vehicle equipped with a row of seats with a movable backrest

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle having a row (1) of seats comprising a seat (4, 5) and a backrest (6, 7). According to the invention, the vehicle comprises: - a first upper device for rotating the backrest (6, 7) comprising at least one first axis (10, 11) of rotation and at least one upper latch (12, 13) attached to an upper area of ​​the backrest (6, 7), and - a second lower device for rotating the backrest (6, 7) comprising at least two connecting rods (20) mounted for rotation about at least one second axis (21, 22) of rotation which is parallel to said first axis (10, 11) of rotation by being placed below it. Rotating the connecting rods (20) about the second axis (21, 22) causes the first axis (10, 11) which is attached to the backrest (6, 7) to move forward or backward. Figure for the abbreviation: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: vehicle with a row of seats having a movable backrest

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle having a row of seats having a movable backrest.

[0002] In order to better understand the positioning of the various parts involved in a vehicle according to the invention, the description is carried out with reference to a direct orthonormal reference frame XYZ in which X is a front-rear longitudinal axis of the vehicle oriented towards the rear, Y is a transverse axis oriented towards the right of the vehicle and Z is a vertical axis directed upwards.

[0003] Currently, vehicle seats are not specifically designed to ensure seating comfort for an individual, regardless of their body shape. Indeed, with the same seat, it is difficult to guarantee the same comfort for a person who is thin and small, and for a tall person who is somewhat overweight. The tall person risks having their knees butting against the back of a seat placed just in front of them, and / or having their head resting against a ceiling of the vehicle at a certain angle with the rest of their body. This comfort problem is especially encountered on the seats in a rear row, since for a front row of seats generally comprising a driver's seat and a passenger seat, there is often a large amount of clearance reserved for the legs of the people who would be sitting on the seats in said front row.

[0004] In order to satisfy an individual in terms of seating comfort, whatever their weight and size, a first solution would simply consist of lengthening the vehicle to create more space inside it. However, such a solution is not realistic, particularly due to the very high manufacturing costs that this could generate and the large size of the vehicle. Another solution generally adopted consists of creating a sliding seat with seats that can be independent. However, this other solution has at least three major drawbacks: - a significant additional cost compared to a conventional solution not involving a sliding seat, - an obligation to adapt the rear floor of the vehicle, -a loss in compactness of the seat because the slides must be integrated between 20 and 30mm.

[0005] These three disadvantages are problematic for compact vehicles and with a further demand for lowering the roof for the aerodynamics of the cars.

[0006] A vehicle according to the invention comprises a row of seats allowing people with varying builds to be able to sit on one of said seats with a high level of comfort, while overcoming the drawbacks encountered in current state-of-the-art vehicles. Such a row of seats is not a front row of seats, but may indifferently constitute a row of seats of row two or row three, behind which a rear trunk may be placed which would be directly delimited by said row of seats.

[0007] The invention relates to a vehicle having a row of seats comprising a seat and a backrest.

[0008] According to the invention, the vehicle comprises: -a first upper device for rotating the backrest comprising at least one first rotation axis placed in a lower zone of said backrest and at least one upper attachment element secured to an upper zone of the backrest and being capable of placing the backrest between a forward position or a backward position by means of a rotation around said first axis, and - a second lower device for rotating the backrest comprising at least two connecting rods mounted for rotation around at least one second axis of rotation which is parallel to said first axis of rotation and is placed under it, each of said connecting rods being mounted for rotation around said first axis, a rotation of the connecting rods around the second axis causing a forward or backward movement of the first axis which is attached to the backrest.

[0009] A row of seats of a vehicle according to the invention may, for example, comprise three individual seats or one individual seat and a two-seater bench seat. It may also consist of a three-seater bench seat. Schematically, the backrest of a row of seats or a part thereof of a vehicle according to the invention may occupy four distinct positions: - a first position for which the hooking element of the first device is in a retracted position and the connecting rods of the second device are in an advanced position, - a second position for which the hooking element of the first device is in a retracted position and the connecting rods of the second device are in a retracted position, - a third position for which the hooking element of the first device is in an advanced position and the connecting rods of the second device are in an advanced position, - a fourth position for which the hooking element of the first device is in a forward position and the connecting rods of the second device are in a backward position.

[0010] In this way, the backrest can be moved back or forward relative to the fixed seat, with a more or less marked inclination. Preferably, the attachment element of the first upper rotation device is actuated manually. Similarly, the connecting rods of the second rotation device are rotated manually by means of a strap which projects from the seat or bench seat in question. It is very important to specify that in the context of a vehicle according to the invention, the seat or seats of the row of seats is fixed and does not participate in the effect of moving the backrest forward or backward. In this way, the backrest of at least one of the seats in the row can be moved forward or backward with a more or less marked inclination to adapt to the morphology of an individual who would be seated on said seat. This individual will benefit from improved comfort in the vehicle, without the seat of his seat having to be translated within said vehicle, which would require a large clearance space.Furthermore, if the row of seats was located just in front of a rear trunk of the vehicle, moving the backrest of at least one of said seats forward makes it possible to increase the available volume of said rear trunk.

[0011] The attachment element may for example be a latch or a hook. In the case where the attachment element is a hook, the latter is secured to a bodywork element of the vehicle, being mounted so as to be able to rotate about an axis of rotation extending along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle. Each hook comprises at least two notches capable of receiving a pin secured to the backrest. When the pin is housed in one of the two notches of the hook, it is sufficient to pivot the hook about its axis of rotation in order to remove the pin from said notch, then to move the backrest so that the pin can occupy the other notch.

[0012] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, said at least one attachment element is a latch capable of moving between a forward position and a backward position by rotating the backrest around the first axis of rotation.

[0013] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the row of seats comprises a two-seater bench seat and an individual seat placed next to said two-seater bench seat, the first upper rotation device comprising a first upper latch and a first rotation axis fixed to the back of the individual seat, and a second upper latch and a first rotation axis fixed to the back of the two-seater bench seat, the second lower rotation device comprising a second rotation axis dedicated to the individual seat and a second rotation axis dedicated to the two-seater bench seat, said second rotation device comprising four connecting rods, two of which are associated with the individual seat and two other connecting rods are associated with the two-seater bench seat.In this way, the backrests of the individual seat and the two-seater bench are adjustable independently of each other according to the morphology of the person sitting on the individual seat and the people sitting on the two-seater bench. In other words, the back of the individual seat will be in one of the four positions mentioned above and the back of the bench will also be in one of said four positions, the back of the individual seat and that of the two-seater bench not necessarily being in the same position. It should be noted that the first axis of rotation of the back of the individual seat and the first axis of rotation of the two-seater bench are in perfect continuity with each other and separated from each other. The same is true for the second axis of rotation of the individual seat and the second axis of rotation of the two-seater bench which are in perfect continuity with each other and separated from each other.

[0014] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, each upper latch is mounted in rotation about a main rotation axis of a structural element of the vehicle, an upper zone of the backrest being mounted in rotation about a secondary axis which is fixed to the upper latch, the latch passing from the retracted position to the advanced position by means of a rotation about the main axis and the secondary axis causing a rotation of the backrest about the first axis. For this configuration, an individual will take hold of the second rotation axis and will rotate the latch about the main rotation axis. The secondary axis on which the backrest is mounted in rotation will then move along an imaginary circle having the main rotation axis as its center, causing the movement of the backrest which pivots about the first rotation axis.

[0015] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the main axis of rotation and the secondary axis are parallel and extend horizontally.

[0016] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the main axis of rotation and the secondary axis each extend along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle.

[0017] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the secondary axis has a widened end so that said secondary axis can serve as a handling handle. The secondary rotation axis will serve as a handle for an individual wishing to modify the position of the backrest by means of the first upper rotation device.

[0018] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the vehicle comprises a hook into which the main rotation axis or the secondary axis is inserted to fix the backrest in the forward position or in the retracted position. It is in fact important that the backrest is blocked, either in the forward position or in the retracted position, to prevent said backrest from moving unexpectedly between the two positions, during a hectic rolling phase of the vehicle in which the row of seats according to the invention would be placed.

[0019] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, each connecting rod can only occupy two extreme positions around the second axis of rotation, an advanced position and a retracted position, each position being deduced from one another by means of a rotation around said second axis of rotation with a predefined angular amplitude.

[0020] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the vehicle comprises locking means making it possible to fix the connecting rods, either in the forward position or in the retracted position. It is in fact important that the backrest is locked, either in the forward position or in the retracted position, to prevent said backrest from moving unexpectedly between the two positions, during a hectic driving phase of the vehicle in which the row of seats according to the invention would be placed.

[0021] According to a possible characteristic of the invention, the seat has a raised rear edge whose height is between the height of the first axis of rotation and the height of the second axis of rotation, the backrest being placed above said raised edge while being in continuity with it.

[0022] A vehicle according to the invention has the advantage of having a row of seats whose backrest(s) can be moved forward or backward for the comfort of passengers of varying builds, thanks to the implementation of two pivoting mechanisms of simple and judicious design. It also has the advantage of having this additional functionality without being more bulky and without generating significant additional costs.

[0023] A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention is given below with reference to the following figures:

[0024] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a perspective view of a row of seats in a vehicle according to the invention,

[0025] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of a latch of a first device of rotation of a vehicle according to the invention simultaneously showing two positions of said latch,

[0026] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a perspective view from another angle of the latch of the [Fig.2] in a first position,

[0027] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is the perspective view of the latch of [Fig.3], in a second position,

[0028] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a side view of the latch of Figures 3 and 4, in both positions,

[0029] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] is a side view of a row of seats of a vehicle according to the invention, simultaneously showing the backrest in a forward position and in a retracted position after manipulation of the first rotation device,

[0030] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] is a perspective view of a connecting rod of the second device for rotating a vehicle according to the invention,

[0031] [Fig.8] [Fig.8] is a perspective view of the second setting device rotation of a vehicle according to the invention, showing the connecting rods in two distinct positions,

[0032] [Fig.9] [Fig.9] is a perspective view of two connecting rods of a second device for rotating a vehicle according to the invention, one of the two connecting rods being associated with an individual seat and the other connecting rod being associated with a two-seater bench seat.

[0033] Referring to [Fig.l], a vehicle according to the invention comprises a rear row of seats 1 comprising an individual seat 2 and a two-seater bench 3 placed side by side while being aligned along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle. The individual seat 2 and the bench 3 respectively comprise a seat 4, 5 and a backrest 6, 7, the positions of said backrests 6, 7 being adjustable independently of each other. In other words, the position of one backrest 6, 7 has no influence on the position of the other backrest 6, 7. The seats 4, 5 of the individual seat 2 and of the two-seater bench seat 3 each have a raised rear edge 8, 9 extending in a transverse and substantially vertical plane YZ of the vehicle, so that the backrests 6, 7 of said individual seat 2 and of said bench seat 3 are located above these raised rear edges 8, 9 and in continuity with them.

[0034] The term "rear row of seats" means that the vehicle comprises at least one row of seats located in front of this rear row 1 of seats.

[0035] In order for this rear row of seats 1 to allow people with very different builds to sit with the same comfort, the backrest 6 of the individual seat 2 and the backrest 7 of the two-seater bench 3 can be moved forward or backward relative to their respective seats 4, 5, with a different inclination. To achieve this result, a vehicle according to the invention comprises a first upper device for rotating the backrest 6, 7 having at least one first rotation axis 10, 11 placed in a lower zone of said backrest 6, 7 and at least one upper latch 12, 13 secured to an upper zone of the backrest 6, 7 and being able to move between a forward position and a backward position by rotating the backrest around said first axis 10, 11.More specifically, the backrest 6 of the individual seat 2 and the backrest 7 of the two-seater bench 3 each comprise a first axis of rotation 10, 11, said two first axes of rotation 10, 11 being separated and aligned along the same transverse axis Y of the vehicle. Each of said two backrests 6, 7 is associated with an upper latch 12, 13 so that the actuation of one of said two upper latches 12, 13 has no influence on the other upper latch 12, 13.

[0036] Referring to Figures 2, 3, and 4, the upper latch 12, 13 is mounted in rotation about a main rotation axis 14 secured to a structural element 15 of the vehicle, said upper latch 12, 13 having a secondary rotation axis 16 which is secured to said upper latch 12, 13 and about which the backrest 6, 7. In this way, the upper latch 12, 13 can occupy an advanced position as illustrated in [Fig. 3] and a retracted position as illustrated in [Fig. 4], said two positions being deduced from each other by means of a rotation of said upper latch 12, 13 around the main rotation axis 14. Since the backrest 6, 7 is mounted in rotation around the secondary rotation axis 16 of the upper latch 12, 13, a pivoting of the upper latch 12, 13 around the main rotation axis 14 causes a simultaneous movement of the backrest 6, 7, which can pivot around the first rotation axis 10, 11. Thanks to the actuation of the upper latch 12, 13 the backrest 6, 7 can thus itself find itself in an advanced position or a retracted position by having pivoted around the first axis of rotation 10, 11.It should be noted that the main rotation axis 14 and the secondary rotation axis 16 are parallel and extend along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle. Each backrest 6, 7 has a front face against which the back of an occupant sitting on the seat is intended to rest, and a rear face which is substantially parallel to the front face, said two faces being connected to each other by two parallel lateral edges. The main rotation axis 14 and the secondary rotation axis 16 emerge from one of the two lateral edges of each backrest 6, 7. The secondary axis 16 has an enlarged head 35 to allow easier manipulation of the backrest 6, 7 in order to move it from the forward position to the rearward position, or vice versa.

[0037] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, a hook 17 in the form of an eccentric is secured to a structural element of the vehicle. This hook 17 may be placed around the secondary rotation axis 16 of the upper latch 12, 13 to fix the backrest 6, 7 in the forward position as illustrated in [Fig. 3], or may be placed around the main rotation axis 14 of the upper latch 12, 13 to fix the backrest 6, 7 in the retracted position as illustrated in [Fig. 4]. To summarize, the upper latch 12, 13, by moving in rotation around the main rotation axis 14 to move from the forward position to the backward position or vice versa, will cause the backrest 6, 7 to move in rotation around the first rotation axis 10, 11 to itself occupy a forward position or a backward position.

[0038] Referring to Figures 1, 7, 8 and 9, a vehicle according to the invention also comprises a second lower device for rotating the backrest 6, 7 comprising four connecting rods 20 mounted for rotation about at least one second axis 21, 22 of rotation which is parallel to said first axis 10, 11 of rotation and being placed under it, each of said connecting rods 20 being mounted for rotation about said first axis 10, 11. Among the four connecting rods 20 which are aligned along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle, two connecting rods 20 frame the individual seat 2 and two other connecting rods 20 frame the two-seater bench 3. The second axis 21, 22 of rotation is placed at an altitude which is between that of the seat 4, 5 and that of an upper wall of a raised rear edge 8, 9 of said seats 4, 5. This second axis of rotation 21, 22 is placed in line with the first axis of rotation 10, 11, just in front of the raised rear edges 8, 9 of the seats 4, 5. Each connecting rod 20 is a flat and elongated part, having a small thickness. Each connecting rod 20 has two rounded ends each having a central circular opening, said ends being considered along a longitudinal axis of said connecting rod 20. The first axis of rotation 10, 11 passes through the central circular opening of one end of the connecting rod 20 and the second axis of rotation 21, 22 passes through the central circular opening of the other end of said connecting rod 20.The two connecting rods 20 framing either the individual seat 2 or the two-seater bench 3 can thus be rotated simultaneously around the second axis of rotation 21, 22 to move from a first retracted position to a second advanced position, each of said connecting rods 20 then moving the first axis of rotation 10, 11 from a retracted position to an advanced position. When the connecting rod 20 is placed in the retracted position, the first axis of rotation 10, 11 is in the retracted position, then, when the connecting rod 20 is rotated forward to move into the advanced position, it then causes a forward movement of the first axis of rotation 10, 11.

[0039] The second rotation device is unlocked by means of a strap fixed to a cam and stored in a junction zone between the seat 4, 5 and the backrest 6, 7. It is then sufficient to exert a tensile force on said strap in order to cause a rotation of the cam, which causes a misalignment of magnets which cooperate together to ensure the locking of the second rotation device.

[0040] Referring to Figures 7 and 9, a thin cylindrical control part 40 is fixed to the second axis of rotation 21, 22. This control part 40 has a peripheral finger 30 and is inserted into a cylindrical housing of a fixed part at right angles. This cylindrical housing has a peripheral slot 41 in the shape of an arc of a circle and of finite length.When the control part 40 is placed in the peripheral housing, the finger 30 emerges from said slot 4L. When the connecting rods 20 are in the advanced or retracted position, the finger 30 abuts against one end edge of the slot 4L. When the connecting rods 20 are rotated to reach the other advanced or retracted position, the control part 40 which is fixed to the second axis of rotation 21, 22 is also rotated in the cylindrical housing of the right-angled part, until the peripheral finger 30 abuts against the other end edge of the slot 4L. The travel of the finger 30 in the slot 41 materializes the maximum amplitude of rotation of the connecting rods 20 to pass from one position to the other.

[0041] Thanks to the first rotation device and the second rotation device, the backrest 6,7 of the individual seat 2 or the bench 3 can occupy four distinct positions: a first position for which the upper latch 12, 13 of the first rotation device is in a retracted position and the connecting rods 20 of the second rotation device are in an advanced position, - a second position for which the upper latch 12, 13 of the first rotation device is in a retracted position and the connecting rods 20 of the second rotation device are in a retracted position, - a third position for which the upper latch of the first rotation device is in an advanced position and the connecting rods 20 of the second rotation device are in an advanced position, - a fourth position for which the upper latch of the first rotation device is in an advanced position and the connecting rods 20 of the second rotation device are in a retracted position.

[0042] It is important to remember that the seats 4, 5 of the individual seat 2 and of the two-seater bench 3 are fixed, and do not intervene in the positioning of the backrest 6, 7 in one of the four positions mentioned in the previous paragraph.

[0043]

Claims

Claims

1. Vehicle having a row (1) of seats comprising a seat (4, 5) and a backrest (6, 7), characterized in that it comprises: - a first upper device for rotating the backrest (6, 7) comprising at least one first axis (10, 11) of rotation placed in a lower zone of said backrest (6, 7) and at least one upper attachment element (12, 13) secured to an upper zone of the backrest (6, 7) and being capable of placing the backrest in a forward position or a backward position by means of rotation about said first axis (10, 11), and - a second lower device for rotating the backrest (6, 7) comprising at least two connecting rods (20) mounted for rotation about at least one second axis (21, 22) of rotation which is parallel to said first axis (10, 11) of rotation while being placed under it, each of said connecting rods (20) being mounted for rotation around said first axis (10, 11),and in that rotation of the connecting rods (20) around the second axis (21, 22) causes the first axis (10, 11) which is secured to the backrest (6, 7) to move forward or backward.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one attachment element is a latch (12, 13) capable of moving between a forward position and a rearward position by driving the backrest (4, 5) in rotation around said first axis (10, 11).

3. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the row of seats comprises a two-seater bench seat (3) and an individual seat (2) placed next to said two-seater bench seat (3), the first upper rotation device comprising a first upper latch (12) and a first rotation axis (10) fixed to the backrest (6) of the individual seat (2), and a second upper latch (13) and a first rotation axis (11) fixed to the backrest (7) of the two-seater bench seat (3), and in that the second lower rotation device comprises a second rotation axis (21) dedicated to the individual seat (2) and a second rotation axis (22) dedicated to the two-seater bench seat (3), said second rotation device comprising four connecting rods (20), two of which connecting rods (20) are associated with the individual seat (2) and two other connecting rods (20) are associated with the two-seater bench seat (3).

4. Vehicle according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that each upper latch (12, 13) is mounted to rotate around of a main rotation axis (14) of a structural element (15) of the vehicle, and in that an upper zone of the backrest (6, 7) is mounted in rotation around a secondary axis (16) which is fixed to the upper latch (12, 13), the latch (12, 13) passing from the retracted position to the advanced position by means of a rotation around the main axis (14), the secondary axis (16) causing a rotation of the backrest (6, 7) around the first axis (10, 11).

5. Vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the main axis of rotation (14) and the secondary axis (16) are parallel and extend horizontally.

6. Vehicle according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the main axis of rotation (14) and the secondary axis (16) each extend along a transverse axis Y of the vehicle.

7. Vehicle according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a hook (17) into which the main rotation axis (14) or the secondary axis (16) is inserted to fix the backrest (6, 7) in the forward position or in the retracted position.

8. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each connecting rod (20) can only occupy two extreme positions around the second axis of rotation (21, 22), a forward position and a backward position, and in that each position is deduced from one another by means of a rotation around said second axis of rotation (21, 22), with a predefined angular amplitude.

9. Vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises locking means making it possible to fix the connecting rods (20), either in the forward position or in the retracted position.

10. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the seat (4, 5) has a raised rear edge (8, 9) whose height is between the height of the first axis (10, 11) of rotation and the height of the second axis (21, 22) of rotation, and in that the backrest (4, 5) is placed above said raised edge (8, 9) while being in continuity with it.

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