GB2065761A

GB2065761A - Improved folding seat

Info

Publication number: GB2065761A
Application number: GB8036915A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Steyr Daimler Puch AG
Current assignee: Steyr Daimler Puch AG
Priority date: 1979-12-20
Filing date: 1980-11-18
Publication date: 1981-07-01
Also published as: YU255980A; DE3039391C2; AT364258B; CH649507A5; IT1134349B; ATA803179A; FR2471759B1; FR2471759A1; IT8026082A0; DE3039391A1; YU40952B; GB2065761B

Abstract

A folding seat has a seat member (1) mounted for movement about a pivot (2) and a backrest (3) pivotally mounted at (4) on the seat structure. A bolt (6) is pivotally mounted on the seat member and is actuated by a lever (5) against a spring force. The bolt (6) normally retains the backrest (3) in its unfolded position, but is movable beyond the backrest release position into a position in which it actuates a spring-biased release lever (13) of a seat member lock (12). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved folding seat The invention relates to a folding seat, more particularly for motor vehicles, with a seat member which can be pivoted about its lower front portion, a backrest hinged to said seat member and adapted to fold forwardly, and a locking device.

Folding seats of this type have the advantage that the seat member together with the folded backrest can be pivoted forwardly into an upright position so as to expose a loading surface behind the seat. Hitherto, the locking device was provided only between the backrest and the seat member (German Patent Specification 11 25 785), i.e. the seat member is not fixed at the rear when it is in the seating position. Persons travelling on the seat can therefore suffer severe injuries in collisions, since the entire seat member can fold in the forward direction.

It is therefore the object of the invention to eliminate this defect and to provide a folding seat of the type described hereinbefore, in which the seat member is securely fixed in the seating position and only hand lever operation is required to unlock the backrest and the seat member.

The invention solves the problem in that the locking device is provided with a bolt for the backrest, which bolt can be pivoted by means of a hand lever against the spring force and can be pivoted beyond the release position for the backrest into a position in which it actuates a spring biased release lever of a seat member lock.

If the bolt is pivoted by means of the hand lever it initially reaches a position in which the backrest is released and can be folded forwardly. If the bolt is pivoted further beyond the backrest released position it actuates the release lever of a seat member lock and the entire seat can then be folded forwardly. At the same time, the seat member is fixed at the rear in the seating position by means of the seating member lock, so thst the seat member cannot lift as the result of a collision.

Since the bolt as well as the release lever are spring-biased, they return into their original position when the hand lever is released. When the bolt is released, the transition from one position to the other, i.e. from the backrest released position into the release position for the seat member lock, can be distinctly felt because an additional spring force, namely the spring force acting on the release lever, must be overcome In the embodiment of the invention the bolt is provided with a detent for receiving a pawl or the like of the backrest and also with a surface by means of which it acts on the release lever so as to provide a simple and reliable construction. It is particularly advantageous if the seat member lock is constructed as a pivoting latch lock. This achieves a very compact construction, which is safe in the lock position and is substantially maintenance free.

An ejector which bears by means of spring bias on the locking bolt or the like, which is retained in the pivoting latch and is associated with the seat member, may be provided. This ejector, conveniently constructed as a U-member which can be pivoted about the axis of the pivoting latch and surrounds the same, is provided to ensure that the locking bolt or the like associated with the seat member is ejected therefrom when the pivoting latch is opened so that the pivoting latch cannot grip the locking bolt or the like once the hand lever has been released. Both hands are therefore available for upward pivoting of the seat immediately after the hand lever has been actuated because the ejector dispenses with the need for keeping the pivoting latch lock in the open position by means of the hand lever.

To avoid undesirable noise during travelling, specially since the backrest is not secured to the motor vehicle superstructure itself, the backrest bears upon the seat member and the latter bears on the casing of the pivoting latch lock by means of pre-stressed rubber buffers or the like.

If the folding seat is constructed as a seat bench, with locking devices arranged on both sides, it is advisable to interconnect the two hand levers by means of a shaft so that each of the locking devices can be released jointly from one side.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of a folding seat according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is part of the seat bench with the locking device shown from the rear, Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of Fig. 2, and Figs. 4 and 5 show the pivoting latch lock in the locked and released position, respectively.

Referring now to the drawings, a seat member 1 is mounted for movement about a pivot axis 2 positioned at its lower front portion. The seat member 1 supports a backrest 3 which can also be folded forwardly, so that either the position indicated in dash-dot lines or the position shown in dash lines is obtained (Fig. 1). The backrest 3 is mounted for movement about a pivot axis 4 on the supporting structure of the seat member 1. A hand lever 5, rigidly connected to a bolt 6, is provided for unlocking and the bolt 6 has a detent 7 adapted to receive a pawl 8 of the backrest 3. The hand lever 5 is disposed on a shaft 9 (Fig. 2), which is biased by a coiled torsion spring 10. The shaft 9 connects the hand lever 5 to a second hand lever (not shown) positioned at the other side of the seat.

The rear of the seat member 1 is supported by means of a locking bolt 11 in a pivoting latch lock 12, fixedly mounted on the bodywork of the vehicle. The latch lock 12 is provided with a release lever 13, a locking pawl 14, a pivoting latch 1 5 and an ejector 1 6. The locking pawl 14 and the pivoting latch 1 5 are connected to each other by means of a tension spring 1 7 and the ejector 1 6 is also biased by a spring 18 having one end anchored to the casing of the latch lock 12.

The pivoting latch 1 5 has two detents 19, 20. In the lock position (Fig. 4) the locking pawl 14 engages the detent 1 9 and retains the pivoting latch 1 5 in the position in which it surrounds the locking bolt 11.

When the hand lever 5 is pivoted in the clockwise direction the bolt 6 is initially moved downwardly until the pawl 8 of the backrest 3 clears the detent 7 and the backrest 3 is able to fold in the forward direction (position 1). As the hand lever 5 continues to be pivoted (position II) the bolt 6 engages the release lever 13 which in turn acts upon the locking pawl 14 and moves it out of the detent 19 in the anti-clockwise direction. As soon as the pivoting latch 1 5 has been released, it pivots into the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the locking pawl 14 engages with the detent 20. The locking bolt 11 will then be released and the entire seat bench can be folded in the forward direction.

According to Fig. 4, the ejector 16 bears on the locking bolt 11 which is retained in the pivoting latch 1 5. The ejector 1 6 is constructed as a Ushaped bar between whose side members the pivoting latch 15 is supported. When the pivoting latch 1 5 is released by the locking pawl 14 the ejector 1 6 acts under the action of the spring 18 upon the locking bolt 11 and raises it from the throat of the pivoting latch 1 5.

In the locked position, the backrest 3 bears on the supporting structure of the seat member 1 with a prestressed rubber buffer 21 interposed therebetween. The seat member 1 likewise bears by means of a rubber buffer 22 on the casing of the pivoting latch lock 12.

Claims

1. A folding seat, more particularly for motor vehicles, having a seat member mounted for pivotal movement about its lower front portion, a backrest pivotally mounted on said seat member and a locking device comprising a bolt pivotally mounted on the seat member and which can be moved by means of a hand lever against a spring force, said bolt normally retaining the backrest in its unfolded position and being movable beyond the release position for the backrest into a position in which it actuates a spring-biased release lever of a seat member lock.

2. A folding seat according to claim 1, wherein the bolt is provided with a detent for receiving a pawl or the like of the backrest and also with a surface by means of whichit acts on the release lever.

3. A folding seat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seat member lock is a pivoting latch lock.

4. A folding seat according to claim 3, wherein an ejector is provided which acts on the spring pre-stress of a locking bolt or the like associated with the seat member lock and is retained in the pivoting latch.

5. A folding seat according to claim 4, wherein the ejector is a U-shaped bar which is pivotal about the axis of the pivoting latch and surrounds the same.

6. A folding seat according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein in the locked position the backrest is supported on the seat member and the latter is supported on the casing of the pivoting latch lock by means of prestressed rubber buffers or the like.

7. A folding seat according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the folding seat is a seat bench with locking devices disposed on both sides and the two hand levers are connected to each other by means of a shaft.

8. A folding seat substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.