FLOOR LATCH MECHANISM FOR VEHICLE SEATS AND METHOD RELATING TO THE FLOOR LATCH MECHANISM TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to locking mechanisms used in vehicle seats.

The said mechanism is related to functional surface in the pawl and a new spring design, which have the characteristic of resistance to heavy loads, and collapsing easily, and provides an easy collapsing by applying small force.

PRIOR ART The present invention is used in backrest, sitting, lower parts and floor of the vehicle seats. The locking mechanism is provided on the seat or vehicle, and connects the seat to the vehicle. It can be used as the floor latch, backrest latch, rear seat front locking and back adjust mechanism. The locking mechanism comprises a main mounting plate or body, and a pawl is provided on said mounting plate; wherein, the said pawl includes locking houses and positioning radiuses thereon. It comprises a safety cam fixed on an axis different from the functioning axis of the pawl so as to move rotationally, and comfort cam positioned on a same axis with the said safety cam, and a spring connected between said comfort cam and pawl.

Wedge angle and tolerances (functionality) determining the necessary loads for the lock to be opened are on the comfort cam in the present mechanisms. The surface of the comfort cam is in contact with the corner of pawl. Therefore, the corner of the pawl has importance. In the state of art, production based fractures at the corner of the pawl and radius on the top surface may occur, and it can affect the functionality. There is a big load difference between the first position of the pawl spring (compressing the lock permanently) used in the state of art, which determines the opening force, and the last position after opening. A German patent numbered WO2004069585 has been encountered in the patent search related to the state of art. This application discloses a locking mechanism used in the vehicles and it comprises a mounting part to which the mechanism is mounted, a ratchet and at least a safety part at a rotating position on the mounting part, a functioning surface created on the latch part, a second functioning surface on the main ratchet, and a torque ratchet. An ordinary spring is used between the main ratchet and latch part in said mechanism. Another German application numbered DE20200600884U1 also comprises a case provided in the locking and adjustment box, and vehicle base plate attached to the seat and slide rails between thereof, a rotary complementary part to activate or deactivate the outer contours if locking mechanism in an order created in U-form, and a micro contactor. In addition, the mechanism comprises a spring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to have different characteristic offering a new development when compared to the vehicle locking mechanisms used in prior art.

The object of the present invention is to put the functionality on the pawl instead of comfort cam. The functionality losses caused by the fractures arising from the production in the present system are prevented. An object of the present invention is to separate functional surfaces by providing two surfaces rather than one surface on the pawl. In addition, the said surfaces can be found on two separate parts.

An object of the present invention is to include rotation axis and functioning axes of new designed spring at different points contrary to the present embodiments. In this case, opening load is minimized, as the rotating angle of the spring around its own axis is at the minimum level, although the opening angle of the lock is higher. The object of the present invention is that the rotation point of the spring can be at the same or different point with the rotation point of the pawl.

In order to achieve all the objects, the present invention comprises a comfort cam compressing the pawl permanently, preventing the noise and providing the tolerances when the vehicle is on the move.

In order to achieve all the above mentioned objects, the present invention is related to floor latch mechanism for vehicle seats, which comprises a pawl including pin housing into which locking pin is nested, and a safety cam receiving the force transferred by the said pawl, characterized in that it comprises a main spring positioned at the rotating axis of the said pawl, and one end of which is connected with the safety cam, a comfort spring positioned on the said functioning axis and one end of which is connected with the comfort cam, and a comfort cam compressing the pawl by means of said comfort spring.

FIGURES TO HELP UNDERSTANDING THE INVENTION

Figure-1 ; The general perspective view of the latch mechanism according to the invention together with the novel spring embodiment.

Figure-2; The perspective view of spring end connection areas together with detail views. Figure-3; The rear perspective view of spring end connection area.

Figure-4; The view of locking mechanism according to the invention in locked position.

Figure-4.1 The detail view showing that inner contact circular surface (D) of pawl and outer contact circular surface (D1) of comfort cam are at different axes.

Figure-5; The view of locking mechanism according to the invention in open position. Figure-6; The representative views from different angles of the alternative embodiment indicating that the gradual surfaces in the pawl are created by means of two independent parts instead of single part. Figure-7; The perspective view together with detailed view showing the gradual surfaces on the pawl.

Figure-7.1 ; The perspective view together with detailed view from different angles showing the gradual surfaces on the pawl.

PART NUMERALS

10- Adaptation plate 52- Main spring front end

11 - Cutout 53- Main spring rear end

12- Cutout area 54- Comfort cam spring

13- Comfort cam contact surface 541- Comfort cam spring front end

14- Safety cam contact surface 30 542- Comfort cam spring rear end

15- Spring connection point 60-Locking pin

16- Housing Cover A - Pawl rotation axis

20- Pawl B-Comfort and safety cam rotation axis

21 - Locking pin area C- Functional area

30-Comfort cam 35 D- Pawl inner contact circular surface 40-Safety cam D1 -Comfort cam outer contact circular

50- Main spring surface

51 - Rotation axes

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to floor latch mechanism for vehicle seats, and it comprises a pawl (20) including locking pin area (21) into which locking pin (60) is nested, and a safety cam (40) receiving the force transferred by the said pawl (20), an adaptation plate (10), on which said pawl (20) and safety cam (40) are positioned so as to rotate, and all the parts in the mechanism are configured, main spring (50) positioned at the rotation axis (A) of said pawl (20), and one end of which is connected to the safety cam (40), comfort cam spring (54) positioned at the rotation axis (B) of said comfort and safety cam and a comfort cam (30) compressing the pawl by means of said comfort cam spring (54). The said invention comprises spring rotation axes (51) positioned at the said rotation axis (A) and comfort and safety cam rotation axis (B), and to which, said main spring (50) and comfort cam spring (54) are fixed, main spring rear end (53) connected in the spring connection point (15) of main spring front end (52), a main spring (50) connected with safety cam (40) and positioned at the rotation axis in helical manner, the other comfort cam spring rear end (542) connected with the cutout ( 1) of the comfort cam spring front end (541), a comfort cam spring (54) connected with comfort cam (30) and positioned at the comfort and safety cam rotation axis (B) in helical manner, a cutout (11) created thereon in order for the said comfort cam spring front end (541) to be connected, and comfort cam contact surface (13) and safety cam contact surface (14) created on the said pawl (20). The cutout (11) is positioned on the housing cover (16).

In Figure-1 , the complete perspective mounted view of the whole parts composing the floor latch mechanism is shown. The pawl (20) configured on the adaptation plate (10) is the most and effective hook together with safety cam (40), which provides the connection to the vehicle or locking to the locking pin (60) on the vehicle, and receives the whole force. The contact surface shown at the functional area (C) is changed, and the contact is obtained from the inner surface instead of pawl (20) edge contact as seen in the figure. The functional area (C) is the working area, wherein the pawl (20) and safety cam (40) are in contact with each other. However, the safety cam (40) serves to receive the force transferred by the pawl (20) and to prevent it from opening during the collision. The comfort cam (30) serves to compress the pawl (20) permanently, prevent noise and provide tolerances while the vehicle is on the move.

The safety cam (40) and comfort cam (30) can be opened by means of a button or any basic system, and locking is obtained by fitting the pawl (20) to the locking correspondent shaft or removing it from the said shaft. Here, the angles of the contact surface (13, 14) at the functional area (C) have utmost importance. Opening loads and angles are determined at said area. The functional surfaces (C) on the paw! (20) and comfort cam (30) can be created in 3 different manners. It is possible that pawl (20) surface is angular, while the comfort cam (30) surface is agonic; comfort cam (30) surface is angular, while the pawl (20) surface is agonic; or, surfaces of the both hooks are angular at certain levels. In Figure-6, the representative views from different angles of the alternative embodiment indicating that the gradual contact surfaces (13,14) in the pawl (20) are created by means of two independent parts instead of single part, is shown. As can be understood from the figures, safety cam contact surface (14) is produced as an independent part in this embodiment and is centered at the pawl rotation axis (A). The part of the pawl (20), which consists of two parallel parts and has comfort cam contact surface (13) with the comfort cam, and the parts comprising contact surface with safety cam contact surface (14) have same or different materials.

In Figure-4, the detail view showing that inner contact circular surface (D) of pawl (20) and outer contact circular surface (D1) of comfort cam (30) are at different centers is shown.

In Figures 7 and 7.1 , the perspective views together with the detailed views showing the gradual contact surfaces (13,14) on the pawl (20), are given. The contact surfaces (13,14), on which comfort cam (30) and safety cam (40) are in contact, and to which they apply driving force, are clearly indicated in 13, 14 A and B.