JP2024000314A - Seat structure of long-distance night bus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seat structure of a long-distance night bus which enables a relaxed attitude for allowing an occupant to sleep at night more comfortably to be realized stably and safely.

SOLUTION: In a seat structure of a long-distance night bus, backrests 12, 22 of a front seat 10 and a rear seat 20 respectively having backrest frames are connected to seating surfaces 11, 21 of the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 respectively having seating surface frames in a manner that the backrests 12, 22 can be fixed at predetermined angles. Further, when the seats are installed vertically, the backrest frame of the front seat 10 is fixed to a pair of rear columns 44 and the backrest frame of the rear seat 20 is supported by a floor surface 2. Basically, such a seat structure of a long-distance night bus is provided.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention provides a system for long-distance night buses such as long-distance night route buses and long-distance night charter buses in which passengers ride for long periods of time while sleeping at night, without reducing the number of seats, and in which surrounding passengers, especially the rear seats, can be seated without reducing the number of seats. The present invention relates to a seat structure that stably and safely realizes a relaxed posture so that passengers can sleep more comfortably at night without worrying about the passengers.

Buses are an important mode of transportation that plays a role in public transportation, and are widely used in daily life. Previously, most of the rides were short-term rides for commuting to work, school, shopping, and other daily activities, and were limited to frequent getting on and off within the same municipality or to neighboring municipalities. In addition to these forms of use, the number of long-distance and long-distance rides has increased dramatically in recent years, coupled with the expansion and development of expressways across the nation. For this reason, long-distance night route buses have rapidly become popular and have become widely established as a means of transportation, not only during the day but also during the night, where time can be used more effectively. Additionally, charter buses that operate long-distance overnight trips are widely popular due to their convenience.

As shown in Figure 34, long-distance night buses B, such as long-distance night route buses and long-distance night charter buses, are used for intercity transportation, and in preparation for long rides at night that involve sleeping, passengers are not In order to reduce the weight, large buses with a total length of 9 m or more and less than 12 m and a width of less than 2.5 m adopt an arrangement structure in which three rows of single-person seats S are arranged in parallel in the width direction with passages 7 in the longitudinal direction interposed between them. Large buses with a total length of over 11 meters are often used.

In the conventional riding style where passengers ride for a short time or frequently get on and off the vehicle, there are relatively few problems with the riding posture and the need to be considerate of surrounding passengers. However, on long-distance rides, especially on long-distance night buses that involve sleeping at night, comfort is affected by factors such as whether you can take a relaxed position while sleeping and your relationship with surrounding passengers, and the degree of fatigue and arrival. This is an important factor that affects local activities and has a direct impact on the degree of bus usage.

Passengers specifically pointed out the following points as dissatisfaction and areas for improvement with long-distance night bus B as a means of transportation.
・Inability to fully stretch the legs.
・The reclining angle of the seat is shallow, making it difficult to sleep.
・The seat cannot be reclined to its maximum limit as it would cause inconvenience to the passengers in the rear seats.
・Even if you recline to the limit, it is far from flat.
・If you remain in an unnatural position for a long time when sleeping at night, you may not be able to sleep soundly, and your feet may swell and blood flow may be impaired.
・Although it is possible to use time effectively and is reasonably priced, it is physically taxing.
・Inability to sleep in a comfortable position.

The main selection criteria for passengers using long-distance night bus B, which is a long ride at night with the assumption that they are sleeping, are ``fare'', ``comfort'' (less fatigue even after long rides), and ``operation schedule.'' ”. Among these, in terms of "comfort," it is most important to realize a posture that is less stressful so that people can sleep at night. Therefore, a request from passengers has been to recline to a more flat position so that when sleeping at night, passengers in the rear seats do not have to be burdened or forced to endure, and they themselves can relax without being forced to endure. The most common request is for a seat that can be used.

Long-distance night bus B has cheaper fares than other means of transportation due to the increased travel distance due to the spread of expressways, and offers advantages such as more effective use of time by sleeping at night and traveling. It is a means of transportation that continues to rapidly become popular due to its attractiveness, and currently, many bus companies offer various routes, and competition on the same routes is also intensifying.

As shown in the explanatory diagram of passenger selection criteria for long-distance night bus B in FIG. and comfort C, and comfort C is determined solely by whether or not a comfortable sleep C1 can be achieved during nighttime sleep. Comfortable sleep C1 during nighttime sleep depends on the seat structure, including whether you can stretch your legs, whether you can keep your feet at a height close to your head, and whether the seat is nearly flat. This is caused by SC. Furthermore, although fare F is an important factor that affects the bus company's profitability E (see Figure 33), the fact that long-distance night bus B is cheaper than existing means of transportation means that it is cheaper than other means of transportation. This is one of the major selling points for differentiating bus companies from other bus companies, and in the current market economy, bus companies are exposed to fierce price competition.

Therefore, the relationship between comfort C and profitability E will be examined based on FIG. 33 using the following bus that is commonly used as long-distance night bus B as an example.
Bus total length: 11990mm
Length from driver's seat rear partition plate to emergency exit door opening: 8530mm
Length from driver's seat rear partition plate to rear bulkhead: 10310mm
Dimensions of rear toilet part (width x length): 1150mm x 1700mm
Indoor width dimension: 2310mm
Indoor height of central part (from floor to ceiling): 1800mm
Indoor height dimensions of both window sides (from floor to luggage shelf): 1550mm to 1570mm
(1450mm)
Number of sheets (width x length): 3 rows x 8 to 10 rows
=26 seats to 28 seats Vertical seat spacing: 900mm to 970mm

Profitability E is determined by the number N of seats x the occupancy rate R, so in order to improve the profitability E, it is necessary to secure either or both of the number N of seats and the occupancy rate R. Furthermore, in order to improve the comfort C, it is necessary to improve the comfort 300 of the seat and realize a comfortable sleep 310 when sleeping at night.

If we can improve seat comfort 300 by increasing the size and spacing of the seats, and especially by equipping them with a reclining mechanism that allows the seat to sit in a nearly flat position, we will be able to successfully differentiate ourselves from other companies 320. , it is possible to realize an improvement in occupancy rate 210, which is one of the elements for improving profitability E. However, improving the comfort of the seat 300 requires expanding the installation area per seat during reclining, which leads to a reduction in the number of seats 330, which also causes a deterioration in profitability E 200.

On the other hand, in order to secure profitability E, if the number of seats is secured220, the installation area per seat will decrease, making it difficult to achieve seat comfort230, and it will be difficult to differentiate from other companies in terms of comfort C240. This means that the company is even inferior to other companies. As a result, it becomes difficult to secure the occupancy rate R due to the loss of customers 250, or fare competition 260 is caused. As a result, profitability E deteriorates by 200. In this way, the pursuit of profitability E and the improvement of comfort C are contradictory issues, and conventionally it has been difficult to achieve both at the same time.

Since the current distance D between the front and rear seats S remains at about 900 mm to 970 mm as shown in Figure 35(a), the reclining angle α of the front seat S is about 120 degrees as shown in Figure 35(b). Most seats are flat (180 degrees), and no matter how devised the structure of the foot rest and backrest, it is impossible to realize a seat structure SC that allows a comfortable night's sleep. Ta. Therefore, on long-distance night bus B, where you will be riding for a long time, even if you recline the seat S and stretch your legs, the position of your toes and head will not be horizontal due to the fundamental seat structure SC. This forces you to sit diagonally with your feet facing downwards, causing your body to slide downwards, making it difficult to sleep and causing your feet to swell. Additionally, in some cases, passengers may be worried about developing economy class syndrome.

In addition, the passenger BP in the rear seat will be restricted in his activities as the passenger FP in the front seat reclines the seat S, which may make him feel uncomfortable, and the comfort C will be impaired. Become. Recently, there have been several reports of fights between passengers due to reclining.

If the current distance D between the front and rear sheets S of approximately 900 mm to 970 mm shown in FIG. 35(a) is increased to the distance D1 between the front and rear sheets S of approximately 1900 mm to 2000 mm as shown in FIG. 36(b), As shown in Figure 36(c), it is now possible to stretch out your legs and recline the seat S to a nearly flat state without bothering the passengers in the rear seats. By achieving successful differentiation 320 from the above, it is possible to improve 210 the occupancy rate R, which is one of the factors of profitability E.

However, in that case, the installation area per seat will increase, and the current seat S shown in FIG. As shown in b), only half of the seats, three, can be installed. Therefore, the number of seats that can be installed in long-distance night bus B will be reduced from the current 27 seats to about 12 seats (3 rows x 4 rows) as shown in the virtual layout diagram of FIG. 37. Furthermore, even if the seats S are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the long-distance night bus B as shown in the virtual layout diagram of FIG. 38, the number of seats that can be installed remains at about 12. Therefore, the number of seats decreases by 330, making it impossible to secure the number of seats N, which is one of the factors for profitability E, and as a result, profitability E deteriorates by 200. In addition, in FIG. 34, FIG. 37, and FIG. 38, T is a toilet and EX is an emergency exit.

As mentioned above, if long-distance night bus B, which currently has about 27 seats, were to be operated with 12 seats, even if the average occupancy rate was 80%, the average number of passengers per bus would be about 10, and in order to secure profits. would require a significant increase in fares. However, in order to compete with existing means of transportation and low-cost airlines (LCC), which are advantageous in terms of travel time, it is difficult to raise fares significantly as this would result in loss of competitiveness. At current fares, at least 27 seats are required to make a profit.

Therefore, we examined the sales amount using long-distance night bus B between Kochi City, where the applicant is located, and Tokyo as an example. Assuming that the number of seats N: 27, the occupancy rate R: 80%, and the fare F: 12,000 yen, the estimated sales amount is [27 seats x 12,000 yen x 0.8 = 259,200 yen]. By the way, the average cost per one-way flight based on product manufacturing costs, including fuel costs, expressway fees, personnel costs, ticket sales fees, vehicle depreciation costs, etc., is approximately 187,000 yen, and in order to cover this cost, The number of passengers required is [187,000 yen ÷ 12,000 yen = 15.6 people]. If the occupancy rate R is 80%, [15.6 people/0.8=19.5 people], that is, the number of seats N is at least 20 seats.

If a trial calculation is made using the above-mentioned 12 seats in order to realize comfort C, the number of passengers will be [12 seats x 0.8 = 9.6 people]. Divide the above average cost of 187,000 yen by 9.6 people to get [187,000 yen ÷ 9.6 people = 19,480 yen], which is the average cost per one-way flight based on product manufacturing costs of 187,000. In order to cover the yen, it will be necessary to raise fares by approximately 62.4% (7,480 yen). Therefore, although the comfort C is improved, the fare F has to be significantly increased, making it difficult for passengers to choose the long-distance night bus B.

Recently, there have been cases in which some bus operators operate long-distance night buses with very few seats, touting the fact that they have adopted a seat structure that allows for a comfortable night's sleep when traveling at night. However, the reality is that this is nothing more than an advertising campaign that ignores profitability.

If priority is given to securing the number of seats N for profitability E, comfort C cannot be secured, and profitability E will deteriorate due to a decrease in the occupancy rate R. On the other hand, if priority is given to comfort C, For example, it becomes difficult to secure the number of seats N, and as a result, profitability E deteriorates. Therefore, conventionally, a seat structure that improves comfort C without sacrificing profitability E by securing a sufficient number of seats N to maintain profitability E, that is, both profitability E and comfort C, has been developed. No seat structure has been provided that can satisfy the above requirements.

In view of the above-mentioned long-distance night bus B situation, the present inventors focused on the seat installation space (bus floor area) necessary to enable sufficient reclining, and the same installation space was used to install multiple seats. I got an idea about sharing and using it. As a result of intensive research based on this idea, a pair of seats consisting of a front seat and a rear seat, each having a seat surface and a backrest, as shown in Patent Document 1, were assembled into a unit in a predetermined frame, and the pair of seats were oriented horizontally. An invention for a seat structure for a long-distance night bus that allows the seats to be installed horizontally in substantially the same row as the front seats, and also allows a pair of seats to be installed vertically in substantially the same row in the vertical direction by moving the front seat to the space above the rear seat. (hereinafter referred to as "Document 1 invention").

According to the invention of Document 1, by installing a pair of seats in the vertical direction, it becomes possible to share the installation area of the pair of seats as a dedicated area for both the front seat and the rear seat, thereby sacrificing the number of seats. Therefore, it becomes possible to fully recline the backrests of the pair of seats in a sleeping state at night, and it is possible to simultaneously achieve profitability E and comfort C, which have been considered difficult in the past. That is, by securing 220 seats, it is possible to achieve comfort C without sacrificing profitability E, and by improving seat comfort 300. As a result, it is possible to differentiate the bus company from other companies, improve the occupancy rate 210 and increase the number of passengers, and it becomes possible to improve profitability E as a bus company.

Patent No. 6884120

In order to apply the invention of Document 1 to an actual long-distance night bus that is intended for long-distance riding while sleeping at night, the present inventors investigated the horizontal installation of the pair of seats in the invention of Document 1 and the vertical installation of the pair of seats in the invention of Document 1. Mutual displacement operations during installation, movement of entering and exiting each pair of seats both when installed horizontally and vertically, environment around the seats, ease of body movements, especially when sleeping, We conducted a multifaceted trial-and-error process to verify the headroom, etc., based on actual vehicles. As a result, we obtained knowledge about three new issues that need to be solved regarding the structure of the pair of seats from the viewpoints of practicality, comfort, safety, etc., in order to actually operate the vehicle as a commercial vehicle.

[First challenge]
The first issue is based on knowledge regarding the height dimension of the space above a pair of seats when vertically installed from the viewpoint of practicality and comfort. A long-distance night bus with a pair of seats arranged in three rows in the width direction has air conditioner ducts and luggage shelves on the ceiling of the seats on both sides of the windows, and these cannot be removed. Therefore, the pair of seats of the invention of Document 1 must be installed vertically based on the indoor height dimension between the floor surface and the luggage rack.

In order for passengers to turn over and move their bodies while sleeping, it is desirable to have an upper space with a height of about 580 mm based on empirical rules, and a height that exceeds the width of at least one pair of seats. If there is no upper space, it will be extremely cramped, and even if you lie down, it will be difficult to turn over. By the way, if a pair of seats are arranged in three rows in the width direction of the above-mentioned long-distance night bus with an interior width of 2310 mm, the width will be about 480 mm. Even if the front and rear seats can be placed in a nearly flat state for sleeping due to the invention of Document 1, the height of the upper space is insufficient due to the structural constraints of long-distance night buses that have luggage racks, etc. However, it is difficult to maintain a relaxed posture that allows for a comfortable night's sleep. Furthermore, since there are no air conditioner ducts or luggage shelves above the middle seats, which are arranged in three rows in the width direction, it is difficult to ensure sufficient height for the space above the front and rear seats when installed vertically. Although this is possible, it is more versatile to use a pair of seats that have the same configuration and size as the center seat and the seats on both sides near the window.

Therefore, the first problem of the invention of Document 1 is to solve the problem that the height of the upper space is cramped when vertically installed, and to improve practicality and comfort. , the height of the space above the rear seat when vertically installed (dimension between the seat surface of the rear seat and the back surface of the front seat), and the height dimension of the space above the front seat (dimension between the seat surface of the front seat and the luggage rack or ceiling) In order to apply the invention of Document 1 to commercial vehicles, it is necessary to try to increase the size (dimension between the two) as much as possible.

[Second issue]
In the invention of Document 1, the rear legs of the front seat and a pair of left and right base materials are connected by a pair of left and right support rods that can be raised and lowered freely, and the support rods are erected by gas cylinder mechanisms installed on both sides of the rear seat. After the seat is moved upward along the front support, a pair of left and right fixing rods installed on the front support are connected to the sides of the front seat at predetermined positions to fix the seat (Figures 19 and 22 of Reference 1). reference).

These means for moving the front seat upward, such as support rods and gas cylinder mechanisms, are present in a state that closes the opening areas on both sides of the rear seat when installed vertically, and are mainly used to move the front seat upward when installed vertically. It becomes an obstacle for passengers to enter and exit the vehicle. Furthermore, the presence of the fixing rod also obstructs the movement of entering and leaving the front seat when installed vertically. Therefore, as the second problem of the Document 1 invention, in order to improve practicality and comfort, when installed horizontally or vertically, it is possible to smoothly enter and exit the rear seat or front seat without obstructing the movement. In order to achieve entry and exit, opening areas for entering and exiting the rear and front seats must be secured in the frames on both sides of the rear and front seats.In other words, the front seats must be moved upwards without blocking the opening areas. It is necessary to develop a means to move the vehicle to the vehicle in order to apply the invention of Document 1 to commercial vehicles.

[Third issue]
In the invention of Document 1, when installed vertically, the seating surface of the front seat is fixed to the front pillar with the above-mentioned fixing rod, and the reclined backrest is placed and supported on a fitting rod installed between a pair of rear pillars. (See Figures 10 and 18 of Reference 1). It is also equipped with a cam mechanism to make the seat surface and backrest substantially flat (see Figures 24 and 25 of Reference 1).

In the invention of Document 1, the presence of the fixing rod obstructs the movement of entering and leaving the front seat when it is installed vertically, and the presence of the fitting rod obstructs the overhead line of sight when the rear seat is reclined at a predetermined angle when it is installed horizontally. , giving a feeling of confinement. Further, the cam mechanism for making the seat surface and backrest substantially flat lacks stability in terms of operation and posture maintenance. Therefore, in order to improve practicality, comfort, safety, etc., as the third subject of the invention in Document 1, we have developed a new method that allows for easier operation of the seat surface of the front seat or rear seat or flat surface when installed vertically. It is necessary to develop a new means for stably and safely fixing the reclined backrest in order to apply the invention of Document 1 to commercial vehicles.

Therefore, the present invention aims to make it possible to sleep more comfortably at night by solving the first to third problems newly obtained when applying the invention of Document 1 to an actual vehicle, and in particular, by solving the third problem. The purpose of this project is to provide a seat structure for long-distance night buses that allows passengers to maintain a stable and safe relaxed posture.

In order to solve the third problem, the present inventors replaced the posture holding means of the seat and backrest in the invention of Document 1, such as a fixing rod, a fitting rod, a cam mechanism, etc., to improve the posture of the front seat with a simpler operation. We have learned that it is necessary to develop a new method for stably and safely fixing the seat and backrest of the rear seat in a predetermined position, especially the backrest that is reclined flat. Based on this knowledge, we conducted research on fixing means for holding the seat surfaces and backrests of front seats and rear seats in predetermined positions, and as a result, we came up with the present invention.

According to claim 1, the present invention comprises assembling a pair of seats consisting of a front seat and a rear seat each having a seat surface and a backrest into a unit in a frame having a pair of left and right front columns and a rear column. Seats for a long-distance night bus that can be installed horizontally in approximately the same row in the horizontal direction, and a pair of seats can be installed vertically in approximately the same row in the vertical direction by moving the front seat to the space above the rear seat. In the structure, the backrests of the front seat and rear seat, each having a backrest frame, are fixedly connected at a predetermined angle to the seat surfaces of the front and rear seats, each having a seat frame, and when installed vertically, the backrest of the front seat To provide a seat structure for a long-distance night bus in which a frame is fixed to a pair of rear supports and a backrest frame of a rear seat is supported on the floor surface.

According to claim 2, the seat connection plate protruding from the seat frame and the backrest connection plate protruding from the backrest frame are rotatably connected, and the reference fixing hole drilled in the seat connection plate and the backrest are provided. The backrest connecting plate is fixed to the seat connecting plate at a predetermined angle by facing one selective fixing hole selected from the plurality of selective fixing holes drilled in the connecting plate and inserting and fixing the first fixing pin. Provide configuration.

According to claim 3, a pair of seat connecting plates are protruded from both left and right ends of the seat frame, and a pair of backrest connecting plates are protruded from both left and right ends of the base end of the backrest frame, and according to claim 4, According to claim 5, the seat connecting plate is provided with a configuration in which the first fixing pin is removably inserted into the reference fixing hole of the seat connecting plate facing each other and the selective fixing hole of the backrest connecting plate. A connecting rod is inserted between a seat connecting hole and a backrest connecting hole drilled in a backrest connecting plate to provide a configuration for rotatably connecting the base end of the backrest to the seat.

According to claim 6, when installed vertically, the reference fixing hole of the seat connecting plate and the selective fixing hole of the backrest connecting plate are fixed so that the seat surface and the backrest are in a horizontal state, and according to claim 7, when installed vertically, By extending the extendable second fixing pins provided on both sides of the backrest frame of the front seat and inserting them into the backrest fixing holes drilled in the pair of rear supports, the backrest of the front seat can be fixed to the pair of rear supports. Provide a fixed configuration in between.

According to claim 8, when the backrest of the rear seat is installed vertically, support legs rotatably provided on the backrest frame of the rear seat are extended and installed on the floor, thereby supporting the backrest of the rear seat on the floor. According to claim 9, when installed horizontally, the second fixing pin is reduced in size and stored in the backrest of the front seat.According to claim 10, the seat frame is equipped with a seat cushion, and the backrest frame is equipped with a backrest cushion. Provide equipped configuration.

According to the present invention described above, in the front seat and the rear seat, the seat connecting plate protruding from the seat frame of the seat surface and the backrest connecting plate protruding from the backrest frame of the backrest are connected via the connecting rod. The first fixing pin is connected rotatably, and the reference fixing hole drilled in the seat connecting plate faces one selective fixing hole selected from the plurality of selective fixing holes drilled in the backrest connecting plate. By inserting and fixing, the backrest connecting plate can be fixed to the seat connecting plate at a predetermined angle. In particular, when installed vertically, the seat connection plate and the backrest connection plate can be fixed with the backrest reclined so that the seat and backrest are flat (horizontal state).

In addition, when installed vertically, the backrest of the front seat reclined so that the seat surface and backrest are flat can be fixed to the rear support via the second fixing pin. Similarly, the backrest of the rear seat that is reclined so that the seat surface and the backrest are flat can be supported on the floor via the support legs.

Therefore, in both horizontal and vertical installations, the seat surface and backrest of the front and rear seats can be set in a predetermined posture with easier operation, and especially when installed vertically, the seat surface and backrest can be flat. The reclined backrest can be fixed stably and safely. Further, these operations do not require the fixing rod, fitting rod, or cam mechanism employed in the invention of Document 1.

Therefore, passengers can safely lie down on the front and rear seats in any comfortable position, such as lying down, prone, or supine, not only when the vehicle is installed horizontally, but also when it is installed vertically. As a result, the practicality and comfort of long-distance night buses can be greatly improved, and this is a major improvement in the long-distance night bus industry, where many bus companies offer various routes and competition on the same routes is becoming fierce. It can differentiate itself from other companies and contribute to improving ridership.

1 is a basic conceptual diagram of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view of a bus that employs the seat structure according to the present invention. A schematic side view of a pair of sheets when installed horizontally. An explanatory diagram of the operation of the front seat. An explanatory diagram of the operation of the front seat. An explanatory diagram of the operation of the front seat. A schematic side view of a pair of sheets when installed vertically. A schematic side view of a pair of sheets when installed vertically. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing the relationship between the support body and the front pillar when installed horizontally. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing the relationship between the support body and the front pillar when vertically installed. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the main parts showing the relationship between the support body and the front pillar when the front seat is raised. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the main parts showing the relationship between the support body and the front pillar when the front seat has been completely raised. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the main parts of the sliding state of the seat frame when the front seat is completely raised. A front view of the main parts of the front seat when installed vertically. A rear view of the main parts of the front seat when installed vertically. FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the main part of FIG. 14. A front view of a pair of sheets when installed vertically. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the main parts of the seat surface when the front seat has been completely raised; FIG. 3 is a plan view of the main part of the sliding state of the seat frame when the front seat has been completely raised; FIG. 3 is a plan view of the main part after the sliding of the seat frame is completed when the front seat has been raised; FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing a state in which the backrest frame is fixed to the seat frame at a predetermined angle. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing a state in which the backrest frame can be rotated to the seat frame. (a), (b), and (c) explanatory diagrams showing the connected state of the seat connecting plate and the backrest connecting plate. (a) (b) Main part explanatory views of the backrest of the front seat. (a) (b) Main part explanatory views of the backrest of the rear seat. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing the structure of the rear seat before being reduced in size. FIG. 27 is a perspective view of FIG. 26; FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing the structure of the rear seat in the process of being changed in size. FIG. 29 is a perspective view of FIG. 28; FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing the structure of the rear seat after the reduction is changed. FIG. 31 is a perspective view of FIG. 30; An explanatory diagram of passenger selection criteria for long-distance night buses. A diagram showing the relationship between comfort and profitability in conventional long-distance night buses. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the arrangement of conventional sheets. (a) An explanatory diagram showing the conventional seat spacing, (b) An explanatory diagram showing the seat spacing during reclining. (a) An explanatory diagram showing the conventional seat spacing, (b) an explanatory diagram with the seat spacing widened, and (c) an explanatory diagram when reclining when the seat spacing is widened. A virtual layout diagram with wider spacing between conventional seats. A virtual layout diagram with wider spacing between conventional seats.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a seat structure for a long-distance night bus according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. The long-distance night bus 1 to which the present invention is directed is not particularly limited as long as it is a bus that travels long distances at night while sleeping, but it mainly involves long distance travel at night while sleeping for intercity transportation. This applies to route buses or chartered buses. FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of a long-distance night bus 1 that employs the seat structure according to the present invention, with total length: 11990 mm, length from driver's seat rear partition plate to rear bulkhead: 10310 mm, interior width dimension: 2310 mm. It is a large bus with an interior height of 1,800mm at the center and a height of 1,550mm to the bottom of the luggage racks on both windows. Note that the long-distance night bus 1 according to the present invention is not limited in size or number of passengers, and may be a medium-sized or small-sized bus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a pair of seats 30 made up of the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 according to the present invention when they are horizontally installed. The front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 have backrests 12 and 22 at the rear ends of seat surfaces 11 and 21, respectively, which can be reclined (tilted) at a predetermined angle in the front and rear directions. In addition, the front ends of the seat surfaces 11 and 21, specifically the front ends of the seat frames 50 and 25 to be described later, are provided with foldable seating legs 19 and 29, respectively, and each is foldable and extendable and has a footrest function at the tip. Leg rests 13 and 23 are provided hanging down.

A pair of seats 30 consisting of the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 are assembled into a unit by a frame 40 which is a strength member. The frame 40 maintains a pair of left and right base materials 41 and a stringer material 42 at a predetermined height and connects them through a pair of left and right front struts 43 and a rear strut 44, respectively, and also connects a pair of left and right beam members 42 in the front-rear direction. It is connected by a predetermined number of beams while maintaining a predetermined width, and is formed into a hollow substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

In this embodiment, a pair of seats 30 assembled in a frame 40 are placed on the floor surface 2 of a long-distance night bus 1 shown in FIG. Three rows were arranged in parallel in the central area and the other window side area, and four sets were installed in each row in the longitudinal direction. In addition, since there is no space left to install a fifth pair of seats 30 at the rear end, a single seat 5 having the same structure as the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 is installed except for the space on one window side. Two seats were installed behind the fourth pair of seats 30. A toilet (not shown) is installed in the rear space of the other window-side area. Therefore, the number of seats in the long-distance night bus 1 was set to 26 [2 seats (pair of seats 30) x 3 rows (width direction) x 4 rows (longitudinal direction) + 2 seats (single seat 5)].

In the present invention, the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 constituting a pair of seats 30 are installed in approximately the same row in the horizontal direction, as shown in FIG. The user sits on the surfaces 11 and 21 and rides the vehicle (hereinafter, this state is referred to as the "seated state"). During the sleeping period during night driving, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the front seat 10 is moved to the space above the rear seat 20, and the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 forming a pair of seats 30 are are installed on substantially the same line in the vertical direction, recline the backrests 12, 22 horizontally, and extend the legrests 13, 23, so that the seat surfaces 11, 21, the backrests 12, 22, and the legrests 13, 23 are horizontal. The passenger rides the vehicle in any comfortable position, such as lying down, prone, or supine, in order to sleep (hereinafter, this state is referred to as the "sleeping state").

Thereby, the installation area of the pair of seats 30 can be used independently as an exclusive area for both the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20. That is, the horizontal space of the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 is opened, and the backrest 12 of the front seat 10 is moved horizontally by using the opened space without interfering with the rear seat 20 or the other pair of seats. The leg rest 13 can be extended. Similarly, the backrest 22 of the rear seat 20 can be reclined horizontally and the leg rest 23 can be extended without interfering with the front seat 10 of the pair of seats 30 installed at the rear or other pairs of seats. Can be done.

Note that "almost in the same row in the horizontal direction" refers to the space between the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 that constitute a pair of seats 30, as well as the space between a pair of seats 30 installed in plurality in the width direction and longitudinal direction in the long-distance night bus 1. Even between the two seats, the rear seat 20 exists before and after the front seat 10 in the horizontal direction, and the front seat 10 exists before and after the rear seat 20 in the horizontal direction, that is, the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 are the same. This refers to the state in which they are located in the front and back on a plane (see Figures 2 and 3).

Furthermore, "almost in the same row in the vertical direction" refers to the space between the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 constituting the pair of seats 30, as well as between the pair of seats 30 installed in plurality in the width direction and longitudinal direction in the long-distance night bus 1. Even in the horizontal direction, the rear seat 20 does not exist before and after the front seat 10 in the horizontal direction, and the front seat 10 does not exist before and after the rear seat 20 in the horizontal direction, that is, almost directly above the rear seat 20. This refers to the state in which the front seat 10 is positioned, and when extended, the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 coexist in the vertical direction, sharing all or part of the installation space (Figs. 7 and 8). reference).

In the present invention, a pair of seats 30 consisting of a front seat 10 and a rear seat 20, each having a seat surface 11, 21 and a backrest 12, 22, are assembled into a predetermined frame 40 to form a unit, and the pair of seats 30 are moved horizontally. The front seat 10 is moved to the upper space of the rear seat 20, and the pair of seats 30 are vertically installed substantially in the same row in the vertical direction to be in a sleeping state. This invention solves the above-mentioned first to third problems required for the seat structure of a long-distance night bus provided by the invention of Document 1 to be actually operated as a commercial vehicle. The summary of the first to third issues is as follows.
First problem: To increase the height of the space above the pair of sheets 30 when installed vertically.
Second issue: securing an opening area for entering and exiting the pair of sheets 30 when vertically installed.
Third problem: To stably and safely fix the pair of sheets 30 when installed vertically.

Below, the embodiment of the pair of seats 30 according to the present invention for solving the first to third problems will be described based on the drawings according to the process of displacing the seat 30 from the sitting state when installed horizontally to the sleeping state when installed vertically. This will be explained in order. One of the features of the present invention is that the front support 43, which is a necessary member for uniting the pair of seats 30, is used as a means for moving the front seat 10 to the space above the rear seat 20. That is, mainly in order to solve the second problem, the seat surface 11 of the front seat 10 is attached to the front column 43 so that it can be raised and lowered, and the seat surface 11 of the front seat 10 is moved from the horizontally installed state to the front column 43. It is vertically installed in the upper space of the rear seat 20 by being raised along the rear seat 20.

[Process 1/Figure 3, Figures 7 to 10, Figures 14 to 17, etc.]
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the pair of sheets 30 when installed horizontally. The front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 of the pair of seats 30 assembled in the frame 40 have the rear ends of the seating surfaces 11 and 21 supported by the front strut 43 and the rear strut 44, respectively, and the seating legs 19 and 29. The backrests 12 and 22 are grounded to the floor 2 and supported by the seat surfaces 11 and 21 at predetermined angles. In this horizontal installation, passengers can sit on the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20, respectively.

7 and 8 are schematic side views of the pair of sheets 30 when installed vertically. The front seat 10 of the pair of seats 30 assembled in the frame 40 is moved to the space above the rear seat 20, and the backrests 12 and 22 are reclined and fixed in a flat state. are vertically installed substantially in the same column in the vertical direction. In this vertical installation, the passenger can lie down on the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 of the pair of seats 30 in any comfortable position such as lying down, prone, or supine.

14 is a front view of the main parts of the front seat 10 when installed vertically, FIG. 15 is a rear view of the main parts, FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the main parts of FIG. 14, and FIG. 17 is a front view of the pair of seats 30 when installed vertically. It is. As shown in FIGS. 14 to 17, the seat surface 11 of the front seat 10 includes a seat frame 50 on which the cushion 14 is placed, and a pair of slide guides 51 fixed to the lower surface of both left and right ends of the seat frame 50. A pair of left and right slide rails 52 fixed to the inner area of the slide guide 51 on the lower surface of the seat frame 50, a rail guide 53 into which the slide rails 52 are slidably fitted, and the rail guide 53 fixed to the upper surface, The support body 55 has a pair of elevating portions 55a at both left and right ends. In this sleeping state, the seating legs 19 of the front seat 10 are folded and stored under the seat frame 50 (see FIGS. 14 and 17). Note that 15 is a stay that supports the extended leg rest 13 of the front seat 10, and is housed in a recess on the upper surface of the support body 55 when not in use. Note that in FIGS. 14 to 17, the backrest 12 of the front seat 10 is not shown.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing the relationship between the support body 55 and the front column 43 when installed horizontally, and FIG. 10 is when installed vertically. In both figures, illustrations of members constituting the seat surface 11 other than the support body 55 are omitted. As shown in both figures, the pair of left and right front struts 43 each have a hollow recess 43a with openings facing each other, and an elevating section 55a equipped with wheels 55b at both upper and lower ends moves up and down inside the hollow recess 43a. It is possible to travel in the direction.

When installed horizontally as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, the seat surface 11 of the front seat 10 is attached to the base end on the rear seat 20 side, specifically, the support body 55 is attached to the hollow recess 43a of the front column 43 so as to be able to rise and fall. The seat surface 11 is located in a region in front of the front support 43. Note that in the seated state, the front seat 10 is fixed to the base material 41 of the frame 40 and the floor surface 2 by appropriate means.

[Process 2/Figure 4, Figure 10, Figure 11, Figure 18, etc.]
In order to move the seat surface 11 of the front seat 10 upward along the front support 43 as shown by the arrow Y in FIG. 4 from the horizontal installation shown in FIGS. After being released from being fixed to the surface 2, the seating legs 19 are folded and stored on the lower surface of the seat surface 11, and the wheels 55b of the lifting section 55a are moved inside the hollow recess 43a of the front support 43, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The seat 11 of the front seat 10 is raised upward along the front support 43 by causing the support body 55 to move upward along the front support 43. Note that the means for moving the front seat 10 may be performed manually or by using an appropriate mechanical device or auxiliary means, and the means is not limited.

In the hollow recess 43a of the front strut 43, a stopper 45 is installed at a predetermined location to regulate the ascending position of the elevating portion 55a in order to guide the seat surface 11 to a predetermined height position. A guide stand 70 is protruded from a predetermined position on the back surface adjacent to the stopper 45 . The upper surface of the guide stand 70 is formed wider than the front support 43 and protrudes toward the facing front support 43, that is, toward the inside of the front support 43.

By running the wheels 55b of the elevating section 55a along the front support 43 until they collide with the stopper 45, the seat surface 11 rises to a predetermined height when vertically installed, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 10. FIG. 18 is a plan view of the main part of the seat 11 that has been raised to a predetermined height. The seat 11 is located in the front direction M of the front support 43, and the slide guide 51 is not in contact with the guide base 70. Therefore, the seat surface 11 that has been raised to a predetermined height is not placed on the guide stand 70 and is not yet fixed to the front support 43. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, it is located forward of the front support 43 as in the case of horizontal installation, and is not yet located substantially on the same line as the rear seat 20 in the vertical direction.

[Process 3/Figure 4, Figure 6, Figure 13, Figure 18 to Figure 20, etc.]
Therefore, in the raised position of the elevating part 55a shown in FIGS. 4 and 18, the slide rail 52 is slid in the rail guide 53 fixed to the upper surface of the support 55 in the rear direction U (toward the rear seat 20). let Note that protrusions 53a for preventing the slide rail 52 from coming off, which fit into the rail guide 53, are provided on the inner surfaces of the opposing side walls of the rail guide 53 to protrude in the longitudinal direction (see FIG. 16). Both side surfaces of the slide rail 52 are held between the left and right pair of retaining protrusions 53a.

In the raised position of the elevating part 55a, the upper surface of the guide stand 70 is at the same or slightly lower position than the pair of slide guides 51 fixed to the lower surface of both left and right ends of the seat frame 50, and as shown in FIG. The guide 51 is slidable on the guide stand 70. Therefore, the support body 55 is regulated by the stopper 45 and raised to a height position where the slide guide 51 contacts the guide stand 70 or leaves a slight gap. From this state, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 20, the seat frame 50 of the seat 11, the cushion 14 placed on the upper surface of the seat frame 50, the slide rail 52 fixed to the lower surface of the seat frame 50, and the slide guide 51 slides from the support body 55 by a predetermined length in the rear direction U (toward the rear seat 20), and the slide guide 51 is placed on the guide stand 70. As a result, the seat surface 11 moves by a predetermined amount from a position in front of the front support 43 when installed horizontally to a position behind the front support 43, as shown by arrow X in FIG. 6 and FIG. They will be located approximately in the same direction. In this state, the seat surface 11 is supported at a predetermined height position by the guide stand 70 via the slide guide 51.

Note that the slide guide 51 is a long member and may be configured to be placed on the guide stand 70, but in order to improve safety, a key-shaped engaging portion (not shown) is formed on the lower surface of the slide guide 51, and the guide It is preferable to lock it to the rear end of the stand 70 or to detachably fix it by other suitable fixing means. The pair of slide guides 51 serve to guide the sliding movement of the seat frame 50 and to stably place the seat frame 50 on the guide base 70 after sliding.

According to the present invention described above, the front seat 10 can be moved to the space above the rear seat 20 using the front strut 43, and the opening areas on both sides of the rear seat 20 when installed vertically as in the invention of Document 1. There is no need for a gas cylinder mechanism, etc. that exists in a state where the gas cylinder is closed. Therefore, when installed vertically, there are no obstacles for passengers to enter and leave the rear seat 20 on both sides of the rear seat 20 located below, and a wide opening area for passengers to enter and exit the rear seat 20 can be secured. Similarly, there are no obstacles on either side of the front seat 10 located above, and a wide opening area for passengers to enter and exit the front seat 10 can be secured. Therefore, the front seat 10 can be moved upward without blocking the opening area for entering and exiting the pair of seats 30 when installed vertically, and the second problem can be solved. In the present invention, ensuring a wide opening area means that there are no obstacles between the front strut 43 and the rear strut 44, and a space is secured in which passengers can easily enter and exit. Incidentally, when vertically installed, the front seat 10 is entered into and removed from the front seat 10 by attaching elevating means (not shown) such as stairs or steps to appropriate locations such as the rear support 44.

[Step 4/Figures 21 to 23, etc.]
Next, in order to solve the third problem, an embodiment of stably and safely fixing a pair of seats 30 with the front seat 10 moved to the space above the rear seat 20 will be described as steps 4 and 5. do. That is, when the seat surfaces 11, 21 and the backrests 12, 22 of the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 are reclined and fixed at a predetermined angle, especially when installed vertically, the seat surfaces 11, 21 and the backrests 12, 22 are An embodiment in which the device is stably and safely fixed in a horizontal state will be described. This configuration is common to the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20, so in this embodiment, the front seat 10 will be explained as an example, and only the differences from the front seat 10 will be explained about the rear seat 20.

First, a configuration in which the backrest frame 80 of the backrest 12 is fixedly connected to the seat frame 50 of the seat 11 at a predetermined angle will be described based on FIGS. 21 to 23. FIG. 21 is an explanatory view of the main part showing a state where the backrest frame 80 is fixed to the seat frame 50 at a predetermined angle, and FIG. 22 is an explanatory view of the main part showing a state where the backrest frame 80 is rotatable to the seat frame 50 FIGS. 23(a), 23(b), and 23(c) are explanatory diagrams showing a state in which the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66 are connected.

The seat connecting plate 56 is a strength member made of a plate material having a predetermined shape, for example, a rectangular shape, and is provided protruding from both sides of the base end of the seat frame 50 equipped with the cushion 14. A seat connection hole 57 is bored in the seat connection plate 56, and a reference fixing hole 58 having a smaller diameter than the seat connection hole 57 is bored at a predetermined position on the circumferential outer periphery of the seat connection hole 57. . The backrest connecting plate 66 is a strength member made of a plate material having substantially the same shape as the seat connecting plate 56, and is provided protruding from both sides of the base end of the backrest frame 80 equipped with the backrest cushion 81. A backrest connection hole 67 is bored in the backrest connection plate 66, and a plurality of selective fixing holes 68 (in the illustrated example, selective fixing holes 68a, 68b, 68c) are drilled at different positions in an arc shape. Note that the number and arrangement angle of the plurality of selection fixing holes 68 may be arbitrarily selected.

A connecting rod 59 is inserted between the seat connecting holes 57 of the pair of left and right seat connecting plates 56 to fix the seat connecting plate 56 unrotatably, and both ends of the connecting rod 59 are connected to the pair of left and right backrest connecting plates. 66, and the backrest connecting plate 66 is rotatably fitted into the seat connecting plate 56. Then, both ends of the connecting rod 59 protruding from the backrest connecting hole 67 are covered with appropriate means such as a cap 59b. The backrest connection hole 67 is slightly larger than the connection rod 59, and the backrest connection plate 66 is rotatable about the connection rod 59. In this state, the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66 are not fixed, and the backrest frame 80 is also not fixed to the seat frame 50.

The reference fixing hole 58 drilled in the seat connecting plate 56 and the plurality of selective fixing holes 68 bored in the backrest connecting plate 66 are fixed relative to the reference fixing hole 58 when the backrest connecting plate 66 rotates. The selection fixing holes 68a, 68b, and 68c constituting the selection fixing hole 68 face each other in sequence and communicate with each other. ), the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66 can be fixed at a predetermined angle, that is, the backrest frame 80 can be fixed at a predetermined angle with respect to the seat frame 50. can.

A rod-shaped rotating rod 61 of a predetermined length is rotatably supported on a bracket 59a vertically disposed approximately in the center of the connecting rod 59. One end of the pair of cables 62 is fixed, and a pair of left and right first fixing pins 65 are provided at the other end of the cables 62 with elastic members 63 interposed therebetween, facing the reference fixing hole 58 of the seat connecting plate 56. Fixed. A suitable operating means such as a strap 64 is connected to one end of the rotation rod 61. The first fixing pin 65 is normally biased by the elastic member 63 and inserted into the reference fixing hole 58 and the selective fixing holes 68a (68b, 68c) facing the reference fixing hole 58, as shown in FIG. , the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66 are fixed at a predetermined angle (see FIG. 21).

From the state shown in FIG. 21, by operating an appropriate operating means such as the strap 64 and rotating the rotation rod 61 as shown by the arrow Z, the cable 62 is moved against the elastic member 63. The rotation rod 61 is pulled in the direction, the first fixing pin 65 falls out from the selective fixing hole 68a (68b, 68c), and the backrest connecting plate 66 can rotate about the connecting rod 59 with respect to the seat connecting plate 56. (See FIG. 22). Note that even in this state, the first fixing pin 65 remains inserted into the reference fixing hole 58 of the seat connecting plate 56.

In FIG. 23(a), first fixing pins 65 are inserted into the reference fixing hole 58 and the selective fixing hole 68a in order to maintain the positional relationship between the seat frame 50 and the backrest frame 80 in the seated state (see FIG. 3) when horizontally installed. is inserted to fix the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66. Thereby, the seat connection plate 56 and the backrest connection plate 66, that is, the seat frame 50 and the backrest frame 80, are held at an angle suitable for the sitting posture.

FIG. 23(b) shows first fixing pins in the reference fixing hole 58 and the selective fixing hole 68b in order to maintain the positional relationship between the seat frame 50 and the backrest frame 80 (see FIG. 4) during the lifting work of the front seat 10. 65 is inserted to fix the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66. Thereby, the backrest 12 does not become an obstacle when the front seat 10 is raised. Further, the selective fixing hole 68b can be used when reclining the backrests 12, 22 of the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 in a seated state when installed horizontally.

In FIG. 23(c), in order to maintain the positional relationship between the seat frame 50 and the backrest frame 80 in the sleeping state when vertically installed (see FIGS. 5 to 7), a first A fixing pin 65 is inserted to fix the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66 so that they are substantially horizontal. Thereby, the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66, that is, the seat frame 50 and the backrest frame 80 are held in a substantially horizontal state suitable for a sleeping position.

[Process 5/Figure 6 to Figure 8, Figure 24, Figure 25, etc.]
During the above-mentioned vertical installation, the front seat 10 is moved to the space above the rear seat 20 using the front support 43, and the seat frame 50 is placed on the guide stand 70 via the slide guide 51. Before this, as shown in FIG. 23(c), the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66 are fixed with the first fixing pin 65 with the reference fixing hole 58 and the selection fixing hole 68c communicating with each other, and the seat frame is fixed. 50 and the backrest frame 80 are held in a substantially horizontal state. Alternatively, after the work of placing the seat frame 50 on the guide stand 70 via the slide guide 51 is completed, the backrest frame 80 may be held in a horizontal state by the above-described work. As a result, the seat frame 50 is supported by the guide stand 70, and although the base end of the backrest frame 80 is held in a substantially horizontal state by the seat frame 50, the tip of the backrest frame 80 is open. It is located between the rear struts 44 in this state.

FIGS. 24(a) and 24(b) are explanatory views of the main parts of the backrest 12 of the front seat 10. As shown in the figures, predetermined locations on both sides of the backrest frame 80, which is a strength member constituting the backrest 12, are It is equipped with a pair of second fixing pins 85 on the left and right that can be expanded and contracted using an operating rod 82. Reference numeral 81 denotes a cushion mounted on the backrest frame 80. As shown in FIG. 6, backrest fixing holes 83 into which the second fixing pins 85 can enter are bored on the inner surface of the rear support 44 that faces the second fixing pins 85 when vertically installed. 24(b), the backrest frame 80 can be fixed to the rear support 44 by operating the operating rod 82 to extend the second fixing pin 85 and inserting it into the backrest fixing hole 83. . In FIG. 24(a), the backrest frame 80 can be released from the rear support 44 by operating the operating rod 82 to reduce the second fixing pin 85 and storing it in the backrest frame 80. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the leg rest 13 of the front seat 10 is extended in the horizontal direction and is held in a horizontal state using the stay 15. This completes the vertical installation of the front seat 10. Note that 86 is a handle that is grasped to assist in moving the body forward and backward when seated, and in order to assist in operating the backrest 12 when installed vertically.

Similarly, the backrest frame 90 of the rear seat 20 is held in a horizontal state. The means for fixing the seat connecting plate 56 and the backrest connecting plate 66 of the rear seat 20 and the means for holding the leg rest 23 in the horizontal direction have the same structure as the front seat 10, and therefore their explanation will be omitted. Note that when the backrest frame 90 of the rear seat 20 is in a horizontal state, the backrest frame 90 is not located between the rear columns 44. Therefore, the back of the backrest frame 90 of the rear seat 20 is equipped with rotatable support legs 35, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 8. When installed vertically, the support legs 35 can be rotated from the backrest frame 90. The tip of the backrest frame 90 is supported by extending it and installing it on the floor 2 so that it cannot fall down. Note that 91 is a cushion provided on the backrest frame 90, and 96 is a handle that is grasped to assist in moving the body forward and backward when seated and in operating the backrest 22 when installed vertically.

In the state shown in FIG. 8, the slide guide 51 of the seat frame 50 of the front seat 10 is placed on a guide stand 70, which is a strength member fixed to the front column 43, and in addition, the slide guide 51 and the guide stand 70 By engaging the two, it is possible to place the device more stably. Further, the base end portion of the backrest frame 80 is firmly fixed by the seat connection plate 56 fixed to the seat frame 50 and the first fixing pin 65 via the backrest connection plate 66 fixed to the backrest frame 80. At the same time, it is firmly fixed to the rear column 44 by second fixing pins 85 provided on both sides of the backrest frame 80. Therefore, the front seat 10 is stably and safely fixed in the vertical direction to the rear seat 20.

Similarly, the seat frame 25 of the rear seat 20 is supported on the floor 2 by support legs 36, and the base end of the backrest frame 90 is connected to the seat frame through a backrest connecting plate 66 fixed to the backrest frame 90. It is firmly fixed by a seat connecting plate 56 and a first fixing pin 65 fixed to the seat 25, and is supported on the floor 2 by support legs 35 provided on the back side of the backrest frame 90. Therefore, the rear seat 20 is stably and safely fixed in the vertical direction of the front seat 10. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve the third problem of "fixing the pair of sheets 30 stably and safely during vertical installation."

[Process 6/Figure 1, Figure 8, Figure 26 to Figure 31, etc.]
The front seat 10 is raised from the horizontal installation state shown in FIG. 12 and 22 are fixed in a horizontal position as shown in FIG. In other words, due to the structure of the long-distance night bus 1, it is not possible to secure the height required for passengers to make physical movements such as turning over, especially due to constraints on the interior height, making it difficult to enjoy a comfortable nighttime experience. We will specifically examine the difficulty of maintaining a relaxed posture that allows you to sleep.

Taking the aforementioned long-distance night bus 1 as an example, which has a total length of 11,990 mm, an interior width of 2,310 mm, and three rows of seats arranged in parallel in the width direction, there are air conditioner ducts and luggage shelves in the ceiling of the seats on both sides of the window. Therefore, the standard indoor height dimension H (see FIG. 7) between the floor surface 2 and the luggage rack is 1550 mm to 1570 mm. When installing the seat of the invention of Document 1 within the indoor height dimension H of 1550 mm, when vertically installed, the height dimension H3 from the upper end of the seat surface 21 of the rear seat to the floor surface 2 (the height of the rear seat 20 in the seated state) 7 and 17) in the vertical direction of the rear seat 20 by 400 mm (280 mm of the height H4 from the bottom of the seat 21 to the floor 2 + 120 mm of the height H5 of the seat 21). If the height H6 of the seat surface 11 of the front seat 10 is 120 mm, the height H1+H2 (see FIG. 7) of the upper space between the rear seat 20 and the front seat 10 is 1030 mm (H-H4-H5-H6= 1550mm-280mm-120mm-120mm). If this 1030 mm space of height H1 + H2 is used equally, the height H2 of the space above the front seat 10 and the height H1 of the space above the rear seat 20 when vertically installed (see Fig. 7) are respectively It becomes 515mm (1030÷2).

In addition, if the indoor height dimension H between the floor surface 2 and the luggage rack remains at 1450 mm, and assuming that other dimensions are the same, the height dimension H1 + H2 of the space above the rear seat 20 and the front seat 10 described above (see FIG. 7). ) is 930mm (1450mm-400mm-120mm). If this space of 930 mm (height dimension H1 + H2) is used equally, the height dimension H2 of the upper space of the front seat 10 and the height dimension H1 of the upper space of the rear seat 20 (see FIG. 7) when vertically installed are respectively It becomes 465mm (930÷2). Compared to the interior width of the long-distance night bus 1, which is 2310 mm, the width of the pair of seats assembled to the frame is approximately 480 mm. It will be lower than the width dimension.

In order for passengers to move their bodies such as turning over while sleeping, it is desirable to have an upper space with a height of about 580 mm based on empirical rules, and at least a width of 480 mm in the front seat 10 and rear seat 20. If there is no upper space with height dimensions H1 and H2 exceeding , it will be difficult to lie down. Even if the front seat 10 and the rear seat 20 are placed in a nearly flat state for sleeping according to the invention of Document 1, the height dimensions H1 and H2 of the upper space will be insufficient as it is, making it possible to sleep comfortably at night. It is difficult to maintain a relaxed posture. In addition, since there are no air conditioner ducts or luggage shelves above the middle seats arranged in three rows in the width direction, the height dimension between the floor surface 2 and the ceiling is 1800 mm, which is sufficient to accommodate the front seat when installed vertically. It is possible to secure a height of 580 mm or more for the upper space of the seat 10 and the rear seat 20, but the pair of seats must have the same configuration and size as the center seat and the seats on both sides near the window. It is highly versatile and can be used for many purposes.

On the other hand, the height H3 between the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 and the floor surface 2 is such that when the seat is horizontally installed as shown in FIG. Although this is essential for maintaining a lowered posture, in a sleeping state when the feet are vertically installed, there is no need to lower the soles of the feet to the floor surface 2, so there is little need for this. Specifically, since an air conditioner duct 100 for a heater with a height of 130 mm and a width of 140 mm is often installed on the floor surface 2 on the window side of the long-distance night bus 1, the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 From the dimension H3 from the upper end to the floor surface (the height dimension of the seat in the seated state, see Figures 7 and 17) 400 mm, the height dimension H5 of the seat surface 21 of 120 mm and the height dimension of the air conditioner duct 100 described above. The 150mm (400mm - 120mm - 130mm = 150mm) excluding 130mm is unnecessary when installed vertically. In addition, in the long-distance night bus 1 where the air conditioner duct 100 is not installed on the floor 2, the dimension H4 from the lower end of the seating surface 21 of the rear seat 20 to the floor is 280 mm (H3-H5) to expand the upper space. It is possible to use it. Therefore, the present invention allows the height dimension H3 between the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 and the floor surface 2 to be reduced and changed when vertically installed, and the reduced dimension is changed to the height dimension H1 of the upper space of the rear seat 20 and the front height dimension H3. One of the features is that the first problem (increasing the height dimension of the upper space of a pair of sheets 30 when vertically installed) is solved by using it to expand the height dimension H2 of the upper space of the seat 10. There are two.

Below, means for solving the first problem will be explained based on the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 8, and 26 to 31. FIG. 1 is a basic conceptual diagram of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of a pair of seats 30 when installed vertically, FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of main parts showing the structure of the rear seat 20 before reduction, and FIG. 27 is a perspective view thereof. 28 is an explanatory view of the main part showing the structure of the rear seat 20 during the reduction change, FIG. 29 is a perspective view thereof, FIG. 30 is an explanatory view of the main part showing the structure of the rear seat 20 after the reduction change, and FIG. FIG. As shown in the figure, in the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20, the seat frame 25 on which the cushion 24 is placed has a seat top frame 26 and a seat bottom frame 27 fixed to the base material 41 of the frame 40. They are connected by seat legs 28 that can be raised and lowered. Therefore, by placing the seat legs 28 in the upright position, the seat upper frame 26 and the seat lower frame 27 are separated by a certain distance (see FIGS. 26 and 27), while the seat legs 28 are placed in the reclining position. This causes the seat upper frame 26 and the seat lower frame 27 to approach each other (see FIGS. 30 and 31).

The seat legs 28 include a pair of left and right seat front legs 28a and a seat back, each having a lower end rotatably pivoted to the seat lower frame 27 and an upper end rotatably pivoting to the seat upper frame 26. A collar portion 28c is provided in a protruding manner at the intermediate portion of the pair of left and right front and rear seat legs 28a and 28b, respectively. Furthermore, a support pedestal 27a that removably supports the flange portion 28c is protruded from a predetermined location of the lower seat frame 27. Therefore, when the seat leg 28 is raised, the flange 28c is seated on the support pedestal 27a and supports the seat upper frame 26 at a stable angle, and the seat 21 maintains load bearing capacity against the passenger's weight. ing.

A leg connecting rod 37 is installed between the pair of left and right seat rear legs 28b, and the seat legs 28 stand up at predetermined locations on the seat bottom frame 27, and the collar portion 28c is seated on the support base 27a. In this state, a suitable fixing means 33 such as a C-shaped member is provided to detachably fix the leg connecting rod 37. Therefore, when the seat leg 28 is raised, the leg connecting rod 37 is fixed by the fixing means 33. Therefore, by means of this fixing means 33 and the support pedestal 27a that supports the above-mentioned flange 28c, the seat surface 21 has the function of maintaining the seated state to stably support the passenger's weight, and has sufficient capacity for this purpose. Maintains load bearing capacity.

As shown in FIG. 7, in order to reduce the height dimension H3 between the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 and the floor surface 2 in the sleeping state when installed vertically, as shown in FIGS. 28 and 29, By releasing the leg connecting rod 37 from the fixing means 33 and rotating the seat upper frame 26 in the direction of the front column 43, the seat front legs 28a and the seat rear legs 28b are connected to the front column with the seat lower frame 27 as a starting point. 43 direction, the seat upper frame 26 approaches the seat lower frame 27 as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 8. A support leg 36 of a predetermined height is hung from the end of the upper seat frame 26 in the direction of the front support 43 to support the upper seat frame 26 when the upper seat frame 26 approaches the lower seat frame 27. When the support legs 36 come into contact with the floor 2, the rotation of the seat upper frame 26 is stopped. The support legs 36, the front seat legs 28a, and the rear seat legs 28b allow the seat 21 to maintain sufficient load resistance to stably support the weight of the passenger.

By bringing the seat upper frame 26 closer to the seat lower frame 27 during vertical installation in this manner, the height H3 between the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 and the floor surface 2 shown in FIG. 8, the height dimension between the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 and the floor surface 2 can be reduced to H3α. By this reduced dimension (H3-H3α), the height dimension H1 of the upper space of the rear seat 20 when installed vertically (the dimension between the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 and the back surface of the front seat 10) can be expanded. Can be done. Alternatively, the height dimension H2 of the upper space of the front seat 10 (the dimension between the seat surface 11 of the front seat 10 and the luggage rack or ceiling) can be reduced by lowering the raised position of the front seat 10 using this reduced dimension. It is possible to expand. This reduced dimension (H3-H3α) may be equally used for the height H1 of the upper space of the rear seat 20 and the height H2 of the upper space of the front seat 10 when vertically installed, Either one or both may be used in any proportion.

Then, when installing horizontally, the height dimension H3α between the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 and the floor surface 2 shown in FIG. 7, the height dimension H3 between the seat surface 21 of the rear seat 20 and the floor surface 2 can be restored. Therefore, according to the present invention, the first problem of "enlarging the height dimension of the space above the pair of sheets 30 when vertically installed" can be achieved.

When the expansion width is estimated based on the actual long-distance night bus 1 in which the height dimension between the floor surface 2 and the luggage rack is 1550 mm, the height dimension on both sides of the long-distance night bus 1 near the window as described above Since the air conditioner duct 100 with H8 of 130 mm is installed, the reduced dimension H7 according to the present invention is 150 mm (H3: 400 mm - H5: 120 mm - H8: 130 mm = H7: 150 mm). If this reduced dimension of 150 mm is used equally in 75 mm (150 mm x 1/2) to expand the upper space of the rear seat 20 and front seat 10 when vertically installed, the height dimensions H1 and H2 of the respective upper spaces will be reduced. Since 75 mm, which is 1/2 of the height dimension H7 (150 mm) expanded to 515 mm, is added, the height dimensions H1α and H2α of the upper space are 590 mm (H1, H2: 515 mm + H7 x 1/2: 75 mm) ( (see FIG. 8), it is possible to realize an upper space with a height exceeding about 580 mm, which is necessary for the passenger to turn over and move his/her body while sleeping.

In addition, the rear of the actual vehicle of the long-distance night bus 1 has a height H between the floor surface 2 and the luggage rack of 1450 mm, and an upper space height of the rear seat 20 and front seat 10 when vertically installed is 465 mm. In the area, if the reduced dimension H7 of 150 mm according to the present invention described above is used equally in 75 mm (150 mm x 1/2) to expand the space above the rear seat 20 and the front seat 10 when vertically installed, each The height dimensions H1α and H2α of the upper space are 540 mm (H1, H2: 465 mm + H7 x 1/2: 75 mm) since 75 mm, which is 1/2 of the dimension H7 (150 mm) expanded to the height dimension of 465 mm, is taken into account. ), it is possible to realize an upper space with a height dimension exceeding 480 mm in width dimension of the rear seat 20 and front seat 10, and it becomes possible to use it in a sleeping state. Further, regardless of the height dimension between the floor surface and the luggage shelf, the expansion width can be made to have a common configuration for all the pairs of seats, and it is possible to provide versatility.

According to the present invention described above, in the front seat and the rear seat, the seat connection plate protruding from the seat frame of the seat surface and the backrest connection plate protruding from the backrest frame of the backrest are connected via the connection rod. The first fixing pin is connected rotatably, and the reference fixing hole drilled in the seat connecting plate faces one selective fixing hole selected from the plurality of selective fixing holes drilled in the backrest connecting plate. By inserting and fixing, the backrest connecting plate can be fixed to the seat connecting plate at a predetermined angle. In particular, when installed vertically, the seat connection plate and the backrest connection plate can be fixed with the backrest reclined so that the seat and backrest are flat (horizontal state).

In addition, when installed vertically, the backrest of the front seat reclined so that the seat surface and backrest are flat can be fixed to the rear support via the second fixing pin. Similarly, the backrest of the rear seat that is reclined so that the seat surface and the backrest are flat can be supported on the floor via the support legs.

Therefore, in both horizontal and vertical installations, the seat surface and backrest of the front and rear seats can be set in a predetermined posture with easier operation, and especially when installed vertically, the seat surface and backrest can be flat. The reclined backrest can be fixed stably and safely. Further, these operations do not require the fixing rod, fitting rod, or cam mechanism employed in the invention of Document 1.

Therefore, passengers can safely lie down on the front and rear seats in any comfortable position, such as lying down, prone, or supine, not only when the vehicle is installed horizontally, but also when it is installed vertically. As a result, the practicality and comfort of long-distance night buses can be greatly improved, and this is a major improvement in the long-distance night bus industry, where many bus companies offer various routes and competition on the same routes is becoming fierce. It can differentiate itself from other companies and contribute to improving ridership.

1...Long distance night bus 2...Floor surface 10...Front seat 11...Seat surface 12...Backrest 13...Leg rest 14...Cushion 15...Stay 19...Seating leg 20...Rear seat 21...Seat surface 22...Backrest 23...Leg rest 24... Cushion 25... Seat frame 26... Seat upper frame 27... Seat lower frame 27a... Support pedestal 28... Seat leg 28a... Seat front leg 28b... Seat rear leg 28c... Flange 29... Seating leg 30... Pair of seats 33...Fixing means 35, 36...Support legs 37...Leg connecting rods 40...Frame 41...Base material 42...Girder material 43...Front support 43a...Hollow recess 44...Rear support 45...Stopper 50...Seat frame 51 ...Slide guide 52...Slide rail 53...Rail guide 53a...Protrusion for retaining 55...Support body 55a...Elevating part 55b...Wheel 56...Seat connection plate 57...Seat connection hole 58...Reference fixing hole 59...Connection rod 59a... Bracket 59b... Cap 61... Rotating rod 62... Cable 63... Elastic member 64... Strap 65... First fixing pin 66... Backrest connecting plate 67... Backrest connecting hole 68, 68a, 68b, 68c... Selective fixing hole 70 ...Guide stand 80...Backrest frame (of front seat 10) 81...Cushion (of backrest frame 80) 82...Operation rod 83...Backrest fixing hole 85...Second fixing pin 86...Handle (of backrest frame 80) 90...(Rear) Backrest frame (of the seat 20) 91...Cushion (of the backrest frame 90) 96...Handle (of the backrest frame 90) 100...Air conditioner duct H, H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, H7, H8...Height dimension M ...Forward direction U...Backward direction

According to claim 1, the present invention comprises assembling a pair of seats consisting of a front seat and a rear seat each having a seat surface and a backrest into a unit in a frame having a pair of left and right front columns and a rear column. Seats for a long-distance night bus that can be installed horizontally in approximately the same row in the horizontal direction, and a pair of seats can be installed vertically in approximately the same row in the vertical direction by moving the front seat to the space above the rear seat. In terms of structure , there are standard fixing holes drilled in the seat connection plate that protrude from the seat frames of the front and rear seats, and holes that protrude from the backrest frames of the front and rear seat backrests. The backrest frame can be fixed to the seat frame at a predetermined angle by facing one selective fixing hole selected from a plurality of selective fixing holes drilled in the backrest connecting plate and inserting and fixing the first fixing pin. When installed vertically, the reference fixing hole on the seat connecting plate and the selective fixing hole on the backrest connecting plate are fixed so that the seat and backrest are in a horizontal state, and the expandable and retractable holes are installed on both sides of the backrest frame of the front seat. Based on the seat structure of long-distance night buses, the backrest of the front seat is fixed between the pair of rear columns by extending the second fixing pin and inserting it into the backrest fixing hole drilled in the pair of rear columns. provide.

According to claim 2 , when vertically installed, support legs rotatably equipped on the backrest frame of the rear seat are extended and installed on the floor, thereby providing a configuration in which the backrest of the rear seat is supported on the floor .

According to claim 3, when installed horizontally, the second fixing pin is reduced in size and stored in the backrest of the front seat, and according to claim 4, a pair of seat connecting plates are provided protruding from both left and right ends of the seat frame. In addition, a configuration is provided in which a pair of backrest connecting plates are protruded from both left and right ends of the base end of the backrest frame .

According to claim 5 , the first fixing pin is removably inserted into the reference fixing hole of the seat connecting plate facing each other and the selective fixing hole of the backrest connecting plate; To provide a configuration in which a connecting rod is inserted between a seat connecting hole bored in a plate and a backrest connecting hole bored in a backrest connecting plate to rotatably connect the base end of the backrest to the seat.

According to claim 7 , a configuration is provided in which the seat frame is equipped with a seat cushion and the backrest frame is equipped with a backrest cushion.

Claims (10)

Inside the frame, which has a pair of left and right front and rear columns,
A pair of seats, each consisting of a front seat and a rear seat, each having a seat and a backrest, are assembled into a unit.
A pair of sheets can be horizontally installed approximately in the same row in the horizontal direction, and
In the seat structure of a long-distance night bus, the front seat is moved to the space above the rear seat so that a pair of seats can be installed vertically in substantially the same row.
The backrests of the front seat and the rear seat, each having a backrest frame, are fixedly connected at a predetermined angle to the seat surfaces of the front seat and the rear seat, each having a seat frame, and
When installing vertically, fix the backrest frame of the front seat to the pair of rear supports.
A seat structure for a long-distance night bus characterized by supporting the backrest frame of the rear seat on the floor. A seat connecting plate protruding from the seat frame and a backrest connecting plate protruding from the backrest frame are rotatably connected,
By facing the reference fixing hole drilled in the seat connecting plate and one selected fixing hole selected from the plurality of selective fixing holes drilled in the backrest connecting plate, and inserting and fixing the first fixing pin,
The seat structure for a long-distance night bus according to claim 1, wherein the backrest connecting plate is fixed to the seat connecting plate at a predetermined angle. 3. The seat structure for a long-distance night bus according to claim 2, wherein a pair of seat connecting plates are provided protruding from both left and right ends of the seat frame, and a pair of backrest connecting plates are provided protruding from both left and right ends of the base end of the backrest frame. 4. The seat structure for a long-distance night bus according to claim 3, wherein the first fixing pin is removably inserted into the reference fixing hole of the seat connecting plate and the selective fixing hole of the backrest connecting plate, which face each other. A claim in which a connecting rod is inserted between a seat connecting hole drilled in the seat connecting plate and a backrest connecting hole drilled in the backrest connecting plate to rotatably connect the base end of the backrest to the seat surface. Seat structure of the long-distance night bus described in 4. 6. The seat structure for a long-distance night bus according to claim 5, wherein the reference fixing hole of the seat connecting plate and the selective fixing hole of the backrest connecting plate are fixed so that the seat surface and the backrest are in a horizontal state when installed vertically. When installing the front seat backrest vertically, the second and retractable fixing pins installed on both sides of the front seat backrest frame are extended and inserted into the backrest fixing holes drilled in the pair of rear supports. The seat structure for a long-distance night bus according to claim 6, wherein the seat structure is fixed between the rear struts. 8. The long-distance night bus according to claim 7, wherein when vertically installed, support legs rotatably provided on the backrest frame of the rear seat are extended and installed on the floor to support the backrest of the rear seat on the floor. seat structure. The seat structure for a long-distance night bus according to claim 8, wherein the second fixing pin is reduced in size and stored in the backrest of the front seat when installed horizontally. 10. The seat structure for a long-distance night bus according to claim 9, wherein the seat frame is equipped with a seat cushion, and the backrest frame is equipped with a backrest cushion.

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