AU689898B2 - Antitheft device adapted to a vehicle seat - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a seat for a vehicle, incorporating an antitheft system when the seat portion comprises a fixed part (B) and a movable part (A) pivoting to a horizontal axis (1) situated in front of and integral with the fixed part (B), perpendicularly to the vehicle axis. The movable part (A) is thus capable of pivoting upwards and forwards generally in an arc of a circle motion. The movable part (A) can also be blocked by a blocking means in a high position, the blocking means consisting of at least one generally elongate element (5) and integral, at one end and pivotingly, with the movable part (A). The blocking means is engaged and slides through a guiding means integral with the fixed part (B). The blocking means also comprises a locking means so as to block the position of said elongate element in order to maintain the movable part (A) in a selected position of a plurality of high blocking positions.

Description

-1- This invention relates to a mechanical, automatic antitheft device which can be attached to the driver's seat of a vehicle.

Antitheft devices that use the driver's seat are already known. European Patent 0 414 954 discloses an adjustment system for the seat's back and an associated inclination program for achieving various positions, among them a blocking position against the steering wheel by longitudinal shift of the seat carrying its back.

European patent 0 442 627 uses a control system for electric chairs that incorporates an alarm system when the security system is activated and an intrusion has been detected. The aforementioned control system responds to the alarm signal and positions the driver's seat in a position that renders driving difficult or impossible. This system is extremely expensive because of its complexity and automatic nature, as well as the possibility of a longitudinal movement of the steering wheel, everything aforementioned having to be connected to a microcomputer as well as being controlled by remote control.

The prior art therefore proposes antitheft devices which lock the driver's seat against the steering wheel.

These systems present several inconveniences. Currently, the back supports of vehicle seats are sufficiently long to act as a lever and to allow the potential thieves of sufficient strength to destroy the antitheft security mechanism. Once the seat's back, or its immobilising device is destroyed nothing deters one to sit on the horizontal part and leave with the vehicle even if the advanced position of the steering wheel is at a maximum. In effect nothing limits access to the control pedals of the vehicle.

It is therefore possible to drive without the seat's back in enough time to shelter the vehicle.

The antitheft system of document 0 442 627 is applicable only to electrically controlled seats and uses remote control. Efficiency is therefore limited. The longitudinal movement of the steering wheel will oblige the manufacturer to pass a homologation test since an important element of security has been modified. In any case because of the expense it would not be possible to equip all the entire series of the same manufacturer of vehicles.

Patent document DE 101055 describes a seat for a bicycle incorporating an antitheft device with features taken up in the preamble of the annexed claim 1. This system is limited in its concrete embodiment and does not allow the blocking in a high position of a movable part of the base seat.

Finally, patent document GB 2248593 discloses a device to bring down the seat's back, with however the disadvantages already mentioned above.

L I''V'lOcr~SI'IWCIrM 1 9179 412fV8 -3- The present invention aims to overcome these disadvantages by providing a simple, economical, versatile antitheft system applicable to a wide variety of new vehicles as well as to vehicles already in circulation. The invention is mechanical but potentially suitable for automation, and is particularly performant and reliable.

According to the invention a security device is proposed which employs a modification of the lower sitting part of the vehicle seat.

In effect a part of this seat is modified to allow to pivot and to be blocked in an antitheft 10 position against or close to the steering wheel which deters someone from sitting and having normal access to the control pedals.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a seat for a vehicle e* incorporating a theft deterrent system, the vehicle including a forward end and a rearward end, the seat including a fixed part and a movable part mounted for pivotal movement relative to the fixed part in the region of a forward end thereof so as to be pivotally movable upwardly and forwardly blocking means for blocking the movable part in a selected one of a plurality of raised positions said blocking means including a rigid member pivotally mounted at one end to said movable member and movable relative to and guided by guiding means on the fixed part and locking means for locking the rigid member so that the movable part is locked in a selected one of the raised positions.

-4- It is therefore virtually impossible to destroy the security due to the quality of materials and sections employed.

No major official registration relative to the security of the vehicle is necessary as no essential element is modified. Thp system cannot be activated in an arbitrary manner. The system, according to a variant, can be activated without a key or a code. For a successful theft the potential thieves must use saws or noisy portable cutting disk-based machines and must work with driver door open which undoubtedly is not practical from the point of view of discretion. In any case these operations destroy the seat cover and renders it unusable.

The system may be installed directly to the vehicle during the manufacturing process without modification of the assembly line. The system forms an integral part of the vehicle and does not require inherent changes, and does not result in a reduction of space. The seating comfort is not affected. The security system mechanism is completely independent and allows all the presently possible changes in length, orientation and height of the seat.

The system can be made automatic by the use of various known techniques (electro-magnets, remote control Once activated, the antitheft system is visible from the outside and is therefore particularly dissuasive.

The invention therefore provides a vehicle's driver's seat which incorporates an antitheft system in which the sitting part of the seat is made up of a fixed and a movable part.

The movable part covers the fixed part partially, both parts being horizontal. The movable part is made up of a U-shaped structure or a square structure as well as of a series of elements making up the covered cushion of the driver's seat with its support. The movable part is able to pivot about a horizontal axis integral to and located in front of the fixed part, perpendicularly to the vehicle's axis.

The movable part is therefore capable of pivoting upwards and forwards, in direction of the front, generally following an arc of a circle motion. The movable part may also be blocked by means of blocking in an high position, the means of blocking being made up of at least one element which is generally elongated and interdependent by pivoting, at one end, of the movable part. The pivoting angle is variable but will vary preferably, where in a blocking position, from 300 to 300 in such a way that the seat's cushion will maintain an elevated or even an essentially vertical position. In a blocking position the movable part is located against the steering wheel (or close to it), excluding any means of driving the vehicle.

a The blocking means which generally comprises bar made of steel or equivalent material, engages and slides through a guiding means integral to the fixed part, for example in the form of an opening, tunnel or window provided in a transversal member which is part of the fixed part, generally of complementary dimensions in such a way to leave no clearance. This window is generally of complementary dimension to the one of the steel bar in order to leave no transversal play between the blocking means and the guiding means. Said steel bar is integral by pivoting to the movable part and will be elevated with the latter, passing from a guasi-horizontal position to an inclined position of blockage and support of the elevated movable part. The steel bar may be in the form of the foot of a T. The ends of the horizontal bar of the T engage in bearings provided inside lateral elements of the movable part. According to another embodiment, there is provided two steel bars which constitute in fact two branches 'f a U, or in another embodiment two sides of a frame.

The fixed part is generally susceptible, in a position of driving with the device, to slide by a limited length on rails fixed on the floor board in order to adjust in translation, in a known way, the position of the seat.

The guidance system also includes a locking means, i.e. a means of locking by keys, allowing a locking of the position of the above blocking means and more particularly of a bar forming part of it, :L such a way that the movable part is maintained in one or more elevated blocking positions. The locking means by key is well known, the bar being provided with members cooperating with the lock through for exemple notches, holes or keepers. This locking means is advantageously provided in the fixed part of the base, the key being preferably inserted laterally with respect to the seat.

Besides, it is understood that the movable part, in contrast to the fixed part, will not extend under the back of the seat in order to allow the frontwards pivoting without said back being an obstacle. According to the invention, there is therefore provided a third cushion element, or foam

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-7element, for the bottom of the seat, which may be positioned with sloping edges between the horizontal cushion and the one, approximately vertical, of the back of the seat. The movable part will extend therefore only up to around 70-90 of the length of the seating.

One or several traversed additional bars may be provided in order to render very difficult the access to the blocking bar or to the locking mechanism, when in elevated position.

The movable part and the fixed part are maintained horizontally one against the other, in a driving position, by a latch or a side hook and able to be released manually.

There is advantageously provided a spring capable to make the movable part pivot partially when the latch is released and the weight is beyond a determined threshold, for example when the driver leaves the seat.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the device may be adapted to an existing driver's seat by cutting essentially horizontally in the structure, in the form of a vertical plate forming the frame, of the existing seating.

For this purpose there is welded a member acting as an hinge in the front providing in that way a connection between the two parts of the seating resulting from the cutting operation, and there is welded to the movable part and to the fixed part, the blocking bar and the guiding and locking bars respectively.

-8- According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a device able to be adapted to an existing driver's seat without cutting into the structure. After having withdrawn the cushion et the supporting springs, there is adapted to the rectangular frame of the seating a piece covering the lateral parts, said piece presenting an inverted U shaped section and corresponding to the shape of the lateral parts of the original seating. This piece comprises the locations for the fixation of the cushion's springs and will be designed in order to receive, after fixation, the cushion and/or foam covering. This piece comprises an original front hinge which is secured to the fixed part of the device possibly with a welded cooperating hinge member. This piece comprises also the blocking bar, for example in the form of a T, and a guiding and locking bar to be incorporated, for example by welding, to the fixed part.

The advantage of this embodiment is that the movable part can be laterally covered by the foam-tissue lining. One will then not see the separation between the two pieces.

This constitutes clearly an aesthetic advantage.

For the front surface, in order to allow pivoting, there is advantageously provided a lining surface connected to a secondary hinge. The pivoting would indeed be impossible if this front side of the movable part is rigidly integral to it.

According to another aspect of the invention, in a blocking position, the sliding movement of the seat on the rails is blocked. In an elevated position, for a txaditional system presently frequently used in numerous vehicles, a pin will block and impede the rotation of the locking bar of the rail.

The system may be advantageously rendered automatic in such a way that the activation of the antitheft blocking position is effected each time that the engine is stopped and that the driver leaves the vehicle, that is to say when the weight supported by the mechanism reaches a level below a predetermined value.

The invention will be better understood from the following description with reference to the attached drawings which are provided only as examples.

Fig. 1 illustrates a side view of the seat, without the seat's back and the mouldings, equipped with the device according the invention, in a driving position; Fig. 2 is a side view of the seat of fig. 1 in a blocking position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the movable part A, with the cushion and covering being removed; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fixed part B Fig. 5 represents a plan view of both parts A and B superposed and cooperating in a driving position; Fig. 6 illustrates schematically in perspective the elements A and B assembled in a blocking position; Ily h-r-*C Fig. 7 illustrates more in detail a U-shaped blocking piece, the bar 5 being notched, of rectangular section, and able to pivot in relation to the frame A to which the blocking piece is attached; 'ig. 8 illustrates in detail a variation of the blocking piece, in a driving position, the blocking piece having the shape of a frame having two sides slidable through a transversal element attached to the fixed part B; Figs. 9a and 9b illustrate schematically the blocking and guiding pieces in an elevated position (antitheft) and a driving position respectively; Figs. 10a and 10b illustrate an automotive seat according to the invention in a driving position and in a antitheft position respectively; Figs. lla and llb illustrate a motorcycle adapted with a device according to the invention in the usual blccked position and in the antitheft position; Identical references correspond to identical elements or functionally identical elements.

In figs. I and 2 there is illustrated, with side views and respectively in driving and blocking positions, the upper part A superposed horizontally to a fixed part B attached to said upper par the fixed part being partially slidable along the rails 10 of a member C secured to the floor board 4 of the vehicle. Parts A and B comprise a common hinge -0 -11member 1 horizontal and perpendicular to the vehicle direction of motion. A latch 2 maintains the parts A and B together one above the other, against a compression spring 3 surrounding a blocking piece 5 which link parts A and B.

The piece 5 is a T-shaped piece wherein the horizontal bar 6 is able to pivot about its axis and wherein the vertical foot crosses a transversal bar 7 provided with an aperture 11 and pivotally linked to the fixed part B. The bar 8 releasing the adjustment system in translation is also visible.

The fixation of part C is of course achieved in such a way that the seat cannot be removed in a easier way than the antitheft system is forced. For example, the seat is welded or fixed with antitheft bolts. Furthermore, it is obvious that parts A and B cannot be separated from the rails by simple translation, even after lowering or ijmoval of the rear seat(s) The rails will be reinforced and will be provided on each end with a blocking stop.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the movable part A, the cushion and the cover having been removed. There are illustrated a frame 30, a blocking piece 5 with the transversal bar of the T 6 which is consequently parallel to the axis of the hinge 1, and the notched foot 8 with a stop 9 at the free end. The spring 3 is uncompressed. On the internal faces of the U-shapod branches, there are provided fixation means 34 for the supporting wavy springs 35 to support the non illustrated foam fittings (cushion). There is also provided a reinforcing transversal bar 14 for the U frame in order to deny access to the blocking device, in particular with tools.

'.AIT 0 rir I i -12- Fig. 4 illustrates a plan view of the fixed B part which comprises a frame with a length noticeably greater than the length of the cooperating movable part. The front side comprises a hinge member coaxial to the one of the movable part. One can distinguish the blocking transversal bar 7 which comprises the locking means 40. The bar 7 must be able to pivot about its axis in the case that the movable part moves in relation to the fixed part. For this purpose, the ends of the bar 7 are located in bearings provided on the internal face of the sides of the frame of the fixed part, bearing being in that way supporting the axle.

According to another embodiment, the bar 7 pivots in a sleeve integral to the fixed frame, i.e. fixed by welding, and comprises an aperture in its center in order to allow the passage of the blocking bar. There will be noted that at the rear end of the frame, there is located a transversal undulated or wavy spring 35 for supporting the intermediate foam fitting between the seat's back and the one of the movable part.

Fig. 5 is a planar view of parts A and B superposed and cooperating in driving position. The spring 3 is compressed. The supporting springs of the foam fitting are not illustrated.

It is well understood that the locking means in elevated position may in fact consist simply of a blocking means for the bars 6 and/or 7 in order to obstruct any pivoting. This blocking means may advantageously be present on the side, externally from the frame of the fixed part B associated with other possible control means for the adjustment of the

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-13see.t. The bar 5 of fig. 3 must then no more be notched, the sliding tunnel II of the bar 5 allowing no looseness. In the latter case, as for most other embodiments, all techniques available in the art of lock security may be applied in the scope of the invention.

Thus, the invention concerns an antitheft device characterized in that the blocking position is achieved by elevation of at least a part of the driver's seat, this being achieved by pivoting about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the vehicle motion direction.

Advantageously there is provided a blocking member linking the elevated part, to a certain distance of the pivoting axle, to a part rigidly integral to the floor board of the vehicle. The blocking member is maintained in position by a locking member which may be a key lock or any equivalent means located on the elevated part, on the fixed part integral to the floor board or on the blocking member. The latter may indeed be made of two telescopic parts which may be locked in a known way.

It will be understood that the device according to the invention may comprise variations in the details of realisation which have been hereabove presented only as examples.

Claims (1)

14- THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A seat for a vehicle incorporating a theft deterrent system, the vehicle including a forward end and a rearward end, the seat including a fixed part and a movable part mounted for pivotal movement relative to the fixed part in the region of a forward end thereof so as to be pivotally movable upwardly and forwardly blocking means for blocking the movable part in a selected one of a plurality of raised positions said blocking means including a rigid member pivotally mounted at one end to said movable member and movable relative to and guided by guiding means on the fixed part and locking means for locking the rigid member 10 so that the movable part is locked in a selected one of the raised positions. I: 2. Seat according to claim 1 characterised in that the guiding means includes an aperture S* in an element forming part of the fixed part. 3. Seat according to claim 1 characterised in that the blocking reans includes at least one bar having one or several blocking element cooperating with the locking means. 4. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the locking means is integral with the fixed part. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the locking means is a keyed locking means. 6. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the locking means is a locking means using an electrically controlled code. 7. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the locking means is a remote controlled electric locking means code. 30 8. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the movable Il:?WI'I)()(:'i:I)VSl~l'tI('llnb19610 4,a(DH part and the fixed part are maintained in position against one another in a normal driving position, by a side latch o- hook able to be manually released. 9. Seat according to claim 8 characterised in that there is provided a spring means able to provoke a partial pivoting of the movable part when the latch is released. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that there is provided a spring means able to make the movable part pivot partially when the driver leaves the seat. S 11. Seat according to claim 9 or claim 10 characterising in that the spring means is a helicoidal spring, located around at least one of the bar, resting in compression when the a' movable part is in a lower position, on one side on a element of the movable part and on the other side on the element of the fixed part. U 12. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the blocking means includes a rectangular or U-shaped element where both branches or sides constitute a g sliding bars through the guiding means, at least one of the branches or sides being provided with a member able to cooperate with the locking means. 13. Seat according to claim 12 wherein the element capable of cooperating with the locking means is a lock or a notch. 14. Seat cording to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the bar(s) slide in one or several apertures of sections complementary to the ones of the bars, the apertures having an orientation freely pivotable in a vertical plane during the motion of the movable part. 16 A seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 30th day of January, 1998 CHRISTIAN FONTAIN By His Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE a, S. S S *5 5 a S S. S S S S S S S Se *S S S CS S S S S S