Title of Invention

A DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF THE LOWER LEG OF AN H POINT MACHINE

Abstract 1 A device for adjusting the height of the lower leg of an H-point machine in an automobile, comprising substantially flat body having two recessed regions, a tubular body having at least one pair of respectively opposing holes therethrough alignable with any one of said recessed regions by slidably telescoping the flat body into and out of the tubular body, and a locking assembly including a shank extending through said holes and having a locking configuration wherein said shank is engaged with one of said recessed regions to prevent telescoping and an unlocked configuration wherein said shank is not so engaged and is slidable between recessed regions.
Full Text FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970 (39 of 1970)
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; rule 13)
TITLE
A DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF THE LOWER LEG OF AN H POINT MACHINE
APPLICANTS
Tata Motors Limited, Bombay House, 24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk, Mumbai 400001, India, an Indian company
INVENTORS
Under Section 28(2)
Vinayak Shankar Gogate , Tata Motors Limited,
of Bombay House, 24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400001, Maharashtra, India
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :
GRANTED

17-1-2007
ORIGINAL
630/MUM/2005

This invention relates to a device for adjusting the height of the lower leg of an H point machine. It is a mandatory and regulatory requirement to define the H point of a seat fitted in an automobile and an H Point machine is used for establishing the hip point of a seated occupant in an automobile. Conventionally,

the construction of this machine is based on 50th percentile Anthropometry of an average adult American. Nevertheless, it is essential to provide adjustment means for changing the length of the device depending upon the occupant's requirement. Conventionally, lower leg segment and hip segments are adjustable to suit 10th and 50th percentile anthropometries.
PRIOR ART
In the hitherto known H point machine, adjustment is effected by means of a device which consists of two parts, an inner part and an outer part. The inner part partially telescoping into the outer part. Slots are provided on the inner part while holes are provided on the outer part. These two parts are held together by means of pins and screws. Threaded screw and bush means keep the inner and outer parts pressed against each other, while friction between the two telescoping components hold them together.
This arrangement does not provide a positive locking effect between the two parts. Often the length of the device gets disturbed due to inadequate friction between the top parts causing discomfort to the inspector of the seat.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION
The objective of this invention is to provide a posit]y^Jbck[nc[ device for locking the two component parts of the lower leg segment of the H machine at predetermined level.
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
Accordingly, in the improved locking device the inner part has
circular recesses bigger in size than the slot at predetermined points. Locking screw is provided with shanks having a diameter sufficient to slide through the
circular recesses. Shank is provided with an across flat enabling it to slide through
the slots of the inner component. Through holes are provided on the outer part of the lower leg assembly. The locking screw is passed through the through hole on outer part and circular recess in the inner slot. The inner and outer parts are held together by the geometry of the arrangement and not by friction. A separate lock nut retains the locking screw in position. The locking screw is provided with an across flat to match the width of the slot on inner part for adjustment to any other desired position. The locking screw is passed through the outer part and slot on the inner part using the across flat. The lock nut is tightened on the locking screw to hold the assembly together and friction between the inner and outer part retains the adjusted height. The outer component is provided with a calibrated scale to determine the height required for locking device provides circular recesses at predetermined desired points.

A device for adjusting the height of the lower leg of an H-point machine in an automobile, comprising substantially flat body having two recessed regions, a tubular body having at least one pair of respectively opposing holes therethrough alignable with any one of said recessed regions by slidably telescoping the flat body into and out of the tubular body, and a locking assembly including a shank extending through said holes and having a locking configuration wherein said shank is engaged with one of said recessed regions to prevent telescoping and an unlocked configuration wherein said shank is not so engaged and is slidable between recessed regions.
Further the said shank having an across flat and lock nut means, the arrangement being such that the first and second bodies are tightened by said slidable locking assembly at the desired heights in engagement with the slot and are held in position.
This invention will now be described with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawings.
Figure I is a front view of a generally flat body forming an inner part of a lower leg of an H-point machine for extending into an outer part of the machine;
Figure II is a sectional view of a locking screw for the inner part of, and;
Figure III is a side view of the generally flat body of Figure 1 the inner part and the locking screw of Figure 2.
In a lower leg of an H-point machine, an inner part 4 is moveable telescopically relative to outer part (not shown) and means 11 is provided to lock the inner part 4 and the outer part at relative positions.


In Figure 1, the inner part 4 is in the form of a generally flat elongate body having front and rear faces. An elongate slot 5 extends through the front and rear faces and is defined between generally parallel edges 6,7. The slot 5 has three broadened regions formed by three pairs of spaced concavely shaped recesses 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b each extending from the front face to the rear face of the inner part 4. Each broadened region 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b is shaped to form part of a notional cylinder.
Both the faces are provided with a calibrated scale extending along the one edge 6 of the slot 5.
Figure 2 shows the locking screw generally indicated at 11 and having a head 12 and a shank. The shank comprises a first shank portion 13 adjacent the head 12 followed by a second shank portion 14, and then a threaded portion 15. The first shank portion 13 is in the form of an "across flat" and is cylindrical except for a pair of parallel flattened faces on opposing longitudinal sides (illustrated by an "X" in Figure 2). The spacing of the faces is such as to permit the first shank portion 13 to slide along the slot 5 between the walls 6, 7 of the inner body 4 when the flattened faces are generally parallel to the edges 6, 7 of the slot 5. When the flattened faces are other than generally parallel to the edges 6, 7 the screw 11 cannot slide along the slot 5. The cylindrical part of the first shank portion 13 has the same diameter as the diameter between each pair of recesses 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b.
The second shank portion 14 is cylindrical and of a diameter to fit between the edges 6, 7 of the slot 5. The threaded portion 15 is also of diameter to fit between the edges 6, 7 of the slot 5. A separate corresponding lock nut 16 engages with the threaded portion 15.
The outer part (not shown) is in the form of an elongate tubular bar formed with three holes extending therethrough and attaches to a lower leg of an H-point


machine. The locking screw 11 and the lock nut 16 extends through one of the holes so that the first shank portion 13 is at least partially between the edges 6, 7 of the slot 5. First and second pins 17, 18 extend through respective holes in the outer part and provide guidance when the inner and outer parts are slid, also preventing any relative rotational movement of the inner part 4 and outer part.
The locking screw 11 has the head 12 overlying the front face of the outer part and the first shank portion 13 arranged in the slot 5 with the threaded portion 15 projecting from the slot in the rear face of the outer part and engaging the lock but 16. The pins 17, 18 engage the slot 5 to guide the inner part in sliding movement relative to the outer part. When the locking screw 11 is aligned with the broadened regions 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, the screw 11 is rotated so that the flattened faces are generally normal to the edges 6, 7. This locks the inner part 4 relative to the outer part by mechanical engagement. If it is desired to change the relative positions of the inner part 4 and the outer part, the locking screw 11 is rotated so that the flattened faces are generally parallel to the edge 6, 7. The inner part 4 is then moved relative to the outer part to a new relative disposition with the locking screw 11 passing along the slot 5.
If at the new position the locking screw 11 is located elsewhere along the slot 5 than one of the broadened regions, the locking nut 16 is secured on the locking screw 11 tightly pressing against the rear wall of the outer part. The outer part and the inner part 4 are thereby pressed together and relative movement is prevented by friction.
If at the new position, the locking screw 11 is located at a pair of recesses 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b , then the locking screw 11 is simply rotated to hold the parts 4, together by mechanical engagement.


In either case the pins 18, 19 are inserted and removed as required. The calibrated scale indicates the height at which the outer part is positioned relative to the inner part.
The height of an H-point machine can thereby be adjusted without removing the locking screw 11 from the inner part 4 or outer part. When the locking screw is engaged at a broadened region, the inner part 4 and the outer part are held in their relative positions by the geometry of the arrangement of the inner part 4, the outer part and the locking screw 11. The pairs of recessed 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b are provided at those positions that are most commonly required so that, at these most used positions, the parts 4, 19 are held by mechanical inter-engagement.
This is plainly advantageous over an arrangement in which an inner part and an outer part are held in their relative positions in a known H-point machine. The broadened regions are located so that the lower leg of an H-point machine is at a frequently used height when the locking screw 11 is engaged in a particular broadened region.
It should be understood that the locking nut 16 is only required when the locking screw 11 is engaged in a broadened region to prevent the possibility of slip of the inner part 4 relative of the outer part - it is not necessarily required or alternative means could be used.
In this specification, the word 'tubular', when used to describe the outer part, is to be understood as meaning any shape that holds and guides the inner part 4 for sliding movement relative to the outer part.


WE CLAIM:
1 A device for adjusting the height of the lower leg of an H-point machine in an automobile, comprising substantially flat body having two recessed regions, a tubular body having at least one pair of respectively opposing holes therethrough alignable with any one of said recessed regions by slidably telescoping the flat body into and out of the tubular body, and a locking assembly including a shank extending through said holes and having a locking configuration wherein said shank is engaged with one of said recessed regions to prevent telescoping and an unlocked configuration wherein said shank is not so engaged and is slidable between recessed regions.
2 The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shank having an across flat and lock nut means the arrangement being such that the first and second bodies are tightened by the slidable locking assembly at the desired heights in engagement with the slot and are held in position.
3 The device as claimed in claims 1 and 2 wherein said recesses in the first body and said shank of the locking assembly are circular.
4 The device as claimed in claims 1 and 2 wherein pins are provided for holding the first and second bodies together.
5 The device as claimed in claims 1 to 4 wherein a calibrated scale is provided on the first body to indicate the height at which the assembly is to be locked.
6 A device for adjusting the height of the lower leg of an H point machine in an automobile substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 24th day of May 2005

(Karuna Goleria) of DePENNING & DePENNING Agent for Applicant


Documents:

630-mum-2005-abstract.pdf

630-mum-2005-cancelled pages(17-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-claims(granted)-(17-1-2007).doc

630-mum-2005-claims(granted)-(17-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-claims.pdf

630-mum-2005-correspondence(23-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-correspondence(ipo)-(27-4-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-correspondence-received-ver-010705.pdf

630-mum-2005-correspondence-received-ver-010905.pdf

630-mum-2005-correspondence-received-ver-240505.pdf

630-mum-2005-correspondence-send.pdf

630-mum-2005-description (complete).pdf

630-mum-2005-drawing(17-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-drawings.pdf

630-mum-2005-form 1(24-5-2005).pdf

630-mum-2005-form 18(2-9-2005).pdf

630-mum-2005-form 2(granted)-(17-1-2007).doc

630-mum-2005-form 2(granted)-(17-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-form 3(24-5-2005).pdf

630-mum-2005-form 3(7-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-form 5(24-5-2005).pdf

630-mum-2005-form 8(17-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-form 9(1-7-2005).pdf

630-mum-2005-form-1.pdf

630-mum-2005-form-18.pdf

630-mum-2005-form-2.doc

630-mum-2005-form-2.pdf

630-mum-2005-form-26.pdf

630-mum-2005-form-3.pdf

630-mum-2005-form-5.pdf

630-mum-2005-form-9.pdf

630-mum-2005-petition unde rule 137(17-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-petition unde rule 138(23-1-2007).pdf

630-mum-2005-power of attorney(15-7-2004).pdf

630-mum-2005-power of attorney(17-9-2004).pdf

abstract1.jpg


Patent Number 206515
Indian Patent Application Number 630/MUM/2005
PG Journal Number 42/2008
Publication Date 17-Oct-2008
Grant Date 27-Apr-2007
Date of Filing 24-May-2005
Name of Patentee TATA MOTORS LIMITED
Applicant Address BOMBAY HOUSE, 24 HOMI MODY STREET, HUTATMA CHOWK, MUMBAI -
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 GOGATE VINAYAK SHANKAR BOMBAY HOUSE, 24 HOMI MODY STREET, HUTATMA CHOWK, MUMBAI - 400 001.
PCT International Classification Number B60N 2/00
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA