GB2189682A

GB2189682A - Flip-up seats

Info

Publication number: GB2189682A
Application number: GB08610401A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen W Brackley
Original assignee: AUDIENCE SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: AUDIENCE SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 1986-04-29
Filing date: 1986-04-29
Publication date: 1987-11-04
Also published as: GB8610401D0

Abstract

A flip-up seat comprises a squab (8) pivotably mounted on a supporting structure (2). The squab is biassed to a generally upright, unoccupied, position by a spring (24). The upright position is defined by a resilient stop element (26) which is mounted on a pin (28) fixed to the supporting structure (2). A portion (30) of the element is compressed between a lever (20), fixed to the squab, and the wall of a housing (18) fixed to the supporting structure, thereby to reduce impact noise when the squab (8) reaches the upright position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Flip-up seats This invention relates to flip-up seats, that is, seats which have a squab which is movable from an occupied position, in which the squab is generally horizontal to support a seated person, and an unoccupied position, in which the squab is generally upright.

Seats of this type are in common use in,for example, cinema auditoriums. They are also used outside, to provide permanent or temporary seating for spectators at sporting events. The seats are rarely used as individual units; instead, they are commonly provided in large numbers.

The squabs ofthe seat are normally biased towards the unoccupied position by a resilient mechanism such as a spring. Thus, as an occupant leaves the seat, the squab is automatically lifted by the spring to the upright position,where it is arrested by a stop. Where the seats are upholstered, as is usual in interior installations such as cinemas, the movement of the squab is arrested by contact between an upholstered part ofthe squab with a stationary part ofthe seat, and consequently little noise is generated by impact as the seat reaches it upright position. However, seats for outside use must be capable of withstanding rain and other adverse weather conditions, and so they are usually not upholstered. This means that there is no soft material to absorb impact as the seat reaches its unoccupied position, with the result that considerable noise is generated.This is highly undesirable, particula rly at sporting events, since it disturbs spectators and can distract the participants.

According to the present invention there is provided aflip-upseathaving a squabwhich is movable between a generally horizontal occupied position and a generally upright unoccupied position, the squab being resiliently biassed towards the unoccupied position, the seat being provided with resilient stop means for defining the unoccupied position of the squab.

The stop means is preferably made from resilient material, such as natural or synthetic rubber or a resilient plastics material.

In an embodiment in accordance with the present invention the squab is mounted pivotablyon a supporting structure, and a lever is fixed to the squab and acted upon by resilient means. With such a construction, the stop means is preferably mounted on the supporting structure so as to be engaged bythe lever when the squab reaches the unoccupied position. For example, the stop means may comprise a resilient element mounted on a pin fixed to the supporting structure. The resilient element may be disposed so that it is compressed by the tever against an abutment provided on the supporting structure.

This abutment may comprise the wall of a housing accommodating the lever. The housing may also accommodate a spring serving as the resilient means for resiliently biassing the lever.

The resilient element may have a hollow configura- tion, and may comprise an annular portion, which servesto absorb impact.This annular portion may be connected bya neck to a mounting portion by which the resilient element is fitted to the supporting structure. Where the resilient element is mounted on a pin, the mounting portion may have an aperture for receiving the pin, the resilient element then having a substantiallyfigure-of-eight configuration.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, byway of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a flip-up seat shown in a position ready to receive an occupant; Figure 2 is a side view ofthe seat of Figure 1 shown in an unoccupied position; Figure 3 shows an assembly ofthree seats corresponding to that of Figure 1, shown in the unoccupied positions; Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line IV-IV in Figure2; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V in Figure 4; Figure 6 shows a component ofthe assembly shown in Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a side view ofthe componentshown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the seat comprises a supporting structure 2, which includes two legs4 and seat back 6. A squab 8 is pivotally mounted on the supporting structure for movement between an occupied position, as shown in Figure 1, and an unoccupied position shown in Figure 2. In the occupied position, the squab 8 is generally horizontal,while in the unoccupied position, it is generally upright.

The squab 8 comprises a blow moulded seat pan made from high density polyethylene, which is fixed to two arms 12, made from steel. Each arm 12 is provided with a trunion 14 which is supported in a bearing 16 provided in the wall of a housing 18. The housings 18 are secured respectivelytothe legs 4.

Inside the housing 18, each trunnion 14 is provided with a lever 20. The lever 20 carries a peg 22, and a tension spring 24 acts between the peg 22 and the housing 18 in a mannerto biasthe squab 8 intothe position shown in Figure 2.

FigureS shows the lever in the position corresponding to the position ofthe squab shown in Figure 2. In this position, it will be noted that the lever 20 abuts a resilient element 26 which constitutes stop means determining the position ofthe squab 8 shown in Figure 2. The resilient element 26 is located on a pin 28 which is fixed to the wall ofthe housing 18. The resilient element 26 is shown in greater detail in Figures 6 and 7. It is made from a resilient material which may,forexample, be the synthetic material available from Monsanto Corporation underthe name "Santoprene". As will be appreciated from Figure 6, it has a substantially figure-of-eight configuration, being provided with two annular portions 30 and 32 which are connected to each other by a neck 34.The portions 30 and 32 have a central apertures 36 and 38, the central aperture 38 having substantially the same diameter asthe pin 28. The aperture 38 is chamferred at each end.

When the seat is unoccupied, the squab 8 will be in the position shown in Figure 2, where it is retained by the spring 24. For use,the squab 8 is lowered against the action ofthe spring 24, so that the seat assumes a configuration shown in Figure 1, readyto receive an occupant.

When the occupant leaves the seat, the squab 8 will automatically be raised by the spring 24 acting on the lever 20. In the absence ofthe resilient element 26, the lever 20 would eventually strike the pin 28, causing a considerable impact noise. However, as will be appreciated from Figure 5, this is prevented by the resilient element 26. Thus, as the squab 8 rises to the upright position, the lever 20 contacts the portion 30 of the element 26, and this portion 30 is then compressed againstthe wall of the housing 18 to absorb the momentum ofthe squab 8 in a relatively silent manner.

The aperture 36 contributesto the resilience of the element 26, since it enables the element26 to be compressed byflexure ofthe material surrounding the aperture 36to a greater degree than would bathe case if it were entirely solid. This not only reduces the noise created by the impact, but also avoids rebound ofthe squab 8. As will be appreciated from Figure 3, the seats would normally be provided as an assembly of several seats disposed in rows. In such circumstances, each leg 4, apartfromthe outside legs 4 of each row, would serve to support the squabs 8 and backs 6 oftwo adjacent seats.

Claims

1. Aflip-up seat having a squab which is movable between a generally horizontal occupied position and a generally upright unoccupied position, the squab being biassed towards the unoccupied position, the seat being provided with resilient stop means for defining the unoccupied position ofthe squab.

2. Aflip-up seat as claimed in claim 1, in which a leverfixed to the squab is acted upon by resilient means to bias the squab to the unoccupied position.

3. Aflip-up seat as claimed in claim 2, in which the stop means is positioned for contact with the lever when the squab is in the unoccupied position.

4. Aflip-up seat as claimed in claim 2 or3, in which the squab is pivotably mounted on a supporting structu re of the seat, the stop means comprising a resilient element mounted on the supporting structure.

5. Aflip-up seat as claimed in claim 4, in which the resilient element is disposed so as to be compressed between the lever and an abutment provided on the supporting structure.

6. Aflip-up seat as claimed in claim 5, in which the lever, the resilient means and the resilient element are accommodated in a housing provided on the supporting structure, the abutment being constituted by a wall ofthe housing.

7. Aflip-up seat as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, in which the resilient element has a hollow configuration.

8. Aflip-up seat as claimed in claim 7, in which the resilient element has an annular impact-absorbing portion.

9. Aflip-up seat as claimed in claim 7 or 8, in which the resilient element has an aperture which is fitted over a pin provided on the supporting structure.

10. Aflip-up seat substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

11. Aseating array comprising a pluralityofflip-up seats in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.