Seat fixing device

Abstract

To provide a seat fixing device capable of easily sliding a seat by one lever action, being fixed without rattling, and being retrofitted.SOLUTION: A seat fixing device that fixes a seat sliding on a rail with a groove and a pair of flange portions provided so as to project out inward from an opening end portion of the groove, includes: a seat supporting portion that supports the seat; a slider that is united with the seat supporting portion and slides in the inside of the groove; a lever that is journaled by the seat supporting portion; a locking push rod that presses a bottom portion of the groove at a tip end; a first toggle mechanism that is composed of a first toggle member coupled to an end portion on the opposite side to the tip end of the locking push rod, and a second toggle member coupled to the first toggle member through a first joint portion at one end and journaled to the seat supporting portion at the other end; and an interlocking member that interlocks the first joint portion and the lever.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat fixing device for fixing a seat that slides on a rail. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, vehicle seats in aircraft, automobiles, and other vehicles have been provided with a sliding device at the bottom to allow the seat position to be adjusted. Aircraft vehicle seats are fixed to the floor using metal fittings or the like. Automobile seats, on the other hand, are slid forward and backward and fixed in place by operating a lever while sitting in the seat.

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a sliding device comprising a pair of locking assemblies (1a, 1b), one for each track of the sliding device, each including a plurality of locking pins (5a, 5b) suitable for locking the upper rail of the track to the respective lower rail.

[0004] Patent document 2 also discloses a sliding device equipped with a locking configuration that includes a pair of locking assemblies (1a, 1b), each of which has a plurality of locking pins (3a, 3b) that lock the upper rail of the track relative to the lower rail. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2020-526434 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2020-526437 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Conventionally used sliding devices require each device to be fixed in the desired position using metal fittings or the like. Many seat mounting brackets, in addition to the ability to move the rail hole fitting portion, strongly press a portion of the mounting bracket against the bottom surface or fitting surface of the rail groove to prevent seat rattle, and the reaction force brings the entire slide into close contact with the rail. The pressing method uses bolt tightening, an eccentric cam, hand knob tightening, or the like. The sliding devices disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 use a handle to strongly press a portion of the mounting bracket against the bottom surface or fitting surface of the rail groove to prevent seat rattle, and the reaction force brings the entire slide into close contact with the rail. However, both methods require a force greater than that required to lift the entire seat when locking, which places a strain on the device during operation, and no consideration is given to reducing the strain.

[0007] In addition, in automobile seats, the system uses a structure that tightly holds the sliding parts in place with a powerful spring, allowing the lever to be operated while sitting in the seat.However, since it was not intended to be installed as an after-market addition in the limited space of the vehicle body, it cannot be installed as an after-market addition.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a seat fixing device that can be easily slid and fixed without rattle with a single action of a lever, and that can be retrofitted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] (1) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following measures. In other words, the seat fixing device of the present invention is a seat fixing device that fixes a seat that slides on a rail having a groove and a pair of flange portions that protrude inward from the open end of the groove, and is equipped with a seat support portion that supports the seat, a slider that is connected to the seat support portion and slides inside the groove, a lever that is journaled on the seat support portion, a locking push rod that presses the bottom of the groove at its tip, a first toggle mechanism that is composed of a first toggle member that is connected to the end opposite to the tip of the locking push rod and a second toggle member that is connected at one end to the first toggle member via a first joint portion and at the other end is journaled on the seat support portion, and an interlocking member that interlocks the first joint portion and the lever, and is characterized in that as the lever is displaced, the interlocking member is displaced in conjunction with the displacement of the lever, and by displacing the locking push rod via the first toggle mechanism, the slider is pressed and the seat is locked and unlocked.

[0010] In this way, the seat can be securely fixed with little force by transmitting the pressure of the lever displacement to the slider via the toggle mechanism. Also, even when the user is sitting in the seat, the seat can be freely moved and fixed by displacing the lever.

[0011] (2) Furthermore, in the seat fixing device of the present invention, when the lever rotates in the locking direction, the interlocking member displaces the first joint portion in a direction that increases the angle between the first toggle member and the second toggle member, the first toggle member presses the tip of the locking push rod toward the bottom of the groove, and the slider receives a reaction force pressing the tip of the locking push rod toward the bottom of the groove and abuts against the inner surface of the flange portion of the rail.

[0012] In this way, the toggle mechanism is used to bring the slider into contact with the inner surface of the flange portion of the rail, so the seat can be locked firmly with little force.

[0013] (3) Furthermore, in the seat fixing device of the present invention, the first joint portion locks the first toggle mechanism in a reverse joint state, and when the lever rotates in the release direction, the interlocking member displaces the first joint portion in a direction that reduces the angle between the first toggle member and the second toggle member, and disengages the tip of the locking push rod from the bottom of the groove, thereby unlocking the first toggle mechanism.

[0014] In this way, the toggle mechanism is used to separate the slider from the inner surface of the flange portion of the rail, so that the seat can be unlocked with little force.

[0015] (4) The seat fixing device of the present invention is a seat fixing device for fixing a seat that slides on a rail having a groove and a pair of flanges that protrude inward from an open end of the groove, and includes a seat support part that supports the seat, a slider that is coupled to the seat support part and slides inside the groove, a lever that is pivotally supported on the seat support part, a lock push rod that presses the bottom of the groove at its tip, a third toggle member that is connected to the end of the lock push rod opposite to the tip, and a second joint part that is connected to the third toggle member at one end and to the seat at the other end. a second toggle mechanism comprising a fourth toggle member pivotally supported on the seat support portion, a fifth toggle member connected to the second joint portion, and a sixth toggle member connected at one end to the fifth toggle member via the third joint portion and pivotally supported on the seat support portion at the other end; and an interlocking member that interlocks the third joint portion and the lever, wherein the interlocking member is displaced in conjunction with the displacement of the lever, and the locking push rod is displaced via the second toggle mechanism, thereby pressing the slider and locking and unlocking the seat.

[0016] In this way, the seat can be securely fixed with little force by transmitting the pressure of the lever displacement to the slider via the toggle mechanism. Also, even when the user is sitting in the seat, the seat can be freely moved and fixed by displacing the lever.

[0017] (5) Furthermore, in the seat fixing device of the present invention, when the lever rotates in the locking direction, the interlocking member displaces the third joint portion in a direction that increases the angle between the fifth toggle member and the sixth toggle member, and the fifth toggle member displaces the second joint portion in a direction that increases the angle between the third toggle member and the fourth toggle member, the third toggle member presses the tip of the locking push rod against the bottom of the groove, and the slider receives a reaction force pressing the tip of the locking push rod against the bottom of the groove and abuts against the inner surface of the flange portion of the rail.

[0018] In this way, the toggle mechanism is used to bring the slider into contact with the inner surface of the flange portion of the rail, so the seat can be locked firmly with little force.

[0019] (6) Furthermore, in the seat fixing device of the present invention, the second joint portion and the third joint portion lock the second toggle mechanism in a reverse joint state, and when the lever rotates in the release direction, the interlocking member displaces the third joint portion in a direction that reduces the angle between the fifth toggle member and the sixth toggle member, and the fifth toggle member displaces the second joint portion in a direction that reduces the angle between the third toggle member and the fourth toggle member, causing the tip of the locking push rod to separate from the bottom of the groove, thereby unlocking the second toggle mechanism.

[0020] In this way, the toggle mechanism is used to separate the slider from the inner surface of the flange portion of the rail, so that the seat can be unlocked with little force.

[0021] (7) In addition, in the seat fixing device of the present invention, the flange portion of the rail has a narrow portion where the length in the width direction of the rail is small and a wide portion where the length in the width direction of the rail is large, the slider has a locator that interferes with the narrow portion while fitting into the wide portion, and an elastic body that urges the locator toward the opening from the inside of the rail, the seat support portion has a locator push rod that presses the locator at its tip, and a locator interlocking member that connects the end opposite to the tip of the locator push rod and the interlocking member, and when the lever rotates in the locking direction, the locator interlocking member disengages the tip of the locator push rod from the locator, and when the lever rotates in the release direction, the locator interlocking member presses the tip of the locator push rod against the locator.

[0022] This allows the seat to be primarily fixed at a desired position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention and this embodiment, it is possible to provide a seat fixing device that can easily slide the seat and fix it without rattle with a single action of the lever. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a seat fixing device having a first configuration. FIG. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a side view showing a schematic configuration of a slider. [Figure 3] 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of a lever 113b of the seat fixing device 1 having the first configuration. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a seat fixing device having a second configuration. [Figure 5] 10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams showing a toggle mechanism. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the measurement results of the force (kg) output depending on the angle (θ) formed by two links in a toggle mechanism. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a graph showing the measurement results of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are a side view of the seat fixing device showing the seat fixed (locked) state and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. [Figure 9] 1(a) and 1(b) are a side view of the seat fixing device showing the seat in a free (unlocked) state, and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. [Figure 10] 10(a) and 10(b) are a side view and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure of the seat fixing device, showing the state in which the seat is unlocked and sliding on the rails. [Figure 11] 1A and 1B are a side view of a seat fixing device showing a primary fixing standby state for fixing a seat at a desired position, and a cross-sectional view of a locking structure. [Figure 12] 1(a) and 1(b) are a side view of the seat fixing device showing the seat in a primarily fixed (locked) state, and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. [Figure 13] 1A and 1B are a side view of the seat fixing device showing the seat fixed (locked) state and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. [Figure 14] 9(a) and 9(b) are diagrams showing the state of the locator, lock pin, and rail in the state of FIG. 8, and a cross-sectional view taken along a0-a0 in 9(a). [Figure 15] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams showing the state of the locator, lock pin, and rail in the state of FIG. 9, and a cross-sectional view taken along a1-a1 in 10(a). [Figure 16] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams showing the state of the locator, lock pin, and rail in the state of FIG. 12, and a cross-sectional view taken along a2-a2 in 13(a). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [1. Seat fixing device configuration] [1] First Configuration Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a seat fixing device having a first configuration. Figs. 2(a) and 2(b) are a perspective view and a side view showing a schematic configuration of a slider. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of a lever 113b of the seat fixing device 1 having the first configuration. Figs. 14 to 16 are diagrams showing a rail 51 attached to a vehicle or the like and aspects of this locking structure.

[0026] The seat fixing device 1 is a seat fixing device for fixing a seat that slides on a rail 51 that has a groove 53 provided in the rail 51 attached to a vehicle or the like and a pair of flanges 55 provided to protrude inward from an open end 53a of the groove 53, and includes a seat support part 111 that supports the seat, one or more levers 113a, 113b, lever stoppers 114a, 114b, a lock push rod 115, a locator push rod 117, a first toggle mechanism 119, an interlocking member 121, a locator interlocking member 122, and a slider 123. The seat support part 111 is composed of a seat support base 111a, a seat side panel 111b, and a seat support frame 111c, each of which is fixed with fixing metal fittings such as bolts.

[0027] The rail 51 on which the seat fixing device slides has a groove 53 and flanges 55 that protrude inward on both sides of the groove 53 in the width direction (rail width direction). That is, the flanges 55 have a narrow portion 59 that is small in length in the rail width direction and a wide portion 57 that is large in length in the rail width direction. In this specification, the wide portion 57 has a diameter of, for example, 20 mm.

[0028] The components of the seat fixing device 1 will now be described. The levers 113a and 113b are pivotally supported by the seat support part 111 and are provided so as to be interlocked with each other and rotate around point A. When one lever is rotated in the direction of arrow R, the other lever also rotates in the direction of arrow R. Furthermore, when one lever is rotated in the direction of arrow F, the other lever also rotates in the direction of arrow F. In this embodiment, the case where one of the two levers is rotated will be described as an example, but as described above, since the two levers are interlocked with each other, operating either lever will result in the same movement. The number of levers provided in the seat fixing device 1 is not limited to two. The number of levers provided in the seat fixing device 1 may be one.

[0029] The slider 123 includes a guide roller 21, a locator 23, an elastic body 25, and a lock pin 27. The guide roller 21 is a wheel (with a bearing) provided at one end of the slider 123 for sliding within the rail 51. The locator 23 is a disk-shaped locking mechanism provided at the tip of an arm 22 that is provided at the other end of the slider 123 and moves up and down. The disk-shaped portion fits into the wide portion 57 of the rail 51, making it possible to position the seat body. In this embodiment, the locator 23 is a disk with a diameter of 20 mm to fit the wide portion 57 of the rail 51, but is not limited to this. It may have any shape as long as it is substantially the same as the size and shape of the wide portion 57 of the rail 51.

[0030] Elastic body 25 is provided at the bottom of the base of arm 22, and is pressed by the downward movement of locator 23, generating an upward biasing force (toward the opening of rail 51). Elastic body 25 is made of urethane rubber, but is not limited to urethane rubber and may be made of any elastic material. In addition to rubber, a spring material may also be used.

[0031] Lock pin 27 is a locking mechanism for fixing the seat. The lock pin is formed with a diameter of 10 mm, and when locked, presses against bottom 53b of groove 53 of rail 51 to fix the seat. The size (diameter) of the lock pin is not limited to 10 mm.

[0032] The slider 123 configured in this manner is coupled to the seat support part 111, slides inside the groove 53 of the rail 51 when unlocked, and abuts against the inside of the groove 53 of the rail 51 (the inner surface of the flange part 55) when locked. Note that instead of the lock pin 27, a through hole may be formed in the slider 123, and a lock push rod 115 may be inserted into the through hole so that the lock push rod 115 directly presses the bottom part 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51 and abuts against the inside of the groove 53 of the rail 51. In the seat fixing device according to this embodiment, two sliders 123 are installed at the bottom of the seat support base 111a so that the locators 23 face each other, and the seat support part 111 and the slider 123 are fixed with bolts 73 as shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b).

[0033] The tip of the locking push rod 115 presses the lock pin 27 of the slider 123. The pressed lock pin 27 of the slider 123 presses the bottom of the rail 51 with a force of 200 kgf to 300 kgf. On the other hand, when the locking push rod 115 disengages from the lock pin 27 of the slider 123, the lock pin 27 of the slider 123 that was being pressed by the locking push rod 115 also disengages from the bottom of the rail 51.

[0034] The locator push rod 117 presses the locator 23 of the slider 123 at its tip. The pressed locator 23 of the slider 123 is released from engagement with the wide portion 57 of the rail 51. When the locator push rod 117 is released from the locator 23, the locator 23 that was pressed by the locator push rod 117 returns to a horizontal state in which it is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail 51 (the left-right direction in FIG. 1 ) due to the biasing force of the elastic body 25, and engages at the position of the wide portion 57 of the rail 51.

[0035] The first toggle mechanism 119 is composed of a first toggle member 119a connected to the end opposite the tip of the lock push rod 115, and a second toggle member 119c connected at one end to the first toggle member 119a via a first joint 119b and pivotally supported at point a on the seat support member 111. The second toggle member 119c has an end opposite to the first joint 119b fixed (pivoted) to the seat support member 111 at point a. The interlocking member 121 interlocks the first joint 119b with the levers 113a and 113b. The locator interlocking member 122 is configured to be able to bend or extend at a fourth joint 127 and connects the first joint 119b of the interlocking member 121 to the opposite fourth joint 127. The locator interlocking member 122 interlocks with the interlocking member 121 and the locator push rod 117 .

[0036] With this structure, for example, when levers 113a, 113b are rotated in the lock (R) direction, interlocking member 121 receives a force from levers 113a, 113b in a rightward direction in FIG. 1, causing first joint portion 119b to be displaced in a direction that increases the angle formed between first toggle member 119a and second toggle member 119c (toward the right in FIG. 1), and first toggle member 119a moves lock push rod 115 downward (downward in FIG. 1), and at the same time, interlocking member 121 displaces fourth joint portion 127 to the right in FIG. 1, bending locator interlocking member 122 and moving locator push rod 117 upward (upward in FIG. 1). As a result, the tip of the lock push rod 115 presses the lock pin 27 of the slider 123 , causing the locator push rod 117 to separate from the locator 23 .

[0037] The lock pin 27 of the slider 123 pressed by the tip of the lock push rod 115 presses against the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51, and the slider 123 itself receives a reaction force pressing against the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51, and abuts against the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51. Because the lock pin 27 receives a reaction force pressing against the bottom of the rail 51 with a force of 200 kgf to 300 kgf, the slider 123 is pressed against the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51 with a force of 200 kgf to 300 kgf. This eliminates any rattle and makes it possible to fix the seat to the rail 51. Furthermore, the locator 23 of the slider 123 that has detached from the locator push rod 117 returns to a horizontal state in which it is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail 51 (the left-right direction in FIG. 1 ) due to the biasing force of the elastic body 25, and fits into the position of the wide portion 57 of the rail 51. At this time, the first joint portion 119b enters a "reverse joint state" in which the angle between the first toggle member 119a and the second toggle member 119c exceeds 180 degrees, and the lever 113b is fixed by abutting against the lever stopper 114a. This locks the first toggle mechanism 119, and the lock pin 27 maintains a state in which it presses against the bottom of the rail 51, making it possible to fix the seat on the rail without any "play." Also, as mentioned above, when lever 113b rotates in the lock (R) direction, lever 113b abuts against lever stopper 114a, and first joint portion 119b is fixed in the "reverse joint state." However, as mentioned above, the two levers 113a, 113b are arranged to be linked, so operating either lever will result in the same movement.

[0038] The first joint portion 119b locks the first toggle mechanism 119 in the reverse joint state. When the levers 113a, 113b rotate in the unlock (F) direction, the interlocking member 121 displaces the first joint portion 119b in a direction that reduces the angle formed between the first toggle member 119a and the second toggle member 119c (to the left in FIG. 1 ), and lifts the tip of the locking push rod 115. Then, the locking pin 27, which had been pressed by the locking push rod 115, also lifts, and the tip of the locking pin 27 is released from the bottom portion 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51. As a result, the slider 123 itself moves away from the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51. At the same time, the interlocking member 121 displaces the fourth joint 127 leftward in FIG. 1, extending the locator interlocking member 122 and moving the locator push rod 117 downward. The tip of the locator push rod 117 presses the locator 23 of the slider 123, releasing it from engagement with the wide portion 57 of the rail 51. This unlocks the first toggle mechanism 119, allowing the seat to slide on the rail. Furthermore, when the lever 113b rotates in the unlocking (F) direction, the lever 113b abuts against the lever stopper 114b, restricting the movable range of the lever 113b to prevent it from rotating too far. As described above, the two levers 113a and 113b are arranged to interlock with each other, so operating either lever will result in the same movement.

[0039] As described above, the seat fixing device has a structure that utilizes a toggle mechanism, which makes it possible to lock and unlock the seat with little force, and furthermore, the stopper that fixes the lever does not require complex parts and can be manufactured using simple parts, making it possible to reduce manufacturing costs.

[0040] [2] Second Configuration Next, a seat fixing device 2 having a second configuration will be described with reference to the drawings. The seat fixing device 1 having the first configuration described above is configured using one toggle mechanism, but the seat fixing device 2 having the second configuration has two toggle mechanisms. Note that the configuration of the slider and the rail on which the seat fixing device slides overlaps with the first configuration, so a description of this configuration will be omitted.

[0041] 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a seat fixing device 2 having a second configuration. The seat fixing device 2 is a seat fixing device that fixes a seat that slides on a rail 51 having a groove 53 formed in the rail 51 and a pair of flanges 55 that protrude inward from an open end 53a of the groove 53, and includes a seat support part 211 that supports the seat, one or more levers 213a, 213b, lever stoppers 214a, 214b, a lock push rod 215, a locator push rod 217, a second toggle mechanism 219, an interlocking member 221, a locator interlocking member 222, and a slider 123. The seat support part 211 is composed of a seat support base 211a, a seat side panel 211b, and a seat support frame 211c, each of which is fixed with fixing metal fittings such as screws.

[0042] The elements constituting the seat fixing device 2 will now be described. The lever 213a is pivotally supported at point B on the seat support part 211, and the lever 213b is pivotally supported at point C on the seat support part 211, with the two levers being arranged to move in conjunction with each other. When one lever is rotated in the direction of arrow R, the other lever also rotates in the direction of arrow R. Furthermore, when one lever is rotated in the direction of arrow F, the other lever also rotates in the direction of arrow F. In this embodiment, a case where one of the two levers is rotated will be described as an example, but as described above, since the two levers are arranged to move in conjunction with each other, operating either lever will result in the same movement. The number of levers included in the seat fixing device 2 is not limited to two. The number of levers included in the seat fixing device 2 may be one.

[0043] The tip of the locking push rod 215 presses the lock pin 27 of the slider 123. The pressed lock pin 27 of the slider 123 presses the bottom of the rail 51 with a force of 200 kgf to 300 kgf. On the other hand, when the locking push rod 215 disengages from the lock pin 27 of the slider 123, the lock pin 27 of the slider 123 that was being pressed by the locking push rod 215 also disengages from the bottom of the rail 51.

[0044] The locator push rod 217 presses the locator 23 of the slider 123 at its tip. The pressed locator 23 of the slider 123 is released from engagement with the wide portion 57 of the rail 51. When the locator push rod 217 is released from the locator 23, the locator 23 that was pressed by the locator push rod 217 returns to a horizontal state in which it is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail 51 (the left-right direction in FIG. 4 ) due to the biasing force of the elastic body 25, and engages at the position of the wide portion 57 of the rail 51.

[0045] The second toggle mechanism 219 is composed of a third toggle member 219a connected to the end opposite the tip of the lock push rod 215, a fourth toggle member 219c connected to the third toggle member 219a at one end via a second joint 219b and pivotally supported on the seat support member 211 at point b at the other end, a fifth toggle member 219d connected to the second joint 219b, and a sixth toggle member 219f connected to the fifth toggle member 219d at one end via a third joint 219e and pivotally supported on the seat support member 211 at point c at the other end. An interlocking member 221 interlocks the third joint 219e with the levers 213a and 213b. A locator interlocking member 222 is connected to the interlocking member 221 via the third joint 219e. The locator interlocking member 222 is interlocked with the interlocking member 221 and the locator push rod 217 .

[0046] With this structure, for example, when levers 213a, 213b are rotated in the lock (R) direction, interlocking member 221 displaces third joint 219e in a direction that increases the angle between fifth toggle member 219d and sixth toggle member 219f (upward in FIG. 4), and fifth toggle member 219d displaces second joint 219b in a direction that increases the angle between third toggle member 219a and fourth toggle member 219c (leftward in FIG. 4), and third toggle member 219a moves the tip of lock push rod 215 downward (downward in FIG. 4), and at the same time, locator interlocking member 222 moves locator push rod 217 upward (upward in FIG. 4). As a result, the tip of the lock push rod 215 presses the lock pin 27 of the slider 123 , causing the locator push rod 217 to separate from the locator 23 .

[0047] The lock pin 27 of the slider 123 pressed by the tip of the lock push rod 215 presses against the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51, and the slider 123 itself receives a reaction force pressing against the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51, and abuts against the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51. Because the lock pin 27 receives a reaction force pressing against the bottom of the rail 51 with a force of 200 kgf to 300 kgf, the slider 123 is pressed against the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51 with a force of 200 kgf to 300 kgf. This eliminates any play and makes it possible to secure the seat to the rail. Furthermore, the locator 23 of the slider 123 that has detached from the locator push rod 217 returns to a horizontal state in which it is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail (in Figure 4, the left-right direction relative to the drawing) due to the biasing force of the elastic body 25, and engages with the wide portion of the rail at the position of the wide portion of the rail. At this time, the second joint portion 219b is in an "inverse joint state" in which the angle between the third toggle member 219a and the fourth toggle member 219c exceeds 180 degrees, and the lever 213b abuts against the lever stopper 214a, locking the second toggle mechanism 219. The third joint portion 219e is also in an "inverse joint state" in which the angle between the fifth toggle member 219d and the sixth toggle member 219f exceeds 180 degrees, and similarly to the second joint portion 219b, the lever 213b abuts against the lever stopper 214a, locking the second toggle mechanism 219. Since the lock pin 27 remains pressed against the bottom of the rail 51, the seat can be fixed on the rail without any "play." Furthermore, as mentioned above, when lever 213b rotates in the lock (R) direction, lever 213b abuts against lever stopper 214a, and second joint portion 219b and third joint portion 219e that constitute second toggle mechanism 219 are fixed in the "reverse joint state." However, as mentioned above, the two levers 213a, 213b are arranged to be linked, and therefore, operating either lever will result in the same movement.

[0048] Furthermore, the second joint 219b and the third joint 219e lock the second toggle mechanism 219 in the reverse joint state. When the levers 213a and 213b rotate in the release (F) direction, the interlocking member 221 displaces the third joint 219e in a direction that reduces the angle between the fifth toggle member 219d and the sixth toggle member 219f (downward in FIG. 4 ). The fifth toggle member 219d displaces the second joint 219b in a direction that reduces the angle between the third toggle member 219a and the fourth toggle member 219c (rightward in FIG. 4 ). As a result, the tip of the locking push rod is lifted. Then, the lock pin 27 pressed by the locking push rod 215 is also lifted, and the tip of the lock pin 27 is released from the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51. As a result, the slider 123 itself moves away from the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51. At the same time, the locator interlocking member 222 moves the locator push rod 217 downward (downward in FIG. 4), and the tip of the locator push rod 217 presses the locator 23 of the slider 123, releasing it from engagement with the wide portion 57 of the rail 51. This releases the lock on the second toggle mechanism 219, allowing the seat to slide on the rail. Furthermore, when the lever 213b rotates in the unlocking (F) direction, the lever 213b abuts against the lever stopper 214b, restricting the movable range of the lever 213b to prevent it from rotating too far.

[0049] As described above, the seat fixing device has a structure that utilizes a toggle mechanism, which makes it possible to lock and unlock the seat with little force, and furthermore, the stopper that fixes the lever does not require complex parts and can be manufactured using simple parts, making it possible to reduce manufacturing costs.

[0050] [2. About the toggle mechanism] Next, the toggle mechanism will be explained. In the seat fixing device according to this embodiment, both the first and second configurations have a toggle mechanism. When fixing the seat fixing device, a locking push rod is used to fix it, which requires an extremely large force greater than that required to lift the entire seat. The toggle mechanism is a link mechanism consisting of two links and one slider, and is a mechanism that increases output by using a force-boosting structure.

[0051] Figures 5(a) to 5(c) are diagrams showing a toggle mechanism. Figure 6 is a diagram showing measurement results of the force (kg) output depending on the angle (θ) formed by two links in the toggle mechanism. Figure 7 is a graph showing the output results of Figure 6.

[0052] As shown in Figures 5(a) to (c), a toggle mechanism is a link mechanism consisting of two links and one slider, with one end fixed and the other end a slider. As shown in Figure 5(a), when a force (p) is input to the right of the drawing, a force (f) is output downward of the drawing, causing the link made up of the slider to slide. When the input (p) is removed, a reaction force (r) such as weight causes the link to return in the opposite direction to the output (f).

[0053] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 5(c), when a stopper is provided at a position where the angle θ between the two links exceeds 180 degrees, even if a force (p) is input to the right in the drawing and stopped at a position where the angle θ between the two links exceeds 180 degrees, the link will not return in the opposite direction to the output (f), and the link can be maintained fixed at the stopper position. In the seat fixing devices 1 and 2 according to this embodiment, the lever stoppers 114a and 214a play the role of the stopper.

[0054] 6 and 7, it can be seen that the output force increases as the angle (θ) between the two links approaches 180 degrees. In particular, the output force increases rapidly as the angle approaches 180 degrees. In the seat fixing device according to this embodiment, by utilizing this toggle mechanism, it is possible to obtain an extremely large force, greater than that required to lift the entire seat, when locking.

[0055] [3. Locking structure] Next, the locking structure of the seat fixing device according to this embodiment will be described in detail. Figures 8 to 13 are diagrams showing the states of each locking structure. Figures 14 to 16 are diagrams showing the details of the rail and slider in each state of the locking structure. Below, the seat fixing device having the second configuration will be used for explanation, but the same applies to the seat fixing device having the first configuration.

[0056] 8(a) and 8(b) are a side view of the seat fixing device showing the state in which the seat is fixed (locked), and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. FIG. 14(a) is a diagram showing the state of the locator, lock pin, and rail in the state of FIG. 8, and FIG. 14(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along a0-a0 in FIG. 14(a). When the seat is locked, as shown in FIGS. 8(a), 8(b), and 14(a), the locator push rod 217 moves away from the locator 23 of the slider 123, and the locator 23 of the slider 123 returns to a horizontal state in which it is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail 51 (the sliding direction of the slider 123) due to the biasing force of the elastic body 25, and fits into the wide portion 57 of the rail 51 at the position of the wide portion 57 of the rail 51. Furthermore, the locking push rod 215 presses the lock pin 27 of the slider 123, and the pressed lock pin 27 of the slider 123 presses the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51. Then, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the slider 123 itself receives a reaction force pressing it against the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51, and abuts against the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51. This prevents the seat from rattling and allows it to be fixed onto the rail 51 by the seat fixing device.

[0057] 8(a) and 8(b) are a side view of the seat fixing device showing the seat in a free (unlocked) state and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. FIG. 15(a) is a diagram showing the state of the locator, lock pin, and rail in the state of FIG. 8, and FIG. 15(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along a1-a1 in FIG. 15(a). In the free state where the lever is rotated in the release (F) direction, as shown in FIGS. 8(a), 8(b), and 15(a), the locator push rod 217 presses the locator 23 of the slider 123, thereby releasing the engagement between the locator 23 of the slider 123 and the wide portion 57 of the rail 51. In addition, the lock push rod 215 disengages from the lock pin 27 of the slider 123, and accordingly, the lock pin 27 of the slider 123 also disengages from the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15(b), the slider 123 itself moves away from the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51, and the locator 23 is accommodated inside the groove 53 of the rail 51, and the lock is released.

[0058] 10(a) and (b) are a side view of the seat fixing device and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure, showing a state in which the seat fixing device is unlocked and the seat is sliding on the rail 51. In the unlocked state, as shown in FIG. 15(b), the slider 123 itself is separated from the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51, and the locator 23 is accommodated inside the groove 53 of the rail 51, allowing the slider 123 to slide inside the rail 51.

[0059] 11(a) and (b) are a side view of the seat fixing device showing a primary fixation standby state for fixing the seat in a desired position, and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. When the lever is in a neutral state (neither in the R direction nor the F direction), as shown in FIGS. 11(a) and (b), the locator push rod 217 is lifted and moves away from the locator 23 of the slider 123. Also, the locking push rod 215 moves down and abuts against the lock pin 27 of the slider 123. However, in the primary fixation standby state, the locator 23 of the slider 123 is below the narrow portion 59 of the rail 51, so the seat is still able to slide.

[0060] 12(a) and 12(b) are a side view of the seat fixing device showing the seat in the primarily fixed (locked) state, and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. FIG. 16(a) is a diagram showing the state of the locator, lock pin, and rail in the state of FIG. 12, and FIG. 16(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along a2-a2 in FIG. 16(a). When the seat is further slid in the primary fixation standby state shown in FIG. 11, the wide portion 57 of the nearest rail 51 and the locator 23 of the slider 123 fit together, as shown in FIGS. 11(a), (b), and 16(a). This results in the primary fixation of the seat.

[0061] 13(a) and 13(b) are a side view of the seat fixing device showing the seat fixed (locked) state and a cross-sectional view of the locking structure. When the lever is rotated in the lock (R) direction from the primary fixed state, the toggle mechanism is activated, and the locator push rod 217 separates from the locator 23 of the slider 123. The locator 23 of the slider 123 returns to a horizontal state with respect to the longitudinal direction of the rail 51 (the sliding direction of the slider 123) due to the biasing force of the elastic body 25, and fits into the wide portion 57 of the rail 51 at the position of the wide portion 57 of the rail 51. The locking push rod 215 also presses the lock pin 27 of the slider 123, and the pressed lock pin 27 of the slider 123 presses the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51. 14(b), the slider 123 itself receives a reaction force pressing it against the bottom 53b of the groove 53 of the rail 51, and comes into contact with the inner surface of the flange portion 55 of the rail 51. This prevents the seat from rattling and allows the seat to be fixed onto the rail 51 by the seat fixing device.

[0062] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a seat fixing device that can easily slide the seat with a single action of the lever and fix it without any rattle, and that can be installed later. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1, 2 Seat fixing device 21 Guide roller 22 Arm 23 Locator 25 Elastic Body 27 Lock pin 51 Rail 53 Groove 53a Open end 53b bottom 55 flange 57 Wide section 59 Narrow part 111 Seat support 111a Seat support stand 111b Seat side panel 111c Seat support frame 113a, 113b lever 114a, 114b Lever stopper 115 Lock push rod 117 Locator push rod 119 First toggle mechanism 119a first toggle member 119b First joint 119c second toggle member 121 Interlocking members 122 Locator interlocking member 123 Slider 127 Fourth Joint 211 Seat support 211a Seat support stand 211b Seat side panel 211c Seat support frame 213a, 213b lever 214a, 214b Lever stopper 215 Lock push rod 217 Locator push rod 219 Second Toggle Mechanism 219a third toggle member 219b Second joint 219c Fourth toggle member 219d Fifth toggle member 219e Third joint 219f Sixth toggle member 221 Interlocking members 222 Locator interlocking member

Claims

1. A sheet fixing device for fixing a sheet sliding on a rail having a groove and a pair of flange portions provided so as to protrude inward from an open end of the groove, a seat support portion that supports the seat; a slider coupled to the seat support portion and sliding within the groove; a lever pivotally supported on the seat support portion; a locking push rod whose tip presses against the bottom of the groove; a first toggle mechanism including a first toggle member connected to an end portion opposite to the tip of the locking push rod, and a second toggle member connected at one end to the first toggle member via a first joint portion and pivotally supported at the other end by the seat support portion; an interlocking member that interlocks the first joint portion and the lever, A seat fixing device characterized in that, as the lever is displaced, the interlocking member is displaced in conjunction with the displacement of the lever, and the locking push rod is displaced via the first toggle mechanism, thereby pressing the slider and locking and unlocking the seat.

2. 2. The seat fixing device according to claim 1, wherein when the lever rotates in the locking direction, the interlocking member displaces the first joint portion in a direction that increases the angle formed between the first toggle member and the second toggle member, the first toggle member presses the tip of the locking push rod toward the bottom of the groove, and the slider receives a reaction force pressing the tip of the locking push rod toward the bottom of the groove and abuts against the inner surface of the flange portion of the rail.

3. 3. The seat fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the first joint portion locks the first toggle mechanism in a reverse joint state, and when the lever rotates in a release direction, the interlocking member displaces the first joint portion in a direction that reduces the angle formed between the first toggle member and the second toggle member, and disengages the tip of the locking push rod from the bottom of the groove, thereby unlocking the first toggle mechanism.

4. A sheet fixing device for fixing a sheet sliding on a rail having a groove and a pair of flange portions provided so as to protrude inward from an open end of the groove, a seat support portion that supports the seat; a slider coupled to the seat support portion and sliding within the groove; a lever pivotally supported on the seat support portion; a locking push rod whose tip presses against the bottom of the groove; a second toggle mechanism including a third toggle member connected to an end portion opposite to the tip of the locking push rod, a fourth toggle member connected at one end to the third toggle member via a second joint portion and pivotally supported at the other end by the seat support portion, a fifth toggle member connected to the second joint portion, and a sixth toggle member connected at one end to the fifth toggle member via the third joint portion and pivotally supported at the other end by the seat support portion; an interlocking member that interlocks the third joint portion and the lever, A seat fixing device characterized in that, as the lever is displaced, the interlocking member is displaced in conjunction with the displacement of the lever, and the locking push rod is displaced via the second toggle mechanism, thereby pressing the slider and locking and unlocking the seat.

5. 5. The seat fixing device according to claim 4, wherein, when the lever rotates in the locking direction, the interlocking member displaces the third joint in a direction that increases the angle between the fifth toggle member and the sixth toggle member, and the fifth toggle member displaces the second joint in a direction that increases the angle between the third toggle member and the fourth toggle member, the third toggle member presses the tip of the locking push rod toward the bottom of the groove, and the slider abuts against the inner surface of the flange portion of the rail due to a reaction force exerted by the tip of the locking push rod pressing against the bottom of the groove.

6. 6. The seat fixing device according to claim 4, wherein the second joint and the third joint lock the second toggle mechanism in a reverse joint state, and when the lever rotates in a release direction, the interlocking member displaces the third joint in a direction that reduces an angle between the fifth toggle member and the sixth toggle member, and the fifth toggle member displaces the second joint in a direction that reduces an angle between the third toggle member and the fourth toggle member, thereby disengaging a tip of the locking push rod from a bottom of the groove and unlocking the second toggle mechanism.

7. the flange portion of the rail includes a narrow portion having a small length in the width direction of the rail and a wide portion having a large length in the width direction of the rail, The slider includes: a locator that interferes with the narrow portion and fits into the wide portion; an elastic body that urges the locator toward the opening from the inside of the rail, The seat support portion is a locator push rod having a tip that presses the locator; a locator interlocking member connecting the end portion of the locator push rod opposite to the tip end and the interlocking member, 7. The seat fixing device according to claim 1, wherein when the lever rotates in a locking direction, the locator interlocking member disengages the tip of the locator push rod from the locator, while when the lever rotates in an unlocking direction, the locator interlocking member presses the tip of the locator push rod against the locator.

Images