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`202 1-00004/0S0 (TFM-PFLGS59US801)
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`What is claimed is:
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`1. Aseat sliding device comprising:
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`a lower rail extending in a vehicle front-rear direction;
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`an upper rail configured io move relative to the lower rail in a longitudinal
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`direction:
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`alock member attachedto the upper rail, and including lock portions configured
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`io engage with locked portions formed in the lower rail and to be biased im a lock
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`direction;
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`a lock release lever turnably supported about an axis in a lefi-right direction with
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`respect to the upper rail, and contigured to move the lock portions from alock position
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`io a lock release position in accordance with a lock release operation;
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`an operation handle connected to a front end of the lock release lever; and
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`a biasing member configured to bias the front end ofthe lock release lever inthe
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`lock release direction with a biasing force weaker than a biasing force biasing the lock
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`portions in the lock direction, wherein
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`a front upper support surface and a rear upper support surface facing an upper
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`surface of an end of the operation handle are provided at the front end of the lock release
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`lever with a gap between the front upper support surface and the rear upper support
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`surface in the vehicle front-rear direction, and front lower support surfaces facing a lower
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`surface of an end of the operation handle are provided belowthe front upper support
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`surface,
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`the upper rail is provided with a rear lower support surface facing the lower
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`surface of the end of the operation handle, and the rear lower support surface is positioned
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`belowthe rear upper support surface,
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`the biasing member has one end fixed to the upper rail, and another end engaged
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`with the lowersurface of the end ofthe operation handle from belowat a position between
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`the front upper support surface and the rear upper support surface, and biases the
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`operation handle upward, and
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`a clearance is provided in an up-downdirection between the front lower support
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`202 1-00004/US0 (TFM-F 1059U801)
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`surface provided in the lock release lever and the lowersurface ofthe end ofthe operation
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`handic, and a clearance is provided in the up-down direction between the rear lower
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`support surface provided in the upperrail and the lower surface ofthe end of the operation
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`handle.
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`2. The seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein
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`a fixing member for fixing a plate spring to a lower surface of the upperrail is
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`provided, the plate spring being configured to bias the lock portions in the lock direction,
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`and
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`in the biasing member, a base is fixed to the lower surface of the upper rail by
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`the fixing member together with the lock member, a folded portion of an intermediate
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`portion extends rearward of the vehicle from the base andis folded forward of the vehicle
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`in the middle, and a distal end extends forward ofthe vehicle by passing below the fixing
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`member to form a substantially U-shape.
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`3. The seat shding device according to claim 2, wherein
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`a recessed groove extending in the vehicle front-rear direction is providedin the
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`lower surface of a rear end of the operation handle,
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`the upper rail is provided with a pair of left and right side walls,
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`the rear lower support surface is formed on protrusions protruding fromthe pair
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`ofleft and right side walls inwardlyin the left-right direction, and a gap is formed between
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`distal ends of the pair ofleft and right protrusions, and
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`the base of the biasing member is provided with a fixing hole into which the
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`fixing merober is mserted, and a width ofthe distal end of the biasing memberin the lefi-
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`right direction is formed narrower than the gap between the pair of left and right
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`protrusions.
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`4. The seat sliding device according to claim 1, wherein
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`a shit is provided in the lower surface of the end of the operation handle,
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`a lock protrusion engaging with the slit is provided at the other end ofthe biasing
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`202 3-00004/US6 (TFM-FLG59US0))
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`member, and
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`the lock protrusion is formed so as to protrude upward of a pressing protrusion,
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`which is provided at the other end of the biasing member and presses the lower surface
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`ofthe rear end of the operation handle.
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`or
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`5. The seat siding device according to claim 1, whereim
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`the upper surface of the end of the operation handle is provided with a lock hole,
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`the lock member or the biasing member includes a biasing portion extending
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`from a fixed position with respect to the upperrail toward a vehicle front side, and a lock
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`1d
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`clawprovided ai a disial end of the biasing portion and engaged with the lock hole,
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`the rear upper support surfaces of the lock release lever are provided with a gap
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`between the rear upper support surfaces in the left-right direction, and
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`a width of the biasing portion im the left-right directionis formed narrower than
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`the distance between the pair of left and right rear upper support surfaces.
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