GB2202736A

GB2202736A - Holding mechanism for an automotive vehicle seat

Info

Publication number: GB2202736A
Application number: GB08804383A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rudolph Hendrikx
Original assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
Current assignee: Continental Teves AG and Co oHG
Priority date: 1987-02-27
Filing date: 1988-02-25
Publication date: 1988-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-25
Also published as: GB2202736B; GB8804383D0; DE3706395A1; DE3706395C2

Abstract

In a holding mechanism for an automotive vehicle seat which is mountable on a bottom assembly unit in an automotive vehicle, the seat (1) and the bottom assembly unit (2) comprise as a holding mechanism (3 to 6) plug-in element (3, 4) and snap-in elements (5, 6). The plug-in element (3, 4) comprises a coupling unit (4) with apertures (9, 10) and a plug unit (3) with plugs (7, 8). The snap-in element (5, 6) comprises a holder (6) and a hook (5). By relative movement between the seat (1) and the bottom assembly unit (2) in a first direction (11), the plugs (7, 8) are insertable into the apertures (9, 10) of the coupling unit (4). By relative movement in a second direction (15), the hook (5) is hooked in the holder (6). <IMAGE>

Description

HOLDING MECHANISM FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE SEAT This invention relates to a holding mechanism for an automotive vehicle seat of the kind which is mountable on a bottom assembly unit in an automotive vehicle.

An automotive vehicle seat, in particular for a two-door automotive vehicle, is known from EP-OS 0135596 (page 1, line 1,2 and page 10, lines 26 ff).

A bottom rail is fastened through consoles to the vehicle bottom, this rail having a C-profiled crosssection and being provided with a longitudinallyextending aperture on its top side. The consoles, referred to as a holding mechanism hereinbelow, are not described in more detail.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a holding mechanism for an automotive vehicle seat in a vehicle which enables the seat to be easily mounted into the automotive vehicle.

According to the invention there is provided a holding mechanism for an automotive vehicle seat of the kind which is mountable on a bottom assembly unit in an automotive vehicle, characterised in that the seat and the bottom assembly unit comprise as a holding mechanism plug-in elements and snap-in elements, in that the plug-in element, on the one hand, comprises at least one coupling unit with at least one aperture and, on the other hand, at Least one plug unit with at least one plug, in that by relative movement between seat and bottom assembly unit in a first direction the plug of the plug unit is partially insertable into the aperture of the coupling unit, in that the snap-in element on the one hand, comprises at least one holder and, on the other hand, at least one hook, and in that by way of a relative movement in a second direction the hook is adapted to become hooked in the holder.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a holding mechanism between an automotive vehicle seat and a vehicle bottom, Figure 2 shows a bolt of a plug, Figure 3 is a side view of a coupling, Figure 4 is another side view of the coupling, Figure 5 shows another embodiment of the coupling, Figure 6 is a first side view of a base member of a hook secured to the vehicle seat, Figure 7 shows the hook secured to the vehicle seat and shown in a second side view, Figure 8 shows the hook in a cross-sectional view, Figure 9 shows a spring of a hook, Figure 10 shows a holder for the book in a first side view and Figure 11 shows the holder for the hook in a second side view.

Figure 1 shows a side frame la of an automotive vehicle seat partly shown at 1 which can be mounted on a bottom assembly unit 2 of an automotive vehicle. A holding mechanism indicated generally at 3,4,5,6 comprises plug-in elements 3,4 composed of a plug unit 3 and a coupling unit 4 as well as snap-in elements 5,6 composed of a hook 5 and a holder 6.

Arranged on a first angular member 3a of plug unit 3 are two plugs 7,8 which can be inserted into two apertures 9,10 of a second angular member 4a of coupling unit 4. For this purpose, seat 1 with angular member 3a and plugs 7,8 is moved in the direction 11 through a distance h. Hook 5 is located at the front end of seat 1. The hook 5 comprises a safety lever 12 which partially closes an elongated hole 13. After plugs 7,8 have been inserted into apertures 9,10, hook 5 and holder 6 are on top of another in such a manner that hook 5 and seat 1 can be lowered in the diretion 15 by a distance r onto holder 6 comprising a pin 14. In doing so, pin 14 is inserted into elongated hole 13, and safety lever 12 is shifted aside during the insertion. After pin 14 has come to a stop at the end (43) of elongated hole 13, safety lever 12 will clamp resiliently behind pin 14.Hook 5 and holder 6 are hooked into one another, i.e. holder 6 is caught and/or clamped in hook 5.

Figure 2 shows part of the seat side frame la, to whose rear bottom end 17, referred to as bottom hereinbelow, angular member 3a is welded. The two plugs 7,8 extend through apertures 15', 16 of angular member 3a and are riveted to angular member 3a. In the riveted condition, plugs 7,8 have a cylindrical member 19 on one side of angular member 3a and, terminating in a truncated cone 20, while they have a riveted head 18 on the other side of angular member 3a. Both parts 21 and 22 of angular member 3a extend substantially perpendicularly to each other and to the bottom 17 of seat side frame la.

Figure 3 shows the second angular member 4a which is welded along a welding seam 23 onto the bottom assembly unit 2 of the automotive vehicle.

Angular member 4a has two parts 24,25 which extend perpendicularly to one another and which are so placed on the bottom assembly unit 2 that they are aligned for the mounted condition in which plugs 7,8 are inserted in apertures 9,10 and members 3 and 4 are in abutment with each other. The angular member part 25 contains the two apertures 9,10 into which the plugs 7,8 can be inserted.

Figure 4 shows the apertures 9,10 of the angular member part 25 designed as elongated holes 9,10 in order to compensate for lateral tolerances when inserting the plugs 7,8.

Figure 5 shows a similar angular member part 25 with two apertures 9,10, each of the apertures 9,10 circular.

Figure 6 shows the side frame la on which hook 5 is arranged. The hook 5 comprises a U-shaped base member 27 composed of two wings 27a and 27b and a base member bottom 28. One wing 27a closes the open side of a groove 26 in frame Ia. Base member 27 with its second wing 27b in parallel to the first wing 27a is connected by a screw coupling 29 to side frame la. In order to allow base member 27 to be screwed to side frame ta, there are provided apertures 30 and 31 through a groove bottom 32 of groove 26 and the second wing 27b. Instead of using a screw 29 the base member 27 can be riveted to the side frame Ia.

Figure 7 shows the side frame la with groove 26 and holder 5. The wings 27a, 27b of base member 27 of holder 5 are of rectangular shape. Projections 34 of the wings 27a and 27b project beyond the side frame 1 and define elongated hole 13. (Projection 34 of wing 27b is concealed behind wing 27a and cannot be seen). Wing 27b is secured to side frame 1 by two screw couplings 29 which could also be rivets. A spring 33 having an arcuate configuration extends through two bores 35 oppositely placed in the two projections 34. The arcuate spring 33 acts upon safety lever 12 and urges it in the direction 11. Two bent-out pins 38,39 of arcuate spring 33 act as a stop element for safety lever 12 and confine the direction of movement in the direction 11.

Placed in two further bores 37 which are opposingly arranged in projections 34 is a safety pin 36 which limits the direction of movement of safety lever 12 in the direction 40. When hook 5 is put on pin 14 of holder 6, the pin 14 presses safety lever 12 on slope 42 in the direction 41 and, after abutting on the end 43 of elongated hole 13 is caught and clamped behind top 44 of safety lever 12. Spring 33, as shown in Figure 9 comprises an arcuate portion 48 which is clamped in two projections 51,52 of safety lever 12 and exerts a spring force on the safety lever 12 in the direction 11.

Figure 8 shows a cross-section taken along the line A-A of base member 27. In this arrangement, the two arcs 45 and 46 of spring 33 are illustrated in cross-section at their vertex. Safety pin 36 which is placed in bores 37 of the two wings 27a and 27b limits the freedom of motion of safety lever 12 in the direction 40.

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of spring 33 with its two bent-out spring ends 38,39, spring arcs 45,46 and bracket portion 48.

Figure 10 shows the holder 6 with a side member 47 which has a partially oval surface. Pin 14 extends through a bore 49 of side member 47.

Figure 11 shows a second side view of holder 6 having two side members 47,48 which are advantageously made of sheet steel. Intermediate the two side members 47,48, pin 14 is located in bores 49,50 and welded or riveted thereto.

The present invention provides a holding mechanism by means of which seats, seat rails, seat adjusters or combinations of these can be secured to the vehicle bottom in the vehicle compartment by robots without the assistance of tools, further fastening parts or positioning means. Ease of assembling the parts is accomplished by way of short robot movements, and under narrow space conditions.

It is also possible to compensate for tolerances of the bottom assembly unit. The arrangement described lends itself to being used whereever an assembly is to be performed by means of robots. The mechanism can be utilised where large-size assembly units have to be mounted on the vehicle body.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A holding mechanism for an automotive vehicle seat of the kind which is mountable on a bottom assembly unit in an automotive vehicle, characterised in that the seat (1) and the bottom assembly unit (2) comprise as a holding mechanism (3 to 6) plug-in elements (3,4) and snap-in elements (5,6), in that the plug-in element (3,4), on the one hand, comprises at least one coupling unit (4) with at least one aperture (9,10) and, on the other hand, at least one plug unit (3) with at least one plug (7,8), in that by relative movement between seat (1) and bottom assembly unit (2) in a first direction (11) the plug (7,8) of the plug unit (3) is partially insertable into the aperture (9,10) of the coupling unit (4), in that the snap-in element (5,6) on the one hand, comprises at least one holder (6) and, on the other hand, at least one hook (5), and in that by way of a relative movement in a second direction (15) the hook (5) is adapted to become hooked in the holder (6).

2. A holding mechanism as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that arranged at a first angular member (3a) of the plug unit (3) are two plugs (7,8) which are insertable into two apertures (9,10) of a second angular member (4a) of the coupling unit (4).

3. A holding mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the hook (5) comprises a base member (27) with an elongated hole (13), a spring (33) and a safety lever (12), that the holder (6) comprises a pin (14), and in that the pin (14) after abutment on the end (43) of elongated hole (13) will snap in behind the safety lever (12).

4. A holding mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spring (33) comprises two spring arcs (45,46), two bent-out spring ends (38,39) and one bracket portion (48).

5. A holding mechanism for an automotive vehicle seat substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.