DE20004347U1 - Bracket for a vehicle seat - Google Patents

Description

9687/VII/so

Johnson Controls GmbH, Industriestrasse 20-30, D-51399 Burscheid

Mount for a vehicle seat

The present invention relates to a holder for a seat in a vehicle, consisting of support means for connecting the seat to base means to be arranged in a fixed position in the vehicle.

First of all, there are known brackets that are designed to fix the seat in a fixed, rigid position in the vehicle, i.e. not adjustable, but usually detachable for quick seat removal. Furthermore, brackets with longitudinal seat adjustment are known, with which the position of the seat can be changed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (X-axis of the usual vehicle coordinate system), which primarily ensures that the position can be adapted to people of different sizes and/or variability with regard to the vehicle's loading options.

The present invention is based on the object of creating a holder of the type mentioned in such a way that a further improvement in the variability of use within the vehicle is achieved with optimal use of space and optimal comfort of use.

According to the invention, this is achieved by adjusting means such that the seat can be adjusted approximately in the direction of a vertical vehicle axis (Z axis of the usual vehicle coordinate system) between two defined height positions by a defined height offset and can be releasably locked in these two different height positions by means of a locking device.

9687/VII/so

This design according to the invention is particularly suitable for seats (individual seats or bench seats or partial seats of multiple seat arrangements) in which a backrest can be folded down by approximately 90° onto a lower seat cushion part in order to use a rear backrest surface as an enlarged loading area of a loading area. In such arrangements, there is often a level difference between the actual loading area floor surface and the rear surface of the folded backrest, which is annoying as a step. The invention advantageously makes it possible to eliminate this level difference in a simple manner by moving the seat from its normal, raised position of use with the backrest folded down into a lowered non-use position. The adjustment means are designed according to the invention to adapt to the seat and to the vehicle-specific conditions of the adjacent loading area floor in such a way that the seat with the rear surface of the backrest folded down onto the seat cushion part in the non-use position (second height position) lies essentially in the same plane as the loading area floor.

In this way, a high level of comfort can be achieved. On the one hand, the raised position of use provides good seating conditions for the passenger, particularly in terms of the vertical distance between the seat and the vehicle floor for resting the feet. On the other hand, the uniform level of the loading area floor, which is enlarged by the folded backrest, makes loading and unloading the vehicle easier, particularly when the load is heavy and/or large. In addition, the load can be stored over a large area without tipping over, which also increases driving safety.

Further advantageous features of the invention are contained in the subclaims.

The invention will be explained in more detail using a preferred embodiment shown in the drawing.

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9687/VII/so

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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a holder according to the invention

equipped vehicle seat,

Fig. 2 a more detailed view of the functional components of the

Mounting diagonally from below and front into the lower seat area in the direction of arrow II according to Fig. 1, omitting upholstery elements that are not essential to the invention,

Fig. 3 is a view obliquely from above in the direction of arrow III according to Fig. 2 in the

first height position or sitting position,

Fig. 4 a view as in Fig. 3, but in the second, lowered

Height position or seat non-use position,

Fig. 5 is a perspective side view of a lower seat part with a

alternative embodiment of the holder according to the invention for height adjustment, wherein the upper height position is shown,

a view as in Fig. 5, but in the lower height position,

Fig. 7 is a detailed view of a locking device for height adjustment - alternative to Fig. 2 to 4,

Fig. 8 a perspective detailed view of additional transverse adjustment means in

an unlocked state for side adjustment of the seat,

Fig. 9 a view like in Fig. 8 from a slightly different angle in

locked state of one of two possible side positions and

Fig. 10 shows a further detail of the transverse adjustment means according to Fig. 8 and 9.

9687/VII/so ·· ** *·

Fig. 1 shows an example of a single seat 1, which can also be a partial seat of a bench-like multiple seating system. In addition, the seat 1 can also be designed with a width that is several times greater, i.e. as a single bench. The seat 1 consists of a lower seat (cushion) part 2 and a backrest 4 that is connected to it in an articulated manner and can be folded forwards and downwards onto the seat part 2 in the direction of the arrow 5 so that its rear surface 6 is on top and can be used as an additional loading surface that increases the "normal" loading space.

The seat 1 has support means 8 - according to Fig. 2 preferably in the form of a support frame 10 - wherein the support means 8 are connected to base means 12 (see Fig. 1) to be arranged in a fixed position in the vehicle.

According to the invention, the support means 8 are connected to the base means 12 via adjustment means 14 in such a way that the seat 1 can be adjusted by a defined height offset A between two defined height positions at least approximately in the direction of a vertical vehicle axis Z (cf. the usual vehicle coordinate system shown in Fig. 1 with a horizontal vehicle longitudinal axis X, a horizontal vehicle transverse axis Y and the vertical vehicle axis Z) and can be releasably locked in each of these different height positions by means of a locking device 16 (cf. Figs. 2 to 4).

The first height position is a raised position for use of the seat 1 and the second height position is a lowered position for non-use. The raising or lowering of the seat 1 is preferably carried out manually after releasing the locking device 16, but drive means could also be provided in principle. The adjusting means 14 are designed according to the invention to adapt to the seat 1 and to the respective vehicle-specific conditions, especially relative to an adjacent loading area floor of the vehicle (not shown), such that the seat 1 in the folded-down state of the

Backrest 4 with its rear surface 6 in the second height position (non-use position) lies essentially in the same plane as the loading compartment floor.

In the embodiments shown, the adjustment means 14 have a swinging device with preferably four swinging joint arms 18 connecting the seat 1 or the support means 8 to the base means 12. This is therefore the principle of a four-bar mechanism. The swinging joint arms 18, which are each connected in an articulated manner to the seat 1 or the support means 8 on the one hand and to the base means 12 on the other hand, perform a pivoting movement between the two height positions of the seat 1 over a specific pivoting angle of approximately 90° in each case. In the position of use of the seat 1 shown in Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 5 (raised first height position), the swinging joint arms 18 also function practically as support feet for the seat 1. In the lowered non-use position (cf. Fig. 6), the seat 1 can be supported on the base means 12 at least in part and in particular via elastic support elements. As can be seen from Fig. 2 to 4, the swing arm joints 18 can expediently be connected to one another in pairs via cross struts 20. This ensures increased stability.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 2 to 4, the locking device 16 preferably consists of two bolt-like or latch-like locking elements 22 that interact with the adjustment means 14 in the two different height positions. Each locking element 22 can be moved manually from a preferably spring-force-related locking position into a release position by means of a lever-like actuating element 24, in which the swing arm 18 is then released for transfer to the other height position. Each locking element 22 interacts with one of the swing arm 18, whereby these two swing arm 18 each have two locking openings 26a and 26b, in which the respective locking element 22 engages in the first or second height position, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement of the swing arm 18.

9687/VII/so

Direction corresponding to the vehicle transverse axis Y. It should be noted that in Figs. 2 and 3 the area of the locking openings 26a, b has been made visible by omitting a certain component.

The two locking elements 22 can be actuated via a rotary lever 28 using the same actuating element 24 and interact with corresponding locking openings 26a, b of two swing arm joints 18 arranged parallel and spaced apart in the direction of the vehicle's transverse axis Y. The rotary lever 28 is designed as a double lever or two-legged lever and is attached via an axis 30 so that it can rotate or pivot on a bearing part 32 arranged stationary on the support frame 10. The two partial levers formed on either side of the axis 30 are each connected to the associated locking element 22 via a pull rod 34. The lever-like actuating element 24 engages a one-ended extension of the rotary lever 28. The rotary lever 28 can thus be rotated by means of the actuating element 24 so that the locking elements 22 can be pulled out of the respective locking opening 26a or b into a release position via the pull rods 34. Each swing arm 18 that interacts with the locking device 16 has a section that extends beyond its pivot axis 36, which has the two locking openings 26b, b and is guided in a lock housing 38. The lock housing 38 is advantageously formed in a simple manner from two parallel, spaced-apart sheet metal parts 38a and 38b, between which the swing arm 18 is guided with its end section. In Fig. 2, the sheet metal part 38a on the right is omitted and in Fig. 3 the sheet metal part 38b on the left is omitted in order to make the end section of the swing arm with the locking openings visible. Each locking element 22 sits displaceably in the direction of the Y axis in a guide opening 40 of the lock housing 38 (see in particular Fig. 2 and 4). The locking openings 26a, b are arranged in such a way that in the first and second height positions of the seat 1, respectively, they are arranged opposite the locking element 22 and the respective guide opening 40 for engagement. To ensure the spring-force-related locking position, a spring element 42 is provided, which is preferably designed as a wound leg spring and is used for

9687/VII/so

Loading of the rotary lever 28 is arranged on its axis of rotation 30. The spring element 42 is supported on the one hand on the bearing part 32 and on the other hand on the rotary lever 28 in such a way that the rotary lever 28 is loaded with spring force in the direction of rotation that the locking elements 22 are moved (pressed) into their engaged position via the pull rods 34.

The actuating element 24 can advantageously have an ergonomically designed handling handle according to Fig. 2.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the seat height adjustment according to the invention can be combined with additional longitudinal guide means 50 in order to be able to adjust the seat 1 in the direction of the horizontal vehicle longitudinal axis X. This can be a conventional rail guide.

In addition, the height adjustment means 14 can also be combined with additional transverse adjustment means 52 such that the seat 1 can be adjusted in the direction of the transverse axis Y relative to the base means 12 between two defined lateral positions by a defined lateral offset B (Fig. 1) and can be releasably locked in each of the two lateral positions.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the transverse adjustment means 52 are designed as a parallel swing device with four swing joint arms 60, which each execute a pivoting movement upwards between the two side positions over a top dead center and thus over a total pivoting angle of approximately 180° to the other side position.

As far as the embodiment of the seat holder according to Fig. 5 to 10 is concerned, the height adjustment means 14 are designed largely analogously to the embodiment according to Fig. 1 to 4 with the swing arm joints 18. However, the type of locking device 16 is different, which is not arranged in the upper area of the swing arm joints 18, but rather in the lower area of

9687/VII/so

preferably two swing arm joints 18 that are opposite one another in the Y direction. As can be seen in particular from Fig. 7, a preferably ring-shaped locking element 62 is arranged in a torque-locking manner on a rotary shaft 64 of the respective swing arm joint 18. This locking element 62 has two radial locking recesses 66, 68 that determine the two height positions of the seat 1 through their alignment relative to the rotary shaft 64 and thus also relative to the swing arm joint 18. For this purpose, a locking lever 70 is provided as a locking element 22, which releasably engages radially in one of the two locking recesses 66 or 68 in the two height positions or pivot positions of the swing arm joint 18. The locking lever 70 can be operated directly manually. In the preferred embodiment shown, two locking levers 70 opposite one another in the direction of the transverse axis Y are connected to one another in a torque-locking manner via a common locking shaft 72, with each locking lever 70 interacting with a separate locking element 62 of the two opposite swing arm joints 18. At least one of the two locking levers 70 has a suitable handle 74 at its free actuating end as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this embodiment of the locking device 16, at least one spring element 42 is also provided in order to forcibly hold the or each locking lever 70 in its engaged position by spring force. The spring element 42 is designed here as a coiled leg spring which directly acts on at least one of the locking levers 70.

As can also be seen from Fig. 8 to 10, this embodiment also provides transverse adjustment means 52, but here as a sliding guide. Block-like bearing elements 80 are attached to the underside of the seat 1 as support means 8, which are guided so as to be displaceable on parallel crossbeams 82. The crossbeams 82 are connected to the base means 12 via the adjustment means 14. Preferably, a total of four bearing elements 80 are provided in pairs, each with two bearing elements 80 spaced apart laterally in the Y direction. Two parallel crossbeams 82 are also provided, and two of the bearing elements 80 are guided on each crossbeam 82. The crossbeams 82 consist of

9687/VII/so

preferably made of tubular profiles with a circular cross-section. The bearing elements 80 are advantageously guided on the tubular profiles via roller or plain bearings, in particular via ball cage elements (see reference number 84 in Fig. 8). The seat 1 can thus be moved in the Y direction together with the bearing elements 80 on the cross members 82.

According to Fig. 8 and 9, (at least) one of the two cross members 82 has a locking element 86 in its area lying between the bearing elements 80. This locking element 86 has two recesses 88 and 90, in particular in the form of an annular groove, which determine the defined positions of the seat 1, spaced apart by the lateral offset B. A locking lever 92 is mounted on the seat 1 in such a way that it can releasably engage in one of the two recesses 88 or 90. The locking element 86 is preferably formed by a sleeve that sits firmly on the cross member 82. Since the recesses 88, 90 are thus in the form of an annular groove, the locking lever 92 preferably has a free end which has an arcuate course adapted to the radius of curvature of the recesses 88, 90. According to Fig. 9, the locking lever 92 engages in the respective recess 90 (or 88) over a relatively large angular range, so that a very good and secure locking is ensured.

In this embodiment of the lateral adjustment, it is also preferably provided that one of the two defined positions represents a preferred position that can be reached by spring force F (see Fig. 10). For this purpose, (at least) one compression spring 94 is arranged between one of the bearing elements 80 and an abutment 96 arranged in a fixed position on the cross member 82. Depending on which of the two lateral positions is to be the preferred position, the compression spring 94 is arranged on one or the other side of the abutment 96; the compression spring 94 is preferably designed as a helical compression spring and encloses the cross member 82 coaxially, in particular the cross member 82 that is not equipped with the locking element 86 according to Fig. 8 and 9. The abutment 96 is

expediently formed by a ring element fastened to the cross member 82.

It should also be mentioned that each cross member 82 is connected at both ends to two swing arms 18 of the adjustment means. The lateral adjustment means are thus adjusted in height together with the seat. However, it is preferably provided that lowering of the seat 1 is only possible in the preferred position of the lateral adjustment, while moving the seat 1 from the preferred position to a laterally offset position is only possible in the raised, upper height position. These functions are ensured by suitable locking means not described here.

Finally, with regard to the height adjustment means 14, with reference to Fig. 1 and Figs. 5 and 6, it should be mentioned that by designing the swing arm joints 18 on the front of the seat to be of different lengths relative to the rear of the seat, it is possible to change the inclination of the seat relative to the horizontal or to a vehicle floor in the two different height positions of the seat 1. In the position of use shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the lower seat part 2 has a slight inclination diagonally backwards in that the front swing arm joints 18 are longer than the rear swing arm joints 18. In the lowered non-use position achieved by pivoting the swing arm joints 18, the seat part 2 then lies approximately parallel to the base means 12 or to the vehicle floor.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described, but also includes all embodiments having the same effect within the meaning of the invention. Furthermore, the invention is not yet limited to the combination of features defined in claim 1, but can also be defined by any other combination of certain features of all the individual features disclosed. This means that in principle practically every individual feature of claim 1 can be omitted or replaced by at least one other

9687/VII/so

can be replaced by a single feature disclosed in the application. In this respect, claim 1 is to be understood as merely a first attempt at formulating an invention.

Claims (18)

1. Holder for a seat ( 1 ) in a vehicle, comprising support means ( 8 ) for connecting the seat ( 1 ) to base means ( 12 ) to be arranged in a fixed position in the vehicle, characterized by adjustment means ( 14 ) such that the seat ( 1 ) can be adjusted approximately in the direction of a vertical vehicle axis (Z) between two defined height positions by a defined height offset (A) and can be releasably locked in each of these two different height positions by means of a locking device ( 16 ). 2. Holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the first height position is a raised position of use of the seat ( 1 ) and the second height position is a lowered non-use position. 3. Holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adjusting means ( 14 ) are designed to adapt to the seat ( 1 ) and to conditions of an adjacent loading compartment floor of the vehicle such that the seat ( 1 ) with a rear surface ( 6 ) of a backrest ( 4 ) folded down onto a lower seat part ( 2 ) lies in the second height position essentially in a common plane with the loading compartment floor. 4. Holder according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the adjusting means ( 14 ) are designed as a swinging device with preferably four swinging joint arms ( 18 ) connecting the seat ( 1 ) or the support means ( 8 ) to the base means ( 12 ). 5. Holder according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the locking device ( 16 ) has at least one locking element ( 22 ) which cooperates with the adjusting means ( 14 ) in the two height positions and which can be moved from a preferably spring-force-dependent locking position into a release position by means of an actuating element ( 24 ). 6. Holder according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one of the swing arm joints ( 18 ) has two locking openings ( 26 a, 26 b) into which the locking element ( 22 ) engages in the first or second height position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement of the swing arm joint ( 18 ). 7. Holder according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the locking device ( 16 ) has two locking elements ( 22 ) which can be actuated via a rotary lever ( 28 ) by means of the same actuating element ( 24 ) and which cooperate with locking openings ( 26 a, 26 b) of two swing arm joints ( 18 ). 8. Holder according to claim 7, characterized in that the locking elements ( 22 ) are each connected to the rotary lever ( 28 ) via a pull rod ( 34 ). 9. Holder according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the or each swing arm ( 18 ) cooperating with the locking device ( 16 ) is guided with the area of the two locking openings ( 26 a, 26 b) in a lock housing ( 38 ), and that the associated locking element ( 22 ) is displaceably seated in a guide opening ( 40 ) of the lock housing ( 38 ), the locking openings ( 26 a, 26 b) in the first and second height positions for engaging the locking element ( 22 ) being arranged opposite the latter and the guide opening ( 40 ). 10. Holder according to claim 5, characterized in that the locking device ( 16 ) on the one hand has at least one preferably annular locking element (62) arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on a rotary shaft ( 64 ) of at least one of the swing joint arms ( 18 ) and having two locking recesses ( 66 , 68 ) defining the two height positions and on the other hand has as a blocking element ( 22 ) at least one locking lever ( 70 ) which releasably engages in one of the two locking recesses ( 66 , 68 ) in each of the two height positions. 11. Holder according to claim 10, characterized in that two locking levers ( 70 ) opposite one another in the direction of a vehicle transverse axis (Y) are connected in a torque-locking manner via a common locking shaft ( 72 ), each locking lever ( 70 ) interacting with a separate locking element ( 62 ) of two opposite swing arm joint arms ( 18 ). 12. Holder according to one of claims 5 to 11, characterized in that to ensure the spring-force-related locking position, at least one spring element ( 42 ) is provided, which is designed in particular as a coiled leg spring and is arranged to act on the rotary lever ( 28 ) or the locking lever ( 70 ) on its axis of rotation. 13. Holder according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by additional longitudinal guide means ( 50 ) for adjusting the seat ( 1 ) in the direction of a horizontal vehicle longitudinal axis (X). 14. Holder according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by additional transverse adjustment means ( 52 ) such that the seat ( 1 ) is adjustable in the direction of a horizontal vehicle transverse axis (Y) relative to the base means ( 12 ) between two defined lateral positions by a defined lateral offset (B) and can be releasably locked in each of the two lateral positions. 15. Holder according to claim 14, characterized in that the transverse adjustment means ( 52 ) are designed as a parallel swing device with four swing arms ( 60 ) which execute a pivoting movement over a pivoting angle of approximately 180° between the two side positions. 16. Holder according to claim 14, characterized in that the transverse adjustment means ( 52 ) are designed as sliding guides. 17. Holder according to claim 16, characterized in that the support means ( 8 ) are formed by bearing elements ( 80 ) connected to the seat ( 1 ) which are displaceably guided on cross members ( 82 ) connected to the base means ( 12 ) via the adjustment means ( 14 ). 18. Holder according to one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that one of the two side positions represents a preferred position - achievable in particular by spring force (F).