GB2234166A

GB2234166A - Vehicular seat

Info

Publication number: GB2234166A
Application number: GB9013325A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shinobu Imai; Keiji Nakayama
Original assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ikeda Corp
Priority date: 1989-07-25
Filing date: 1990-06-14
Publication date: 1991-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 2010-06-14
Also published as: DE4020879A1; JPH0327754U; GB9013325D0; JPH068755Y2; DE4020879C2; FR2650231A1; FR2650231B1; GB2234166B

Abstract

An armrest supporting structure of a seat comprises a seat back 5 having a concavity 6. A pair of hinge brackets 20, 21 are secured to the seat back. A through-bolt 22 is passed through the armrest 7 and connects the hinge brackets 20, 21. The armrest is easily assembled, while maintaining a sufficient supporting strength of the armrest, and is retractable into the concavity by rotation about the bolt 23. <IMAGE>

Description

1 1 VEHICULAR SEAT el. "I - - (.:-I C.::-; This invention relates to a

seat, such as a vehicular seat,- in which an armrest is retractable in a concave formed in a seat back of the seat. such as a bench type. seat, and more particularly to an armrest structure with which the armrest is supported to be retractable in the concave formed at a side section of one of divided two sections of a seat back.

It is well known that an automotive vehicle is provided with a seat including an armrest which is retractable in a concave Qf a seat back. A bench type seat is used as a.front or rear seat of the automotive vehicle. The seat back of the seat has a concave which is located at a part of front side of the seat back. A lower end of the armrest is pivotally connected to the seat back so that the armrest is locatable in the concave. Therefore, the armrest is retractable in the concave of the seat back so that a passenger can use it by pulling out from the seat back at any time.

An example of such a conventional vehicular seat is illustrated in Fig. 5. In Fig. 5, a pair of hinge brackets 90 formed generally L-shaped are pivotally supported respectively to the opposite sides of the armrest 70 with each of screw shafts 80. An end section of the each hinge bracket 90 extends along the side surface of the armrest 70. The other end section of the hinge bracket 90 2 generally horizontally and inwardly extends along the under surface-of the armrest 70. A pair of screws 90a are fixedly and vertically secured to a horizontal section of each hinge bracket 90. Each screw 90a is fixed at the lower end of a seat back 50 defining the condave 60, through holes 60a, 60b with nuts 90b. Therefore, the armrest 70 is pivotally supported to the seat back 50. The seat back 50 is constituted by a seat back frame 100, a pad 110,and a trim cover 120. The surface of the pad 110 is covered with the trim cover 120 which is fixedly supported to the frame 100 with a trim clip 120a.

Another example of the conventional vehicular seat is shown in Fig. 6. In this arrangement, a hinge bracket 130 is fixedly connected at an end section of the seat back frame 100 defining the concave 60, by welding or the like. A side of the armrest 70 is rotatably supported to the hinge bracket 130 with a screw 80 in which the screw 80 is screwed into a nut 80a embedded in the armrest 70. A hinge bracket 140 formed L-shaped is pivotally connected to the other side of the armrest 70. The other side of the armrest 70 is rotatably supported at an end section of the Lshaped hinge bracket 130. The other end section of the hinge bracket 140 is guided to the back section of the seat back 50 through the opening 150a, 150b formed at the trim cover 120 and the seat back frame 100, and fixed thereto with a bolt 160 and a nut 160a.

However, with such conventional vehicular seats, the hinge brackets 90, 90 (130, 140) i 1 3 pivotally connected to the armrest 70 are secured to the back surface of the seat back 50 with bolts and nuts. Therefore, it is difficult to secure the armrest 70 to the seat back 50 during assembly operation without turning the seat back 50 and increasing number of parts. Furthermore, since a slight clearance is formed between the side surface of the armrest 70 and the side surface of the seat back 50, the hinge brackets 90, 140 or the like can be seen from outside, causing the seat to be degraded in its appearance.

In addition, the armrest 70 is pivotally supported at its opposite side sections only with the screw shafts 80 and the hinge brackets 90, 90 (130, 140). Accordingly, an excessive force is applied to the armrest 70 in the vicinity of the' hinge.brac.kets 90,;.90 (130, 140) when a passenger puts on his arm on the armrest 70. As a result, the lower surface of the armrest 70 excessively pushes a pad section which is located under the armrest 70. This causes the armrest to bent the pad surface under the armrest 70.

What is desired is a vehicular seat with which an assembly operation of the armrest is largely simplified and with which appearance of a seat back is largely improved.

A vehicular seat or other seat according to the present invention comprises a seat back.which includes first and second seat backs which are located side by side. The second seat back has a side section which contacts with the first seat ( z 4_ Z5 back. The second seat back has a concave which is located at the side section. A first hinge bracket is fixed to the second seat back. The first hinge bracket is located at the side section of the second seat back and disposed in the concave. A second hinge bracket is fixedly embedded in the second seat back. The second hinge bracket is located opposite to the first hinge bracket with respect to a space in the concave. A through-bolt passing through the first and second hinge brackets to connect the first and second hinge brackets. An armrest is rotatably supported on the through-bolt to be retractable in the concave.

With this arranged structure, since the armrest is rotatably connected to the seat back by screwing the through-bolt,from a side of the seat back, the arifirest is easily and certainly installed to a seat back. Furthermore, since a supporting strength of the armrest is sufficiently gained although the armrest supporting structure is formed simple and cheap, various problems, for example, to be lowered appearance of the seat back are solved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawings, like reference numerals designate like elements and parts throughout the figures in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of an embodiment of vehicular seat according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicular seat of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicular seat of Fig. 1, showing the locational 1 relation between the armrest and the seat back; Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicular seat with the armrest supporting structure according to the present invention; Fig..5 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a conventional vehicular seat; and Fig. 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of another conventional vehicular seat. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, there is shown an embodiment of a vehicular seat 1 in accordance with the present invention.

The vehicular seat 1 comprises a seat back 3 which is divided into first and second seat backs 4, 5 which are located side by side. The seat back 3 includes a pad 11 which is covered with a trim., cover 12 which is fixedly supported to a seat back frame 10 with a trim clip 12a. As shown in Fig. 3, the first seat back 4 is located at left side and the second seat back 5 is located at right side as viewed from forward of the vehicle. The second seat back 5 has a concave 6 which is formed at the lower and left side section contacting with the first seat back 4. The concave 6 is formed in the generally rectangular shape and can receive therein an armrest 7 formed in the generally rectangular shape. The armrest 7 has a through-hole 25 which is formed at an end section of the armrest 7 to be passed through by a through-bolt 22. The armrest 7 is pivotally supported through the through-hole 25 on the through-bolt 22. First and second hinge brackets 20, 21 are fixedly secured to the seat back frame 10 and perpendicularly extend from the is 6 - 10 seat back frame 10. The first and second hinge brackets 20, 21 are generally parallel with each other and located opposite to each other with respect to a space in the concave 6. Each of hinge brackets 20, 21 has a hole (no numeral) through which the through-bolt 22 passes to be supported by the hinge brackets 20, 21. The second hinge bracket 21 is embedded in the pad 11 and covered with the trim cover 12. A nut 24 into which the through-bolt 22 is screwed is fixedly connected to the second hinge bracket 21. The through-bolt 22 has a length to connect the first and second hinge brackets 20, 21. The through-bolt 22 includes a columnar body section 22b which is formed at its opposite ends with a screw section 22a and a bolt head section 22c. The through-bolt 22 passes through the hole of the first hinge bracket 20, the through-hole 25, and the hole 23 of the trim cover 12 and the hole of the second hinge bracket 21, and -further be secured to the nut 24.

While the through-bolt 22 has been shown and described to be formed straight, it will be understood that the through-bolt 22 may be formed in various shapes with a sufficient length to connect the first and second hinge brackets 20, 21. Furthermore, it will be understood that the various deformations may be made to the hinge brackets 20, 21.

With the thus arranged structure, since the installation of the armrest 7 is carried out by screwing the throughbolt 22 from the side direction of the second seat back 5, the armrest 7 is easily and certainly installed to the seat back i I i 7 5,simplifying theassembly process and with a low production cost. Furthermore, since the throughbolt 22 passes through the armrest 7, the supporting strength of the armrest 7 can be sufficieptly gained, and therefore a pad 12 located at the lower part of the concave 6 is prevented form being bent with the armrest 7. Additionally, this solvestheproblem that theappearance of the seat 1 is degraded upon exposing the hinge brackets and the like.

In addition, since the trim cover 12 is secured to the second seat back 5 by the through-. bolt 22, a fixing operation of the trim cover 12 can be facilitated.

While only oneembodiment of the vehicular seat has been shown and described, it will be understood that a variety of shapes or structures. of the seat 1 and the armrest 7 may be employed in accordance with requirements. Furthermore, it will be understood that the hole of the second hinge bracket 21 may be directly threaded.

Additionally, while the principle of the seat of the present invention is effectively utilized for a vehicular seat, it will be understood that the principle may be applied to the various seats with the armrest.

Claims

Claims:

1. A seat comprising: first and second seat backs which are located side by side, the second seat back having a side section which makes contact with the first seat back, the second seat back having a concavity which is located at the said side section; a first hinge bracket fixed to the second seat back, the first hinge bracket being located at the said side section of the second seat back and disposed in the concavity; a second hinge bracket fixed to the second seat back, the second hinge bracket being located opposite to the first hinge bracket with respect to a space in the concavity; a through-bolt passing through the first hinge bracket and connecting the hinge brackets; and an armrest rotatably supported on the through-bolt so as to be retractable into the concavity.

2. A seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second hinge bracket is embedded in the second seat back.

3. A seat as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the concavity and the armrest are generally rectangular in shape.

4. A seat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a through-hole formed at an end section of the armrest receives the through-bolt.

5. A seat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second hinge bracket is covered with a trim cover.

6. A seat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the through-bolt is straight.

7. A seat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hinge brackets are generally parallel with each other.

8. A seat as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each hinge bracket has a hole through which the through-bolt is supported on the hinge bracket.

9. A seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hole of the second hinge bracket is directly threaded so that the through-bolt is screwed therein.

10. A seat as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second hinge bracket is provided with a nut into which the through-bolt is screwed.

11. A seat as claimed in any preceding claim, being a vehicular seat.

12. A seat substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

Published 1991 at The Patent Office. State House. 66/71 High Holborn. London WCIR 47P. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch, Unit 6, Nine Mile Point. Cvmfelinfach. Cross Keys. Newport, NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray. Kent.