Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/24—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles
  • B60N2/30—Non-dismountable or dismountable seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats
  • B60N2/3002—Non-dismountable or dismountable seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats back-rest movements
  • B60N2/3004—Non-dismountable or dismountable seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats back-rest movements by rotation only
  • B60N2/3009—Non-dismountable or dismountable seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats back-rest movements by rotation only about transversal axis
  • B60N2/3011—Non-dismountable or dismountable seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats back-rest movements by rotation only about transversal axis the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/24—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles
  • B60N2/30—Non-dismountable or dismountable seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats
  • B60N2/3038—Cushion movements
  • B60N2/304—Cushion movements by rotation only
  • B60N2/3045—Cushion movements by rotation only about transversal axis
  • B60N2/305—Cushion movements by rotation only about transversal axis the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for assisting the lifting of a motor vehicle seat to a position in the wallet.
• a rear seat forming part of the second row of seats behind the first row of the front seats driver and passenger (s) to allow, in the raised position substantially vertical wallet of the rear seat, access by a person in the third row of rear seats or to increase the volume of the trunk to deposit, for example, relatively long objects.
• the installation of a rear seat of a motor vehicle in a position in the portfolio consists of folding the seat back on the seat of the latter by pivoting about a horizontal transverse axis connecting the backrest to the seat after having unlocked the locking means of the backrest to this seat and to actuate locking means of the seat of the seat to the floor of the vehicle to unlock the seat of the floor and allow the forward tilting of the vehicle seat around a horizontal transverse axis connecting the front of this seat to the floor of the vehicle to bring the seat to a substantially vertical position of clearance of the space between this seat and the third row of rear seats or the trunk of the vehicle in the absence of this third row.
• Figure 1 is a bottom view in perspective of the seat frame 1 of a vehicle rear seat of the prior art.
• This seat is fixed to the floor of the vehicle by rear anchoring means 2 known per se, for example of the "ballfix" type, and a tube T substantially in U shape whose ends are articulated to the frame of the seat 1 and allowing the synchronized control of the two anchoring means 2 to unlock the floor of the floor.
• the frame of the seat 1 is pivotally mounted in front of the vehicle opposite the anchoring means 2 around a transverse horizontal axis X1, X2 connecting the front of the seat to the floor of the vehicle so as to allow the tilting of the seat from its horizontal position to its substantially vertical position behind one of the front seats of the vehicle.
• the front portion of the frame of the seat 1 is provided with two means 3, for example of the hook type, for removably locking the seat respectively to two horizontal transverse axes (not shown) integral with the floor of the vehicle for allow disassembly of the seat of this floor.
• the seat frame 1 further comprises two longitudinally spaced rails 4 secured to the floor of the vehicle and constituting fixed slides on which can slide respectively two sliders 5 of the frame of the seat to allow guiding in longitudinal position of the seat in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
• a lifter 6 of the seat 1 is manually operable to release the connection between the slides 5 and the slides 4 to allow the longitudinal movement of the seat 1.
• the seat 1 is also provided with a set with longitudinal arms 7, sleepers 8, 9, parts 10 and longitudinal coil springs R anchored between the two cross members 8, 9, the cross member 8 being connected to both ends of the two arms of lift 7 of the seat 1, for assistance in lifting the latter once unlocked from the floor.
• the cross member 9 and the parts 10 constitute the so-called synchronizing crossbar of the slideway.
• the frame of the seat 1 is connected to the back, not shown, of the rear seat so that the backrest can pivot relative to the seat around a transverse horizontal axis, the reference 11 designating a spring to ensure the reminder of the file.
• This known structure for assisting the lifting of a rear seat of a motor vehicle to a position in the wallet is extremely complex because of its large number of parts which, because they are made of metal, especially steel, increase the weight of the seat, not facilitating the transport of the rear seat once removed from the floor of the vehicle.
• the complexity of the seat lift assist structure is accompanied by a decrease in its operational reliability.
• such a lifting aid structure is relatively expensive.
• the present invention aims to eliminate the above disadvantages of known structures for assisting the lifting of rear seats of vehicles to a position in the wallet.
• the device for assisting the lifting of a motor vehicle seat to a position in the wallet to which the seat back is folded on its seat and the seat is pivoted towards the front of the vehicle around a transverse axis connecting the front of the seat to the floor of the vehicle to a substantially vertical position of the seat and of the type comprising at least one spring prestressed elastically so as to urge the seat of its normal position substantially horizontal to its vertical position in the seat portfolio, is characterized in that the spring is unique and is mounted integral with a cross member in one piece fixed to the frame of the seat near the pivot axis of the seat. and in that the spring comprises a U-shaped portion projecting from the cross member of the vehicle floor while being in prestressed support on the floor in position horizontal seat to exert the pivoting force of the seat in its raised position substantially vertical.
• the cross-member comprises two parallel slots perpendicular to the cross-member and in which the two longitudinal branches of the U-shaped portion of the spring when the seat is raised or folded to its horizontal position can be thrown respectively.
• the two lights are connected to each other by a longitudinal slot of the crosspiece so as to define with the lights an opening in the shape of H.
• the U-shaped portion of the spring remains in prestressed support on the floor of the vehicle in the raised position of the seat to maintain the seat in its substantially vertical position.
• the spring comprises two coaxial helical portions extending on either side of the ends of the two longitudinal branches of the spring in opposite directions perpendicularly to these branches and whose respective ends bent at right angles to a same side perpendicular to the cross member are integral with the cross member so that the helical portions of the spring exert a torsional force arming the U-shaped portion of the spring bearing on the floor of the vehicle.
• each helical portion of the spring is trapped in a cage of the crossbar consisting of two legs of the cross folded into one another.
• each helical portion of the spring is secured to the cross member by an axis housed inside the helical portion, this axis being itself integral with a tab of the cross member.
• the U-shaped part of the spring is arched so as to define a convex part directed towards the floor of the vehicle.
• the two longitudinal branches of the U-shaped portion of the spring bear on the ends of the two lights of the crossbar located behind the vehicle and in the raised position of the seat after unlocking the locking means, the two branches of this U-shaped portion are supported on the opposite ends of the two lights.
• the cross member and the spring form a unitary assembly.
• Figure 1 is a bottom view in perspective of a rear seat cushioning aid structure of the prior art
• Figure 2 is a bottom view in perspective of a seating frame of the motor vehicle provided with the device of the invention assists the lifting of the seat portfolio
• Figure 3 is a side view of a rear seat comprising the seat of Figure 2 occupying its horizontal position anchored to the floor of the vehicle
• Figure 4 is a side view of the seat of Figure 3 occupying its raised position in the wallet;
• FIG. 1 is a bottom view in perspective of a rear seat cushioning aid structure of the prior art
• Figure 2 is a bottom view in perspective of a seating frame of the motor vehicle provided with the device of the invention assists the lifting of the seat portfolio
• - Figure 3 is a side view of a rear seat comprising the seat of Figure 2 occupying its horizontal position anchored to the floor of the vehicle
• Figure 4 is a side view of the seat of Figure 3 occupying its raised position in the wallet
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the unitary unit with cross-piece and spring for assisting in raising the seat of FIGS. 3 and 4; and
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view turned 180 ° of the assembly of FIG. 5.
• the various parts of the reinforcement structure of the seat 1 represented in FIGS. 2 to 4 which are identical or which perform the same functions as those of the prior art seating structure described in FIG.
• the seat structure 1 of FIGS. 2 to 4 also comprises, as is known per se, a rear crossmember 12 and a housing assembly 13 and strap 14 carried by the crossmember 12, of which housing 13 is a sheathed cable 15 enabling acting on a mechanism 16 integral with the floor 17 to unlock the slides 5 of their respective slides 4 from the rear of the seat to allow, for example, a passenger located in the rear to gain housing space of its legs or also the unlocking of the anchoring means 2 to switch the seat wallet position.
• the back 18 of the rear seat of the vehicle is pivotally mounted on the seat 1 about a transverse horizontal axis X3 to allow to adjust the inclination of this folder to a user comfort position such as that shown in Figure 3 and fold back the folder 18 forward horizontally in a tablet position before tilting the seat around the transverse axis X1, X2 towards the front of the vehicle to its position in the wallet to which the seat 1 is substantially vertical, as shown in FIG.
• the device for assisting the lifting of the seat from its normal position of use of FIG. 3 to its substantially vertical position in the wallet of FIG. 4 comprises a single spring 19 integrally mounted on a cross member in a single room
• the cross member 20 is secured by its two ends 20a of the seat structure 1 by any suitable means, not shown, such as fixing screws.
• This crossbar is thus fixed to the seat structure 1 so as to be located near the axis X1, X2 pivoting the seat to the floor 17 in the locked horizontal position of the seat 1.
• the opening passage the U-shaped portion of the spring 19 comprises two parallel slots 21 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the crossmember 20 and in which the two longitudinal legs 22 of the U-shaped portion of the spring 19 can be respectively thrusting during the lifting of the 1 to its substantially vertical position or its folding to its horizontal position locked to the floor 17.
• the two lumens 21 are connected to one another by a slot 21a extending in the longitudinal direction of the cross member 20 so as to allow the introduction of the connecting branch 23 of the longitudinal branches 22 during assembly of the spring 19 to the cross member 20.
• the slots 21 and the longitudinal slot 21a of the opening of the cross member 20 define a substantially H-shaped.
• the U-shaped portion of the spring 19 is arched so as to define by its two longitudinal legs 22 a convex portion facing the floor 17 of the vehicle.
• the spring 19 further comprises, as best shown in Figure 5, two helical portions 24 extending coaxially on either side of the ends of the two legs 22 of the U-shaped portion of the spring in the opposite direction one of the other and axes perpendicular to the branches 22.
• the respective ends 25 of the helical portions 24 of the spring 19 are bent at right angles to the same side perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cross member 20 and are integral with the latter so that the helical portions 24 of the spring 19 exert a torsional force arming the portion U-shaped support on the floor 17 of the vehicle.
• each bent end portion 25 of a helical portion 25 of the spring 19 is fixed to the cross member 20 by anchoring this end in an oblong bead 26 of the cross member 20.
• each helical portion 24 of the spring 19 is secured to the cross member 20 being trapped beneath it considering Figure 2, in a cage of the crossbar 20 consists of two legs 27 of the cross member 20 folded into one another.
• each helical portion 24 of the spring 19 is secured to the cross member 20 by an axis housed inside the helical portion 24 transversely in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, this axis being itself integral with a leg of the crossbar 20.
• the crossbar 20 can be made from a rigid metal flat plate, for example steel.
• FIGS. 2 and 6 show in strong lines the U-shaped part of the spring 19 which is elastically constrained as far as possible against the floor 17 when the seat occupies its horizontal position locked to the floor and which will determine the desired return force of the 1 to its raised position of the seat when the seat will be unlocked from the floor 17.
• the representation in phantom of the spring 19 on the cross member 20 corresponds to the position at which the spring remains resting on the floor 17 when the seat is transferred to the wallet as shown in FIG. 4 to ensure that there is no play in the seat occupying this position and also to avoid any beat of the seat.
• the two longitudinal legs 22 are almost resting on the ends of the slots 21 located behind the vehicle while in the raised position of the seat in the wallet, these two branches are supported on the opposite ends of the lights 21.
• FIG. 5 represents another position in solid lines of the U-shaped part of the spring 19 and which corresponds to the free state of the spring, that is to say its position which it has during its production.
• the spring loaded under maximum load bearing on the floor in the locked position of the seat defines the desired return force F2
• the spring prestressed position in phantom of Figures 2 and 6 defines the effort Fl under said vacuum load resting on the floor of the vehicle in the raised position of the seat of FIG. 4.
• the device of the invention makes it possible to considerably lighten the seat and, consequently, the seat, by maximum deletion of the metal parts existing in the lifting device of the prior art, which results not only in a simplification of the lift mechanism, but also by easier handling of this seat during the lifting operation to its position in the portfolio and increased reliability.
• the reduction in the number of pieces is also accompanied by a reduction in the manufacturing costs of the seat.
• a very appreciable feature of the recall mechanism of the invention relates to the ease of modifying the recall or lift feature of the seat at its portfolio position.
• a firmer or softer desired booster can be obtained easily by acting on one of the several parameters of the lifting spring and concerning its heat treatment, its stabilization income, the composition of its material, the number of turns of the parts. helicoidal spring, its winding and working angles, the diameter of the spring wire and / or the geometry of the bearing area on the floor of the vehicle.
• crosspiece and the spring form a unitary assembly facilitates the storage of this assembly and its attachment to the seat structure of the rear seat on the assembly line.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Seats For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=36602882

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2005
  • 2005-09-29 FR FR0509938A patent/FR2891210B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2006
  • 2006-09-25 CN CNA2006800445583A patent/CN101316737A/zh active Pending
  • 2006-09-25 BR BRPI0617582A patent/BRPI0617582A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-09-25 WO PCT/FR2006/050940 patent/WO2007036669A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2006-09-25 EP EP06831228A patent/EP1928690A1/fr not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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