At the same time, the partial area is designed in such a way that, in the event of a movement opposite to the joining or insertion movement, it does not shift back toward the recess, but rather blocks the slot-shaped opening.Although it cannot be ruled out that this guide can be detached from the retaining bracket, particularly with the aid of tools, the fixing position can only be separated by material destruction without suitable measures in the event of very high forces.

[0020] A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is also achieved in that the end face bears against the retaining bracket with a shape, for example a surface inclined with respect to the tangent at the contact point, in such a way that when a force is applied that is opposite to the mounting direction, the locking rocker can be deflected into a locking position that blocks the passage in the direction of a side opposite the recess. The shape can already be realized by an inclined surface, which means that when the retaining bracket moves in the guide opposite to the mounting direction, the locking rocker is deflected not in the direction of the recess, for example, but in the opposite direction. The locking rocker thus blocks the opening, so that the retaining bracket cannot become further detached from the guide.In other words, when a force is applied, the locking rocker is deflected into a locking position opposite to the insertion direction, in which the locking rocker rests against a stop surface in the wall surface of the opening. It can be provided that the partial area forms a positive connection with the stop surface, for example, an undercut, so that even high forces do not result in the opening opening for the retaining bracket becoming unblocked.

[0021] To further optimize the blocking function of the partial area within the opening counter to the assembly direction, a further preferred embodiment provides for the locking rocker to close the opening in the rest position, i.e., to separate an end section of the opening facing the rear from the locking position. The required passage opening for the retaining bracket is thus only created by the application of force during the assembly process, so that the locking rocker returns to the rest position closing the opening as soon as the retaining bracket has reached its predetermined locking position.

[0022] The locking rocker can be designed such that, during assembly, it is deflected upwards or downwards in the plane of the wall surface by the action of the retaining bracket. Of course, variants are also possible in which a locking rocker is arranged on either side of the slot-shaped opening. However, a particularly advantageous development of the invention is one in which the locking rocker is arranged on the respective wall surface such that, in the fixing position, it lies below the opening. This improves the manufacturing effort for the guide, in particular the injection molding process, due to the optimized inflow of the melt.

[0023] It is also advantageous if the locking rocker is designed as a double-armed locking rocker, so that when the retaining bracket is inserted, it is initially deflected toward a first recess and, as the joining process continues, in the opposite direction into a second recess. Such a design enables comparatively easy release of the locking rocker during servicing, for example, by inserting an expansion element into the easily accessible first recess, which is then deflected in such a way that it releases the locking position.

[0024] In principle, only the front face of the locking rocker is intended as the contact surface between the locking rocker and the retaining bracket. On the other hand, it can be advantageous if the locking rocker has an area that forms an undercut with the retaining bracket in the fixing position. This ensures that a relative movement of the guide with respect to the retaining bracket contrary to the joining movement during assembly cannot lead to the retaining bracket being released from the fixing position because the position of the retaining bracket is clearly defined and independent of the force applied by the undercut, for example. In particular, such a force application does not lead to a deflection or deformation of the locking rocker if the design of the undercut means that only tensile forces act on the locking rocker in such a load case.

[0025] Another, likewise particularly advantageous modification of the present invention is also realized in that the locking rocker is designed as a particularly strip-shaped region delimited by the opening and the recess, which is connected to the wall surface by a transition region. This allows the locking rocker to be realized in a simple manner as a lever which is integrally connected to the wall surface in the manner of a film hinge and whose elastic deformation resistance to deflection can be easily adjusted by the material weakening. In this case, the strip-shaped region is preferably substantially rectangular in its basic shape and has a length-to-width ratio of more than 2:1, in particular more than 4:1.

[0026] The orientation of the locking lever is fundamentally arbitrary, so the installation movement along the locking lever can be either dragging, i.e., starting with the transition area, or stabbing, starting with the front face of the locking lever. For this purpose, the transition area forming the joint is preferably located on a section of the wall surface facing the rear of the guide, so that upon insertion, the retaining bracket slides along the locking lever, starting with this section, and progressively deflects it.

[0027] According to a particularly preferred development of the invention, an edge region of the opening enclosing the retaining bracket in the fixing position has a reinforcement, in particular a material accumulation, which is preferably arranged on an outer side of the respective wall surface so that the introduction of the fixing means is not impeded. The reinforcement, which is designed, for example, as a reinforcing rib or a material accumulation, improves the load-bearing capacity in the fixing position through increased deformation resistance and thus largely prevents undesired relative displacement of the guide with respect to the retaining bracket. The reinforcement can be limited to the area of ​​the fixing position of the retaining bracket on the guide or can extend along at least one side of the opening to a rear side.

[0028] The invention allows for numerous embodiments. To further clarify its basic principle, one of these is shown in the drawing and is described below. These show a side view of a fastening device according to the invention in Fig. 1a to 1d show an assembly process for fixing a guide to a retaining bracket; Fig. 2a to 2f different variants of the Fig. 1 shown tour; Fig. 3a to 3f further variants of the Fig. 1 shown guide with reinforcements.

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a fastening device 1 according to the invention, which can be used in the individual process steps Fig. 1a to 1d will be explained in more detail. The fastening device 1 has a retaining bracket 2, also referred to as an Isofix bracket, which is structurally fixed in the interior of a motor vehicle (not shown). When arranged on a seat structure, the retaining bracket 2 can also be arranged so as to be movable together with this seat structure. Furthermore, the fastening device 1 has a guide 3, also referred to as a panel, with a wall surface 4, the front panel 6 forming a visible side 5 of which is arranged on a molded body (not shown), for example a cushioning element of the seat structure. A fixing means (not shown) is inserted through the guide 3 in the direction of arrow 7 and connected to the retaining bracket 2.The guide 3 thus primarily serves as an insertion aid for the fixing means, which is necessary because a position of the retaining bracket 2 that protrudes relative to the cushioned surface against which the front panel 6 rests in use should be avoided, while at the same time the position and function of the retaining bracket 2 should be immediately recognizable for the user. The guide 3 is usually also fixed to the retaining bracket 2 because a mere arrangement on the cushioned element would make the desired relative positioning considerably more difficult and would also reduce the load-bearing capacity of the guide 3. For this purpose, two parallel, functionally identical wall surfaces 4 of the guide 3, of which only one wall surface 4 is shown here, are each provided with a slot-shaped opening 8 on a rear side 22 facing away from the visible side 5, which forms a slot-shaped guide for the retaining bracket 2 when inserted in the assembly direction 9 of the retaining bracket 2.The cross-section D of the retaining bracket 2 is oversized compared to the passage width B of at least individual sections of the opening 8, so that it has to be inserted against an elastic restoring force of at least a partial area of ​​the wall surface 4 up to a fixing position 10 which positively encloses the retaining bracket 2. In order to significantly improve the holding force without, however, simultaneously increasing the required assembly forces, one of the lateral boundary surfaces of the opening 8 is formed by a locking rocker 11 which, when the retaining bracket 2 is inserted, as shown in FIG. Fig. 1b, is deflected against the elastic restoring force in the direction of arrow 12 into a recess 13 in the wall surface 4 and in the fixing position, as shown in Fig. 1c, with an end face 14 against the retaining bracket 2. The end face 14 is inclined relative to the tangential against the retaining bracket 2 in such a way that when a force is applied in the opposite direction to the mounting direction 9, the blocking rocker 11 is deflected into a blocking position blocking the passage in a direction opposite to the recess 13, as shown in Fig. 1d. This prevents further displacement of the retaining bracket 2 relative to the locking rocker 11 counter to the mounting direction 9 due to the locking position due to the wedge effect of the locking rocker 11, which far exceeds the deformation resistance of the locking rocker 11 in the direction of the recess 13.

[0030] In the Fig. 2a to 2f are merely examples of different variants of the Fig. 1 shown guide 3. It shows Fig. 2a shows a reversed arrangement of the recess 13, so that the locking rocker 11 is deflected upwards during assembly. Otherwise, the shape is identical to that shown in Fig. 1 shown locking rocker 11.

[0031] Fig. Figure 2b shows a design of a locking rocker 15 as a double-armed locking rocker. Inserting a spreader (not shown) into a recess 16 accessible from the rear side 22 causes a downward deflection of one arm of the locking rocker 15 facing the locking position, so that in this position, the guide 3 can be released from the retaining bracket 2.

[0032] In the Fig. 2c to 2e each show designs of a locking rocker 17, 18, 19, which in the fixing position have a hook-shaped area 23 forming an undercut with the retaining bracket 2. In the variant according to Fig. 2d, the fixing position is only achieved by a joining movement opposite to the assembly direction 9.

[0033] Finally, in Fig. Figure 2f shows another variant of the locking rocker 20, in which particularly low restoring forces must be overcome for actuation. For this purpose, the material thickness is further reduced in an area facing the retaining bracket 2, thus achieving additional elastic deformability of the locking rocker 20 in this area.

[0034] Furthermore, in the Fig. 3a to 3f additionally further variants of the Fig. 1 and Fig.2, the guide 3 shown is shown with a purely functionally identical design of the locking rockers 11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20. In contrast to the previously described variants of the guide 3, these each have reinforcements 21 designed as reinforcing ribs, which serve to specifically increase the deformation resistance of individual areas of the wall surface 4. The load-bearing capacity of the connection between the guide 3 and the retaining bracket 2 in the fixing position can thus be further increased in a targeted manner. List of reference symbols 1 fastening device 2 retaining brackets 3 Guide 4 wall surface 5 Visible side 6 Front panel 7 Arrow direction 8 Breakthrough 9 Mounting direction 10 Fixing position 11 Locking rocker 12 Arrow direction 13 Recess 14 Frontal surface 15 Locking rocker (double-armed) 16 recess 17, 18, 19, 20 Locking rocker 21 reinforcements 22 Back 23 Area D cross-section B Passage width

Claims

[1] A fastening device (1) connected to a vehicle, comprising a retaining bracket (2) to which an equipment element can be temporarily secured by means of a fixing means, wherein the fastening device (1) has a guide (3) equipped with two opposing sections of at least one wall surface (4) as a positioning aid for the fixing means, which can be secured to the retaining bracket (2), wherein the wall surface (4) has at least one groove-shaped opening (8) through which the retaining bracket (2) can be inserted against an elastic restoring force of at least a partial area of ​​the wall surface (4) up to a fixing position (10) which positively encloses the retaining bracket (2), wherein the partial area can be deflected along the opening (8) against the elastic restoring force (arrow direction 12) upon insertion of the retaining bracket (2), characterized bythat the partial area is designed as a locking rocker (11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20) which can be deflected into a recess (13, 16) in the wall surface (4) (arrow direction 12) and rests with an end face (14) facing the retaining bracket (2) in the fixing position (10) against the circumference of the wire- or pin-shaped bracket material of the retaining bracket (2), wherein the retaining bracket (2) is pretensioned in its fixing position by means of the locking rocker (11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20). [2] Fastening device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the end face (14) has a shape by means of which, in the event of a force acting in the opposite direction to the mounting direction (9), the locking rocker (11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20) can be deflected into a locking position blocking the opening (8) in the direction of a side opposite the recess (13, 16). [3] Fastening device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the locking rocker (11, 15, 17, 19) closes the opening (8) in the rest position unloaded by external forces. [4] Fastening device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the locking rocker (11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20) is arranged on the wall surface (4) in such a way that it is positioned below the opening (8) in the fixing position (10). [5] Fastening device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the locking rocker (15) is designed as a double-armed locking rocker (15). [6] Fastening device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the locking rocker (17, 18, 19) in the fixing position (10) has an area (23) forming an undercut with the retaining bracket (2). [7] Fastening device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the locking rocker (11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20) is designed as a particularly strip-shaped area delimited by the opening (8) and the recess (13, 16), which is connected to the remaining wall surface (4) by a transition area. [8] Fastening device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a transition region forming a joint is arranged on a region of the wall surface (4) facing a rear side (22) of the guide (3). [9] Fastening device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that an edge region of the opening (8) enclosing the retaining bracket (2) in the fixing position (10) has a reinforcement (21).

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