GB2412848A

GB2412848A - Vehicle seat assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2412848A
Application number: GB0408067A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stewart Callegari; Norman Snowdon; Tim Disney; Phil Dickens
Original assignee: Nissan Technical Centre Europe Ltd
Current assignee: Nissan Technical Centre Europe Ltd
Priority date: 2004-04-08
Filing date: 2004-04-08
Publication date: 2005-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2024-04-08
Also published as: GB0408067D0; GB2412848B

Abstract

A seat assembly for a vehicle comprises a seat back 22, a seat member 12 and storage volume 32 located beneath a movable seat portion 18. The seat portion 18 is movably mounted at or near a front side of the assembly and can be moved between a first position in which the seat portion defines a seating surface, and a second position in which the seat portion is raised to allow access to the storage volume. Preferably the seat portion is provided with shelf 36 which faces an occupant of the seat. The shelf 36 is suitable for carrying a DVD player or laptop computer. The seat portion may also include a visual display screen.

Description

24 1 2848

SEAT ASSEMBLY

FOR USE IN A VEHICLE

The invention relates to an adaptable seat assembly for use in a vehicle and, in s particular, to a seat assembly for use in an automobile vehicle. The invention also relates to a vehicle provided with such a seat assembly.

One of the concerns for vehicle designers currently is to maximise the storage space available for carrying items of luggage within the vehicle. For vehicles lo intended for family use, it is a particular requirement to maximise the storage space available in the rear of the vehicle where child passengers are usually carried and, thus, where there is a need to accommodate children's books, games and toys, for example. It is another concern of vehicle designers to provide vehicle users with the option of carrying multiple passengers in the rear of the Is vehicle, or at least to provide a versatile seating arrangement which provides the vehicle user with the option to do so.

By way of background to the invention, it is acknowledged that it is known to provide a so-called centre-console in the front of the vehicle, where an arm rest go for the driver and/or front seat passenger doubles as a storage container. When in a closed position, a flip-up lid of the console closes a container volume for storing smaller items of luggage and defines a surface upon which the driver and/or front seat passenger can rest his or her arm. When the flip-up lid is opened, the arm rest facility disappears and the container volume can be Is accessed. Such console arrangements can be accommodated relatively easily between the front driver and passenger seats of a vehicle, but due to their bulk and volume they cannot be accommodated conveniently in the rear of family vehicles, in particular, where there is often a requirement to accommodate at least two passengers on the rear vehicle seat.

The concern to maximise storage space in the rear of the vehicle is thus currently s not compatible with the desire to maximise vehicle seating space. It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat assembly which addresses this incompatibility.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a seat assembly lo suitable for use in the rear of a vehicle, the seat assembly including: a seating member which defines a seating surface for at least one vehicle passenger and a seat back member which defines a back rest surface for the vehicle passenger, the seating member and the seat back member being arranged to meet at a rear side of the seat assembly, and a storage volume for storing luggage, wherein the seating member includes a seat portion, or seat cushion, which is movable mounted at, or in a region of, a front side of the seat assembly so as to allow movement between a first, lowered position in which a first surface of the seat portion defines a part of the seating surface and the storage volume is closed, and a second, elevated position in which the seat portion is raised to open the storage volume, thereby to permit access thereto.

The invention is particularly suitable for use in a family vehicle, as a rear seat assembly of the vehicle, as the storage volume defines a suitable volume for storing relatively small items of luggage, for example books, sweets, a personal stereo, CDs or tapes.

In a preferred embodiment, the seating member includes first and second outer seat portions and an intermediate or middle seat portion, wherein the middle seat portion is that portion which is movably mounted upon the assembly.

Preferably, the movable seat portion includes a first surface which defines the part of the seating surface when in its lowered position and a second, reverse o facing surface (i.e. the reverse-facing surface from the first surface) which is provided with shelf means.

The shelf means may include a hinge- or pivot-mounted shelf which is movable into a shelf-raised position, in which an item may be carried on the shelf, and a shelf-lowered position in which the shelf lies against the reverse-facing surface.

In particular, the shelf provides a suitable surface for supporting a DVD, computer laptop or other electronic equipment having a visual display screen, as the screen can be oriented conveniently to face the seated passenger when the go item is mounted upon the shelf.

In addition to the shelf means, or as an alternative, the seat assembly may comprise a visual display screen which forms an integral part of the movable seat portion. For example, the visual display screen may form a part of a DVD player :5 or a computer system, said visual display screen being mounted upon or within the reverse-facing surface of the seat portion to form an integral part thereof. The DVD or computer may thus form an integral part of the seat assembly, with other electronic components thereof being integral with the movable seat portion and/or another part of the seat assembly.

In a preferred embodiment, the storage volume is defined by a storage container s or receptacle located beneath the seating member. In conventional vehicles, that space beneath the middle region of the rear seat is often unused, whereas the present invention allows for effective use of this space.

The seat assembly typically includes a seat support frame for supporting the lo seating member. Conveniently, the storage container is detachably mounted upon the seat support frame.

In one embodiment, the seat assembly includes pivot mount means for allowing pivotal movement of the seat portion between the first and second positions. For example, the pivot mount means may include a pivot bar mounted upon the front side of the seat assembly, said movable seat portion being mounted upon the pivot bar. Alternatively, a hinge arrangement may be provided to allow movement of the movable seat portion.

go The seat assembly may further comprise releasable locking means for holding the seat portion in the elevated position. In the event of vehicle acceleration and deceleration, the locking means serves to maintain the seat portion in a locked, elevated position to prevent inadvertent lowering thereof.

Is In one embodiment, the releasable locking means includes a ratchet mechanism.

Alternatively, the releasable locking means may include a detent and pawl arrangement. s

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle having a seat assembly of the first aspect of the invention. The seat assembly may form a rear seat assembly of the vehicle for seating vehicle passengers behind a vehicle driver. This is particularly advantageous where it is required to carry child s passengers in the rear of the vehicle, as the movable seat portion and storage facilities are ideal for use by children. For example, children can rest games, toys or a DVD player on the shelf means of the movable seat portion, whilst space is also made available for storing items of luggage within the volume beneath the seating member.

In an alternative embodiment, the seat assembly of the vehicle may form a front seat assembly of the vehicle for seating a vehicle driver, and one or more front seated vehicle passengers.

Is For the purpose of this specification, references to the front and rear of the vehicle shall be taken to mean, respectively, that part of the vehicle where a seat for the vehicle driver is provided and that part of the vehicle behind the vehicle driver's seat (that is, either immediately behind the driver or separated therefrom by means of an intermediate seat or other assembly).

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seat assembly of a first embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the seat assembly in Figure 1, when a movable seat cushion thereof is opened to expose a storage container of the assembly, Figure 3 shows a seat support frame for the seat assembly in Figures l and 2, Figure 4 is a perspective view, similar to that shown in Figure 2, to illustrate locking of the movable seat cushion in its open position, and Figures 5 and 6 are views, from two different perspectives, of the seat assembly lo in the preceding Figures to illustrate additional features thereof.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a seat assembly, referred to generally as 10, takes the form of a so-called 'bench seat' which is commonly provided in the rear of automobile vehicles. The bench-type seat assembly 10 is suitable for Is accommodating two passengers, at least, and is thus particularly suitable for use as a rear seat assembly in a family vehicle where child passengers often occupy the rear vehicle seats. A seating member of the assembly, referred to generally as 12, is mounted upon a seat support frame (not shown in Figure 1). The seat support frame I 1 can be seen in Figure 3 and includes a peripheral frame 1 la so carrying front-to-rear cross members 1 lb and a plurality of seat belt clasps 1 lc.

The seating member 12 defines seating surfaces for the rear seat occupants. In the seat configuration shown in Figure 1, possible first, second and third seat positions are provided by means of respective first, second and third adjacent seat portions 16, 18, 20 of the seating member 12. The first and third seat portions 16, take the form of outer seat cushions and the second seat portion takes the form of a middle seat cushion 18. In an alternative arrangement, the seating member 12 may accommodate just two seated passengers, one being seated on each of the outer seat cushions 16, 20 with each sharing the middle seat cushion 18 to provide an enlarged seating surface area for each passenger.

s The seat assembly 10 includes a front or forward side lOa which is located further towards the front of the vehicle compared with a rear side 1 Ob of the assembly 10 which is located further towards the vehicle rear. That part of the seating member 12 towards the rear side lob of the assembly connects, or otherwise meets, with a generally upright seat back member or seat backrest 22.

lo The seat backrest 22 defines a back rest surface for a seated passenger in any of the first, second and/or third seat positions. Preferably, the seating member 12 and the seat backrest 22 are in hinged or pivotal connection so as to allow folding of the seat backrest 22 relative to the seating member 12, as is commonly known in vehicles.

As can be seen most clearly in Figure 2, the middle seat cushion 18 is movably mounted to the front side lea of the seat assembly 10 via a pivot mount means (not shown) so as to allow pivotal movement of the middle seat cushion 18 between a lowered position and a raised or elevated position. The pivot mount so means typically takes the form of a pivot bar which is mounted, at opposite ends thereof, to respective pivot points on the outer seat cushions 16, 20. The pivot points may be fixed to any part of the outer seat cushions 16, 20, at or in the region of the front side lea of the assembly. The front side of the middle seat cushion 18 is mounted upon the pivot bar so as to allow pivotal movement as thereof relative to the outer seat cushions 16, 20, which are fixed to the seat support frame 11.

Figure 1 shows the middle seat cushion 18 when it is lowered and Figure 2 shows the middle seat cushion 18 when it is raised. When in the lowered position of Figure 1, a first, upper surface 24 of the middle seat cushion 18 defines a seating surface, or part of a seating surface, for a passenger. When in the raised position, the middle seat cushion 18 is pivoted upwards relative to the remainder of the seating member 12 so that the upper surface 24 faces towards the front of the vehicle, exposing a second, reverse-facing surface 26 of the seat cushion 18.

When the movable seat cushion 18 is in its lowered position in which it locates between the outer seat cushions 16, 18, the reverse-facing surface 26 is face o down and hidden from view. When the movable seat cushion 18 is raised, the reverse-facing surface 26 faces a seated passenger. A pull-tab 28 is provided on the rear side of the middle seat cushion 18 to allow convenient dislodgement of the middle seat cushion 18 from the remainder of the seating member 12 when it is to be raised out of the position in Figure 1 into the position in Figure 2.

For reasons that will become apparent, it is an important feature of the invention that the movable seat cushion 18 is mounted at, or in a region of, the front side lea of the seat assembly 10 so that when the seat cushion 18 is raised the reverse facing surface 26 thereof is facing rearwards in the vehicle, thus facing a seated passenger.

The middle seat cushion 18 is provided with a spring-loaded ratchet mechanism (not shown) which serves to hold the middle seat cushion 18 in the elevated position to avoid inadvertent lowering thereof. The ratchet mechanism includes a :5 toothed ratchet wheel, having a plurality of slanted teeth, and a spring-biased ratchet pawl. The ratchet wheel is provided on one of the outer seat cushions 16, and the pawl is provided on the middle seat cushion 18. When the middle seat cushion 18 is pivoted forwards, the pawl is urged to slide over the ratchet wheel teeth by means of the spring force. The ratchet pawl is releasable from the ratchet wheel by means of a push-button 30 provided on the front side of the middle seat cushion 18, which acts against the spring force to disengage the pawl from the teeth when it is required to lower the middle seat cushion 18 to the position shown in Figure 1.

In an alternative embodiment, it may be desirable for the pivot bar to be mounted to pivot points on the underlying seat support frame 11, being a more rigid lo structure, rather than on the outer seat cushions 16, 20. The ratchet wheel of the ratchet mechanism may also be provided on the seat support frame 11, for example on the peripheral frame 1 la thereof (as shown in Figure 3).

The process of raising and lowering the middle seat cushion 18 will now be described with reference to Figure 4. The middle seat cushion 18 is pivoted forwards about the pivot bar (i.e. in the direction of arrow X) by means of the pull-tab 28. The middle seat cushion 18 is over-pivoted forwards beyond its elevated rest position and is then pivoted rearwards through a small amount (as indicated by arrow Y) causing the pawl to lock between adjacent ratchet teeth. In so order to release the ratchet mechanism, the push-button 30 is operated to disengage the pawl from the toothed wheel, against the spring force. The middle seat cushion 18 is over-pivoted forwards slightly (i.e. in the direction of arrow X) to clear the previously engaged teeth and is then pivoted fully rearwards (arrow Y) towards the lowered position in which it locates between the outer seat Is cushions 1 6,1 8.

It is important that an adequate locking means is provided to hold the middle seat cushion 18 securely in its elevated position, thus avoiding inadvertent closure in the event of vehicle acceleration and/or deceleration. However, other forms of releasable locking mechanisms, other than ratchet mechanisms, are also envisaged.

The seat assembly 10 includes a storage volume 32 which is located beneath the seating member 12 in the region of the middle seat cushion 18, thus forming a volume within the seat support frame 11. This volume is usually unused in a lo vehicle, but in the present invention the volume 32 houses a storage receptacle or container 34, the depth of which may be as great as that between the underside of the seating member 12 and the vehicle floor (not shown). The middle seat cushion 18 provides a lid for the storage container 34 so that when the middle seat cushion 18 is raised the storage container 34 is made accessible, but when the middle seat cushion 18 is closed stored items within the container 34 are hidden from view. Furthermore, when the middle seat cushion 18 is closed, no seating surface area is lost in the rear of the vehicle due to all three seat cushions 16, 18, 20 lying substantially flush with one another.

so The storage container 34 provides a particularly suitable storage volume for children's toys, books, CDs, sweets, sunglasses or other small items of luggage8 which, by virtue of the movable middle seat cushion 18, can be hidden from view when the seat cushion is closed. Preferably, the storage container 34 is detachably mounted to the seat assembly 10 to enable convenient removal therefrom, if Is required, for loading and unloading purposes.

Referring also to Figures 5 and 6, the reverse-facing surface 26 of the middle seat cushion 18 is provided with a shelf means in the form of a hinge- or pivot- mounted shelf 36. It will be appreciated that in Figures 5 and 6, part of the seat backrest 22 has been removed to show the shelf feature of the middle seat s cushion 18 more clearly. The shelf 36 is hingedly movable between a shelf-raised position (Figure 6), in which the shelf 36 defines a horizontal support surface, and a shelf-lowered position (Figure 5) in which the shelf 36 folds substantially flat against the reverse-facing surface 26 of the middle seat cushion 18. Suitable support means (not shown) may be provided to support the shelf 36 from its lo underside when it is raised.

Due to the positioning of the pivot mount means on the front side of the seat assembly 10, it will be appreciated that when the middle seat cushion 18 is raised the reverse-facing surface 26 of the middle seat cushion 18 faces the seated passenger. The shelf 36 is therefore particularly suitable for use in supporting children's books or toys, or electronic equipment such as a CD or DVD player or a laptop computer. It is preferable, therefore, for the seat assembly 10 to be provided with an electrical connection means (not shown) to provide shelf- mounted equipment with the necessary power for operation. The electrical so connection means may take the form of an electrical socket which may be provided on a part of the seat support frame 11. For example, the electrical socket may be accessed through an opening in the base of the storage container 34. In another embodiment, the electrical socket may be provided in the front centre console of the vehicle, at a location accessible conveniently from rear vehicle Is seats. An additional electrical socket can be accommodated easily in the front centre console, as this unit includes electrical wiring for other purposes (for example, handbrake warning signal, electric windows). Wherever it is provided, the electrical socket for the shelf-mounted electrical components connects with the vehicle battery through appropriate electrical wiring.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the middle seat cushion 18 may be s provided with a visual display screen with which a portable DVD or laptop computer may be used, for example. Alternatively, the visual display screen may itself form part of a DVD or computer system, which forms an integral part of the seat assembly l O. In this embodiment, an appropriate user interface may be provided on the reverse-facing surface 26 of the middle seat cushion 18 (for lo example, a keypad) and the middle seat cushion 18 itself may contain the appropriate electronics for disc-loading and reading.

A further alternative embodiment provides an integral DVD/CD or computer system in combination with the hinge-mounted shelf 36.

In the aforedescribed examples, the seating member 12 of the seat assembly 10 is typically made thinner than a conventional seating cushion, particularly due to the requirement for the middle seat cushion 18 to be manoeuvrable easily between its lowered and raised positions. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that although in the embodiment shown it is the middle seat cushion of three that is pivotally movable to expose the storage container 34, any one or more of the three seat cushions may be movable in this manner to provide the advantages of the invention. Alternatively, the seating member 12 may comprise only two seat cushions, one or both of which may be movable.

An alternative means of moving the seat cushion 18 may be provided instead of a pivot means, for example a hinged mounting arrangement may allow hinged movement of the movable cushion.

s In another embodiment, the ratchet mechanism may be replaced by a less complex detent and pawl arrangement for securing the middle seat cushion 18 in the elevated position.

It will be appreciated that although the seat assembly 10 of the invention is lo particularly suitable for use in an automotive vehicle, and especially in the rear of an automotive vehicle, the seat assembly 10 may have application in other modes of transport, for example on trains and aeroplanes. The appended claims are thus not intended to limit the scope of the invention in this regard.

Claims

l. A seat assembly (10) suitable for use in a vehicle, the seat assembly (10) including: a seating member (12) which defines a seating surface for at least one vehicle passenger and a seat back member (22) which defines a back rest surface for the or each vehicle passenger, the seating member (12) and the seat back member (22) being arranged to meet at or a rear side (lob) of the seat assembly (10), the seat assembly (10) further comprising a storage volume (32) for storing luggage, wherein the seating member (12) includes a seat portion (18) which is movable mounted at, or in the region of, a front side (lea) of the seat assembly (10) so as to allow movement thereof between a first position in which a first Is surface (24) of the seat portion (18) defines a part of said seating surface and in which the storage volume (32)is closed, and a second position in which the seat portion (18) is raised to open the storage volume (32), thereby to permit access thereto.

no
2. The seat assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seating member (12) includes first and second outer seat portions (16, 20) and a middle seat portion (18), wherein the middle seat portion (18) is the movable seat portion defining said part of said seating surface when the first position is provided.
3. The seat assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the movable seat portion (18) includes a second, reverse-facing surface (26) provided with shelf means (36), the movable seat portion (18) being movably mounted so that the reverse-facing surface (26) faces a seated vehicle passenger when the seat portion (18) is in the second position.
4. The seat assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the shelf means includes s a hinge- or pivot-mounted shelf (36) which is movable into a shelf-raised position in which an item may be carried on the shelf (36) and a shelf-lowered position in which the shelf (36) lies along the reverse-facing surface (26) of the movable seat portion (18).

lo
5. The seat assembly as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, further comprising a visual display screen forming an integral part of the movable seat portion (18).
6. The seat assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the visual display screen forms part of a DVD player, said visual display screen being mounted upon or Is within the reverse-facing surface (26) of the movable seat portion (18) to form an integral part thereof.
7. The seat assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the visual display screen forms part of a computer system, said visual display screen being mounted upon so or within the reverse-facing surface (26) of the movable seat portion (18) to form an integral part thereof.
8. The seat assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the storage volume (32)is defined by a storage container (34) located beneath the :5 movable seat portion (18).
9. The seat assembly as claimed in claim 8, including a seat support frame (11) for the seating member (12), wherein the storage container (34) is detachably mounted upon the seat support frame (11).
10. The seat assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, including pivot s mount means for allowing pivotal movement of the movable seat portion (18) between the first and second positions.
11. The seat assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pivot mount means includes a pivot bar which is mounted upon the front side (lea) of seat assembly lo (10) and wherein the movable seat portion (18) is mounted upon the pivot bar.
12. The seat assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising releasable locking means (30) for holding the movable seat portion ( 18) in the second position.
13. The seat assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the releasable locking means includes a ratchet mechanism.
14. The seat assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the releasable locking means includes a detent and pawl arrangement.
15. A vehicle having seat assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the seat assembly ( 10) forms a rear seat assembly of the vehicle for seating one or more vehicle passenger behind a vehicle driver.
16. A vehicle having seat assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the seat assembly (10) forms a front seat assembly of the vehicle for seating a vehicle driver.