GB2341844A

GB2341844A - Case for use as a mobile workplace on the seat of a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2341844A
Application number: GB9922591A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Soheyla Windisch; Michael Knoller; Markus Kieninger
Original assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
Current assignee: Daimler AG
Priority date: 1998-09-26
Filing date: 1999-09-23
Publication date: 2000-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 2019-09-23
Also published as: FR2783772A1; DE19844210C1; GB9922591D0; ITRM990591A1; GB2341844B; ITRM990591A0

Abstract

In a case for use as a mobile workplace for office-type work on the seat of a vehicle, which can be used by a person who is on an adjacent seat,<BR> ```a lid 2 can be swung open about an axis in one of the longitudinal sides of the case and is connected to a lower case shell 1, which is intended for resting on the seat surface, and<BR> ```retaining devices 5, 5' are provided for connecting the case to the seat belt 8 of the vehicle seat. The retaining devices 5 comprise U-shaped clips 6 for cooperation with the belt 8 and angled pieces 7 which fit over the clips 6 when the case is in a closed condition.

Description

1 2341844 Case for use as a mobile workplace on the seat of a vehicl The

invention relates to a case for use as a mobile workplace on the seat of a vehicle, for example, for office-type work, such as, in particular, work involving writing, reading, electronic data processing and telecommunications, on the seat of a vehicle, which can be used by a person who is on an adjacent seat, A case of this type is disclosed in DE 42 03 503 Al.

The invention is concerned with the problem of providing a simply constructed, easily manipulatable and reliably acting retaining means to position the seat belt in a case of this type.

According to the present invention there is provided a case for use as a mobile workplace in which a lid is openable about an axis in one longitudinal side of the case and is connected to a lower case shell, which is intended for resting on the seat surface, and in which a closable retaining device is provided for the connection to the seat belt of the vehicle seat, which retaining device is mounted on a narrow side of the case which is intended to be facing the backrest of the seat, if the case lies on the seat in a position in which the hinge axis of the case lid lies on a longitudinal side of the case which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the retaining device comprises retaining means having at least one U- shaped retaining clip and an angled piece which covers the said U-shaped retaining clip and fits over an external U limb of the retaining clip, wherein, as far as the retairuing clip and the angled piece are concerned, one of these two parts is mounted on the case lid and the other part is mounted on the lower case shell, in each case in such a manner that when the case lid is open, the retaining clip is uncovered and when the case lid is closed, the said retaining clip is covered by the angled piece, and the retaining means furthermore include at least two regions of the seat-belt part which he next to the centre of the narrow sides of the case in the opening plane of the case.

A particular advantage of this solution resides in the fact that the retaining belt, which is put in position on the case, is fixedly enclosed in the retaining device by simply closing the case lid, without fastening means which have to be additionally provided and manipulated being required for this purpose. This has a particularly favourable effect if the retaining means are present over an at least relatively large area of the narrow side of the case and the retaining belt is also 2 sL red there in its entirety against sliding out by being completely surrounded by the retaining means.

The solution according to the invention moreover ensures that when the locks are closed, a case which is fastened to a retaining belt is also automatically secured against theft, since it cannot be removed from the retaining belt when the lid is not open.

By dividing the retaining device into retaining means each having two separate parts, one of which is in each case fastened to the lower case shell and the other to the lid, the fastening strength in the event of a crash is significantly increased. This results in particular by virtue of the fact that the two parts of the retaining means mutually interlock in a reinforcing manner. This is important, since in the event of a crash the retaining device, in the arrangement according to the invention, is subjected to tensile and bending stresses because of its position directly adjacent to the seat back (is not wrapped around the case). In the case of the retaining belt being fastened to only either the lid or the shell of the case, security of fastening, which is provided according to the invention in the event of a vehicle crash, could, if the need arises, be achieved by a considerable reinforcement in the case edge - if at all said reinforcement not being desirable for other reasons.

For a user of the case, the securing with the retaining belt according to the invention can also be manipulated in a simple manner, since the user does not have to familiarize him or herself with the functioning of additional closing devices for the retaining means and therefore also cannot misoperate such closing devices in a manner which affects safety.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a case with the lid closed, Fig. 2 shows a view of the case in an illustration according to Fig. 1 with the lid open, Fig. 3 shows a perspective illustration of the case in a position of the case on a front-passenger's seat of a vehicle with the seat belt put in position.

The case which is illustrated is composed of a lower case shell 1 and a case lid 2 which is articulated in a hinged manner on the latter. The hinge axis of the case lid 2 is situated on a longitudinal side wall of the case. On the opposite longitudinal side wall there are mounted, on the one hand, locks 3 for closing off the case lid and, on the other hand, a carrying handle 4. The case is designed in such a 3 m. er that it can be laid with the lower case shell 1 on a seat surface, for example of a front-passenger seat in a motor vehicle, to enable it to be used as a mobile workplace. The case is ftirther configured in such a manner that its correct use as a mobile workplace requires it to be co- ordinated with the person working at this workplace such that the longitudinal side of the case with the carrying handle faces towards the person concerned. In the embodiment described here, the case is one which is designed to rest on a right-hand adjacent seat to a person using, the mobile workplace. This specifically concerns the front-passengers seat of a left-hand-drive motor vehicle, which is shown in the drawing.

A retaining device 5, at which the case can be fastened to the lap belt of a seat belt on the vehicle seat concerned, consists of two retaining means 5' mounted on one of the narrow sides of the case.

Each of these two retaining means 5' consists of two parts, one of which is designed as a U-shaped retaining clip 6 and the other as an angled piece 7. In this case, the U-shaped retaining clip 6 is mounted on the edge of the lower case shell 1 and the angled piece 7 is mounted on the edge of the case lid 2, where by edges are meant in each case the open edge regions of the lower case shell 1 and of the case lid 2 when the case is open. The angled pieces 7 are designed in such a manner that when the case is closed, they fit over the particular U-shaped retaining clip 6 from the outside by means of their limb which is free in each case.

In order to insert the seat belt 8 or remove it from the U-shaped retaining clips, the case can be opened in each case, as a result of which the angled pieces 7 in each case lose their fastening function.

The edge regions of the case shell 1, on the one hand, and of the case lid 2, on the other hand, in which regions the retaining means 5', which consist of the U-shaped retaining clips 6 and the angled pieces 7, are fastened, are in each case reinforced in the regions concerned. If the case is configured, for example, as a case having a hard shell with an aluminium outer skin, the reinforcements consist, in particular, of steel.

The retaining means Ytogether with the U-shaped retaining clips 6 and the angled pieces 7 fitting over the latter provide high resistance to deformation in the event of a vehicle crash, by the angled pieces 7 fitting over the retaining clips 6. As a result, the forces which are to be absorbed by the case in the event of a crash are distributed into both halves of the case, namely onto the case shell I and the case lid 4 2ecause of the position of the retaining means 5', which position is directly adjacent to the seat back in the position of use of the case, the forces to be absorbed are essentially tensile and bending forces.

If the case for use as a workplace is to be used on a left-hand adjacent seat, the retaining means for the seat belt are to be mounted on the other narrow side of the case illustrated in the present embodiment. If the case is to be designed for both cases, namely for depositing on a right-hand and a left-hand adjacent seat, with regard to a person working at the case, the seat-belt retaining devices are to be provided on both narrow sides of the case.

A particular advantage of the case designed according to the invention resides in the fact that when the seat belt has been put into position on the case, it does not have to be wrapped around the said case and thus does not have a disruptive effect when work is being carried out at and using the case.

Claims

Claims

A case for use as a mobile workplace in which a lid is openable about an axis in one longitudinal side of the case and is connected to a lower case shell, which is intended for resting on the seat surface, and in which a closable retaining device is provided for the connection to the seat belt of the vehicle seat, which retaining device is mounted on a narrow side of the case which is intended to be facing the backrest of the seat, if the case lies on the seat in a position in which the hinge axis of the case lid lies on a longitudinal side of the case which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the retaining device comprises retaining means having at least one U- shaped retaining clip and an angled piece which covers the said U-shaped retaining clip and fits over an external U limb of the retaining clip, wherein, as far as the retaining clip and the angled piece are concerned, one of these two parts is mounted on the case lid and the other part is mounted on the lower case shell, in each case in such a manner that when the case lid is open, the retaining clip is uncovered and when the case lid is closed, the said retaining clip is covered by the angled piece, and the retaining means furthermore I include at least two regions of the seat-belt part which lie next to the centre of the narrow sides of the case in the opening plane of the case.
2. A case accordin to Claim 1, wherein the retaining devices completely 9 ZD enclose the seat belt in terms of its circumference.
3. A case for use as a mobile workplace in a vehicle, substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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