Lock device of sliding mechanism

Abstract

In a lock device of a sliding mechanism, a pair of locking claws provided on a moving member are brought into resilient engagement with locking grooves of a locking groove group, whereby downward sliding of the moving member is permitted but upward sliding thereof is locked. The distance between the locking claws is longer than distance between the locking grooves, so that the moving member becomes locked against upward sliding at an interval smaller than the distance between the locking grooves. Thus, the moving member adapted to slide in one (downward) direction along a guide rail can be reliably locked against movement in the opposite (upward) direction at a very small interval.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat belt device of a vehicle, which includes a lock device of a sliding mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along a line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along a line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along a line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along a line 5-5 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a view partially showing an essential portion of a lock device of a sliding mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along a line 7-7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view partially showing an essential portion of a lock device of a sliding mechanism according to a modification to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lock device 6f a sliding mechanism, comprising: a guide rail;a moving member adapted to slide in one direction along the guide rail;at least a pair of locking members provided with the moving member; anda group of locking grooves arranged in a sliding direction of the moving member;the locking members selectively engaging with different ones of the locking grooves to lock the moving member in various engagement positions when the moving member slides in an opposite direction along the guide rail,wherein a distance between the pair of locking members is longer than a distance between adjacent ones of the locking grooves such that the moving member becomes locked in one of the engagement positions on the guide rail after moving an interval smaller than the distance between the locking grooves in the opposite direction.

2. A lock device of a sliding mechanism, comprising: a guide rail;a moving member adapted to slide in one direction along the guide rail;at least a pair of locking members provided with the moving member; andat least a pair of groups of locking grooves each arranged in a sliding direction of the moving member and respectively corresponding to the pair of locking members;the locking members selectively respectively engaging with different ones of the locking grooves of the corresponding locking groove group to lock the moving member in various engagement positions, when the moving member slides in an opposite direction along the guide rail,wherein the pair of locking members and the locking grooves of the pair of locking groove groups are staggered from each other in a lengthwise direction of the pair of locking groove groups within a distance between adjacent ones of the locking grooves such that the moving member becomes locked in one of the engagement positions on the guide rail after moving an interval smaller than the distance between the locking grooves in the opposite direction.

3. A lock device of a sliding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the moving member includes a retractor of a seat belt device of a vehicle.

4. A lock device of a sliding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the moving member includes a retractor of a seat belt device of a vehicle.

5. A lock device of a sliding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the locking grooves are spaced uniformly from each other in the sliding direction of the moving member.

6. A lock device of a sliding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the locking grooves of each locking groove group are spaced uniformly from each other in the sliding direction of the moving member.

7. A lock device of a sliding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the pair of locking members is approximately 50% larger than the distance between adjacent ones of the locking grooves.

8. A lock device of a sliding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the locking members and its corresponding locking groove group is staggered from the other locking member and its corresponding locking groove group by a distance of approximately 50% of the distance between adjacent ones of the locking grooves.

9. A lock device of a sliding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the pair of locking members are spaced from each other in said one direction.

10. A lock device of a sliding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the pair of locking members are spaced from each other in said opposite direction.