GB2316607A

GB2316607A - Folding seats for motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2316607A
Application number: GB9618063A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Mark Cumberlidge-Cutting
Original assignee: Johnson Controls Automotive UK Ltd
Current assignee: Adient Seating UK Ltd
Priority date: 1996-08-29
Filing date: 1996-08-29
Publication date: 1998-03-04
Also published as: GB9618063D0

Abstract

A folding seat for a motor vehicle is mounted so that the squab 11 is pivotable about an upwardly orientated axis. The seat cushion 10 is mounted on a horizontal pivot connected to the bottom of the squab 11. Preferably the headrest 12 is removable or has pivotability to allow it to be folded away. The advantage of the invention is to allow the seat to be folded into a storage position.

Description

Title: Seats for motor vehicles Description of Invention This invention relates to seats for motor vehicles, and particularly to a seat which is able to be deployed in the vehicle for use but which when not required for use is able to assume a position in which it intrudes to a lesser extent on the interior load-carrying space of the vehicle.

It is currently a common practice for some types of motor vehicles such as estate cars to be provided with an additional seat or seats enabling the carrying of more persons than the typical four passengers in addition to the vehicle's driver. Such seats are characteristically provided in the load-carrying space of the vehicle behind the conventional rear passenger seat or seats.

Commonly the additional seats are smaller than the rear passenger seats of the vehicle, so that they are more suited for the carrying of children than for large adults, but even so the arrangement of the additional seats in such a way as to not intrude too greatly on the load-carrying space of the vehicle is a problem.

It is broadly the object of the present invention to address this problem.

According to the present invention, therefore, we provide a motor vehicle seat having mounting means providing for movement of the seat relative to the vehicle pivotally about an upwardly oriented axis, whereby the seat may be placed with its squab extending either generally parallel to or outwardly from an upwardly extending service of the vehicle.

Preferably the seat has a cushion member which is secured to the squab so as to be moveable between a generally horizontally oriented seating position and an upwardly pivoted collapsed condition in which it lies in face to face relationship with the squab.

Preferably the squab of the seat is able to be adjusted in respect of its angle of inclination relative to said generally upwardly oriented axis, whereby it is enabled to lie in as close as possible a face to face relationship with said upwardly oriented surface of the vehicle when the seat is not in use.

Preferably the seat further comprises a headrest which is either removable from the squab or moveable to a storage position relative thereto.

A seat in accordance with the invention will normally be installed in a vehicle such that when the seat is deployed for use it faces in the fore and aft direction of the vehicle, preferably forwardly but possibly rearwardly. When not required to be used, the cushion of the seat may be upwardly pivoted to lie in face to face relationship with the squab, and the squab and cushion then pivoted together so as to lie substantially parallel to a side of the vehicle. In this condition, intrusion of the seat on the load space of the vehicle is minimised.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which; Figures la, ib, and ic, show a first embodiment of seat in accordance with the invention, in three operative position.

Figures 2a, 2b, and 2c, show a further embodiment, in positions as in Figure 1.

Figures 3a, 3b, and 3c, show yet a further embodiment, in successive positions as before.

Referring firstly to Figure la of the drawings, this shows a vehicle seat comprising a cushion member 10 and a squab member 11. At the top of the squab member 11, there is a headrest 12. The cushion member 10 is pivotally secured at its rear end to the bottom of the squab member 11, enabling the cushion member to be pivoted between a substantially horizontal position as shown in Figure la in which it may be sat upon, and an upwardly pivoted position as shown in Figure 1b in which it lies in face to face relationship with the squab member 11. The headrest 12 is removable from the squab member 11 as shown in Figure ib, and able to be stowed against the front of the squab member at the upper end of the upwardly pivoted cushion member, as shown in Figure ib and Figure ic.

The squab member 11 is pivotally mounted to a side part of a motor vehicle, enabling it to be moved between the position shown in Figure la and Figure lb, in which it extends transversely of the vehicle, and the position shown in Figure tc in which it lies parallel and in face to face relationship with the side of the vehicle. Such mounting of the squab of the seat to the vehicle may also include provision for the orientation of the squab to be adjusted in respect of its reclining angle, so that when the seat is to be used it may be inclined at a comfortable angle but when the seat is to be placed in the out of use position as shown in Figure ic it can lie as close as possible to the side of the vehicle.

Referring now to Figures 2a to 2c of the drawings, these show a seat which is substantially as above described in respect of the mounting of its squab member and cushion member but it differs in respect of the headrest. In Figure 2, the headrest is not completely detachable from the seat but instead is connected to the squab member of the seat by arms 15 pivoted to the squab and headrest. The headrest is able by such pivotal movement as shown in Figure 2b and 2c to assume substantially the same position relative to the squab and cushion as that in which it is shown in Figure ic, but without being detached from the seat.

Referring now to Figures 3a to 3c of the drawings, these show a further embodiment of seating in which once again the cushion member and squab member are as above described. In this embodiment, however, the headrest is carried relative to the squab by pivoted arms 16 which enable the headrest to lie in face to face engagement with the under surface of the cushion member when the latter has been pivoted upwardly to lie in face to face engagement with the squab. The headrest is shown in such a position in Figures 3b and 3c.

It will be appreciated that when the seat has been moved to the position in which it is shown in Figure lc, Figure 2c or Figure 3c, it intrudes on the load space of the vehicle to a much smaller extent than it does when in use and in the position shown in Figure la, Figure 2a, and Figure 3a.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle seat having mounting means for providing for movement of the seat, relative to a vehicle in which it is mounted, pivotally about an upwardly oriented axis, whereby the seat may be placed with its squab extending either generally parallel to or outwardly from an upwardly extending surface of the vehicle.

2. A seat according to Claim 1 having a cushion member which is secured to the squab so as to be movable between a generally horizontally oriented seating position and an upwardly pivoted collapsed condition in which it lies in face-to-face relationship with the squab.

3. A seat according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the squab is able to be adjusted in respect of its angle of inclination relative to said generally upwardly oriented axis, whereby it is enabled to lie in as close as possible a faceto-face relationship with said upwardly oriented surface of the vehicle.

4. A seat according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a headrest which is either removable from the squab or movable to a storage position relative thereto.

5. A motor vehicle having at least one seat in accordance with any one of the preceding claims installed therein.

6. A motor vehicle according to Claim 5 wherein, when the seat is disposed with its squab extending outwardly from said surface of the vehicle, the seat faces in the fore and aft direction of the vehicle.

7. A motor vehicle seat, or a motor vehicle incorporating same, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.