GB2293316A

GB2293316A - Vehicle seat with support stay

Info

Publication number: GB2293316A
Application number: GB9419165A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Richard Henshaw
Original assignee: Nissan Technical Centre Europe Ltd
Current assignee: Nissan Technical Centre Europe Ltd
Priority date: 1994-09-22
Filing date: 1994-09-22
Publication date: 1996-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-22
Also published as: GB2293316B; GB9419165D0

Abstract

A stay 7 is connected to a first location 12 on the seat back 4 so as to transmit tensile and compressive forces to the stay 7 from the seat back. The first location 12 is spaced inwardly from the vehicle body (3, 17). The other end of the stay 7 is connected to a second location on the vehicle body so as to transmit tensile and compressive forces from the stay 7 to the vehicle body. The second location is spaced rearwardly from the seat back 4. At least one end of the stay 7 is disconnectable to allow movement of the seat back 4 to an inoperative position and movement of the stay 7 to an inactive storage position (shown in chain-dotted line) in which it does not substantially obstruct the interior space of the vehicle. The stay 7 may be telescopic. <IMAGE>

Description

Vehicle Seat

This invention relates to a vehicle seat assembly and in particular to a seat assembly whose seat back is movable between a tilted inoperative position and an upright operative position.

The rear passenger seat of an estate car or hatchback usually has a seat back which can be tilted forwards to enlarge the load carrying space in the rear. It is now common to split the rear seat so that it has two tiltable seat backs, one of which is tiltable independently of the other. Usually, one of these seat backs will be wider than the other and the load carrying space is usually hidden from general view by a removable parcel shelf assembly which does not form a structural part of the vehicle.

In the upright operative position, the or each seat back of the rear passenger seat of such vehicles is releasably latched to part of the bodywork. However, as there is only a removable parcel shelf and not a structural support member to the rear of the seat backs, the inboard end of each set back is unrestrained and is only held in place by the integral structural rigidity of the seat backs.

Furthermore, there is now an increasing requirement for the upper part of the seat backs to incorporate one or more a seat belt retractors or at least a belt bearing location. This is particularly the case when three rear passengers are each to be provided with a three-point seat belt. As will be appreciated, in an impact situation, this arrangement can subject the seat back to an additional load particularly in the area where the seat belt for the rear centre seat passes over or is attached to the centre portion or inboard end of one of the seat backs. This can cause dislodgement or distortion of the seat back, unless the seat back is provided with substantial structural reinforcement, which can cause the seat to become very cumbersome and unacceptably heavy to use.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to provide a seat back with enhanced support in which the above concerns are at least alleviated.

The present invention provides an elongate stay for connecting the seat back to the vehicle body.

In particular, the invention provides a seat assembly for a vehicle, the seat assembly comprising a seat cushion and a seat back, the seat back being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position, characterised by an elongate stay for connecting the seat back to a body portion of the vehicle, first connecting means for connecting one end of the stay in an active position to a first location on the seat back in its operative position so as to transmit tensile and compressive forces to the stay from the seat back, the first location being spaced inwardly from the vehicle body, and second connecting means for connecting the other end of the stay in its active position to a second location on the vehicle body so as to transmit tensile and compressive forces fror vhe stay to the vehicle body, the second location being spaced rearwardly ;ro the seat back, at least one of the said connecting means being disconnectable for allowing movement of the seat back to the inoperative position and movement of the stay to an inactive storage position.

Preferred and optional features are set forth in the subsidiary claims.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a first embodiment of a seat arrangement in a vehicle; Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of part of the first embodiment; Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the first embodiment; Figure 4 is similar to Figure 2 and shows a second embodiment; and Figure 5 is similar to Figure 3 and also shows the second embodiment.

The seat arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3 is mounted in the rear passenger space of an automobile vehicle such as a hatchback or estate car. The seat arrangement comprises a seat 1 which is split laterally into two parts, one of which is wider than the other. Such seats are commonly known as 60:40 split rear seats. In Figure 3 only the wider part of the seat 1 is shown, and this occupies approximately z of the width of the passenger space.

The seat 1 includes a seat cushion 2 which is pivotally mounted to the floor 3 of the vehicle body so as to be forwardly tiltable to an approximately vertical position (not shown). The seat 1 also includes a seat back 4 which is also mounted to the floor 3 so as to be pivotable between an upright operative position (as shown) and a forwardly tilted inoperative position (not shown) in which it is approximately horizontal. In the operative position the outboard end of the seat back 4 is locked to a side wall portion 6 of the vehicle body by a conventional releasable latch mechanism (not shown). Such latch mechanism are commonly known in the art and will not be described, therefore, in the context of the present invention.

A bracing member, strut, or stay 7 has at one end a first articulated connector 8 comprising a latching element 9 which is pivotable about a vertical axis 11 and which is received by a releasable locking device 12 incorporated in the seat back 4 and associated with a seat belt retractor 13. The connector 8 transmits tensile and compressive forces to the stay 7 from the seat back 4, e.g. if the vehicle is subjected to a front or rear impact.

The belt retractor is of as type which is adapted to receive a latching element and which prevents belt pay-out when the latching element is not locked into the belt retractor, i.e. when the stay and the seat back are not locked together. This ensures that a passenger cannot occupy the rear centre seat and wear the seat belt unless the seat back is latched to the stay 7. Of course, the belt retractor prevents belt pay-out if it is in the wrong attitude, if it is subjected to abnormal acceleration, or if the belt is pulled abruptly, as is the normal operation for retractor type seat belts. Such retractors are well known to those skilled in the art.

The rear end of the stay 7 is provided with a second articulated connector 14 comprising a bracket 16 which is bolted or welded to a side wall 17 of the vehicle body and which allows the stay 7 to pivot about a vertical axis 18, as shown in Figure 4. The connector 14 transmits tensile and compressive forces from the stay 7 to the vehicle body. Thus, as best seen in Figure 2, the stay 7, the seat back 4, and the side wall 17 together constitute a generally triangular frame. Accordingly, the stay 7 reinforces the seat back (in the region of the centre seat-belt) against distortion or dislodgement dueby forces arising from accidental impact, whether from the front or the rear. The reinforcement provided by the triangular frame is enhanced by an elongate reinforcing plate 19 which is fixed on the seat back 4 and which extends across the seat back between the locking device 12 and a point lying directly ahead of the bracket 16.

When the seat back 4 is to be tilted forwards, the connector 8 is released from the locking device 12; the seat back 4 is unlatched from the vehicle body and tilted forwards to its inoperative position; and the stay is swung about the axis 18 from its active position (shown in full line in Figures 1 to 3) to an inactive or storage position (shown in chain-dotted line in Figure 2) in which it lies close to the side wall 17 of the vehicle body and extends substantially in the fore and aft direction of the vehicle so that it does not substantially obstruct the interior space of the vehicle.

The reverse procedure is adopted when the seat back is to be raised again to its operative position. Movement of the stay 7 between its active and inactive positions is facilitated by a toggle 21 comprising a first link 22, which has one end pivoted to a bracket 23 fixed to the side wall 17 and the other end carrying an operating handle 24, and a second link 26, which has one end pivoted to an intermediate portion of the stay 7 and the other end pivoted to an intermediate portion of the first link 22. Springs 27 act on the toggle 21 so as to tend to urge the stay 7 to its active position. By the use of the toggle 21 the connector 8 can be easily located adjacent the locking device 12, facilitating latching of the seat back 4 to the stay 7.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment, in which the stay 7 is telescopic and is extended in its active position. A releasable locking device 28 locks the stay 7 in its extended condition and also locks it in its retracted condition (shown in chain-dotted line in Figure 4). A telescopic strut 29 (containing a spring or compressed gas) urges the stay 7 from the inactive or stowed position to the active position. As with the embodiment shown in Figure 2, this ensures that the stay 7 can readily be locked to the seat back 4 when the seat back is to be returned to its operative substantially upright position.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. For example, the stay 7 could be connected to the floor 3 instead of to the side wall 17 so that it extends in a substantially vertical plane rather than in a horizontal plane.

Instead of being detachable from the seat back, the stay could be detachable from the vehicle body, so that when the seat back is moved to its inoperative position, the stay pivots to an inactive position in which it is parallel to the seat back.

Alternatively, both ends of the stay could be disconnectable, so that the stay could be stowed in any convenient location (such as a well in the floor or trunk area side panel of the vehicle) where it does not substantially obstruct the interior space of the vehicle.

Claims

Claims:

1. A seat assembly for a vehicle, the seat assembly comprising a seat cushion and a seat back, the seat back being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position, characterised by an elongate stay for connecting the seat back to a body portion of the vehicle, first connecting means for connecting one end of the stay in an active position to a first location on the seat back in its operative position so as to transmit tensile and compressive forces to the stay from the seat back, the first location being spaced inwardly from the vehicle body, and second connecting means for connecting the other end of the stay in its active position to a second location on the vehicle body so as to transmit tensile and compressive forces from the stay to the vehicle body, the second location being spaced rearwardly from the seat back, at least one of the said connecting means being disconnectable for allowing movement of the seat back to the inoperative position and movement of the stay to an inactive storage position.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the first location is in an upper portion of the seat back.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the second location is on a lateral wall portion of the vehicle body.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the second location is at substantially the same height as the first location, the sty being substantially horizontal in the active position.

5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which at least one of the said connecting means is articulated.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5, in which one of the connecting means is disconnectable and the other connecting means is articulated, so as to allow the stay to be swung between the active and inactive positions.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the said one connecting means is the second and the said other connecting means is the first.

8. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which an elongate reinforcing member fixed on the seat back extends across the seat back between the first location and point lying directly ahead of the second location.

9. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the seat back carries a seat belt retractor aligned with the first location.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 9, in which the seat belt retractor prevents belt pay-out if the first connecting means is disconnected.

11. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the stay is telescopic and is extended in its active position, locking means being provided for locking the stay in its extended condition, the telescopic stay being retracted in its inactive position.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 11, in which the stay includes means for locking it in its retracted condition.

13. A seat assembly for a vehicle, substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.