Seat with armrests and associated transport vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat (18) comprising a backrest (20), a seat (22), a base (24), a shell (26) that covers, at least partially, the rear and sides of the backrest and the lower surface and sides of the seat (22), and at least one side armrest (28). The side armrest is mechanically connected to the seat shell and configured so that it is movable between a first low position (P) for retraction and lateral access to the seat and a second high position (P) for support of the armrest. The face of the side armrest (28) has a distal end (E), relative to the backrest, the height of which in the first low position of the side armrest is less than the height of the distal end, relative to the backrest, of the face of the side armrest in the second high position.

Description

Seat with armrests and associated transport vehicle The present invention relates to a transport vehicle seat comprising a backrest, a base, a seat foot fixed to the vehicle floor, a housing that covers at least partially the rear and side parts of the seat backrest and that covers at least partially the lower surface and side parts of the base, and at least one side armrest. Such a seat is intended to accommodate a passenger in a seated position in a passenger transport vehicle. The present invention also relates to an associated transport vehicle, the transport vehicle comprising such a seat. Such a passenger transport vehicle corresponds, in particular, to a railway vehicle, a bus, a tram, a ship, an aircraft, or any other vehicle configured to carry multiple passengers. In the field of passenger transport, particularly rail, it is common to have a passenger compartment in which the passenger seats are aligned one behind the other, generally parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle. Document EP 2910412 A1 discloses a seat comprising a shell and a movable armrest. In order to improve passenger comfort, such seats are generally provided with at least one side armrest, particularly located on the aisle side, in order to more explicitly delimit the space allocated to each passenger with respect to an adjacent passenger. However, this solution is not entirely satisfactory. Current armrest solutions are generally not adapted for priority seating accessible to people with reduced mobility, particularly for rail transport as defined by European Union Commission Regulation (EU) No 1300 / 2014 of 18 November 2014 on technical specifications for interoperability concerning the accessibility of the Union's rail system for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility, known as "TSI PMR". Priority seating typically represents at least 10% of a train.In particular, as illustrated in Figure 1, which schematically represents a side view of two seats 10 aligned one behind the other in the direction of travel of the railway vehicle, according to this European Union regulation, each seat 10 must be spaced respecting an accessibility volume 12, each seat being fixed to the floor 14 of the railway vehicle and presenting a seat base plane 16. According to the accessibility volume 12 defined by this regulation, the front end of the base of a seat, in other words the distal end of the base with respect to the seat back, must be separated at least 230 mm from the back of the seat in front of it, while the proximal end of the base with respect to the seat back 10 must be separated at least 680 mm from the back of the seat in front of it. Current armrest solutions do not allow easy access to seat 10, either because the armrest remains stationary or because, in the position that allows access to the seat, the access space does not meet the accessibility volume 12 mentioned above, according to the TSI PMR. Furthermore, current armrest solutions are characterized by an armrest position that allows access to the seat in which the armrest may collide with the legs of a passenger seated behind the seat associated with the armrest in question. An objective of the present invention is to improve seat comfort and the protection of the associated private space, while being compliant with the TSI PMR and avoiding any collision with a passenger positioned behind the seat associated with the armrest considered. To that effect, the invention relates to a transport vehicle seat comprising a backrest, a base, a seat leg fixed to the vehicle floor, a shell covering at least partially the rear and side portions of the seat backrest and at least partially the lower surface and side portions of the base, and at least one side armrest, the side armrest being mechanically attached to the seat shell, the mechanical attachment to the seat shell being configured to make the side armrest movable between a first low position for folding and lateral access to the base of said seat and a second high position for arm support, the arm support face of the side armrest having a distal end, the height of the distal end with respect to the backrest, of the arm support face of the side armrest, in the first low position of the side armrest,lower than the height of the distal end with respect to the backrest, of the armrest support surface of the side armrest in the second high arm support position. The seat according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in any technically feasible combination: - the side armrest is attached by a pivot joint, or by a sliding joint, to the seat shell, the side armrest being movable, between a first low position of folding and lateral access to the base of the said seat and a second high position of arm support, respectively, according to a direction of rotation that starts from the base of the seat towards the backrest passing through the front of the seat, or according to a translation guided by the said sliding joint; - In the lowered, side-access position, the side armrest extends laterally beyond the passenger seat base plane or is located completely below this passenger seat base plane. - In the lowered, side-access position, the side armrest is located significantly in front of the vertical line of the proximal end of the base with respect to the backrest, while being located significantly behind the vertical line of the distal end of the base with respect to the seat backrest; - In the high arm support position, the one-piece side armrest has a height, according to a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle floor, between 250 mm and 350 mm; - In the high arm support position, the one-piece side armrest has a length, in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of vehicle movement, between 300 mm and 400 mm; - the value of the rotation angle to go from the first low position of folding and side access to the base of the aforementioned seat to the second high position of arm support is at least equal to 75°, preferably approximately equal to 90°. - the housing comprises a locking gear for the side armrest in the second high arm support position, the unlocking of which is activated in the presence of a first rotation according to a predetermined angle of the side armrest in a first direction from the base towards the backrest, followed by a second rotation of the backrest in a second reverse direction from the backrest towards the base to return to the first low position of folding and lateral access to the seat by passing through the front of the seat, the value of the predetermined angle of the first gear unlocking rotation being preferably between 15° and 25°. - The seat foot is shaped to accommodate the side armrest without obstruction in the first lower folding position and allows side access to the base. The invention also relates to a transport vehicle comprising at least one seat as described above. These features and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description, given only by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - [Fig 1] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a side view of two seats aligned one behind the other and the associated accessibility volume according to the PMR STI as described above; - [Fig 2] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a side view of a seat with two different armrest positions and the associated displacement kinematics according to a first embodiment of the present invention; - [Fig 3] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a front view of a lower part of the seat according to this first embodiment of the present invention; - [Fig 4] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the present invention. In what follows from the description, the term "sensibly" is understood as a relationship of equality plus or minus 10%, i.e., with a variation of at most 10%, preferably even as a relationship of equality plus or minus 5%, i.e., with a variation of at most 5%. Figures 2 to 4 illustrate a transport vehicle seat 18 according to the present invention. Such seat 18 is intended more particularly to equip a high-speed train or a long-distance train. Such seat 18 classically comprises a backrest 20, a base 22 attached to an upper end of a leg 24 of the seat 18, the other lower end of the leg 24 being fixed to the floor surface 14 of the transport vehicle, a shell 26 that covers, at least partially, the rear and side parts of the backrest 20 of the seat 18 and that covers, at least partially, the lower surface and side parts of the base 22. The seat 18 further comprises at least one side armrest 28. Such a side armrest 28 is located, in particular, on the aisle side. Preferably, according to an embodiment not shown, the seat 18 comprises two side armrests 28 located on either side of the seat 18. Advantageously, according to a first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the side armrest 28 is attached to the housing 26 of the seat 18 by a mechanical joint, corresponding to a pivot joint 30 according to this first embodiment, the side armrest 28 being movable, between a first low position PB for folding and lateral access to the base of said seat 18 and a second high position PH for arm support with an arm support face that presents with respect to the backrest 20 a proximal end EP and a distal end ED, according to a direction R of rotation that starts from the base 22 towards the backrest 20 passing through the front of the seat 18. According to the invention, in the lowered position PB for folding and side access, the side armrest 28 laterally extends the passenger seat base plane PA or is located completely below this passenger seat base plane PA, Furthermore, the height from the ground 14 of the distal end ED with respect to the backrest 20 of the armrest support surface of the side armrest 28 is, in the first low position PB of the side armrest 28, lower than the height (i.e., from the ground 14) of the distal end ED with respect to the backrest 20 of the armrest support surface of the side armrest 28 in the second high position PH of armrest support. By high position PH of armrest support, it is understood that in this position, the side armrest 28 is configured so that the passenger can easily rest their arm on it (i.e., without difficulty), whereas by low position PB of folding and lateral access to the base of the seat 18, it is understood that in this folded position, the side armrest 18 is configured to fold completely away from the passenger seat base plane so that the passenger can access the seat without any difficulty in accordance with the STI PMR. In other words, according to the present invention, the armrest(s) 28 are "foldable" in the lower position PB by a simple, easy-to-operate kinematic mechanism, which corresponds to a downward rotation passing through the front of the seat. This preserves the passenger's unobstructed access to the seat. In the upper armrest position PH, obtained by an inverse kinematic mechanism corresponding to an upward rotation passing through the front of the seat 18, the side armrest 28 provides a private space for the passenger. The present invention therefore improves both seat accessibility and passenger comfort. Furthermore, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it should be noted that the side armrest 28 is attached by a pivot joint 30 to the seat shell 26 18 and not to the base 22 or the backrest 20. This allows the base to be independent of the armrest and, in particular, allows the base 22 to be replaced without having to remove the side armrest 28. It also allows for independence between the position of the side armrest 28 and the tilt of the seat 18, the latter being, for example, modifiable by means of a handle, not shown, provided within the base 22. In other words, changing the tilt of the seat 18 does not affect the position of the side armrest 28.As illustrated in Figure 2, according to a particular optional aspect, the rear of each seat 18 is also provided with at least one tray 32 that folds between a storage position within a housing arranged on the rear face of the backrest 20 of seat 18 and an unfolded position so that the passenger placed in the seat behind the seat 18 in question can place various objects on this tray, in particular an electronic device comprising a screen, such as an electronic tablet or a smartphone. Furthermore, according to another optional aspect, the rear of each seat 18 is also provided with a movable step (i.e., footrest) 34, adjustable between a high storage position and a low position, allowing the passenger in the seat behind seat 18 to rest their feet. According to a particular aspect of the invention, in the lowered position PB for folding and side access to seat 18, the side armrest 28 is positioned substantially in front of the vertical line 36 of the proximal end of the base 22 with respect to the backrest 20, while simultaneously being positioned substantially behind the vertical line 38 of the distal end of the base with respect to the backrest 20 of seat 18.In other words, in the low PB position of retraction and side access to seat 18, the incursion of the side armrest 28 into the volume allocated to a rear passenger located in a seat, not shown, placed behind the seat 18 in question, is moderate and is limited by the vertical line 36 of the proximal end of the base 22 with respect to the backrest 20. According to this aspect, preferably, in the low PB folding position and side access to seat 18, the side armrest assembly 28 is located substantially in front of the rear face of the foot 24 of seat 18, in order to prevent any incursion of the side armrest 28 into the space allocated to the passenger placed in the seat behind the seat 18 in question, and thus avoid colliding with the legs of that passenger during the manipulation of the side armrest 28 to place it in the folding position PB or reduce the luggage storage space under the seat in question. Furthermore, in the high PH arm support position, the one-piece side armrest 28 has a length of 40, along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of vehicle movement, between 300 mm and 400 mm. Advantageously, in the high armrest position (PH), the one-piece side armrest 28 has a height (42) between 250 mm and 350 mm, measured approximately perpendicular to the vehicle floor (14). In other words, the side armrest 28 is taller than standard armrests and is therefore called a "high-height" armrest. The height of armrest 28, with a height between 250 mm and 350 mm, allows for the isolation of the passenger from the rest of the vehicle, especially if seat 18 is equipped with two armrests, one on each side. This armrest, with a height between 250 mm and 350 mm, also protects the passenger seated in seat 18 from impacts (luggage, passengers moving through the aisle, etc.) on the aisle side, thus increasing the passenger's perceived comfort. According to another particular aspect of the invention, the value of the rotation angle R for moving from the first low position PB of folding and side access to the base of said seat 18 to the second high position PH of arm support is at least equal to 75°. For example, as represented in Figure 2, the value of the rotation angle R for moving from the first low position PB of folding and side access to the base of said seat 18 to the second high position PH of arm support is substantially equal to 90°, or even 180° according to a variant not shown. According to an optional supplementary aspect, the housing 26 comprises a gear, not shown, for locking the side armrest 28 in the second high position PH for arm support, the unlocking of which is activated in the presence of a first rotation R1 according to a predetermined angle of the side armrest 28, in a first direction from the base towards the backrest 20, followed by a second rotation R2 of the side armrest 28 in a second direction opposite to the first direction, i.e., from the backrest 20 towards the base 22, to return to the first low position PB for folding and lateral access to the base 22 by passing in front of the seat 18. In other words, two separate actions by the passenger are required to move from the high armrest position (PH) to the low folding and side-access position (PB) to the base 22, thus preventing any change in the position of the side armrest 28 without the voluntary action of a passenger in the transport vehicle. More specifically, according to a particular variant of this optional feature, the default angle of the first gear-unlocking rotation (R1) is between 15° and 25°.As an alternative to implementing the two successive rotations R1 and R2 to prevent accidental folding of the armrest, the side armrest 28 comprises a paddle, not shown, for mechanically unlocking the rotation of the side armrest 28 in the second direction from the backrest 20 to the base 22, to return to the first low position PB for folding and lateral access to the base 22 by passing through the front of the seat 18. With regard to Figure 3, which schematically represents a front view of a lower portion of the seat, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in the lowered, folded, and side-access position PB, the side armrest 28 extends laterally from the passenger seat base plane PA or is substantially, or even completely, located beneath this passenger seat base plane PA. Furthermore, according to another optional complementary aspect of this first embodiment, the seat foot 24 18 is shaped to accommodate the side armrest 28 without obstruction in the first lowered, folded, and side-access position PB. In other words, according to this first embodiment, the foot 24 is recessed from the side armrest 28 to facilitate its rotation R.Such removal of foot 24 then implies a reduction of the width available under seat 18 for storing luggage. Alternatively, Figure 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention, in which, for simplicity, the elements identical to the first embodiment, illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, are indicated by identical numerical references. It should be noted that the dimensions of the side armrest 28 indicated in relation to the first embodiment are equally applicable to this second embodiment. Furthermore, according to this second embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, as in the first embodiment, the side armrest 28 is mechanically attached to the housing 26 of the seat 18, the mechanical attachment to the housing 26 of the seat 18 being configured to make the side armrest 28 movable, between a first low position PB for folding and lateral access to the base of the aforementioned seat 18 and a second high position PH for arm support. The height (with respect to the ground 14) of the distal end ED with respect to the backrest 20, of the arm support face of the side armrest 28 is, in the first low position PB of the side armrest 28, lower than the height (with respect to the ground 14) of the distal end ED with respect to the backrest 20, of the arm support face of the side armrest 28 in the second high position PH of the arm support. Preferably, in the low PB folding and side access position, the side armrest (28) laterally extends the passenger seat base plane PA or is located completely below this passenger seat base plane PA. The second embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 differs from the first embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 in that the mechanical joint is a sliding joint on the side of the seat housing 26 18 which allows a translational displacement T of the side armrest 28 between the low position PB for folding and lateral access to the base of said seat 18 and the high position PH for arm support, as illustrated in the side view VC of Figure 4. In other words, according to this second embodiment, the side armrest 28, in order to reach the low folding position PB and lateral access to the base of the aforementioned seat 18, can be retracted (i.e., folded down) by translation towards the floor 14 (i.e., towards the lower part of the seat 18) from the high arm support position PH, and then it is no longer an obstacle for the passenger who wants to get into or out of his seat 18. More specifically, as illustrated in the exploded view VE in Figure 4, such a sliding joint is obtained by moving, in a slide 46 created in the side of the housing 26, a guide device DG of the side armrest 28, for example, made by a plate 48 equipped with rollers 50, this plate 48 being suitable to move in the slide 46 created in the side of the housing 26, thus allowing the translation of the side armrest 28. In other words, the "nose" corresponding to the proximal end EP with respect to the backrest 20, of the arm support face of the side armrest 28 is raised, to move from the low position PB of folding and lateral access to the base of the aforementioned seat 18 to the high position PH of arm support, following the inclination of the housing 26. Advantageously, this second embodiment allows the side armrest 28 to avoid any incursion into the space allocated to the passenger seated behind the seat 18 in question, particularly in the low reclining position PB and lateral access to the base of the seat 18, thus avoiding collisions with the legs of this passenger during the handling of the side armrest 28 to place it in the reclining position PB. Furthermore, this second embodiment by sliding connection of the side armrest 28 to the seat housing 26, illustrated in Figure 4, also allows for optimization / preservation of luggage capacity under the seat 18, since the seat foot 24 can be aligned with the side armrest 28. In other words, according to this second embodiment, there is no interference between the foot 24 and the side armrest 28 during the translation T of the latter by sliding connection. According to a particular optional and complementary aspect of this second embodiment, the sliding joint is configured to provide at least one stable intermediate position between the two extreme positions of the side armrest 28, which correspond on the one hand to the lower position PB for folding and lateral access to the base of the seat 18, and on the other hand to the upper position PH for arm support. In each of the positions of the side armrest 28 provided by the sliding joint, the arm support surface, which has a proximal end EP with respect to the backrest 20 and a distal end ED, is positioned parallel to the base 22 depending on the inclination of the seat 18. Furthermore, as a complement to this optional feature, the side armrest 28 includes a mechanical paddle 52 located on its outer face to release the armrest's movement and allow it to change position according to one of the stable positions provided by the sliding joint. In other words, with this optional feature, it is possible to obtain several stable positions during the movement T of the side armrest 28, thus enabling height adjustment, relative to the floor 14, of the armrest's support surface. This height adjustment of the armrest's support surface allows it to adapt to the body shape of different passengers and also allows the armrest height to be adjusted according to the seat's tilt 18. Furthermore, according to this second embodiment, if the foot 24 of seat 18 comprises lighting / signaling of the aisle of the transport vehicle, then the translation kinematics T of the side armrest 28 allows this lighting / signaling function to be guaranteed even when the side armrest 28 is in the lowered position PB of folding and lateral access to the base of said seat 18. The present invention thus allows for further privatization of the passenger space seated in seat 18, thereby creating a "bubble," "comfort," or even "refuge" effect for the passenger. This is achieved while ensuring easy access in the folded-down position, in accordance with the requirements of the STI PMR (Standardized Transport for People with Reduced Mobility), and preventing the side armrest 28 from colliding with a passenger seated behind it during its operation. The overall comfort of the transport vehicle equipped with a seat according to the present invention is consequently improved.

Claims

1. A seat (18) of a transport vehicle comprising a backrest (20), a base (22), a seat foot (24) fixed to the floor (14) of the vehicle, a shell (26) covering at least partially the rear and side portions of the backrest (20) of the seat (18) and covering at least partially the lower surface and side portions of the base (22), and at least one side armrest (28), characterized in that the side armrest (28) is mechanically attached to the shell (26) of the seat (18), the mechanical attachment to the shell (26) of the seat (18) being configured to make the side armrest (28) movable between a first low position (PB) for folding and lateral access to the base of said seat (18) and a second high position (PH) for arm support, the arm support face of the side armrest (28) having an end distal (ED), being the height of the distal end (ED) with respect to the backrest (20),of the arm support face of the side armrest (28), in the first low position (PB) of the side armrest (28), lower than the height of the distal end (ED) with respect to the backrest (20), of the arm support face of the side armrest (28) in the second high position (PH) of arm support, in the low position (PB) of folding and side access, the side armrest (28) laterally extends the passenger seat base plane (PA) or is located completely below this passenger seat base plane (PA), in the high position (PH) of arm support, the one-piece side armrest (28) has a height (42), in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle floor (14), between 250 mm and 350 mm, and in the high position (PH) of arm support, the one-piece side armrest (28) has a length (40),1. Seat (18) according to a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of movement of the vehicle, between 300 mm and 400 mm.

2. Seat (18) according to claim 1, wherein the side armrest (28) is attached by a pivot joint, or by a sliding joint, to the seat (18) shell (26), the side armrest (28) being movable between a first low position (PB) for folding and lateral access to the base of said seat (18) and a second high position (PH) for arm support, respectively, according to a rotational direction (R) from the base (22) towards the backrest (20) passing through the front of the seat (18), or according to a translation (T) guided by said sliding joint.

3. Seat (18) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the low position (PB) for folding and lateral access,The side armrest (28) is located substantially in front of the vertical line (36) of the proximal end of the base with respect to the backrest (20), while being located substantially behind the vertical line (38) of the distal end of the base with respect to the backrest (20) of the seat (18).

4. Seat (18) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the value of the rotation angle (R) for moving from the first low position (PB) for folding and lateral access to the base of said seat (18) to the second high position (PH) for arm support is at least equal to 75°, preferably substantially equal to 90°.

5. Seat (18) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (26) comprises a locking gear for the side armrest (28) in the second high position (PH) for arm support.whose unlocking is activated by a first rotation (R1) of the side armrest (28) at a predetermined angle, moving the base towards the backrest (20), followed by a second rotation (R2) of the side armrest (28) in the opposite direction, moving the backrest (20) towards the base (22) to return to the first lowered position (PB) for folding and lateral access to the base through the front of the seat (18), the predetermined angle of the first unlocking rotation (R1) being preferably between 15° and 25°.

6. Seat (18) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seat (18) foot (24) is shaped to accommodate the side armrest (28) without obstruction in the first lowered position (PB) for folding and lateral access to the base.

7. Transport vehicle,comprising at least one seat (18) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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