Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention is aimed at a device of the type specified in the introductory part
of claim 1. In a vehicle, electric plugs also have to be fastened at poorly accessible
points. A seat frame in a motor vehicle where a whole series of plugs have to be fixed
beneath the seat may serve as an example. The contacts in the interior of these plugs
are connected to electric leads which serve, e.g. for the control system of a seat
adjuster, a seat heater, a device for tightening the belt in the event of an accident,
a triggering device for an air bag or lead to further electrically operated devices.
During assembly or disassembly of the seat the plugs must be connected to or disconnected
from corresponding mating connectors which for their part have opposite contacts.
These opposite contacts are connected to electric supply or control leads which belong,
e.g. to a loom of cables laid in fixed manner in the bodywork.
Background of the Invention
[0002] In the known devices the connection and disconnection is a complicated process; two
hands are needed in order to hold the plug with one hand and to guide the mating connector
into it in targeted manner with the other hand. In doing so it is difficult to determine
visually whether after this troublesome procedure the plug and its mating connector
are properly connected. Faulty connections can result in grave consequences in the
event of an accident. Even in the case of an adjustment of the seat there is the risk
that the plugs disengage unnoticed from the mating connectors and the contact is broken
or at least becomes imperfect.
Summary of the Invention
[0003] The object underlying the invention is to develop a device of the type specified
in the introductory part of claim 1 which permits reliable and comfortable connection
and disconnection between the mating connectors and the plugs. This is achieved according
to the invention by means of the measures quoted in the characterising part of claim
1, to which the following special significance is attached.
[0004] Due to its mounting on the sliding carriage part a mating connector can be connected
easily when the sliding carriage part assumes its first position, that is the run-out
position, on the fixed rail part. The handling of the mating connector is convenient;
it is already possible to recognise readily by eye whether the mating connector is
properly connected in the plug or not. This run-out position, however, is only temporary
and exists only during the assembly or disassembly of the component provided with
the plug, e.g. a motor vehicle seat. The final position, which is not visible and
difficult to access in the motor vehicle, can, however, be reached easily in the case
of the invention because the sliding carriage part with the plugs and mating connectors
previously connected to one another can be transferred with ease on the rail part
into its second position, that is a retracted position. Thus the plug arrives only
subsequently after the completed connection of the mating connector at the poorly
accessible position in the motor vehicle. Both positions are secured by means of stopping
and opposing stopping members which are arranged between the sliding carriage part
or a handle located on it on the one hand and the rail part on the other hand. By
operating the handle against a spring loading acting on it the stopping and opposing
stopping members are detached from one another and readily permit a displacement of
the sliding carriage part between its two aforementioned positions. This allows handling
with only a single hand; after connecting up the mating connector in the run-out position
the handle on the sliding carriage part need only be operated in order to bring the
sliding carriage part into its final retracted position.
[0005] Further measures and advantages of the invention emerge from the subsidiary claims,
the following description and the drawings. In the drawings, an embodiment of the
invention is illustrated.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0006]
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the two-part device according to the invention
in a first position of the movable part of this device with a plug, wherein the path
of the section is to be gathered from the dashed section line I-I in the front elevation
shown in Figure 9, that is before connecting up a mating connector in the plug;
Figure 2 is an enlarged segment of the device shown in Figure 1 in the same position
of the movable part where, however, the mating connector is partially inserted into
the plug mounted in the movable part;
Figure 3 shows the device according to the invention in an enlarged representation
corresponding to Figure 2 after the mating connector is fully inserted into the plug;
Figure 4 shows the actuating position of a handle provided on the movable part of
the device in a representation corresponding to Figure 3 with the mating connector
fully connected up,
Figure 5 shows the movable part of the device according to the invention on its own
in plan view;
Figure 6 shows the part of the device according to the invention installed in fixed
position on the motor vehicle in side view;
Figure 7 shows an inclined plan view on to the fixed part of the device according
to the invention of Figure 6, that is to say in the line of sight of the arrow VII
of Figure 6;
Figure 8 shows the front view on to the fixed part of the device according to the
invention in the line of sight of the arrow VII of Figure 6;
Figure 9 shows a segment of both parts of the device according to the invention in
the first position in front elevation along the arrow IX indicated in Figure 1;
Figure 10 shows the corresponding rear view of a set of mating connectors to be connected
to the plugs of the device in the line of sight of the arrow X of figure 1;
Figure 11 shows a segment between the two parts of the device at the location labelled
in Figure 1 by XI in plan view, from which the bonding of the two parts of the device
can be seen;
Figure 12 is a representation of a longitudinal section corresponding to Figure 1,
the two parts of the device according to the invention when the movable part is located
in a second, final position in the motor vehicle; and
Figure 13 shows, in side view, the two parts of the device according to the invention
when they are located in the second position found in Figure 12 and ensure cohesion
of the parts of the device at that location which is labelled by XIII in Figure 12.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
[0007] The device according to the invention consists of two parts 20, 30, that is to say
of a rail part 20 shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 and of a sliding carriage part 30 illustrated
in Figure 5. Both parts 20, 30 of the device are mirror symmetrical in construction
with respect to their longitudinal centre. In both its peripheral regions the rail
part 20 comprises longitudinal rails 21, which are best seen in figures 7 and 8 and
on which the sliding carriage part 30 with a U-shaped guide 23 can be pushed in the
direction of the arrows 16 of Figure 1 and can be pushed out in the direction of the
arrows 16' of Figure 1 or Figure 12. Between its two peripheral longitudinal rails
21 the rail part 20 also further possesses a profiled housing 22 which serves for
the static attachment of the rail part 20 to the frame 11 of a seat 10 according to
Figure 1. The attachment of the rail part 20 to the seat frame 11 ensues through a
snap-on spring 12 which engages behind an assembly rail 13 according to Figure 1,
and by means of one or more fastening screws 14, which are anchored in the seat frame
11. These screws 14 also hold the assembly rail 13 fast. The assembled rail part 20
is located at a poorly accessible position 15 labelled by 15 in Figure 1 beneath the
seat 10.
[0008] As Figure 1 illustrates, the sliding carriage part 30 serves for fixing an assemblage
of plugs of which only one plug 40 is illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 1 and
several plugs 40 are illustrated in Figure 9. A corresponding number of profiled casings
32 formed on the sliding carriage part 30, which are best seen in Figure 9, serve
this purpose. In Figure 9 the associated plugs 40 with their correspondingly coded
opposite profile are indicated in outline by dotted lines. The plugs 40 are held fast
in the casings 32 assigned to them in their correct plug-in positions by means of
latching or end limit stops. Thus in the aforementioned inwards and outwards movement
16, 16' of the sliding carriage part 30, the plugs 40 fitted in the casings 32 are
carried along with it. The contacts 41 indicated in Figure 1 and provided in the interior
of the plugs 40 are connected to corresponding electric leads 42 which lead to sundry
devices arranged in the region of the seat, such as, e.g. a seat heater. As can be
seen in Figure 9, the individual plugs 40 are held together as a set of plugs by means
of the casings 32 formed on the sliding carriage part 30.
[0009] Associated with this set of plugs 40 is a corresponding set of mating connectors
50 which advantageously adhere together and can be seen in rear view in Figure 10.
These mating connectors 50 for their part possess opposite contacts 51 which, as is
indicated schematically in Figure 1, are connected to electric leads 52. These leads
52 can belong to leads of a loom of cables laid in fixed manner in the bodywork of
the vehicle.
[0010] This set of mating connectors 50 according to Figure 10 can be connected in very
convenient manner to the plugs 40 mounted in the sliding carriage part 30, as long
as the sliding carriage 30 is located in a first defined position shown in Figures
1 and 9 on the rail part 20 fastened in fixed manner to the seat 10. According to
Figure 1, this first position is characterised in that the plugs 40 mounted in the
sliding carriage part 30 are located in the open space 17 beneath the seat 10 and
are therefore conveniently accessible for the manual connecting up of the mating connectors
50. This can be seen in Figure 2 where the mating connector is guided by one hand
in the direction of the arrow 18 into the rigidly positioned plug 40 but in Figure
2 has not yet reached its final connecting position in the plug 40; the contacts 41
have not yet come into proper electrical connection to the opposite contacts 51. In
this first position, the sliding carriage part 30 is located with a substantial section
of its length 19 in a run-out position in front of the rail part 20 installed rigidly
on the seat 10, for which reason this position of the sliding carriage part 30 is
to be designated below in short as the "run-out position".
[0011] This run-out position of the sliding carriage part 30 is fixed by two stopping and
opposing stopping members 33, 23 and 34, 24 working together with one another in pairs.
The opposing stopping members 23, 24 are located on the rail part 20 while one stopping
member 33 is formed on the sliding carriage part 30 in the region of a special handle
35 and the other stopping member 34 is formed in the region of the aforementioned
U-shaped guide 31 of the sliding carriage part 30. In the present case the handle
35 and the stopping members 33, 34 are designed in one piece with the sliding carriage
part 30 constructed of elastic synthetic material and together with the aforementioned
U-shaped guide 31 and the casings 32 form a coherent body as is best seen in Figure
5.
[0012] Overall the sliding carriage part has the following structure discernible in Figures
2 and 5. The handle 35 consists of the free end of a rocker 36 which is formed on
the back end 37 of the sliding carriage part 30 and is separated from its peripheral
guides 31 by slots which have been cut free. The stopping member 34 is here one component
of a toothed directed locking mechanism 24, 34 shown in detail in Figure 11. The stopping
member here consists of a locking tooth 34 with a sawtooth profile which is formed
on the U-guide 31 and the steep side of which engages behind a corresponding opposing
locking tooth 24 on the steep side of the latter in the run-out position. As Figure
5 shows, the locking tooth 34 on the sliding carriage side is provided in duplicate,
that is to say on each of the two U-guides 31 and projects into the open space above
the rocker 36. As can be seen in Figure 7, the opposing locking tooth 24 on the rail
side is likewise arranged in duplicate and is located in the region of the peripheral
longitudinal rails 21, but as can be seen from the plan view of Figure 8, it is raised
up into a higher plane colliding with the locking tooth 34. In the run-out position
of the rail and sliding carriage part 20, 30 according to Figure 4, the steep sides
of the two teeth 34, 34' engage behind one another as stated and thus prevent a push-out
movement of the sliding carriage part 30 in the direction of the push-out arrow 16'.
On the other hand the further push-in movement in the direction of the arrow 16 of
Figure 1 still to be described in more detail is readily possible from this run-out
position of Figure 11.
[0013] From Figure 11 it can also finally be gathered how a sliding carriage part 30 can
be fitted on the rail part 20. The position of the sliding carriage part detached
from the rail part 20 is labelled in Figure 11 by 30'' and is to be designated in
short as the "disassembly position" in what follows. The sliding carriage part 30''
is plugged by its back end 37 discernible in Figure 5, which is advantageously pointed
according to Figure 2, on to the advantageously likewise pointed front edge 23 of
the rail part 20 according to Figures 6 and 7. This initiating plug-on movement is
illustrated in Figure 11 by the arrow 16''. In the transition from the disassembly
position 30'' to the run-out position 30 of Figure 11 the locking tooth 34 travels
with its inclined tooth back 34' discernible in Figure 11 on the correspondingly oppositely
inclined back 24' of the opposing locking tooth 24 on the rail side. An elastic deformation
ensures until finally through the backs 24', 34' of the teeth running on one another
the locking tooth 34 snaps being the opposing locking tooth 23.
[0014] The further push-in movement 16 from the run-out position shown pulled out in Figure
11 is, however, not possible because this is prevented by the further pair of stopping
and opposing stopping members 33, 23. This is best seen in Figure 2 in association
with Figures 5 and 6. The stopping and opposing stopping member 33, 23 are the two
components of a locking mechanism here likewise provided in duplicate. As shown in
Figure 5, the rocker 36 is provided at both peripheral edges with a locking elevation
33 which strikes against the aforementioned front edge 23 of the slide part. This
can be seen in Figure 2. By this means the push-in movement 16 of the sliding carriage
part illustrated by the dotted arrow 16 in Figure 2 is initially blocked. The sliding
carriage part 30 can thus neither be pushed in further in the direction of the arrow
16 nor be pushed out further in the direction of the arrow 16'. The run-out position
30 of the sliding carriage in Figure 2 is thus fixed.
[0015] As has already been mentioned, according to Figure 2 it is now possible to plug in
the mating connector 50 in the direction of the correcting arrow 18 into the fixedly
positioned plug 40 on the sliding carriage part 30. This has partially taken place
in Figure 2. The final connection is effected in Figure 3 where the contacts 41 and
the opposite contacts 51 have a good electrical connection to one another. Now the
sliding carriage part 30 can be conveyed into a second position 30' discernible in
Figure 12 where the sliding carriage part is positioned well concealed at an inaccessible
position 15 beneath the seat 10. The final "retracted" position of the sliding carriage
part is then established.
[0016] In order to convey the sliding carriage from the run-out position 30 shown in Figure
3 into the retracted position 30' of Figure 12 it is necessary to release the locking
elevation 33 on the rocker 36 from the effectively locking front edge 23 on the rail
part 20. This happens according to Figure 3 simply in that the free end of the rocker
36 functioning as a handle 35 is pushed in the direction of the force arrow 43 which
can be seen in figure 3. This is of course only possible when there is complete connection
between the plug and mating connector 40, 50 according to Figure 3, while in the preceding
position of Figure 2 this is precluded for the following reason.
[0017] That is, as is shown in Figure 2, the mating connector possesses a radial projection
53 which points towards the rocker 36. If the mating connector 50 is only partially
inserted into the plug 40, as Figure 2 shows, then its projection 53 travels under
the handle 35 of the rocker 36 and blocks its actuation made plain by the dotted arrow
43' in Figure 2. The handle 35 is blocked. The two components 23, 33 of the locking
mechanism between the sliding carriage part and rail part 30, 20 are secured in their
engagement. Thus it is precluded that the sliding carriage part 30 can be conveyed
into the final pushed-in position 30' of Figure 12 in the case of such an imperfect
coupling position of the two plugs 40, 50. This is possible only in the complete connection
position of Figure 3. Then, as Figure 4 makes clear, due to the action of force 43
at its handle end 35 the rocker can be conveyed into a pivot position 36' in which
its locking elevation 33 is released from the barring edge 25 on the rail side. Only
now is the further push-in movement 16 according to Figure 4 possible.
[0018] The blockage of the actuation 43' of the rocker 36 described in Figure 2 is given
in the present case in that the mating connector projection 53 strikes against a catch
38 which is located in the region at the end of the rocker handle 35. The starting
pivot position of the rocker 36 according to Figures 2 and 3 is essentially determined
by two additional spring tongues 39 which, as Figure 5 shows, are positioned on both
sides of this catch 38. The spring tongues 39 are S-shaped and one arc of the S is
formed in the region of the rocker handle 35, while the other arc of the S is seated
in the region of the casings 32 for fixing the plugs 40. In the fully coupled position
of the mating connector 50 according to Figure 3 the projection 53 comes into the
region of a recess 44 provided on the rocker 36. As is best seen in Figure 5, this
recess 44 consists simply of the open space enclosed by the two lateral S-spring tongues
39 behind the catch 38. On pressing in the direction of the force arrow 43 of Figure
4, the mating connector projection 53 moves into this recess 44. As is evident from
Figure 4, the spring tongue 39 I strongly deformed and after release of the rocker
handle 35 strives to switch over from its release pivot position 36' of Figure 4 to
its starting pivot position 36 of Figure 3.
[0019] In the release pivot position 36' of the rocker of Figure 4, where the locking components
23, 33 are disengaged, the sliding carriage can now be conveyed into the full retracted
position 30' of Figure 12 already mentioned. In doing so, the two plugs 40, 50 firmly
connected to one another are carried along too. They are now in fact located a considerable
way 54 behind the aforementioned front edge 23 of the rail part 20. Now two further
pairs of stopping and opposing stopping members 45, 25 and 46, 26 respectively come
into engagement which secures the retracted position 30' of the rail part.
[0020] One pair of members 45, 25 consists again of a locking mechanism, that is to say,
as can best be seen in Figure 5, of a further locking elevation 45 on the rocker 36
and of a counterlocking edge 25 which can be seen in Figure 12. As a comparison of
the previously described locking edge 23 in Figure 3 shows, this counterlocking edge
25 acts in the opposite direction and normally precludes the push-out movement of
the sliding carriage part discernible by means of the arrow 16' in Figure 12. However,
the opposite movement 16 in the direction of the dotted arrow in Figure 12 is also
blocked because the members 46, 26 are now effective as limit stops and fundamentally
preclude a further movement.
[0021] As can be seen from the plan view of Figure 5 and the side elevation of Figure 13,
the sliding carriage part 30 possesses two limit stop members 46 preceded by run-up
slopes 47 arranged in the region of the two U-guides 31. As best emerges from Figure
6, the sliding carriage part 20 possesses on its housing 22 two lateral flaps 28 opposite
one another, the front flap edge 26 of which forms the limit stop edge working together
with the limit stop member 46. Thus, as is shown by the dotted arrow 16 of Figure
13, the further push-in movement of the sliding carriage part located in the retracted
position 30' is fundamentally precluded.
[0022] As is shown in the side view in Figure 13, however, in the retracted position 30'
of the sliding carriage the run-up slope 47 of the sliding carriage part 30 has moved
under the lower flap surface 27 of the flap 28 and fills a gap 29 located between
the U-guide 31 of the sliding carriage part on the one hand and the flap undersurface
27 on the other hand. By this means any play between the rail part 20 and the sliding
carriage part located in the retracted position 30' is eliminated, as a result of
which rattling noises when driving the motor vehicle are eliminated.
[0023] In order that the mating connector 50 can be conveniently disconnected again from
the plug 40, it is possible to take the sliding carriage part back out of its retracted
position 30' of Figure 12 as required into the run-out position of Figure 3 again.
For this purpose it is only necessary to convey the rocker 36 from its starting pivot
position presented in Figure 12 by exercising pressure on its handle end 35 back into
a release pivot position 36' analogous to Figure 4. In this case in the retracted
position 30' of Figure 13 the locking components 45, 35 are disengaged in analogous
manner to that explained with reference to the locking components 33, 23 in Figure
4 in the case of the run-out position 30. After the displacement of the sliding carriage
part up to the run-out position 30 of Figure 3 the stopping and opposing stopping
members 23, 33 already described snap in. In doing this it is not necessary to hold
the rocker 36 compressed in its release pivot position 36' of Figure 4 for the entire
duration of the displacement path. Actuation of the rocker 36 merely in the first
moment is sufficient for the release of the locking components 25, 45 of Figure 12.
As has already been made clear in Figure 11, the end position of the push-out movement
16' is reached by means of the limit stop action of the described locking and opposing
locking teeth 34, 24 and the locking elevation 33 on the sliding carriage side snaps
automatically behind the locking edge 23 on the rail side. That is, as Figures 3 and
5 show, the locking elevation 33 is preceded by a sloping ramp 48 with which the interfering
components on the sliding carriage part 20 are surmounted by means of an automatic
elastic outswing movement; during the push-out movement 16' of Figure 3 the locking
elevation 33 snaps automatically behind the locking edge 23.
[0024] In order to enable a corresponding automatic elasticity during the displacement of
the sliding carriage part 30 on the rail part 20 in the region of the second locking
elevation 45 on the rocker 36, the latter is followed by a ramp provided with a corresponding
counterslope 49, as can be seen in Figure 5 and 12.
1. Device for fastening at least one electric plug (40) at a poorly accessible position
(15), especially on the seat frame (11) beneath a seat (10) in a vehicle, and with
an electric mating connector (50) which can be connected manually to the fastened
plug (40), characterised by a two part fastening device, consisting of a fixed rail
part (20) and of a sliding carriage part (30) displaceable longitudinally thereon,
which has on the one hand a mounting (32) for the electric plug (40) and on the other
hand a sprung handle (35), wherein the sliding carriage part (30) or its handle (35)
possesses two sets of stopping members (33, 34, 45, 46), while two sets of opposing
stopping members (23, 24; 25, 26) complementary to the latter are located on the rail
part (20), the opposing stopping members (23, 24; 25, 26) can be brought in pairs
into engagement with the stopping members (33, 34; 45, 46) and by that means fix the
sliding carriage part (30) on the rail part (20) in two positions displaced longitudinally
with respect to one another, that is to say a run-out position (30) of the sliding
carriage part serving as the first position, where the plug (40) mounted in the sliding
carriage part (30) is conveniently accessible and can be easily connected to (18)
or disconnected from the mating connector (50), and a retracted position (30') of
the sliding carriage part forming the second position, where the mating connector
(50) connected to the plug (40) is located at the poorly accessible position (15)
in the vehicle, and in both positions (30,30') by actuation (45) of the handle (35)
against its spring force the stopping members (33 or 45) located on the handle (35)
can be conveyed into a release position with respect to the opposing stopping members
(23 or 25) and render the sliding carriage part freely displaceable longitudinally
(16, 16') by hand between its two positions (30,30') on the rail part (20).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the mating connector (50) possesses
a projection (53) facing towards the handle (35) of the sliding carriage part (30)
and the handle (35) has a recess (44) associated with the projection (53), wherein
the recess (44) of the handle (35) is aligned with the projection (53) of the mating
connector (50) only in the full proper connection position thereof and renders the
handle (35) capable of actuation (45), while in the case of an incomplete plug-in
position of the mating connector (50) the projection (53) thereof is directed towards
the handle (35) and blocks its actuation (45') for the purpose of releasing the stopping
and opposing stopping members (33,23).
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, starting from the run-out
position (30) of the sliding carriage part, by actuation of the handle (35) and thus
release of the stopping and opposing stopping members (33, 23), the sliding carriage
part can be pulled off into a third disassembly position (30'') wholly detached from
the rail part (20).
4. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the handle
(35) consists of the free end of a sprung rocker (36) which can be pushed (45) from
its spring-loaded locking pivot position, where the rocker (36) is at a distance from
the plug (40) mounted in the sliding carriage part, into a release pivot position
(36') close the plug where the stopping members are released from the opposing stopping
members (23, 33 and 25, 45 respectively).
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the rocker (36) is constructed
in one piece with the sliding carriage (30) and consists of elastic material such
as plastic.
6. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that at least in regions the rocker
(36) has an S-shaped spring tongue (39) placed underneath which substantially determines
the spring loading of the rocker (36).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the rocker possesses two S-shaped
spring tongues (39), one arc of the S thereof being seated on the free end of the
rocker and the other arc of the S thereof being seated on the sliding carriage part.
8. Device according to claim 2 and 7, characterised in that between them the two spring
tongues (39) enclose the recess (44) with which the projection (53) provided on the
mating connector (50) is aligned in its correct connection position in the plug (40).
9. Device according to one or more of claims 2 to 8, characterised in that the rocker
(36) possesses a profiled catch (38) which faces towards the projection (53) of the
mating connector (50) and in an incomplete plug-in position of the mating connector
(50) collides with the projection (53) thereof and blocks swinging of the rocker out
of the way (36').
10. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that for mounting
the plug (40) or of a whole set of plugs (40) the sliding carriage part (30) has one
or more profiled casings (32) with which the plug(s) (40) exhibiting a coded opposite
profile can be positioned.
11. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that those stopping
and opposing stopping members which limit the first run-out position (30) of the sliding
carriage part (20) in the push-out direction (16') on the rail part consist of locking
elements (24,34) which, starting from the third released disassembly position (30'')
of the sliding carriage part, can indeed be conveyed elastically in the push-in direction
during the transition into the second run-out position but then block the opposite
displacement (16') of the sliding carriage part in the push-out direction.
12. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that those stopping
and opposing stopping members which determine the second retracted position (30)'
of the sliding carriage part on the rail part (20) consist of limit stop elements
(45, 25; 46, 26) which have run-up slopes (47,27) capable of being moved into one
another and the run-up slopes (47,27) moved into one another eliminate a play (29)
between the rail part and the sliding carriage part (20; 30') avoiding undesired rattling
noises.