FR3055842A1 - DEVICE FOR LOCKING A VEHICLE SEAT BACK - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for locking a car seat backrest, comprising: - a strike wire, arranged to be secured to a vehicle frame and to lock the seat back relative to the vehicle frame, - a lining piece comprising a passage for the striker wire, and arranged to be integral with the vehicle frame, characterized in that the locking device comprises a protective bellows fixed directly to the lining piece, and arranged to cover at least partially the striker wire.

Description

Holder (s): PEUGEOT CITROEN AUTOMOBILES SA Société anonyme.

Extension request (s)

Agent (s): PEUGEOT CITROEN AUTOMOBILES SA Public limited company.

DEVICE FOR LOCKING A VEHICLE SEAT BACKREST.

FR 3 055 842 - A1 (57) Device for locking a car seat backrest, comprising:

- a strike wire, arranged to be secured to a vehicle chassis and to lock the seat back relative to the vehicle chassis,

- a trim piece comprising a passage for the striker wire, and arranged to be integral with the vehicle chassis, characterized in that the locking device comprises a protective bellows fixed directly on the trim piece, and arranged to cover the at least partially the striker wire.

DEVICE FOR LOCKING A SEAT BACKREST

VEHICLE The present invention relates generally to a device for locking a rear seat backrest mounted on a motor vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to such a device capable of locking a seat back according to several different inclinations.

Motor vehicles are generally equipped in the rear area of the passenger compartment with two seats with a common seat or bench capable of accommodating several passengers and whose neighboring backrests can be folded down independently of one another along an axis transverse pivoting to allow modularity of the storage space. Each backrest is generally associated with a locking device which is responsible for securing it to a structural element of the vehicle in order to prevent it from falling back onto the passengers in the event of an impact from the vehicle and under the effect of the luggage in the trunk. who come to hit him. Such a locking device is conventionally constituted by a lock mounted on the backrest and controlled by an unlocking member, as well as by a keeper mounted on a structural element of the vehicle. However, the backrest can only be locked in a single position corresponding to a predetermined inclination. This non-adaptability of the inclination of the backrest according to the morphology of the passenger generates a lack of comfort in the rear seats of the vehicle compared to the front seats.

In order to overcome this drawback, multi-position locking devices for the rear seat back have been developed in recent years. FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the installation area of such a multi-position locking device 110 according to the prior art. This device 110 comprises a lock linked to the frame of the backrest 102 of a rear seat of a motor vehicle and concealed by the trim 103 of this backrest 102, as well as a keeper 120 partially housed in a support box 130 fixed to an element of the structure of this vehicle formed here by the rear folder keeper fixing reinforcement 104. The lock comprises a rotary bolt extending inside a body delimiting a receiving inlet 111 for the keeper 120. The latter comprises a plate 121 having a light 122 traversed by a sliding guide member integral with the support housing 130 and not visible in FIG. 1 because it is concealed by the support housing 130. The plate 121 is extended at the front by a stripping wire 123 permanently projecting from the front of the housing 130 through an opening made on its front face, this striker wire being intended to come into engagement with the bolt of the worm rou to lock the file 102 on the fixing reinforcement 104. The keeper 120 is thus able, while remaining in engagement with the lock, to slide in the support housing 130 according to a stroke extending between a first and a second position of stop corresponding respectively to a maximum forward and backward inclination of the backrest 102. The device 110 also includes non-visible means for locking the keeper 120 relative to the support box 130 in several positions. On part of the strike travel close to the second stop position, it can be seen that a portion of the lumen 122 of the plate 121 projects into the front of the support housing 130 through its opening.

A person having positioned a hand between the backrest 102 and the trim piece 105 covering the support housing 130 and the fixing reinforcement 104 can then inadvertently introduce one of his fingers into this portion of the light 122 projecting out. the front of the support box 130, with the risk that this finger will then be pinched or even crushed if the passenger seated on the seat at the same time causes the backrest pivoting 102 to adjust its inclination.

An object of the present invention is to respond to the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above and in particular, first of all, to provide a locking device which limits the risk of injury to the user. .

To this end, a first aspect of the invention relates to a device for locking a car seat backrest, comprising:

- a strike wire, arranged to be secured to a vehicle chassis and to lock the seat back relative to the vehicle chassis,

- a trim piece comprising a passage for the striker wire, and arranged to be integral with the vehicle chassis, characterized in that the locking device comprises a protective bellows fixed directly on the trim piece, and arranged to cover the at least partially the striker wire. The protective bellows covers the striker wire, at least at the level of the passage formed in the trim piece, which blocks the possibility of a finger passing between the trim piece and the striker thread. The trim piece therefore covers the anchor of the strike wire on the chassis, and the protective bellows covers the strike wire, at its passage through the strike piece. Occupant safety is therefore improved. In addition, the protective bellows, directly fixed to the trim piece, has no hidden length, which allows its length to be adjusted to what is strictly necessary.

Advantageously, the protective bellows is fixed on the passage of the lining part. This implementation makes it possible to limit the length of the protective bellows to the strict minimum.

Advantageously, the protective bellows comprises at least one ring arranged to be fixed on the striker wire. We can consider a split ring to ensure easy mounting on the strike wire. The mounting of such a split ring is easy: just clip it on the striker wire.

Advantageously, the striker wire forms a loop with at least two portions of wire facing each other, and in which the

-4 protective bellows includes two rings, each arranged to be fixed on one of the two portions of wire facing each other. The protective bellows therefore surrounds the strike wire, and is fixed on two portions of the strike wire, since the latter forms a loop. Advantageously, the two rings are split rings.

Advantageously, said at least one ring is molded onto the protective bellows.

Alternatively, said at least one ring is inserted and wedged on the protective bellows.

Advantageously, the protective bellows comprises at least one insert arranged to clip onto the lining part. The mounting of the protective bellows on the packing piece is therefore easy and quick.

Advantageously, the said at least one insert is molded onto the protective bellows.

Advantageously, the protective bellows has a grained outer surface. This implementation avoids sticking between the folds of the bellows when the latter is compressed. Typically, the graining is formed by protrusions scattered on the external surface of the bellows, and of thickness between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm. Air can easily pass between the folds, which prevents sticking by suction or vacuum.

Advantageously, the protective bellows comprises a lip arranged to cover an opening of the lining part, forming a passage for the striker wire. The appearance provided by the bellows improves the perceived quality.

Advantageously, the strike wire is movable between at least two positions, and the protective bellows is arranged to at least partially follow the strike wire when it passes from one position to the other. The protective bellows, fixed on the trim piece and anchored on the strike wire, follows the latter in its movements.

Advantageously, the striker wire in a first position defines a first inclination of the file locked on the vehicle chassis, and the striker wire in a second position defines a second inclination of the file locked on the vehicle chassis.

Advantageously, the keeper wire has at least one bend on which said at least one ring is clipped, so as to hold in position the protective bellows on the keeper wire. This avoids the risk of the backrest not locking on the striker wire.

Advantageously, the trim piece is a piece arranged to be visible to a user of the vehicle.

Advantageously, the trim piece is a piece arranged to cover a side wall of the vehicle trunk.

Advantageously, the locking device comprises a movable wire mechanism, embedding the striker wire, and arranged to be fixed on a side wall of the vehicle trunk, facing an upper portion of the seat back. The trim piece then covers the movable wire mechanism and lets the striker wire pass to the passenger compartment, in order to be able to lock the seat back.

A second aspect of the invention is a motor vehicle comprising at least one locking device according to the first aspect of the invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein :

FIG. 2 shows a general view of a vehicle seat back, a device for locking the seat back on a chassis part of the vehicle, according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows a detail of the locking device of Figure 2;

Figure 4 shows another detail of the locking device of Figure 2;

Figure 5 shows another detail of the locking device of Figure 2;

- Figures 6a to 6c show different locking positions of the seat backrest of Figure 1.

2 shows a folder 100 of the car seat, to seat an occupant in a rear seat of the vehicle. The back 100 is foldable on the seat, and must be locked in position when it is positioned to accommodate a passenger. For this purpose, there is provided a locking device which comprises a movable wire mechanism 11 embedding a keeper wire 10, and arranged to be fixed on a frame 20 of which only a portion is shown in FIG. 2. The movable wire mechanism 11 allows the striker wire 10 to move relative to the chassis

20, in order to adjust an inclination of the backrest 100.

The striker wire 10 is arranged to mate with a not shown latch of the backrest 100, in order to keep it in position. Finally, a trim piece 30, fixed to the frame 20, is provided for covering the movable wire mechanism 11, and letting the stripping thread 10 pass towards the backrest 100. For this purpose, the trim piece 30 comprises an opening for passage of the striker wire 10, not visible in FIG. 2.

Finally, the invention provides a protective bellows 40, which is directly attached to the lining part 30, to cover the striker wire at least partially, which blocks any passage to the movable wire mechanism 11, to through the opening of the packing part 30.

Indeed, as seen in Figure 3, the protective bellows 40 surrounds and covers the striker wire 10 at its anchoring on the rest of the movable wire mechanism 11, so that the latter is invisible from the passenger compartment, and inaccessible, which protects the user against any risk of pinching, both when approaching the backrest 100 and when adjusting the inclination of the backrest 100.

Figure 4 shows a detail of the protective bellows 40, which comprises two rings 41, molded at the opening of the protective bellows 40 which lets pass the striker wire 10. The two rings 41 are split rings (or split eyelets) overmolded on the protective bellows 40, so that they can easily fit or clip onto the striker wire 10.

The shape of the strike wire 10, which has two bends at about 20 °, associated with the split rings 41 allows the position of the protective bellows 40 to be maintained on the strike wire 10, avoiding the risks of non-locking of the backrest 100 on this one.

Figure 5 shows the mounting of the protective bellows 40 on the packing piece 30. There is provided an insert 42 molded into, or threaded into the protective bellows 40, to fit or clip on the piece of lining 30, and in particular in its passage opening which lets pass the striker wire 10 (not visible in this figure).

The mounting of the protective bellows 40 on the lining part 30 is easy and quick, as on the striker wire 10, with the respective sockets or clips.

Figure 6a shows the folder 100 in a position as vertical as possible, with the protective bellows 40 stretched to cover as much as possible the striker wire 10 (and the plate 12).

Figure 6b shows the backrest 100 in a position 25 of nominal inclination, with the protective bellows 40 covering the striker wire 10 (and the plate 12).

FIG. 6c represents the backrest 100 in the most inclined position possible, with the protective bellows 40 compressed against the lining part 30 and still covering the striker wire 10.

We see in these Figures 6a, 6b, 6c that the protective bellows 40 effectively masks the opening of the lining part 30, as well as the part of the striker wire 10 anchored on the plate 12 and the latter . Security is therefore guaranteed.

It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the various embodiments of the invention described in the present description without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. Device for locking a backrest (100) of a car seat, comprising: 5 - a keeper wire (10), arranged to be secured to a chassis (20) of the vehicle and to lock the seat back (100) relative to the chassis (20) of the vehicle, a trim piece (30) comprising a passage for the striker wire (10), and arranged to be integral with the chassis (20) of the vehicle, 10 characterized in that the locking device comprises a protective bellows (40) fixed directly on the lining piece (30), and arranged to cover at least partially the striker wire (10). 2. Locking device according to the preceding claim, in which the protective bellows (40) comprises at least one ring (41) 15 arranged to be fixed on the striker wire (10). 3. Locking device according to the preceding claim, wherein the striker wire (10) forms a loop with at least two portions of wire (10a, 10b) facing each other, and wherein the bellows protection (40) comprises two rings (41), each arranged to be 20 fix on one of the two portions of wire (10a, 10b) facing each other. 4. Locking device according to one of claims 2 to 3, wherein said at least one ring (41) is molded onto the protective bellows (40). 5. Locking device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the protective bellows (40) comprises at least one insert (42) arranged to be clipped onto the lining part (30). -106. Locking device according to the preceding claim, in which the said at least one insert (42) is molded onto the protective bellows (40). 7. Locking device according to one of the preceding claims 5, in which the protective bellows (40) has a grained outer surface. 8. Locking device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the striker wire (10) is movable between at least two positions, and in which the protective bellows (40) is arranged to follow At least partially the striker wire (10) when it passes from one position to another. 9. Locking device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the striker wire (10) has at least one bend on which is clipped said at least one ring (41), so as to maintain in 15 position the protective bellows on the strike wire. 10. Motor vehicle comprising at least one locking device according to one of the preceding claims. 2/2