Seat sliding device and method for manufacturing the device

Abstract

The cover member can be attached during the assembly of the lower and upper rails, and is difficult to detach from the upper rail. [Solution] The seat slide device comprises a lower rail 1 extending along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, an upper rail 2 that moves relative to the lower rail 1 along its longitudinal direction, and a first rolling member 3 and a second rolling member 4 positioned between the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2. A cover member 5 made of ultraviolet-curing resin, integrally molded to cover the rear end face 13, is provided on at least the rear end face 13 of the front end face 2b and rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat slide device and a method for manufacturing the same. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] A seat slide device described in Patent Document 1 includes a lower rail extending along the vehicle front-rear direction, an upper rail that moves relatively along the longitudinal direction of the lower rail, and a lid member that is detachably provided on the rear end face of the upper rail in the vehicle front-rear direction and covers the rear end face and the opening inside the rear end face.

[0003] The lower rail has a bottom wall fixed to the vehicle, a pair of outer walls bent upward from both left and right ends of the bottom wall, and a pair of inward flanges bent inward from the upper ends of the pair of outer walls. On the other hand, the upper rail has an upper wall on which a seat is placed, a pair of inner walls bent downward from both left and right sides of the upper wall, and a pair of outward flanges bent outward from the lower ends of the pair of inner walls. Each outward flange of the upper rail is disposed between each outer wall and each inward flange of the lower rail.

[0004] Further, the lid member has a plate-shaped protection portion that covers the rear end face of the upper rail and the opening inside the rear end face, and a pair of first claw portions and a pair of second claw portions that protrude from the inner surface of the protection portion toward the inner side of the upper rail along the vehicle front-rear direction. Each first claw portion is located inside the inner wall of the upper rail to prevent interference with the inward flange of the lower rail, and is engaged with a first engagement hole formed in the inner wall. Each second claw portion is engaged with a second engagement hole formed in the inner wall from the outer side of the inner wall of the upper rail.

[0005] In such seat sliding devices, the rear end of the upper rail, to which the cover member is attached, may be positioned behind the rear end of the lower rail in the vehicle's longitudinal direction in order to adjust the seat position. Therefore, the cover member has the function of ensuring safety by preventing a person sitting behind the seat from injuring their feet on the exposed rear end surface of the upper rail. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-154768 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In the seat sliding device described in Patent Document 1, the lid member is detachably attached to the rear end face of the upper rail. However, when the feet of a person sitting behind the seat come into contact with the lid member, it is necessary to prevent the lid member from detaching from the upper rail.

[0008] Furthermore, in the seat slide device described in Patent Document 1, each first claw portion of the lid member engages with the first engagement hole from the inside of the inner wall of the upper rail. However, these first claw portions are weak against loads from above, and there is a problem that the lid member tends to slide downward relative to the upper rail.

[0009] Therefore, the sheet sliding device described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a second claw portion and a second engagement hole, and detachment and displacement are prevented by engagement with the four claw portions, but the problem of the lid member easily detaching from the upper rail still remains.

[0010] Furthermore, generally speaking, seat slide devices such as the one described in Patent Document 1 may have rolling members such as balls interposed between the lower rail and the upper rail in order to suppress friction between them.

[0011] Furthermore, in a seat slide device having such rolling members, it is conceivable to pre-attach a cover member integrally to the rear end face of the upper rail by molding or the like. However, when inserting the rolling members between the lower rail and the upper rail, it is necessary to insert the rolling members while deforming the outward flange in the width direction of the upper rail, so there is a risk that the cover member may not be able to follow the deformation of the outward flange and may be damaged.

[0012] This invention was devised in view of conventional practices, and one of its objectives is to provide a cover member that can be attached during the assembly work of the lower rail and upper rail, and that has improved strength against detachment from the upper rail. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The present invention relates to a seat slide device comprising a lower rail extending along the longitudinal direction of a vehicle, an upper rail that moves relative to the lower rail along the longitudinal direction of the lower rail, and a rolling member disposed between the lower rail and the upper rail, wherein at least the rear end face of the front and rear end faces of the upper rail in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is provided with a cover member made of ultraviolet-curing resin that is integrally molded to cover the rear end face. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cover member that can be attached during the assembly work of the lower rail and upper rail, and that has improved strength against detachment from the upper rail. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a top view of a seat slide device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the sheet slide device cut along line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the upper rail. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the upper rail with the lid component molded as a single unit. [Figure 5] This is a partial cross-sectional view of the upper rail including the lid member of Fig. 4, cut at the center in the left-right direction when viewed from the upper surface of the upper rail along the vehicle front-rear direction. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the lid member. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the mold member. [Figure 8] (a) is a top view of the mold member, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the mold member cut along line B-B in (a). [Figure 9] This is a partial cross-sectional view showing the mold member in a state where the rear end portion of the upper rail is inserted. [Figure 10] This is a process diagram showing the step of inserting the rear end portion of the upper rail into the groove portion of the mold member. [Figure 11] This is a process diagram showing the step of irradiating the ultraviolet curable resin in the mold member with ultraviolet rays. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the seat slide device of the present invention is used for a vehicle seat will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a top view of the seat slide device according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the seat slide device cut along line A-A in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper rail 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the upper rail 2 in a state where the lid member 5 is integrally molded. Note that although the illustration of the lid member 5 is omitted in Fig. 1, the upper rail 2 of the actual seat slide device is provided with the lid member 5 as shown in Fig. 4.

[0018] In each figure, "vehicle longitudinal direction" refers to the direction along the longitudinal direction of the lower rail 1. The front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction is the side where the cover member 5 described later is not provided (right side in Figure 1, rear side in Figures 3 and 4), while the rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction is the side where the cover member 5 is provided (left side in Figure 1, front side in Figures 3 and 4). Furthermore, "up and down direction" refers to the up and down direction when the seat slide device is fixed to the vehicle floor surface, and is the direction perpendicular to the vehicle floor surface, i.e., the vehicle height direction. In addition, "left and right direction" refers to the left and right direction when the seat slide device is fixed to the vehicle floor surface, and is the direction perpendicular to both the vehicle longitudinal direction and the up and down direction.

[0019] The seat slide device applied to a vehicle mainly comprises a lower rail 1 extending along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, an upper rail 2 provided so as to be relatively movable along the longitudinal direction of the lower rail 1 and constituting a rail assembly together with the lower rail 1, a first rolling member 3 and a second rolling member 4 interposed between the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2, and a cover member 5.

[0020] The lower rail 1 is formed by pressing a long, narrow metal sheet and bending both the left and right ends. As shown in Figure 2, the lower rail 1 has a bottom wall 6 fixed to the floor surface of the vehicle via a fixing member (not shown), a pair of outer walls 7 bent upward from both the left and right ends of the bottom wall 6, and a pair of inward-facing flanges 8 bent inward from the upper ends of the pair of outer walls 7.

[0021] Each outer wall 7 is formed to allow elastic deformation in the left-right direction (width direction of the lower rail 1) relative to the bottom wall 6. Each outer wall 7 has an inclined portion 7a that slopes outward and diagonally upward from the bottom wall 6, and a straight portion 7b that extends vertically (vertical direction in Figure 2) from the end of the inclined portion 7a that is on the opposite side from the bottom wall 6.

[0022] Furthermore, each inward-facing flange 8 has a horizontal portion 8a extending inward from the end opposite to the inclined portion 7a of the straight portion 7b, so as to be generally parallel to the bottom wall 6, and an inward-facing flange component 8b extending downward from the end of the horizontal portion 8a opposite to the straight portion 7b.

[0023] The upper rail 2 is formed by pressing a long, narrow metal sheet and bending both the left and right ends. As shown in Figure 2, the upper rail 2 has an upper wall 9 attached to the underside of the sheet via a fixing member (not shown), a pair of inner walls 10 bent downward from both the left and right ends of the upper wall 9 so as to be roughly perpendicular to the upper wall 9, and a pair of outward-facing flanges 11 bent outward from the lower ends of the inner walls 10.

[0024] Each outward-facing flange 11 is formed to allow elastic deformation in the left-right direction (width direction of the lower rail 1) relative to each inner wall 10. Each outward-facing flange 11 is formed integrally with the lower end of the inner wall 10 and has a first curved portion 11a that is curved in an arc shape and is convex upward, a sloped portion 11b that is linearly inclined outward from the end of the first curved portion 11a opposite to the inner wall 10, and a second curved portion 11c that is curved in an arc shape and is convex downward, extending inward from the end of the sloped portion 11b opposite to the first curved portion 11a.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the first curved portion 11a has a first arcuate surface S1 that is convex upwards. Between this first arcuate surface S1 and a second arcuate surface S2 that is convex upwards and formed on the inside of the boundary between the bottom wall 6 of the lower rail 1 and the inclined portion 7a, a ball, which is the first rolling member 3, is rotatably arranged. The rolling of this first rolling member 3 suppresses friction between the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2, and allows the upper rail 2 to move smoothly relative to the lower rail 1.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the second curved portion 11c has a third arcuate surface S3 that is convex downwards. Between this third arcuate surface S3 and a fourth arcuate surface S4 that is convex upwards and formed on the inside of the boundary between the straight portion 7b and the horizontal portion 8a of the lower rail 1, a ball, which is a second rolling member 4 with a smaller diameter than the first rolling member 3, is rotatably arranged. The rolling of this second rolling member 4 suppresses friction between the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2, and allows the upper rail 2 to move smoothly relative to the lower rail 1.

[0027] The first rolling member 3 and the second rolling member 4 are supported by a ball retainer 12 that extends between the outer wall 7 of the lower rail 1 and the outward flange 11 of the upper rail 2.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the upper rail 2 has a rear end face 13 provided at the rear end 2a in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The rear end face 13 has a first end face 13a corresponding to the upper wall 9, a pair of second end faces 13b corresponding to the pair of inner walls 10, and a pair of third end faces 13c corresponding to the pair of outward-facing flanges 11. A roughly rectangular opening 14 is formed between the first end face 13a and the pair of second end faces 13b.

[0029] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the portion of the upper rail 2 including the cover member 5 shown in Figure 4, cut at the center in the left-right direction when viewed from the top surface of the upper rail along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the cover member 5.

[0030] The lid member 5 is formed integrally with the rear end portion 2a of the upper rail 2 by filling the groove portion 18 and relief portion 19c of the mold member 17 (described later) with liquid ultraviolet-curable resin and curing the liquid ultraviolet-curable resin by irradiating ultraviolet light from the outside of the mold member 17. The lid member 5 is a plate-shaped member that covers the first end face 13a, a pair of second end faces 13b and a pair of third end faces 13c of the upper rail 2, and most of the opening 14 formed between the first end face 13a and the pair of second end faces 13b. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the cover member 5 has a protective portion 15 that is a rectangular plate shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is bonded to the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9, the second end faces 13b of the pair of inner walls 10, and the third end face 13c of the pair of outward-facing flanges 11, and a reinforcing portion 16 that protrudes from the inner surface 15a of the protective portion 15 inward towards the upper rail 2 along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is bonded to the inner surface 9a of the upper wall 9 and the inner surface 10a of the pair of inner walls 10.

[0031] As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the protective portion 15 has a generally rectangular plate-shaped base portion 15b that covers the first end face 13a and a portion of the pair of second end faces 13b, and most of the opening 14 formed between the first end face 13a and the pair of second end faces 13b, and a pair of generally arc-shaped arc portions 15c that extend from a pair of corners on the lower end side of the base portion 15b and cover the remaining portion of the pair of second end faces 13b and the pair of third end faces 13c. As shown in Figure 4, the length L1 of the base portion 15b in the vertical direction is shorter than the length L2 of the inner wall 10 of the upper rail 2 in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the vertical height of the portion P of the base portion 15b of the protective portion 15 adjacent to the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9 is greater than the vertical height of the upper wall 9. In other words, the upper surface Pa of portion P is located above the upper surface 9b of the upper wall 9 of the upper rail 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, rectangular notches 15d are formed on both sides of the base 15b, near the lower end of the base 15b.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6, the reinforcing portion 16 is a rectangular plate shape slightly smaller than the base portion 15b of the protective portion 15, and protrudes from the inner surface of the base portion 15b (the inner surface 15a of the protective portion 15) such that the base portion 15b leaves a generally U-shaped continuous portion that adheres to the first end surface 13a and a pair of second end surfaces 13b of the upper rail 2. The reinforcing portion 16 has an upper surface portion 16a located inside the upper rail 2 and adhering to the inner surface 9a of the upper wall 9 (see Figures 2 and 5), and a pair of side portions 16b located inside the upper rail 2 and adhering to the inner surface 10a of a pair of inner walls 10 (see Figures 2 and 5).

[0033] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the mold member 17. Figure 8(a) is a top view of the mold member 17, and Figure 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the mold member 17 cut along line BB in Figure 8(a). Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the mold member 17 with the rear end 2a of the upper rail 2 inserted.

[0034] The mold member 17 is a mold for forming the lid member 5 by filling it with liquid ultraviolet-curing resin and curing the ultraviolet-curing resin by irradiating it with ultraviolet light from the outside of the mold member 17. The mold member 17 is formed in a plate shape from a material that is transparent to ultraviolet light and flexible, in this embodiment, silicone. As shown in Figures 7 and 8(a), a groove 18 is formed at the center of the upper surface 17a of the mold member 17, having a contour corresponding to the outer shape of the lid member 5 and recessed to a predetermined depth from the upper surface 17a. The predetermined depth of the groove 18 is such that the rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the upper wall 9 adjacent to the rear end face 13, a pair of inner walls 10, and a pair of outward-facing flanges 11 can be inserted.

[0035] The groove portion 18 has a central groove recess 19 that is roughly rectangular in shape and corresponds to the outer shape of the base portion 15b of the protective portion 15, and a pair of arc groove recesses 20 that communicate with the central groove recess 19 and correspond to the outer shapes of the pair of arc portions 15c of the protective portion 15. The central groove recess 19 has a pair of side walls 19a located on the side that connects to the pair of arc groove recesses 20.

[0036] As shown in Figure 8(a), a projection 21 is formed on each side wall 19a at a position closer to the arc groove recess 20, projecting from each side wall 19a toward the central groove recess 19. This projection 21 is integrally formed with both the side wall 19a and the bottom surface 19b of the central groove recess 19. As shown in Figure 8(a), when viewed from above the groove portion 18, this projection 21 has a rectangular shape with a long side along the side wall 19a. The thickness of this projection 21 (thickness along the vertical direction in Figure 7) corresponds to the thickness of the protective portion 15 (thickness along the vertical direction in Figure 6). The projection 21 has a rectangular contact surface 21a that the second end surface 13b of the inner wall 10 of the upper rail 2 abuts against during the insertion step of the rear end 2a of the upper rail 2 into the groove portion 18 of the mold member 17 in the manufacturing method of the sheet slide device. The central groove recess 19 and the pair of arc groove recesses 20, below the contact surface 21a, form the space for the base 15b and the pair of arc portions 15c of the protective portion 15.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8(a) and 9, the portion of the space between the pair of protrusions 21 in the central groove recess 19 that is located above the contact surface 21a of the protrusions 21 is the space inside the upper wall 9 and the pair of inner walls 10 of the upper rail 2, and is a relief portion 19c that contributes to the formation of the reinforcing portion 16 of the lid member 5.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8(b) and 9, the mold member 17 is formed such that the vertical height of the portion P adjacent to the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9 of the protective portion 15 is greater than the vertical height of the upper wall 9 (see Figure 5), with the bottom surface 19b side of the central groove recess 19 of the groove portion 18 being wider. More specifically, a recess portion 19e is formed in the portion of the intermediate wall 19d that is perpendicular to the pair of side walls 19a of the central groove recess 19 and is adjacent to the bottom surface 19b, recessing outward from the intermediate wall 19d.

[0039] Liquid ultraviolet-curing resin is filled into the groove 18 configured in this way. The liquid ultraviolet-curing resin is filled up to a position near the upper surface 17a of the mold member 17, as shown by the dashed line R in Figure 8(b).

[0040] Figure 10 is a process diagram showing the insertion of the rear end portion 2a of the upper rail 2 into the groove portion 18 of the mold member 17. Figure 11 is a process diagram showing the irradiation of ultraviolet light onto the ultraviolet-curing resin inside the mold member 17. Note that in Figures 10 and 11, the lower rail 1, the first rolling member 3, and the second rolling member 4 are omitted from the illustration for clarity. The insertion process and irradiation process shown in Figures 10 and 11 are performed as part of the assembly work of the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2.

[0041] First, the lower rail 1 and upper rail 2 are formed by bending both ends of a long, narrow metal sheet using a press process. Then, the first rolling member 3 and the second rolling member 4 are inserted between the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2 together with the ball retainer 12, and the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2 are assembled. In this assembly, the rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2 protrudes from the rear end face 1b of the lower rail 1 toward the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (see Figure 1).

[0042] Next, as shown in Figure 10, the upper rail 2, assembled to the lower rail 1, is attached to a jig (not shown) with the rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2 facing downwards. This jig is movable up and down relative to the mold member 17 by a lifting device (not shown).

[0043] Furthermore, although not shown in Figure 10, liquid ultraviolet-curing resin is filled into the groove 18 (including the relief portion 19c) of the mold member 17.

[0044] Then, by lowering the upper rail 2 as shown by arrow A in Figure 10, the rear end 2a of the upper rail 2 is inserted into the groove 18 until the second end faces 13b of the pair of inner walls 10 of the upper rail 2 come into contact with the contact surfaces 21a of the pair of projections 21 of the groove 18.

[0045] Next, as shown by arrow B in Figure 11, ultraviolet light is irradiated from below the mold member 17 using an ultraviolet irradiation device (not shown). As a result, the ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the liquid ultraviolet-curable resin through the mold member 17, and the ultraviolet-curable resin hardens. This hardening causes the lid member 5 to be integrally molded with the rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2, the inner surface 9a of the upper wall 9, and the inner surfaces 10a of the pair of inner walls 10.

[0046] After the lid member 5 is formed, the upper rail 2 is raised relative to the mold member 17.

[0047] As described above, in this embodiment, the first rolling member 3 and the second rolling member 4 are inserted together with the ball retainer 12 between the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2, and then the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2 are assembled. A cover member 5 made of ultraviolet curing resin is molded integrally with the rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2 so as to cover the rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2 that is assembled to the lower rail 1.

[0048] In this way, the first rolling member 3 and the like are inserted between the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2, and the cover member 5 is molded integrally with the rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2. This prevents the cover member 5 from coming off during the manufacturing of the seat slide device, and allows the cover member 5 to be attached to the rear end 2a of the upper rail 2 during the assembly work of the lower rail 1 and the upper rail 2.

[0049] Furthermore, since the lid member 5, made of ultraviolet-curing resin, is integrally molded with the rear end surface 13 provided on the rear end 2a of the upper rail 2, even if a person's foot hits the lid member 5 from the rear of the seat slide device, the strength against detachment from the upper rail 2 can be improved compared to the case where the lid member is connected to the rear end of the upper rail via a claw portion.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lid member 5 has a plate-shaped protective portion 15 that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is bonded to the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9 of the upper rail 2, the second end face 13b of the pair of inner walls 10, and the third end face 13c of the pair of outward-facing flanges 11, and a reinforcing portion 16 that protrudes from the inner surface 15a of the protective portion 15 inward from the upper rail 2 along the vehicle longitudinal direction and is bonded to the inner surfaces of the upper wall 9 and the pair of inner walls 10. As a result, the lid member 5 is contained within the range of the first end face 13a, second end face 13b, and third end face 13c of the upper rail 2, as well as the upper wall 9 and the pair of inner walls 10, and does not extend to the pair of inward-facing flanges 8 of the lower rail 1. Therefore, it is possible to ensure strength against detachment of the lid member 5 while suppressing interference with the pair of inward-facing flanges 8 of the lower rail 1. Furthermore, since the lid member 5 is bonded not only to the first end face 13a, second end face 13b, and third end face 13c of the upper rail 2, but also to the inner surface 9a of the upper wall 9 and the inner surface 10a of the pair of inner walls 10, the strength against detachment of the lid member 5 can be improved compared to the case where the lid member 5 is bonded only to the first end face 13a, second end face 13b, and third end face 13c of the upper rail 2.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vertical height of the portion P of the protective part 15 adjacent to the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9 is greater than the vertical height of the upper wall 9. Therefore, it is possible to suppress even slight exposure of the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9 to the outside. Moreover, even if a small amount of burrs or the like remain on the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9, the protective part 15 can cover the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mold member 17 is formed in a plate shape from a material that is transparent to ultraviolet light and flexible, and in this embodiment, silicone. Therefore, the flexibility of the mold member 17 absorbs variations in the dimensions of individual upper members, and the protective part 15 can be formed stably.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the portion of the space between the pair of protrusions 21 in the central groove recess 19 that is located above the contact surface 21a of the protrusions 21 is the space inside the upper wall 9 and the pair of inner walls 10 of the upper rail 2, and is a relief portion 19c that contributes to the molding of the reinforcing portion 16 of the lid member 5. Therefore, even if a large amount of liquid ultraviolet curing resin is filled into the groove portion 18 of the mold member 17, the excess ultraviolet curing resin is released into the relief portion 19c, so that the protective portion 15 and the reinforcing portion 16 can be stably formed while suppressing the overflow of ultraviolet curing resin to the outside of the upper rail 2.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mold member 17 is formed such that the vertical height of the portion P adjacent to the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9 in the protective portion 15 is greater than the vertical height of the upper wall 9, with the bottom surface 19b side of the central groove recess 19 of the groove portion 18 being wider. This allows the vertical height of the portion P adjacent to the first end face 13a of the upper wall 9 in the protective portion 15 to be greater than the vertical height of the upper wall 9. In addition, since the mold member 17 is made of a flexible material, the UV-curing resin can escape to the bottom surface 19b side of the central groove recess 19 of the groove portion 18, thereby suppressing the overflow of UV-curing resin to the outside of the upper rail 2.

[0055] In the above embodiment, an example of a cover member 5 that covers the rear end face 13 of the upper rail 2 and the opening 14 inside the rear end face 13 was described, but a cover member may also be provided on the front end face 2b located on the front side of the upper rail 2 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 1...Lower rail, 2...Upper rail, 3...First rolling member, 4...Second rolling member, 5...Cover member, 9...Upper wall, 10...Inner wall, 11...Outward flange, 13...Rear end face, 13a...First end face, 13b...Second end face, 13c...Third end face, 17...Mold member, 18...Groove section, 19c...Relief section

Claims

1. A lower rail that extends along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, An upper rail that moves relative to the lower rail along the longitudinal direction, A seat slide device comprising a rolling member disposed between the lower rail and the upper rail, A seat slide device characterized in that at least the rear end face of the upper rail in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is provided with a cover member made of ultraviolet-curing resin, which is integrally molded to cover the rear end face.

2. The upper rail has an upper wall on which the sheet is placed, a pair of inner walls bent downward from both the left and right sides of the upper wall, and a pair of outward-facing flanges bent outward from the lower ends of the pair of inner walls. The lower rail has a bottom wall fixed to the vehicle, a pair of outer walls bent upward from both the left and right ends of the bottom wall, and a pair of inward-facing flanges bent inward from the upper ends of the pair of outer walls. The seat slide device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover member has a plate-shaped protective portion that is bonded to the upper wall, the pair of inner walls and the end faces of the pair of outward-facing flanges and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a reinforcing portion that protrudes from the inner surface of the protective portion toward the inside of the upper rail along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is bonded to the inner surfaces of the upper wall and the pair of inner walls.

3. The sheet slide device according to claim 2, characterized in that the vertical height of the portion of the protective part adjacent to the end face of the upper wall is greater than the vertical height of the upper wall.

4. It has a bottom wall, a pair of outer walls bent upward from both the left and right ends of the bottom wall, and a pair of inward-facing flanges bent inward from the upper ends of the pair of outer walls, forming a lower rail that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. An upper rail is formed having an upper wall, a pair of inner walls bent downward from both the left and right sides of the upper wall, and a pair of outward-facing flanges bent outward from the lower ends of the pair of inner walls. The upper rail is assembled to the lower rail via a rolling member. The mold member has a groove into which the rear end face of the upper rail in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the upper wall adjacent to the rear end face, the pair of inner walls, and the pair of outward-facing flanges can be inserted, and the groove has a relief portion corresponding to the space inside the upper wall and the pair of inner walls, and the mold member is made of a material that is transparent to ultraviolet light and flexible, and the mold member is installed. Liquid ultraviolet-curing resin is filled into the groove and relief portion of the mold member. The portion of the upper rail including the rear end face is inserted into the groove filled with the ultraviolet curing resin. A method for manufacturing a sheet slide device, comprising irradiating the ultraviolet-curing resin in the groove and the relief portion with ultraviolet light via the mold member to form a lid member.

5. The groove portion is bonded to the upper wall, the pair of inner walls, and the end faces of the pair of outward-facing flanges to form a plate-shaped protective portion extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and a reinforcing portion that protrudes from the inner surface of the protective portion toward the inside of the upper rail along the vehicle's longitudinal direction and is bonded to the inner surfaces of the upper wall and the pair of inner walls. The method for manufacturing a sheet slide device according to claim 4, characterized in that the mold member has a wide bottom surface of the groove such that the vertical height of the portion of the protective part adjacent to the end surface of the upper wall is greater than the vertical height of the upper wall.

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