Patent Application
20220144136
This application claims the benefit of GB Patent Application Ser. No. 2017852.1, filed Nov. 12, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to anchorage systems of the kind in which an anchorage device can be held at any of various selectable positions along a fixed track, by means of one or more relatively laterally enlarged feet of the anchorage device which can be retained by opposed flanges of the track which overhang an interior channel thereof. Such anchorage systems are widely used for securing seating and other appliances such as wheelchair restraints and securing belts in vehicles. In some embodiments, the present proposals relate to such anchorage systems for installation in road vehicles such as vans, buses, minibuses, coaches and the like, and to such vehicles with such anchorage systems installed.
Such systems usually have the track extending longitudinally of the vehicle, so as best to exploit the strength deriving from the extended length of the track being fixed to the floor or wall (or sometimes roof/ceiling) of the vehicle. A collision is typically at the front of the vehicle and involves a longitudinal load on the secured object, such as a seat, in the forward direction and above the anchorage, tending to pull the track upwardly at the rear securement of the secured object. Usually the tracks and anchorage devices are adapted for variable longitudinal positioning of the devices in the tracks, by the device being securable relative to the track at any of a range of available positions, by means of a locking mechanism engageable with the track at the selected position. Moreover, the device can be removed from or attached to the track at any of a range of positions. One widely used design, also an option in the present proposals, has a track in which the retaining flanges are formed with a series of periodic cut-outs, and the anchorage device has correspondingly-spaced feet which can be inserted into or lifted out of the track at these cut-outs for removal or attachment of the anchorage device. The feet are connected to the body of the device by narrower stem portions which are slidable, either partially or freely, along the track opening between the retaining flanges with the feet moving along the channel interior. The feet can thus be slid away from the cut-out regions to be retained by the flanges, whereupon the device is locked in longitudinal position by a locking mechanism e.g., by lowering a non-slidable plunger of the device into a cut-out, by driving relative longitudinal movement between slidable and non-slidable track-engaging formations of the device, etc. These variants and options are well-known. Interaction of the feet and flanges prevents the device from pulling outwardly from the track. Longitudinal engagements, such as between the locking plunger and shoulders of the cut-outs, and/or in some designs between projections on the stem portion which also engage shoulders of cut-outs so that the stem is only partially slidable as mentioned above, prevent the device from being pulled along the track.
In some cases, it is desired to align the rail of such an anchorage system transversely relative to a vehicle, or in some other situation in which a load on an attached anchorage device is envisaged in a direction lateral to the direction of the rail (taking the rail length direction as the longitudinal direction, without reference to its orientation in a vehicle or on a structure). We find that conventional rails have deficiencies in withstanding lateral loads applied to the anchorages. The load is applied outwardly of the rail's channel opening, and causes forcible tilting of the anchorage device relative to the rail around a longitudinal axis. Assuming that the strength of the rail is not exceeded, the tilt is arrested at a tilted position by engagement of the outward faces of the feet at one side of the track with the inward face of the retaining flange at that side. On the other side of the track, there may be engagement of the side edges of the feet inwardly with a bottom or base (outwardly-directed) surface of the interior channel, or engagement of the underside of the anchorage device body against the outward face of the track e.g., on top of the retaining flange or laterally further out. Under such loads applied to conventional anchorage systems, there is a tendency for the track retaining flange on the side away from which the load is directed to be deformed outwardly by the outward pull of the anchorage foot/feet, and this represents a limit on the lateral load-bearing capacity.
It would be desirable to enable better strength of an anchorage system of the kind described with respect to lateral loads.
After investigation of the above interaction between an anchorage device and its track under lateral load, we now make new structural proposals for such anchorage systems, enabling an improvement in lateral load-bearing performance. In particular, we have noted that the orientation of the mutually contacting surface regions of the feet and flanges in conventional systems in the tilted position tends to reduce the effective strength of the flange under lateral loads. We have devised improved forms for these components which are set forth herein. In an additional feature, we provide structures to help ensure that anchorage devices used with the track are suitable to provide the improved effects disclosed herein.
In a first aspect we provide an anchorage system comprising an elongate track and an anchorage device securable at any of plural longitudinal positions on the track; the track comprising a base and having first and second sides, a longitudinal channel opening which opens in an outward face of the track and is defined between first and second retaining flanges at the outward face, the flanges projecting in towards one another and overlying the interior channel, the interior channel being defined by an outwardly-directed base surface, laterally inwardly-facing side wall surfaces defining lateral extremities of the channel, and by inwardly-directed faces of the retaining flanges directed towards the base surface, the flanges also having edge faces directed laterally towards one another across the channel opening and outward surfaces which are comprised in the outward face of the track.
In an embodiment, the track may be an extruded track or an extrudable track (e.g., a track having a shape which is capable of being manufactured via an extrusion process).
The anchorage device may include a body, at least one retaining foot and a stem portion connecting the body and the at least one retaining foot, the foot being laterally wider than the stem portion and the anchorage device being engageable in the track with the foot in the interior channel, the stem portion extending through the channel opening between the retaining flanges and the body outside the track with an inward face of the body overlying the outward face of the track.
In an embodiment, the at least one foot connected to the body of the device by the narrower stem portion is slidable, either partially or freely, along the track opening between the retaining flanges with the at least one foot moving along the channel interior. For example, the at least one foot may take the form of a simple fixed slider, rather than a more complicated roller.
In an embodiment, the retaining flanges of the track may be formed with a series of periodic cut-outs. In an embodiment, the anchorage device may have correspondingly-spaced feet which can be inserted into or lifted out of the track at these cut-outs for removal or attachment of the anchorage device. In an embodiment, the feet can be slid away from the cut-out regions to be retained (e.g., contacted) by the flanges.
The anchorage device is tiltable relative to the track around a longitudinal axis, under lateral load applied to the body of the anchorage device, to a tilted position at which tilt is limited by engagement of the outward face of the foot at the first side of the track with the inward face of the first retaining flange at respective contact regions of the foot and flange. Also in the tilted position, tilt may be limited by engagement at the second side of the track by an undersurface of the device body against an outward face of the track, and/or by engagement of an inward face of the foot against an outward face of a base of the track.
In this disclosure, the term “outward” is used throughout with reference to the track, away from the track base and out through the channel opening of the track. Inward is the reverse direction, towards the interior or base of the track. In particular, the corresponding terms are used for the foot/feet of the anchorage device as well, for consistency. In a typical use, when the track is used on the floor of a vehicle, outward will be upward and inward will be downward, and the inward face of the device foot will be the downward face thereof when in situ, i.e., the face which is outward relative to the anchorage device.
Further references include the longitudinal direction of the track (which is usually straight), lateral directions which are orthogonal to the inward/outward sense, and a median plane of the track extending longitudinally, containing the inward/outward direction and orthogonal to the lateral direction lying half-way across the channel opening. A “track plane” of the present discussion is a longitudinal plane perpendicular to the median plane, and thus generally parallel in most cases to the outward face of the track, and to a plane containing corresponding points of the retaining flanges. Thus, the lateral extent of the interior channel (seen in transverse cross-section) will be generally parallel to the track plane, as will be the outward face of the track and the undersurface of the device body when it is not tilted.
A first proposal relates to the formation of the contact regions of the foot and flange. It will be understood that where the retaining foot of the device is in fact a series of spaced feet, as is common, the contact regions will correspondingly be at locations spaced along the arrangement, and should be considered in transverse cross-section taken at the regions where there is contact. A first proposal is that the inward face of the retaining flange at the contact region should not be substantially angled outwards in the direction towards the median line of the channel, because such an angle can contribute to a tendency for the retaining flange to peel outwards under extreme load with tilt of the device. Thus, the outward angle of the retaining flange inward surface at or over the contact region is less than 10°. In another aspect, the outward angle of the retaining flange inward surface at or over the contact region is less than 5°. In a further aspect, the outward angle of the retaining flange inward surface at or over the contact region is about 0°, or less than 0°. The angle can be considered relative to the track plane. This constraint may apply to the entirety of the region from the laterally-outermost contact point to the laterally-inmost contact point of the flange inward face. It reduces the likelihood of a cam action between foot and flange tending to cause outward deformation of the flange under extreme load. It also tends to imply—if the track outward face is generally flat—that the flange does not significantly decrease in thickness from its root to its edge, again helping to avoid a peel-type failure mode. By aligning the force at the contact region substantially with the inward/outward direction, the peeling tendency can be reduced.
It is also possible that the inward flange surface has distinct lateral sub-regions, which can be the sub-regions of the contact region, and one, some or all of them may individually satisfy the above angle feature. The totality of the flange inward surface may or may not satisfy it, or satisfy it to a different degree. Alternatively stated, the flange inward surface may be stepped in form (in transverse cross-section). This enables pull force at the contact interface between foot and flange to be better aligned with the inward/outward direction and more perpendicular to the contact surfaces under lateral load, and thereby reduce the outward peeling tendency, even if the inward flange surface as a whole has an outward angle. Where the flange inward surface has a negative (inward) angle as discussed, it is effectively slightly re-entrant in relation to the channel interior. This provides excellent retention and strength. However, if a foot of the device is to be made complementary in form, with a laterally-distal portion raised outward relative to a laterally-proximal (towards the median plane) portion, it might be difficult to make the feet or to make the channel, especially if casting methods are used, and the device might be difficult to move in the channel in some cases. Accordingly the stepped proposal also enables a structure in which the inward surface of the flange and/or the outward surface of the foot may have some of the conventional general inclination (i.e., inward towards the side of the track, downward, if used on a floor) while sub-regions thereof may nevertheless meet between foot and flange at a lesser angle, e.g., substantially parallel to the track plane.
A second proposal, combinable with the first in any of its features, is that the outward surface of the device foot may have angle and form features corresponding to those described above for the flange inward surface, in the general sense and also with regard to the aforementioned features. Alternatively stated, that the outward face of the device foot may have angle and form features generally complementary to those of the inward face of the flange, in the tilted condition at least. The sense of the angles is reversed, in a self-explanatory fashion. That is, that any inward angle of the foot outward surface relative to the track plane, over the contact region, or over one or more sub-regions thereof, is less than 10°, or less than 5°, or about 0°, or less than 0°.
A further proposal herein to improve lateral load-bearing capacity, especially in combination with the features proposed above, is that the shape of the foot and anchorage device is adjusted in relation to the shape of the track and its channel so that the tilt angle in the tilted position, before any deformation of the track, is 4° or less, 3° or less or 2° or less relative to the non-tilted position. This can be achieved in a variety of (mostly self-evident) ways by increasing the closeness of fit between the device and track, particularly at the regions on the second side referred to above, namely the inward face of the foot on the second side in relation to the base surface of the track at that region, and the undersurface of the device body in relation to the inward face of the track.
The vertical tilt angle can be reduced in general terms by reducing the vertical (inward/outward) clearance and/or by increasing the lateral extent of these device components (body or foot).
For this, one possible characteristic feature is that to provide mutually inter-engaging formations on the underside of the device body at the second side, and on the outward face of the track at the second side. At least when the device moves to the tilted position, these formations engage one another to resist further lateral movement of the device body relative to the track. Here, an inward (downward) protrusion on the device body undersurface engages in a recess of the outward track face, such as an indentation or groove. Such an engagement increases the capacity of the track as a whole to take up a rotational loading from the device before failure. A compressive engagement down onto the outward face of the track is a high-strength engagement.
A protruding formation on the body undersurface may interrupt a flat undersurface. Or, it may be provided at a lateral edge of the undersurface. In one embodiment the outward face of the track is provided with the formation defining an upstanding shoulder (not necessarily at an abrupt angle, provided that there is a change of angle) which the device body edge meets at the tilted position, to resist further tilting and take up rotational force.
A further option for limiting or controlling tilt is that the inward face of the foot at the second side, has its maximum inward extent not at its lateral extreme but further in, that is, it has an inward protrusion relative to the lateral edge, positioned towards the centre relative to the lateral edge. This protrusion can be adapted to meet an outward surface of the track base to limit tilt. This may enable the lateral extremities of the channel interior to be kept small in dimension, thereby increasing relative strength under the wall of the track and/or the root of the retaining flange.
It will be understood that these tilt-limiting formations of the device and/or track need not be longitudinally aligned with the contact regions of feet and track flanges, if these are spaced.
The track is usually an extruded component, so that lateral-section shape features described above extend continuously along it. Where periodic cut-outs are provided in the retaining flanges, as is well known, these can be formed after extrusion by drilling or the like.
The anchorage device, or at least the portion thereof having the feet and stem portion if it is a multi-component article, is typically a machined or cast component and the formations may be localized on the foot or feet which—unlike many conventional designs which have simple circular “mushrooms” for the feet—may lack circular symmetry. Equally, body formations which engage track outward face formations may be longitudinally localized on the device, while on the track they are typically formed as longitudinally continuous forms (shoulders, grooves etc).
It may be desired that the foot is a cast metal component, to facilitate formation of desired shapes on its inward and outward faces. As known, the stem portion may have an individual stem for each of respective feet, or may extend continuously e.g., as a keel formation connecting plural feet, particularly when the feet and stem portions may be formed together with the anchorage device body as a single casting. Additionally, e.g., as is known and described in our EP2206623A, the stem portion may comprise abutment formations which abut complementarily against shoulder portions of cut-outs of a track having periodic cut-outs, enhancing strength against longitudinal pull. A locking mechanism, whereby the anchorage device is held in position relative to the track in which—at least for track having periodic cut-outs—the feet are trapped by the retaining flanges, may be of any kind such as any mentioned above.
In some situations the likelihood of a heavy lateral load exists only from one side, so that the concept can be considered broadly as above, with the retaining flange having the adaptation on the first side and formations for the counter-engagement being on the second side. In practice it is of course convenient and safe that the track at least should be symmetrical, with the first and second sides similarly formed, and the same may be true of the anchorage device in most cases so that the user need not concern themselves with orientation on installation and use.
The anchorage device may be any of e.g., an anchorage for a seat, table, belt or other furnishing. It may be part of a seat. Unless it is formed with one elongate continuous foot, it has two, three or more feet. The skilled person is aware of a wide range of devices, especially those used movably/removably within vehicles, that exploit track mounting and anchorages of the kind described, and the inventive concept can be applied to these.
A further novel feature proposed herein is that the anchorage device and track are provided with complementary shape formations, i.e., within the channel interior, inhibiting insertion of an anchorage device not adapted for use with the track. A particular proposal is that, at a generally central (median) region of the track base, corresponding to the median region of the inward surface of a foot in use, the track has a local upstanding or projecting region. The foot of the anchorage device can be formed with a corresponding recess to accommodate the upstanding region. These complementary formations need not be functional for anchorage in itself, nor in resisting rotation in the tilted position, but may prevent conventional anchorage device feet—which typically might be insufficiently recessed at the centre on the inward face—cannot be inserted into the track.
Further aspects are set out in the claims, including the track and anchorage device provided separately, and an installation in a vehicle in which the track extends transversely of the vehicle. Methods of using and installing the systems are further novel aspects of our proposals.
Examples are now described, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The anchorage device 2 has a main body 20 carrying four generally circular feet 21 connected to the body by a stem portion or keel 22. In this embodiment the anchorage device 2 is itself non-functional beyond its anchorage function, but has a mounting 25 for an associated component, e.g., a seatbelt mount or the like. In this embodiment the feet 21 are cast in one piece with the keel 22 and body 20. The feet are sized and spaced so that they can fit down in a corresponding series of the track cut-outs 17. A plunger 24 with a grip 241 exposed at the top of the body 20 is mounted vertically and slidably in the body, so that it can be lifted against a spring bias which urges it downwards to the position of
In the tilted position shown, representing a moderate load under which there is no significant deformation of the structure, the device 2 tilts bringing the outward surfaces 211 of its feet into contact against the inward surface 141 of the retaining flange 14 on a first side (the right-hand side shown) while on the second side the foot does not contact the track channel interior; rather the tilt is limited on that side by contact of the laterally-outward edge of the device body against the flat top outward surface 16 of the track. There is contact, or near-contact, between foot surface 211 and flange surface 141 over a contact region indicated as a region 215 of the flange and a region 145 (shown on the second side, for clarity) of the foot.
The track profile shown is a conventional one, designed for easy manufacture and combination of the device feet, combined with strength of the track against usual forces, especially longitudinal and outward forces. The contact region 215 of the flange inward surface 141 makes an angle to the track plane of about 15° in the tilted position shown. It is substantially, even if not exactly, contacted by the corresponding contact region 145 of the device foot 21.
Our testing has shown that when under lateral loads, this conventional track/foot form represents a weakness in that the action of the out-lifting first side of the foot 21 against the sloping underside of the flange 14 tends to push or peel the flange 14 out laterally out sideways as well as upwardly, this lateral action causing the flange to bend out without fully exerting its resistance to breaking at the root at the top of the side wall.
A first embodiment of our proposals is shown in
In this system the inter-fitting parts of the device and track are differently formed. The device foot 21 more closely fills and complements the channel interior 10. The inward surfaces of the flanges 14 of a contact region 215 with a (laterally) outer sub-region 8 substantially parallel to the track plane and an inner sub-region 7 also substantially parallel to the track plane, with a step 9 between them so then the inner region 7 lies inwardly (in the vertical or inward/outward sense) of the outer sub-region. Thus, unlike the prior art contact region 215 of
Correspondingly, the outward surfaces 211 of the feet 21 have a form, where they underlie the flanges and therefore establish a contact region 145 with them, which again makes a slightly negative angle to the track plane in the angle convention used herein, having (laterally) inner and outer sub-regions 4,5 connected through a step 6 whereby the outer sub-region 4 is recessed outwardly (in the vertical sense) relative to the outer sub-region 5. These formations complement the flange formation so that firstly, when they meet under application of a lateral force “F” as shown in
A further feature here is limitation of the tilt movement. Firstly, the components are relatively formed and dimensioned so that when the tilt reaches contact as shown in
A further refinement is the provision of a depression 165 in the outward surface of the track towards the lateral edge of the region overlain by the undersurface of the device body. In this embodiment the depression is a generally part-circular-section groove extending longitudinally, and visible also in
It should be understood that while the feet may or may not be substantially circular in plan outline, the contact area formations described herein do not generally extend around circularly, but extend longitudinally with maintained cross-sectional shape at the contact region as seen in
Specifically, in this embodiment the steps 6,9 of the foot contact region and track flange contact region are in the opposite lateral direction so that the (laterally) inner sub-regions 4,7 lie slightly outward (above) relative to the (laterally) outer sub-regions 5,8 of the components, although as before these regions in themselves are formed substantially parallel to the track plane. It is of course possible, in either embodiment, to adjust the surface angles in view of the expected slight tilt angle, to get more exact contact over these surfaces in the tilted condition. While this opposite direction of the step has a result of creating some positive overall angle (towards the center) of the track flange inward surface, it makes the components easier to manufacture. Moreover the angle over the entire contact region is still less than in the prior art device, and is less than 10°, while the corresponding angles of the sub-regions 7,8 are substantially zero so that contact there generates little or no lateral component by cam action.
As regards the abutment against the track outer face, in this embodiment the undersurface 27 of the body 2 is flat and plain as in known devices, but the outward face 16 of the track features a slight ramp forming a depression, groove or inward angle 165 and a corresponding gentle shoulder incline 166 laterally outside it, increasing resistance to sideways movement of the body 20 in the tilted condition and thereby providing additional strength in the engagement between the anchorage device and the track.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017852.1 | Nov 2020 | GB | national |
