Vehicle seat that can be converted into a child seat

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat (1) comprising a fixed frame, having a seat structure (2), a backrest structure (3), and two connecting walls (11, 12) of said seat structure (2) to a vehicle floor, the seat structure (2) comprising a horizontal base (13), said seat (1) further comprising a seat cushion (20) mounted on the horizontal base (13) and a backrest cushion (21) attached to said seat cushion (20) in an articulated and lockable manner. According to the invention, the seat includes a booster (100) for raising the seat cushion (20) so as to allow the seat to be configured in three versions: a standard seat version, a forward-facing child seat version, and a rear-facing version. (See Figure 4 for abbreviations)

Description

Title of the invention: Vehicle seat convertible into a child seat

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat which can be transformed into a child seat.

[0002] Certain types of vehicle, such as buses, must allow adults or children to be able to travel seated, safely and comfortably. However, very often, the vehicle seats present in such vehicles are perfectly adapted to adults or teenagers, but do not allow young children to be seated comfortably and in good conditions in said vehicles.

[0003] A first solution intended to resolve this problem of diversity of individuals required to sit on the seat, could consist of storing child seats in a clearly identified area of ​​the vehicle, then installing said child seats on the bus seats, as soon as a particular need has been expressed. However, such a solution is not viable, because the child seats stored in this particular area of ​​the vehicle would occupy too much space within the vehicle, which would in particular harm the profitability of such a vehicle.

[0004] A second solution would consist of integrating a child seat into the back of a vehicle seat, then deploying this child seat when a particular need arises. The particularity of such a solution is that the child seat deploys only in a rear-facing position. However, such a solution is not satisfactory because it is too restrictive, a child seat must also be able to be installed in a forward-facing position, for the comfort of this child.

[0005] A vehicle seat according to the invention can be transformed into a child seat using only the elements that constitute it, without increasing its size and with the possibility of positioning the child seat facing the road.

[0006] The subject of the invention is a vehicle seat comprising a fixed frame, provided with a seat structure, a backrest structure and two walls connecting said seat structure to a floor of the vehicle, the seat structure comprising a horizontal bottom, said seat further comprising a seat cushion mounted on the horizontal bottom and a backrest cushion, said two cushions being connected to each other in a pivoting and lockable manner.

[0007] According to the invention, the seat comprises a booster seat having a flat upper face on which fixing elements are arranged, and which is stored between the two connecting walls, said booster seat being able to be moved to be fixed on the horizontal bottom of the seat structure after the seat cushion has been removed from the seat structure, to allow said seat cushion to be fixed to the upper face of said booster seat to obtain a raised child seat. Thus, a seat according to This invention has the originality of being able to be adapted either to a classic vehicle seat in a conventional forward-facing position or to a raised child seat.

[0008] This variation in at least two versions is made possible thanks to a booster seat which is by default stored under the seat and which can be removed from its location under said seat to help create a child seat. In this way, the booster seat is not stored outside the seat, and therefore does not unnecessarily clutter the vehicle. The booster seat is a part which can be easily handled, without the need for specific tools and / or complicated handling requiring great effort. The seat cushion has fixing means intended to cooperate with the fixing means of the upper face of the booster seat. When the booster seat is placed between the two connecting walls under the seat, it is completely hidden by said two connecting walls. The booster seat can take any shape as long as it has a flat and horizontal upper face.Advantageously, the bottom of the seat structure is a thin and mostly solid plate. Indeed, this plate can have small openings to allow the booster seat to be attached. It should be noted that the seat cushion and the back cushion each have their own rigid structure and are attached to each other in a pivoting manner.

[0009] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the fixing elements are arranged symmetrically on the upper face of the booster seat, so that said seat cushion can be fixed, either in a first configuration to obtain a raised child seat facing the road, or in a second configuration to obtain a raised child seat facing the road. In this way, thanks to the fixing means arranged symmetrically on the upper face of the booster seat, a seat according to the invention can be available in three versions, —a conventional vehicle seat in a conventional forward-facing position, -a forward-facing child seat, -a rear-facing child seat.

[0010] This three-version variation is made possible by the fixing means arranged symmetrically on the upper face of the booster seat, allowing the seat to be fixed to the upper face of the booster seat, in a first position to obtain a child seat facing the road, and in a second position which corresponds to a position opposite the first position, to obtain a child seat facing the road. When the child seat is in the road-facing configuration, the back cushion is replaced in the back structure of the seat, and when the child seat is in the road-facing configuration, the back cushion is replaced facing the back structure of the seat.

[0011] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the seat cushion hasfirst fixing means placed at a first end of said cushion and second fixing means placed at a second end of said cushion, the upper face of the booster seat having two separate sets of first complementary fixing means and second complementary fixing means placed at two ends of the upper face of said booster seat, the first fixing means and the second fixing means of the seat cushion being able to cooperate respectively with the first complementary fixing means and the second complementary fixing means of the booster seat to fix the seat cushion to said booster seat. In this way, thanks to such an arrangement of fixing means and complementary fixing means, the seat cushion can be fixed in two possible ways on the upper face of the booster seat, in an initial position and in a position at 180° from said initial position.The fixing elements of the upper surface of the booster are represented by the first complementary fixing means and by the second complementary fixing means.

[0012] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the first means for fixing the seat cushion are represented by a part having a groove and the first complementary means for fixing the upper face of the booster are represented by a striker wire, the second means for fixing the seat cushion being represented by at least one projecting member and the second complementary means for fixing the upper face of the booster being represented by at least one opening, the fixing of the seat cushion being carried out by means of an insertion of the striker wire into the groove and an insertion of the projecting member into the opening. The fixing of the seat cushion on the booster is carried out first by an insertion of the striker wire into the groove of the part, then by a rotation of said seat cushion until the projecting member penetrates into the opening.

[0013] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the insertion of the projecting member into the opening corresponds to clipping. The seat cushion is fixed to the booster seat by means of at least one clip penetrating into the opening.

[0014] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the projecting member is a spherical ball connected to the seat cushion by a spring, and in that the opening is circular. This type of fixing is also known under the name Ballfix.

[0015] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the bottom of the seat structure has at one end a strike wire at a first end and at least one circular opening at a second end, the riser having a lower face at a first end of which is fixed a part having a groove and at a second end of which is fixed at least one spherical ball by means of a spring, the fixing of the riser on the bottom of the seat structure being carried out by means of an insertion of the strike wire in the groove and a insertion of the spherical ball into the circular opening. This is a particular method of fixing the booster to the bottom of the seat structure, which is in no way limiting within the scope of the present invention.

[0016] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the seat comprises a rotatably mounted headrest, in the first configuration of the child seat, the headrest being folded forward by 90° from a functional position for which it extended the backrest so as to overhang the backrest cushion placed in the backrest frame. In this way, the folded headrest can serve as a conventional headrest for a child who would be seated in the front seat facing the road.

[0017] According to a possible feature of the invention, the back cushion comprises an upper part of a child harness and the seat cushion comprises a lower part of said harness, said two parts being easily extractable from said cushions once the seat is in a child seat configuration. In this way, the seat cushion and the back cushion have a dual function: -one which is conventional and which consists of ensuring a certain comfort to a person or a child who would be seated on the seat, -the other which is more original and which is to serve as storage space for the two parts of a harness for holding a child on the child seat.

[0018] Both parts of the harness can be accessed through hatches made in the seat cushion and in the back cushion and which can be opened easily. Both parts of the harness are securely fixed to the back structure and the seat structure of the seat, without the possibility of being easily separated from said seat, except by using a saw-type tool.

[0019] Once the child seat has been created, either forward-facing or rear-facing, it is easy and quick to deploy the two parts of the harness which were previously stored in the seat cushion and the back cushion. Access to these two parts of the harness can be achieved either by means of a zipper in the seat cushion and in the back cushion, or by means of a Velcro-type device.

[0020] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the booster has a parallelepiped shape.

[0021] Another subject of the invention is a method for implementing a child seat from a vehicle seat according to the invention.

[0022] Said method comprises the following steps: - a step of removing the seat cushion and the back cushion to free the horizontal bottom of the seat structure, - a step of moving the booster from its position between the two connecting walls to a position in which it is just above said horizontal base, - a step of fixing the booster seat to the horizontal bottom of the seat structure, - a step of fixing the seat cushion on the booster seat, either to obtain a child seat in the first configuration, or to obtain a child seat in the second configuration, - a step of rotating the back cushion to place it in the desired position, - a step of extraction from the seat cushion and the back cushion, of the two parts of the harness.

[0023] The different stages of the process illustrate the great simplicity of carrying out said process, requiring neither specific tools nor complicated handling.

[0024] A seat according to the invention has the advantage of being available in three versions, namely a conventional forward-facing vehicle seat, a forward-facing child seat and a rear-facing child seat, without the need for tools and / or complicated handling. It also has the advantage of not requiring any significant clearance space to change its version, said change of version then being able to be carried out within the vehicle itself. Finally, it has the advantage of retaining a consistent appearance compared to existing seats, while it has a booster seat and a harness intended for the “child seat” versions.

[0025] A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a seat according to the invention is given below with reference to the following figures:

[0026] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a perspective view of a structure of a seat according to the invention,

[0027] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a side view of a first version of a seat according to the invention,

[0028] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of a booster seat according to the invention,

[0029] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a side view of a second version of a seat according to the invention,

[0030] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a side view of a third version of a seat according to the invention,

[0031] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a first step of transforming a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version,

[0032] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a second step of transforming a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version,

[0033] [Fig.8] [Fig.8] [Fig.5] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a third stage of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version,

[0034] [Fig.9] [Fig.9] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a fourth step of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version,

[0035] [Fig. 10] [Fig. 10] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a fifth step of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version,

[0036] [Fig. 11] [Fig. 11] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a sixth step of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version,

[0037] [Fig. 12] [Fig. 12] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a seventh step of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version,

[0038] [Fig. 13] [Fig. 13] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating an eighth step of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version,

[0039] [Fig. 14] [Fig. 14] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a first stage of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the second version and the third version,

[0040] [Fig. 15] [Fig. 15] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a second stage of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the second version and the third version,

[0041] [Fig. 16] [Fig. 16] is a side view of a seat according to the invention illustrating a third stage of transformation of a seat according to the invention between the second version and the third version.

[0042] The particularity of a seat 1 according to the invention is available in three versions, including: - a first version for which it allows a person to be seated, - a second version for which it is transformed into a child seat facing the road, and - a third version for which it has been transformed into a rear-facing child seat.

[0043] Referring to [Fig.l], a seat according to the invention 1 may for example be a bus seat having a seat structure 2 and a seat structure 3 made from a single piece. In other words, the backrest structure 3 cannot pivot relative to the seat structure 2. The seat structure 2 and the backrest structure 3 are fixed relative to each other and form an angle between them greater than 90°. The backrest structure 3 comprises two parallel lateral uprights 4, 5, and a headrest 6 connecting two upper ends of said two lateral uprights 4, 5, said headrest extending horizontally while being perpendicular to these two lateral uprights 4, 5. The headrest 6 is rotatably mounted on the two lateral uprights 4, 5 between a first position for which it is in line with the two lateral uprights 4, 5 and a second position for which it has pivoted 90° forward to overhang said two lateral uprights 4, 5. A three-point safety belt 7 extends along one of the two lateral uprights 4, 5. The two lateral uprights 4, 5 extend in a direction slightly inclined relative to a strictly vertical direction. The seat structure 2 comprises two parallel lateral segments 8, 9 each constituting an extension of a lateral upright 4, 5 of the backrest structure 3, and a front edge 10 joining two front ends of said two lateral segments 8, 9. The front edge 10 extends perpendicular to the two lateral segments 8, 9, said front edge 10 and said two lateral segments 8, 9 being inscribed in a horizontal plane. Each lateral segment 8, 9 is represented by a strip of material lying in a substantially vertical plane.A bottom 13 in the form of a predominantly solid horizontal plate is placed between the two lateral segments 8, 9 and the front edge 10 of the seat structure 2, said bottom 13 being in contact with a lower zone of each of said two lateral segments 8, 9 and said front edge 10. This bottom 13 has a strike wire 14 extending parallel to the front edge 10 of the seat structure 2, said strike wire 14 having two end sections 15, 16 in contact with said bottom 13 and a central section 17 connecting said end sections 15, 16 while being raised relative to said bottom 13. The bottom 13 also has two circular openings 18, 19 aligned along an axis which is parallel to the front edge 10 of the seat structure 2. The strike wire 14 is placed near the front edge 10 of the seat structure 2 while the two openings 18, 19 are placed near the backrest structure 3.A seat 1 according to the invention also comprises two parallel connecting walls 11, 12 connecting the seat structure 2 to a floor of a bus in which said seat would be mounted. These two connecting walls 11, 12 are placed under the two lateral segments 8, 9 in line with them, each connecting wall 11, 12 extending along a lateral segment 8, 9 of the seat structure 2.

[0044] Referring to Figures 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 11 to 16, a seat cushion 20 and a back cushion 21 which are connected to each other in an articulated and lockable manner, are placed respectively in the seat structure 2 and the back structure 3 to make the seat comfortable. The seat cushion 20 and the back cushion 21 each have their own rigid structure and are fixed to each other in an articulated manner. The back cushion 21 is inserted between the two side uprights 4, 5 and under the headrest 6. The seat cushion 20 has a lower surface 22 at one end of which is fixed a fixing piece 32 with a groove, and at another end of which are fixed two balls 23 by means of two springs. The seat cushion 20 is attached to the seat structure 2 by first placing the piece of fixing 32 around the central section 17 of the strike wire 14 of the bottom 13, then pivoting said cushion 20 around said central section 17 until the two balls 23 penetrate into the two circular openings 18, 19 of said bottom 13. The penetration of the balls 23 into the openings 18, 19 allows a Ballfix type fixing. This gives the first version of a seat according to the invention as illustrated in [Fig.2]

[0045] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, a seat according to the invention has a booster 100, which is a part intended to be fixed to the bottom 13 of the seat structure 2 in order to raise the seat cushion 20 in order to create a child seat. When the booster 100 is not in use, it is stored under the seat structure 2 between the two connecting walls 11, 12 connecting the seat structure 2 to a floor of the vehicle.

[0046] Referring to [Fig. 3], the riser 100 is a parallelepiped-shaped part having an upper face 101, a lower face 102 which is parallel to said upper face 101, and four side walls 103, 104 delimiting a rectangle and connecting said upper face 101 and lower face 102. The four side walls 103, 104 extend between the upper face 101 and the lower face 102 while being perpendicular to said faces 101, 102.

[0047] Referring to Figures 4, 5, 10, and 11 to 16, the lower face 101 of the booster 100 has one end to which is fixed a fixing piece 105 with a groove, and at another end to which are fixed two balls 106 by means of two springs.

[0048] Referring to [Fig. 3], the upper face 101 of the riser 100 comprises a first set of two first circular openings 107, 108 and a first strike wire 109 and a second set of two second circular openings 110, 111 and a second strike wire 112. The first circular openings 107, 108 and the first strike wire 109 are aligned along a first edge 113 of the upper face 101 of the riser 100, said first strike wire 109 being placed between said two first circular openings 107, 108. The second circular openings 110, 111 and the second strike wire 112 are aligned along a second edge 114 of the upper face 101 of the booster 100, said second strike wire 112 being placed between said two second circular openings 110, 111. The first edge 113 of the upper face 101 is parallel to the second edge 114 of said upper face 101.

[0049] Referring to [Fig.5], the seat cushion 20 encloses a lower part 115 of a harness and the back cushion 21 encloses an upper part 116 of a harness, said harness serving to strap a child onto one of the two child seat versions of a seat according to the invention.

[0050] Referring to Figures 6 to 13, a transformation of a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version, follow these steps: - a step of folding the back cushion 21 against the seat cushion 20 as illustrated in [Fig.6], - a pivoting step around the latch wire 14 of the bottom 13, the seat cushion 20 and the back cushion 21 folded against each other, so as to lift the connection zone between said two cushions 20, 21 as illustrated in [Fig.7], - a step of removing the seat, from the assembly consisting of the seat cushion 20 and the back cushion 21, - a step of moving the booster 100 from its storage location between the two connecting walls 11, 12 as illustrated in [Fig.8] to bring it above the seat structure 2, -A step of inserting the fixing part 105 of the lower face 102 of the riser 100 around the strike wire 14 of the bottom as illustrated in [Fig.9], -a step of pivoting the booster 100 around said strike wire 14 until the two balls 106 fixed to the lower face 102 of the booster 100 enter the two circular openings 18, 19 of the bottom 13, as illustrated in [Fig. 10], -a step of moving the assembly constituted by the seat cushion 20 and the back cushion 21 folded against each other, towards the booster 100 fixed on the bottom 13 of the seat structure 2, as illustrated in [Fig. 11], - a step of inserting the fixing piece 32 fixed to the lower surface 22 of the seat cushion 20 around the first latch wire 109 of the upper face 101 of the booster 100, -a step of pivoting the assembly consisting of the seat cushion 20 and the back cushion 21 folded against each other, around said first strike wire 109 until the two balls 23 fixed to the lower surface 22 of the seat cushion 20 penetrate into the two second circular openings 110, 111 of the upper face 101 of the base booster 13, as illustrated in [Fig.12], -a step of pivoting the back cushion 21 to insert it into the back structure 3, as illustrated in [Fig. 13], - a step of deploying the two parts 115, 116 of the harness from the seat cushion 20 and the back cushion 21.

[0051] At the end of these steps, the second version of a seat according to the invention is obtained.

[0052] Referring to Figures 14 to 16, a transformation of a seat according to the invention between the first version and the second version, the following main steps follow: - a step of folding the back cushion 21 against the seat cushion 20, - a step of removing the assembly consisting of the back cushion 21 and the seat cushion 20, said two cushions 20, 21 being folded against each other, - a pivoting step in the space of this set over 180°, - a step of inserting the fixing piece 32 fixed to the lower surface 22 of the seat cushion 20 around the second strike wire 112 of the upper face 101 of the booster 100 as illustrated in [Fig. 14], - a step of pivoting the assembly constituted by the seat cushion 20 and the back cushion 21 folded against each other, around said second strike wire 112 until the two balls 23 fixed to the lower surface 22 of the seat cushion 20 penetrate into the first two circular openings 107, 108 of the upper face 101 of the bottom booster 13, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]5, -a step of pivoting the back cushion 21 beyond a vertical direction, until it is slightly offset from this vertical direction, so as to face the back structure 3, as illustrated in [Fig.16], - a step of deploying the two parts 115, 116 of the harness from the seat cushion 20 and the back cushion 21.

Claims

Claims

1. Vehicle seat (1) comprising a fixed frame, provided with a seat structure (2), a backrest structure (3) and two connecting walls (11, 12) of said seat structure (2) to a floor of the vehicle, the seat structure (2) comprising a horizontal bottom (13), said seat (1) further comprising a seat cushion (20) mounted on the horizontal bottom (13) and a backrest cushion (21), said two cushions (20, 21) being connected to each other in a pivotable and lockable manner, characterized in that the seat comprises a booster (100) having a flat upper face (101) on which fixing elements (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112) are arranged, and which is stored between the two connecting walls (11, 12), said booster seat (100) being able to be moved to be fixed on the horizontal bottom (13) of the seat structure (2) after the seat cushion (20) has been removed from the seat structure (2),to allow said seat cushion (20) to be fixed to the upper face (101) of said booster seat (100) to obtain a raised child seat.

2. Vehicle seat (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing elements (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112) are arranged symmetrically on the upper face (101) of the booster seat (100), so that said seat cushion (20) can be fixed, either in a first configuration to obtain a raised child seat facing the road, or in a second configuration to obtain a raised child seat facing the road.

3. Vehicle seat according to claim 2, characterized in that the seat cushion (20) has first fixing means (32) placed at a first end of said cushion (20) and second fixing means (23) placed at a second end of said cushion (20), and in that the upper face (101) of the booster seat has two separate sets of first complementary fixing means (109, 112) and second complementary fixing means (107, 108, 110, 111) placed at two ends of the upper face (101) of said booster seat (100), the first fixing means (32) and the second fixing means (23) of the seat cushion (20) being able to cooperate respectively with the first complementary fixing means (109, 112) and the second complementary fixing means (107, 108, 110, 111) of the booster (100) to fix the seat cushion (20) booster audit (100).

4. Vehicle seat according to claim 3, characterized in that the first fixing means (32) of the seat cushion are represented by a part having a groove and the first complementary fixing means (109, 112) of the upper face (101) of the booster (100) are represented by a striker wire, and in that the second fixing means of the seat cushion (20) are represented by at least one projecting member (23) and the second complementary fixing means (107, 108, 110, 111) of the upper face (101) of the booster (100) are represented by at least one opening, the fixing of the seat cushion (20) being carried out by means of an insertion of the striker wire (109, 112) in the groove and an insertion of the projecting member (23) in the opening (107, 108, 110, 111).

5. Vehicle seat according to claim 4, characterized in that the insertion of the projecting member (23) into the opening (107, 108, 110, 111) corresponds to clipping.

6. Vehicle seat according to claim 5, characterized in that the projecting member (23) is a spherical ball connected to the seat cushion (20) by a spring, and in that the opening (107, 108, 110, 111) is circular.

7. Vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bottom (13) of the seat structure (2) has at a first end a strike wire (14) and at a second end at least one circular opening, and in that the booster (100) has a lower face (102) at a first end of which is fixed a part (105) having a groove and at a second end of which is fixed at least one spherical ball (106) by means of a spring, the fixing of the booster (100) on the bottom (13) of the seat structure (2) being carried out by means of an insertion of the strike wire (14) into the groove and an insertion of the spherical ball (106) into the circular opening (105).

8. Vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a headrest (6) mounted in rotation, and in that in the first configuration of the child seat, the headrest (6) is folded forward by 90° from a functional position for which it extended the backrest structure (3) so as to overhang the backrest cushion (21) placed in the backrest structure (3).

9. A vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 8, ca- characterized in that the back cushion (21) comprises an upper part (116) of a child harness and the seat cushion (20) comprises a lower part (115) of said harness, and in that said two parts (115, 116) can be easily extracted from said cushions (20, 21) once the seat is in a child seat configuration.

10. Method for implementing a child seat from a vehicle seat (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - a step of removing the seat cushion (20) and the back cushion (21) to release the horizontal bottom (13) of the seat structure (2), - a step of moving the booster (100) from its position between the two connecting walls (11, 12) to a position in which it is just above said horizontal bottom (13), - a step of fixing the booster (100) to the horizontal bottom (13) of the seat structure (2), - a step of fixing the seat cushion (20) on the booster seat (100), either to obtain a child seat in the first configuration, or to obtain a child seat in the second configuration, - a step of rotating the back cushion (21) to place it in the desired position, - a step of extracting from the seat cushion (20) and the back cushion (21), the two parts (115, 116) of the harness.

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