Slide device and method for assembling slide device

Abstract

To provide a sliding device in which an unintended movement of a slider can be prevented, and a method for assembling the sliding device.SOLUTION: A sliding device 1 comprises: a rail 11 in which multiple locking holes are arranged along an extension direction; a slider 12 which is supported to be capable of moving in a sliding movement relative to the rail; a gearbox 20 which includes a screw member 27 that meshes with the locking holes, and which is fixed to the slider; and an electric motor 21 which rotationally drives the screw member so as to slide the slider relatively to the rail. The gearbox is provided with a rotation restricting device 55, which frictionally locks the screw member and restricts rotation of the screw member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sliding device and a method for assembling the sliding device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a slide device provided between a floor and a vehicle seat. The slide device of Patent Document 1 has a rail and a slider slidably engaged with the rail. To enable the slider to slide, the slide device further includes a screw member rotatably supported by the slider with an axis along the extension direction of the rail, a screw engagement portion formed on the rail to engage with the screw member, and an electric motor that rotates the screw member. When the electric motor drives the screw member to rotate, the slide moves relative to the rail due to the engagement between the screw member and the screw engagement portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0080862 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The inventors of the present application found that in the sliding device of Patent Document 1, when the motor is not driven and, for example, the rotating shaft can rotate relatively freely, the slider may move relative to the rail due to vibrations, etc. This causes a problem in that the vehicle seat may move unintentionally by the user.

[0005] In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide a slide device capable of preventing unintended movement of a slider, and a method for assembling the slide device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention is a slide device (1), comprising: a rail (11) having a plurality of engagement holes (15) arranged in a line in the extension direction; a slider (12) supported so as to be slidable relative to the rail; a gear box (20) fixed to the slider, the gear box including a screw member (27) that engages with the engagement hole; and an electric motor (21) that rotates the screw member to slide the slider relative to the rail, and the gear box is provided with a rotation restriction device (55) that frictionally engages the screw member and restricts the rotation of the screw member.

[0007] According to this aspect, the screw member is frictionally locked by the rotation restricting member, thereby preventing rotation of the screw member, and therefore it is possible to provide a sliding device that can prevent unintended movement of the slider.

[0008] In the above aspect, preferably, the screw member includes a cylindrical shaft portion (36) extending along a predetermined axis, and a male thread portion (37) provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion and having a helical thread (37A), the gearbox includes a housing (26) that rotatably supports the screw member and has side walls (41) facing each of the end faces located at both axial ends of the male thread portion, and the rotation restricting device frictionally locks the rotation of the screw member by pressing the screw member against one of the side walls.

[0009] According to this aspect, the screw member can be frictionally locked.

[0010] In the above aspect, the rotation restricting device preferably includes a biasing device (59) and an expansion device that expands by the biasing force of the biasing device and presses against the screw member and the side wall to frictionally engage with each other.

[0011] According to this aspect, by driving the electric motor to extend the telescopic device, the screw member can be brought into a frictionally locked state in which it cannot rotate freely.

[0012] In the above aspect, preferably, the telescopic device comprises two tubular members (61, 63, 64) arranged adjacent to each other and having an inner hole through which the shaft portion passes, and the tubular members each have an inclined surface (65) on each of their opposing surfaces that is inclined in the same direction circumferentially around the axis of the screw member, and the biasing device biases the telescopic device to extend by rotating the two tubular members in opposite directions and sliding them along the inclined surfaces.

[0013] According to this aspect, the tension device can be biased in the extension direction by the biasing device, and the screw member can be frictionally locked.

[0014] In the above aspect, preferably, the opposing surfaces of the telescopic device and the other of the side walls are provided with a reverse inclined surface (76) that is inclined in a direction opposite to that of the inclined surface about the axis.

[0015] According to this aspect, when the telescopic device is rotated while sliding on the reverse inclined surface, the telescopic device moves toward one side of the side wall. As a result, for example, by rotating the telescopic device, the screw member can be pushed out and pressed against one side of the side wall, thereby frictionally locking the screw member.

[0016] In the above aspect, the biasing device (59) preferably includes two biasing members (67, 68) connected to the housing and the two tubular members, respectively, and biasing the tubular members in directions to rotate them in opposite directions.

[0017] According to this aspect, the extension device can be extended to press the threaded member against the side wall and frictionally lock it.

[0018] In the above aspect, preferably, the tubular member is provided with a locking portion (70) for connecting the urging member, and the housing is provided with a through hole (75) through which at least one of the locking portions can pass, and the two tubular members are visible through the through hole.

[0019] According to this embodiment, the biasing member can be coupled to the tubular members, and the two tubular members can be visually confirmed.

[0020] In the above aspect, preferably, the tubular member located on the side of the side wall is provided with a stopper (78) on the end face facing the side wall, which engages with the side wall and restricts rotation of the tubular member located on the side of the side wall.

[0021] According to this aspect, it is possible to restrict the rotation of the cylindrical member, thereby enabling the screw member to be rotated by the drive of the electric motor.

[0022] In the above aspect, preferably, each of the cylindrical members is accommodated inside the housing.

[0023] According to this aspect, the gear box can be configured compactly.

[0024] In the above aspect, preferably, the gearbox is provided with a drive gear (48) that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotary shaft of the electric motor, and a driven gear (49) that is provided on the screw member and meshes with the drive gear.

[0025] According to this aspect, the power of the electric motor can be transmitted to the screw member, whereby the power for moving the slider relative to the rail can be transmitted to the screw member.

[0026] In the above embodiment, the gear box is preferably provided with a tool hole (51) for inserting a tool (80) for rotating the drive gear.

[0027] According to this aspect, the bevel gear can be rotated using the tool, whereby power can be transmitted to the screw member using the tool when the electric motor is not driven.

[0028] In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention is a method for assembling the above-mentioned slide device, comprising the steps of assembling the slider to the gear box and the electric motor, and assembling the slider to the rail.

[0029] According to this aspect, it is possible to assemble a slide device that can prevent unintended movement of the slider. Effect of the Invention

[0030] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a slide device comprising: a rail having a plurality of engagement holes arranged in an extension direction; a slider supported so as to be slidable relative to the rail; a gear box fixed to the slider, the gear box including a screw member that engages with the engagement hole; and an electric motor that rotates the screw member to slide the slider relative to the rail, the gear box being provided with a rotation restriction device that frictionally engages the screw member and restricts rotation of the screw member.

[0031] According to this aspect, the screw member is frictionally locked by the rotation restricting member, thereby preventing rotation of the screw member, and therefore it is possible to provide a sliding device that can prevent unintended movement of the slider.

[0032] In the above aspect, preferably, the screw member comprises a cylindrical shaft portion extending along a predetermined axis, and a male thread portion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion and having a helical thread, the gearbox has a housing that rotatably supports the screw member and has side walls facing each of the end faces located at both axial ends of the male thread portion, and the rotation restricting device frictionally locks the rotation of the screw member by pressing the screw member against one of the side walls.

[0033] According to this aspect, the screw member can be frictionally locked.

[0034] In the above aspect, the rotation restricting device preferably includes a biasing device, and an expansion device that expands by the biasing force of the biasing device and presses against the screw member and the side wall to frictionally engage with each other.

[0035] According to this aspect, by driving the electric motor to extend the telescopic device, the screw member can be brought into a frictionally locked state in which it cannot rotate freely.

[0036] In the above aspect, preferably, the telescopic device has an inner hole through which the shaft portion passes and includes two tubular members arranged adjacent to each other, and the tubular members each have an inclined surface on each of their opposing surfaces that is inclined in the same direction circumferentially around the axis of the screw member, and the biasing device biases the telescopic device to extend by rotating the two tubular members in opposite directions and sliding them along the inclined surfaces.

[0037] According to this aspect, the tension device can be biased in the extension direction by the biasing device, and the screw member can be frictionally locked.

[0038] In the above aspect, preferably, a reverse inclined surface inclined in a direction opposite to the inclined surface is provided on each of the opposing surfaces of the telescopic device and the other of the side walls, the reverse inclined surface being inclined about the axis.

[0039] According to this aspect, when the telescopic device is rotated while sliding on the reverse inclined surface, the telescopic device moves toward one side of the side wall. As a result, for example, by rotating the telescopic device, the screw member can be pushed out and pressed against one side of the side wall, thereby frictionally locking the screw member.

[0040] In the above aspect, the biasing device preferably includes two biasing members respectively connected to the housing and the two tubular members, and biasing the tubular members in directions to rotate them in opposite directions.

[0041] According to this aspect, the extension device can be extended to press the threaded member against the side wall and frictionally lock it.

[0042] In the above aspect, preferably, the tubular member has a locking portion for connecting the urging member, and the housing is provided with a through hole through which at least one of the locking portions can pass, and the two tubular members are visible through the through hole.

[0043] According to this embodiment, the biasing member can be coupled to the tubular members, and the two tubular members can be visually confirmed.

[0044] In the above aspect, preferably, the tubular member located on the side of the side wall is provided with a stopper on the end face facing the side wall, which engages with the side wall and restricts rotation of the tubular member located on the side of the side wall.

[0045] According to this aspect, it is possible to restrict the rotation of the cylindrical member, thereby enabling the screw member to be rotated by the drive of the electric motor.

[0046] In the above aspect, preferably, each of the cylindrical members is accommodated inside the housing.

[0047] According to this aspect, the gear box can be configured compactly.

[0048] In the above aspect, the gear box is preferably provided with a drive gear that rotates with rotation of the rotary shaft of the electric motor, and a driven gear that is provided on the screw member and meshes with the drive gear.

[0049] According to this aspect, the power of the electric motor can be transmitted to the screw member, whereby the power for moving the slider relative to the rail can be transmitted to the screw member.

[0050] In the above aspect, the gear box is preferably provided with a tool hole for inserting a tool for rotating the drive gear.

[0051] According to this aspect, the bevel gear can be rotated using the tool, whereby power can be transmitted to the screw member using the tool when the electric motor is not driven.

[0052] In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention is a method for assembling the above-mentioned slide device, comprising the steps of assembling the slider to the gear box and the electric motor, and assembling the slider to the rail.

[0053] According to this aspect, it is possible to assemble a slide device that can prevent unintended movement of the slider. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0054] [Figure 1] Diagram of vehicle seat configuration [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric slide rail according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] Cross-sectional view of an electric slide rail according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] Rail cross section [Diagram 5] A perspective view of a slide device [Figure 6] Exploded perspective view of a slide device [Figure 7] Top view of the gearbox with cover removed [Figure 8] Side view of the gearbox with cover removed [Figure 9] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a cylindrical member. [Figure 10] Cross-sectional view of the gearbox with cover attached at the position XX shown in Figure 8. [Figure 11] Gearbox top view [Figure 12](A) A top view of a gearbox attached to a fixed bracket and with a damper superimposed thereon, (B) a perspective view of a tool, and (C) an enlarged view of the vicinity of a tool hole in a modified gearbox. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining how to insert a tool into a tool hole. [Figure 14] 1A and 1B are explanatory views for explaining displacement of the first and second cylindrical members when the screw member is rotated clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, as viewed from the other side to one side; [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a side view of a vehicle interior in which a sliding device according to a second embodiment is provided; [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a slide rail according to a second embodiment; [Figure 17] Cross-sectional view of a slide rail according to a second embodiment. [Figure 18] Rail cross section [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a slide lock device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a slide lock device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 21] (A) is a cross-sectional view of a slide rail when an operating member is in an initial position, and (B) is an enlarged view of a portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line. [Figure 22] (A) is a cross-sectional view of a slide rail when an operating member is in an insertion position, and (B) is an enlarged view of the area surrounded by a two-dot chain line. [Diagram 23] Cross-sectional view of the slide rail when the operating member is in the pushed-in position. [Figure 24] (A) Locking member, and (B) Modified example of the locking member [Diagram 25] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining assembly of a locking member according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0055] The sliding device according to the present invention is provided between two structures and connects one structure to the other structure in a slidable manner. For example, the sliding device is provided between a floor and a seat of a vehicle and is used to connect the seat to the floor in a slidable manner. Alternatively, the sliding device may be provided between a base and a work holder and is used to connect the work holder to the base in a slidable manner.

[0056] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which a slide device according to the present invention is provided between a floor and a seat of a vehicle will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 1, the slide device 1 is provided between a floor 2 of a vehicle and a vehicle seat 3. The vehicle seat 3 has a seat cushion 5 that supports the buttocks of an occupant, and a seat back 6 that extends upward from the rear of the seat cushion 5 and supports the back of the occupant. The slide device 1 is provided between the floor 2 and the seat cushion 5, and supports the seat cushion 5 so that it can slide relative to the floor 2. A cover member 7 is provided on the side of the seat cushion 5 to hide the gap between the seat cushion 5 and the floor 2.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 2, the slide device 1 has left and right rails 11 extending in the front-rear direction, and left and right sliders 12 slidably supported on the rails 11. The extension direction of the rails 11 is defined as the front-rear direction. The extension direction of the rails 11 may or may not match the front-rear direction of the vehicle. In other words, the extension direction of the rails 11 does not limit the mounting direction on the vehicle. In this embodiment, the extension direction of the rails 11 matches the front-rear direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the sliders 12 are provided above the rails 11. Therefore, the rails 11 may be referred to as lower rails, and the sliders 12 may be referred to as upper rails.

[0059] 3 and 4, the rail 11 has a groove-shaped cross section. In detail, the rail 11 has a rail bottom wall 11A with faces facing up and down, left and right rail outer walls 11B extending upward from left and right edges of the rail bottom wall 11A with faces facing left and right, left and right rail upper walls 11C extending in directions approaching each other from upper ends of the left and right rail outer walls 11B with faces facing up and down, and left and right rail inner walls 11D extending downward from inner ends of the left and right rail upper walls 11C with faces facing left and right.

[0060] The rail bottom wall 11A, the left and right rail outer walls 11B, the left and right rail upper walls 11C, and the left and right rail inner walls 11D each extend in the front-rear direction. The left and right rail outer walls 11B and the left and right rail inner walls 11D extend parallel to each other and perpendicular to the rail bottom wall 11A. The lower ends of the left and right rail inner walls 11D are spaced apart from the rail bottom wall 11A. The rail 11 has a rail opening 11E extending in the front-rear direction at its upper portion. The rail opening 11E is defined by the left and right rail inner walls 11D. The rail 11 may be formed by press-molding a metal plate. The left and right edge sides of the rail bottom wall 11A may have a step portion 11F that is raised upward. The left and right step portions 11F extend in the front-rear direction and have flat upper surfaces.

[0061] The left and right rail inner walls 11D are each formed with a protrusion 11G that protrudes toward each other and extends in the front-rear direction. The left and right protrusions 11G may be formed in an arc-like or trapezoidal cross section. Each protrusion 11G may be disposed in the middle of the corresponding rail inner wall 11D in the up-down direction. The upper and lower ends of the left and right rail inner walls 11D are disposed outwardly of the protrusions 11G to the left and right.

[0062] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the rail 11 has a number of locking holes 15 arranged in the extending direction of the rail 11, i.e., in the front-to-rear direction. The locking holes 15 are formed in the protrusions 11G of the corresponding rail inner side walls 11D. The locking holes 15 extend parallel to one another. The locking holes 15 extend vertically. It is preferable that the locking holes 15 are inclined forward or backward.

[0063] Left and right rail grooves 17 (see FIG. 1) recessed downward are formed in the floor 2. The rails 11 are preferably disposed in the corresponding rail grooves 17.

[0064] 3, the slider 12 is disposed at the opening end of the rail opening 11E and has a plate-shaped slider upper wall 12A with its faces facing up and down, left and right slider inner walls 12B extending downward from the left and right side edges of the slider upper wall 12A toward the rail bottom wall 11A, left and right slider lower walls 12C extending outward to the left and right from the lower ends of the left and right slider inner walls 12B, respectively, and left and right slider outer walls 12D extending upward from the left and right outer ends of the left and right slider lower walls 12C. The slider upper wall 12A, the left and right slider inner walls 12B, the left and right slider lower walls 12C, and the left and right slider outer walls 12D extend forward and backward.

[0065] The slider 12 may be formed by fastening together a plurality of press-formed or roll-formed metal plates. In another embodiment, the slider 12 may be formed from a single press-formed or roll-formed metal plate. The front-rear length of the slider 12 is set to be shorter than the front-rear length of the rail 11. The slider 12 is connected to the seat cushion 5 at the slider upper wall 12A.

[0066] The slider upper wall 12A may be disposed above the left and right rail upper walls 11C, or may be disposed below the left and right rail upper walls 11C. The left and right slider inner walls 12B face each other with a distance between them. The left and right slider inner walls 12B are disposed between the left and right rail inner walls 11D. Each slider inner wall 12B faces the corresponding rail inner wall 11D on the left and right with a gap therebetween. Each slider lower wall 12C passes between the rail bottom wall 11A and the lower end of the corresponding rail inner wall 11D on the left and right and extends left and right. Each slider 12 outer wall is disposed between the corresponding rail outer wall 11B and rail inner wall 11D on the left and right. A plurality of wheels 18 are rotatably supported on the outer surface side of each slider outer wall 12D in the left and right direction. Each wheel 18 has a rotation axis that rotates in the left and right direction and is grounded on the rail bottom wall 11A. In this embodiment, each wheel 18 is in contact with the upper surface of step 11F of rail bottom wall 11A. By contacting rail 11 via wheels 18, slider 12 can smoothly slide along rail 11. With the above configuration, slider 12 is received in rail 11 and slidably engages with rail 11. In other embodiments, slider 12 may be supported by rail 11 via a ball or roller bearing.

[0067] The left and right slider inner side walls 12B are formed with recesses 12E that are recessed toward each other and extend in the front-rear direction. A protrusion is formed on the rear side of the recesses 12E of the slider inner side walls 12B. The cross sections of the left and right recesses 12E viewed from the front-rear direction may be formed in an arc shape or a trapezoid shape. Each recess 12E may be disposed in a middle part in the up-down direction of the corresponding slider inner side walls 12B. Each recess 12E is disposed in a position facing the protrusion 11G of the corresponding rail 11 on the left and right.

[0068] The slider 12 is formed by a slider upper wall 12A and left and right slider inner walls 12B into a groove shape that opens toward the rail bottom wall 11A side, that is, downward.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 3, the sliding device 1 is supported on the lower surface of the slider upper wall 12A between the left and right slider inner walls 12B.

[0070] 5 and 6, the sliding device 1 includes a gear box 20 and an electric motor 21. Both the gear box 20 and the electric motor 21 are fixed to the slider 12. In this embodiment, the gear box 20 is fixed to the lower surface of the slider upper wall 12A via a fixing bracket 22 using screws 23 or the like. The electric motor 21 is also fixed to the lower surface of the slider upper wall 12A via the fixing bracket 22 using screws 23 or the like.

[0071] It is preferable that a damper 24 having cushioning properties is provided between the gear box 20 and the slider upper wall 12A and between the electric motor 21 and the slider upper wall 12A. This allows the damper 24 to absorb vibrations generated by the driving of the electric motor 21, and prevents the vibrations caused by the driving of the electric motor 21 from being transmitted to the vehicle seat 3.

[0072] 7 and 8, the gear box 20 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction when viewed from above. The gear box 20 is located between the left and right slider inner walls 12B. A slider opening 12F (see FIG. 3) is formed in the portion of the slider inner wall 12B facing the left and right side surfaces of the gear box 20.

[0073] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the gearbox 20 includes a housing 26 (see Figure 5), a screw member 27 (see Figures 5 and 7) rotatably supported by the housing 26, and a transmission mechanism 28 (see Figure 7) that transmits the power of the electric motor 21.

[0074] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, housing 26 includes a case 30 constituting the lower part thereof and a cover 31 constituting the upper part thereof. As shown in Figure 6, case 30 is provided with a case recess 33 recessed downward, and screw member 27 is housed inside case recess 33. Cover 31 is joined to the upper surface of case 30 to define an accommodation chamber 34 (see Figures 5 and 7) that houses screw member 27.

[0075] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the screw member 27 is a so-called worm gear, and includes a cylindrical shaft portion 36 extending in a predetermined direction, and a male thread portion 37 provided on the outer periphery of the shaft portion 36. The male thread portion 37 is coaxial with the shaft portion 36 and is cylindrical with an outer diameter larger than that of the shaft portion 36. The male thread portion 37 is provided in the central portion in the axial direction of the shaft portion 36. The ends of the shaft portion 36 protrude from the male thread portion 37 in directions that are separated from each other in the axial direction along its central axis. A helical thread 37A (see Figure 7) is formed on the outer periphery of the male thread portion 37.

[0076] 6, the case recess 33 is provided with a receiving portion 39 that houses the male thread portion 37 and bearing portions 40 that respectively receive the ends of the shaft portion 36. The bearing portions 40 are provided in pairs at the front and rear, and each receives an end of the shaft portion 36. As a result, the screw member 27 is rotatably supported by the case 30 with the axis of the shaft portion 36 disposed to extend in the extension direction of the rail 11.

[0077] 6 and 7, in this embodiment, the gear box 20 is provided with two screw members 27, and therefore, two pairs of bearing portions 40 are provided. The two screw members 27 are arranged so as to be rotationally symmetrical about a virtual line that passes through the gear box 20 from top to bottom in a top view.

[0078] However, the present invention is not limited to the number of screw members 27. For example, the gear box 20 may be provided with only one screw member 27, or may be provided with three or more screw members 27.

[0079] 6 and 7, the side walls 41 that define both ends of the receiving portion 39 in the extending direction of the rail 11 (i.e., both ends in the axial direction of the screw member 27) face both ends in the extending direction of the male screw portion 37 on the side surface on the receiving portion 39 side. This limits the movement range of the screw member 27 in the extending direction.

[0080] As shown in Fig. 6, the bearing portion 40 is provided on each of the side walls 41 located at both ends (front and rear ends) in the extension direction of the rail 11. The bearing portion 40 is formed by a side wall recess 41A recessed downward in each of the corresponding side walls 41. The side wall recess 41A has a curved surface recessed downward in a substantially arc shape when viewed from a direction along the extension direction of the rail 11. The side wall recess 41A is provided on each of the side walls 41 located at both ends in the extension direction, and the side wall recess 41A rotatably receives the end of the corresponding shaft portion 36.

[0081] As shown in Fig. 7, the left and right side portions of the case 30 are provided with communication recesses 42 that are recessed downward, extend inward from the left and right side surfaces of the case 30, and communicate with the receiving portion 39. As a result, openings 43 (see also Fig. 5) communicating with the storage chamber 34 are formed on the left and right side surfaces of the housing 26. As shown in Fig. 3, the threads 37A of the screw members 27 protrude outward to the left and right of the case 30 through the openings 43, pass through the slider opening 12F, and enter the locking holes 15, respectively. As a result, the two screw members 27 are engaged with the opposing rails 11.

[0082] 7, the rear surface of the case 30 is provided with an insertion recess 45 that is recessed forward and communicates with the accommodation chamber 34. As a result, an insertion hole 46 that communicates with the accommodation chamber 34 is formed at the rear end of the housing 26. The end of the rotating shaft 21A of the electric motor 21 is inserted into the insertion hole 46. In this embodiment, a through hole (not shown) that penetrates downward is formed in the bottom wall that defines the lower part of the insertion hole 46.

[0083] The transmission mechanism 28 converts the rotation of the rotary shaft 21A of the electric motor 21 into rotation about the shaft portion 36 of the screw member 27. The transmission mechanism 28 includes a drive gear 48 provided on an end of the rotary shaft 21A of the electric motor 21, and a driven gear 49 meshing with the drive gear 48. The driven gear 49 is provided on the rear end of the shaft portion 36 of the screw member 27.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 7, the drive gear 48 is housed inside the insertion hole 46. As shown in FIG. 6, the cover 31 is provided with a tool hole 51 for accessing the drive gear 48. The tool hole 51 passes through the cover 31 vertically and connects the insertion hole 46 to the outside of the case 30. In this embodiment, a bevel gear 52 is coupled to the drive gear 48 and is centered on the axis of the rotating shaft 21A. The bevel gear 52 protrudes from the end face of the drive gear 48 on the side away from the electric motor 21. The opening of the tool hole 51 is provided at a position overlapping the bevel gear 52 in the vertical direction. It is preferable that the opening of the tool hole 51 is formed so as to overlap the meshing portion of the drive gear 48 and the driven gear 49 in the cover 31.

[0085] 6, the gear box 20 may be provided with a cap member 51A for sealing the tool hole 51. In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 21A of the electric motor 21 is provided with two bushes (hereinafter, rotating shaft bushes 53) along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 21A so as to sandwich the drive gear 48 and the bevel gear 52 therebetween.

[0086] When the electric motor 21 is driven and the rotary shaft 21A rotates about its axis, the drive gear 48 rotates, and the driven gear 49 meshing with the drive gear 48 also rotates. As a result, the screw member 27 rotates about the axis of the shaft portion 36.

[0087] Because the threads 37A of the screw member 27 mesh with the locking hole 15 of the rail 11, when the screw member 27 rotates about its axis, the gear box 20 slides along the rail 11. Because the gear box 20 is coupled to the slider 12, the slider 12 also slides along the extension direction of the rail 11 as the screw member 27 rotates. As a result, the vehicle seat 3 coupled to the slider 12 also slides along the extension direction of the rail 11 as the screw member 27 rotates.

[0088] That is, when the electric motor 21 is driven, the rotation of the rotating shaft 21A is converted by the transmission mechanism 28 into rotation about the axis of the screw member 27, causing the slider 12 to slide relative to the rail 11, and the vehicle seat 3 to slide along the rail 11. Thus, by electrically controlling the drive of the electric motor 21 and controlling the amount of rotation and direction of the rotating shaft 21A, the user can slide the vehicle seat 3 to a desired position.

[0089] However, depending on the type of electric motor 21, there are cases where the rotating shaft 21A can rotate relatively freely when the electric motor 21 is stopped. The inventors of the present application have found that, particularly in such cases, when the vehicle stops on a slope, the rotation of the screw member 27 is not sufficiently restricted, and a problem may arise in which the vehicle seat 3 slides due to its own weight.

[0090] Therefore, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, in addition to the housing 26, the screw member 27, and the transmission mechanism 28, the gear box 20 of the present invention is further provided with a rotation restricting device 55 that restricts the free rotation of the screw member 27.

[0091] The rotation restricting device 55 restricts the free rotation of the screw member 27 by applying a resistance force that tries to prevent free rotation to the screw member 27. The rotation restricting device 55 presses the screw member 27 against one of the side walls 41, thereby generating a frictional force between the screw member 27 that tries to rotate and the side wall 41. This frictional force functions as a resistance force that prevents the screw member 27 from free rotation.

[0092] Hereinafter, the side of the side wall 41 against which the screw member 27 is pressed is referred to as one side, and the side on which the other side wall 41 is provided is referred to as the other side. The rotation restricting device 55 is provided on the other side of the male threaded portion 37, and by pushing the other end face of the male threaded portion 37 to one side, it presses one end face of the male threaded portion 37 against the side wall 41 on one side. This causes the male threaded portion 37 to frictionally engage with the side wall 41 on one side, and a resistance force that prevents the screw member 27 from rotating is applied.

[0093] As shown in Fig. 8, in the left screw member 27, one side corresponds to the rear side and the other side corresponds to the front side. That is, the rotation restricting device 55 that restricts the rotation of the left screw member 27 is provided on the front side (other side) of the male thread portion 37 and presses the male thread portion 37 against the side wall 41 on the rear side (other side) to apply resistance. On the other hand, in the right screw member 27, one side corresponds to the front side and the other side corresponds to the rear side. That is, the rotation restricting device 55 that restricts the rotation of the right screw member 27 is provided on the rear side (other side) of the male thread portion 37 and presses the male thread portion 37 against the side wall 41 on the front side (other side) to apply resistance.

[0094] Additionally, in this embodiment, a bush (hereinafter, one-side bush 56) is provided between the side wall 41 on one side and the male thread portion 37. The one-side bush 56 is made of resin and has a cylindrical shape with a through hole. The shaft portion 36 on one side of the screw member 27 is fitted into the through hole. The one-side bush 56 supports the shaft portion 36 on one side and serves to make the screw member 27 rotate smoothly.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 7, the rotation restricting device 55 includes an expandable device 57 and a biasing device 59 that biases the expandable device 57 in the expanding direction.

[0096] The telescopic device 57 is provided on the other side of the male screw portion 37. A step portion 40B having a support surface 40A facing one side is formed in the bearing portion 40 of the side wall 41 on the other side, and the telescopic device 57 is disposed between the support surface 40A and the end face of the male screw portion 37 on the other side.

[0097] The other end of the extension device 57 abuts against the support surface 40A, and one end of the extension device 57 abuts against the other end face of the male screw portion 37. When the extension device 57 is biased in the extending direction by the biasing device 59, the screw member 27 is pushed out to one side, and the screw member 27 is pressed against the side wall 41.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 9, the telescopic device 57 includes two tubular members 61 (also called webs). Each of the tubular members 61 includes an inner hole, and is cylindrical with the same inner and outer diameters. The two tubular members 61 are arranged coaxially, and the shaft portion 36 located on the other side of the screw member 27 is inserted into each of the inner holes (see FIG. 6). As a result, the shaft portion 36 passes through the inner holes of the two tubular members 61, and the tubular members 61 are each rotatably supported by the shaft portion 36 of the screw member 27. The tubular members 61 are each accommodated inside the housing 26. In this way, the gear box 20 can be configured compactly by accommodating the tubular members 61 inside the housing 26.

[0099] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, a bush (hereinafter, the other-side bush 62) is provided between the cylindrical member 61 and the shaft portion 36 of the screw member 27. The other-side bush 62 is shaped like a resin cylinder having a through hole, and the other-side shaft portion 36 of the screw member 27 is fitted into the through hole. The other-side bush 62 supports the other-side shaft portion 36 and serves to smooth the rotation of the screw member 27. The other-side shaft portion 36 is inserted into the two cylindrical members 61 with the other-side bush 62 fitted into it.

[0100] As shown in Fig. 8, the two cylindrical members 61 are arranged side by side along the axis of the shaft portion 36 on the other side. Hereinafter, the cylindrical member 61 located on the other side will be referred to as a first cylindrical member 63 (also referred to as a first web), and the cylindrical member 61 located on one side will be referred to as a second cylindrical member 64 (also referred to as a second web). The first cylindrical member 63 abuts against the side wall 41 on the other side and the second cylindrical member 64, and the second cylindrical member 64 abuts against the end face on the other side of the male thread portion 37 and the first cylindrical member 63.

[0101] An inclined surface (hereinafter, main inclined surface 65) is provided on the end face of the side (one side) of the first cylindrical member 63 adjacent to the second cylindrical member 64 and the end face of the side (the other side) of the second cylindrical member 64 adjacent to the first cylindrical member 63. The main inclined surface 65 of the first cylindrical member 63 and the main inclined surface 65 of the second cylindrical member 64 are each inclined around the axis of the shaft portion 36 in a direction approaching or moving away from the other side. The inclination angle of the main inclined surface 65 of the first cylindrical member 63 and the inclination angle of the main inclined surface 65 of the second cylindrical member 64 are set to be the same.

[0102] When the first tubular member 63 and the second tubular member 64 rotate in opposite directions around the axis while the main inclined surface 65 of the first tubular member 63 and the main inclined surface 65 of the second tubular member 64 are in contact with each other, the first tubular member 63 and the second tubular member 64 move in directions approaching or separating in the axial direction, guided by the main inclined surface 65. In this manner, the first tubular member 63 and the second tubular member 64 slide against each other and rotate, so that the total axial length of the telescopic device 57 changes, and the telescopic device 57 telescopes in the axial direction.

[0103] Fig. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the gearbox 20. As shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 10, when viewed from the other side to one side along the axis, when the first cylindrical member 63 rotates clockwise relative to the second cylindrical member 64, the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64 move in a direction away from each other along the axial direction, and the telescopic device 57 extends in the axial direction. When viewed from the other side to one side along the axis, when the first cylindrical member 63 rotates counterclockwise relative to the second cylindrical member 64, the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64 move in a direction toward each other along the axial direction, and the telescopic device 57 contracts.

[0104] The biasing device 59 biases the first tubular member 63 and the second tubular member 64 to rotate relative to each other, so as to extend the telescopic device 57. In this embodiment, the biasing device 59 includes a first biasing member 67 provided between the first tubular member 63 and the housing 26, and a second biasing member 68 provided between the second tubular member 64 and the housing 26.

[0105] The first biasing member 67 biases the first cylindrical member 63 to rotate about its axis, and the second biasing member 68 biases the second cylindrical member 64 to rotate about its axis (see the arrows in FIG. 10). However, the rotation direction of the first cylindrical member 63 biased by the first biasing member 67 is opposite to the rotation direction of the second cylindrical member 64 biased by the second biasing member 68, and is set in the direction in which the telescopic device 57 extends.

[0106] 10, the first biasing member 67 biases the first cylindrical member 63 clockwise when viewed from one side. The second biasing member 68 biases the second cylindrical member 64 counterclockwise when viewed from one side. As a result, the first cylindrical member 63 is biased to rotate clockwise relative to the second cylindrical member 64, and the telescopic device 57 is biased in the extending direction by the first biasing member 67 and the second biasing member 68.

[0107] In this embodiment, the first biasing member 67 and the second biasing member 68 are each formed of a torsion coil spring. The first biasing member 67 is hooked at one end to the first cylindrical member 63, and at the other end to the hook portion 30A of the case 30. Similarly, the second biasing member 68 is hooked at one end to the second cylindrical member 64, and at the other end to the hook portion 31A of the cover 31. That is, both biasing members are connected to the cylindrical member 61 and the housing 26.

[0108] 9 and 10, the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64 are provided with protruding pieces 70 for hooking one end of the first biasing member 67 and one end of the second biasing member 68. A notch 72 is provided at the tip of the protruding piece 70, and each of the protruding pieces 70 is hook-shaped (also called a hook shape). One end of the first biasing member 67 and one end of the second biasing member 68 are hooked to the notch 72 of the protruding piece 70. Thus, the protruding piece 70 functions as a locking portion for locking the second biasing member 68 (or a latching portion for latching).

[0109] 10, in this embodiment, a through hole (hereinafter, referred to as a first spring through hole 74) for connecting the first biasing member 67 to the first cylindrical member 63 is provided in the case 30. The first spring through hole 74 reaches from the lower surface of the case 30 to the bearing portion 40 of the other side wall 41. The first biasing member 67 is coupled to the lower surface of the case 30 at one end side, and is hooked onto a protruding piece 70 of the first cylindrical member 63 that protrudes through the first spring through hole 74.

[0110] In this embodiment, the cover 31 is further provided with a through hole (hereinafter, second spring through hole 75) for connecting the second biasing member 68 to the second cylindrical member 64. The second spring through hole 75 extends from the upper surface of the cover 31 to a position where it overlaps in the vertical direction with the bearing portion 40 of the other side wall 41. The second biasing member 68 is coupled to the upper surface of the cover 31 at one end side, and is hooked onto a protruding piece 70 of the second cylindrical member 64 that protrudes through the second spring through hole 75.

[0111] FIG. 11 shows a top view of the gearbox 20. As shown in FIG. 10, the second spring through hole 75 overlaps with the protruding piece 70 of the second cylindrical member 64 in a top view. Therefore, it is easy to hook the second biasing member 68 to the protruding piece 70. The second spring through hole 75 is configured to overlap with the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64. This allows the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64 to be simultaneously viewed through the second spring through hole 75. This improves the maintainability of the gearbox 20.

[0112] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, the first cylindrical member 63 and the side wall 41 on the other side of the case 30 facing the first cylindrical member 63 are provided with surfaces (hereinafter, auxiliary inclined surfaces 76) that are inclined in the same direction. The auxiliary inclined surfaces 76 are inclined in a direction approaching or receding from the second cylindrical member 64 along a circumferential direction centered on the axis of the first cylindrical member 63. When the first cylindrical member 63 rotates about the axis and the auxiliary inclined surfaces 76 slide along the auxiliary inclined surfaces 76 of the side wall 41 on the other side of the case 30, the first cylindrical member 63 moves to one side or the other side due to the inclination of the auxiliary inclined surfaces 76.

[0113] 8, a main inclined surface 65 is provided on each of the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64, and an auxiliary inclined surface 76 is provided on each of the first cylindrical member 63 and the other side wall 41. The inclination direction in which the main inclined surface 65 inclines toward one circumferential side of the axis and the inclination direction in which the auxiliary inclined surface 76 inclines toward the same circumferential side of the axis are set to be opposite to each other. In other words, the auxiliary inclined surface 76 is an inverted inclined surface inclined in the opposite direction to the main inclined surface 65.

[0114] Specifically, the main inclined surface 65 is inclined clockwise from the other side to the one side in the circumferential direction of the axis in a direction away from the screw member 27 (i.e., toward the other side). On the other hand, the auxiliary inclined surface 76 is inclined clockwise from the other side to the one side in the circumferential direction of the axis in a direction approaching the screw member 27 (i.e., toward the one side).

[0115] As shown in Fig. 10, the first biasing member 67 biases the first cylindrical member 63 clockwise in the circumferential direction of the axis toward one side. As can be seen from Fig. 9, when the first cylindrical member 63 slides on the auxiliary inclined surface 76 and rotates clockwise in the circumferential direction of the axis toward one side due to the biasing force of the first biasing member 67, the first cylindrical member 63 moves to one side.

[0116] 8, the first cylindrical member 63 is provided with a stopper 78 that engages with the other side wall 41 to limit rotation of the first cylindrical member 63 about its axis relative to the other side wall 41 and restrict the first cylindrical member 63 from moving to one side (see also FIG. 9). The stopper 78 is provided at the other end of the first cylindrical member 63.

[0117] When the first cylindrical member 63 rotates clockwise around the axis toward one side, the stopper 78 engages with a step portion 40B provided on the other side wall 41 of the case 30, restricting the clockwise rotation of the first cylindrical member 63.

[0118] When the electric motor 21 is not driven, it is preferable that the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64 abut against each other and against the other side wall 41 and the other end face of the male screw portion 37, respectively, and the stopper 78 is engaged with the step portion 40B. Due to the engagement between the stopper 78 and the step portion 40B, the first cylindrical member 63 rotates clockwise around the axis toward one side, and is restricted from moving to one side. This makes it possible to prevent the screw member 27 from being pressed more strongly against the one side side wall 41.

[0119] Next, a method for assembling the sliding device 1 configured as above will be described. A worker who assembles the sliding device 1 first assembles the gear box 20.

[0120] When assembling the gear box 20, the worker first prepares the driven gear 49, the first cylindrical member 63, the second cylindrical member 64, and the screw member 27 provided with the first bush and the second bush. Then, the worker places the screw member 27 in the case recess 33, passes the first biasing member 67 through the first spring through hole 74, and hooks the end of the screw member 27 between the lower surface of the case 30 and the first cylindrical member 63.

[0121] Thereafter, the worker passes the rotating shaft 21A of the electric motor 21 through a hole provided in the fixed bracket 22 and inserts it into the insertion recess 45 of the case 30, and after arranging the driving gear 48 and the driven gear 49 so that they mesh with each other, attaches the cover 31 to the case 30. Next, the worker passes the second biasing member 68 through the second spring through hole 75 and hooks its end between the cover 31 and the second cylindrical member 64. This completes the gear box 20.

[0122] Next, the worker attaches the damper 24 to the gear box 20, and fixes the gear box 20 and the electric motor 21 to the fixing bracket 22. Thereafter, the worker fixes the fixing bracket 22 to the slider 12, thereby completing the assembly of the gear box 20 and the electric motor 21 to the slider 12 (assembly step to the slider 12).

[0123] Thereafter, the worker inserts the slider 12 into one end (the front end or the rear end) of the rail 11 (or drives the electric motor 21 after the insertion), thereby assembling the slider 12 to the rail 11. When the assembly of the slider 12 to the rail 11 (assembly step to the rail 11) is completed, the assembly of the slide device 1 is completed.

[0124] As shown in Fig. 12(A), vertically penetrating through-holes 24A and 12A are provided in the damper 24 and the slider 12 at their portions overlapping with the tool hole 51. As a result, after the gear box 20 is attached to the slider 12, as shown in Fig. 12(B) and Fig. 13, when performing maintenance, the bevel gear 52 can be accessed by inserting a tool 80 having a gear portion 80A at its tip that meshes with the bevel gear 52, thereby rotating the drive gear 48.

[0125] Fig. 11(C) shows an enlarged view of an opening portion of the tool hole 51 of the gear box 20 according to a modified example. In the modified example shown in Fig. 11(C), the opening portion of the tool hole 51 is formed so as to overlap with the meshing portion of the drive gear 48 and the driven gear 49 in the cover 31. This enables an operator to visually check whether the drive gear 48 and the driven gear 49 are properly meshed during maintenance or the like.

[0126] Next, the operation and effects of the sliding device 1 configured as above will be described.

[0127] When the electric motor 21 is stopped, the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64 each move to one side in accordance with the biasing forces of the first biasing member 67 and the second biasing member 68, and the second cylindrical member 64 pushes the male thread portion 37 toward one side wall 41. As a result, one side surface of the male thread portion 37 is pressed against the one side wall 41.

[0128] When a load is applied to the slider 12 to move it along the rail 11, a load is also applied to the screw member 27 to rotate it about its axis. At this time, the male screw portion 37 is pressed against the side wall 41 by the expansion device 57 biased by the biasing member. Therefore, when the screw member 27 is to be rotated, a frictional force corresponding to the pressing force is applied. This frictional force functions as a resisting force that prevents the screw member 27 from rotating.

[0129] In this way, when the screw member 27 attempts to rotate, a resisting force that prevents the rotation is applied by the rotation restriction device 55 (the biasing device 59 and the extension device 57). This prevents the screw member 27 from rotating freely, and therefore it is possible to provide a slide device 1 that can prevent unintended movement of the slider 12. By preventing unintended movement of the slider 12 by the user, the safety of the vehicle seat 3 is improved.

[0130] When the electric motor 21 is driven, the rotating shaft 21A rotates, and the rotation is transmitted to the screw member 27 via the transmission mechanism 28, causing the screw member 27 to rotate. At this time, since the screw member 27 abuts against the second cylindrical member 64, a load that tends to rotate the second cylindrical member 64 about the axis of the shaft portion 36 is applied to the second cylindrical member 64 due to the frictional force between the screw member 27 and the cylindrical member 61.

[0131] As shown in FIG. 14(A), a load may be applied to the second cylindrical member 64 to rotate it clockwise around the axis toward one side due to the rotation of the screw member 27. At this time, a load is also applied to the first cylindrical member 63 to rotate it clockwise around the axis toward one side due to the frictional force between the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64. However, the first cylindrical member 63 is restricted from rotating clockwise around the axis toward one side due to the engagement between the stopper 78 and the step portion 40B. As a result, the second cylindrical member 64 rotates clockwise around the axis toward one side relative to the first cylindrical member 63.

[0132] 14(A), the second cylindrical member 64 is guided to move to the other side (for example, a gap is generated between the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64), and the load applied to the male threaded portion 37 from the second cylindrical member 64 toward one side is reduced. This reduces the pressing force applied to the screw member 27 against the side wall 41 on one side, improving the slidability of the screw member 27 and enabling the screw member 27 to rotate.

[0133] In this way, when a load is applied to the second cylindrical member 64 to rotate it clockwise around the axis toward one side, the rotation of the first cylindrical member 63 is restricted by the stopper 78, and the screw member 27 can rotate in response to the drive of the electric motor 21. This allows the slider 12 to slide relative to the rail 11 in response to the drive of the electric motor 21.

[0134] 14(B), when a load is applied to the second cylindrical member 64 to rotate it counterclockwise around the axis toward one side, a load is also applied to the first cylindrical member 63 to rotate it counterclockwise around the axis toward one side due to the frictional force between the first cylindrical member 63 and the second cylindrical member 64. The auxiliary inclined surface 76 is inclined so that when the first cylindrical member 63 rotates counterclockwise around the axis, the first cylindrical member 63 moves to the other side (for example, a gap is generated between the first cylindrical member 63 and the side wall 41 on the other side), and the load applied from the second cylindrical member 64 to the male threaded portion 37 toward one side decreases.

[0135] This reduces the pressing force applied to the screw member 27 against the side wall 41 on one side, improving the slidability of the screw member 27 and enabling the rotation of the screw member 27. Therefore, the slider 12 becomes slidable relative to the rail 11 in response to the driving of the electric motor 21.

[0136] In this way, when the electric motor 21 is not driven, the sliding device 1 according to the present invention can apply a resistance force to the screw member 27 that prevents free rotation, thereby preventing unintended movement of the slider 12 by the user. When the electric motor 21 is driven, the screw member 27 can rotate, allowing the slider 12 to be moved as intended by the user.

[0137] <<Second embodiment>> The slide device according to the second embodiment also has a rail and a slider that can slide relative to the rail. The rail is coupled to a first structure, and the slider is coupled to a second structure. The slider moves relative to the rail, causing the slide device to move the second structure relative to the first structure. The slide device is provided, for example, between a floor and a seat of a vehicle, and moves the seat relative to the floor. In addition, the electric slide rail is provided between a base and a work holder, and moves the work holder relative to the base. Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the slide device is provided between a floor and a seat of a vehicle will be described as an example.

[0138] As shown in Fig. 15, a slide device 101 according to the second embodiment is provided between a floor 102 that defines the lower edge of a vehicle compartment and a vehicle seat 103. The vehicle seat 103 has a seat cushion 105 that supports the buttocks of an occupant, and a seat back 106 that extends upward from the rear of the seat cushion 105 and supports the back of the occupant. The slide device 101 is provided between the floor 102 and the seat cushion 105, and supports the seat cushion 105 so that it can slide relative to the floor 102. A cover 107 is provided on the side of the seat cushion 105 to hide a gap between the seat cushion 105 and the floor 102.

[0139] As shown in FIG. 16, the slide device 101 has left and right rails 111 extending in the front-rear direction, and left and right sliders 112 slidably supported on the rails 111. The extension direction of the rails 111 is defined as the front-rear direction. The extension direction of the rails 111 may or may not match the front-rear direction of the vehicle. In other words, the extension direction of the rails 111 does not limit the mounting direction on the vehicle. In this embodiment, the extension direction of the rails 111 matches the front-rear direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the sliders 112 are provided above the rails 111. Therefore, the rails 111 may be referred to as lower rails, and the sliders 112 may be referred to as upper rails.

[0140] 17 and 18, the rail 111 has a groove-shaped cross section. In detail, the rail 111 has a rail bottom wall 111A with faces facing up and down, left and right rail outer walls 111B extending upward from left and right edges of the rail bottom wall 111A with faces facing left and right, left and right rail upper walls 111C extending in directions approaching each other from upper ends of the left and right rail outer walls 111B with faces facing up and down, and left and right rail inner walls 111D extending downward from inner ends of the left and right rail upper walls 111C with faces facing left and right.

[0141] The rail bottom wall 111A, the left and right rail outer walls 111B, the left and right rail upper walls 111C, and the left and right rail inner walls 111D each extend in the front-rear direction. The left and right rail outer walls 111B and the left and right rail inner walls 111D extend parallel to each other and perpendicular to the rail bottom wall 111A. The lower ends of the left and right rail inner walls 111D are disposed at a distance from the rail bottom wall 111A. The rail 111 has a rail opening 111E extending in the front-rear direction at its upper portion. The rail opening 111E is defined by the left and right rail inner walls 111D. The rail 111 may be formed by press-molding a metal plate. The left and right edge side portions of the rail bottom wall 111A may have a step portion 111F that is raised upward. The left and right step portions 111F extend in the front-rear direction and have flat upper surfaces.

[0142] The left and right rail inner walls 111D are each formed with a protrusion 111G that protrudes toward each other and extends in the front-rear direction. The left and right protrusions 111G may be formed in an arc-like or trapezoidal cross section. Each protrusion 111G may be disposed in a vertically intermediate portion of the corresponding rail inner wall 111D. The upper and lower ends of the left and right rail inner walls 111D are disposed laterally outward of the protrusions 111G.

[0143] As shown in Figs. 16 to 18, a plurality of locking holes 115 are provided in the rail 111, lined up in the extending direction of the rail 111, i.e., in the front-rear direction. The plurality of locking holes 115 are formed in the protrusions 111G of the corresponding rail inner side walls 111D. The locking holes 115 extend parallel to each other. The locking holes 115 extend vertically. It is preferable that the locking holes 115 are inclined forward or backward.

[0144] Left and right rail grooves 117 are formed in the floor 102 and are recessed downward. The rails 111 are preferably disposed in the corresponding rail grooves 117.

[0145] 17, the slider 112 is disposed at the opening end of the rail opening 111E and has a plate-shaped slider upper wall 112A with its faces facing up and down, left and right slider inner walls 112B extending downward from the left and right side edges of the slider upper wall 112A toward the rail bottom wall 111A, that is, from the left and right side edges of the slider upper wall 112A, left and right slider lower walls 112C extending outward to the left and right from the lower ends of the left and right slider inner walls 112B, respectively, and left and right slider outer walls 112D extending upward from the left and right outer ends of the left and right slider lower walls 112C. The slider upper wall 112A, the left and right slider inner walls 112B, the left and right slider lower walls 112C, and the left and right slider outer walls 112D extend forward and backward.

[0146] The slider 112 may be formed by fastening together a plurality of press-formed or roll-formed metal plates. In another embodiment, the slider 112 may be formed from a single press-formed or roll-formed metal plate. The front-rear length of the slider 112 is set to be shorter than the front-rear length of the rail 111. The slider 112 is connected to the seat cushion 105 at the slider upper wall 112A.

[0147] The slider upper wall 112A may be disposed above the left and right rail upper walls 111C, or may be disposed below the left and right rail upper walls 111C. The left and right slider inner walls 112B face each other with a distance between them on the left and right. The left and right slider inner walls 112B are disposed between the left and right rail inner walls 111D. Each slider inner wall 112B faces the corresponding rail inner wall 111D on the left and right with a gap therebetween. Each slider lower wall 112C passes between the rail bottom wall 111A and the lower end of the corresponding rail inner wall 111D on the left and right and extends left and right. Each slider 112 outer wall is disposed between the corresponding rail outer wall 111B and rail inner wall 111D on the left and right. A plurality of wheels 118 are rotatably supported on the outer surface side in the left and right direction of each slider outer wall 112D. Each wheel 118 has a rotation axis that rotates in the left-right direction, and is in contact with the rail bottom wall 111A. In this embodiment, each wheel 118 is in contact with the upper surface of the step portion 111F of the rail bottom wall 111A. The slider 112 can smoothly slide along the rail 111 by being in contact with the rail 111 via the wheels 118. With the above configuration, the slider 112 is received in the rail 111 and slidably engages with the rail 111. In other embodiments, the slider 112 may be supported by the rail 111 via a ball or roller bearing.

[0148] The left and right slider inner side walls 112B are formed with recesses 112E that are recessed toward each other and extend in the front-rear direction. A protrusion is formed on the rear side of the recesses 112E of the slider inner side walls 112B. The cross sections of the left and right recesses 112E viewed from the front-rear direction may be formed in an arc shape or a trapezoid shape. Each recess 112E may be disposed in a middle part in the up-down direction of the corresponding slider inner side walls 112B. Each recess 112E is disposed in a position facing the protrusion 111G of the corresponding rail 111 on the left and right.

[0149] The slider 112 is formed into a groove shape that opens toward the rail bottom wall 111A, i.e., downward, by a slider upper wall 112A and left and right slider inner walls 112B. As shown in Fig. 17, a slide lock device 130 is supported on the lower surface of the slider upper wall 112A.

[0150] The slide lock device 130 is for restricting the movement of the slider 112 relative to the rail 111, and releases the restriction on movement based on an operational input from a seated person or the like in the vehicle seat 103, allowing the vehicle seat 103 to move along the rail 111. When the operational input is no longer performed, the slide lock device 130 restricts the movement of the slider 112 relative to the rail 111.

[0151] 19 to 23, the slide lock device 130 includes a casing 131 coupled to the slider 112, at least one lock member 132 supported on the casing 131 so as to be rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position, a biasing member 133 that biases the lock member 132 to the locked position, and an operating member 134 supported on the casing 131 so as to be displaceable and in contact with the lock member 132. In this embodiment, a pair of the lock member 132 and the biasing member 133 are provided on the left and right. The slide lock device 130 is fixed to the slider 112 via a fixed bracket 130A.

[0152] As shown in Fig. 19 and Fig. 20, the casing 131 may be formed by combining a plurality of members. In this embodiment, the casing 131 includes a lower casing member 131A and an upper casing member 131B that are coupled to each other. The left and right locking members 132 are rotatably supported between the lower casing member 131A and the upper casing member 131B. The casing 131 is coupled to the bottom surface of the slider upper wall 112A and disposed between the pair of slider inner side walls 112B. This allows the slide lock device 130 to be disposed in the slider 112 with good space efficiency. A slider opening 112F is formed in the portion of the pair of slider inner side walls 112B that faces the casing 131.

[0153] The pair of locking members 132 are arranged parallel to each other. Each locking member 132 has a shaft portion 132A extending in the front-rear direction. That is, the rotation axis of each locking member 132 extends in the front-rear direction. The front and rear ends of the shaft portion 132A are rotatably supported by the casing 131. Each locking member 132 has at least one protruding portion 132B protruding in the radial direction from the shaft portion 132A. In this embodiment, a plurality of protruding portions 132B protrude from the shaft portion 132A to one side in the radial direction.

[0154] As shown in Fig. 20, the multiple protrusions 132B may extend in a spiral shape centered on the rotation axis of the locking member 132. The multiple protrusions 132B are formed discontinuously from one another. The multiple protrusions 132B are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction. The casing 131 may have a spiral groove 131C that slidably receives the multiple protrusions 132B.

[0155] 20, each locking member 132 has one or more protrusions 132C protruding from shaft portion 132A in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of locking member 132. Protrusions 132C are provided at different positions in the circumferential direction of shaft portion 132A from the multiple protrusions 132B, and protrude radially from shaft portion 132A in a different direction (generally the opposite direction) from the multiple protrusions 132B. Protrusions 132C are stripes extending along the extension direction of shaft portion 132A.

[0156] 19, casing openings 131D are formed on the left and right side portions of casing 131. Locking member 132 rotates between a locked position (see FIG. 21(A)) where multiple protrusions 132B pass through casing openings 131D and protrude outward from casing 131, and a released position (see FIG. 22(A)) where multiple protrusions 132B are positioned within casing 131.

[0157] 21(A), when the locking member 132 is in the release position, the multiple protrusions 132B are disposed above the shaft portion 132A. As a result, the multiple protrusions 132B are housed inside the casing 131.

[0158] 22(A), when each of the locking members 132 is in the locked position, at least one of the protrusions 132C of the left and right locking members 132 protrude in directions approaching each other, i.e., from the shaft portion 132A toward the center in the left-right direction of the casing 131. The locked position of the locking members 132 may be determined by at least one of the multiple convex portions 132B coming into contact with the casing 131.

[0159] As shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, each of the urging members 133 is provided between the casing 131 and the corresponding locking member 132, and urges the locking member 132 toward the locked position. The urging members 133 may be, for example, torsion coil springs. When the urging members 133 are formed of torsion coil springs, the urging members 133 may be engaged with the casing 131 at one end and with the locking member 132 at the other end. The locking member 132 is provided with a hook portion 132D for hooking the urging members 133. The hook portion 132D is formed as a notch provided in the protruding portion 132B. The urging members 133 may be supported by the shaft portion 132A of the locking member 132, or may be supported by the casing 131.

[0160] As shown in Fig. 19, the operating member 134 is disposed in the center of the casing 131 in the left-right direction. The lower casing member 131A and the upper casing member 131B are provided with through holes 131E, 131F that penetrate in the up-down direction, respectively. The operating member 134 passes through these through holes 131E, 131F. An upper portion of the operating member 134 protrudes from the upper surface of the casing 131. By pressing the upper portion of the operating member 134 downward, the slider 112 can move relative to the rail 111.

[0161] As shown in FIG. 20, the operating member 134 includes a main body portion 135 extending in the vertical direction, a pair of arm portions 136 extending in the vertical direction from the front and rear edges of the main body portion 135, and an unlocking portion 137 extending upward from the upper end of the main body portion 135.

[0162] The main body 135 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape having surfaces facing the left and right directions. As shown in FIG. 21(A), the main body 135 may be configured to have a quadrangular pyramid shape whose width in the left and right direction increases downward. The main body 135 is configured to be insertable and detachable in the up and down direction into the through hole 131E provided in the lower casing member 131A. A plurality of pressing parts 135A protruding outward to the left and right are provided on the left and right side surfaces of the main body 135. It is preferable that the pressing parts 135A are provided symmetrically on the left and right side surfaces of the main body 135.

[0163] As shown in Fig. 20, the arm portion 136 is in the shape of a plate having a surface facing in the vertical direction. A substantially cylindrical receiving portion 136A is provided on the lower surface of each of the arm portions 136. A substantially cylindrical receiving recess 136B is provided below each of the receiving portions 136A in the lower casing member 131A. An arm biasing member 138 that biases the arm portion 136 upward is provided between the inner hole of the receiving portion 136A and the receiving recess 136B. In this embodiment, the arm biasing member 138 is formed of a torsion coil spring.

[0164] The arm biasing member 138 is provided at a position overlapping in the front-rear direction with the operating member 134. This makes it possible to bias the operating member 134 upward, and also makes it possible to arrange the arm biasing member 138 and the operating member 134 in a compact manner.

[0165] 19, the unlocking portion 137 has a columnar shape that protrudes upward from the upper end of the main body portion 135. In this embodiment, the unlocking portion 137 has a cylindrical shape, but a rectangular columnar shape or various other shapes may be adopted.

[0166] The size of the through hole 131F provided in the upper casing member 131B is set to a size that allows the unlocking portion 137 to pass through but does not allow the arm portion 136 to pass through. The operating member 134 is urged upward by the urging force of the arm urging member 138, and is in an initial position where the arm portion 136 abuts against the lower surface of the upper casing member 131B. At this time, at least one of the pressing portions 135A provided on the left and right side surfaces of the main body portion 135 is located above the protruding portion 132C of the locking member 132.

[0167] When the operating member 134 is pressed down from the initial position, the pressing portion 135A presses down the protruding portion 132C of the locking member 132, causing the locking member 132 to rotate about its axis, and causing the locking member 132 to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0168] As shown in FIG. 21(A) and FIG. 22(A), the locking member 132 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 132C. The protrusions 132C are arranged in a line along the circumferential direction (specifically, the direction of rotation of the locking member 132 from the locked position to the unlocked position). The operating member 134 also has a plurality of pressing portions 135A arranged in a line along the vertical direction. Each of the pressing portions 135A plays a role of pressing the corresponding protrusions 132C downward when the locking member 132 rotates due to the downward movement of the operating member 134. In order to play such a role, when the locking member 132 rotates due to the downward movement of the operating member 134 and the protrusions 132C are in a state of protruding in the left-right direction, the pressing portions 135A are located above the corresponding protrusions 132C, and are preferably arranged so as to be in contact with them.

[0169] When the operating member 134 moves from the initial position (see FIG. 21(A)) to the insertion position (see FIG. 22(A)), the locking member 132 rotates from the locking position to the releasing position.

[0170] In this embodiment, the operating member 134 is configured to be displaceable from the inserted position to a pushed-in position located further downward, as shown in Fig. 23. The locking member 132 rotates as the operating member 134 moves downward from the inserted position to the pushed-in position, and rotates from the locked position to the over-stroke position.

[0171] In this embodiment, the lock member 132 is configured not to rotate as much as possible from the release position when the operating member 134 is inserted from the insertion position to the push-in position. Specifically, the ratio of the rotation amount of the lock member 132 to the insertion amount of the operating member 134 is set to be smaller from the release position to the push-in position than from the insertion position to the release position.

[0172] Specifically, the insertion amount of the operating member 134 from the initial position to the insertion position is approximately 10 mm (see the arrow in FIG. 22), and the rotation amount of the corresponding locking member 132 is approximately 85 degrees, whereas the insertion amount of the operating member 134 from the insertion position to the pushed-in position is approximately 5 mm (see the arrow in FIG. 23), and the rotation amount of the corresponding locking member 132 is set to approximately 25 degrees (i.e., less than half).

[0173] In order to realize such a relationship between the insertion amount and the rotation amount, as shown in Fig. 21(B), the circumferential intervals of the protrusions 132C may not be uniform, and the shapes of the protrusions 132C may not be the same. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the shaft portion 132A on which the protrusions 132C are provided may be configured to have a shape other than a perfect circle (see the two-dot chain line in Fig. 21(B)). As a result, the protrusions 132C are disposed at positions offset from the circumference centered on the shaft portion 132A, and the locking member 132 is configured to have an eccentric gear shape.

[0174] Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 22(A) and FIG. 23, the pressing portion 135A located at the uppermost side of the operating member 134 is abutted against the protruding portion 132C and pushes out the protruding portion 132C while the operating member 134 moves from the insertion position to the push-in position. As shown in FIG. 22(B), the lower edge of the pressing portion 135A located at the uppermost side is provided with an inclined surface 135B that inclines upward and outward in the left and right directions. The angle θ of the inclined surface 135B with respect to a virtual plane facing the left and right directions is larger than the angle θ' of the lower surface of the other protruding portions 132C with respect to the virtual plane. This makes it possible to reduce the rotation amount of the locking member 132 relative to the insertion amount of the operating member 134 compared to the case where the other pressing portions 135A push out the protruding portion 132C. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the rotation amount of the locking member 132 when the operating member 134 moves from the insertion position to the push-in position.

[0175] As shown in FIG. 15, an operating lever 141 is rotatably provided on the left and right sliders 112. The operating lever 141 has a lever center portion 141A extending in the left-right direction below the front portion of the seat cushion 105, and left and right lever side portions 141B extending rearward from the left and right ends of the lever center portion 141A. An intermediate portion in the front-rear direction of the left and right lever side portions 141B is supported on the corresponding slider 112 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 141C extending in the left-right direction. The rear ends of the left and right lever side portions 141B abut against the upper end of the operating member 134 from above. The rear ends of the left and right lever side portions 141B may be urged upward by an urging member 133 (not shown).

[0176] 21(A), when the operating member 134 is in the initial position, the left and right locking members 132 are in the locked position. When the left and right locking members 132 are in the locked position, the multiple protrusions 132B pass through the casing opening 131D and the slider opening 112F and enter the corresponding locking holes 115 of the rail 111, and are locked in the locking holes 115. This restricts the movement of the slider 112 relative to the rail 111.

[0177] When the user pulls upward on lever center portion 141A of operating lever 141, the rear ends of left and right lever side portions 141B push downward on the upper end of operating member 134. As a result, operating member 134 moves downward from the initial position, as shown in Fig. 22(A).

[0178] When the operating member 134 is pressed down from the initial position, the pressing portion 135A presses down the protruding portion 132C of the locking member 132, causing the locking member 132 to rotate about its axis, and causing the locking member 132 to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0179] Specifically, the pressing portion 135A of the operating member 134 presses the left and right protruding portions 132C downward, causing the left and right locking members 132 to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position. This causes the multiple protruding portions 132B to disengage from the locking holes 115 of the rail 111 and move into the casing 131. This allows the slider 112 to move relative to the rail 111.

[0180] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 23, the operating member 134 can be inserted from the insertion position to the push-in position. This is expected to allow the user to insert the operating member 134 to a position lower than the insertion position, which prevents the operating member 134 from being inserted insufficiently and makes it easier to release the restriction on the movement of the slider 112 (i.e., the vehicle seat 103) as intended by the user.

[0181] When the locking member 132 moves from the locked position to the unlocked position, at least one of the protruding portions 132B slides along the spiral groove 131C, thereby allowing the locking member 132 to rotate smoothly from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0182] The pair of locking members 132 are disposed parallel to each other, and the operating member 134 abuts against each of the pair of protruding portions 132C, so that the locking members 132 can engage with the rail 111 with good stability.

[0183] Next, a method for assembling the sliding device 101 will be described.

[0184] The method of assembling the slide device 101 described above includes the steps of attaching the lock member 132, the biasing member 133, and the operating member 134 to the casing 131 to assemble the slide lock device 130, attaching the casing 131 to the slider 112, and attaching the slider 112 to the rail 111. According to this embodiment, the slide lock device 130 can be assembled inside the slider 112 with good work efficiency.

[0185] The steps of assembling the slide lock device 130 include a step of attaching the biasing member 133 to the locking member 132, a step of supporting the locking member 132 to which the biasing member 133 is attached and the operating member 134 on one of the multiple casing 131 members, and a step of connecting the multiple members constituting the casing 131 to each other. The members constituting the casing 131 include a lower casing member 131A and an upper casing member 131B.

[0186] A method for manufacturing the lock member 132 will now be described.

[0187] The locking member 132 may be formed of a single member as shown in Fig. 24(A), or may be formed by combining multiple parts as shown in Fig. 24(B). By combining multiple parts, it becomes easier to mold the locking member 132. Fig. 24(B) shows an example of parts when the locking member 132 is formed by combining multiple parts.

[0188] In the example shown in Fig. 24(B), the locking member 132 is composed of a shaft 150, one first gear 151, two second gears 152, two third gears 153, and one fourth gear 154. As shown in Fig. 25, the first gear 151, the second gear 152, the third gear 153, and the fourth gear 154 each have a corresponding protrusion 132B and are provided with a cylindrical tubular portion 132E. In addition, a protrusion 132C is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tubular portion 132E of the third gear 153, and a hook portion 132D for hooking the biasing member 133 is provided on the protrusion 132B of the fourth gear 154.

[0189] 25, the locking member 132 is assembled by press-fitting the shaft 150 into the inner holes of the fourth gear 154, the two third gears 153, the two second gears 152, and the first gear 151 in the order shown. Alternatively, the first to fourth gears 154 may be fixed to the shaft 150 by welding them to the shaft 150 by a technique such as laser welding.

[0190] Although the description of the specific embodiment is finished above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in a wide range of ways. In the above embodiment, the sliding device 1 is configured to frictionally lock the screw member 27 by pressing the screw member 27 against the side wall 41 with the cylindrical member 61, thereby restricting the free rotation of the screw member 27, but any configuration that restricts the free rotation of the screw member 27 may be used. For example, the sliding device 1 may be configured such that the rotation restriction device 55 includes a coil spring that presses the screw member 27 against the side wall 41, and the screw member 27 is pressed against the side wall 41 by the coil spring, thereby preventing the free rotation of the screw member 27. [Explanation of symbols]

[0191] 1: Slide device 11: Rail 12: Slider 15: Locking hole 20: Gearbox 21: Electric motor 21A: Rotating shaft 26: Housing 27: Screw parts 36: Shaft 37: Male thread 37A :Thread 41: Side wall 43 :Aperture 48: Drive gear 49: Driven gear 51: Tool hole 55: Rotation control device 57: Telescopic device 59: Actuating device 61: Cylindrical member 63: First cylindrical member (cylindrical member) 64: Second cylindrical member (cylindrical member) 65: Main slope (slope) 67: First biasing member (biasing member) 68: Second biasing member (biasing member) 70:Protruding piece (locking part) 75: Through hole for second spring (through hole) 76: Auxiliary slope (reverse slope) 78: Stopper 80: Tools

Claims

1. A slide device, A rail having a plurality of locking holes arranged in an extension direction; a slider supported so as to be slidable relative to the rail; a gear box including a screw member that meshes with the locking hole and is fixed to the slider; an electric motor that rotates the screw member to slide the slider relative to the rail; The gear box is provided with a rotation restricting device that frictionally engages the screw member and restricts rotation of the screw member, The screw member includes a cylindrical shaft portion extending along a predetermined axis line, and a male screw portion provided on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion and having a helical thread, the gear box has a housing that rotatably supports the screw member and has side walls that face end faces located at both ends in the axial direction of the male screw portion, The rotation restricting device is a slide device including a biasing device and an extension device that extends by the biasing force of the biasing device and presses the screw member against one of the side walls, thereby frictionally locking the rotation of the screw member.

2. The telescopic device includes two tubular members arranged adjacent to each other and having an inner hole through which the shaft portion passes, the cylindrical members each have, on its opposing surface, an inclined surface that is inclined in the same direction in a circumferential direction of the axis of the screw member, 2. The slide device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing device biases the telescopic device to extend by rotating the two cylindrical members in opposite directions to slide along the inclined surface.

3. 3. The slide device according to claim 2, wherein a reverse inclined surface inclined in a direction opposite to that of the inclined surface is provided on each of the opposing surfaces of the telescopic device and the other of the side walls, the reverse inclined surface being inclined about the axis.

4. 4. The sliding device according to claim 3, wherein the biasing device includes two biasing members connected to the housing and the two cylindrical members, respectively, for biasing the cylindrical members in directions to rotate them in opposite directions.

5. the tubular member includes a locking portion for connecting the biasing member; the housing is provided with a through hole through which at least one of the locking portions can pass; The sliding device according to claim 4 , wherein the two cylindrical members are visible through the through holes.

6. 4. The sliding device according to claim 3, wherein the cylindrical member located on the side of the side wall is provided with a stopper on an end face facing the side wall, the stopper engaging with the side wall to restrict rotation of the cylindrical member located on the side of the side wall.

7. 7. The sliding device according to claim 2, wherein each of the cylindrical members is accommodated inside the housing.

8. The slide device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the gear box is provided with a drive gear that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotary shaft of the electric motor, and a driven gear that is provided on the screw member and meshes with the drive gear.

9. 9. The slide device according to claim 8, wherein the gear box is provided with a tool hole for inserting a tool for rotating the drive gear.

10. A method for assembling the sliding device according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: assembling the slider to the gearbox and the electric motor; and assembling the slider to the rail.

Images