Automotive vehicle seat

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle seat and more particularly a rear seat.

Motor vehicles eg minivan or station wagon type are now fitted behind the front row of seats, the rear seats are adjustable so as to adapt the livability of the vehicle based on the number of passengers and / or loads to carry.

For this, we know removable seats that can be removed to enlarge the cargo volume. The main disadvantage of this solution is the need of dismantling.

Indeed, we must liberate the various seats of their anchorages on the vehicle floor and store the disassembled seat outside the vehicle, in premises. When one needs a room for an extra passenger, he must again seek the seat and proceed to reassembly. Thus, the adaptation of the inner space of the vehicle based on its use requires a preparation time and effort. Furthermore, in urban areas, the owner of such a vehicle does not always have a local storage for seats removed.

We also know that the seats are designed to tilt the seat behind the front row of seats and fold the backrest so as to increase the load volume. But this type of seat does not provide a continuous flat load floor.

Also known retractable seats that are designed to tilt the seat in a housing formed beneath the vehicle floor and fold the backrest above said seat to close the housing and determine a continuous flat load floor.

But this type of seat offers no possibility of height adjustment of the position of depending on the morphology of the PNR and, in its retracted position, it occupies an important place.

Moreover, the seat of the changeover requires a major effort because, usually, the back of the packing box is recessed below the back upholstery so that the bottom of this issue is a point to be overcome to fold the seat.

The invention aims to provide a motor vehicle seat, particularly a rear seat, which avoids the disadvantages mentioned above.

The invention thus relates to a motor vehicle seat and more particularly a back seat, comprising a seat and a back each formed by a rigid frame and a lining, characterized in that the seat back comprises means sliding of said seat back relative to the seat between a high position and a low position.

According to other characteristics of the invention:<ul><li>the seat and backrest are mounted simultaneously movable by tilting means on the vehicle floor between a use position and a retracted position in which the seat is placed horizontally in a housing formed below the floor and this file is placed horizontally above the said seat to form a portion of said floor,</li><li>the sliding means are arranged between two parallel uprights and the seat back frame and comprise, for each amount, an assembly formed by a fixed portion carried by the corresponding amount and by a movable part carried by the seat back and for cooperate with said fixed part,</li><li>each set of the sliding means is formed by a ball slide or by a rack and pinion system or by a displacement system step by step,</li><li>the tilting means comprises:<ul><li>at the front of the frame of the seat, a first axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and articulated on an end of at least one connecting rod whose other end is articulated on the floor,</li><li>at the rear of the frame of the seat and the upper part of the seat, a second axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and articulated on the uprights, and </li><li>to the lower part of the frame of the backrest and beneath the said seat, a third axis of rotation perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction and arranged at the lower end of the posts, said third rotation axis being displaceable longitudinally in the least one guide placed on the floor,</li></ul></li><li>the seat frame includes the locking means of the folder in the use position of the seat and backrest.</li></ul>

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge during the following description given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:<ul><li>Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a seat according to the invention with the folder in the upper position,</li><li>Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the seat according to the invention with the folder in the low position,</li><li>Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the seat of the locking means in its position of use, and</li><li>Figs. 4 and 5 are schematic views of the seat side of the invention showing that the seat tilt kinematics.</li></ul>

Fig. 1 schematically shows a seat of a motor vehicle, particularly a back seat, generally designated by reference 1. Conventionally, the seat 1 comprises a seat 2 and a backrest 5.

The seat 2 consists of a rigid frame 3 and a liner coating the rigid frame 4 and 3, as well, the dossier 5 consists of a rigid frame 6 and 7 with a gasket coating the rigid frame 6 .

To facilitate understanding, only the frames 3 and 6 respectively of the seat 2 and backrest 5 are shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the frame 3 of the squab 2 is constituted, inter alia, of two parallel flanges, respectively 3a and 3b, and extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The frame 6 of the backrest 5 comprises a frame 6a disposed between two parallel uprights, respectively 7a and 7b. These amounts 7a and 7b on the route, on the one hand, between the armature 6 of backrest 5 and the armature 3 of the squab 2 and, secondly, between the armature 6 and the floor 10 of the motor vehicle .

Generally, the armature 6 of backrest 5 comprises sliding means of said backrest relative to the seat 2 between a raised position (Fig. 1) and a lowered position (Fig. 2) and means simultaneous tilting of the squab 2 and the backrest 5 on the floor 10 between a use position (Figs. 1 and 2) and a retracted position (Fig. 5) in which the seat 2 is placed horizontally in a housing 11 provided below the floor 10 and the backrest 5 is placed horizontally above the said seat 2 to form a portion of said floor 10.

The sliding means are arranged between the two uprights 7a and 7b and the frame 6a of the frame 6 of the backrest 5. These sliding means 35a comprise a first assembly formed by a fixed portion 36a carried by the amount 7a and a movable part 37a carried by the frame 6a and a second 35b assembly formed by a fixed part 36b carried by the amount 7b and by a movable part 37b carried by said frame 6a of the frame 6. These assemblies 35a and 35b allow the movement in a direction substantially vertical folder 5 between an upper position Fig. 1 and a low position Fig. 2 and in an intermediate position between these two extreme positions.

For example, the sets 35a and 35b are each formed by a ball slide or by a rack and pinion system or by a displacement system stepper associated with locking means.

Simultaneous tilting means of the seat 2 and the backrest 5 between the use position and the retracted position comprises three axes of rotation, respectively 20, 30 and 40, extending parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the automobile.

The first rotation axis 20 is constituted by a rod 21 extending between the two flanges 3a and 3b and which is articulated to one end of a link 22 whose other end is articulated on the floor 10 of the motor vehicle .

Preferably and according to the embodiment shown in the figures, the axis of rotation 20 formed by the rod 21 is pivotally mounted between two rods 22 extending parallel with respect to each other and each mounted to the front end of one of the flanges 3a and 3b of the frame 3 of the seat 2. the end of each rod 22 opposite to that articulated to the axis of rotation 21 is mounted articulated on the floor 10 of the motor vehicle.

The second axis of rotation 30 is arranged at the rear of the frame 3 of the seat 2 and the upper part of this base 2. This axis of rotation 30 extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is constituted on the one hand, by a pin 31 mounted articulated between the flange 3a of the armature 3 and the amount 7a of the frame 7 and on the other hand, by a pin 32 pivotally mounted between the flange 3b of the armature 3 of the squab 2 and the amount 7b of the frame 6 of the backrest 5. the pins 31 and 32 are disposed on the same horizontal axis.

Finally, the third axis of rotation 40 is disposed at the lower portion of the armature 6 of backrest 5 and extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. The rotation axis 40 is longitudinally displaceable in at least one guide 50 disposed on the floor 10 of the motor vehicle.

Preferably and as shown in particular in Fig. 1, the axis of rotation 40 is constituted, on the one hand, a pin 41 disposed at the lower end of the post 7a and which is longitudinally displaceable in a guide 5 and, secondly, by a peg 42 arranged at the lower end of the post 7b and which is also movable in a slide 50, said slide 50 being parallel with respect to each other and extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle.

The frame 3 of the seat 2 has at its front part, a stop 24 against the rods 22 in the use position squab 2 and the backrest 5 and is constituted by a rod extending transversely between the flanges 3a and 3b of said armature 3 of the seat 2. the frame 3 of the squab 2 also comprises, at its rear part, a stop 25 against the uprights 7a and 7b of the frame 6 of the backrest in the position of use of the seat 2 and the backrest 5 of the seat 1. This stop 25 is constituted by a rod extending transversely between the flanges 3a and 3b of the frame 3 of the seat 2 and which is disposed au below the second axis of rotation 30.

Finally, the seat 1 comprises locking means in the seat of this position of use and which are shown in particular in Fig. 3.

As shown in this figure, the locking means are constituted by a latch 55 pivotally mounted on one of the 50 slides and which has a notch 56 designed to cooperate with the pin 41 or 42 corresponding to the slide and for example with the peg 42.

The latch 45 is pivotally mounted on the slide 50 by means of a pivot pin 57 and is equipped with a control lever 58 for moving said latch 55 between an active position of the locking peg 42 of the third axis of rotation 40 and a retracted position for release of the peg 42.

The latch 55 is also provided with a return spring member of the latch 55 in the active position. This elastic member is constituted for example by a spring 59 to system disposed about the axis 57 and which comprises, in conventional manner, a first end 59a integral with the latch 55 and a second end 59b integral with the slide 50.

Similarly, the end of at least one connecting rod 22 hinged to the floor 10 is provided with an elastic member 60 biasing the rod 22 in the use position of the seat 2 and the backrest 5.

As shown in Fig. 4, the return member consists of a spring system 60 disposed around the axis of the corresponding end of the rod 22 and which has a first end 60a fixed to the link 22 and a second end 60b secured to the floor 10.

To adjust the backrest position 5 relative to the seat 2 of the seat 1, the passenger performs a pull on the backrest 5 to move up or a push on this issue 5 to move down and get position he wants.

Moreover, the tilting of the seat 1 between the use position and the retracted position is carried out as follows.

Firstly futilisateur moves the backrest 5 downwards, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to reduce clutter up this folder 5 with respect to the seat 2. Then the user switches to the front of the vehicle, the case 5 so that the seat down to 2 the floor 10 by pivoting about the rotation axes 20 and 30 and the links 22 pivot about their end articulated on said floor 10.

During this movement, the backrest 5 is pivoted about the pins 31 and 32 of the rotation axis 30 and also around the pins 41 and 42 of the rotation axis 40. Simultaneous with this pivoting, these pins 41 and 42 slide in the guides 50 towards the rear of the motor vehicle, as shown in Fig. 4.

The seat thus progressively toggle in the retracted position shown in Fig. 5, wherein the seat part 2 is placed in the housing 11 formed in the floor 10 and the backrest 5 closes the housing 11 by forming a continuous surface with said floor 10.

Given the low position of the backrest 5, the latter occupies a minimum of space in the housing 11.

To move the seat in its position of use, it suffices for the user to tilt the backrest 5 rearwardly of the motor vehicle such that the pegs 41 and 42 of the rotation axis 40 slide in the slideways 50 forward of the vehicle and gradually the seat 2 returns to its position of use.

During this movement, the peg 42 switches the latch 55 downward and fits into the notch 56 of the latch 55 which is brought into the locking position by the elastic member 59. In the position of use, stop 24 is supported on the rods 22 and the abutment 25 is supported on the uprights 7a and 7b of the frame 6a of the backrest 5.

Then, the user adjusts the height of the backrest 5 relative to the seat 2.

Thanks to the sliding of the seat back according to the invention, this seat has a minimum of space in its retracted position, while keeping volumes of the seat trim and record sufficient to accommodate passengers of different body types. In addition, the seat tilting system according to the invention has the advantage of asking only a very low operating force and the file does not interfere with the tilting of this sitting.

Finally, the seat of the invention offers the possibility of having a flat load floor and large area, while protecting the linings of the seat and backrest in the retracted position of the seat. It also allows by performing simple maneuvers, to modulate the number of passenger seats as a function of, as well as the loading volume according to the loads to be transported.