Automobile seat including a foldable back comprising a member defining a tablet, and automobile with such seat

IS 2 388 015 Τ3

DESCRIPTION

A motor vehicle seat that includes a folding backrest comprising a panel defining element and an automobile having such a seat.

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle seat, the back of which can be folded over the bench so that it forms a panel.

Document DE 4 343 242 describes a panel, fixed on a concealable support, arranged next to a motor vehicle seat. When the bracket is lowered, the panel, which is pivotally hinged on one side of the bracket, about an axis perpendicular to the latter, can be unfolded and arranged in front of the seat to allow a user sitting on the seat to use it. The support may comprise two panels, each hinged on one side of the support, so that users seated on the seats placed side by side can use them. This type of device is very bulky since it is necessary to provide the place in which to fix the panel support between the two seats.

On the other hand, it is known to use as a panel the rear face of folding backrests of certain motor vehicle seats. This type of seat comprises a bench, fixed on the vehicle floor, and a backrest, which can be folded over the bench and whose rear face comprises an element that forms a panel that, when the backrest is folded over the bench, forms a flat surface, substantially parallel to the floor of the vehicle, which can act as a panel. However, this type of panel is not very ergonomic because the work surface it presents is kept small and away from the user seated in a seat arranged next to the folded seat. US 6,702,375, which is considered the closest state of the art, shows such a seat.

An objective of the present invention is to propose a motor vehicle seat, of the type comprising a bench and a backrest, foldable on the bench, the rear face of which comprises an element that forms a panel that can be easily used by a user sitting next to it. of said seat, when the backrest is folded over the seat bench.

This objective is achieved by means of a motor vehicle seat, which comprises a bench, a folding backrest on the bench, which includes a rear face covered, at least partially, by an element that forms a panel and which can be arranged in a substantially horizontal position, when the backrest is folded over the bench. According to the invention, the element forming a panel comprises a rotating plate, mounted pivotally on the rear face of the backrest, around a first axis, substantially perpendicular to the rear face, so that it can be arranged in a position in which a part of said rotating plate laterally extends beyond the rear face of the backrest. This laterally projecting part of the panel constitutes an increase in the panel-usable surface of the rear face of the seat. On the other hand, its lateral position makes it very easily accessible for a user sitting next to the seat according to the present invention.

According to a first embodiment, the backrest has a longitudinal axis and a part that forms a headrest, and the first axis of rotation of the turntable is located at the level of the part that forms a headrest. The swivel plate is thus pivotally mounted at the level of the front part of the seat bench, when the backrest is folded over the bench.

According to a second embodiment, the backrest has a first edge attached to the bench and a longitudinal axis, and the first axis of rotation of the turntable crosses the longitudinal axis, close to the first edge of the backrest. When the backrest is folded over the bench, the swivel plate is pivotally mounted at the level of the rear part of the bench, which advantageously allows the plate to be easily approached towards the user.

The element forming a panel can comprise a storage housing, accessible from the rear face of the backrest and arranged, at least partially, below the rotating plate. Said housing can serve as storage, for example, for a laptop that will subsequently be used on the turntable, when the backrest is folded over the seat bench.

Said housing may be arranged so as to be accessible by rotating the turntable about the first axis of rotation.

A part of the turntable can also be pivotally mounted around a second axis of rotation, substantially parallel to the rear face, so that it can be raised, above the element that forms a panel, so as to allow access to said storage accommodation.

According to a particular embodiment, the backrest comprises a frame, the element forming a panel comprising a rigid frame that is fixed on the frame of said backrest and supports the rotating plate.

IS 2 388 015 Τ3

The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a row of at least two seats. According to the invention, at least one of the seats is a seat according to the invention.

The row of seats can comprise at least three seats, and the seat according to the invention can in this case be arranged between two seats.

According to the invention, the row of seats is a front row of seats or a rear row of seats. In this way, the seat according to the invention can be used at the front of a vehicle comprising a row of one or two seats, located next to the driver's seat.

The present invention, its characteristics and the different advantages it provides will be better understood by reading the following description of two embodiments, presented by way of non-limiting example, and which refer to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the rear of a first embodiment of the seat of the invention, when it is in the unfolded position;

Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention, the backrest being folded over the bench and the rotating plate pivoted on one side of the backrest;

figure 3 represents a view, from above, of a second embodiment of the seat of the invention, the backrest being folded over the bench and the rotating plate pivoted on one side of the backrest;

FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of a part of the backrest according to an alternative embodiment of the second embodiment of the invention;

figure 5 represents the back part shown in figure 4, the rotating plate being pivoted to uncover a housing.

With reference to Figure 1, which describes a first embodiment of the invention, the seat of the invention comprises a backrest 1 and a bench 2, fixed on the floor of a motor vehicle and which is substantially perpendicular to the backrest 1, when the latter is in its unfolded position, as represented in figure 1. The backrest 1 is attached to the bench 2 at the level of a first edge 3. The backrest 1 also comprises a part 4 that forms a headrest, vertically extending the backrest 1, when it is in its unfolded position. The back face of the backrest 1, which is the only visible face in figure 1, corresponds to the face of the backrest that does not come into contact with the back of a user sitting on the bench 2. Said back face is opposite to the front face. of the backrest 1 that comes into contact with the back of a user sitting on the bench 2. Said rear face comprises an element 6 which forms a substantially flat panel, which covers it completely and which forms a rigid, substantially flat and continuous surface, which extends from the first edge 3 of the backrest 1, constituting the junction between the bench 2 and the backrest 1, and the free edge 7 of the part 4 that forms a headrest. The backrest 1 that comprises a part 4 that forms a headrest, therefore, is longer than a standard backrest, the element 6 that forms a panel fully covers the rear face of the backrest 1 (part that forms a headrest included), the The surface forming a panel is therefore considerably enlarged compared to a seat that does not comprise a headrest integrated in the seat back. On the other hand, this large surface allows the use of a large turntable.

As shown in figures 1 and 2, a rotating plate 8 is fixed on the element 6 that forms a panel of the backrest 1. Said rotating plate 8 is articulated in rotation around an axis X, perpendicular to the plane of the rear face ( that is, to element 6 that forms a panel). In the first embodiment represented in this specification, the axis of rotation X of the turntable 8 is arranged close to the free edge 7 of the part 4 that forms a headrest. The part of the element 6 that forms a panel, located near the first edge 3 of the backrest 1, comprises cavities 9 that serve, for example, as a support for a bottle of drink or a glass.

With reference to figure 2, when the backrest 1 is folded onto the bench 2, the rear face of the backrest 1, covered by the element 6 that forms a panel, becomes a work surface or a panel, arranged between the two seats 10 and 11, located on either side of the seat according to the invention, and oriented in the same way as the latter. The turntable 8 can be pivoted towards the driver, as is the case in figure 2, or towards the passenger, by rotation around the X axis. The position of the X axis of rotation, which is in the present embodiment set on the longitudinal axis Z of the backrest 1, it makes it possible to obtain a symmetrical displacement to both parts of the backrest 1, ensuring the same supplementary work surface on both sides. The dimension of the turntable 8, as well as that of said rear face 6 of the backrest 1 allow, by rotating the turntable 8, a part of the latter to pass beyond the rear face and laterally to the latter, which creates a supplementary work surface, located very close to a user seated in a seat attached to the seat of the invention, and ideally oriented.

According to another embodiment not shown, the axis of rotation X is separated from the longitudinal axis Z of the backrest, which creates an asymmetrical displacement of the plate, making it possible to improve the ergonomics of work of a

ES 2 388 015 Τ3 user seated on the side with the greatest displacement, to the detriment of a user seated on the opposite side.

Reference is made in an identical way to the elements of the second embodiment, represented in Figures 3 to 6, which are together with the elements of the aforementioned first embodiment.

In the second embodiment shown in Figure 3, the axis of rotation X of the rotating plate 8 is arranged on the longitudinal axis Z of the backrest 1, but towards the first edge 3 of said backrest 1, that is, opposite to the position of the axis of rotation X in the first embodiment. Said position also allows a large displacement of the turntable 8. In figure 3, the turntable 8 is pivoted towards the passenger seated next to the seat of the invention, which is folded. As in the first embodiment, the pivoting of the turntable around the X axis creates a supplementary panel part, close to the passenger and therefore easily usable.

In this way, as represented in Figures 2 and 3, the two embodiments of the invention make it easier to use, for example, a laptop 20, placed on the turntable 8, bringing it closer to the users seated in the attached seats 10 and 11, and also allowing their orientation, by pivoting the rotating plate 8 around the X axis.

Figure 4 represents in more detail an alternative embodiment of a part of the backrest corresponding to the second embodiment of the invention. The element 6 which forms a panel comprises a frame 13 which covers the frame of the backrest 1 (not shown) and which therefore forms its rear face. The frame 13 is a rigid casing that forms a cavity or a storage housing 14, visible in the figure, which is inserted in the thickness of the back cushion 1. The open face of the storage housing 14 is covered by the rotating plate 8, when it is arranged along the longitudinal axis Z of the backrest 1, as shown in figure 4. A part 15, which is fixed and comprises the cavities The storage compartment 9 is located opposite the axis of rotation X of the turntable 8. The turntable 8 thus serves as a cover for the storage housing 14.

As shown in the figure, it is possible to uncover the storage housing 14 by pivoting the turntable 8 about its axis of rotation X.

The storage housing 14 is only accessible by simple pivoting of the turntable 8.

The frame 13 described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 can be adapted to the first embodiment, the fixed panel part then being arranged near the first edge 3 of the backrest 1.