GB2429640A

GB2429640A - Vehicle seat with removable backrest

Info

Publication number: GB2429640A
Application number: GB0518149A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans Erlandsson
Original assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Current assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Priority date: 2005-09-06
Filing date: 2005-09-06
Publication date: 2007-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 2025-09-06
Also published as: GB0518149D0; GB2429640B

Abstract

A vehicle seat 1 comprises a backrest 3 releasably attached to a squab 3 by a locking element 9, the locking element being removable to allow removal of the backrest, for example to facilitate the removal of an injured occupant from the vehicle. The locking element may comprise an elongate member which extends through a first support member 5 connected to the squab and a second support member 13 connected to the backrest, with two enlarged ends, at least one of the ends being removable. The first enlarged end may comprise a nut (26, Fig. 3) threaded onto the elongate member, or may be integrally formed with the elongate member. The second enlarged end may comprise a locking member such as a washer or circlip (28, Fig. 3) or locking spring (36, Fig. 5) slotted over a groove (27) on one end of the elongate member, or it may comprise a locking pin (30, Fig. 4) received in an aperture (31) in one end of the elongate member.

Description

A VEHICLE SEAT

Description of Invention

THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a vehicle seat, and more particularly relates to a vehicle seat which facilitates the removal of an injured occupant from a vehicle in which the seat is installed.

If a motor vehicle is involved in an accident it is important to remove an injured occupant from the vehicle as quickly as possible so that the person may be treated in an ambulance and transported to a hospital with minimal delay.

Modern vehicles are deliberately designed to incorporate strong structures which are able to withstand the large forces involved in a crash. These strong structures are desirable to protect an occupant of the vehicle during a crash, but the strong structures become undesirable after the crash has occurred, as they may make it difficult for a rescue team to remove an injured occupant from the vehicle.

It has been proposed previously, in EP-A-0865961, to provide a vehicle seat which may be removed from a vehicle following an accident, so that an occupant of the seat may be removed from the vehicle whilst still being strapped into the seat. The seat of this prior published document is mounted to the floor of a vehicle by a plurality of pyrotechnic mounting elements which are each connected to a control unit. If a vehicle which incorporates such a prior proposed seat is involved in an accident, a rescue team may trigger the control unit to actuate the pyrotechnic mounting elements which will ignite to release the seat from the floor of the vehicle. The rescue team can then remove the complete seat, together with the seat occupant, from the vehicle so that the occupant may be treated. Alternatively, a rescue team might need to remove the complete seat from the vehicle to access an occupant seated elsewhere in the vehicle, who was originally obstructed by the seat.

There are, however, some problems associated with this prior proposed arrangement. One problem is that the seat itself is heavy and bulky and is thus difficult to remove from the vehicle. Another problem is that the pyrotechnic charges may be actuated accidentally, for instance after being heated as a result of the vehicle being on fire. A further problem is that the pyrotechnic charges may fail to actuate in response to action from a rescue team, as a result in an electrical failure if the connections to the control unit are damaged during the crash.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved vehicle seat.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle seat comprising a squab and a backrest, the backrest being releasably attached to the squab such that, in use, the backrest may be released and separated from the squab.

Preferably the backrest is releasably attached to the squab by a locking element which extends through a first support member connected to the squab and an aperture formed in a second support member connected to the backrest.

Conveniently the locking element is an elongate element which is provided, at one end, with a first enlarged end and, at another end, with a second enlarged end, with at least one of the said enlarged ends being removable.

In one embodiment the elongate element has a main cylindrical body portion which is provided at one end with threading to engage a bolt, with the bolt defining the said first enlarged end.

In another embodiment the said elongate element has a main cylindrical body portion which is provided at one end with an integrally formed enlarged head of greater diameter than the main body portion, with the integrally formed enlarged head defining the first said enlarged end.

Preferably the end of the said elongate element remote from the first said enlarged end is provided with an engagement formation which is dimensioned to engage a corresponding locking member.

In a further embodiment the said engagement formation is a groove formed in the periphery of one end of the elongate element, with the groove extending at least partly around the circumference of the elongate element.

Preferably the said locking member is a washer of greater diameter than the diameter of the main body portion of the elongate element, at least a section of the washer being cutaway to enable the washer to be slotted over the groove to extend at least partly around the groove to form the second enlarged end.

In an alternative embodiment said locking member is a locking spring which is dimensioned to be slotted over the groove to extend at least partly around the groove to form the second enlarged end.

Preferably a washer is provided on one side of the locking spring to form an additional part of the second enlarged end.

In a yet further embodiment the said engagement formation is an aperture formed in the said end of the elongate element which is remote from the first said enlarged end.

Preferably the locking member is a locking pin which is dimensioned to be received within the said aperture in the elongate element, with at least one end of the locking pin extending out from one side of the elongate element to form the second said enlarged end.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a vehicle seat in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a locking arrangement forming part of the vehicle seat of Figure 1, FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of parts of a locking arrangement of a vehicle seat in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of parts of a locking arrangement of a vehicle seat in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of parts of a locking arrangement of a vehicle seat in accordance with a yet further embodiment of the invention, and FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of parts a locking arrangement of a vehicle seat in accordance with a still further embodiment of the invention.

Referring initially to Figure 1, a vehicle seat 1 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention has a squab 2 and a backrest 3. The squab 2 and the backrest 3 are attached to one another by a pair of support mechanisms 4 with one support mechanism 4 being mounted to each side of the squab 2 and the backrest 3. The support mechanisms 4 are identical to one another. For simplicity purposes only one said support mechanism 4 is shown and only one said support mechanism 4 will be referred to hereinafter.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the support mechanism 4 is a support mechanism of a type disclosed in GB-B-231 6442. However, it is to be appreciated that, in other embodiments of the invention, the support mechanism 4 may be another kind of support mechanism.

The support mechanism 4 of this preferred embodiment has a first lower plate 5 and a second lower plate 6. The first lower plate 5 is mounted to one side of the squab 2 and the second lower plate 6 is parallel to, but spaced slightly from, the first plate 5. The second lower plate 6 is mounted to the first lower plate 5 by bolts, such as bolt 7. An intermediate support plate 8 extends between the lower plates 5,6 and protrudes out above the lower plates 5,6.

The intermediate support plate 8 is pivotally mounted to the lower plates 5,6 by a locking element 9 which extends through an aperture 10 in an upper part of the first lower plate 5, an aperture 11 formed in the intermediate support plate 8 and an aperture 12 formed in the upper part of second lower plate 6.

The support mechanism 4 is also provided with a complex mechanism (not shown) to hold the intermediate support plate 8 in an initial position, but to allow that plate 8 (and thus the backrest 3 which is effectively connected to the support plate 8) to move about the axis of the locking element 9 whilst the complex mechanism absorbs energy, to allow the support mechanism 4 to absorb energy during a crash situation. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the support mechanism 4 may not incorporate a complex mechanism to absorb energy, but may simply be a support to attach the backrest 3 to the squab 2.

The intermediate support plate 8 is connected to a support arm 13, which is attached to one side of a lower part of the backrest 3, through a recliner mechanism 14, which enables an occupant of the seat to manually alter the angle of the backrest 3 relative to the squab 2.

Referring now to Figure 2, the locking element 9 can be seen to extend through the apertures 10,12 in the outer plates 5,6, and the aperture 11 in the intermediate support plate 8. The locking element 9 also extends through an aperture 15 which is formed in a link 16 that forms part of the complex energy absorbing mechanism discussed above.

The locking element 9 is provided, at one end, with a first enlarged end 17, and is provided, at the other end with a second enlarged end 18. The enlarged ends 17,18 each define surfaces which retain the locking element 9 in position, thus locking the intermediate support plate 8 relative to the lower plates 5,6, and hence locking the support arm 13 and the backrest 3 to the squab2.

The bolt 7 extends through apertures 19,20 formed in a lower part of the lower plates 5,6, and aperture 21 in the link 16 and a slot or recess 22 (indicated by the hatched region) in a lower part of the intermediate support plate 8. The bolt 7 forms a secure fastening which prevents the intermediate support plate 8 and the link 16 from pivoting about the locking element 9. The slot or recess 22 has an open lower end which, as will be explained in more detail below, allows the intermediate support plate 8 to be lifted upwardly and out of engagement with the bolt 7.

Referring now to Figure 3, the locking element 9 in this embodiment of the invention is an elongate element which has a main cylindrical body portion 23.

A threaded portion 24 which is of reduced diameter relative to the diameter of the main body portion 23, is provided at one end of the main body portion 23.

The locking element 9 is provided with a Belleville washer 25 which is dimensioned to fit around the threaded portion 24. A nut 26 which is generally of larger diameter than the diameter of the main cylindrical body portion 23, is dimensioned to be screwed onto the threaded portion 24. The Belleville washer 51 and the nut 26 define the first enlarged end 17 of the locking element 9 when they are placed onto the threaded portion 24.

A peripheral groove 27 is formed in the opposite end of the main body portion 23 to the threaded portion 24. The groove 27 extends around the entire circumference of the main body portion 23, and is dimensioned to receive a locking washer 28. The locking washer 28 is of conventional washer shape, but incorporates a cutaway section 29 to enable the washer 28 to be slotted over the main body portion 23 to sit in and around the groove 27.

During assembly of the seat 1 the squab 2 and the backrest 3, which are initially separate from one another, are brought into engagement with one another. The main body portion 23 of the locking element 9 is then pushed through the apertures 10-12 and 15 in the parts of the support 4. Next, the locking washer 28 is slotted onto the main body portion 23 of the locking element 9 to sit around the groove 27. The locking washer 28 is retained around the groove 27 and provides a surface which retains the main body portion 23 in relative to the second lower plate 6.

Once the locking washer 28 has been attached to one end of the main body portion 23, the Belleville washer 25 is pushed over the threaded portion 24.

The nut 26 is then screwed onto the threaded portion 24 and tightened so that the nut 26 traps the Belleville washer 25 against the first lower plate 5. The nut 26 and the Belleville washer 25 thus form a surface which retains the main body portion 23 in position relative to the first lower plate 5. The locking element 9 thus serves to attach the parts of the support 4 together, and hence to lock the backrest 3 together with the squab 2.

The seat 1 may then be installed within a motor vehicle to seat an occupant of the vehicle. If the vehicle is subsequently involved in an accident, a rescue team can pull the locking washer 28 off the main body portion 23 of the locking element 9 to release the locking element 9. When the locking washer 28 has been removed from the main body portion 23 the nut 26 may be pulled by a member of the rescue team to remove the locking element 9 from the support 4. Once the locking element 9 has been separated from the support 4, the intermediate support plate 8 can be lifted, together with the backrest 3, away from the rest of the support 4, with the slot or recess 22 being moved upwardly and out of engagement with the bolt 7. The connection between the backrest 3 and the squab 2 may thus be released, so that the backrest 3 can be separated from the squab 2.

The rescue team 2 can then remove the backrest 3 from the vehicle, together with an occupant who may be strapped onto the backrest 3, whilst the squab 2 of the seat remains in the vehicle. The removal of the backrest 3 from the vehicle, even if there is no occupant in the seat, may give greater access to the rescue team so that the rescue team may more easily treat or remove another occupant seated elsewhere in the vehicle.

The removal of the backrest 3, whilst leaving the squab 2 in position within the vehicle, is significantly easier than removing the entire seat 1 from the vehicle, as the backrest 3 is far less bulky and heavy than the entire seat 1.

Referring now to Figure 4, a locking element 9 of a further embodiment of the invention has a first enlarged end 17 formed by a Belleville washer 25 and nut 26 arrangement which is identical to the Belleville washer 25 and nut 26 arrangement of the preferred embodiment described above. However, the second enlarged end 18 of this further embodiment is formed by a locking pin 30 which fits into an aperture 31 formed in one end of the main body portion 23.

The locking pin 30 has a reduced diameter shaft 32 which is provided at one end with an enlarged head 33. The enlarged head 33 incorporates an aperture 34 through which a ring 35 is linked. When the locking element 9 is in a locking condition, with the main body portion 23 extending through the apertures 19-22, the reduced diameter shaft 32 is retained within the aperture 31 in the main body portion 23. The enlarged head 31 forms an enlargement on one side of the main body portion 23 and the lower end of the reduced diameter shaft 32 forms an enlarged end on the other side of the main body portion 23, to retain the locking element 9 relative to the lower plates 19,20. In the event that the vehicle has been involved in an accident, a rescue team can pull the ring 35 so that the locking pin 30 is separated from the rest of the locking element 9 to release that end of the main body portion 23 of the locking element 9. The main body portion 23 can then be pulled out from the apertures 19-22 to release the intermediate support plate 8 as discussed above.

Referring now to Figure 5, a locking element 9 of a yet further embodiment of the invention is generally identical to the locking element 9 of the preferred embodiment described above, but in this yet further embodiment the locking washer 28 is replaced by a locking spring 36. The locking spring 36 is generally "n" shaped and is of a resilient material, the locking spring 36 has two downward, generally parallel, arms 37,38 which each have two inwardly bent sections 39,40 and 41,42. The lower ends of the arms 37,38 diverge outwardly from one another so that the locking spring 36 may be easily pushed over the end of the main body portion 23. A generally circular retaining region is defined between the arms 37,39, between the inwardly bent sections 39-4 1 so that when the locking spring 36 is pushed over the end of the main body portion 23, the retaining region sits around the groove 27 to retain the locking spring 36 on the end of the main body portion 23 to define the second enlarged end 18.

The upper end of the locking spring 36, above the upper inwardly bent sections 40,42 defines a loop which can be pulled by a member of a rescue team to pull the locking spring 36 away from the rest of the locking element 9 to permit removal of the locking element 9 from the locking condition to release the intermediate support plate 8 as described above.

Referring now to Figure 6, a still further embodiment of the invention has a first enlarged end 17 which is defined by an enlarged head 43 which is formed integrally with the main body portion 23 of the locking element 9. It is to be appreciated that the enlarged head 43 is in place of the Belleville washer 25 and nut 26 arrangement of the embodiments described above, but in this still further embodiment the first enlarged end 17 is not removable from the main body portion 23.

This still further embodiment of the invention is generally identical to the yet further embodiments described above, with an identical groove 27 and locking spring 36, but the second enlarged end 18 of this still further embodiment of the invention also incorporates a Belleville washer 44. The Belleville washer 44 serves to provide a larger surface area on the second enlarged end 18 to engage a first lower plate 5 to retain the locking element 9 more securely.

Whilst the embodiments described thusfar each have variations between one another in respect of the first enlarged end 17 or the second enlarged end 18 of the locking element 9, other embodiments of the invention have other combinations of enlarged ends 17,18, but it is to be appreciated that one of the enlarged ends is always removable.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, 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

Claims 1. A vehicle seat comprising a squab and a backrest, the backrest

being releasably attached to the squab such that, in use, the backrest may be released and separated from the squab.
2. A vehicle seat according to Claim 1, wherein the backrest is releasably attached to the squab by a locking element which extends through a first support member connected to the squab and an aperture formed in a second support member connected to the backrest.
3. A vehicle seat according to Claim 2, wherein the locking element is an elongate element which is provided, at one end, with a first enlarged end and, at another end, with a second enlarged end, with at least one of the said enlarged ends being removable.
4. A vehicle seat according to Claim 3, wherein the elongate element has a main cylindrical body portion which is provided at one end with threading to engage a bolt, with the bolt defining the said first enlarged end.
5. A vehicle seat according to Claim 3, wherein the said elongate element has a main cylindrical body portion which is provided at one end with an integrally formed enlarged head of greater diameter than the main body portion, with the integrally formed enlarged head defining the first said enlarged end.
6. A vehicle seat according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the end of the said elongate element remote from the first said enlarged end is provided with an engagement formation which is dimensioned to engage a corresponding locking member.
7. A vehicle seat according to Claim 6, wherein the said engagement formation is a groove formed in the periphery of one end of the elongate element, with the groove extending at least partly around the circumference of the elongate element.
8. A vehicle seat according to Claim 7, wherein the said locking member is a washer of greater diameter than the diameter of the main body portion of the elongate element, at least a section of the washer being cutaway to enable the washer to be slotted over the groove to extend at least partly around the groove to form the second enlarged end.
9. A vehicle seat according to Claim 7, wherein said locking member is a locking spring which is dimensioned to be slotted over the groove to extend at least partly around the groove to form the second enlarged end.
10. A vehicle seat according to Claim 9, wherein a washer is provided on one side of the locking spring to form an additional part of the second enlarged end.
11. A vehicle seat according to Claim 6, wherein the said engagement formation is an aperture formed in the said end of the elongate element which is remote from the first said enlarged end.
12. A vehicle seat according to Claim 11, wherein the locking member is a locking pin which is dimensioned to be received within the said aperture in the elongate element, with at least one end of the locking pin extending out from one side of the elongate element to form the second said enlarged end.
13. A vehicle seat substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
14. A vehicle seat substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
15. A vehicle seat substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
16. A vehicle seat substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
17. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.