Vehicle seat with easy-entry function

Abstract

The vehicle seat (2) is equipped with an easy-entry function and has a seat frame (4) and a rail system (10) extending in the longitudinal direction (L). The seat frame (4) is fastened to the rail system (10) and can be tilted from a normal position into an easy-entry position, wherein tilting levers (12) are arranged, which are fastened on the one hand to the seat frame (4) and on the other hand to a respective holding element (18A, 18B), namely an inner holding element (18B) and an outer holding element (16A). Furthermore, two locking devices (24) are arranged, each with a rail-side lock part (20) fastened to the rail system (10) for locking the seat frame (4) to the rail system (10) in the normal position. The two rail-side lock parts (20) are arranged offset from one another in the longitudinal direction (L) by an offset (X).This avoids a space conflict with a belt buckle (26) attached to the inside of the seat frame (4).

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle seat having an easy-entry function. The vehicle seat has a seat frame with a rail system extending in a longitudinal direction, having two opposite rail pairs, each having an upper rail and a lower rail. The seat frame is mounted on the track system and is tiltable forwardly from a normal position to an easy entry position. For this purpose, tilting levers are arranged, which are fastened on the one hand to the seat frame and on the other hand to a respective holding element, which in turn is fastened to a respective upper rail. Furthermore, two lock devices, namely an inner and an outer lock device, are arranged with in each case two lock parts for locking the seat frame on the rail system in the normal position.Such vehicle seats with an easy-entry function are used in particular in front seats of two-door vehicles in order to facilitate entry into the second seat row in the rear region of the motor vehicle.In the easy-entry function considered in the present case, the entire seat frame, which has a seat part and a backrest part which is usually pivotably fastened thereto, is tilted forwards with respect to the rail system by means of the tilting levers in order to facilitate entry into a rear region of the vehicle.To secure the tiltable seat frame on the rail system, the two lock devices are arranged opposite each other and laterally on the vehicle seat. These have in each case two lock parts, namely the actual lock with a locking mechanism and, as a second lock part, a locking bolt which can be engaged around by the locking mechanism. Usually, the locking bolt is fastened to a respective upper rail.A belt buckle is fastened to the vehicle seat on its inner side, which belt buckle is fastened to the seat frame, especially to the seat part, at a usually defined mounting position. The mounting position and thus a fastening point of the belt buckle is possible, in particular, also by legal requirements only in a tightly limited installation space. This often leads to a space conflict with the inner lock device for the tiltable seat frame.Such structural space conflicts are frequently solved with considerable structural complexity.Proceeding from this, the object of the invention is to eliminate such a conflict of installation spaces with little structural complexity.The object is achieved according to the invention by a vehicle seat with easy-entry function having the features of claim 1. The vehicle seat has a seat frame and a rail system extending in the longitudinal direction with two oppositely arranged rail pairs, which each have an upper rail, namely an inner upper rail and an outer upper rail, and a lower rail. The seat frame is mounted on the rail system and is tiltable from a lockable normal position to an easy-entry position. For this purpose, tilting levers are arranged, which are fastened on the one hand to the seat frame and on the other hand to a respective holding element, which in turn is fastened to a respective upper rail. A retaining element is fastened to each of the upper rails, i.e. an inner retaining element is fastened to the inner upper rail and an outer retaining element is fastened to the outer upper rail. On each side of the vehicle seat, i.e. on its inner side and on its outer side, a respective lock device, i.e. an inner lock device and an outer lock device, are arranged, each with two lock parts. These serve to lock the seat frame on the rail system in the normal position. One rail-side lock part is in each case attached to the respective upper rail and the other seat-side lock part is in each case attached to the seat frame. The two rail-side lock parts, i.e. an inner rail-side lock part and an outer rail-side lock part, are arranged offset relative to one another in the longitudinal direction by an offset relative to one another.Insofar as reference is made here to the inside or the outside, these are understood in the case of the outer components to mean components which are arranged toward a vehicle door and thus on the door side. The inner components, in contrast, are oriented in the direction of the opposing intermediate space between the vehicle seats. In conventional vehicles, a transmission tunnel is often located at this position, which is why these inner components are also referred to as tunnel-side components.This asymmetrical arrangement of the two rail-side lock parts and thus of the two lock devices achieves the particular advantage that the inner rail-side lock part is suitably offset in the longitudinal direction, so that a sufficient distance from a belt buckle attached to this inner side is set, so that the above-described installation space conflict is at least mitigated. In particular, a sufficient distance from a fastening point for the belt buckle is provided, so that fastening and mounting of the belt buckle is possible without problems. In particular, accessibility to a fastening screw or nut is provided. At the same time, the other tilting mechanism with the tilting levers can be left unchanged and in particular the inner and outer tilting levers are preferably still attached to the same length positions.In particular, the inner rail-side lock part is preferably offset somewhat rearward compared to conventional solutions, such that the distance from the belt buckle arranged at a fixed mounting position is increased-in comparison to an offset arrangement.Generally, the inner lock device, in particular the seat-side lock part, is typically mounted behind the mounting position for the belt buckle and thus in a rear part of the seat frame.A further advantage of this measure, according to which the inner rail-side lock part is displaced in the longitudinal direction, can be seen in the fact that, overall, an entry region, which is formed when the seat frame is tilted forward, is widened compared with a conventional solution, in which the two lock devices are arranged at the same length positions. This is based in particular on the fact that-in comparison with those of a conventional solution-virtually the entire seat frame is displaced somewhat forwards, apart from the inner rail-side lock device. Thus, forward advancement achieves an extension of the boarding area. At the same time, the mounting position for the belt buckle is displaced forward together with the seat frame and thus away from the inner lock device.In an expedient embodiment, the outer lock device is therefore offset forward in the longitudinal direction with respect to the inner lock device. The inner lock device is therefore arranged further behind than the outer lock device.In a preferred embodiment, at least one and in particular all of the components selected from the upper rail, the holding element and the rail-side lock part are identical parts or at least identical parts which are mirrored at most. The desired constructionally simple solution is achieved especially by the common component principle. Therefore, no specifically made complex additional components or different component variants are required for the two sides of the vehicle seat.Identical parts are understood above as meaning identical parts. Mirrored identical parts are understood in the present case as parts which are of identical design with respect to a mirror plane, i.e. the mirrored component is formed by mirroring the component on the mirror plane.Preferably, the rail-side lock parts are identical parts and the upper rails and the holding elements are mirrored identical parts.The upper rail, the holding element and the rail-side lock part each form a subassembly. The components of this assembly are arranged only differently relative to one another for the inner side and for the outer side of the vehicle seat, so that the desired offset of the rail-side lock parts relative to one another is achieved.Due to the identical principle, the upper rails have the same length.In order to achieve the desired offset, the upper rails are arranged offset with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction, in particular exactly by the desired offset, in a preferred refinement. One upper rail, specifically the outer upper rail on the door side, is pulled forward with respect to the other upper rail.Furthermore, in an expedient embodiment, the respective retaining element is fastened differently on the respective upper rail in relation to the respective rail-side lock part. The distance between the holding element and the rail-side lock part is therefore different in the inner assembly from the outer assembly. In particular, the distance is greater in the case of the inner, tunnel-side assembly than in the case of the outer, door-side assembly. The respective holding element and the respective rail-side lock part are each fixedly mounted on the upper rail.Expediently, the two holding elements are arranged at the same length positions. As a result of this measure, the tilting levers and thus tilting or pivot axes are at the same time arranged on the same axial length. A respective holding element provides at least one bearing point and preferably two bearing points for rocker arms. The bearing points of the holding elements are therefore located according to this preferred embodiment on a common transverse axis.In a preferred embodiment, the inner holding element protrudes forward in the longitudinal direction beyond the inner upper rail. At the same time, the holding element is preferably attached to identical relative positions to the upper rail both in the case of the inner upper rail and in the case of the outer upper rail. Overall, this results in the desired offset.The offset between the two rail-side lock parts can be adjusted in principle depending on the respective application. It is preferably in a range between 10 mm and 60 mm and preferably in a range between 20 mm and 40 mm.The rail-side lock part preferably has a locking bolt fastened in a bolt holder. The bolt holder is fastened to the respective upper rail. The other, seat-side lock part accordingly has a locking mechanism, in particular with a locking lever, which can be actuated in particular by a motor and can reversibly releasably engage around the locking bolt in order to lock the seat frame on the rail system.In an expedient embodiment, the bolt holder has at least one side tab with which it engages under the upper rail, in particular in the form of a hook. This creates a crash lock designed as a crash safety device. This achieves an additional mechanical securing of the rail-side lock part on the rail system, which is capable of reliably transmitting the high forces occurring in the event of a crash also to the rail system. The bolt holder is, for example, a special single- or multi-part sheet metal part. The bolt holder has an upper upper part which is arranged on an upper side of the upper rail and is connected to the upper rail in particular by screws or rivets. In addition, two opposite side parts are preferably formed, wherein at least one of the side parts forms the mentioned side tab and for this purpose, in a preferred embodiment, is bent over inwardly on its lower side in the direction of the upper rail and thus forms a hook-shaped element in cross section, with which a corresponding counter piece of the upper rail is engaged under.An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. These are shown in partially simplified representations: FIG. 1 shows a vehicle seat in a side view in an easy-entry position tilted forward, FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of a rail system, FIGS. 3A, 3B show a detail side view of the vehicle seat in a previous embodiment (FIG. 3A ) and an embodiment with asymmetrically arranged rail-side lock parts (FIG. 3B ), FIG. 4A shows an exploded view of an outer assembly with an outer upper rail, an outer retaining element and an outer, rail-side lock part, FIG. 4B shows the outer assembly according to FIG. 4A in the assembled state, FIG. 5A shows an exploded view of an inner assembly with an inner upper rail, an inner retaining element and an inner, rail-side lock part, and FIG. 5B shows the inner assembly according to FIG. 5A in the assembled state.A vehicle seat 2 shown in FIG. 1 has a seat frame 4 which comprises a seat part 6 and a backrest part 8. The backrest part 8 is arranged pivotably on the seat part 6 for inclination adjustment. The seat frame 4 is tiltable forward on a rail system 10 from a normal position, not shown in detail here, to an easy-entry position, which is shown in FIG. 1. For this purpose, the seat frame 4 is connected to the rail system 10 via a plurality of tilting levers 12. By tilting the entire seat frame 4 forward, an entry area is enlarged by an extension E, so that simplified access to a rear row of seats in the vehicle is made possible. In the easy-entry function described here, the entire seat frame 4, i.e. the seat part 6, is tilted forward together with the backrest part 8.The rail system 10 extends generally in the longitudinal direction L from a rear subregion in the direction of a front subregion and thus in the direction of travel.As can be seen in particular with reference to FIG. 2, the rail system 10 comprises two opposite rail pairs which form an outer, door-side rail pair and an inner, tunnel-side rail pair.Subsequently, the outer door-side components arranged on the door side are each marked with the letter A and the inner tunnel-side components are each marked with the letter B. If reference numerals without the letter A or without the letter B are used, the corresponding explanations apply in each case to both sides.A respective pair of rails each has a lower rail 14 fixedly connected to the vehicle body and an upper rail 16 which is displaceable relative thereto in the longitudinal direction L. A retaining element 18 and a rail-side lock part 20 are each firmly fixed to the upper rail 16, for example in a form-fitting and / or materially integral manner, for example screwed, riveted, welded, etc.For seat longitudinal adjustment, the upper rails 16 are moved relative to the lower rails in the longitudinal direction L. This is effected in the exemplary embodiment with motor support, wherein for this purpose an electric motor 22 is shown in FIG. 2, which is arranged in a cross beam via which the two upper rails 16 are connected to one another. For the longitudinal adjustment, a suitably designed adjustment mechanism, in particular a spindle drive, is integrated in a respective rail pair.As can be clearly seen from FIG. 2, the two rail-side lock parts 20A, 20B are offset relative to one another by an offset X in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the outer rail-side lock part 20A is offset further forward in the longitudinal direction L as compared with the inner rail-side lock part 20B.For this purpose, the outer upper rail 16A is offset forward overall in the longitudinal direction L by the offset X relative to the inner upper rail 16B. The outer rail-side lock part 20A is attached to the rear rail end of the outer upper rail 16A and the outer holding member 18A is attached to a front rail end. These two components 16A, 18A preferably each terminate flush with a rail end.Compared to the outer upper rail 16A, the inner upper rail 16B is recessed rearward. The inner rail-side lock part 20B is again arranged at a rear rail end. The relative position of the respective rail-side lock part 20 in relation to the respective upper rail is identical on both sides. By the offset of the two upper rails 16A, 16B with respect to one another, the desired offset of the rail-side lock parts 20A, 20B is thus achieved.In order to simultaneously ensure the articulation positions of the rocker levers 12 at identical axial positions, the relative position of the retaining elements 18A, 18B to the respective upper rail 16A, 16B differs. Namely, the inner support member 18B is offset forward relative to the inner upper rail 16B and compared to the outer support member 18A and the outer upper rail 16A. This is preferably such that the inner holding element 18B projects forward in the longitudinal direction beyond the inner upper rail 16B, this preferably once again exactly by the offset X.The respective holding elements 18 each have bearing openings which form bearing points for the rocker arms 12. In the exemplary embodiment, two bearing openings are formed in each case. The bearing openings of the opposing holding elements 18 that correspond to one another are located here on a common rocker arm rotational axis.For the design of the tilting mechanism, therefore, two tilting levers 12 are arranged on each side on the respective holding element 18, which are mounted pivotably on the respective holding element 18 on the one hand and on the seat frame 4 and there especially on the seat part 6 on the other hand. The tilting levers 12 together with the holding element 18 and the seat frame 4 thus form a tilting mechanism overall in order to tilt the seat frame 4 obliquely forwards into the desired easy-entry function. The transfer from the normal position into the easy-entry position takes place in particular by motor with the aid of an electric motor (not shown).The offset X of the rail-side lock parts 20 achieves in particular that a space conflict between a lock device 24 and a belt buckle 26 is cancelled or at least reduced.In Figures 3A and 3B, a conventional design without offset X (Figure 3A) is compared to a new design with offset X (Figure 3B) described herein. The detail side views first clearly show the tilting mechanism described above. In FIGS. 3A, 3B, the seat frame 4 is in a normal position. In this, the seat frame 4 is firmly locked to the rail system 10 via the lock parts 20 arranged on both sides. In addition to the rail-side lock part 20, the respective lock device 24 also has a seat-side lock part 28.The belt buckle 26 is mounted at a defined and largely fixedly predetermined mounting position, in particular via a screw fastening. As can be clearly seen by comparing the two FIGS. 3A, 3B, in the embodiment with the inner rail-side lock part 20B offset to the rear and thus by displacing the entire lock device 24 to the rear a distance from the mounting position of the belt buckle 26 is achieved. At the same time, the tilting mechanism remains unchanged and the inner and outer tilting levers are arranged at the same length positions.Due to the offset arrangement of the two lock devices 24, the widening E for the entry region shown in FIG. 1 is also enlarged at the same time, so that an additional advantage is thereby obtained.The respective upper rail 16 together with the respective retaining element 18 and the respective rail-side lock part 20 respectively forms an assembly. This is shown for the outer component group in FIGS. 4A, 4B, once as an exploded illustration and once in the final assembled state. Analogously, the corresponding components for the inner component group are illustrated in FIGS. 5A, 5B.By comparing the final assembled state in FIG. 4B on the one hand and FIG. 5B on the other hand, it can be easily seen that in the inner assembly, a distance A between the inner holding member 18B and the inner rail-side lock part 20B is increased compared to the outer component group according to FIG. 4B. It can be seen clearly that the inner holding element 18B projects beyond a front rail end of the inner upper rail 16B.It can also be seen that the holding elements 18 are each designed in the exemplary embodiment as, in particular, flat sheet metal parts which have an offset in the longitudinal direction, for example, so that a front flat piece is arranged offset in the transverse direction with respect to a rear flat piece. In each case, one of the bearing openings described above for a respective rocker lever 12 is formed in a respective flat piece. The holding elements 18 are therefore designed at an angle and are also referred to as upper rail holding angles.Furthermore, the design of the rail-side lock parts 20 can be seen. These each have a locking bolt 30 which is held in a bolt holder 32. The bolt holder 32 has an upper part 34 with a recess through which a corresponding locking lever of the seat-side lock part 28 can engage and engage around the locking bolt 30. The bolt holder 32 furthermore has two opposite side parts in which the locking bolt 30 is held in addition or alternatively to the upper part 34. One of these side parts is designed as a side tab 36 which runs laterally along the upper rail 16 and engages under the latter with a hook-shaped end region. As a result, a crash lock is formed, so that in the event of a crash, the holding element 18 is reliably held on the rail system 10.As can be seen from FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5A, 5B, the upper rails 16, the holding elements 18 and the rail-side lock part are 20 identical parts or mirrored identical parts.Identical components and thus identical parts are thus used for the rail-side lock parts 20.The holding elements 18A, 18B are likewise-except for a mirrored configuration with respect to a mirror plane-identical and are therefore configured as mirrored identical parts.The same also applies to the upper rail 16A, 16B, which are likewise designed-apart from a mirrored configuration with respect to the mirror plane-identically therewith as mirrored identical parts.The mirror plane is in each case formed by a vertical plane which is spanned by the longitudinal direction L and a vertical direction.The assembled component groups according to FIGS. 4B, 5B therefore differ only-except for the mirrored configurations of the upper rails 16 and of the holding elements 18-by a different relative positioning of the holding elements 18 with respect to the upper rail 16.List of reference characters2 Vehicle seat 4 Seat frame 6 Seat part 8 Backrest part 10 Rail system 12 Rocker lever 14 Lower rail 16A Outer upper rail 16B Inner upper rail 18A Outer holding element 18B Inner holding element 20A Outer rail-side lock part 20B Inner rail-side lock part 22 Electric motor 24 Lock device 26 Belt buckle 28 Seat-side lock part 30 Locking bolt 32 Bolt holder 34 Upper part 36 Side link E Extension L Longitudinal direction X Offset A Distance

Claims

Vehicle seat (2) with easy-entry function, having a seat frame (4) and a rail system (10) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and having two oppositely arranged rail pairs, which each have an upper rail (16A, 16B), namely an inner upper rail (16B) and an outer upper rail (16A), and a lower rail (14), wherein the seat frame (4) is fastened on the rail system (10) and can be tilted from a normal position into an easy-entry position, wherein tilting levers (12) are arranged, which are fastened on the one hand to the seat frame (4) and on the other hand to a respective holding element (18A, 18B), namely an inner holding element (18B) and an outer holding element (16A), wherein the respective holding element (18A, 18b) is fixedly connected to the respective upper rail (16A, 16B) and wherein two lock devices (24), namely an inner lock device and an outer lock device, are each arranged with two lock parts (20, 28) for locking the seat frame (4) on the rail system (10) in the normal position, and the one rail-side lock part (20) is attached to the respective upper rail (16A, 16B) and the other seat-side lock part (28) is attached to the seat frame (4), wherein the two rail-side lock parts (20) are arranged offset with respect to one another by an offset (X) in the longitudinal direction (L).Vehicle seat (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the outer lock device (24) is offset forwards in the longitudinal direction (L) with respect to the inner lock device (24).Vehicle seat (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one and in particular all of the components selected from upper rails (16A, 16B), retaining elements (18A, 18B) and rail-side lock parts (20) are identical parts or at least mirrored identical parts.Vehicle seat (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two upper rails (16A, 16B) have the same length.Vehicle seat (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two upper rails (16A, 16B) are arranged offset with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction (L).Vehicle seat (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the respective retaining element (18A, 18B) and the respective rail-side lock part (20) are fastened to the two upper rails (16A, 16B) at a different distance (A) from one another.Vehicle seat (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two holding elements (18A, 18B) are arranged at the same length position.Vehicle seat (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner retaining element (18B) projects forwards in the longitudinal direction (L) with respect to the inner upper rail (16B).The vehicle seat (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the offset is in the range of 10 mm to 60 mm.Vehicle seat (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the respective rail-side lock part (20) has a locking bolt (30) fastened in a bolt holder (32), and the bolt holder (32) is fastened to the respective upper rail (16A, 16B).Vehicle seat (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the bolt holder (32) has at least one side tab (36) with which it engages under the upper rail (16A, 16B).

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