GB2299265A

GB2299265A - Vehicle seating system

Info

Publication number: GB2299265A
Application number: GB9604306A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yoshihiko Yamauchi; Masanobu Fujii; Tomoki Matsubara; Mitsuru Tanaka
Original assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ikeda Corp
Priority date: 1995-03-31
Filing date: 1996-02-29
Publication date: 1996-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-29
Also published as: JPH08268131A; JP2822920B2; GB9604306D0; GB2299265B

Abstract

To reduce labor for repositioning seats within a vehicle and to allow flexible arrangement of seat positioning for optimizing cargo space, a movable seat 3 is provided with a slide locking mechanism 33 disposed between a sliding member 12 mounting the seat and a fixed rail 7 along which the seat may be moved. Seating positions and stowed positions of the movable seat 3 are defined along the rail 7. A second locking mechanism 61 is disposed on the sliding member 12. The arrangement of the locking mechanisms 33,61 is such that the movable seat 3 may not be moved to a stowed position when the seat is unfolded, that is, when a latch pin 63 of the second locking mechanism 61 is projected. The second locking mechanism 61 is disengaged by folding the movable seat 3 to a stowed condition and movement of the seat to a stowed position is then allowed. Seat positioning flexibility, cargo space options, and passenger safety are all improved according to provision of such a seating system.

Description

VEHICI F SEATING SYSTEM The present invention relates to a vehicle seat system.

Specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle seat system provided with first, second, and third seats arranged in order from the front to rear of the vehicle floor surface.

Generally, the usual one-cabin car mounts both persons and loads; it has an average number of seats and average load storage space. In addition such a vehicle may commonly be outfitted with detachable or movable seats in addition to the front driver and passenger seats.

Such a conventional seat system has been described, for example, in Japanese Utility Model laid-open Publication No.

131533/1992 and Japanese Utility Model No. 11226/1994.

However, it is desirable to further enhance the operability and efficiency of vehicle seating systems. For example, in conventional arrangements removal of detachable seats may be complicated and involve considerable labor. Also, movable seats such as are mounted on rails attached to a vehicle floor are often cramped and may cause passenger discomfort for example when operating a seat sliding mechanism such that the space between two seats becomes narrow. Recently solutions to the problem of providing movable seats which do not unduly reduce an available cargo space have also been sought.

What would be desirable is a vehicle seating system capable of decreasing labor required for operating movable and detachable seats as well as a seating system in which cargo space is optimized by allowing folded seats to be positionable in a position spaced from the precedent seats and allowing a seat sliding mechanism to be operated in a manner such that a vehicle seat cushion is not raised from an average comfortable seat height.

For enhancing vehicle safety, it is further desirable that movable vehicle seats include sliding and locking capabilities such that the seat cannot be used for accommodating passengers unless it is positioned in a suitable location within the vehicle interior.

Thus, it would be desirable to be able to overcome the drawbacks of the related art.

It would also be desirable to be able to provide a vehicle seating system capable of decreasing labor required for operating movable and detachable seats and operable such that a movable seat cannot be used for accommodating passengers unless it is positioned in a suitable location within the vehicle interior.

It would also be desirable to be able to provide a vehicle seating system in which cargo space is optimized by allowing folded seats to be positionable in a position spaced from the precedent seats and allowing a seat sliding mechanism to be operated in a manner such that a vehicle seat cushion is not raised from an average comfortable seat height.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a seating system for an automotive vehicle, comprising: first, second and third seats, arranged consecutively from front to rear of the vehicle, one of the seat being a movable seat; a pair of rails fixed to a floor of the vehicle and arranged in parallel along a direction of movement of the movable seat, first and second engaging structures being formed in the rails for defining first seating range positions and second stowed range positions at locations other than the seating range positions; a pair of slide members formed at lower left and right sides of the movable seat and engaged with the pair of rails so as to allow sliding movement of the movable seat along the rails; first locking means configured as a slide locking mechanism disposed between each of the slide members and the rails and selectively engageable with the first engaging structures for securing the movable seat at positions within the first seating range; second locking means provided on each of the slide members, the second locking means active to engage with the second engaging structures when the movable seat is in the seating range positions and to become disengaged when the movable seat is moved out of the seating range or with the stowed range; wherein the first and second locking means are cooperable such that the first locking means is operable when the movable seat is set in the seating condition only when the second locking means is engaged with the second engaging structures, the movable seat being securable at positions within the stowed range only when the seat is set in the stowed condition.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a vehicle seat, according to the invention,and an adjustment mechanism therefor in which the seat is arranged in a folded condition; Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of the vehicle seat of Fig. 1 in which the seat is arranged in an upright position; Fig. 3 (A) is a perspective view of a seat sliding rail according to the seating system of the invention; Fig. 3(B) shows a cross-sectional view of the seat sliding rail of Fig. 3(A) at a position corresponding to a passenger accommodation range for seat positioning adjustment; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a slide locking mechanism of the invention; Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the seat adjusting mechanism of Fig. 4; and Figs. 6(A) to (D) show a schematic side view of the interior of a vehicle passenger compartment for explaining various seat positonings according to operation of the seating system of the invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Hereinbelow, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. First, referring to Fig. 6, it may be seen that a seating system according to the invention includes first, second,and third seats,numbered 1, 2,and 3 respectively, which are consecutively arranged from front to rear of the vehicle passenger cabin. According to the present embodiment, the second seat 2 is detachable and the third seat 3 is movably mounted on left and right fixed rails 7 attached to the floor of the passenger cabin. It will be noted that the fixed rails are disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle cabin and extend from a position just behind the front first seat 1.

According to the above described arrangement, four available alternative seat positioning states will be described hereinbelow with reference to Fig. 6(A) to 6(D).

In a first condition the first, second, and third seats 1 - 3 are disposed as shown in Fig. 6(A), that is, the first to third seats 1 - 3 are all disposed in an upright condition, referred to herein as a so called 'precedent' seat position in which the seat. is ready to accommodate passengers, at typical spaced out seating positions such as desirable when the vehicle is to convey a full load of passengers. Fig. 6(B) illustrates a second vehicle seating state in which the rearmost third seat 3 is disposed in a vertically folded, stowed condition (i.e. a storage position at which the seat not available for accommodating passengers); the third seat 3 is also shown in a first moved forward position along the fixed rails 7 directly behind the second seat 2.In Fig. 6(C) a third seating state is described in which the central second seat 2 is removed and the third seat 3 is at a second moved forward position in an upright condition substantially at the same position formerly occupied by the removed central seat 2. Finally, a fourth condition in which the second seat is removed and the third vehicle seat 3 is set in the folded, or stowed, position at a third moved forward position just behind the first vehicle seat 1 is shown by Fig. 6(D).

Now, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of a structure for the movable third vehicle seat 3 will be described herein below in detail.

As may be seen in the drawings, the movable third seat includes first and second slide members 12, respectively engaged with one of the left and right rails 7, for allowing forward and rearward sliding movement of the seat structure.

Leg members 14 attached to each of the sliding members are disposed at each side of the seat 3. So that the legs 14 may pivotably mount a seat back frame 15 therebetween, each of the legs 14 is provided a pivot pin 17. The seat back frame 15 mounts a seat back cushion 5 thereon. A seat back 6 of the seat back frame mounted disposed between the legs 14 via a seat adjustment mechanism 11. According to this an al armrest may be provided on each side of the movable seat 3 mounted in a rotatable manner so as to allow easy and compact operation of the movable seat 3. In addition, a headrest may preferably be provided or defined along an upper side of the seat back 6.

Forward and rearward sliding movement of the third seat 3 is facilitated by the adjustment mechanism 11, which includes the slide members 12 and the fixed rails 7. As seen in Figs. 3(A) and (B), each fixed rail 7 has a substantially quadrangular cross section having a longitudinally extending gap defined at a central position of a top side thereof. Referring again to Figs. 6(A) - 6(D), the fixed rails 7 have a length L1 whereby the third seat 3 may be disposed in first and second 'in use' third passenger accommodation ranges shown as L2 and L3. in the drawings. In addition, the third seat 3 may be disposed at 'stowed' positions at outside the passenger accommodation ranges L2 and L3. At stowed positions the seat 3 may not be used for passenger accommodation.

Each fixed rail 7 further includes an embossed groove 7a defined longitudinally along a bottom wall thereof at positions defining the third seat passenger accommodation ranges L2, L3 only. Fig. 3(B) shows a cross section of a fixed rail 7 at a portion corresponding to one of the passenger accommodation ranges L2, L3.

Also according to the present embodiment, the slide members 12 are engaged with the fixed rails 7 via a slide locking mechanism 33 which is shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. The slide locking mechanism may be set in an unlocked state by manipulation of a locking lever 35 under certain operation conditions as will be described hereinbelow.

A plurality of locking holes 37 are formed in the fixed rails 7 at positions corresponding to sitting positions of the second and thirds seats 2, 3 and a locking member 39 having a locking pawl 41 which engages the locking holes 37 is set to the slide member 12. The slide member 12 is provided with a horizontal piece 43 formed on a bracket 44 to which the leg 14 is attached, and a vertical piece 45 projected above the opening 31 of the fixed rail 7. Further, as seen in Fig. 5, left and right rollers 48 are rotatably mounted on a roller shaft 47, the rollers 48 are provided at front and rear sides of the sliding member 12.

It will be noted from the drawing that the locking member 39 has a top member 51 having a T-shaped cross section and a bottom portion having an inverted T-shape in which each end of the lower horizontal bar are bent upwards to form the L-shape of the locking pawl 41. The top member 51 is located above the horizontal piece 43 of the slide member 12 and the locking member 39 is pressed upward in a locking direction by a compression spring 54 disposed between the top member 51 and the horizontal piece 43.

According to this, when the locking pawl 41 of the locking member 39 is located below the locking pawl 37, the locking pawl 41 is pressed from the bottom to the top and secured to the locking hole 37 of the fixed rail 7.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a rotational shaft 58 is set between the right and left legs 14 for supporting the seat cushion 5. A cam 57 is secured to the rotational shaft 58 and the locking member 39 of the slide locking mechanism 33 is pressed downward by the cam 57. An operation lever 35 is connected to the rotational shaft 58.

A second locking member 61 is provided at a front side of the slide member 12. A latch pin 63 of the second locking member 61 is inserted into the embossed groove 7a formed in along the sitting ranges of the fixed rail 7. The latch pin 63 becomes projected upward in the seating ranges L2 and L3 and engages with an end of the embossed groove 7a so that the third seat 3 cannot be moved to a stowed position.

As shown in Fig. 4, the second locking member 61 has a bracket 65 secured to the horizontal piece 43 of the slide member 12, the latch pin 63 which vertically moves by being guided by guide grooves 65a and 65b of the bracket 65, and a spring 67 for pressing the latch pin 63 downward.

An operation pin 63a which is operated by an operation plate 75 is formed on the latch pin 63 by protruding horizontally.

A circular-arc groove 77 is formed on the operation plate 75 and the operation pin 63a is inserted into the circular-arc groove 77.

Moreover, a recess 75a is formed at the rear end of the operation plate 75.

A bracket 81 is secured to the rear end of the seat cushion frame 15 and a striker 83 is secured to the bracket 81. When the seat cushion S is raised to the seat back side, one side of the bracket 81 securing the striker 83 engages with the recess 75a of the operation plate 75 to rotate the operation plate 75 counterclockwise as shown in Fig. 2.

When rotating the operation plate 75 in the counterclockwise direction, the operation pin 63a inserted into the circular arc groove 77 of the operation plate 75 is pressed upward against the biasing force of the compression spring 67. When the latch pin 63 is pressed upward against the pressure of the spring 67, engagement between the bottom end of the latch pin 63 of the second locking member 61 and the end of the embossed groove 7a is released and,thereby, the third seat 3 can be moved along the fixed rail 7 to a stowed position.

When the slide locking mechanism 33 is unlocked, the slide member 12 can move forward or backward along the fixed rail 7.

However, the seating state is realized by the raised state of the seat cushion 5 only when the slide member 12 moves to a predetermined sitting position.

Thus, according to the present invention as described herein above, there is provided a seating system for a vehicle in which a third seat can be move between seating ranges without raising a seat cushion, as the latch pin of the locking member engages by projecting from the fixed rail, only when the seat is in the determined seating range. The locking engagement of the latch pin is release by raising the seat cushion to a vertical position and thus the folded seat may be positioned in stowed positions.

Further, according to the structure of the invention as herein set forth, because the third seat seating and stowed ranges are defined on the fixed rails, the latch pin of the second locking member is instead in the embossed groove formed along the seating ranges of the rail; the latch pin moves along the groove and engages with an end point thereof so that the unfolded seat cannot be moved out of the seating range. When the seat is folded, the latch pin is released and the folded seat may be moved to the stowed position.

It will be noted that, although the preferred embodiment is set forth in terms of a seating system for automotive vehicle, the present invention may be embodied in various different ways without departing from the scope of the invention as herein set forth.

The present invention in not limited only to the description as herein disclosed but may be modified and embodied in other ways without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth above.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A vehicle seating system comprising: first, second, and third seats, arranged consecutively from front to rear of said vehicle, one seat being a movable seat; a pair of rails fixed to a floor of the vehicle and arranged in parallel along a direction of movement of the said one movable seat, first and second engaging structures being formed in the rails for respectively defining a first, seating range of positions and a second, stowed range of positions at locations other than the seating range of positions; a pair of slide members provided at lower left and right sides of the said one movable seat and engaged with the pair of rails so as to allow sliding movement of the said seat along the rails;; first locking means configured as a slide locking mechanism disposed between the slide members and the rails and selectively engageable with the first engaging structures for securing the said one movable seat at positions within the first, seating range; and second locking means provided on the slide members, the second locking means being engageable with the second engaging structures when the said one movable seat is in the first, seating range of positions and becoming disengaged when the said seat is moved out of the seating range or is within the stowed range; wherein the first and second locking means are cooperable such that the first locking means is operable when the said one movable seat is set in a seating condition only when the second locking means is engaged with the second engaging structures, the said one movable seat being securable at positions within the stowed range only when the said seat is set in a stowed condition.

2. A seating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said one movable seat is the third seat, being the rearmost seat.

3. A seating system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second seat, positioned between the first and third seats, is detachable from the floor.

4. A seating system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein leg portions of the said one movable seat are attached to the left and right sliding members respectively, the leg portions pivotally mounting a seat cushion frame therebetween via a pivot pin.

5. A vehicle seating system as claimed in claim 4, wherein rotational movement of the seat cushion frame to a generally horizontal position actuates the first locking means such that the locking mechanism may be engaged via a manual operating lever, and wherein rotational movement of the seat cushion frame to a generally vertical position renders the said lever inoperable.

6. A seating system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first engaging structures comprise a plurality of locking holes formed along the rails within the said seating ranges.

7. A seating system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second engaging structures comprise grooves defined along bottom surfaces of the rails, the length of each groove corresponding to one of said seating ranges.

8. A seating system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein two seating ranges are provided, the one seating range being defined at a rear area of the interior of the vehicle and the other seating range being defined substantially at a position of the second seat.

9. A seating system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein two stowed ranges are provided, one stowed range being defined at a position corresponding to an area just behind the second seat and the other stowed range being defined at a position corresponding to an area just behind the first seat.

10. A vehicle seating system substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.