GB2222072A - Monopiece vehicle seat - Google Patents

Abstract

A seat for public service vehicles which is both economic to produce and of anatomic design for comfort has a one-piece body. The body has a seat portion (1) at an angle of more than 90 DEG to a back portion (2). The back portion (2) increases slightly in thickness from about half way up the back (2) towards an upper portion thereof. The top of the back (2) is formed by a cross member (6), which is separated from said upper portion by bridge means such that in the centre portion of the seat between the cross member (6) and the said upper portion there is formed a window (5) designed to give the user no support in said centre portion. The back (2) has a concave front surface with an increasing radius of curvature towards the top. Thickened lobe regions (3) may be formed at the side edges of the back (2). The seat portion (1) has a concave top surface which increases in radius of curvature and in thickness to a front region thereof, whereat its thickness progressively reduces again with the top surface of the seat curving downwards. <IMAGE>

Description

SEAT FOR VEHICLES The present invention relates to a seat for vehicles, used preferably for public service vehicles such as coaches, buses, etc., the seat being designed having an anatomic shape that has been carefully studied to offer maximum comfort to users.

The seats that are normally fitted in public service vehicles are usually, generally speaking, quite uncomfortable for users, because neither do they offer suitable measurements nor are they made with a wellstudied shape for the user's comfort, because until now, seats for public vehicles have only been required to offer sufficient strength for the use for which they are intended and to act as seating means, without worrying about whether the seat is going to be comfortable or uncomfortable for users.

Seats have accordingly been made for vehicles which have not been analysed at all from the user 1 8 comfort point of view hence since those seats are generally made of plastic material and worst still, metal, the important thing for the manufacturer and for the enterprise in whose coach or coaches the seats were going to be fitted, was that these work out at the lowest possible cost, in no way considering the esthetic appearance or comfort or services which the seats could offer.

When manufacturing any object or device it is of course necessary to study the financial cost, but combined with this must be addedthe questionwhether such object or device should provide minimal quality and poor service or benefit to users as a result of a low economic production cost.

The seat for vehicles proposed in this invention has been designed to satisfactorily resolve this problem; in other words, it has been studied for the user's comfort, which is the essential feature that should be required of a seat, whilst in addition it offers an advantageous, esthetic appearance and of course, a low economic cost; all this being the outcome of an exhaustive research that has been made, which has produced a seat that fulfils this task in an optimum way, because it offers a comfort unknown until now for users, when considering seats for public service vehicles, as in the case to which we are now referring.Furthermore, commensurate with that exhaustive research, a seat has been obtained which is economic to produce, and it therefore offers the two basic and fundamental features that are needed in objects of this kind, namely economic production and comfort in use of the seat; such features are not in unison in any of the seats known and used in public service vehicles.

In one aspect, the seat proposed in this invention is made up of a monopiece body having an angular profile, where a part of seat and a part of the back is defined, the latter being projected reclining backwards slightly forming an angle of more than 90 in respect of the seat, and furthermore has the peculiarity that the part which forms the seat is considerably thicker at the front edge until it joins the part that forms the back,- in other words, the thickness diminishes progressively from that front edge of the seat until the back, continuing here to decrease until it reaches approximately half the height , when the thickness is then gradually increased towards the upper part, having the further peculiarity that the upper area of the seat is concave curved, and the curved shape decreases progressively from the part considered as the back or rear of the seat until the front part, whilst the sides are considerably thicker, and this thickness continues in harmony with the sides of the back offering little thickness in what is the actual body of the back, as explained, with a curve that also decreases towards the upper part, all of which purports a completely anatomical support or leaning area which is not whimsical but the fruit of an exhaustive research for that special anatomic shape to provide maximum comfort for users.

The top of the back part ends in a kind of cross member below which there is a window.

At the bottom intermediary part of the body of the seat it is secured to a leg that determines a column of oval shape or contour which tapers considerably and in a more marked way towards the rear edge; this column is secured to a back plate via which the seat assembly is secured to the floor of the vehicle where it is going to be fitted.

As consequence of the above structure and shape, the seat works out at a relatively low cost price, and if the price-quality relation is compared, quality being understood to mean the comfort that the seat affords, the object now described will be deemed optimum, without of course discarding the quality and strength which it offers, because the material used in its construction, which will preferably be plastic, is the normal material used for seats of this kind.

Lastly, mention that the surface of the seat and back are complimented by a padded body of scant thickness which adapts anatomically to the curvatures of those parts.

To complete the description now made and help understand the features of the invention better, a set of drawings is enclosed with this technical report, forming an integral part of same, and where, by way of illustration but in no way limitative, the following has been represented: Figure 1.- Shows a side view, of a section in a vertical plane, of the seat structure of the invention, which includes the respective leg and in it the contour which its respective cross section determines.

Figure 2.- Shows a front view of the back corresponding to the seat shown in the above figure and where a number of sections are shown which corresponds to sectional plans A-B, C-D, E-F, G-H, J-K and L-M, all of which are shown in figure 1.

Figure 3.- Lastly, another series of seat sections is shown, relating to sectional plans P-Q, R-S, T-V and X-Y, all also shown in figure 1.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with the aid of the drawings by way of non-limiting exarrple.

It is observed from these figures how the seat for vehicles proposed in this invention is formed of a monopiece body, which will preferably be made of plastic material, although it may also be built in any other kind of material. This general seat body has two parts that are clearly distinguished: one corresponds to the actual seat itself bearing the general reference 1, and the other corresponds to the back, bearing reference n2 2, the latter being higher or longer than the seat unit forming an angle of more than 90 with latter, in other words, it is inclined backwards slightly, as observed in the view corresponding to figure 1.

The sides of the back piece 2 converge slightly at the upper part, as is clearly visible from figure 2.

This back part 2 has a wall of scant thickness and cross curve-sided, producing a decreasing concave curvature in front in respect of its curvature radius from top to bottom, as observed in the different sections E-F, G-H and J-K, such that in the aforesaid upper part, the curvature of the wall is almost straight on the rear side, where that back precisely attains the maximum thickness. These different curves in the wall of the back part, which are cross curves, are referenced as nos. 2', 2" and 2"', corresponding to the above-mentioned sections.

This part of the back 2 thickens notably at the sides, causing the wider parts 3 to be projected backwards, as can be clearly observed in the different sections of figure 2, having the peculiarity that approximately half the lower level of these swellings 3, sides of the back, offer a shallow groove, reference 4, in correspondence with the rear surface of that swelling 3.

From the zone which forms section E-F or reference 2' of figure 2, corresponding to back 2, this has been projected upwards, with a width that is almost identical to the thickness which sides 3 offer, although with a slight tendency to diminish such thickness in an upward direction, such that the upper part of the back has a transversal window 5 complimented at the top with a cross section 6.

Section A-B corresponds precisely to the shape of the aforesaid cross piece 6, and of course where it joins the sides or upper part of these sides of the back, whilst section C-D corresponds to the side parts determined by the transversal window 5, observing in this section C-D how the side swellings have undergone a modification, and are now considerably more rounded, as per reference 7, as consequence of the reduction in thickness of the side swellings 3 of that back.

Based on figures 1 and 2, as per side view and intersections at different levels of back 2, it can be observed how the back 2 slightly thickens from the lower.

part to the top and at the same time offers an anatemic curvature tq enable the user's body to adapt perfectly to its front surface, thus offering maximum comfort to user.

From where this back section 2 joins the seat 1, a zone which corresponds to section L-M, the seat itself 1 starts to thicken, as observed in section L-M where the upper surface of the seat offers a curvature 1', which becomes progressive, that is to say, that the radius increases until the front part, and the different curvatures 1", 1"' etc., can be observed according to sections P-Q, R-S, etc. , such that in section T-V, the curvature is minimal and hardly exists in section X-Y and corresponds to the foremost part of the seat itself 1, whilst the thickness increases progressively in all these sections.

The sides of the seat 1 also thicken, continuing with the same thicknesses 3 as the back, and in this case side thickenings of the seat are those referenced as no.

8; this thickening, as consequence of the progressive increase in thickness towards the front of the seat, merges with that thickness of the seat, as shown clearly in section X-Y where the side thickening is non-existent, but occupies the entire thickness of that seat.

Furthermore, the front edge of the seat has its upper and lower areas that converge towards the front in a rounded shape, forming an edge which may be considered bevelled on both upper and lower sides and which corresponds to the one shown in figure 1 reference 9.

As on the back, the upper or supporting surface of seat 1 offers an anatomic curvature to assure an optimum position and consequently comfort for the user.

Lastly, mention that the monopiece body that forms the seat-back assembly described is secured to a leg or column 10, which is fixed by suitable means to the lower part of seat 1, as can be clearly observed in figures 1 and 3, having the peculiarity that this leg 10 offers an oval shape, which is notably streamlined, causing the leg to have little thickness and is tapered more notably towards the rear part of same, as shown in oval 22 corresponding to the section of that leg, having the peculiarity that it is secured at the bottom to a plate 12 that contains holes 13 to fasten it to the floor of the vehicle where the seat is going to be assembled.

Independent of the advantageous anatomy that the seat offers, based on which comfort is achieved for users, the seat assembly presents an original design and appearance and has no rough edges,- because all its edges or side thickenings, which is where the edges would be defined, are notably rounded, as is clearly observed in the different sections given according to different heights or levels at both the back and seat parts, which offer an optimum unit that may be considered ideal for the use to which it is destined, because on the one part it offers an economic production and on the other a pleasant esthetic and lastly and fundamentally provides comfort for user which is not obtained with the known and conventional seats.

Included in the invention is a seat for public service vehicles which has a one-piece body. The body has a seat portion 1 and, at an angle of more than 900 thereto, a back portion 2. The back portion 2 increases slightly in thickness from about half way up the back 2 towards an upper portion thereof. The top of the back 2 is formed by a cross member 6, which is separated from said upper portion by bridge means such that in the centre portion of the seat between the cross member 6 and the said upper portion there is formed a window 5 or other arrangement designed to give the user no support in said centre portion.

The back 2 has a concave front surface with an increasing radius of curvature towards the top. Thickened lobe regions 3 may be formed at the side edges of the back 2.

The seat portion 1 increases progressively and relatively rapidly in thickness to a front region thereof, whereat its thickness progressively reduces again with the top surface of the seat curving downwards. The bottom surface of the seat may converge upwards to form a rounded front region of the seat.

The seat portion 1 has a concave top surface which increases in radius of curvature until at the area of maximum thickness the curvature is negligible.

We do not think a further description is needed to enable any expert on the matter to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages that derive therefrom.

The materials, shape, size and arrangement of the components will be subject to variation so long as this does not imply an alteration falling outside the invention. The terms in which this invention has been described shall always be considered in their widest and non-limitative scope.

Claims (4)

CLAIMS:

1. Seat for vehicles, designed for use fundamentally in public vehicles such as coaches, buses, etc., essentially characterised in that it is formed of a monopiece body wherein part of the seat and part of the back, which is tilted backwards slightly, is incorporated, the part of the back forming an obtuse angle with the actual seat and having been designed such that this part of the back is longer than the seat; the wall of same progressing in thickness from the bottom to the upper part, and furthermore having a curvature whose radius increases towards the upper part, also progressively, where the back continues in a short upper section with a transverse window and a cross section above that window as the upper edge of the back, and whose section is quite thick, which continues via the sides of the back, increasing slightly in thickness, broadening out at the rear; the seat having been designed such that the seat part commences from the lower zone of that part of the back, from which there is a progressive and marked increase in the thickness of that seat until it reaches the front edge of the seat, which is bevelled at the top and bottom in a rounded shape; furthermore that part of the seat has a curved area which increases progressively in radius from the rear of same to the front, and thickens at the sides which are a continuation of the back, such thickenings merging with the maximum frontal thickness of the seat in question.

2. Seat for vehicles, in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the body that forms the seat is fixed, at its lower area, to a leg which defines an oval shaped column, and is quite narrow, originating a leg of small thickness with a more marked reduction in thickness towards the rear end than the front of same; this leg is secured at the lower end to a rectangular place with holes to secure the seat unit to the corresponding vehicle.

3. Seat for vehicles in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that in the longitudinal direction both the seat and back also offer a curved and slightly wavey shape and which, in correspondence with the back present a mildly convex-curved shape at the top and a mildly convexcurved shape at the bottom half, in respect of its longitudinal direction, whilst the seat furthermore offers a double concave and convex-curved shape to define an anatomy that adapts perfectly to the parts of the user's body and support extremities.

4. A seat for vehicles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.