# US 2019/0168639 A1 · Rail system for a vehicle seat

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- Number: US 2019/0168639 A1
- Document ID: US20190168639A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/323,958
- Filed: 2017-08-07
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-08
- Assignees: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.á r.l.
- Applicants: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à R.L.
- Inventors: Erik SPRENGER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168639A1

## CPC

- B60N 2/0705: {omega-shaped}
- B60N 2/0715: {C or U-shaped}
- B60N 2/0727: {Stop members for limiting sliding movement}
- B60N 2/075: roller-less
- B60N 2/0825: {outside the rail}
- B60N 2205/20: Measures for elimination or compensation of play or backlash
- B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A rail system (1), for a vehicle seat, includes a lower rail (3), an upper rail (5), a sliding block (7) and at least one rolling body cage (9) having rolling bodies (11). The sliding block (7) is rigidly connected to the lower rail (3). The rolling body cage (9) is movable relative to the sliding block (7), parallel to a longitudinal axis (13) of the lower rail (3), between two end positions defined by end stops (71) of the sliding block (7). The rolling body cage (9) is coupled to the lower rail (3) via the rolling bodies (11). The upper rail (5) is mounted movably on the sliding block (7) along the longitudinal axis (13) of the lower rail (3) and is coupled to the rolling body cage (9).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sliding block for a rail system for a vehicle seat, the rail system comprising a lower rail, an upper rail which is movable along a longitudinal axis of the lower rail and at least one rolling body cage which is coupled to the upper rail and via rolling bodies to the lower rail, the sliding block comprising:
two sliding block beams parallel to one another, the upper rail being movably mounted thereon;
at least one sliding block crossmember connecting the two sliding block beams to each with a ladder configuration; and
end stops for the at least one rolling body cage, wherein each end stop for a rolling body cage protrudes outwardly from one of the sliding block beams.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sliding block as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one sliding block crossmember comprises a fixing lug protruding from fixing lug lower face for fixing a position of the sliding block to the lower rail of the rail system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sliding block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding block is produced from a plastic material.

### Claim 4

A rail system for a vehicle seat, the rail system comprising:
a lower rail;
an upper rail;
at least one rolling body cage having rolling bodies; and
a sliding block comprising two sliding block beams parallel to one another, the upper rail being movably mounted thereon, at least one sliding block crossmember connecting the two sliding block beams to each with a ladder configuration and end stops for the at least one rolling body cage, wherein
each end stop for a rolling body cage protrudes outwardly from one of the sliding block beams,
the sliding block is rigidly connected to the lower rail,
the rolling body cage is movable relative to the sliding block parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lower rail between two end positions defined by end stops of the sliding block and is coupled to the lower rail via the rolling bodies, and
the upper rail is mounted movably on the sliding block along the longitudinal axis of the lower rail and is coupled to the rolling body cage.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The rail system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rail system further comprises at least another rolling body cage having rolling bodies to provide two rolling body cages having rolling bodies, which are arranged on opposing sides of the sliding block, which in each case are movable relative to the sliding block parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lower rail between two end positions defined by end stops of the sliding block and which are coupled to the upper rail and via the rolling bodies to the lower rail.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The rail system as claimed in claim 4, wherein:
the at least one rolling body cage comprises a contact portion which contact portion faces the sliding block and which contact portion is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the lower rail; and
the contact portion extends between two end stops of the sliding block and, in two end positions of the rolling body cage, in each case comes into contact with one of the end stops.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The rail system as claimed in claim 6, wherein:
the contact portion is arranged at one end of the sliding block and comprises a stop end which has a surface on an upper face which drops toward an end of the sliding block; and
the contact portion is produced from a resiliently deformable material so that, when sliding from the end of the sliding block over the ramp stop end, the contact portion is bent inwardly in a resilient manner and after passing the end stop adopts an original shape again.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The rail system as claimed in one of claim 4, wherein:
the lower rail comprises a lower rail bottom portion; and
for each rolling body cage a lower rail flank is angled relative to the lower rail bottom portion;
a lower rail end portion is angled inwardly and downwardly from the lower rail flank; and
the rolling body cage extends into the spatial region between the lower rail flank and the lower rail end portion,
the rolling bodies of the rolling body cage bear against a region of the lower rail end portion which is angled inwardly.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The sliding block as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sliding block is produced from a plastic material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The rail system as claimed in claim 5, wherein:
each rolling body cage comprises a contact portion which contact portion faces the sliding block and which contact portion is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the lower rail; and
the contact portion extends between two end stops of the sliding block and, in two end positions of the rolling body cage, in each case comes into contact with one of the end stops.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The rail system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:
the contact portion is arranged at one end of the sliding block and comprises a ramp stop end which has a surface on an upper face which drops toward an end of the sliding block; and
the contact portion is produced from a resiliently deformable material so that, when sliding from the end of the sliding block over the ramp stop end, the contact portion is bent inwardly in a resilient manner and after passing the end stop adopts an original shape again.
