Rotary Slide Lock Assembly for Smooth Seat Rail Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing slide lock devices for automobile seats face issues with smooth operation due to the conversion of up-down movement of the operating member to left-right movement of the lock members, leading to potential interference and difficulty in moving the lock members smoothly.
Innovation Solution
The slide lock device incorporates rotatable lock members with convex parts that engage and disengage from locking holes, supported by a casing with helical grooves, allowing smooth transition between lock and release positions, and a pivotable operating member that prevents excessive load transmission to arm parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operating member is supported to be displaceable in the up-down direction and the lock members are supported to be displaceable in the left-right direction with cam conversion, then the lock mechanism can achieve position locking, but the lock member cannot move smoothly due to being pressed against the casing under load
Solution Approach 1:
The lock member is changed from linear displacement to rotational movement, allowing it to dynamically transition between locked and unlocked states through rotation about a pivot axis, eliminating the pressing issue caused by linear movement conversion
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of converting the operating member's up-down movement to left-right movement of the lock member via cam, the invention directly transmits the operating force to rotate the lock member about its pivot axis, inverting the traditional movement conversion approach
2Ease of operation
If the operating member presses the lock member to move from lock position to release position, then the locking function can be achieved, but excessive load may cause the lock member to be pressed against the casing
Solution Approach 1:
The lock member rotates about a pivot axis rather than being pressed linearly, transforming the force application mode from compression to rotational moment, which reduces the risk of excessive load and fracture
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot axis acts as an intermediary support point for the lock member, distributing the operational load through the rotation mechanism rather than concentrating it on the lock member body, thereby preventing fracture under excessive load
Data Source
AI summary
A slide device includes a rail and a slider. The rail is provided with multiple locking holes arranged in an extension direction of the rail. The slide lock device includes a casing joined to the slider, at least one lock member supported by the casing to be rotatable between a release position and a lock position, an urging member urging the lock member toward the lock position, and an operating member displaceably supported by the casing and contacting the lock member. The lock member includes at least one convex part configured to be engaged with the locking holes when the lock member is in the lock position and to be disengaged from the locking holes when the lock member is in the release position. When the operating member is moved from an initial position to a post-operation position, the operating member presses the lock member and moves the lock member from the lock position to the release position.