FR3039470A1 - 2nd ROW VEHICLE SEATS INTENDED TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO THE 3rd RANK, A UNLOCKING DEVICE FOR A SIMULTANEOUS 3-SEAT ACHIEVEMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

Vehicle seat whose two sides (1) of the seat serve as a common framework for the backing of a first adjustment mechanism of the backrest mounted on the face (1a) on the inside of the seat and a second mechanism of fixing the seat on the floor mounted on the face (1b) on the outside. The flanks (1) comprise a bore (7a) guiding a transverse bar (7) freely rotating and supporting the backrest. At each of its ends equipped with splines 7b, resting on the face (1a) receiving the first mechanism is engaged and welded a movable stop (2) limited in rotation by a lock (3) for the shocks before and by a fixed stop (4) for rear shocks limiting the movement of the backrest. On the end of the bar (7) opening on the outer face (1b) receiving the second mechanism is fitted on the splines a cam (5) indexed angularly relative to the movable stop (2) controlling the movement of a hook (6) equipped with 2 arms resting on the cam, one (6b) security prevents its opening, the other (6c) controls its opening. A rod (3f) ensures the synchronization of the 2 locks, the pushers 3i and straps 3j to simultaneously unlock 3 seats.

Description

The present invention relates to the production of seat frames in general and more particularly to those intended for vehicles by simplifying their manufacture by the use of associated and synchronized functions for adjusting the position of the backrest and fixing the seat. on the floor. The seats of vehicles currently manufactured are equipped on the one hand with continuous or discontinuous adjustment mechanisms of the backrest and on the other hand with fastening means on the floor independent of one another.

They have not changed significantly in the last twenty years. On the other hand, the demand for seats equipped with a third-point safety belt on board at the top of the backrest making it possible to break free from the anchoring points on the bodywork is not satisfied, given the pulling force of the belt exerted. on the file requiring its reinforcement as well as that of the seat, for which no satisfactory solution has been developed.

If, however, by increasing the weight so the price, one-off solutions are implemented especially for the seats of the first row this does not allow an overall application and this a fortiori for the seats of the second and third row .

Manufacturers, dependent on OEMs, are looking for innovative solutions to upgrade their vehicles by improving safety while reducing costs and weight and taking over the control of the frames of their seats. - In order to solve the problems posed, it is possible to design the frame of a seat in the form of subassemblies comprising the 2 identical sides of the seat and the backrest. One side of the seat and one side of the backrest at least will be equipped with the elements necessary to adjust the position of the backrest and if necessary those necessary for fixing the seat on the floor. Preferably the 2 sides of the seat and the 2 sides of the folder will be equipped with these elements.

In order to raise the seat in vertical position behind the seat of the row which precedes it only one front joint is provided in the middle of a crossbar connecting the two sides of the seat and the function of anti-submarining .

The two flanks of the seat are the main parts of the seat. They ensure its mechanical strength as a structure; being identical, it will be spoken of the flank. It is the same for the folder whose two sides are also identical.

The proposed technique allows to fold in a single action a folder on a seat of a seat by opening a lock now the folder in its position of use. Starting from the example of a seat in its position of use raised backrest there are two possibilities: setting shelf of the backrest on the seat or vertical positioning of the seat back folded.

The setting tablet is the first mandatory movement of the backrest for placing in the vertical position of the seat, to avoid further manipulation there is provided a resilient support member, called support, preventing the locking of the seat on the floor of the vehicle when switching the folder. By way of example, the support could consist of a metal spring steel rod fixed at one of its ends to the sidewall and whose other end would rest next to the hook on the fixing bar sitting on the floor. a) Tabletting from the backrest position at -25 °.

Open the lock and without having to hold it manually push the backrest until it is flat on the seat. Preferably a spring can automatically fold back the folder as soon as the lock is opened.

In this position the backrest is automatically immobilized flat on the seat by a retaining means secured to the latch whose design allows to harden more or less its stall. The seat being supported by the support simply press on its rear part to lock the hook. b) Vertical positioning of the seat from the backrest position to -25 °.

Do the same operation as for the tablet but instead of pressing the seat it should be raised upright. c) Tabletting from the vertical position of the seat.

Pull on the back of the seat and press the seat to lock it d) Put the seat upright from the locked shelf position.

Raise the backrest approximately 20 ° to open the hook and lift the back of the seat.

The kinematics proposed above is obtained as follows.

The flanks of the seat in addition to ensuring the mechanical strength of the seat serve as a framework for the various parts for adjusting the backrest and fixing on the floor. The same flank associating these 2 functions has on one side the adjustment parts of the backrest and on the other side the fasteners on the floor. A part of the fixing mechanism on the floor is indexed angularly relative to a part of the backrest adjustment mechanism and ensures the synchronization of the two mechanisms.

A transverse bar supporting the backrest, freely rotatable in each of the two seat flanks, supports at each of its ends, on one side of the sidewall a movable stop equipped with a hooking bolt of the return spring of the backrest. tablet, immobilized in rotation by a lock. The axis of this latch supports at one of its ends a rudder receiving at its one end a subassembly of opening control of the lock and at its second end the attachment of a return spring automatically closing the lock.

On the other end of the axis of the locks a synchronization bar is fixed and ensures their coupling. If necessary, it may also allow opening thereof. Opposite the other side of the side a cam indexed angularly with respect to the movable stop controls the movement of a hook which is recalled by closing by a spring.

It is equipped with 2 arms resting on the cam, one of safety preventing its untimely opening when the backrest is at the -25 ° position, the other control allowing its opening.

The rigidity of the flanks will be reinforced by stamping circular bearing around the holes allowing the establishment of the bar, the axes of the latch and the hook, to limit their bearing surface to these circular surfaces.

If need be stiffening draws will be made.

The positioning of the seat in height (Z) and longitudinal (X) for the front and rear shocks will be provided by an appropriate form of the sidewall ensuring its support on the fastening bar secured to the floor in correspondence with the hook which he will ensure the lateral and longitudinal mechanical protection.

Advantageously, the crossbar supporting the backrest can serve as a support for a mechanism of energy absorption complementary to those described in French patents No. 06/01148, No. 09/04141 and No. 10/04664 in the name of the same inventor. or as described hereinafter in this patent application.

This mechanism designed to absorb the front impact whose force is substantially twice that of the rear shock also absorbed will include 2 energy absorption sleeves, a section for fixing a beam serving as a central frame to the backrest and a claw encircled by a ferrule.

Preferably, these different components will be arranged as follows.

The first sleeve ensuring the permanent attachment of the subset energy absorption is secured to the bar by one of its ends.

Its other end is extended by a section of tube provided to support the beam serving as a central rib in the folder.

In the extension of this section, a clutch encircling a ferrule to prevent it burst allows direct or delayed torsion of a second sleeve which is welded at its other end to the bar.

The backrest frame beam is equipped at the top with a horizontal crossbar to support the headrest and the seat belt retractor.

Alternatively a conventional seat mechanism with separate beam and upright can be envisaged. The energy absorption mechanism will be similar to that described above but of greater length and the energy absorption sleeves at each end will be surrounded by a tube supporting one beam, the other the amount.

The seats are solicited in 2 different ways: Normal use or accident.

In order to solve the difficulty of synchronization of the 2 mechanisms of positioning of the backrest only one mechanism is sufficient to ensure in a safe way the normal use of the seat.

A 1st side is provided with a minimum game limiting the floating file.

For the 2nd side it is sufficient to provide sufficient clearance between the movable and fixed stops.

In case of accident the section of the bar of the 1st side will twist in the elastic area and the movable stops will come into contact with the fixed stops of the 2nd side.

The fixed back stop will be asymmetrical so as to cancel the game when it is put on the 1st side of the seat and create a game when it is put on the other side.

For the 2nd side the lock will be shorter in order to have the desired game.

The two locks being integral with each other a single return spring can be sufficient.

The operation of the 2 locks can be done in 3 different ways. Or manually from a subset of maneuver grouping a push button to act from the back and a pull strap to act from the front and this on each side of the seat, 4 points of possible action. With the foot from the synchronization bar of 2 locks. For example, passengers in the 3rd rank have their total autonomy.

They can leave the vehicle without assistance and without having to bend down by pressing in a single operation on the 3 pushers of the 2nd row and raise the 3 seats vertically behind the 1st row. The assembly of moving parts is designed to be done manually.

The bar comprises at each of its ends grooves for indexing the cam relative to the movable stop, the two ends being symmetrical.

Preferably it will be adopted 3 splines arranged irregularly to avoid assembly errors. They will be largely dimensioned in order to be able alone to retain the torque to be transmitted in case of failure of the weld of the movable stop.

The axial holding will be provided by a claw washer, a corrugated washer will maintain the predetermined axial tension of the assembly.

The same solution, claw washer and corrugated washer, is provided for the axis of the hook and lock. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention: FIG. 1A shows the adjustment mechanism of the backrest at -25 °. - Figure 2 A shows the adjustment mechanism of the vertical backrest. - Figure 3 A shows the adjustment mechanism of the backrest flat on the seat. - Figure 4 A shows the fixing mechanism on the floor backrest at -25 °. - Figure 5 A shows the fixing mechanism on the floor vertical backrest. - Figure 6 A shows the fixing mechanism on the floor back at + 70 °. - Figure 7A shows the fixing mechanism on the floor backrest flat on the seat. - Figure 8/1 shows in section a first subset of energy absorption. - Figure 8/2 shows in section a second subset of energy absorption. - Figures 9A & 9B show in section seen from back the 2 sides of the central seat and the right side of the left seat. With reference to drawings IA, 2A & 3A flanks 1 of a seat comprise an inner face la, the central side of a seat, supporting a mechanism for adjusting a backrest, and 4A, 5A, 6A & 7A an outer face lb supporting the fastening mechanism on the floor.

Given the forces to bear they will be made of thick sheet HLE type and stiffened by the stamping of the circular parts surrounding a bar 7 and the hinge pins 3a of a latch 3 and 6a of a hook 6 also ensuring the range of parts, only on these surfaces.

In the upper part of the flanks a bore 7a allows the passage of the bar 7, free in rotation, which will maintain the spacing of the two flanks

The positioning of the seat on the floor of the vehicle will be ensured by the shape of the lower part of the sidewall in which an inverted V shape is arranged.

The upper part matches the shape of the bar and supports in ld the vertical force (Z), the longitudinal forces (X) will be retained for the front impact by the wall lf and back by the wall, the hook is protected laterally and longitudinally by these 2 parts of the flank. The holding in the waiting position, shelf setting or vertical position of the seat on the support not shown will consist of a metal spring steel rod fixed by one of its ends to the sidewall and whose the other end will rest next to the hook, on a bar for fixing the seat on the floor.

FIG. 1A shows the adjustment mechanism of the backrest on the side of the sidewall, in the locked position with a movable stop 2 bearing on the bolt 3 and the fixed stopper 4.

Figure 2A shows the mechanism at the beginning of unlocking. --The mobile stop 2 made of steel by laser cutting retains the backrest with its support faces 2a for the front and 2b for the back

It comprises on its circular border a snap-in notch 2c to be immobilized angularly by a claw 3 c retaining the lock 3 when laying the backrest on the seat.

A hole cut by the laser is provided to receive a pin 2d force-fitted and crimped allowing the attachment of a second spring automatic setting shelf of the backrest on the seat. The same parts, abutment / piton, are identical for both sides the difference being made by the direction of the abutment when setting up the stud.

The movable stop 2 is nested and welded to the grooves of the bar 7 and positioned in abutment on the inner face of the sidewall. It serves as angular indexing base to a cam 5 also immobilized by the same flutes at the end of said bar. --The latch 3 made of steel by laser cutting is mounted on an axis 3a for its articulation on the sidewall.

Its end 3b constitutes the retaining face of the bearing face 2a of the movable stop.

The retaining claw 3 c embossed on its edge bearing on the stop 2 can immobilize it. The axis 3a has the particularity of being able to control the latch by its two ends.

The two locks to be synchronized, their axes are connected by a coupling rod 3f fixed on their end 3al inner side of the seat, said rod can be provided if necessary a handle 3g. The other end 3a2 of the axis on the face lb of the flange receives, fixed by a plug weld allowing its angular positioning, a 3h lifter. It is equipped at its end end located at the end of the bar 7 of a control subassembly consisting of a pusher 3i and a pull strap 3j and its second end located in the lower part retains a spring 3e recall when closing the lock automatically.

The same piece will serve for both sides of the seat. A control subassembly is provided on each side of the seat, ie 4 manual control points. --A fixed stop 4, comprising a positioning pin 4b, made of stamped steel cutting on transfer press is welded to the edge 4c of the sidewall to limit the movement of the backrest.

Its bearing faces are symmetrical with respect to its vertical axis.

Alternatively to solve the difficulties of synchronization simply shift a side to create a set of assembly.

In both cases the same piece will serve for both sides of the seat.

Figure 3A shows the adjustment mechanism of the backrest laid flat on the seat and immobilized by the retaining means 2c / 3c.

Figure 4A shows the fastening mechanism on the floor, backrest in use position -25 ° hook closed. The cam 5 made of stamped steel on the transfer press is positioned in abutment on the outside face 1b of the sidewall and nested on the corrugated end of the bar 7 indexed relative to the movable stop 2.

It comprises a safety stopper 5a neutralizing the inadvertent opening of the hook 6, an angular clearance 5b, a top 5c of the maximum opening of the hook 6, a bearing surface 5d of closing the hook.

The same piece is used interchangeably for the right and left sides.

Figure 5A shows the fixing mechanism on the floor, vertical backrest 9a 0 °. As soon as the lock 3 is opened, the backrest can rotate freely without moving the hook 6 thanks to the 5 ° angular clearance of 10 °. The cam 5 and its stop 5a moving counterclockwise release the safety arm 6b, thus allowing the control arm 6c held in contact with the cam by a tension spring 6d to follow the profile 5c allowing the opening of the hook. --The hook 6 made of steel stamping die transfer press is free to rotate on an axis 6a, retained by a claw clips and a wave washer for maintaining axial tension of the assembly.

The only difference between the right and left sides is the folding direction of the spring hook.

Figure 6A shows the fastening mechanism on the floor; the cam is at the end of maximum lift and the hook at the end of opening will close simply pulled by the spring. The hook remained open from 0 ° to + 70 °.

Figure 7A shows the fastening mechanism on the floor 9c folder flat + 90 ° on the seat. The claw 6f of the hook 6 is hooked around the retaining bar 6e.

It is therefore possible in the case of a seat placed in the vertical position to fold down so that the hook automatically engages the retaining bar 6e secured to the floor of the vehicle.

FIG. 8/1 shows in section a mechanism for absorbing energy machined in a tube 8 specially designed for this use, making it possible to obtain the energy absorption sleeves 8a & 8b by bar turning and dog clutch 8c by laser cutting.

A section of tube 8d located between the energy absorbing sleeve 8a and the clutch 8c is provided to receive the beam 9d supporting the file. A ferrule 8th belt dog 8c. The energy absorption sleeve 8a welded at its end to the bar 7 ensures the permanent connection of the beam 9d supporting the backrest, welded to the section 8d. The energy absorbing sleeve 8b controlled by the clutch 8c and welded at its other end to the bar 7 intervenes directly or, if necessary, in a deferred manner, for example between 0 & 6 ° for the front shock and deferred by about 15 ° for the rear impact.

Figure 8/2 shows a similar mechanism. The energy absorption part is of identical design but of greater length. On the other hand, the backrest comprises, in addition to the beam 9d, an amount 9e, which requires the installation of two additional support tubes 8f.

The beam 9d will be equipped at its top with a cross member provided to receive the headrest and left or right side seat belt retractor.

FIG. 9A shows in section seen from the back the two sides of a 2nd row central seat, each comprising a mechanism for adjusting the backrest fixed on the inside face, attached to a fixing mechanism on the floor fixed on the outside face lb and separated by the flank 1.

Figure 9B shows in section seen from back the right side of the left side seat and the left side of the central seat.

The control of the latches 3 is made simultaneously by the two ends of the axis 3a either by a handle 3g maneuver arranged on the coupling rod 3f, or by a control bar 3h supporting a subassembly push 3i / strap 3j , both at the same time.

Given their contiguous positions pushers 3i or straps 3j can unlock two seats simultaneously.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the splines terminating the ends of the bar 7 serving to hold and to position the indexed angular position of the mobile stop 2 and the cam 5. The positioning angles of the 3 splines A, B & C are different in order to have only one possibility of assembly The profile of the splines makes it possible to ensure the torque to be transmitted in the event of failure of the weld of the abutment.

The seat as described with the energy absorption divides equally the strength of the backrest on both sides of the seat and can allow a single central front articulation.

For non-removable and floor-mounted seats, with or without slides, the backrest adjustment mechanism can be used alone.

In the case of a seat with third-point belt embedded two mechanisms are necessary, only one is sufficient if there is only the rear impact. The synchronized operation of the two mechanisms described in this patent responds to a demand Manufacturers for 2nd and 3rd seats. 3rd ranks of their vehicles by bringing them in addition to the security a gain of weight and decisive price.

Claims (9)

1 -Seat of a vehicle characterized in that the 2 sides (1) of the seat serve as a common framework for the backing of a first adjustment mechanism of the backrest mounted on the face (the) inner side of the seat and a second mechanism for fixing the seat on the floor mounted on the face (lb) on the outside; the flanks (1) comprise a bore (7a) guiding a transverse bar (7) free to rotate and supporting the backrest; at each of its ends equipped with splines 7b, resting on the face (1a) receiving the first mechanism is fitted and welded a movable stop (2) limited in rotation by a lock (3) for the shocks before and by a fixed stop (4) for rear shocks limiting the movement of the backrest; on the end of the bar (7) opening on the outer face (1b) receiving the second mechanism is engaged on the splines a cam (5) indexed angularly relative to the movable stop (2) controlling the movement of a hook (6) equipped with 2 arms resting on the cam, one (6b) security prevents its opening, the other (6c) controls its opening; a rod (3f) ensures the synchronization of the 2 locks, the pushers 3i and 3j straps to simultaneously unlock 3 seats. 2 -Seater vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the flanks (1) will be stamped around the holes for the installation of the bar (7) and hinge pins (3a) of the latch and (6a) of the hook . Vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the flanks (1) comprise an inverted V shape whose upper part (ld) receives the vertical forces, the horizontal forces are retained by the surface (lf) for the front and rear shocks for rear shocks. 4 -Seater vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the flanks (1) are held by a support (lg) consisting of a spring steel wire fixed by one of its ends on the side of the other end thereof being in support on the bar (6th). 5 -Seater vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable stop (2) is equipped with a peg (2d) for hooking a spring (2e) controlling the automatic movement of the backrest (9). 6 - Vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening of the lock (3) is controlled on each side of the seat by a subassembly comprising a pusher (3i) and a pull strap (3j). 7 - Vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the grooves ending the ends of the bar 7 are irregularly distributed. 8 -The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the bar (7) supports an energy absorbing means comprising a sleeve (8a) ensuring the permanent connection to the bar (7) of the central beam (9). ) welded to the section (8d), the sleeve (8b) controlled by the clutch (8c) and welded at its other end to the bar (7) intervenes directly or deferred, a ferrule 8th belt clutch (8c). 9 -The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the bar (7) supports an energy absorbing means comprising a sleeve (8a) ensuring the permanent connection on the bar (7), the beam (9) is welded on one side to a first tube (8f), the upright (9e) is welded on the other side to a second tube (8f), the sleeve (8b) controlled by the clutch (8c) and welded by its another end on the bar (7) intervenes directly or deferred.