Recliner for a vehicle

Abstract

A recliner (36) or an adjustable seat which forms a recliner (36) is provided for installation in a vehicle (30). In the event of a collision, the recliner (36) is pivoted with a pivoting movement. The pivoting movement has at least one rotation about a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis extends horizontally and normally to the longitudinal direction. By means of this pivoting movement, the recliner surface (35) is brought from a substantially horizontal position into a position inclined about at least 20°.

Description

[0001] Bed for a vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to the field of seats or beds in vehicles for the transport of persons. It relates to a bed for a vehicle or an adjustable vehicle seat with a reclining position according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0003] To promote environmentally friendly travel, it is important to offer travelers alternatives to air travel. One possible alternative is coaches, especially overnight ones. However, today's bus seats are often uncomfortable for long journeys, and travelers arrive at their destination exhausted. One possible solution is comfort seats that allow travelers to lie down.

[0004] For the transport of passengers lying down, especially in buses, there is a lack of restraint systems that are both comfortable and safe.

[0005] With conventional seat belts, in the event of a frontal collision, there is a risk of the body slipping under the seat belt and sliding forward from the seat in the direction of travel (submarining). This can cause the lap belt to slide over the pelvic bone into the stomach or neck area, causing injury. While belt systems such as 5-point and 6-point harnesses can prevent submarining, they make it impossible to turn from a supine position to a side or prone position, and are therefore perceived as restrictive.

[0006] Accordingly, new restraint systems are needed that enable the safe and comfortable transport of passengers in reclining and sleeping positions in vehicles, especially buses.

[0007] DE2216378A1 shows a vehicle seat in which, in the event of an impact or any other type of deceleration caused by speed, the seat surface tilts forward and the backrest tilts backward, and the entire seat is released from its locking position and cushioned over a certain distance in the direction of the impact.

[0008] WO0112464A1 discloses a vehicle seat in which the entire seat tilts backward in the event of an impact. The seat is mounted on a roller-equipped console that moves along a curved rail.

[0009] DE102008003720A1 shows a vehicle seat in which, in a resting or sleeping position of the vehicle seat, the seat part pivots together with the backrest so that, in the event of a rear-end collision, the seat part forms an impact surface against which the occupant can support himself without there being a risk of slipping under the seat belt.

[0010] DE 102018204461 A1 shows a vehicle seat with a resting or reclining position, with a seat part pivoting upward in the event of a collision. Additionally, an energy absorption device acts between the seat part and a vehicle structure. WO2018202802A1 shows a vehicle seat in which an upper edge of the backrest is elastically attached to the vehicle structure. In the event of an impact, the seat slides forward, causing the backrest to tilt backward.

[0011] DE102019132911A1 shows a vehicle seat that, in the event of an impact, pivots from a rearward-leaning position back toward its normal position through the deformation of certain elements, without actually reaching it. This is intended to prevent excessive strain on the internal organs in the longitudinal direction of the body.

[0012] DE102014213301A1 and DE102019115254A1 each show a restraint device with a combination of a blanket and an airbag,

[0013] DE102019206453A1, EP3599135A1, DE102018206090A1 and

[0014] DE 102019005142A1 each show a belt system for a person lying in a vehicle.

[0015] The object of the present invention is to design a bed for a vehicle or an adjustable vehicle seat with a reclining position in such a way that they allow safe transport of a person in a reclining position.

[0016] This object is achieved by the device having the features of patent claim 1.

[0017] The device is in the form of a bed for a vehicle, or in the form of an adjustable vehicle seat that forms a bed in a reclining position, the device being intended for installation in a vehicle. In this case, • the bed is supported by a base structure, • the bed forms a substantially flat lying surface, • the bed has a headrest and a legrest that are arranged at opposite ends of the bed, spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction of the bed.

[0018] Furthermore, the device is designed to

[0019] • to swivel the bed with respect to the basic structure with a swivel movement,

[0020] • wherein the pivoting movement comprises at least one rotation about an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation is horizontal and normal to the longitudinal direction,

[0021] • and by means of this pivoting movement to bring the lying surface from a substantially horizontal position into a position inclined by at least 20°, in particular into a position inclined by at least 30°, in particular into a position inclined by at least 40°.

[0022] The terms "horizontal" and "vertical" refer to the arrangement of the device in use. The lying surface forms a substantially horizontal support surface for a lying person.

[0023] If the device is mounted in a vehicle, the axis of rotation runs transversely to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, i.e. parallel to a transverse axis of the vehicle

[0024] This makes it possible to distribute the deceleration forces acting on a passenger in the event of a collision across the reclining surface. This contrasts with devices that direct the forces to a seat element, which can lead to strain on the internal organs, or with a belt system, which is disadvantageous for a reclining seat. In some embodiments, the axis of rotation during the pivoting movement is located above the headrest, and in particular, runs less than 50 cm above the headrest.

[0025] By placing the axis of rotation vertically above or at the level of the head, this prevents the head from falling along the y-axis during the rotational movement, as this could otherwise lead to overstretching in the neck area.

[0026] In embodiments, it is the case that at least one of:

[0027] • when swivelling, the headrest moves by less than 30 cm;

[0028] • the axis of rotation is less than 50 cm above the headboard,

[0029] This makes it possible to reduce the movement and especially the acceleration of the head, with corresponding acceleration forces on the cervical spine.

[0030] In some embodiments, the pivoting movement comprises a rotation and a translation. It thus realizes a combination of a rotation and a translation. In some embodiments, the pivoting movement is a pure rotation,

[0031] In embodiments, the pivoting movement is defined by guide rails on side parts of the base structure, which interact with guide rollers or guide glides on the bed, or by guide rollers or guide glides on the base structure, which interact with guide rails on the bed.

[0032] In embodiments, it is the case that the pivoting movement is defined by a pendulum suspension or by a joint mechanism, in particular by a coupling gear, in particular a four-link coupling gear, in particular a four-bar chain or a crank rocker. In embodiments, it is the case that a triggering device is provided which triggers the pivoting movement in the event of a collision.

[0033] In embodiments, the triggering device can be triggered by excessive deceleration of the vehicle and / or the bed.

[0034] In particular, the triggering device can be designed to trigger the pivoting movement when a deceleration limit value is exceeded, in particular when a limit value of a deceleration force acting on the bed is exceeded,

[0035] The triggering device can be assigned to multiple beds and trigger the pivoting movement for these multiple beds. In other embodiments, each bed is assigned its own triggering device. In some embodiments, a triggering device can detect a collision and trigger the pivoting movement before excessive deceleration forces act on the bed.

[0036] In embodiments, the triggering device comprises a retaining element which can be pressed by a triggering force against a retaining hook against a spring force of a retaining spring acting on the retaining hook, and the retaining element and retaining hook are designed such that when a triggering force limit value is exceeded by the triggering force of the retaining hook, the retaining element releases and thereby triggers the triggering device.

[0037] In embodiments, a movement of the retaining element is coupled to the movement of the bed, in particular by attaching the retaining element to the bed. The retaining hook can be attached to the base structure. In complementary embodiments, a movement of the retaining hook is coupled to the movement of the bed, in particular by attaching the retaining hook to the bed. The retaining element can be attached to the base structure.

[0038] The release force results from the transfer of the deceleration force acting on the bed to the release mechanism. The deceleration force acting on the bed is typically the sum of the deceleration forces acting on the mass of the bed and the mass of a person lying on it.

[0039] In embodiments, the triggering device comprises a deformable element, in particular a shear pin, which can be loaded by a triggering force and, when a triggering force limit value is exceeded, is irreversibly deformable, in particular shearable, and thereby triggers the triggering device.

[0040] In some embodiments, the movement of a first shearing element is coupled to the movement of the bed, in particular by being attached to the bed. A second shearing element can be attached to the base structure.

[0041] In embodiments, the triggering device comprises one or more acceleration sensors which determine acceleration measurement signals, wherein a processing unit carries out the triggering in accordance with the acceleration measurement signals, typically when a limit value is exceeded.

[0042] In some embodiments, the pivoting movement is driven by a deceleration force acting on the bed.

[0043] The pivoting movement is thus driven passively, by the deceleration of the base structure or the vehicle. In some embodiments, no active drive means are used. In other embodiments, active drive means are used for the pivoting movement. These can be pyrotechnic, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrically, or electromagnetically driven elements.

[0044] In embodiments, the device comprises a restraint device fastened to the bed, in particular a restraint bag fastened to the bed for receiving the lower part of a person lying on the bed, in particular wherein the restraint device is fastened to the bed at least approximately in the middle of the bed, viewed in its longitudinal direction.

[0045] The restraint device helps keep the reclining person on the bed. It surrounds and / or holds at least the lower part of the reclining person. The area of ​​the body encompassed and / or held by the restraint device can extend from the lower body to at least the middle of the body. The restraint device can be designed as a restraint bag, a belt system, or a combination of the bed's side walls with a footrest and a blanket.

[0046] The restraint bag is designed to be tight enough to prevent slipping into the vehicle and thus preventing the risk of injury from submarining. The restraint bag is long enough to hold the person in place if the vehicle rolls over.

[0047] Further preferred embodiments emerge from the dependent patent claims.

[0048] The subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to preferred embodiments, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These show schematically: Figures 1-3 show a vehicle seat arrangement in a sitting position, a resting position, and a lying position;

[0049] Figure 4-6 shows two vehicle seat arrangements, the rear one being in a sitting, resting and lying position;

[0050] Figure 7 shows the rear vehicle seat arrangement in a pivoted position in the event of a collision;

[0051] Figure 8 shows a setting mechanism in the lying position of the lounger.

[0052] Figure 9 shows the setting mechanism when triggered;

[0053] Figure 10 shows the setting-up mechanism when the bed is swivelled;

[0054] Figure 11-12 shows an alternative deployment mechanism;

[0055] Figure 13-14 shows a setting mechanism with a shear pin; and

[0056] Figure 15 shows a vehicle with vehicle seating arrangements,

[0057] In principle, identical or similarly functioning parts in the figures are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0058] Figures 1-3 show a vehicle seat arrangement 1 in a sitting position, a rest position (relaxation position), and a lying position. A vehicle seat arrangement 1 can be a vehicle seat 2 that can be brought into two or more of these positions by adjusting or reconfiguring. In the lying position, the vehicle seat arrangement 1 forms a bed 36. Alternatively, a vehicle seat arrangement 1 can be realized by a bed 36 that cannot be brought into another position. This means that the bed 36 cannot be reconfigured. The following statements regarding a bed 36, in particular regarding the use and pivoting of a bed 36, relate both to a pure, non-reconfigurable bed 36, and to a bed 36 that can be formed by reconfiguring an adjustable vehicle seat 2.

[0059] The vehicle seat assembly 1 shown in Figures 1-3 is an adjustable vehicle seat 2. The vehicle seat 2 has a base structure 22 that supports a seat structure 3. The base structure 22 can have two side parts 21. The seat structure 3 has a backrest 31 with a headrest 32, as well as a seat element 33 and a leg rest 34. In the extended state, the seat structure 3 forms a bed 36 with a lying surface 35. The lying surface 35 is an upper surface of the bed 36, on which a person lies when the bed 36 is in use. This also applies to the lying surface 35 of a non-reconfigurable bed 36.

[0060] Figures 4-6 show two vehicle seat arrangements, with the rear seat in a sitting, resting, and lying position. In addition to the elements already mentioned, Figure 6 shows a restraint bag 4. Instead of the restraint bag 4, a belt system or a combination of side walls, a footrest, and a blanket can also be used.

[0061] Figure 7 shows the rear of the two vehicle seat assemblies in a pivoted position in the event of a collision. A tilting mechanism (not shown) pivots the bed 36, raising the leg rest 34 and rotating the headrest 32.

[0062] Figure 8 shows a setting mechanism 10 in the reclining position of the bed. The bed 36 itself is not shown; it is firmly connected to guide rollers 12 and a retaining element 14. The guide rollers 12 are arranged for rolling on a guide rail 11. The guide rail 11 is firmly connected to one of the side parts 21. Such a guide with guide rollers 12 and guide rail 11 is arranged on both sides of the bed 36. Guide gliders can also be provided instead of the guide rollers 12. The retaining element 14 can be arranged between the two side parts 21. The retaining element 14 is engaged in a retaining hook 15. The retaining hook 15 is pressed against the retaining element 14 by a retaining spring 16 with a preload. The retaining element 14, retaining hook 15, and retaining spring 16 together form a release device 13.If the bed 36 is moved to the right by a deceleration force, the retaining element 14 pushes the retaining hook 15 to the side against the force of the retaining spring 16, causing the retaining hook 15 to release the retaining element 14 (Figure 9). This triggers the bed 36, and the bed 36 can be pivoted according to the shape of the guide rails 11 (Figure 10). This movement is driven by the aforementioned deceleration force.

[0063] When the bed 36 is pivoted, a joint mechanism 17 is moved along with it. This joint mechanism 17 has a coupling lever 173 that is firmly connected to the bed 36. This is connected to a transmission lever 172 via a first pivot joint, and this is connected to a rotary lever 171 via a second pivot joint. The rotary lever is connected to a third pivot joint on the base structure 22 of the vehicle seat arrangement 1 or on the vehicle structure 31. A brake spring 174 and / or a damping element 175 can be arranged to decelerate and dampen the movement of the bed 36, as shown by way of example on the rotary lever 171. The brake spring 174 can retract the bed 36 into an at least approximately horizontal position following the pivoting after a collision.

[0064] The retaining element 14 can be designed as a rotatable element that rolls along an inner flank of the retaining hook 15, or as a sliding element that slides along the inner flank. The geometry of the inner flank and a displacement-force characteristic curve of the retaining spring 16 are coordinated such that the release device 13 only releases the movement of the bed 36 when a release force exceeds a predetermined release force limit. The release force is the force with which the retaining element 14 is pressed against the retaining hook 15 or its inner flank when the bed 36 decelerates. The release force is caused by a deceleration force acting on the bed 36 and is determined by the suspension of the bed 36 and the geometric position of the retaining element 14 relative to the bed 36.The deceleration force acting on the bed 36 results from the sum of the deceleration forces acting on the bed and on the person lying on the bed.

[0065] The trigger force limit allows a distinction to be made between a conventional full braking action and an emergency braking action and a collision. In an emergency braking action, 1g to 2g is assumed, depending on the road gradient. In a vehicle collision, decelerations of between 8g and 12g in the direction of travel can act on the passenger and the berth 36.

[0066] In the event of a head-on collision, the vehicle, and thus also the seat, decelerates abruptly. Since the passenger is in the restraint bag and not directly connected to the seat, they will initially continue to move at the collision speed, while the seat is already decelerating along with the vehicle. Only after a certain delay is the deployment mechanism released.

[0067] This means that immediately after the frontal collision, the body begins to slide into the restraint bag, while shortly thereafter the raising mechanism is released and the seat moves forward and upward like a cradle or pendulum and thus begins to tilt.

[0068] The person being transported slides into the restraint bag until their feet are at the bottom. This prevents the person from sliding across the lying surface. At the same time, they are placed in an inclined position on the lying surface. The rocking motion reduces the load on the lower legs and thighs as well as on the spine and distributes it across the entire body. As the angle of the lying surface increases, this distribution of force across the body increases, so that high load peaks can be avoided. From a safety perspective, a steep angle of up to 90° is desirable, as this distributes the load on the body completely across the entire body due to deceleration. From a design perspective, it is desirable to keep the angle of the lying surface as small as possible, as this requires less space to the front and top.The optimal angle is between 25° and 45°, depending on the available space and the expected deceleration.

[0069] The pivot point should be positioned in an area above the head to prevent excessive downward movement of the head and thus keep the load in the head area as low as possible.

[0070] The restraint bag should be sized so that the knees cannot fully bend. This prevents the body from sinking too far into the restraint bag, which could result in submarining. This avoids serious injuries to the soft tissue and / or the neck area.

[0071] The restraint system works regardless of the reclining position of the person being transported, allowing them to rotate freely on the reclining seat and rest in most sleeping positions.

[0072] The restraint bag also stops the upward movement of the legs when the maximum inclination is reached.

[0073] During a rollover, a lateral, slightly upward acceleration of the body is assumed. The body falls sideways out of the seat without any initial velocity and is accelerated solely by the acceleration due to gravity (1 g). The restraint bag offers good protection potential, as the body is restrained over a large area, regardless of the lying position. Figures 11-12 show an alternative deployment mechanism comprising a four-bar mechanism, exemplified in the form of a crank-and-swing mechanism. Pivot joints between the links of the mechanism are schematically represented as circles. The mechanism pivots the lying surface 35 from the lying position according to Figure 11 into the pivoted position according to Figure 12. The triggering device 13 can be designed as in the deployment mechanism 10 of Figures 8-11.

[0074] In general, regardless of the design of the tilting mechanism 10, the seat can be tilted by active and sensor-triggered mechanisms, pyrotechnic, pneumatic, hydraulic, or electrical, or by passive force-triggered mechanisms such as levers, cranks, rocker arms, or pendulums. The latter therefore place fewer demands on the complexity of the base vehicle but require more space on the x-axis to function.

[0075] In some embodiments, there is a movement path in which the pivot point is as vertical as possible above or at the level of the head, so that the head does not fall in the y-axis during the rotational movement, as otherwise overstretching in the neck area could occur.

[0076] In some versions, the tilting mechanism is triggered before the force is applied to the seat, for example, by sensors that predict or detect an impending collision. This means that the reclining surface is already partially tilted at the time of a frontal collision, allowing the force to be more optimally distributed across the body surface, and the restraint bag has to absorb less force.

[0077] A soft seat cushion and a seat cover with a high coefficient of friction are advantageous in order to transfer the energy into the pendulum movement of the lying surface and to slow down the forward movement of the body relative to the lying surface.

[0078] The restraint device prevents the person being transported from sliding across the horizontal and possibly already inclined lying surface in the event of a frontal collision.

[0079] • Protection in the event of a rollover accident: The device keeps the person being transported on the lying surface in the event of a lateral rollover accident or a lateral crash.

[0080] • No submarining: The device prevents injuries in the stomach, chest and neck area,

[0081] • Comfort: The device allows the person sufficient freedom of movement for different lying positions and a relaxed sleep,

[0082] • User friendliness: The device is easy to assemble and disassemble, especially after a frontal collision.

[0083] Preferably, this restraint device is a restraint bag or a restraint blanket which is closed in the area of ​​the feet, thereby stopping the forward movement of the body (restraint function) and is fastened at least in the area of ​​the hips (protection in the event of a rollover accident), whereby the freedom of movement of the legs is restricted to such an extent that slipping into the restraint device is only possible to such an extent that there is no danger of submarining.

[0084] In addition, the following restraint devices can also ensure the safety functions, in particular:

[0085] • A retaining wall in the foot area (restraint function) combined with a belt or blanket system around the hip area (protection in the event of a rollover accident) and around the knee area to prevent submarining.

[0086] • An active belt or ceiling system that presses the passenger onto the bed in the event of a frontal collision, for example through airbags, so that the person cannot slide forward and at the same time is held back in the event of a rollover accident.

[0087] As an alternative to the illustrated release mechanism 13, a shear pin may be provided to release the deployment mechanism in the event of deceleration due to a collision. The shear pin must be strong enough to withstand the stress of an emergency stop or other abrupt movements, but weak enough to break in a frontal collision, even if a light person is lying on the bed.

[0088] Figures 13-14 show a deployment mechanism 10 with a release device 13 having a shear pin 181. The shear pin is, for example, firmly connected to the base structure 22 or the vehicle structure 31 and holds the bed 36 against a deceleration force (Figure 13). Upon deceleration, a release force acts on the shear pin 181 via a shearing element 182. When the release force limit is exceeded, the shear pin is released, releasing the pivoting movement of the bed 36 (Figure 14).

[0089] In embodiments, an energy absorption device, for example, with a damping element 175, is provided when the required tilt angle is reached in the event of a frontal collision. This dampens the force of the rising footrest and slows down the rapid return of the seat to its original position. This can prevent injuries to the passenger during the upward movement and the trapping of limbs during the backward movement.

[0090] Figure 15 shows a vehicle 30 with multiple vehicle seat assemblies 1. The vehicle seat assemblies 1 are each attached to a vehicle structure 31 of the vehicle 30. The vehicle structure 31 is formed, for example, by the vehicle chassis, optionally extended by additional supporting elements. In embodiments, sensors 51 and a processing unit 52 are provided for detecting a collision, as well as active drive elements 53 for driving the pivoting movement triggered by the sensors and / or processing unit.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Device in the form of a bed (36) for a vehicle, or in the form of an adjustable vehicle seat which forms a bed (36) in a lying position, the device being intended for installation in a vehicle (30), • wherein the bed (36) is supported by a base structure (22), • the bed (36) forms a substantially flat lying surface (35), • the bed (36) has a head part (32) and a leg rest (34) which are arranged at a distance from one another in a longitudinal direction of the bed (36) at opposite ends of the bed (36), characterized in that the device is designed to • to pivot the bed (36) relative to the base structure (22) with a pivoting movement, o wherein the pivoting movement comprises at least one rotation about an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation runs horizontally and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, • and by means of this pivoting movement to bring the lying surface (35) from a substantially horizontal position into a position inclined by at least 20°, in particular into a position inclined by at least 30°, in particular into a position inclined by at least 40°.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that • during the pivoting movement, the axis of rotation is arranged above the head part (32) and in particular runs less than 50 cm above the head part (32).

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of: • during the swivel movement the head part (32) moves by less than 30 cm; the axis of rotation is less than 50 cm above the headboard (32).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivoting movement is defined by guide rails (11) on side parts (21) of the base structure (22), which interact with guide rollers (12) or guide slides on the bed (36), or by guide rollers or guide slides on the base structure (22), which interact with guide rails on the bed (36).

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pivoting movement is defined by a pendulum suspension or by an articulated mechanism, in particular by a coupling gear, in particular a four-link coupling gear, in particular a four-bar chain.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a triggering device (13) is provided which triggers the pivoting movement in the event of a collision.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the triggering device can be triggered by an excessive deceleration of the vehicle and / or the bed, and in particular wherein the triggering device is designed to trigger the pivoting movement when a deceleration limit value is exceeded, in particular when a limit value of a deceleration force acting on the bed (36) is exceeded.

8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the triggering device is arranged to detect a collision and trigger the pivoting movement before excessive deceleration forces act on the bed (36).

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the triggering device is arranged to detect a collision by sensors (51) which predict or detect an impending collision.

10. Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the triggering device has one or more acceleration sensors (51) which determine acceleration measurement signals, wherein a processing unit (52) carries out the triggering in accordance with the acceleration measurement signals, typically when a limit value is exceeded.

11. Device according to one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the device comprises active drive means (53) which drive the pivoting movement, in particular pyrotechnically, pneumatically, hydraulically, electrically or electromagnetically driven drive elements (53).

12. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the triggering device (13) has a retaining element (14) which can be pressed by a triggering force against a retaining hook (15) against a spring force of a retaining spring (16) acting on the retaining hook (15), and the retaining element (14) and retaining hook (15) are designed such that when a triggering force limit value is exceeded by the triggering force of the retaining hook (15), the retaining element (14) releases and thereby triggers the triggering device (13).

13. Device according to claim 7, wherein the triggering device (13) has a deformable element, in particular a shear pin, which can be loaded by a triggering force and, when a triggering force limit value is exceeded, is irreversibly deformable, in particular shearable, and thereby triggers the triggering device (13).

14. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivoting movement is driven by a deceleration force acting on the bed (36).

15. Device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a restraint device fastened to the bed (36), in particular a restraint bag (4) fastened to the bed (36) for receiving the lower part of a person lying on the bed (36), in particular wherein (4) the restraint device is fastened to the bed (36) at least approximately in the middle of the bed (36), viewed in its longitudinal direction.

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