FR3148179A1 - Tilting backrest seat - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a seat (1) comprising: - a seat (10) which comprises a frame and a trim (12) having an upper seat face, - means for fixing the seat to a floor, - a backrest, and - means for mounting the backrest with tilting mobility relative to the seat about an axis of rotation (A1) which is substantially parallel to the floor and which is located at a height relative to the floor which is lower than the height of the upper face of the seat trim relative to the floor. Abstract: Fig.1

Description

Tilting backrest seat Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to the habitability of motor vehicles.

It particularly concerns a seat comprising a seat and a backrest.

It also concerns a motor vehicle comprising such a seat.

State of the art

A car usually has at least two seats, namely a driver's seat and a passenger seat.

It is known to use seats with backrests that can tilt backwards and forwards, allowing occupants to adjust the inclination of the backrests to ensure good driving comfort.

In some vehicles, this tilting may have sufficient travel for the backrest to be almost horizontal.

So, when the vehicle is stationary, the occupants can lie down and doze off or fall asleep.

The disadvantage of such a seat is that, in the lying position, the backrest is at a higher height than the seat. The tilting axis of the backrest is in fact provided at the junction between the backrest and the seat, i.e. too high for the backrest to be placed in line with the seat.

The disadvantage of this seat is that when the backrest is in the reclining position facing backwards, the height difference between the backrest and the seat is unpleasant for the occupant.

Presentation of the invention

In order to overcome the aforementioned drawback of the state of the art, the present invention proposes to completely revise the architecture of the seat so as to be able to place the articulation of the backrest on the seat differently.

More particularly, according to the invention, a seat is proposed comprising:
- a seat which comprises a frame and a filling having an upper seat face,
- means of fixing the seat to a floor,
- a file, and
- means for mounting the backrest on the seat, with tilting mobility relative to the seat about an axis of rotation which is substantially parallel to the floor and which is located at a height relative to the floor which is lower than the height of the upper face of the seat upholstery relative to the floor.

Thus, thanks to the invention, the backrest, when in the lying position, can be placed in line with the seat, so that the front face of its upholstery is placed at the height of the upper face of the seat upholstery (at least at the level of the junction between the backrest and the seat).

Other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the seat according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:
- the frame of the seat forms a frame and said axis of rotation is located inside said frame;
- said mounting means comprise a connecting arm, one end of which is mounted on the frame of the seat so as to form a first articulation around the axis of rotation;
- said connecting arm extends over less than half the width of the backrest;
- the seat comprises a peripheral part which is equipped with said fixing means, and a central part mounted so as to be movable in rotation relative to the peripheral part, and on which the connecting arm is articulated;
- a part of the seat upholstery belonging to the peripheral part is located around the central part and is interrupted at the level of the connecting arm;
- said connecting arm has an end which is mounted on a frame of the backrest so as to form a second articulation around a pivot axis which is distinct from the axis of rotation and which is preferably parallel to said axis of rotation;
- said connecting arm is telescopic;
- means are provided for blocking the tilting mobility of the backrest around said axis of rotation, and means for deactivating the blocking means, which comprise a lever provided on the backrest;
- said locking means comprise two cassettes fixed on either side of the connecting arm, each of which comprises a lock movable between a position engaged in an orifice provided in correspondence in the frame of the seat and a retracted position outside said orifice.

The invention also provides a vehicle comprising such a seat fixed to the floor.

Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

Detailed description of the invention

The description which follows with reference to the attached drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

On the attached drawings:

is a schematic view of a seat according to the invention, shown in two distinct configurations;

is a schematic view of a first embodiment of the frame of the seat of the ;

is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the seat frame of the ;

is a schematic view of the rear of the seat of the ;

is a detailed view of zone V of the ;

is a detailed view of zone VI of the .

On the , a seat 1 is shown intended to be installed in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. This motor vehicle could be of any type. It could typically be a coach, a truck, a wagon, an airplane, etc. But preferably, it will be a car, the passenger compartment of such a car having in fact a reduced volume to which the seat 1 will be specially adapted.

Here, we will consider that this car has a driving position (including a steering wheel and a dashboard), a driver's seat located opposite the driving position, a passenger seat located next to the driver's seat, and preferably one or more rear seats (armchairs and/or bench seats) located behind the driver and passenger seats. In other words, the seats are here distributed over two rows located one behind the other.

Seat 1 shown in the belongs to the front row: this is the driver's seat or the passenger seat.

As shown in the , this seat 1 comprises several components, including in particular a seat 10, a backrest 20 and a headrest 30.

As a preliminary point, it should be noted that in the description, the terms “front” and “rear” will be used in relation to the motor vehicle, the front part of an element designating the part of this element which is located on the side of the hood of the vehicle and the rear part designating the part of this element which is located on the opposite side.

The terms “low” and “high” (or lower and “upper”) will be used interchangeably, with the lower part of an element designating the part of that element which is located on the floor side of the vehicle and the upper part designating the part of that element which is located on the roof side of the vehicle.

A “longitudinal axis” will be an axis oriented from the front to the rear of the vehicle, parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle when the steering wheel is in the neutral position.

A “transverse axis” will be an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axes, extending horizontally when the vehicle is located on a horizontal road.

A “normal axis” will be an axis orthogonal to the aforementioned axes, extending vertically when the vehicle is located on a horizontal road.

The seat 10, the backrest 20 and the headrest 30 each comprise at least one frame 11, 21, 31 (figures 2 and 3) on which is attached a trim 12, 22, 32 ( ), typically a piece of foam that has been expanded to the desired shape.

As shown in the , the backrest 20 is here mounted to tilt relative to the seat 10 around a transverse axis (hereinafter called the axis of rotation A1), such that the seat 1 can be placed in a usage configuration (backrest inclined by less than 30° relative to the vertical) or in a lying configuration (backrest placed in the extension of the seat). The lying configuration is used when the occupant of the seat wishes to rest there. The usage configuration is used rather when the vehicle is moving. It should be noted that the terms "front", "rear", "top" and "bottom" will be used to designate faces of the components of the seat considering that the latter is in the usage position, facing the road.

The seat 10 may take various forms. For example, in FIGS. 2 and 3, two embodiments of the seat 10 are shown.

It will be noted that identical or similar elements in these two embodiments will, as far as possible, be referenced by the same reference signs and will not be described each time.

In the embodiment of the , the frame 11 of the seat 10 has the shape of a frame with four structural branches, with two lateral sides 110 (forming two first branches) here in the form of substantially flat plates, oriented vertically and longitudinally, and crosspieces which connect the two sides. In particular, a rear crosspiece 111, one or two front crosspieces 112, and an intermediate crosspiece 113 located between the rear crosspiece 111 and the front crosspiece(s) 112 are provided.

The seat 1 is designed to be able to slide relative to the floor of the motor vehicle, from front to rear (along a longitudinal axis A0).

The frame 11 comprises for this purpose two slides 114 each formed of a movable rail placed under the lower edge of one of the two sides 110 and a fixed rail comprising means of fixing to the floor of the vehicle (in this case these are means of screwing to the floor). The movable rails are then shaped to be able to slide freely in the fixed rails. Means are also provided for blocking the sliding of the movable rails relative to the fixed rails (these may for example be notches carried by the movable rails and adapted to engage in notches in the fixed rails), and release means adapted to actuate the blocking means to release the sliding of the movable rails relative to the fixed rails (here, these release means are in the form of a manually operable spreader 115).

It should be noted here that the seat is therefore mounted on the floor of the vehicle according to a fixing plane passing through the lower faces of the fixed rails, which are in contact with the floor. This fixing plane is substantially horizontal (to within 10 degrees). The floor will then be considered flat, but alternatively, it could have reliefs. In this case, the general plane of the floor will be considered to coincide with the aforementioned fixing plane.

Seat 1 is further designed to be able to move up or down relative to the floor of the motor vehicle (along a normal axis A3).

The frame 11 therefore comprises two pairs of connecting rods (not visible) each articulated, on one side, on one of the movable rails and, on the other, on one of the two flanks 110. The flanks 110 can thus have a joint rotary translation movement around two transverse axes (which allows it to rise while moving backwards and maintaining its inclination). Means are also provided for blocking the pivoting of the connecting rods, and release means adapted to be operated manually to release the pivoting of the connecting rods in order to adjust the height of the seat 10 as needed.

In this first embodiment, the seat upholstery 10 is preferably made from a single piece.

On the , a second embodiment of the frame 11 of the seat 10 of the seat 1 is shown, in which the latter benefits from the various mobilities described above (sliding of the seat & adjustment of the height of the seat), as well as additional mobility. In this case, this additional mobility allows the user to pivot his seat around a vertical axis.

In this second embodiment, the seat 10 then differs from that described above in that it comprises two distinct parts, namely a peripheral part 10B fixed to the floor of the vehicle, and a central part 10A (see ) mounted mobile in rotation relative to the peripheral part 10B, at the center of the latter.

In this second embodiment, the central part of the seat and the backrest are thus designed to pivot around the normal axis A3, so that the occupant can sit facing the road, can pivot his seat 90° to face the door (which makes it easier to get in and out of the vehicle), or even can turn the seat completely to sit facing the road (and facing the rear passengers).

For this, the frame 11 and the upholstery 12 of the seat 10 are each made in two separate parts, called central and peripheral.

As shown in the , the peripheral portion 12B of the trim 12 of the seat 10 has an outer edge of rectangular shape (with rounded corners) and a central opening of identical shape, in negative, to that of the central portion 12A of the trim 12. The latter has an outer edge of circular shape. Thus, the trim 12 of the seat 10 has a standard shape externally, except that it is formed in two parts.

As shown in the , the peripheral part 11B of the frame 11 of the seat 10 is almost identical to the frame 11 illustrated in the . It differs from the latter in that it is devoid of an intermediate crosspiece (113) and in that it comprises a tubular support 116 which is fixed to the sides 110, between them, in a central position. This tubular support 116 has a cylindrical external face of revolution around the normal axis A3.

The central part 11A of the frame 11 of the seat 10 comprises a base 117 here formed by a tube folded so as to form a sort of ring in a horizontal plane, around the normal axis A3.

Means are further provided for mounting the base 117 on the tubular support 116, allowing these two elements to pivot relative to each other around the normal axis A3.

Preferably, the pivoting is combined with a translation along this normal axis A3, so that the movement of the central part relative to the peripheral part of the seat 10 is not circular but helical around the normal axis A3.

Thus, when the central part 10A of the seat 10 pivots from its position of use facing the road to its side position facing the door, it also rises. This elevation facilitates the user's entry into and exit from the vehicle.

To ensure this helical movement, three helical grooves are provided in hollow in the cylindrical external face of the tubular support 116. The base 117 carries in correspondence three feet projecting downwards, on which are mounted rollers engaged in the helical grooves. These rollers are rotatable and provided to navigate in these grooves in order to guide the central part of the seat when it pivots relative to the peripheral part.

Means for locking this mobility are also provided, which are recalled in a locked state in which they block the central part relative to the peripheral part, and which can be moved into an unlocked state in which they release the rotational mobility of the central part relative to the peripheral part. These locking means comprise for example a lug which is mounted movably on the base 117 and which is adapted to engage in an opening provided in the tubular support 116 to lock the seat in the forward-facing use position. A lever 25 arranged on the backrest can, using a cable, allow the user to maneuver the lug to remove it from the opening and release the rotation of the central part.

The file 20 is identical in both of the aforementioned embodiments.

Its frame 21 has the shape of a frame with four structural branches, with two lateral sides 210 (forming two first branches) here in the form of substantially flat plates, oriented vertically and longitudinally, and upper 211 and lower 212 crosspieces which connect the two sides 210.

As explained above, the backrest 20 is mounted on the seat 10 so as to be able to tilt relative to the latter around an axis of rotation A1, between a usage configuration and a lying configuration.

This axis of rotation A1 is located under the upper face of the lining 12 of the seat 10. Otherwise formulated, as shown in the , the height h1 of the axis of rotation A1 relative to the fixing plane is less than the height h2 of the upper face of the upholstery 12 of the seat 10, at least at the rear edge of the seat (and preferably at any point on the upper face of the seat). Thus, in the lying configuration, the backrest 20 can be placed in the extension of the seat 10 (with their upholstery at the same height).

This axis of rotation A1 is furthermore located inside the frame delimited by the framework 11 of the seat 10. In other words, it is located between the front and rear crosspieces 111. Thus, when the backrest tilts backwards, its upholstery does not move away from that of the seat, which prevents a gap from being created between them.

In practice, the means for mounting the backrest 20 on the seat 10 comprise a connecting arm 40, one end of which is mounted on the frame 11 of the seat 10 so as to form a first articulation around the axis of rotation A1.

This connecting arm 40 is in the form of a plate of substantially constant width, curved towards the rear on the side of its upper end (in a “swan neck”). This shape allows the seat, in the reclining configuration, to have good flatness.

In the embodiment of the , the connecting arm 40 is mounted more precisely on the intermediate crosspiece 113 of the frame 11 of the seat 10.

In the embodiment of the , the connecting arm 40 is mounted on the base 117 of the central part of the frame 11 of the seat 10. In this mode, it is therefore designed so as to pass between the trim of the peripheral part and the trim of the central part of the seat 10 when the latter pivot relative to each other.

In these two modes, as shown for example in figures 5 and 6 (corresponding to the second mode), the frame 11 of the seat 10 comprises a substantially horizontal attachment plate 118, the rear edge of which carries two lugs 119 located projecting from the upper face of this plate, upwards, at a distance from each other.

These two lugs 119 are pierced by holes extending along the axis of rotation A1.

For its part, the lower end of the connecting arm 40 carries a lug 49 also pierced by a hole extending along the axis of rotation A1. This lug 49 is intended to be placed between the two aforementioned lugs 119.

A shaft threaded through the three holes guides the tilting movement of the seat around the rotation axis A1 (this shaft forms a hinge with the lugs.

This first articulation therefore allows the backrest 20 to be tilted backwards, in line with the seat (in the lying configuration), so that the occupant can lie down on their seat 1.

Locking means allow the articulation to be blocked, and deactivation means allow this articulation to be released if necessary to lay down the backrest or return it to the position of use.

In practice, the locking means comprise two cassettes 43 fixed on either side of the connecting arm 40.

These cassettes 43 each house a lock (not visible) which is mounted movably therein between a position engaged in one (or more) notches provided in correspondence in the frame 11 of the seat 10 and a retracted position outside each notch. In the engaged position, the locks therefore block the tilting of the backrest, which is not the case when they are in the retracted position.

A return means, such as a spring, is provided to maintain the locking means in the activated state (i.e. the locks in the engaged position).

The deactivation means then comprise a lever 24 arranged on the backrest (here at the top of the backrest, as shown in figures 2 and 3), and a system of cables allowing the locks to be pulled out of their holes.

The system used between the cable and the corresponding lock to slide the lock out of the notch when a user pulls on the lever could take various forms.

For example, it could include a tilting plate mounted to rotate freely around a transverse axis. This plate would then have an elongated opening with a “cam track” function. The lock would be equipped with a lug adapted to navigate in this opening. In this way, when the lever is pulled, the plate would tilt and force the lock to slide into the retracted position.

As shown in the , the connecting arm 40 has a width less than or equal to half the overall width of the seat 1. It is furthermore located in the middle of the rear edge of the seat 10.

The peripheral part of the seat upholstery 10 is further interrupted at the rear (it therefore has a U shape with a front side and two lateral sides, but no rear side).

Thus, two empty spaces 50 are left free on either side of this arm, between the linings of the backrest 20 and the seat 10. These empty spaces allow the backrest to tilt without interfering with the seat. They also open up the view that the rear passengers of the vehicle have of the front of this vehicle, which makes this view less oppressive. They also allow the rear passengers to benefit from more space to use the rear crossmember 112 as a footrest.

This connecting arm 40 could be fixed to the lower crosspiece 212 of the frame 21 of the backrest 20.

However, in the illustrated embodiments, it is on the contrary articulated on this crosspiece. This second articulation forms a pivot connection between the connecting arm 40 and the lower crosspiece 212 of the frame 21 of the backrest 20, which allows the user to adjust the inclination of the backrest when the seat is in the use configuration. Locking means make it possible to lock this second articulation, and operating means make it possible to release this articulation if necessary to adjust the inclination of the backrest. A lever 26 arranged on the backrest may allow the user to actuate these operating means.

The 30 headrest illustrated on the is also here mounted on the backrest 20 with two degrees of mobility. It is thus adapted to slide along an axis substantially parallel to the main axis of the backrest (from top to bottom). It is also adapted to pivot about a turning axis substantially parallel to the main axis of the backrest.

The headrest is then adapted to pivot through a travel of at least 180°, so that it can be turned around.

Its upholstery 32 has two main faces 321, 322 located opposite each other, which can each be oriented towards the front of the backrest so that the head of the occupant of the seat rests on it.

These two main faces 321, 322 are substantially flat. They thus extend in substantially parallel planes, which are spaced from the turning axis by different distances.

The first face 321, when facing forward, forms a bulge projecting forward relative to the front face of the backrest (it thus forms a step at the junction between the backrest and the headrest). This face of the trim 32 is therefore facing forward when the backrest is in the use position.

The second face 322, when it is turned towards the front of the backrest, extends substantially in the extension of this backrest. This face of the upholstery 32 is therefore oriented towards the front when the backrest is in the lying configuration, so that the headrest does not hinder the occupant when sleeping.

As also shown by the , the headrest 30, when in the low position, is housed in a hollow notch in the upper edge of the backrest 20. It can therefore be used in this position by a person of small size. On the other hand, it is designed to move away from this notch upwards, to adapt to tall people.

The means for mounting the headrest 30 on the backrest 20 allowing the headrest 30 to benefit from the two aforementioned mobilities could take various forms.

In practice, to provide the headrest 30 with up-and-down sliding mobility, they comprise a sheath which is fixed to the frame 21 of the backrest 20, and a rod mounted to slide in this sheath. In addition, means are provided for blocking the sliding of the rod in its sheath, which can be deactivated.

To provide the headrest 30 with pivoting mobility around the turning axis, the mounting means comprise a cylindrical shaft which is fixed to the aforementioned rod and on which a socket which supports the frame 31 of the headrest 30 can freely pivot. They also comprise an indexing system for blocking the rotation of the headrest 30 around the turning axis in two stable positions. The objective is that only the two main faces 321, 322 of the trim 32 of the headrest can be placed forward, facing the road. For example, as a guide for indexing means, the inner face of the socket delimits a cam path in which a lateral pin fixed to the shaft can navigate. A means for returning the socket downwards makes it possible to automatically return the lateral pin to the bottom of one or the other of the ends of the cam path, to block the headrest.

The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and shown, but those skilled in the art will be able to provide any variation in accordance with the invention.

Typically, the connecting arm could be telescopic. Thus, the user could adjust the distance between the seat and the backrest (particularly in the reclining configuration) according to his own morphology. A rack system could allow the length of this arm to be adjusted.

Claims (11)

Seat (1) comprising:
- a seat (10) which comprises a frame (11) and a trim (12) having an upper seat face,
- means for fixing the seat (10) to a floor (9),
- a file (20), and
- means for mounting the backrest (20) on the seat (10) with tilting mobility around an axis of rotation (A1) substantially parallel to the floor (9),
characterized in that the axis of rotation (A1) is located at a height (h1) relative to the floor (9) which is lower than the height (h2) of the upper face of the upholstery (12) of the seat (10) relative to the floor (9). Seat (1) according to claim 1, in which the frame (11) of the seat (10) forms a frame and said axis of rotation (A1) is located inside said frame. Seat (1) according to one of claims 1 and 2, in which said mounting means comprise a connecting arm (40) one end of which is mounted on the frame (11) of the seat (10) so as to form a first articulation around the axis of rotation (A1). Seat (1) according to claim 3, wherein said connecting arm (40) extends over less than half the width of the backrest (20). Seat (1) according to one of claims 3 and 4, in which the seat (10) comprises:
- a peripheral part (10B) which is equipped with said fixing means, and
- a central part (10A) mounted to be mobile in rotation relative to the peripheral part (10B), and on which the connecting arm (40) is articulated. Seat (1) according to claim 5, in which a part (12B) of the upholstery (12) of the seat (10) belonging to the peripheral part (10B) is located around the central part (10A) and is interrupted at the level of the connecting arm (40). Seat (1) according to one of claims 3 to 6, in which said connecting arm (40) has an end which is mounted on a frame (21) of the backrest (20) so as to form a second articulation around a pivot axis (A2) which is distinct from the axis of rotation (A1) and which is preferably parallel to said axis of rotation (A1). Seat (1) according to one of claims 3 to 7, in which said connecting arm is telescopic. Seat (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which means are provided for blocking the tilting mobility of the backrest (20) around said axis of rotation (A1), and means for deactivating the blocking means, which comprise a lever (24) provided on the backrest (20). Seat (1) according to claims 3 and 9, in which said locking means comprise two cassettes (43) fixed on either side of the connecting arm (40), each of which comprises a lock movable between a position engaged in an orifice provided in correspondence in the frame (11) of the seat (10) and a retracted position outside said orifice. Motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises a floor (9) and at least one seat (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, fixed to the floor (9).