Seat sliding device for vehicle

Claim 2

A seat sliding device for a vehicle having a first seat, a second seat located rearward of the first seat in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle, guide means for guiding the first and second seats in the lengthwise direction, and a first seatbelt unit for the first seat and a second seatbelt unit for the second seat provided in the vehicle, the guide means comprising: rail means for movably supporting both the first and second seats, the rail means continuously extending in the lengthwise direction past the first seat and the second seat so that the first and second seats are movable substantially throughout a length of the rail means in the lengthwise direction; first sliding means for carrying the first seat movably on the rail means; second sliding means for carrying the second seat movably on the rail means; first latching means for positioning the first seat in place on the rail means, the first latching means being provided on the first sliding means so as to be moved together with the first seat; second latching means for positioning the second seat in place on the rail means, the second latching means being provided on the second sliding means so as to be moved together with the second seat; a first stop, provided within an effective area of said rail means along which the first sliding means is movable on the rail means, for limiting rearward movement of the first seat; and a second stop, provided within the effective area of the rail means along which the second sliding means is movable on the rail means, for limiting forward movement of the second seat; wherein (1) the first and second stops are positionable so that a desired distance between the first seat and the second seat remains when rearward movement of the first seat and forward movement of the second seat are limited by the first and second stops, respectively, (2) seatbelts of the first and second seatbelt units are useable when rearward movement of the first seat is limited by said first stop and forward movement of the second seat is limited by the second stop, and (3) the first and second stops are releasable so that the first and second seats may be positioned by said first and second latching means within the effective area of the rail meads but beyond positions for the first and second stops.

Claim 3

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein said first stop is disposed between the first and second seats and said second stop is also disposed between the first and second seats.

Claim 4

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, and further comprising a third stop, provided within the effective area of the rail means along which the second sliding means is movable on the rail means, for limiting rearward movement of the second seat, the third stop being releasable so that the second seat may be positioned within the effective area of the rail means but beyond a position for the third stop.

Claim 5

A seat sliding device according to claim 3, wherein said rail means includes a first rail area in which a passenger on the first seat can apply the seatbelt of the first seatbelt unit, a second rail area in which a passenger on the second seat can apply the seatbelt of the second seatbelt unit, a third rail area which extends past a limit of the first rail area and through which the first seat can move when said first stop is released, and a fourth rail area which extends past a limit of the second rail area, which partially overlaps the third rail area and through which the second seat can move when said second and third stops are released.

Claim 6

A seat sliding device according to claim 4, wherein said third rail area partially overlaps said second rail area.

Claim 7

A seat sliding device according to claim 4, wherein said first sear is movable into the second rail area.

Claim 8

A seat sliding device according to claim 6, wherein said second rail area is determined so that a passenger on the first seat can apply the seatbelt of the second seatbelt unit after the second seat bas been moved backward and the first seat has been moved backward with the first, second and third stops being released.

Claim 9

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein said first stop and said second stop are positioned so as to ensure a space sufficient for a passenger on the second seat to place legs between the first and second seats.

Claim 10

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, and further comprising a first fixed stop setting a forward limit to movement of the first seat disposed at a front end portion of said rail means and a second fixed stop setting a backward limit to movement of the second seat disposed at a rear end portion of said rail means.

Claim 11

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein said length of said rail means is sufficient to permit backrests of the first and second seats to be inclined backward in order to provide full-flat seat positions.

Claim 12

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second latching means are adjusting mechanisms for locking the first and second seats in positions and releasing the seats from locked positions.

Claim 13

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein said first seat is a rear seat located rearward of a driver's seat and said second seat is another rear seat located rearward of the first seat.

Claim 14

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein said rail means includes a pair of parallel rail members, and said rail means has an engagement portion which is selectively engaged with a latch of the first latching means and a latch of the second latching means.

Claim 15

A seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein said first latching means includes an operable latch which is adjusted by a passenger to selectively position the first seat in its desired position, and said second latching means includes an operable latch which is adjusted by a passenger to selectively position the second seat in its desired position.

Claim 16

A seat sliding device for a vehicle having a plurality of seats, including a first seat and a second seat located rearward of the first seat, and a first seatbelt unit for the first seat and a second seatbelt unit for the second seat provided in the vehicle, comprising: a pair of continuous rail members for guiding the first and second seats in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle, each of said rail members extending past the first and second seats so that both the first and second seats are movable along said rail members in the lengthwise direction; a first slider which carries the first seat movably on the rail members; a second slider which carries the second seat movably on the rail members; a first engagement member for positioning the first seat in place on the rail members, the first engagement member being provided on the first slider so as to be moved together with the first slider; a second engagement member for positioning the second seat in place on the rail members, the second engagement member being provided on the second slider so as to be moved together with the second slider; a first stop, provided within an effective area of said rail members along which the first slider is movable on the rail members, for limiting rearward movement of the first seat; and a second stop, provided within the effective area of the rail members along which the second slider is movable on the rail members, for limiting forward movement of the second seat; wherein (1) the first and second stops are positionable so that a desired distance between the first seat and the second seat remains when rearward movement of the first seat and forward movement of the second seat are limited by the first and second stops, respectively, (2) seatbelts of the first and second seatbelt units are useable when rearward movement of the first seat is limited by said first stop and forward movement of the second seat is limited by the second stop, and (3) the first and second stops are releasable so that the first and second seats may be positioned by said first and second engagement members within the effective area of the rail members but beyond positions for the first and second stops.

Claim 17

A seat sliding device for a vehicle having a plurality of seats, including a first seat and a second seat located rearward of the first seat, and a first seatbelt unit for the first seat and a second seatbelt unit for the second seat provided in the vehicle, comprising: a pair of continuous rail members for guiding the first and second seats in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle, each of said rail members extending past the first and second seats so that both the first and second seats are movable along said rail members in the lengthwise direction; a first slider which carries the first seat movably on the rail members; a second slider which carries the second seat movably on the rail members; a first engagement member for positioning the first seat in place on the rail members, the first engagement member being provided on the first slider so as to be moved together with the first slider; a second engagement member for positioning the second seat in place on the rail members, the second engagement member being provided on the second slider so as to be moved together with the second slider; a first stop, provided within an effective area of said rail members along which the first slider is movable on the rail members, for limiting rearward movement of the first seat; and a second stop, provided within the effective area of the rail members along which the second slider is movable on the rail members, for limiting forward movement of the second seat; wherein (1) the first and second stops are positionable so that a desired distance between the first seat and the second seat remains when rearward movement of the first seat and forward movement of the second seat are limited by the first and second stops, respectively, (2) seatbelts of the first and second seatbelt units are useable when rearward movement of the first seat is limited by said first stop and forward movement of the second seat is limited by the second stop, and (3) the first and second stops are releasable so that the first and second seats may be positioned by said first and second engagement members within the effective area of the rail members but beyond positions for the first and second stops.

Claim 18

A vehicle having a plurality of seats including a first seat, a second seat located behind the first seat, a first seatbelt unit for the first seat and a second seatbelt unit for the second seat provided in the vehicle, and a seat sliding device for guiding the first and second seats in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle, the seat sliding device comprising: a pair of continuous rail members for mounting the first and second seats on a vehicle floor slidably in the lengthwise direction, each of said rail members extending past the first and second seats so that both the first and second seats are movable along said rail members in the lengthwise direction; a first sliding member which carries the first seat movably on at least one of the rail members; a second sliding member which carries the second seat movably on at least one of the rail members; a first stop, provided within an effective area of said rail members along which the first sliding member is movable on the rail members, for limiting rearward movement of the first seat; and a second stop, provided within the effective area of the rail members along which the second sliding member is movable on the rail members, for limiting forward movement of the second set; wherein (1) the first and second stops are positionable so that a desired distance between the first seat and the second seat remains when rearward movement of the first seat and forward movement of the second seat are limited by the first and second stops, respectively, (2) seatbelts of the first and second seatbelt units are useable when rearward movement of the first seat is limited by said first stop and forward movement of the second seat is limited by the second stop, and (3) the first and second stops are releasable so that the first and second seats may be positioned within the effective area of the rail members but beyond positions for the first and second stops; said first seat being a rear seat located rearward of a driver's seat, and slidable areas of the first and second seats being set in such a manner that a passenger on the first seat can apply the seatbelt of the second seatbelt unit after the second seat has been moved backward to its rearmost position and the first seat has been moved rearward with said first and second stops removed.

Claim 19

A vehicle having a plurality of seats including a first seat, a second seat located behind the first seat, a first seatbelt unit for the first seat and a second seatbelt unit for the second seat provided in the vehicle, and a seat sliding device for guiding the first and second seats in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle, the seat sliding device comprising: a pair of continuous rail members for mounting the first and second seats on a vehicle floor slidably in the lengthwise direction, each of said rail members extending past the first and second seats so that both the first and second seats are movable along said rail members in the lengthwise direction; a first sliding member which carries the first seat movably on at least one of the rail members; a second sliding member which carries the second seat movably on at least one of the rail members; a first stop, provided within an effective area of said rail members along which the first sliding member is movable on the rail members, for limiting rearward movement of the first seat; and a second stop, provided within the effective area of the rail members along which the second sliding member is movable on the rail members, for limiting forward movement of the second set; wherein (1) the first and second stops are positionable so that a desired distance between the first seat and the second seat remains when rearward movement of the first seat and forward movement of the second seat are limited by the first and second stops, respectively, (2) seatbelts of the first and second seatbelt units are useable when rearward movement of the first seat is limited by said first stop and forward movement of the second seat is limited by the second stop, and (3) the first and second stops are releasable so that the first and second seats may be positioned within the effective area of the rail members but beyond positions for the first and second stops; said first seat being a rear seat located rearward of a driver's seat, and slidable areas of the first and second seats being set in such a manner that a passenger on the first seat can apply the seatbelt of the second seatbelt unit after the second seat has been moved backward to its rearmost position and the first seat has been moved rearward with said first and second stops removed.

Claim 20

A vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the vehicle is a car of one-box type in which said first seat is a first rear seat behind a driver's seat and said second seat is a second rear seat behind the first rear seat.

Claim 21

A seat sliding device according to claim 16, wherein said first stop is disposed between the first and second seats and said second stop is also disposed between the first and second seats.

Claim 22

A seat sliding device according to claim 16, and further comprising a third stop, provided within the effective area of the rail members along which the second sliding member is movable on the rail members, for limiting rearward movement of the second seat, the third stop being releasable so that the second seat may be positioned within the effective area of the rail members but beyond a position for the third stop.

Claim 23

A seat sliding device according to claim 19, wherein each of said rail members includes a first rail area in which a passenger on the first seat can apply the seatbelt of the first seatbelt unit, a second rail area in which a passenger on the second seat can apply the seatbelt of the second seatbelt unit, a third rail area which extends past a limit of the first rail area and through which the first seat can move when said first stop is released, and a fourth rail area which extends past a limit of the second rail area, which partially overlaps the third rail area and through which the second seat can move when said second and third stops are released.

Claim 24

A seat sliding device according to claim 20, wherein said third rail area partially overlaps said second rail area.