GB2062562A

GB2062562A - Vehicle seat

Info

Publication number: GB2062562A
Application number: GB8023101A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Fiat Auto SpA
Current assignee: Fiat Auto SpA
Priority date: 1979-08-21
Filing date: 1980-07-15
Publication date: 1981-05-28
Also published as: DE3025811A1; GB2062562B; DE8018302U1; FR2463697B1; FR2463697A1; IT1118849B; JPH0214214B2; IT7968698A0; JPS5631837A

Abstract

A vehicle seat (18) is provided which includes a rigid support structure formed by two tubes (20, 22) extending transversely of the vehicle with their ends mounted in respective pairs of mountings (30, 32; 54, 56). One tube (20) is arranged above and to the rear of the other tube (22). The two tubes (20, 22) serve to support a flexible sheet (76) of a length greater than the distance between the tubes (20, 22). A tensioning device (90) is connected between the vehicle bottom and a transverse rod (86) connected to the flexible sheet (76) intermediate said tubes (20, 22). The tensioning device (90) serves to impart a V-shaped configuration to the seat (18) with the two branches of the V-shape respectively constituting the seat back and the seating portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle seat The present invention relates to vehicles including a body with two lateral walls and a bottom, and at least one seat located between two facing zones of the said two lateral walls.

The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle of the type indicated above, in which the said seat is extremely simple and functional, is economic to manufacture and in addition, is versatile in use.

With a view to achieving this object, the present invention provides a vehicle of the type specified above, wherein the said seat comprises: - a rigid support structure constituted by an upper tube extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a lower tube parallel with said upper tube and substantially equal in length thereto, and a first and a second pair of mountings fixed to the vehicle body and respectively supporting the upper and lower tubes at their ends, the first pair of mountings being located at a greater height from the vehicle bottom than the said second pair of mountings and being displaced therefrom longitudinally of the vehicle, - a flexible support structure constituted by a flexible sheet extending between and carried by said tubes, the sheet having a length greater than the distance between the said two tubes and a width substantially corresponding to the length of the said two tubes, - a rod extending transversely of the vehicle and fixed to the said flexible sheet in a position intermeidate its ends, and - tensioning means connected to the bottom of the vehicle body and acting on at least one region of the said rod intermediate its ends in such a way as to cause the said flexible sheet to assume a V-shape configuration with an inclined branch, forming the seat back, and a substantially horizontal seating branch.

In one embodiment of the invention, each of the tubes constituting the rigid support structure of the seat has a length substantially equal to the distance between the two lateral walls of the vehicle body. In this embodiment, the two mountings supporting each tube are mounted on opposite ones of the said lateral walls.

In another embodiment of the invention each of the two tubes constituting the rigid support structure of the seat has a length substantially equal to half the distance between the two lateral walls of the vehicle body. In this case, one of the mountings associated with each tube is carried by one of the said lateral walls while the other mounting associated with the tube is carried by an intermediate support fixed to the bottom of the vehicle body in a position between the two lateral walls.

Preferably in both embodiments outlined above the ends of each tube are removably mounted in their respective mountings.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of a part of a motor vehicle provided with a seat in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, the said seat being disposed in a first operative position; Figure 2 is a section to an enlarged scale on line Il-Il of Figure 1, second and a third operative positions of the seat being illustrated in broken lines; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the seat illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the seat in a fourth operative position;; Figures 5, 6 and 7 are three perspective views to an enlarged scale illustrating respectively a first, a second and a third pair of mountings for the seat illustrated in Figures 1 to 4; Fiugre 8 is a partially cut-away, perspective view illustrating to an enlarged scale, two details of Figure 3; Fiugre 9 is a perspective view illustrating to an enlarged scale a further detail of Figure 3; Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a pair of seats in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 11 is a section to an enlarged scale, on line XI-Xl of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a rear elevational view in the direction of arrow XII in Figure 11; and Figures 1 3 and 14 are enlarged longitudinal sections on lines Xlll-Xlll and XlV-XlV of Figure 11.

Shown in Figure 1 is part of the rear region of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, this rear region being delimited by two lateral walls 10 and 12, a rear wall 14 and the bottom 16 of the motor vehicle body. Supported between the two lateral walls 10 and 12, is a seat 18 which extends across the whole width of the passenger compartment transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The seat 1 8 comprises a rigid support structure fixed to the lateral walls 10 and 12, and a flexible support structure carried by the rigid support structure.

As is illustrated in detail in Figure 3, the rigid support structure of the seat 18 is constituted by an upper metal tube 20 and a lower metal tube 22 both of which extend transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle and have a length corresponding to the distance between the lateral walls 10 and 12. Each end portion of the upper tube 20 is engaged in a respective cylindrical sleeve 24 of plastics material (illustrated in detail in Figure 8) which is provided with an annular flange 26 spaced from the corresponding end of the tube 20. The end of the tube 20 facing the lateral wall 1 2 is also provided with a mushroom-head insert 28 which has a diameter less than that of the tube 20 and projects towards the outside of the vehicle coaxially with the tube 20.

The two opposite end portions of the upper tube 20 are removably engaged in mountings 30 and 32 respectively. The mountings 30 and 32 are respectively fixed to the side walls 10 and 12 and constitute a first pair of mountings.

The mountings 30 and 32 (which are illustrated in detail in Figure 5) are both preferably made of plastics material. The mounting 30 is constituted by a pair of elements in the form of cylindrical tumblers 34 carried side-by-side by a plate 36.

The cylindrical wall of each of the tumbler-like elements 34 has an axially extending tongue 38 which is flexible radially of the element 34. When fixed to the vehicle lateral wall 10, the mounting 30 abuts against the inner face of the wall 10 by the rear face of the support plate 36 and is fixed in position by means of a screw, not illustrated, which passes through a hole 40 in the plate 36 and engages in a corresponding threaded hole in the wall 10. The two tumbler-like elements 34 are accommodated in the interspace between the inner and outer faces of the lateral wall 1 0.

The mounting 32 is constituted by a support plate 42 having a shape generality similar to that of the support plate 36 of the mounting 30 and provided with a pair of side-by-side seats 44. Each seat 44 is undercut to accommodate and retain the head of the mushroom-head insert 28. Each seat 44 can be entered from the side via a guiding mouth section 46 which is inclined upwardly towards the front end of the vehicle. The mouth section 46 opens into a well 48. The bottom of the well 48 is formed with a hole 50 through which a screw can be inserted to fix the mounting 32 to the inner face of the lateral wall 12. Each well 48 is dimensioned such as to allow the head of the mushroom-head insert 28 associated with the tube 20 to be axially inserted therein from where it can be moved via the mouth section 46, into the seat 44.The other end of the tube 20 is arranged to be axially inserted into the corresponding tumbler-like element 34 of the mounting 30.

The lower tube 22 is identical to the upper tube 20 and mounts at each end a further sleeve 24.

The end of the lower tube 22 facing the lateral wail 12 is provided, like the upper tube 20, with a mushroom-head insert 52.

The ends of the lower tube 22 are removably engageable in mountings 54 and 56 respectively.

The mountings 54 and 56 constitute a second pair of mountings and are respectively fixed to the lateral walls 10 and 12 in positions which, relative to those of the mountings 30 and 32 of the first pair, are longitudinally displaced towards the front of the vehicle and are nearer the vehicle bottom 16. These mountings 50 and 56, which are preferably made of metal, are illustrated in detail in Figure 6. The mounting 54 is constituted by a support plate 58 and a depending portion 60 in which there are formed two seats in the form of blind cylindrical holes 62 arranged side-by-side.

When fixed to the vehicle lateral wall 10, the mounting 54 abuts by the rear face of the plate 58 against the inner face of the wall 10, and is secured in position by means of screws, not illustrated, which pass through holes 64 in the plate 58 and engage in corresponding threaded holes in the wall 10.

The mounting 56 is constituted by a support plate 66 having a lower portion 68 in which are formed two upwardly open seats 70 each of which is undercut to locate and retain the head of the mushroom-head insert 52 associated with the lower tube 22. Each seat 70 is provided with a guiding mouth section 72 inclined upwardly towards the rear of the vehicle, this mouth section 72 serving to guide the introduction of the head 52 into the corresponding seat 70. When fixed to the vehicle lateral wall 12, the mounting 56 abuts by the rear face of the plate 66 against the inner face of this wall 12 and is secured in position by means of screws, not illustrated, which pass through holes 74 in the plate 66 and engage in corresponding threaded holes in the wall 12.As previously mentioned, the head of the mushroomhead insert 52 associated with the lower tube 22 engages in one or other of the seats 70 of the mounting 56 whilst the opposite end of the tube 22 engages axially in the corresponding blind hole 62 of the mounting 54.

The upper tube 20 and the lower tube 22 jointly carry the flexible support structure of the seat 1 8. This flexible support structure is constituted by a flexible sheet 76 which has a length greater than the distance between the two tubes 20 and 22, and a width corresponding substantially to the length of the two tubes. The flexible sheet 76 is composed of an inner layer 78 of soft material and a soft covering 80 surrounding the inner layer 78. Along its sides extending transversely of the vehicle the covering 80 is formed with two tubular portions 82 into which are inserted respective ones of the tubes 20 and 22. In addition, on the underside of the sheet 76 the covering 80 is formed with an intermediate tubular portion 84 into which there is inserted a rod 86.This rod 86 extends parallel to the tubes 20 and 22 and has a length substantially equal to the width of the flexible sheet 76. The rod 86 is provided, at its ends, with a pair of projecting inserts 88 formed with enlarged heads which abut against the end edges of the tubular portion 84.

Associated with the rod 86 are two tensioning devices 90 each of which acts on the rod 86 intermediate its middle and a respective one of its ends. Each of the tensioning devices 90 (see Figures 3 and 9) comprises a manually operable L-shaped control lever 92, and first and second U-shaped elements 94 and 96 pivoted by the distal ends of their arms on one end portion of the lever 92 for articulation about respective transverse axes spaced from one another. The free end portion 98 of the first U-shaped element 94 is formed as a hook and is engaged around the rod 86. The free end portion 100 of the second fork 96 is selectively engageable in one or other of a pair of hooked projections 102 which are fixed to the vehicle bottom 1 6 and are mutually spaced in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. With the lever 92 in a raised position, the end portion 100 of the element 96 can be hooked or unhooked from the projections 102; once the end portion 100 is engaged with the desired projection 102, the lever 92 can be snapped down into a horizontal position to lock the device 90 in an operative configuration in which the rod 86 is pulled rearwardly and downwardly. With the tensioning devices 90 snapped into their operative configurations, the flexible sheet 76 assumes a V-shape conformation having an inclined upper branch and a substantially horizontal lower branch, as is illustrated in Figure 1 and in Figure 2 with a continuous line.The selection of which hooked projections 102 is engaged by the element end portions 100 is made in dependence on which of the side-by-side seats of the two pairs of mountings 30, 32 and 54, 56 are used to support the upper and lower tubes 20 and 22.

By appropriate usage of the projections 102 and the mounting seats, the seat 1 8 can be positioned in two longitudinally spaced positions.

The seat 1 8 can be easily dismounted and removed from the passenger compartment of the vehicle by first of all disconnecting the tensioning devices 90 from the vehicle bottom 1 6 and then extracting the tubes 20 and 22 from their respective mountings. This latter operation is effected by first of all disengaging the mushroomhead inserts 28 and 52 from their respective mountings 32 and 56, and thereafter drawing out the opposite ends of the two tubes 20 and 22 from the mountings 30 and 54.

Where it is desired to put down the back of the seat 1 8 for the purpose of forming a bed in conjunction with the front seat of the vehicle, it is sufficient to disengage the ends of the upper tube 20 from the mountings 30 and 32 and to rest the back of the seat 18 on the rear wall 14 of the motor vehicle body. This configuration of the seat 18 is illustrated in dashed lines in Figure 2.

In addition to the two pairs of mountings already mentioned, a third pair of mountings 104 and 106 is fixed to the lateral walls 10 and 12 of the motor vehicle body at a height from the vehicle bottom 1 6 intermediate that of the first and second pairs, and in a position longitudinally of the vehicle which corresponds substantially to that of the mountings 54 and 56. The mountings 104 and 106 are preferably made of plastics material and are of a form illustrated in detail in Figure 7.

The mounting 104 is constituted by a tumblerlike body 108 from the bottom of which coaxially projects a conical stub 110. When fixed to the lateral wall 10 the body 108 abuts against the inner face of the wall 10 by the rear face of its bottom and is secured in position by means of screws, not illustrated, which extend through a pair of holes 112 formed in the bottom of the body 108 and engage in corresponding threaded holes of the wall 10.

The mounting 106 is constituted by a circular plate 114 the lower half of which is integral with a substantially semi-cylindrical body 11 6 in which there is formed an upwardly open seat 118 provided with a guiding mouth section 120. When fixed to the lateral wall 12, the mounting 106 abuts against this wall by the rear face of the plate 114 and is secured in position by means of screws, not illustrated, which extend through holes 112 formed in the plate 14 and engage in corresponding threaded holes in the wall 12.

The mountings 104 and 106 can be used to support the ends of the lower tube 22 or of the upper tube 20 such as to cause the seat 1 8 to assume the configurations illustrated respectively by the dash-dot line in Figure 2 and by the continuous outline in Figure 4. The former configuration is achieved by releasing and unhooking the two tensioning devices 90 and then inserting the ends of the lower tube 22 into the mountings 104 and 106; in this configuration the lower branch of the seat 1 8 is steeply inclined and the seat 1 8 can advantageously be used for the support and transport of delicate objects, or alternatively can function as a cradle for the transport of a child.

The configuration shown in continuous outline in Figure 4 is achieved by releasing and unhooking the tensioning devices 90, folding together what were previously the undersides of the upper and lower branches of the seat, and then inserting the ends of the upper tube 20 into the mountings 104 and 106. In this configuration the seat 18 constitutes a barrier between the rear and front parts of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. This barrier prevents loads in the rear part of the passenger compartment from shooting forward and colliding with the front seats should the vehicle be sharply braked.

The second embodiment (illustrated in Figures 10 to 14) differs from the first embodiment in that the upper tube 20 and the lower tube 22 each have a length equal to half the distance between the two vehicle lateral walls 10 and 12. The seat of the second embodiment therefore has a width equal to half the width of the passenger compartment of the vehicle and in Figure 11 two such seats 18a,18b are illustrated side-by-side.

Considering the seat 18a, the tubes 20 and 22 of this seat are supported on the vehicle lateral wall 10 at their ends opposite their mushroomhead inserts 28 and 52 by mountings 30 and 54, these mountings 30 and 54 being identical to those previously described with reference to the first embodiment. The opposite ends of the two tubes 20 and 22 (that is, the ends provided with the mushroom-head inserts 28 and 52) are respectively supported by a mounting 32 and by a mounting 56, similar to those previously described, carried by an intermediate support 130 fixed to the vehicle bottom 1 6 intermediate the two lateral walls 10 and 12.The structure of the seat 1 8a is entirely analogous to that of the seat 1 8 previously described, except that the rod 86 is only engaged by a single tensioning device 90, located in a position intermediate the ends of the rod 86.

As is illustrated in detail in Figures 11 to 14, the intermediate support 1 30 is constituted by an L-shaped tubular structure having a horizontal branch 132 directed along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and a branch 134 inclined upwardly towards the rear of the vehicle. The horizontal branch 132 is permanently fixed to two support elements 136 which are detachably secured by screws 138, to the vehicle bottom 1 6. In addition to the elements 136 the horizontal branch 1 32 is provided at its front end with a part 140 which extends upwardly and rigidly supports at its upper end a head 142. The head 142 carries the mounting 56 and is connected to the lower end portion of the upwardly inclined branch 134 of the intermediate support 130 by means of a tube 144 which extends parallel to the branch 132.The upper end of the branch 134 rigidly supports a head 146, similar to the head 142, which carries the mounting 32. As is illustrated in detail in Figure 13, the mounting 32 is formed integrally with the head 146 and, similarly; the mounting 56 is formed integrally with the head 142.

In addition to the mountings 32 and 56 of the seat 1 8a, the head 146 and the head 142 are also formed with mountings 30 and 54 for the seat 18b, these mountings 30 and 54 being directed towards the lateral wall 1 2 and being substantially similar in form and purpose to those previously described. The tubes 20 and 22 of the seat 1 8b are thus supported at their inner ends by the intermediate support 130 while the opposite ends of the tubes 20 and 22 are respectively supported by mountings 32 and 56 detachably secured to the wall 12 and identical in form to those previously described. The remaining structure of the seat 1 8b is identical to that of the previously described seat 1 8a.

As compared with the embodiment initially described, the arrangement of Figures 10 to 14 has the advantage of permitting the dismounting or folding back of one of the two seats 1 8a, 1 8b whilst the other seat is kept in its position of use.

As for the seat 18, the seat 1 8a or 1 8b can be readily dismounted by releasing and unhooking the corresponding tensioning device 90 and then withdrawing the tubes 20 and 22 from their mountings. Where it is desired to remove both seats 1 8a, 1 8h from the vehicle passenger compartment, then obviously it will be necessary to dismount both seats 1 8a, 1 8b in the manner described above; after the seats 1 8a and 1 8b have been removed, the intermediate support 130 can then be unscrewed from the vehicle bottom 1 6 and taken out of the passenger compartment.

Claims

1. A vehicle including a body with two lateral walls and a bottom, and at least one seat disposed between two facing regions of the said two lateral walls, said seat comprising: - a rigid support structure constituted by an upper tube extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a lower tube parallel with said upper tube and substantially equal in length thereto, and a first and a second pair of mountings fixed to the vehicle body and respectively supporting the upper and lower tubes at their ends, the first pair of mountings being located at a greater height from the vehicle bottom than the said second pair of mountings and being displaced therefrom longitudinally of the vehicle, - a flexible support structure constituted by Q flexible sheet extending between and supported by said tubes, the sheet having a length between said tubes greater than the distance therebetween and a width substantially corresponding to the length of the said two tubes, - a rod extending transversely of the vehicle and fixed to the said flexible sheet in a position intermediate its ends, and - tensioning means connected to the bottom of the vehicle body and acting on at least one region of the said rod intermediate its ends in such a way as to cause the said flexible sheet to assume a V-shaped configuration with an inclined branch forming the seat back and a substantially horizontal seating branch.

2. A vehicle according to Claim 1, in which each of the two tubes constituting the rigid support structure of the seat has a length substantially equal to the distance between the two lateral walls of the vehicle body, the two mountings of each mounting pair being carried by respective ones of the said two lateral walls.

3. A vehicle according to Claim 1, in which each of the two tubes constituting the rigid support structure of the seat has a length substantially equal to half the distance between the two lateral walls of the vehicle body, one mounting of each mounting pair being carried by one of the said lateral walls and the other mounting of each pair being carried by an intermediate support fixed to the bottom of the vehicle body in a position intermediate the two lateral walls.

4. A vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the ends of each of the two tubes are supported in the corresponding pair of mountings in a dismountable manner.

5. A vehicle according to Claim 4, in which one end of each tube is provided with a mushroomshaped head, one mounting of each said pair formed with an upwardly open seat engaged by the mushroom-shaped head of the corresponding tube, and the other mounting of each pair defining a seat in the form of a blind hole wherein there is engaged the other end of said tube.

6 A vehicle according to claim 5, in which for said first pair of mountings, the mounting provided with said upwardly open seat is formed with a guide mouth through which the mushroomshaped head of the upper tube can be introduced into said seat, said guide mouth extending upwardly from said seat towards the front of the vehicle body, the corresponding mounting of the second pair also being formed with a guide mouth for its upwardly-open seat, this guide mouth being inclined upwardly towards the rear of the vehicle body.

7. A vehicle according to Claim 5 or Claim 6, in which in order to permit the vehicle seat to be erected in two different positions spaced longitudinally of the vehicle, each mounting is provided with two substantially-identical seats arranged side-by-side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and said tensioning device is arranged to be connectable to the bottom of the vehicle body in a selected one of two positions spaced longitudinally of the vehicle.

8. A vehicle according to any one of Claims 4 to 7 when dependent on Claim 2, in which the mountings of said first pair are of plastics material.

9. A vehicle according to any one of Claims 4 to 8 when dependent on Claim 2, in which the mountings of the second pair are made of metal.

10. A vehicle according to Claim 2 or any one of claims 4 to 9 when dependent thereon, in which the mountings are fixed in-a removable manner to the lateral walls of the vehicle body by means of screws which engage in corresponding threaded holes formed in said lateral walls.

11. A vehicle according to Claim 2 or any one of Claims 4 to 10 when dependent thereon in which a third pair of mountings is fixed to the lateral walls of the vehicle body at a height from the vehicle bottom between that of the mountings of the first and the second pairs, the said third pair of mountings being arranged to dismountably support a selected one of the said two tubes whereby to enable the seat to be positioned in a selected one of two further configurations, the said further configuration corresponding to the positioning of the lower tube in the third mountings being of a closed-up V-shape form, and the said further configuration corresponding to the positioning of the upper tube in the third mountings being of barrier-like form.

12. A vehicle according to Claim 11 in which one mounting of said third pair of mountings is provided with a seat in the form of a blind hole, the other mounting of said third pair being formed with an upwardly open seat.

13. A vehicle according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 in which the mountings of the third pair are of plastics material.

14. A vehicle according to any one of Claims 11 to 13, in which the mountings of said third pair are fixed to the lateral walls of the vehicle body in a removable manner by means of screws which engage in corresponding threaded holes formed in the said lateral walls.

1 5. A vehicle according to Claim 3 or any one of Claims 4 to 7 when dependent thereon, in which the said intermediate support is constituted by a tubular, substantially L-shaped structure comprising a horizontal support branch extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and an inclined support branch extending upwardly towards the rear of the vehicle; the distal end of said horizontal support branch being provided with a head carrying one mounting of said second mounting pair, and the distil end of said inclined support branch being provided with a head carrying one mounting of said first mounting pair.

1 6. A vehicle according to Claim 15, in which two said vehicle seats are provided side-by-side in said vehicle body, each seat having a form in accordance with Claim 3 with the inboard ends of their tubes being mounted on a common said intermediate support, the distal end head of the horizontal support branch of said intermediate support carrying two oppositely-facing mountings from respective second pairs of mountings and the distal-end head of the inclined support branch carrying two oppositely facing mountings from respective first pairs of mountings.

17. A vehicle according to Claim 1 5 or Claim 16, in which the mountings carried by the or each lateral wall of the vehicle body are removably fixed in position by means of screws which engage in corresponding threaded holes in the lateral wall, the mountings carried by said intermediate support being formed integrally therewith.

18. A vehicle according to any one of Claims 15 to 17, in which the intermediate support is fixed in a dismountable manner to the bottom of the vehicle body by means of screws which engage in corresponding threaded holes formed in the said bottom.

1 9. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the said flexible sheet constituting the flexible support structure of the or each seat comprises an inner layer of soft material and an external covering surrounding the said inner layer, said covering being provided with three tubular portions through which respectively extend the said upper tube, the said lower tube and the said rod, each tubular portion extending across substantially the whole width of the said flexible sheet.

20. A vehicle seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 9 or Figures 10 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.