Seat rail for vehicles

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a seat rail for vehicles. The seat rail of this invention eliminates gaps between a lower track and an upper track in horizontal and vertical directions, and distributes a load transmitted through the upper track, thus improving overall durability. The invention reduces the number of parts required, thus reducing the cost of a product and the working hours, realizing a light product, reducing fuel consumption, improving operational performance, reducing operational noise, and improving operating sensation. Further, the invention secures strength sufficient to support bending moment of the upper track, which is a concern during a head-on collision or a rear-end collision, thus maximizing the safety of passengers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a seat rail for vehicles, according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a ball bearing installed in a left bearing seat of the seat rail, according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a ball bearing installed in a right bearing seat of the seat rail, according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating roller members of the seat rail, according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the state in which the roller members according to the present invention are installed between a lower track and an upper track.

Claims

1. A seat rail for vehicles, comprising: a lower track mounted to a floor panel in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, both ends of the lower track being bent in such a way as to have a bilaterally symmetrical structure, thus defining a rail groove in the lower track;an upper track comprising an assembly of an inner panel with an outer panel, overlapping first ends of the inner and outer panels being coupled to a seat cushion frame, and second ends of the inner and outer panels being bifurcated from each other and bent to be fitted into both ends of the rail groove;a left bearing seat defined by an end of an outer panel located in the rail groove and a portion of the lower track facing the end of the outer panel to have a shape of symmetrical arcs;a right bearing seat defined by an end of an inner panel located in the rail groove and a portion of the lower track facing the end of the inner panel to have a shape of symmetrical arcs;a plurality of ball bearings seated in the left and right bearing seats, and installed to be in point contact with the lower track and the inner panel, and to be in point contact with the lower track and the outer panel;a plurality of roller members interposed between a bottom of the lower track defining the rail groove and a bottom of the inner panel facing the bottom of the lower track, and between the bottom of the lower track and a bottom of the outer panel facing the bottom of the lower track, and coming into point contact with the bottoms.

2. The seat rail as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when a point where a horizontal line passing through a center of gravity of the ball bearing seated in the left bearing seat meets the lower track is set as a reference point, the ball bearing is seated in the left bearing seat such that a point of the ball bearing rotated clockwise from the reference point by 45° contacts the lower track, and a point of the ball bearing rotated clockwise from the reference point by 225° contacts the outer panel.

3. The seat rail as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when a point where a horizontal line passing through a center of gravity of the ball bearing seated in the right bearing seat meets the lower track is set as a reference point, the ball bearing is seated in the right bearing seat such that a point of the ball bearing rotated counterclockwise from the reference point by 45° contacts the lower track, and a point of the ball bearing rotated counterclockwise from the reference point by 225° contacts the inner panel.

4. The seat rail as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the roller members is shaped such that both ends thereof have the same diameter, and such that a diameter is gradually increased in directions from the both ends to a central portion, so that the central portion of one of the roller members is installed to be in point contact with the bottom of the lower track and the bottom of the inner panel, and the central portion of the other roller member is installed to be in point contact with the bottom of the lower track and the bottom of the outer panel.