GB2378645A

GB2378645A - Vehicle seat construction

Info

Publication number: GB2378645A
Application number: GB0119328A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter John Thurgood; Peter Kevin Cook
Original assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Co
Current assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Co
Priority date: 2001-08-07
Filing date: 2001-08-07
Publication date: 2003-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-07
Also published as: GB2378645B; GB0119328D0

Abstract

The seat cushion frame is secured to the back frame by a pair of opposed connector assemblies 30 located on opposite sides of the seat, each connector comprising first 32 and second 34 latch formations secured one to each frame. The first latch may comprise projections 38,40 which enter notches 42,44 of the second latch, there being spring loaded snap catches 46 (48 Fig 3b) adjacent the notches which engage the projections. In alternative embodiments (Figs 4,5), apertures of the first latch engage spring loaded catches of the second latch. The catches of the second latch may be releasable eg by a cable (56). The notches may be lined with resilient material 44.

Description

SEAT The invention relates to a seat particularly, but not exclusively, for a motor vehicle.

The front seat cushion frame 10 of a motor vehicle seat may include channel-shaped brackets 12 mounted on opposite sides thereof, as shown in Figure 1. Corresponding connectors 16 may be provided on opposite sides of the front seat back frame 14 so that each of the connectors 16 protrudes into a channel defined by a respective bracket 12 when the seat back frame 14 is aligned with the seat cushion frame 10.

In order to mount the seat back frame 14 on the seat cushion frame 10, when the two frames 10,14 are aligned, each of the connectors 16 may be secured within the respective channel 18 at two anchor points 20,22 spaced along the length thereof, as shown in Figure 2.

This may be achieved, for example, by bolting the connectors 16 to the brackets 12 and/or securing each of the connectors 16 to one or more anchor shafts 24 located in the channel 18.

Such anchor shafts 24 are generally elongate members welded between sidewalls 26,28 of the channels 18 so that each of the connectors 16 may be snap-fittingly engaged with a respective anchor shaft 24 by means of an aperture provided in the connector 16.

The nature by which each of the connectors 16 is secured to a respective bracket 12 is dependent, to a certain degree, upon whether it is desirable to detach the seat back frame 14 to the seat cushion frame 10.

In 5-door vehicles having rear seats that are accessible via rear doors, the connectors 16 may be permanently secured to the brackets 12 at both anchor points 20,22 by bolts and/or anchor shaft receiving apertures.

In 3-door vehicles having rear seats but no rear doors, the front seats may be adapted in order to enable the seat backs to be tipped forward to permit entry/exit to/from the rear seats. For example, the connectors 16 may be releaseable to permit the seat back frame 14 to pivot about the forwardly located anchor points 20.

Regardless of whether the seat back frame 14 of a vehicle seat is to be pivotal about forwardly located anchor points 20, the use of bolts means that a vehicle seat is relatively awkward and time consuming to assemble.

This is because the connectors 16 and brackets 12 must be aligned with each other before inserting the bolts and tightening them in place.

In addition, securing the connectors of a seat back frame 14 to the brackets 12 and/or securing each of the connectors 16 to one or more anchor shafts 24 located in the channel 18 can result in a certain degree of freeplay between the components. This, in turn, can cause the components to come into contact with each other such that a certain amount of noise is generated.

According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided a vehicle seat having a seat cushion frame and seat back frame, the seat cushion frame being secured to the seat back frame by a pair of opposed connector assemblies, a first of the connector assemblies being located on one side of the seat and a second of the connector assemblies being located on the opposite side of the seat, each connector assembly including a first latch formation and a second latch formation attached to the other of said frames,

said first and second latch formations being inter-engageable to secure said frames together.

The provision of first and second latch mechanisms that are interengageable to secure the frames together is advantageous because they enable relatively quick and easy assembly of vehicle seats. They are therefore highly desirable in mass production facilities.

In addition, the provision of first and second latch mechanisms permits other components provided with same latch mechanism as the seat back to be relatively easily interchanged with the seat back. For example, the seat cushion could form a"docking station"for other components such as, for example, a table, a play station or a fridge.

Similarly, when the seat back is detached from the seat cushion, it could be relatively easily secured in another position in the vehicle having the same latch mechanism as the seat cushion. For example, the seat back may be modified to include, for example, storage modules, bags or games. In such configurations, the seat back could be temporarily secured in an alternative position in a vehicle for access to the storage modules, bags or games. In other configurations, the seat back could be temporarily secured in an alternative position in a vehicle so as to form, for example, a table.

Further advantageous features of the invention are set out in Claims 2-5 appended hereto.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic arrangement of a seat back frame mounted on a seat back cushion in a vehicle seat; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat of Figure 1 along the line I-I ; Figures 3a-3c are exploded views of a connector assembly of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is an exploded view of a connector assembly of a vehicle seat according to another embodiment of the invention; and Figures 5a and 5b show the components of a connector assembly of a vehicle seat according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to Figures 3a-3c a connector assembly 30 of a vehicle seat (not shown) according to an embodiment of the invention is shown.

The connector assembly 30 includes first and second latch formations 32,34.

The first latch formation 32 is in the form of a planar connector member 36 having two elongate projections 38,40 extending outwards from, and generally perpendicular to, a planar surface of said connector member 36.

The second latch formation 34 includes an elongate bracket insert member 35 having two notches 42, 44 located along an elongate edge 46 thereof.

The notches 42,44 are separated by a distance A that corresponds in size to the distance B separating the projections 38,40 on the connector member 36.

The second latch formation 34 also includes two hooks 46,48 (Figure 3b).

Each of the hooks 46,48 includes a first hook member 50 that defines a recess 52 for receiving a projection 38,40 therein. The first hook member 50 is pivotally mounted on the track insert member 35 in combination with a second hook member 54 mounted on the insert member 35.

A spring 53 is coupled between the first and second hook members 50,54 such that a spring bias provided by the spring 53 retains the first hook member 50 in a position wherein the recess 52 is closed by the second hook member 54.

The first hook member 50 is pivotal away from the second hook member 54, against the spring bias, in order to open the recess 52.

The hooks 46,48 are mounted on the track insert 35 so that the recess 52 defined by the first hook member 50 of each of the hooks 46,48 corresponds in position to a respective notch 42,44.

In use, the connector member 36 is secured to the side of a seat back frame so that the projections 38,40 extend away from the seat back frame. The bracket insert member 35 is secured in a channel-shaped bracket 33 (Figure 3a) provided on a respective side of a seat cushion frame.

The relative position of the hooks 46,48 of the bracket insert member 35, and the projections 38,40 on the connector member 36, is such that the

projections 38,40 engage the hooks 46,48 when the seat back frame is aligned with the seat cushion frame.

Downward movement of the projections 38,40 on the hook members 50,54 forces the first hook member 50 of each of the hooks 46,48 to pivot away from the respective second hook member 54. Such pivoting movement opens the recesses 52, and thereby enables each of the projections 38,40 to enter a respective recess 52.

When each of the projections 38,40 is received in a respective recess 52, it rests in a respective notch 42,44. The notches 42,44 serve to ensure that the connector member 36 cannot twist relative to the bracket insert member 38.

Each of the notches 42,44 may be lined with a resilient material 45 in order to prevent noise that may otherwise occur as a result of vibration of the projections 38,40 in the notches 42,44.

A cap member 56 may be positioned over the end of each of the projections 38,40 when they are engaged in the notches 42,44 and hooks 46,48. The cap members 56 serve to prevent the projections 38,40 from sliding sideways out of engagement with the notches 42,44 and the hooks 46,48.

In vehicles where it may be necessary to release the seat back frame from the seat cushion frame, the first hook member 50 of each of the hooks 46,48 may be provided with a release cable 56. Each of the release cables 56 enables the respective first hook member 50 to be pivoted in order to open the respective recess 52 and allow disengagement of the respective projection 38,40 therefrom.

For example, the rearmost hook 46 may be disengaged from the respective projection 38 in order to tip the seat back frame forwards, or the forwardmost hook 48 may be disengaged from the respective projection 40 in order to tip the seat back frame backwards in order to lie flat.

In other embodiments, the connector member 36 may be a clip member, as shown in Figure 3c, formed from a metal rod 31 that is bent in order to define the projections 38, 40 and a loop 37 for securing the connector member 36 to a seat back frame.

In yet other embodiments, the bracket insert member 38 may be dispensed with and the hooks 46, 48 may be mounted directly to a bracket secured to the side of the seat cushion frame.

Referring now to Figure 4, a connector assembly 60 of a vehicle seat (not shown) according to another embodiment of the invention is shown.

The connector assembly 60 includes first and second latch formations 62, 64.

The first latch formation 62 includes a planar connector member 66. The connector member 66 includes an elongate aperture 70 extending therethrough.

The second latch formation 64 includes a trigger member 72 across which a spring 78 is engaged in order to bias the trigger member 72 into a first position.

In use, the connector member 66 is mounted on a side of a seat cushion frame. The trigger member 72 is mounted on a bracket insert member 74

secured within a bracket provided on the side of a seat cushion frame such that the trigger member 72 extends upwards from the bracket.

When the seat back frame is aligned with the seat cushion frame an engagement portion 76 of the trigger member 72 may be engaged in the elongate aperture 70 in the connector member 66.

The spring bias provided by the spring 78 prevents the trigger member 72 disengaging from the elongate aperture 70 unless the trigger member 72 is pulled away from the connector member 66, against the spring bias.

The connector member 66 may also be secured to the bracket by means of a bolt, or other securing member extending through an aperture 68 in the connector member 66.

When the trigger member 72 is disengaged from the elongate aperture 70, the seat back frame may be tipped forwards by pivoting the connector member about the bolt extending through the aperture 68.

While the seat back frame is tipped forwards, the spring bias applied to the trigger member 72 forces the trigger member 72 to resume its rest position relative to the bracket.

When the seat back frame is tipped backwards, the trigger member 72 may be re-engaged in the elongate aperture 70 by pulling it back against the spring bias, and releasing it when the elongate aperture 70 is aligned therewith such that the engagement portion 76 re-engages in the elongate aperture 70.

Referring now to Figures 5a and 5b, a connector assembly 80 of a vehicle seat (not shown) according to yet another embodiment of the invention is shown.

The connector assembly 80 includes first and second latch formations 82,84.

The first latch formation 82 (Figure 5a) includes a planar connector member 86 that includes two generally parallel foot portions 88,90 extending from a first edge 92 of the connector member 86 in generally the same plane as the connector member 86.

Each of the foot portions 88,90 includes a generally square-shaped aperture 87,91 extending therethrough.

The second latch formation 84 includes two spring biased button members 94 (only one of which is shown in Figure 5b) on an inner surface 98 of a sidewall 100 of a channel-shaped bracket 102. The distance separating the button members 94 along the sidewall 100 corresponds to the distance separating the apertures 87,91 in the foot portions 88,90.

A shoulder portion 104 of each of the button members 94 is biased towards the centre of the channel to define a surface 101 that slopes towards the top of the side wall 100 of the bracket 102.

In use the bracket 102 is secured to the side of a seat cushion frame and the connector member 86 is secured to a respective side of a seat back frame such that the foot portions 88,90 protrude downwards therefrom.

As the seat back frame is aligned with the seat cushion frame, the foot portions 88,90 protrude into the channel defined by the bracket 102 such that they engage the sloping surfaces of the button members 94.

Continued downward movement of the connector member 86 causes the foot portions 88,90 to push against the spring bias as they travel over the sloping surfaces. Each of the button members 94 is thereby pushed against the sidewall 100 of the bracket 102 until each of the apertures 87,91 is aligned with the respective shoulder portion 104.

When the apertures 87,91 are aligned with the shoulder portions 104, the bottom edge of each foot portion 88, 90 is no longer in contact with the respective button member 94. The spring bias therefore forces the button members 94 away from the sidewall 100 and into engagement with a respective aperture 87,91.

Upon upwards movement of the connector member 86, the bottom edge of each of the foot portions 88,90 engages a respective shoulder 104 preventing movement away from the bracket 102.

The button members 94 may include release cables (not shown) that can be pulled to force the button members 94 against the inner surface 98 of the side wall 100 of the bracket 102 in order to release the foot portions 88, 90.

Claims

CLAIM

1. A vehicle seat having a seat cushion frame and a seat back frame, the seat cushion frame being secured to the seat back frame by a pair of opposed connector assemblies, a first of the connector assemblies being located on one side of the seat and a second of the connector assemblies being located on the opposite side of the seat, each connector assembly including a first latch formation attached to one of the frames and a second latch formation attached to the other of said frames, said first and second latch formations being inter-engageable to secure said frames together.

2. A vehicle seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said first latch formation includes one or more projections and said second latch formation includes one or more spring-biased hook members, the or each of said projections being snap-fittingly engageable with a respective hook member.

3. A vehicle seat as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said second latch formation further includes a plate member on which the or each of said hook members is mounted, said plate member having one or more recesses provided along an elongate edge thereof and aligned with a respective hook member such that when the or each of said projections is snap-fittingly engaged with a respective hook member said projection is received in a respective recess.

4. A vehicle seat as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the or each of said recesses includes a stop portion formed of a resilient material.

5. A vehicle seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said first latch formation includes one or more spring biased trigger members and said second latch formation includes one or more correspondingly shaped apertures formed

therein, the or each of said trigger members being receivable in a respective aperture of said second latch formation.

6. A vehicle seat generally as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in Figures 3a-3c, 4,5a and 5b of the accompanying drawings.