Seat system

Abstract

Provided is a seat system capable of having more variations when forming a flat seat surface spanning a front seat and a rear seat. The seat system (1) is provided with a front seat (1A) and a rear seat (1B) which are arranged side by side from front to back. The present invention is provided with: a posture switching mechanism capable of performing a first switch in which a backrest upper half part (6) and a backrest lower half part (5) of a front seat (1A) are arranged flat or folded downward as a seat part facing a rear seat (1B), and a second switch in which the backrest upper half part (6) and the backrest lower half part (5) of the front seat (1A) are arranged flat or folded downward; a second switch in which a leg rest (4) and a seating section (3) of the rear seat (1B) are arranged flat or folded downward to serve as a seating section facing the front seat (1A); and a front-rear slide mechanism (2) that slides the front seat (1A) and / or the rear seat (1B) in the front-rear direction with respect to the floor (F).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a seating system having front seats and rear seats arranged one after the other. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, a technique was known to expand the seat surface by fitting the seats of two chairs together without gaps.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a seat system in which the seat cushion and backrest can be adjusted at angles relative to the floor of the vehicle interior, and the entire seat can slide relative to the floor of the vehicle.

[0004] In this seating system, the backrests of the front seats, which are folded down to a horizontal position, and the seat cushions of the rear seats are arranged in a flat, seamless configuration (see Patent Document 1). Figure 4 This is one of several usage configurations. In this configuration, the backrest of the horizontal front seat and the seat cushion of the rear seat are arranged flat front to back, forming a seat surface that spans the front and rear seats.

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-152046. Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, in the technology of Patent Document 1, in order to extend the seat surface across the front and rear seats, it is only possible to further arrange the seat portion of the front seat and the backrest of the rear seat to a flat position, which has the problem of lack of variation.

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a seating system that can have more variations when forming a flat seat surface spanning the front and rear seats.

[0008] To address the aforementioned issues, the seating system of the present invention adopts the following solution.

[0009] That is, the first technical solution of the present invention is a seat system comprising: a front seat having a first seat portion forming the upper half of a backrest and a second seat portion forming the lower half of the backrest; and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat having a third seat portion forming a seating portion and a fourth seat portion forming a leg rest. The seat system includes a posture switching mechanism capable of performing a first switching and a second switching. The first switching is achieved by selectively switching the facing position of the front seat by arranging the first and second seat portions of the front seat in a flat arrangement relative to each other, or by folding the first seat portion downwards relative to the second seat portion. The rear seat has a flat rear end portion; the second switching is achieved by selectively switching the flat front end portion of the rear seat facing the front seat by arranging the third and fourth rear ends of the rear seat flat relative to each other, or by folding the fourth rear end portion downward relative to the flat third rear end portion; and a front-to-back sliding mechanism that causes the flat rear end portion of the front seat to engage with the flat front end portion of the rear seat in a flat arrangement relative to each other by sliding at least one of the front seat and the rear seat relative to the floor in a front-to-back direction.

[0010] According to the first technical solution, it is possible to select whether to use both the first seat portion (upper backrest) of the front seat and the fourth seat portion (leg rest) of the rear seat, or neither, or to use either the first or fourth seat portion. That is, when forming a flat seat surface spanning the front and rear seats, the first and fourth seat portions can be selectively used, thus allowing for more variations.

[0011] The second technical solution of the present invention is that, in the first technical solution described above, the front seat and the rear seat are seat structures that are identical to each other, having a first seat portion, a second seat portion, a third seat portion, and a fourth seat portion.

[0012] According to the second technical solution, if the switching based on the posture switching mechanism is applied to the third (sitting) and fourth (leg rest) parts of the front seat, and the second (lower backrest) and first (upper backrest) parts of the rear seat, then it is possible to select whether or not to use these parts as flat seats. Therefore, more variations are possible when forming a flat seat surface spanning the front and rear seats.

[0013] The third technical solution of the present invention is based on the second technical solution described above, wherein the posture switching mechanism comprises: a first connecting portion, which connects the base end of the second seat portion to a base on the floor in a manner rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the width direction of the seat; a second connecting portion, which connects the base end of the third seat portion to the base at the seat front side of the first connecting portion in a manner rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the width direction of the seat; a third connecting portion, which connects the base end of the first seat portion to the end portion of the second seat portion in a manner rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the width direction of the seat; and a fourth connecting portion, which connects the base end of the fourth seat portion to the end portion of the third seat portion in a manner rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the width direction of the seat, wherein the second seat portion and the third seat portion are symmetrical to each other front to back, and the first seat portion and the fourth seat portion are symmetrical to each other front to back.

[0014] According to the third technical solution, only two types of seats need to be prepared when implementing the seat system, which can result in a seat system with a simpler and more reasonable structure.

[0015] The fourth technical solution of the present invention is that, in the third technical solution described above, a rotating part is provided to support the base so that it can rotate about a vertical axis relative to the floor, and the front and rear sliding mechanism supports the rotating part so that it can slide relative to the floor in the front and rear direction.

[0016] According to the fourth technical solution, by rotating each seat 90 degrees and changing the arrangement to a left-right arrangement, for example, the same seats can be matched together, such as the third seat part (sitting part) of the front seat and the third seat part (sitting part) of the rear seat, thus allowing for more variations.

[0017] The fifth technical solution of the present invention is that, in the fourth technical solution described above, it further includes a second sliding mechanism that supports the base so that it can slide relative to the rotating part in the front-back direction of the seat. The base rotates together with the second sliding mechanism through the rotating part, thereby enabling it to slide in a direction different from the sliding direction of the front-back sliding mechanism.

[0018] According to the fifth technical solution, during the rotation process of changing the arrangement of each seat from front-to-back to left-to-right, it is also possible to slide along the front-to-back direction of the seat, so that the seats can avoid each other without causing interference.

[0019] The sixth technical solution of the present invention is that, in the fourth or fifth technical solution described above, the rotating part has a vertical axis that serves as the rotation center at a position offset from the center of the seat width direction of the front seat and the rear seat.

[0020] According to the sixth technical solution, when rotated 90 degrees, it can be closer to the side of the floor compared to the case where the vertical axis is located in the center of the width direction.

[0021] The seventh technical solution of the present invention is that, in the above-mentioned third technical solution, the posture switching mechanism can be switched to a folding mode, wherein the folding mode is such that the second seat and the third seat are erected in a manner facing each other, and the first seat and the fourth seat are arranged vertically and horizontally relative to the erected second seat and the third seat to form a flat surface.

[0022] According to the seventh technical solution, by folding down one of the front or rear seats, the cabin space can be used more spaciously, thus achieving a more practical seating system.

[0023] The eighth technical solution of the present invention is that, in the above-mentioned third technical solution, the posture switching mechanism can be switched to a table mode, wherein the table mode is such that the second seat and the third seat are erected facing each other, and the first seat and the fourth seat are arranged in a flat arrangement.

[0024] According to the eighth technical solution, one of the front seats or the rear seats can be used as a table, thus achieving a more practical seating system.

[0025] The ninth technical solution of the present invention is that, in the above-mentioned third technical solution, the posture switching mechanism can be switched to a flip mode, wherein the flip mode makes the second seat portion of the front seat flat so that it can be sat on, and the third seat portion of the front seat is raised so that it can be leaned against the rear seat.

[0026] According to the ninth technical solution, the occupants sitting in the front and rear seats can face each other, thus achieving a more practical seating system. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the front and rear seats in a vehicle interior where a seating system is applied. Figure 2 It is a 3D diagram of the front seat (rear seat). Figure 3 It is a 3D diagram of the front seat (rear seat). Figure 4 This diagram illustrates the angle adjustment made by the tilt adjustment device. Figure 5 It is a diagram showing a combination of patterns. Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating one of the variations in the joint pattern. Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating one of the variations in the joint pattern. Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating one of the variations in the joint pattern. Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating one of the variations in the joint pattern. Figure 10 It is a diagram showing the state in which the seats arranged in front and behind each other are rotated 90 degrees. Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating one of the variations in the joint pattern. Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the use of the folding mode. Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating an example of using the desktop mode. Figure 14 This is a diagram illustrating an example of using the flip mode. Detailed Implementation

[0028] In this embodiment, an example of applying the seating system according to this disclosure to seats mounted in vehicles known as so-called sedans or station wagons will be described. In the following description, when referring to directions such as front, back, up, down, left, and right, the directions shown in the respective figures will be used.

[0029] Furthermore, when "seat width direction" or "seat fore-and-aft direction" is used to indicate direction, it refers to the respective direction based on the seating portion 3. Additionally, in the following description, when a specific reference numeral is not shown or when there is no corresponding reference numeral in the reference numeral, appropriate reference may be made. Figures 1 to 14 Any of the diagrams in the series.

[0030] First Implementation Method <Overview of Seating System 1> like Figure 1 As shown, the seat system 1 of this embodiment is applied to the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B mounted in the vehicle interior.

[0031] The seating system 1 has front seats 1A and rear seats 1B arranged one behind the other. Each seat 1A and 1B is a long bench seat for two people, which is arranged on the interior floor of the vehicle together with the driver's seat Ds. The driver's seat Ds is arranged in the first row, the front seats 1A are arranged in the second row, and the rear seats 1B are arranged in the third row.

[0032] Each seat 1A and 1B has a seating area 3, a leg rest 4, a lower backrest 5, and an upper backrest 6 (hereinafter collectively referred to as seating areas 3 to 6). These seating areas 3 to 6 can be angled using the tilt adjustment devices 7a to 7d described later. For example, as... Figure 4As shown, the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the front seat 1A (hereinafter sometimes referred to as each backrest 5, 6) can also be tilted like the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B, and can also be folded down to be aligned flat with the seating portion 3 of the rear seat 1B. Furthermore, as... Figure 4 As shown, the folded leg rest 4 of the front seat 1A can be unfolded to be flat with the seating area 3, just like the rear seat 1B. In addition, only the upper half 6 of each backrest 5, 6 of the front seat 1A can be moved to fold like the leg rest 4, or the middle part can be folded.

[0033] The seating system 1 has a front-to-back sliding mechanism 2 that allows each seat 1A, 1B to slide relative to the floor F in a front-to-back direction. The distance between each seat 1A, 1B can be reduced or increased by the front-to-back sliding mechanism 2.

[0034] That is, in the front seat 1A and rear seat 1B of the seat system 1, by adjusting the angle of each seat part 3 to 6 and sliding the front and rear directions of each seat 1A and 1B, a combined mode can be formed by combining the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B to form a flat seat surface spanning the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B.

[0035] <Tilting adjustment device 7a~7d> like Figure 2 , 3 As shown, each tilt adjustment device 7a to 7d is a device that connects an object to another component in an adjustable angle manner. For example, tilt adjustment device 7a connects the base end of the lower half of the backrest 5 to the base 9A in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis L1 extending in the width direction of the seat. Furthermore, tilt adjustment device 7b connects the base end of the seat portion 3 to the base 9A at the front side of the seat of tilt adjustment device 7a in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis L2 extending in the width direction of the seat.

[0036] The tilt adjustment device 7c connects the base of the upper half of the backrest 6 to the end of the lower half of the backrest 5 in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis L3 extending in the width direction of the seat. Furthermore, the tilt adjustment device 7d connects the base of the leg rest 4 to the end of the seating portion 3 in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis L4 extending in the width direction of the seat.

[0037] Figure 4In the front seat 1A shown, the seating portion 3 is parallel to the floor F, the leg rest 4 is stored under the seating portion 3, and the backrests 5 and 6 are in an upright position. The lower half of the backrest 5 of the front seat 1A can be folded down to be parallel to the floor F via the tilt adjustment device 7a. Furthermore, the front seat 1A, via the tilt adjustment device 7c, serves as a flat seat facing the rear end of the rear seat 1B, and the upper half of the backrest 6 can be folded downward relative to the lower half of the backrest 5, or the upper half of the backrest 6 and the lower half of the backrest 5 can be arranged flat again (first switch).

[0038] On the other hand, in the rear seat 1B, the seating portion 3 and leg rest 4 are parallel to the floor F and arranged flat in front of and behind each other, and the backrests 5 and 6 are arranged flat in front of and behind each other in a tilted state. The rear seat 1B, through the tilt adjustment device 7d, serves as a flat seat portion facing the front end of the front seat 1A, and can maintain the leg rest 4 in a flat arrangement with the seating portion 3, or fold the leg rest 4 downward relative to the seating portion 3 (second switching).

[0039] Thus, the tilt adjustment device 7c and the tilt adjustment device 7d constitute a posture switching mechanism capable of performing the first and second switching.

[0040] <Sliding movement and rotation of seats 1A and 1B> like Figure 2 , 3 As shown, each seat 1A and 1B has a hierarchical structure consisting of a base 9A connecting the seating portion 3 and the lower half of the backrest 5, a second sliding mechanism 9B supporting the base 9A for sliding movement, a rotating portion 9C supporting the second sliding mechanism 9B for rotation, and a front-to-back sliding mechanism 2 that allows the rotating portion 9C to slide relative to the floor F, arranged sequentially from top to bottom. Furthermore, the second sliding mechanism 9B and the front-to-back sliding mechanism 2 also have locking portions that lock the sliding movement.

[0041] The lower sliding mechanism 2 allows each seat 1A and 1B to slide relative to the floor F in the front-back direction. Conversely, the upper second sliding mechanism 9B allows a portion of each seat 1A and 1B (the base 9A connecting the seating portion 3 and the lower half of the backrest 5) to slide. That is, even if the sliding movement based on the front-back sliding mechanism 2 is locked, the base 9A can still slide, thus allowing for fine-tuning of the positions of each seating portion 3 to 6.

[0042] The second sliding mechanism 9B has a slide rail 9R and a slider 9S that slides along the slide rail 9R. The slider 9S is fixed to the base 9A. If the slider 9S moves along the slide rail 9R, the base 9A (the seating part 3 and the lower half of the backrest 5 connected to the base part 9A) slides in the front-back direction relative to the floor F, for example.

[0043] The rotating part 9C supports the second sliding mechanism 9B so that it can rotate relative to the floor F about the vertical axis L5. Specifically, the rotating part 9C has a circular first member that bears the load of each seat 1A, 1B and a circular second member that fits into and rotates relative to the first member. The second member is fixed to the second sliding mechanism 9B, and the second sliding mechanism 9B rotates relative to the first member. When the second sliding mechanism 9B rotates, the base 9A (seat portion 3 and lower backrest portion 5) connected to the second sliding mechanism 9B also rotates relative to the floor F about the vertical axis L5. Furthermore, the position of the vertical axis L5 is set at a position offset from the center of the seat width direction of each seat 1A, 1B in the width direction.

[0044] The base 9A (seat portion 3 and lower backrest portion 5) rotates together with the second sliding mechanism 9B via the rotating portion 9C, thereby enabling it to slide in a direction different from the sliding direction (front and rear direction) of the front and rear sliding mechanism 2.

[0045] The footrest 9D is integrated with the second sliding mechanism 9B and, together with the rotating part 9C, bears the load acting on each seat 1A, 1B. The footrest 9D also rotates integrally with the second sliding mechanism 9B about the vertical axis L5. When locking the rotation of each seat 1A, 1B, the footrest 9D is locked relative to the floor F. Specifically, in addition to the slide rails Fa and Fb, the floor F is provided with a slide rail (not shown), and the footrest 9D has two locking parts that can be locked relative to these slide rails. Figure 2 , 3 In the state shown for foot 9D, the locking parts are arranged in a row in the front-to-back direction, thus locking relative to one slide rail. When foot 9D rotates 90 degrees together with the second sliding mechanism 9B, the two locking parts lock relative to slide rails Fa and Fb respectively.

[0046] The bottommost front-to-back sliding mechanism 2 enables the rotating part 9C to slide relative to the floor F in the front-to-back direction. Specifically, the second sliding mechanism 9B consists of slide rails Fa and Fb provided on the floor F and a sliding mechanism (not shown) provided on the bottom surface of the rotating part 9C.

[0047] <Fixed track> like Figure 2 As shown, each seat 1A and 1B is equipped with a fixing track 3a to 6a. Furthermore, as... Figures 12-14 As shown, the walls W inside the vehicle are also equipped with various mounting rails Wa and Wb. These mounting rails 3a to 6a, Wa, and Wb are fasteners for users to detachably secure other components. "Other components" include, for example, tables, partitions, and monitors (displays).

[0048] Each fixing track 3a to 6a is provided on a part other than the seat surface of each seat part 3 to 6. For example, fixing track 6a is provided on the back of the upper half of the backrest 6. In addition, each fixing track 3a to 6a is provided along the width direction of the seat and parallel to the floor F.

[0049] like Figures 12-14 As shown, the fixed tracks Wa and Wb are arranged along the front-to-back direction of the vehicle and parallel to the floor F. Furthermore, the spacing between the fixed tracks Wa and Wb is the same as the spacing between the fixed tracks 5a and 6a.

[0050] The basic structure and usage of each fixed track 3a to 6a, Wa, and Wb are, for example, the same as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-152046, which is presented as prior art.

[0051] <Changes in the Joint Mode> like Figure 5 As shown, there are four different flat patterns for the seat portions 3 to 6 of the front seat 1A. For each of these four patterns, there are also four different patterns for the rear seat 1B. Therefore, there are 16 possible variations in arranging the seat portions 3 to 6 of each seat 1A and 1B into a flat surface. For example, by changing the hardness of the cushioning or the material of the surface material in each seat portion 3 to 6, 16 different levels of hardness and texture can be provided when arranging the seat portions 3 to 6 to form a flat seat surface spanning the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B.

[0052] The following section will illustrate several changes by taking into account the operation of each seat 1A and 1B. Figure 6 In the middle, the seat sections 3 to 6 of each seat 1A and 1B are all arranged front to back to form a flat surface. Figure 5 The combination of pattern f1 and pattern r1 shown is the longest of all the variations in the combined pattern. For example, by slightly lifting and fixing the upper half 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B, it can be used as a pillow. Furthermore, by slightly lifting both the lower half 5 and the upper half 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B, the user can lie on their back with their upper body slightly raised. In this way, the user can... Figure 5 The listed changes should be arranged appropriately.

[0053] In order to Figure 4 The status of each seat 1A and 1B in the middle is switched to Figure 6 The status of each seat 1A and 1B in the system is as follows, for example, by following these steps.

[0054] First, fold down the lower half 5 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B until it is parallel to the floor F. Since the upper half 6 of the backrest is already aligned flat with the lower half 5, it is also parallel to the floor F along with the lower half 5. Next, unfold the leg rest 4 of the front seat 1A until it is aligned flat with the seating area 3. Then, fold down the backrests 5 and 6 of the front seat 1A until they are parallel to the floor F, but folding them down directly would interfere with the rear seat 1B. Therefore, use the front-to-back sliding mechanism 2 to increase the distance between the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B. Finally, make fine adjustments so that the upper half 6 of the backrest of the front seat 1A and the leg rest 4 of the rear seat 1B are aligned without gaps.

[0055] Figure 7 In the middle, the seat sections 3 to 6 of each seat 1A and 1B (excluding the leg rest 4 of the rear seat 1B) are arranged flat front to back. Figure 5 The combination shown is a combination of pattern f1 and pattern r2. In order to... Figure 6 Switching to Figure 7 The state, for example, is to follow the steps below.

[0056] First, fold the leg rest 4 of the rear seat 1B downwards relative to the seating portion 3. Next, use the fore-and-aft sliding mechanism 2 to make fine adjustments so that the upper part 6 of the backrest is aligned with the seating portion 3 of the rear seat 1B without gaps. Alternatively, the second sliding mechanism 9B can also be used for fine adjustments.

[0057] Figure 8 In this configuration, the seating area 3, leg rest 4 (except for the rear seat 1B), lower backrest 5, and upper backrest 6 (except for the front seat 1A) of each seat 1A and 1B are arranged flat, front to back. Figure 5 The combination shown is a combination of pattern f3 and pattern r2. In order to... Figure 7 Switching to Figure 8 The state, for example, is to follow the steps below.

[0058] First, fold the upper half 6 of the backrest of the front seat 1A downwards relative to the lower half 5 of the backrest. Make minor adjustments to eliminate the gap as described above.

[0059] Figure 9 In the middle, the seating portion 3 and the lower half of the backrest 5 of each seat 1A and 1B are arranged front to back to form a flat surface. Figure 5 The combination shown is a combination of pattern f4 and pattern r4. In order to... Figure 8 Switching to Figure 9 In this state, the leg rest 4 of the front seat 1A is folded downward relative to the seating part 3, and the upper part 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B is folded downward relative to the lower part 5 of the backrest.

[0060] If seats 1A and 1B are rotated 90 degrees and arranged in a row laterally with their fore-aft direction perpendicular to the vehicle's fore-aft direction, the variation in arranging seats 3-6 into a flat configuration is further increased. That is, as... Figure 10 As shown, each seat 1A and 1B can be rotated around the vertical axis L5 via the rotating part 9C from a state in which they are arranged in a front-to-back direction (dashed line) to a state in which they are arranged in a front-to-back row in the lateral direction (solid line). The following describes several variations of this lateral arrangement in the front-to-back row in conjunction with the operation of each seat 1A and 1B.

[0061] Furthermore, each seat 1A and 1B is positioned close to the interior wall W after rotating 90 degrees. This is because the vertical axis L5 is set at a position offset from the center in the seat width direction. The result of this offset is that the vertical axis L5 is positioned closer to the wall W. If the vertical axis L5 were set at the center in the seat width direction, it would be positioned away from the interior wall W after rotating 90 degrees; therefore, to move closer to the interior wall W, for example, a second sliding mechanism 9B must be used for sliding movement.

[0062] Furthermore, while seats 1A and 1B are arranged without gaps after rotating 90 degrees, this is based on sliding movement via the second sliding mechanism 9B. If sliding movement via the second sliding mechanism 9B were not possible, then when the positional relationship of seats 1A and 1B before rotation is such that they are arranged without gaps after rotating 90 degrees (the distance between the vertical axes L5 of seats 1A and 1B remains unchanged before and after rotation), the lower half 5 of the backrest 1A of the front seat 1A and the seating portion 3 of the rear seat 1B would interfere with each other during rotation. However, if the second sliding mechanism 9B is used, the front seat 1A can slide to avoid the rear seat 1B when interference occurs.

[0063] Figure 11 All seat sections 3-6 of seats 1A and 1B are arranged in a flat position. In order to... Figure 10 Switching to Figure 11 The state, for example, is to operate according to the following steps.

[0064] Since there is no space between the seats 1A, 1B and the wall W for folding down the backrests 5, 6, the second sliding mechanism 9B is first used to slide each seat 3-6 to the left along each base 9A. After ensuring sufficient space, the lower half of the backrest 5 is folded down until it is parallel to the floor F. The upper half of the backrest 6 is also adjusted appropriately to align it flat with the lower half of the backrest 5. Finally, the leg rest 4 is extended to align it flat with the seat 3.

[0065] Figure 11The width is greatest in the left-right direction, but its size can be adjusted appropriately. Specifically, if the upper half 6 of the backrest and the leg rest 4 of each seat 1A and 1B are folded down or raised, the width in the left-right direction can be changed. For example, if from... Figure 11 Folding the leg rests 4 of each seat 1A and 1B downwards reduces the width by a corresponding amount; conversely, raising the leg rests 4 of each seat 1A and 1B not only reduces the width but also allows them to function like bed rails to prevent roll-off. Alternatively, both the upper backrest 6 and the leg rests 4 can be raised to create bed rails on both sides. Furthermore, both the upper backrest 6 and the leg rests 4 can be folded downwards.

[0066] <Other Modes> In the seating system 1, in addition to the combined configuration in which the seat portions 3 to 6 of each seat 1A and 1B are arranged to form a flat seat surface, it is also possible to... Figures 12-14 The front seat 1A can be transformed as shown to use other modes, providing a highly convenient cabin space.

[0067] Figure 12 The front seat 1A is in a folding mode. The folding mode is as follows: the seat 3 and the lower half of the backrest 5 are raised so that they face each other, and the leg rest 4 and the upper half of the backrest 6 are arranged vertically and horizontally relative to the raised seat 3 and the lower half of the backrest 5 to form a flat surface.

[0068] By setting the front seat 1A to a folding mode and sliding it forward, the occupant of the rear seat 1B can use the space more spaciously.

[0069] Alternatively, objects such as monitors 8a can be fixed to the mounting rails 5a and 6a of the front seat 1A. In this way, by fixing to two mounting rails, the object 8a can be secured more firmly than if it were fixed to a single mounting rail.

[0070] Furthermore, as described above, the spacing between each fixing track 5a, 6a is the same as the spacing between each fixing track Wa, Wb. Therefore, the object 8a can be fixed to the wall W by each fixing track Wa, Wb instead of fixing tracks 5a, 6a.

[0071] Figure 13 The front seat 1A is in table mode. Table mode is the following mode: the seating part 3 and the lower half of the backrest 5 are raised so that they face each other, and the leg rest 4 and the upper half of the backrest 6 are arranged flat front to back. That is, if the leg rest 4 and the upper half of the backrest 6 are unfolded from the folding mode, it is switched to table mode.

[0072] By setting the front seat 1A to table mode, the occupant of the rear seat 1B can place luggage on top of the front seat 1A. Furthermore, by fixing the object 8b to the fixing rail 6a, the object 8b can be held in a suspended manner from the upper half of the backrest 6. Additionally, fixing the object 8b to the fixing rail 5a provides an even more secure fixation.

[0073] Figure 14 The front seat 1A is in a flip-up mode. The flip-up mode is as follows: the lower half 5 of the backrest of the front seat 1A is tilted so that it is parallel to the floor F so that one can sit down, and the seating part 3 of the front seat 1A is raised so that one can lean back.

[0074] By setting the front seat 1A to a flip-up mode, the occupants of the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B face each other, thus providing a highly convenient cabin space. For example, if the monitor is fixed to the fixed rails Wa and Wb, the occupants of each seat 1A and 1B can watch the monitor.

[0075] In summary, the seating system (1) according to this embodiment is formed with the following structure. Furthermore, the symbols in parentheses below are reference numerals corresponding to the structures shown in the above embodiments.

[0076] That is, the seat system (1) has a front seat (1A) and a rear seat (1B) arranged front to back. The seat system (1) has a posture switching mechanism (7c, 7d) capable of performing a first switching and a second switching. The first switching is to selectively switch the flat seat portion facing the rear end of the front seat (1B) by arranging the first seat portion (6) constituting the upper half of the backrest and the second seat portion (5) constituting the lower half of the backrest of the front seat (1A) to be flat, or by folding the first seat portion (6) downward relative to the flat second seat portion (5). The second switching is to selectively switch the flat seat portion facing the front end of the rear seat (1A) by arranging the third seat portion (3) constituting the seating portion and the fourth seat portion (4) constituting the leg rest of the rear seat (1B) to be flat, or by folding the fourth seat portion (4) downward relative to the flat third seat portion (3). In addition, the seat system (1) has a front-to-back sliding mechanism (2) that, by sliding the front seat (1A) and / or the rear seat (1B) relative to the floor (F) in the front-to-back direction, the flat seat portion at the rear end of the front seat (1A) and the flat seat portion at the front end of the rear seat (1B) are aligned in a flat manner with each other.

[0077] Based on the above structure, it is possible to select whether to use either the first seat portion (6) of the front seat (1A) or the fourth seat portion (4) of the rear seat (1B), or neither of them, or to use either the first seat portion (6) or the fourth seat portion (4). That is, when forming a seat surface spanning the front seat (1A) and the rear seat (1B), it is possible to selectively use the first seat portion (6) and the fourth seat portion (4), thus allowing for more variations.

[0078] Furthermore, the front seat (1A) and the rear seat (1B) are identical seat structures with a first seat portion (6), a second seat portion (5), a third seat portion (3), and a fourth seat portion (4). Based on this structure, if the switching based on the posture switching mechanism (7c, 7d) is applied to the third seat portion (3) and the fourth seat portion (4) of the front seat (1A) and the second seat portion (5) and the first seat portion (6) of the rear seat (1B), it is possible to select whether or not to use these seat portions as flat seat portions. Therefore, more variations are possible when forming the seat surface spanning the front seat (1A) and the rear seat (1B).

[0079] Furthermore, the posture switching mechanism includes: a first connecting part (7a) that connects the base end of the second seat part (5) to a base (9A) on the floor (F) in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis (L1) extending in the seat width direction; a second connecting part (7b) that connects the base end of the third seat part (3) to the base (9A) at the seat front side (L2) of the first connecting part (7a) in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis (L2) extending in the seat width direction; and a third connecting part (7c) that connects the base end of the third seat part (3) to the base (9A) at the seat front side (L2) of the first connecting part (7a). The base end of a seat part (6) is connected to the end of a second seat part (5) in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis (L3) extending in the width direction of the seat; and the fourth connecting part (7d) connects the base end of a fourth seat part (4) to the end of a third seat part (3) in a manner that allows it to rotate about a rotation axis (L4) extending in the width direction of the seat. The second seat part (5) and the third seat part (3) are symmetrical about each other front to back, and the first seat part (6) and the fourth seat part (4) are symmetrical about each other front to back.

[0080] Based on the above structure, when implementing the seat system (1), only two types of seats need to be prepared, and a seat system (1) with a simpler and more reasonable structure can be obtained.

[0081] Furthermore, a rotating part (9C) supports the base (9A) so that it can rotate about a vertical axis (L5) relative to the floor (F), and a front-to-back sliding mechanism (2) supports the rotating part (9C) so that it can slide in the front-to-back direction relative to the floor (F). According to the above structure, after rotating each seat 90 degrees and changing the arrangement to a left-to-right arrangement, for example, the same seats can be matched with each other, such as the third seat part (3) of the front seat (1A) and the third seat part (3) of the rear seat (1B), thus allowing for more variations.

[0082] Furthermore, a second sliding mechanism (9B) is provided to support the base (9A) so that it can slide relative to the rotating part (9C) in the front-back direction of the seat. The base (9A) rotates together with the second sliding mechanism (9B) via the rotating part (9C), thereby being able to slide in a direction different from the sliding direction of the front-back sliding mechanism (2). According to the above structure, during the rotation process of changing the arrangement of each seat (1A, 1B) from front-back to left-right, it can also slide in the front-back direction of the seat, so that the seats can avoid each other without causing interference.

[0083] Furthermore, in the fourth or fifth technical solution described above, the rotating part (9C) has a vertical axis (L5) that serves as the center of rotation at a position offset from the center of the seat width direction of the front seat (1A) and the rear seat (1B). According to the above structure, when rotated 90 degrees, it can be closer to the side of the floor (F) than when the vertical axis (L5) is located at the center in the width direction.

[0084] Furthermore, the posture switching mechanism can be switched to a folding mode in which the second seat (5) and the third seat (3) are raised in a manner facing each other, and the first seat (6) and the fourth seat (4) are arranged vertically and horizontally relative to the raised second seat (5) and the third seat (3) to form a flat surface. According to the above structure, by folding one of the front seats (1A) and the rear seats (1B), the cabin space can be used more spaciously, thus obtaining a more practical seating system (1).

[0085] Furthermore, the posture switching mechanism can switch to a table mode, in which the second seat (5) and the third seat (3) are raised facing each other, and the first seat (6) and the fourth seat (4) are arranged in a flat arrangement. According to the above structure, one of the front seat (1A) and the rear seat (1B) can be used as a table, thus obtaining a more practical seating system (1).

[0086] Furthermore, the posture switching mechanism can be switched to a flip mode, in which the second seat portion (5) of the front seat (1A) is flattened for sitting, and the third seat portion (3) of the front seat (1A) is raised so that it can be leaned against the rear seat (1B). According to the above structure, the occupants sitting in the front seat (1A) and the rear seat (1B) can face each other, thus obtaining a more practical seat system (1).

[0087] Other Implementation Methods The embodiments of the present invention have been described above using one embodiment, but the present invention can be implemented in various other ways besides the embodiments described above.

[0088] 1. In the above embodiment, the seat used in the combined mode includes the seating portion 3 and leg rest 4 of the front seat 1A, and the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B. However, when forming a flat seat surface spanning the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B, at least the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the front seat 1A, and the seating portion 3 and leg rest 4 of the rear seat 1B are sufficient. Furthermore, even in this case, there are two arrangements: the upper half 6 is arranged flat or folded relative to the lower half 5 of the backrest of the front seat 1A, and the leg rest 4 is arranged flat or folded relative to the seating portion 3 of the rear seat 1B. Therefore, four variations can be provided as a combination. In addition, for these four variations, the angles of the seating portion 3 and leg rest 4 of the front seat 1A, and the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B can be adjusted, allowing for free arrangement. For example, the seating portion 3 and leg rest 4 of the front seat 1A can be in an upright position, and the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B can be arranged flat (or vice versa). Alternatively, the seating portion 3 and leg rest 4 of the front seat 1A, as well as the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B, can all be in an upright position (or they can be tilted at, for example, at a 45-degree angle). Figure 5 The 16 variations shown can also be considered special modes in the combined mode (the selected seat is arranged in a flat bed pattern).

[0089] 2. In the above embodiment, the seating portion 3 and leg rest 4 of the front seat 1A have the same structure as the seating portion 3 and leg rest 4 of the rear seat 1B, but they can also have different structures. For example, the front seat 1A may not have a leg rest 4. The seating portion 3 may also not be angle-adjustable. Similarly, the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the rear seat 1B have the same structure as the lower half 5 and upper half 6 of the backrest of the front seat 1A, but they can also have different structures. For example, the rear seat 1B may not have an upper half 6 of the backrest. The lower half 5 of the backrest may also not be angle-adjustable.

[0090] 3. In the above embodiments, it is assumed that both the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B can slide in the front-back direction, but it is also possible that only one of the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B can slide in the front-back direction.

[0091] 4. In the above embodiments, the seating portion 3 and the lower half of the backrest 5 are symmetrical to each other, and the leg rest 4 and the upper half of the backrest 6 are also symmetrical to each other, but they can also be asymmetrical. For example, the lower half of the backrest 5 is longer than the seating portion 3 in the front-back direction, or the upper half of the backrest 6 is longer than the leg rest 4 in the front-back direction.

[0092] 5. In the above embodiments, each seat 1A and 1B is configured to rotate via the rotating part 9C, but the rotating part 9C may not be provided. Furthermore, in order to eliminate the gap between the front seat 1A and the rear seat 1B, as long as it can slide in the front-back direction, it may be configured as a seat system having only one of the front-back sliding mechanism 2 or the second sliding mechanism 9B.

[0093] 6. In the above embodiment, the vertical axis L5 is set at a position offset from the center in the seat width direction, but it can also be set at the center in the seat width direction.

[0094] 7. In the above embodiments, the seat system is applied to the front seat 1A and rear seat 1B mounted on a vehicle, but is not limited to the floor of the vehicle interior. For example, it can also be applied to the front and rear seats arranged in front of and behind on the floor of a building or an outdoor floor.

Claims

1. A seat system having: a front seat provided with a first seat portion constituting an upper half of a backrest and a second seat portion constituting a lower half of the backrest; and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat, provided with a third seat portion constituting a seating portion and a fourth seat portion constituting a leg rest, the seat system having: a posture switching mechanism capable of performing a first switching in which flat seat portions of the rear end of the front seat facing the front end of the rear seat are selectively switched by arranging the first seat portion and the second seat portion of the front seat in front of and behind each other to be flat or by folding the first seat portion downward with respect to the second seat portion, and a second switching in which flat seat portions of the front end of the rear seat facing the rear end of the front seat are selectively switched by arranging the third seat portion and the fourth seat portion of the rear seat in front of and behind each other to be flat or by folding the fourth seat portion downward with respect to the flat third seat portion; and a front-rear sliding mechanism that brings the flat seat portions of the rear end of the front seat and the flat seat portions of the front end of the rear seat into engagement in a manner of being arranged in front of and behind each other to be flat by sliding at least one of the front seat and the rear seat with respect to a floor in a front-rear direction.

2. The seat system according to claim 1, wherein the front seat and the rear seat are the same seat structure having the first seat portion, the second seat portion, the third seat portion, and the fourth seat portion.

3. The seat system according to claim 2, wherein the posture switching mechanism has: a first link portion that links a base end portion of the second seat portion to a base on a floor in a manner of being rotatable about a rotation axis extending in a seat width direction; a second link portion that links a base end portion of the third seat portion to the base on a seat front side of the first link portion in a manner of being rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the seat width direction; a third link portion that links a base end portion of the first seat portion to a tip end portion of the second seat portion in a manner of being rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the seat width direction; and a fourth link portion that links a base end portion of the fourth seat portion to a tip end portion of the third seat portion in a manner of being rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the seat width direction, the second seat portion and the third seat portion being a structure symmetrical to each other in a front-rear direction, and the first seat portion and the fourth seat portion being a structure symmetrical to each other in the front-rear direction.

4. The seat system according to claim 3, wherein the seat system has a swivel portion that supports the base so as to be swivable about a vertical axis with respect to the floor, and the front-rear sliding mechanism supports the swivel portion so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction with respect to the floor.

5. The seat system according to claim 4, wherein the seat system further has a second sliding mechanism that supports the base so as to be slidable in a seat front-rear direction with respect to the swivel portion, and the base is swivable by the swivel portion together with the second sliding mechanism, so as to be slidable in a direction different from a sliding direction of the front-rear sliding mechanism. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6. The seat system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the swivel portion has the vertical axis that becomes a swivel center at a position that is offset from the center in the seat width direction of the front seat and the rear seat.

7. The seat system according to claim 3, wherein the posture switching mechanism is switchable to a folding mode that causes the second seat portion and the third seat portion to stand in a manner facing each other, and causes the first seat portion and the fourth seat portion to be arranged flat above and below the standing second seat portion and the third seat portion.

8. The seat system according to claim 3, wherein the posture switching mechanism is switchable to a table mode that causes the second seat portion and the third seat portion to stand in a manner facing each other, and causes the first seat portion and the fourth seat portion to be arranged flat in front and behind.

9. The seat system according to claim 3, wherein the posture switching mechanism is switchable to a flip mode that causes the second seat portion of the front seat to be flat to be able to sit, and causes the third seat portion of the front seat to stand in a manner facing the rear seat to be able to backrest.

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