GB2269987A

GB2269987A - "Seat"

Info

Publication number: GB2269987A
Application number: GB9218008A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Charles Restall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-08-25
Filing date: 1992-08-25
Publication date: 1994-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 2012-08-25
Also published as: GB9218008D0; FR2695085B3; GB2269987B; FR2695085A3

Abstract

A seat suitable for installation in a minibus with a backrest (11) of the seat above a wheel arch has legs (13, 14) and respective struts (20, 21) pivoted (22) to and extending from a cushion support (16) downwards and rearwards to the legs. Lower end portions of the struts are guided (23) for movement along the legs, when the cushion support is pivoted (19) upwardly to fold the seat. Alternatively, the seat may be installed in trains, trams, boats, aircraft. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Seat" Description of Invention The present invention relates to a folding seat comprising a backrest.

a cushion support, a cushion mounted on the suppon, a leg and means defining a pivot axis, about which the support and the cushion can pivot relative to the leg between an extended position and a retracted position The invention has been devised primarily for use in road vehicles, for example minibuses, but ma be used in trains, trains, boats, aircraft and other vehicles and in other situations when folding seats are required Folding seats are required in minibuses which are used, occasionally, to transport passengers in wheelchairs. In order to provide space to accommodate the wheelchairs, seats installed permanentlv in the vehicle are required to be folded to a compact configuration.

A suitable, known seat has a pair of fixed, rear legs which remain stationans during folding of the seat and a substantially U-shaped front leg which is pivotally connected with the support for the cushion. A respective link extends from each rear leg to the front leg. When the seat cushion is pivoted upwards from its extended position, the links cause the front leg to fold towards the cushion support so that the front leg does not protrude significantly from the cushion support and cushion, when the latter is in the retracted position.

This known seat is a strong and stable structure which has been regarded as satisfactory for many years.

The known folding seat hereinbefore described defines a clear space between the rear legs. Accordingl), the seat is suitable for installation over a wheel arch in a vehicle, provided that the height of the wheel arch is less than the height of the underside of the cushion support, Vehicles are now available with relatiTelv low decks in the passenger compaxument and installation of the no on folding seat hereinbefore described over the wheel arch in such a vehicle is impracticable. because of the height of the top of the wheel arch from the deck. There have been installed in such vehicles, over the wheel arch, an alternative seat in which the cushion support is a cantilever and has no front leg.When in the extended position the cushion of this alternative seat lies in front of the wheel arch.

It will be understood that references herein to front and rear are references to the seat, not to the vehicle.

The known cantilever seat is unsatisfactoN. because the high loads imposed on components of the seat in use cause deformation of those components and the cushion support is not sufficiently stable, when the seat is in use.

According to the present invention, there is provided a folding seat comprising a back rest, a cushion support, a cushion mounted on the support. a leg, means defining a pivot axis, about which the support and the cushion can pivot relative to the leg from an extended position to a retracted position, a strut pivotally connected adjacent to one of its end with the support and guide means for guiding an opposite end portion of the strut for movement along the leg during pivoting of the support.

The preferred seat fttther comprises an abutment for limiting do'onward movement of the guide means along the leg.

The pivot axis may be above the level of the uppermost part of the strut, when the support is in the extended position, and may be spaced rearwards from the leg. Thus, the seat is suitable for installation with the pivot am over a relatively tall wheel arch, with the cushion of the seat being in front of the wheel arch, at least partly below the level of a top of the wheel arch.

There is also provided in accordance uath the invention a road vehicle defining a passenger compartment and having a wheel arch which protrudes into the passenger compartment with a seat embodying the invention mounted in the passenger compartment with the backrest of the seat above the wheel arch and a top of the wheel arch above the level of the lowest part of the cushion support.

An example of a seat embodying the invention will now be described.

with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a front elevation of the seat; FIGURE 2 shows diagrammatically a partial cross-section on the line II-II of Figure 1, the seat being in an extended configuration. and FIGURE 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 shou/incr the seat in the contracted configuration.

The seat illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a generally horizontal frame 10, on which there is supported a backrest 11, the backrest extending upwards from the frame. The seat is intended for installation in a road vehicle having a passenger compartment into which a wheel arch protrudes, the backrest 11 being disposed over the wheel arch.

The frame 10 is preferably secured to the wheel arch or to a wall of the vehicle and apertured lugs, one of which is represented at 12, are provided at the rear of the frame 10 for this purpose.

The seat further comprises a left leg 13 and a right leg 14. Each of these legs is rectilinear and vertical, being rigidly connected with the frame 10 at the front of the frame and extending downwards from the frame to a deck of the passenger compartment. An apertured lug or other formation suitable for use in fixing the leg to the deck is provided at the lower end of each leg.

The legs 13 and 14 are preferably positioned somewhat forwards of the backrest 11. The wheel arch lies immediately behind the legs, when the seat is installed in the vehicle.

The seat further comprises a cushion 15 and a support 16 for the cushion. When the support and cushion are disposed in the extended position represented in Figure 2, the support underlies the cushion, which is attached thereto. The support includes right hand and left hand, cranked arms 17 and 18, which extend away from the cushion 15 between the legs 13 and 14 to the frame 10. Respective pivots are provided for connecting the arms 17 and 18 with the frame for pivoting relative thereto about a pivot axis 19 which is spaced rearwards from the legs and which may lie above the wheel arch.

When the cushion 15 is in the extended position it lies at least partly below the level of the axis 19 and is spaced fonvards from the wheel arch and from the legs 13 and 14.

The cushion 15 and support 16 can be pivoted relative to the legs 13 and 14 to the retracted position represented in Figure 3. in which the cushion 15 lies above the frame 10 and may at least partly overlie the wheel arch. As shorn in Figure 3. when the support is in the retracted position, it does not extend forwards a significant distance beyond the legs 13 and 14.

The seat further comprises a pair of struts 20 and 21, each extending from a respective one of the legs 13 and 14 to the cushion support 16. In the example illustrated, the struts are rectilinear and are connected with the support for pivoting relative thereto about a common axis 22 which is adjacent to corresponding ends of the struts. Opposite end portions of the struts are provided with guide means for guiding theSe opposite end portions of the struts upwardly and downwardly along the legs 13 and 14. The guide means is preferably adapted to slide on or in the legs.

In a particular example of seat represented in the drawings, the guide means comprises an elongated, rectilinear guide member 23 which extends from the leg 13 to the leg 14. Each of the legs defines a channel having an open mouth which faces towards the other leg and opposite end portions of the guide member 23 are received in these channels with sliding clearance.

The end portions of the guide member 23 which are received in the channels of the legs are circular, as viewed along the member 23 and can turn about the longitudinal axis of the member relative to the legs. Accordingly, the struts 20 and 21 are rigidly attached to the guide member 23, for example by welding.

An abutment is provided for limiting the downward movement of the guide member 23 relative to the legs 13 and 14. In the example illustrated, the abutment is a rail 24 which extends between and is rigidly secured to the legs 13 and 14. When the cushion and support are in the extended position represented in Figure 2, the guide member 23 rests on the rail 24 substartlally throughout the length of the guide member. When the support is in this position, each of the struts 20 and 21 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the axis 22 to a lower part of the corresponding leg. It will be noted that the rail 24 is spaced upwards from lower ends of the legs. It will also be noted that the axis 22 lies nearer to a front extrern1te of the support 16 than to the axis 19.

The cushion 15 and support 16 can be pivoted from the extended position to the retracted position by applying upwards force to the support 16 at the front of the seat. The guide member 23 is drawn upwards along the legs 13 and 14 by the struts 20 and 21, which swing on the support 16. Catches may be provided to engage the struts when the retracted position is reached, releasably to retain the support in the retracted position.

The seat illustrated in the accompanying drawings may be modified by positioning the axis 19 in alinmept with the legs 13 and 14 or even in front of the legs. In a case where the seat is relatively long. for example suitab]e for accommodating three or four persons, the seat mav include a further leg situated bcreen the legs 13 and 14 and a strut having one end guided for sliding up and down on the other leg and being pivotally connected adjacent to its opposite end with the cushion support 16. Alternative arrangements for guiding the lower end portions of the struts on the legs may be used. For example, the legs may each be formed as a lipped channel, the mouth of which is partly closed by opposite lips to trap inside the leg a slider which is pivotally connected with the corresponding strut. A frrther alternative which may be used is a hollow slider on the outside of each leg, the slider being pivotally connected with the corresponding strut.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in the terms of means for performing the desired function. may, separatelv or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A folding seat comprising a backrest, a cushion support, a cushion mounted on the support, a leg, means defiiig a pivot axis about which the support and cushion can pivot relative to the leg from an extended position to a retracted position, a strut pivotally connected adjacent to one of its ends with the support and guide means for guiding an opposite end portion of the strut for movement along the leg during pivoting of the support.

2. A seat according to Claim 1 further comprising an abutment for limiting downward movement of the guide means along the leg.

3. A seat according to Claim 2 wherein the abutment is above the bottom end of the leg.

4. A seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the strut is rectilinear.

5. A seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pivot axis is above the level an interface between the cushion and the support, when in the extended position.

6. A seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pivot axis is spaced rearwards from the leg.

7. A seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the leg is spaced rearwards from the cushion, when in the extended position.

8. A seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the strut is connected with the support at a position which, when the support is in the extended position is nearer to a front extrernitr of the support than to the pivot axis.

9. A seat according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a further leg and wherein the legs are spaced laterally from each other.

10. A seat according to Claim 9 comprising a further strut and wherein the struts extend from the support to respective ones of the legs.

11. A road vehicle defining a passenger compartment and having a wheel arch which protrudes into the passenger compartment, wherein a seat according to any one of the preceding claims is mounted in the passenger compartment, the backrest is above the wheel arch, the wheel arch is behind the cushion, when the cushion is in the extended position, and a top of the wheel arch is then above the level of the lowest part of the support.

12. A vehicle according to Claim 11 wherein the leg is or legs are substantially vertical when the vehicle stands on level ground.

13. A seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.