WO2002074575A1

WO2002074575A1 - A support arrangement for a vehicle seat

Info

Publication number: WO2002074575A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/000524
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicholas C. Morell
Original assignee: Autoliv Development Ab
Priority date: 2001-03-19
Filing date: 2002-03-19
Publication date: 2002-09-26
Also published as: GB2373435A; GB0106806D0; GB2373435B

Abstract

A support arrangement for a vehicle seat comprises a frame (10) having two side members (11, 12) and two cross-bars (13, 14). Each side member (11, 12) of the frame is provided with two respective pivoting links (15, 16, 24, 25) located at opposed ends of the frame to mount the frame to the vehicle. The pivoting links (24, 25) at one end of the frame are connected to co-rotate with one of the cross-bars (13) and are associated with a height adjuster mechanism (91-114) to adjust the height of the frame. The second cross-bar (14) forms part of a tilt mechanism (60-89) and is rotatable relative to the side members of the frame to alter the tilt of a vehicle seat supported by the arrangement.

Description

"A SUPPORTARRANGEMENT FORA VEHICLE SEAT"

THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a support arrangement for a vehicle seat, and more particularly relates to a support arrangement for an adjustable vehicle seat, such as a seat which is adapted to slide along rails mounted in the floor of the vehicle to facilitate an axial adjustment of the position of the seat, and which incorporates mechanisms which enable the height of the seat to be adjusted, and also the tilt of the squab of the seat to be adjusted.

A vehicle seat support arrangement of this type has been disclosed previously, (see, for example, EP 0 366 364 A), but such prior proposed arrangements have been relatively complicated, relatively heavy and have occupied a substantial amount of space.

There is growing pressure for vehicle manufacturers to manufacture vehicles incorporating components which, whilst having adequate strength, are as light as possible so as to make the vehicles fuel efficient.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved support arrangement for a vehicle seat. According to this invention there is provided a support arrangement for a vehicle seat, the support arrangement comprising a frame, the frame having two side members and two cross-bars, each side member of the frame being provided with two pivoting links located at the opposed ends of the frame to mount the frame to the vehicle, the pivoting links of one end of the frame being connected to co-rotate with one of said cross-bars, and being associated with a height adjuster mechanism adapted to adjust the height of the frame, the second cross-bar forming part of a tilt mechanism and being rotatable relative to the side members of the frame to alter the tilt of a vehicle seat supported by the arrangement.

Preferably the pivoting links at the other end of the frame are connected to the frame to rotate about the axis of the second cross-bar.

Conveniently each end of the second cross-bar is mounted to rotate, relative to a respective side member of the frame, by means of a bush received in an aperture formed in the side member.

Advantageously the pivoting links at the other end of the frame are each mounted, by means of a bearing, on one end of the second cross-bar.

Preferably at each end of the second cross-bar a plug is provided having a body part received within the aperture formed in the adjacent side member and being separated from the adjacent side member by means of a bush of low friction material, the plug being associated with having an enlarged head and a shank, the shank being received within a bore provided in the said plug, the head passing through an aperture formed in the link, there being a bush of low friction material between the peg and the material formed the link. Conveniently each end of the second cross-bar is provided with a radially extending arm which is pivotally connected to a link arm, the link arm being adapted to be connected to the seat to tilt the seat.

Preferably at least one end of the second cross-bar is provided with a radially extending arm which is connected to an adjustment mechanism and a damper.

Advantageously the adjustment mechanism incorporates a locking segment having a partially toothed periphery, and a locking arm having a toothed surface adapted to be brought into engagement with the said toothed periphery to lock the cross-bar against rotation.

Conveniently the height adjuster mechanism includes a pivotally mounted control plate adapted to rotate about a predeteirriined axis, the control plate having a toothed surface, there being a toothed control wheel engaging the toothed surface, and a manual means to rotate the toothed control wheel, the control plate being connected to one of said pivoting links provided at said one end of the frame.

Preferably the control plate is provided with a lug off-set from the axis of pivotal rotation of the control plate, the lug being connected by a link to an arm forming an extension of the said link provided at said one end of the frame.

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 perspective view of a support arrangement for a vehicle seat in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a further perspective view of the arrangement of Figure 1,

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of part of the support as shown in Figures 1 and 2,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partially sectional view of part of the support shown in the support of Figures 3 and 4,

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view showing part of the support of Figures 1 and 2,

FIGURE 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 showing exploded components partially assembled,

FIGURE 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 showing the exploded components fully assembled,

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of part of the support arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 illustrating the components of Figures 5 to 7 in position,

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view with part cut-away of the support arrangement of Figures 1 and 2 when supporting a seat squab frame with the tilt mechanism in one position, FIGURE 10 is a view corresponding to Figure 9 with the tilt mechanism in an alternate position,

FIGURE 11 is an exploded view of components foπning part of the support arrangement of Figures 1 and 2,

FIGURE 12 is a view corresponding to Figure 11 showing the components of Figure 11 in the assembled state, and

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of part of the support of Figures 1 and 2 showing the components of Figures 11 and 12 in position.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrates an almost complete support arrangement for a vehicle seat in accordance with the invention.

The illustrated support arrangement is shown mounted on two parallel rails 1, 2, which are adapted to be secured to the floor of a motor vehicle by means of fixing lugs 3, 4, and fixing brackets 5, 6 provided at opposite ends of each rail. Each rail 1, 2, is in the form of a channel having a base and two upstanding side walls, the upper parts of the side walls each being in the form of an inwardly and downwardly turned lip.

The rail 1 slidably receives a carriage 7 which is slidable along the rail, and the rail 2 receives a corresponding carriage 8, which is also slidable along the rail. It is to be understood that many different designs of rail and carriage may be utilised in embodiments of the invention.

The seat support arrangement incorporates a frame 10. The frame 10 is constituted by two side members 11, 12, each formed of a respective metal pressing. Two transverse bars 13, 14, extend between the side members 11, 12, to constitute a substantially square or rectangular frame. The transverse bars 13, 14 have considerable strength so that the frame 10 is not deformed, even if subjected to forces that arise in a typical side impact accident.

The frame 10 is connected to the carriages 7, 8, by means of two parallel link arms 15, 16, provided at the front end of the frame.

The link arm 15 is formed of a metal pressing. The lower end of the pressing is pivotally connected by means of a pivotal connection 17 to a support bracket 18 which is mounted at the front end of the carriage 7. The upper end of the link arm 15 is connected by means of a bushing arrangement 19 to an end part of the transverse bar 14 on the exterior of the side member 11, as will be described hereinafter in greater detail.

The link arm 16 is formed of a metal pressing, and the lower end of the link arm 16 is connected by means of a pivotal connection 20 to a support bracket 21 that is mounted on the front end of the carriage 8. The upper end of the link arm 16 is connected by means of a bushing arrangement 22, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, to the other end of the transverse bar 14 on the exterior of the side element 12.

The frame 10 is also connected to the carriages 7, 8, by means of two parallel link arms 24, 25 provided at the rear end of the frame.

The lower end of the link arm 24, is connected, by means of a pivotal connection 26 to a mounting bracket 27 provided at the rear end of the carriage 8. The upper end of the link arm 24 is connected to the transverse bar 13 provided at the rear of the frame which is rotatably mounted in position. The lower end of the link arm 25 is connected, by means of a pivotal connection 28 to a mounting bracket 29 provided at the rear end of the carriage 7. The upper end of the link arm 25 is connected to the transverse bar 13.

The link arms 15 and 16 are of the same length and the link arms 24 and 25 are of the same length and form a parallel motion linkage which can be utilised to adjust the height of the frame 10 above the rails 1, 2.

Turning now to Figures 3 and 4, the connection between the link arm 16, the side member 12 and the transverse bar 14 is shown. The upper end of the link arm 16 is provided with an aperture 30 which receives a bush 31 of a low friction material. A mounting peg 32 is provided having an enlarged head 33 and a shank 34, there being an enlarged shoulder 35 between the shank 34 and the head 33. The peg is inserted in position with the shoulder engaging the interior of the bush 31 and the peg protruding therethrough.

An aperture 36 is provided in the side member 12 and a bush 37 of low friction material is provided to be inserted into the aperture 36. A plug is provided having an enlarged head 38, and an adjacent shoulder 39, the plug being located so that the shoulder 39 of the plug is received within the bush 37. The shank 34 of the peg 32 passes through a central bore provided in the plug.

The end of the shank 34 of the peg 32 is received within a bore provided in a final plug 40 which has a head 41 and a shaft which is received within an open end of the hollow transverse bar 14. The arrangement is such that the link arm 16 may pivot freely about the axis of the transverse bar 14 relative to the bar 14 and relative to the side member 12, and also the transverse bar 14 may pivot freely about its own axis relative to the link arm 16 and relative to the side member 12.

Referring now additionally to Figures 5 to 8, a mechanism that effects tilting of the seat that is associated with the transverse bar 14 will be described. Secured to the transverse bar 14 for co-rotation with the bar is an "L"-shaped lever, the lever being mounted to the arm at the apex of the lever so that the lever presents one radially extending arm 42, which has a terminal aperture 43, and a second radially extending orthoganally positioned arm 44, the free end of which is connected by means of a pivot 45 to a link arm 46. The link arm 46 is a linear link arm and has, at the end thereof remote from the pivotal connection 45, a pair of outwardly extending trunions 47.

The first arm 42 has the aperture 43 thereof connected to a drive rod 48 of a damper 49. The damper 49 serves to damp rotation of the bar 14 in either direction.

Connected for co-rotation with the bar 14, as shown in Figure 8, is a locking segment 50 having an arcuate toothed surface 51. A locking arm 52 is provided which has a corresponding arcuate toothed peripheral surface 53 which can be brought into engagement with the arcuate toothed surface 51 of the locking segment 50 in order to prevent movement thereof, and thus locking the rotatably transverse bar 14 in a specific position.

The locking arm 52 has, at one end thereof, an aperture 54 and has, extending generally parallel with the arcuate surface 53, an elongate slot 55. A bearing 56 is received within the aperture 54 in order to pivotally mount the locking arm 52 on a support arm 57, the bearing 56 being mounted within an aperture 58 formed at the upper end of the support arm. A further aperture 59 is defined at the lower end of the support arm, the aperture 59 receiving a second bearing 60. The second bearing 60 pivotally supports two parallel spaced-apart elongate mounting arms 61, 62. The mounting arm 61 has an aperture 63 formed at the lower end thereof which receives part of the second bearing 60, and the arm 62 has an aperture 64 of the lower end thereof which also receives part of the second bearing 60. Each mounting arm 61, 62 has a further aperture 65, 66 formed therein adjacent the free end thereof, and a pin element 67 is provided having ends received within the apertures 65, 66 so that the pin element extends transversely between the mounting arms 61, 62. The pin element 67 is received in the elongate slot 55 in the locking arm 52.

The lower edge of the mounting arm 61 is provided with a transversely extending projection 68, and directed generally towards the mounting arm 62, and the mounting arm 62 is provided with a transversely extending projection, at the upper edge thereof, extending generally towards the mounting arm 61. This enables the mounting arms 61, 62 to be fabricated using a single fabrication tool, since the mounting arms are of identical construction.

The transversely extending projections engage and support a housing 70 which is located between the mounting arms 61, 62, the housing 70 being positioned adjacent the locking arm 52 which is also mounted in position between the mounting arms 61, 62. The housing 70 defines a recess into which part of the locking arm 52 may move as the locking arm 52 rotates. The housing has projecting ribs that engage the edges of the mounting arm 61, 62, so that the housing 70 and the arms 61, 62 form a sturdy integral unit.

A helical spring 71 is provided having a plurality of turns wound about the bearing 60 and having a first end portion 72 configured to engage part of the support arm 57, and having the other end portion 73 adapted to engage the two mounting arms adjacent the bearing 60 thus tending to bias the mounting arms 61, 62 in a generally clockwise direction as illustrated, thus serving to bias the locking arm 52 into the locking position in which the toothed arcuate surface 53 of the locking arm 52 is engaged with the toothed arcuate surface 51 of the locking segment 50.

The lower end of the support arm 57 is provided with a extension piece 75 defining an aperture 76 adapted to receive a bolt or rivet by means of which the support arm 57 may be connected to the side member 12. The extension piece also carries, at its termination, a substantially vertical plate 77 which defines, at its upper edge, a projecting lug 78 defining an aperture 79. The plate 77 also has two vertically spaced apart forwardly directed tabs 80 and 81. An aperture is formed adjacent the base of each tab, of rectangular form, these being apertures 82, 83. A further rectangular aperture 84 is formed in the plate 77 at a position between the two tabs 80, 81. A hair-pin-shaped spring 85 is provided adapted to be received through the slots 82, 83 with part of the hairpin spring then lying adjacent that part of the plate 77 defining the aperture 84.

A Bowden cable or the like is provided having a sleeve which terminates at a position where the sleeve abuts the projecting lugs 78 defining the aperture 79. The core of the cable passes through the aperture 79 and is secured directly to the housing 70. The Bowden cable is connected to an actuating lever located at a convenient point on the seat for actuation by an occupant of the seat. When the lever is actuated, tension is applied to the core of the Bowden cable which applies a force on the housing 70 which tends to cause the mounting arm 61, 62, to pivot about the axis defined by the bearing 60. It is to be appreciated that as the mounting arms 61, 62 pivot about the axis defined by the bearing 60, the pin member 67 moves along the elongate slot 55 thus causing the locking arm 52 to pivot about the pivot axis defined by the bearing 56. Thus the locking arm may be moved from a position in which the toothed arcuate surface 53 of the locking arm 52 engages the toothed arcuate surface 51 of the locking segment 50 to a position in which the two toothed surfaces are disengaged.

When the two toothed surfaces are disengaged, the tilt of the squab of the seat may be adjusted by the occupant of the seat, simply moving their centre of gravity forwardly or backwardly, as is appropriate. The lever associated with the Bowden cable may then be released and the components will return to their initial position in which the two toothed surfaces are engaged, thus again locking the squab of the seat in position.

Returning to Figure 2, the end of the bar 14 adjacent the side member 11 is provided with a radially extending arm 86 which is connected, at its free end, by a pivotal connection 87 to one end of a linear link arm 88 provided, at its other end, with trunions 89. The arms 86 and 88 correspond to and are aligned with the arms 44 and 46 described above.

Figure 9 illustrates a seat squab frame supported on the support arrangement described above. The seat squab frame incorporates recesses or the like which receive the trunions 47 provided on the link arm 46, and which receive the trunions 89 on the link arm 88. When the tilt adjustment mechanism is in the fust position, as shown in Figure 9, the drive rod 48 is fully received within the damper 49 and the seat is in the untilted position. The locking arm 52 may then be disengaged and the occupant of the seat may then, by adjusting their centre of gravity relative to the seat, cause the seat to tilt. As the seat tilts, the link arms 46 and 88 and the associated radially extending arms 44, 86 will cause the bar 14 to rotate. The maximum degree of tilt that can be obtained is shown in Figure 10 when the drive arm 48 is fully withdrawn from the damper 49. The locking arm 52 may then be re-engaged, so that the toothed arcuate surfaces 51 and 53 are meshed together to prevent rotation of the bar 14 and to maintain the set tilt of the seat.

Referring now additionally to Figures 11 to 13, a mechanism that effects an alteration in the height of the seat will now be described.

As has been described above, the side members 11 and 12 of the frame 10 are supported on parallel link arms 24, 25 at one end of the frame, and are supported on parallel link arms 24, 25 at the other end of the frame. The parallel link arms 17, 18 each co-rotate with the transverse bar 13. The link arm 24 is provided with an extension 90 which is pivotally connected by means of a pivotal connection 91 to an elongate connecting plate 92. The elongate connecting plate 92 is provided with an axially extending slot 93. The other end of the connecting plate 92 is connected by means of a bearing 94 to a control plate 95. The bearing 94 is constituted by a rivet 96 which passes through an aperture 97 formed in the control plate 95, the rivet then passing through a bearing ring 98 of low friction material which is mounted in the appropriate aperture formed in the connecting plate 92. The rivet is secured with a rivet cap 99.

The control plate 95 defines a further aperture 100, and a further bearing is provided to pivotally connect the control plate 95 to the side member 12 for rotation about the axis of the aperture 100. The bearing 101 comprises a bearing plug 102 which initially passes through an aperture 103 in a bearer arm 104 before passing through a bearing sleeve 105 of a low friction material which is received in the aperture 100. The bearing plug 102 passes through a spacer sleeve 106 and then engages the side member 12 of the frame 10 so that the control plate is located for pivotal movement in a plane spaced slightly from the interior face of the side member 12, and so that the bearer arm 104 is retained in position adjacent the control plate 95. The bearer arm 104 has a terminal cranked portion 105 defining an aperture 107 to receive a bolt 108 used to secure that end of the bearer arm 104 to the side member 12 of the frame 10.

The bearing arm 104 defines an aperture 109 intermediate its ends, and that aperture receives a bearing sleeve 110 of low friction material. The bearing 110 receives one end of a shaft which carries a toothed wheel 111. The shaft extends through an appropriate aperture formed in the side member 12, and is connected to a adjustment wheel 112 on the exterior of the side member 12. The toothed wheel 111 is received within an arcuate slot 113 formed in the control plate 95. One edge of that arcuate slot 113 being toothed 114, the toothed edge 114 being in engagement with the toothed wheel 111.

By rotating the control wheel 112, the toothed wheel 111 may be rotated whilst it is held in position by the bearer arm 104. The rotation of the toothed wheel 111, which engages the toothed edge 114 of the arcuate slot 113 in the control plate 95 will cause the control plate 95 to rotate about the axis of the bearing 101. This will cause a substantially axial movement of the connecting plate 92 which will cause a consequent rotational movement of the extension 90 of the link 24. This will effect a rotation of the link 24 in such a way that the link 24 will rotate about the pivotal connection between the lower end of the link 24 and the support bracket 26 provided on the carriage 8. This will cause a rotation of the transverse rod 13 which will cause an equivalent rotation of the link 25 about the point of pivotal connection 28 of the lower end of the link 25 and the bracket 29 provided on the carriage 8.

This movement of the links 24 and 25 will cause the side members 11 and 12 of the frame to move slightly relative to the carriages 7 and 8, thus causing a rotation of the links 15 and 16 and adjusting the general height of the frame.

It can thus be understood that the height of the frame 10 can be adjusted simply by rotating the control wheel 112.

Each of the transverse bars 13, 14 may be of adjustable length to allow for a slight difference in the spacing of the rails 1 and 2.

In the present Specification "comprise" means "includes or consists of and "comprising" means "including or consisting of.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A support arrangement for a vehicle seat, the support arrangement comprising a frame, the frame having two side members and two cross-bars, each side member of the frame being provided with two pivoting links located at the opposed ends of the frame to mount the frame to the vehicle, the pivoting links of one end of the frame being connected to co-rotate with one of said cross-bars, and being associated with a height adjuster mechanism adapted to adjust the height of the frame, the second cross-bar forming part of a tilt mechanism and being rotatable relative to the side members of the frame to alter the tilt of a vehicle seat supported by the arrangement.

2. A support arrangement according to Claim 1 wherein the pivoting links at the other end of the frame are connected to the frame to rotate about the axis of the second cross-bar.

3. A support arrangement according to Claim 2 wherein each end of the second cross-bar is mounted to rotate, relative to a respective side member of the frame, by means of a bush received in an aperture formed in the side member.

4. A support arrangement according to Claim 3 wherein the pivoting links at the other end of the frame are each mounted, by means of a bearing, on one end of the second cross-bar.

5. A support arrangement according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein, at each end of the second cross-bar a plug is provided having a body part received within the aperture formed in the adjacent side member and being separated from the adjacent side member by means of a bush of low friction material, the plug being associated with a peg having an enlarged head and a shank, the shank being received within a bore provided in the said plug, the head passing through an aperture formed in the link, there being a bush of low friction material between the peg and the material forming the link.

6. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein each end of the second cross-bar is provided with a radially extending arm which is pivotally connected to a link arm, the link arm being adapted to be connected to the seat to tilt the seat.

7. An arrangement according to Claim 6 wherein at least one end of the second cross-bar is provided with a radially extending arm which is connected to an adjustment mechanism and a damper.

8. A support arrangement according to Claim 7 wherein the adjustment mechanism incorporates a locking segment having a partially toothed periphery, and a locking arm having a toothed surface adapted to be brought into engagement with the said toothed periphery to lock the cross-bar against rotation.

9. A support arrangement according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the height adjuster mechanism includes a pivotally mounted control plate adapted to rotate about a predetermined axis, the control plate having a toothed surface, there being a toothed control wheel engaging the toothed surface, and a manual means to rotate the toothed control wheel, the control plate being connected to one of the said pivoting links provided at said one end of the frame.

10. A support arrangement according to Claim 9 wherein the control plate is provided with a lug off-set from the axis of pivotal rotation of the control plate, the lug being connected by a link to an arm forming an extension of the said link provided at said one end of the frame.