VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT SEAT MOUNT COMPATIBLE WITH A TWO-SEATER BENCH

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle equipped with at least one front seat (1) mounted to slide on a pair of parallel rails (15, 16) parallel to each other and to a longitudinal axis (A) of the vehicle, the pair of rails (15, 16) being mounted on two rail supports (7, 8) fixed to a spacer (5) fixed to the front unit of the vehicle and oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the vehicle, characterized in that at least one part (25) is interposed between a rail (15) and the rail support (7) on which said rail (15) is mounted, and in that said part (25) defines a fixing point for a specific support (20) for a two-seater bench (17). Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 3

Description

Title of the invention: VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A COMPATIBLE FRONT SEAT MOUNT WITH A TWO-SEATER BENCH

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle equipped with a front seat attachment compatible with a two-seater bench.

[0002] Here, the term vehicle means a car, a van, a truck, a passenger transport vehicle, a recreational vehicle such as a motorhome or a converted van, a public works or agricultural vehicle, the vehicle being powered by an electric motor, a thermal engine or by a hybrid motorization.

[0003] On certain vehicles, in particular vans, trucks, passenger vehicles, minivans or family vehicles, recreational vehicles, agricultural or public works equipment, the two independent front seats are replaced, either as standard equipment or as an option, by a two-seater bench seat associated with the driver's seat, which allows three people in total in the front, therefore in the first row of seats, instead of two in total.

[0004] Although the presence of a two-seater bench in the front remains less common than individual seats in most vehicles, it requires a specific mounting. Such a mounting is either specific to a two-seater bench or requires a significant modification of the existing mounting on vehicles with individual seats. A front seat mounting bracket equipped with a sliding mechanism is known from FR-B-2 946 949. While such a solution simplifies the mounting of the front seat, it does not allow for the installation of a two-seater bench.

[0005] To integrate a two-seater front bench seat into a vehicle, a known solution involves specific mounting brackets that incorporate a bench seat attachment combined with an offset driver's seat attachment. Such a solution requires a significant modification to the vehicle's front end and a production line dedicated solely to this version. In all cases, this impacts manufacturing costs and production organization.

[0006] The invention aims to provide a solution that allows, with minimal modification preserving the structure of the current front unit, the integration of a two-seater bench in the first row of seats on most vehicles.

[0007] To this end, the invention relates to a vehicle equipped with at least one front seat mounted to slide on a pair of parallel rails about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the pair of rails being mounted on two rail supports fixed to a spacer fixed to the front unit of the vehicle and oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, characterized in that at least one part is interposed between a slide and the slide support on which said slide is mounted and in that said part defines a fixing point for a specific support of a two-seater bench.

[0008] Thanks to the invention, a vehicle is obtained in which the structure of the front unit is retained and which is equipped with a component allowing the installation of a two-seater bench without modifying the existing seat assembly, in particular the driver's seat. Such a component does not alter the weight or configuration of the front unit while being quick and inexpensive to install. Its installation in the vehicle has very little impact on the production line, either in terms of layout or time. Furthermore, such a component can, if necessary, be included from the outset on all vehicles of a given type or, alternatively, be retrofitted.

[0009] According to advantageous, but not mandatory, aspects of the invention, such a vehicle may include one or more of the following features:

[0010] The vehicle includes at least two parts, each defining a fixing point for a bench seat support.

[0011] The at least two parts are identical.

[0012] The at least two parts are different.

[0013] Each fixing point for a bench support is formed by a flat tab defining one end of each piece.

[0014] The end opposite to that forming a flat leg is also configured as a flat leg, parallel to the leg and extending outwards, in the opposite direction, relative to the main body of each piece, the latter being configured globally in Z.

[0015] The at least two pieces are fixed by their ends configured as flat tabs to one face of a slide.

[0016] Pre-drilled holes or markings on the face of the slide allow the parts to be positioned in various locations.

[0017] The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will become more apparent upon reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0018] [Fig-1] is a partial perspective view showing the structure of a front unit of a prior art vehicle, with a known device for attaching two independent seats,

[0019] [Fig.2] is a view similar to [Fig.1] and on a larger scale, illustrating a support specific and known state-of-the-art design of a two-seater bench seat,

[0020] [Fig.3] is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2, at a different scale, with the part of the invention in place between a slide and its slide support, a two-seater bench fixing device being mounted on said part and

[0021] [Fig.4] is a larger scale perspective view of a slide with two parts of the invention fixed on said slide.

[0022] Fig. 1 illustrates a portion of the front unit of a vehicle. Part of the driver's seat 1 and part of the passenger seat 2 are visible. The two seats 1 and 2 are separated by a tunnel 3, housing, for example, the driveshaft, the gearshift lever, and / or storage compartments. In this example, the two seats 1 and 2 are identical, at least with regard to their attachments to the floor 4 of the front unit. Alternatively, the seats 1 and 2 are not identical.

[0023] Subsequently, with reference to figures 1 to 3, only the fixings in the front part of the seat cushions or bench seat will be described, it being understood that identical fixings are placed at least in the rear part, and also in the central part, of the seat cushions and bench seat to ensure the stability and horizontal support of the seats and bench seat.

[0024] The portion to the right of [Fig. 1] relates to the driver's seat 1 and is described below. The mounting of the passenger seat 2 is identical and will not be described in detail, as the common elements are designated by the same reference numerals. A spacer 5, generally profile-shaped, is fixed to the floor 4, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis A of the vehicle. This axis A coincides with a main longitudinal axis of the tunnel 3. The spacer 5 rests, at one end, on the tunnel 3, its other end being free. Slide supports 7, 8 are mounted on the flat upper face 6 of the spacer 5.

[0025] The end 9 of the spacer 5, which bears against the tunnel 3, is fitted with the slide support 7. The latter also bears against the tunnel 3. The other slide support 8 is mounted near the free end 10 of the spacer 5, that is, near the end 10 located closest to the vehicle door on the driver's side. The supports 7 and 8 are, in this example, generally configured as a trapezoidal prism. They are permanently fixed, advantageously by welding, to the spacer 5. The supports 7 and 8 partially cover the upper face 6 of the spacer 5, extending onto the lateral walls of the spacer 5.

[0026] The upper face 11, 12 of each support 7, respectively 8, is flat. Each face 11, 12 defines a bearing area for the end 13, 14 of a slide 15, respectively 16. The slides 15, 16 are parallel to each other and parallel to the axis A. They receive translation elements, of complementary shapes and known per se, fixed under the seat of the driver's seat 1. The longitudinal movement of the seat 1, parallel to the axis A, is thus possible by movement along the slides 15, 16 translation mechanisms. It is understood that other adjustments of seat 1, in particular its height, are also possible.

[0027] Thus, the seat mounting solution 1, 2 is specific to the installation of two individual seats 1, 2, which are similar in this case and located, one on the driver's side and the other on the passenger's side. It is readily apparent that the solution illustrated in [Fig. 1] does not allow the passenger seat 2 to be replaced by a two-seater bench.

[0028] Fig. 2 illustrates a known prior art solution which allows a two-seater bench to be fixed in place of the passenger seat 2, with a modification of the driver's seat fixing system 1. In Fig. 2, the elements common with those of Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference.

[0029] It should be noted that the installation of a two-seater bench 17, hereafter referred to simply as the bench for ease of reading, occupies more space at the front of the vehicle than a separate passenger seat 2. As shown in [Fig. 2], this bench 17 occupies not only the same space as that occupied by the passenger seat 2 but also the space available above the tunnel 3. Thus, part of the seat cushion of the bench 17 is located above the tunnel 3, as can be seen in [Fig. 2]. This necessitates a modification of the driver's seat 1 mounting to accommodate part of the bench 17 mounting system.

[0030] For this purpose, a specific slide support 18 for the driver's seat 1 is located at the end 9 of the spacer 5. The support 18 rests against the tunnel 3 and differs from the support 7. The support 18 is longer than the support 7 to support the slide 15, which is offset towards the slide 16 compared to the method used for attaching an independent seat 1, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. Thus, the slide 15 is positioned further away from the central tunnel 3 to allow for the permanent mounting, for example by welding or removable bolting, of a support 19 specifically designed to hold the seat 17. The support 19 is generally U-shaped, with its free ends formed by flat tabs 20, 21 extending radially outwards.

[0031] A tab 20 is fixed to the flat upper face 22 of the slide support 18. On the other side of the tunnel 3, i.e., on the passenger side, another slide support 23, similar to the support 18, supports the tab 21. The attachment of the tabs 20, 21 to the supports 18, respectively 23, is either permanent, for example by welding, or removable, for example by screwing. This results in a support 19 that spans the tunnel 3, without contacting it, and that supports part of the seat 17.

[0032] Such a solution requires a replacement operation, of varying duration, of the slide supports 7 on both the driver's and passenger's sides, as well as a driver's seat 1 with a specific positioning of the slides 15, 16. In other words, such a solution requires a specific assembly for a vehicle given that it has three front seats. It is not possible to implement such an assembly on a vehicle with two front seats, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. Such a solution can only be implemented permanently on a production line dedicated to vehicles with three front seats.

[0033] Figure 3 illustrates the solution of the invention according to one embodiment. The elements common to those of Figures 1 and 2 have the same reference numerals. It should be noted that the slide supports 7, 8 of the driver's seat 1 are identical to those illustrated in Figure 1 and that they are positioned in the same locations on the spacer 3. Similarly, the slides 15, 16 of the driver's seat 1 are placed in the same locations as in the prior art illustrated in Figure 1. In other words, the slide 15 has not been offset towards the slide 16, the slide supports 7, 8 of the driver's seat 1 are the same, and therefore the attachment of the driver's seat 1 is not modified. On the bench seat side 17, the support 23 is that described for the embodiment of Figure 2. Likewise, the bench seat support 19 is substantially the same as that described previously.

[0034] The bench support 19, more specifically the tab 20, does not rest on the slide support, as in the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 2], but on a portion 24 of a part 25 defining a fixing point for the bench support 19. The part 25 is generally configured in a Z shape with a flat portion 24 supporting the flat tab 20, of complementary dimensions and shapes, of the bench support 19. As can be seen more clearly in [Fig. 4], the part 25 is a folded rectangular plate which includes a central flat portion 26 extended by flat portions 24 and 27 constituting the free ends of the part 25. The portions 24 and 27 are parallel to each other and extend on either side, in opposite directions, from the central portion 26, perpendicular to it.

[0035] As shown in [Fig. 3], the central portion 26 extends upwards from the slide support 7 when the part 25 is fixed to the slide support 7. The flat portion 27 of the part 25, not visible in [Fig. 3], is interposed between the slide 15 and the support 7 when the part 25 and the slide 15 are in place in the vehicle. In particular, as shown in [Fig. 4], the portion 27 is fixed removably, or alternatively permanently, to the lower face 28 of the slide 15, which is intended to partially rest on the slide support 7. Thus, the central portion 26 is coplanar with a lateral face 29 of the slide 15, namely the face 29 that will be opposite the tunnel 3 when the slide 15 is in place in the vehicle.Part 24, which is intended to receive the tab 20 of the bench support 19, is fitted here with a bolt, allowing for removable attachment of the tab 20, which has a complementary threaded hole. It is thus possible to remove the... bench support 19 and bench 17 to replace it with a seat 2 or with another bench 17, as needed.

[0036] As shown in [Fig. 4], at least two parts 25 are fixed to the face 28 of the slide 15 to support the legs 20 of two bench supports 19. According to an advantageous embodiment, the parts 25 are identical. It is easy to see that the number of parts 25 is adapted to the type of bench. It can thus be greater than two for, for example, heavy benches. As shown in [Fig. 4], pre-drilled holes or, alternatively, visual markings in the face 28 of the slide 15 allow the part 25 to be positioned in various locations.

[0037] The invention allows the part 25 to be fixed to the vehicle from the initial installation without significantly altering the overall dimensions of the seat 2 and bench seat 17 fastening system, while also having reduced dimensions and weight. This part 25 can thus be installed from the outset on a vehicle equipped with two independent seats, allowing the vehicle to be subsequently fitted with a bench seat 17 if needed. In another embodiment, the part 25 is specifically mounted, if required, on a slide rail, the latter advantageously being, as in the example of [Fig. 4], provided with pre-drilled holes for positioning the part 25. Alternatively, the parts 25 located on the slide rail 15 are not all identical, depending on their position relative to the seat of the bench seat 17 and / or on the vehicle's geometric constraints.

Claims

Demands

1. Vehicle having at least one front seat (1) mounted to slide on a pair of slides (15, 16) parallel to each other and to a longitudinal axis (A) of the vehicle, the pair of slides (15, 16) being mounted on two slide supports (7, 8) fixed to a spacer (5) fixed to the front unit of the vehicle and oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the vehicle, characterized in that at least one part (25) is interposed between a slide (15) and the slide support (7) on which said slide (15) is mounted and in that said part (25) defines a fixing point for a specific support (20) of a two-seater bench (17).

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two parts (25) each defining a fixing point for a support (20) of the bench seat (17).

3. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that at least two parts (25) are identical.

4. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that at least two parts (25) are different.

5. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that each attachment point for a support (20) of the bench seat (17) is formed by a flat tab (24) defining one end of each piece (25).

6. Vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the end opposite to that forming a flat leg (24) is also configured as a flat leg (27), parallel to the leg (24) and extending outwards, in the opposite direction, relative to the main body (26) of each part (25), the latter being configured globally in 7

7. Zj. Vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the at least two parts (25) are fixed by their ends configured as flat tabs (27) to a face (28) of a slide (15).

8. Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that pre-drilling or markings on the face (28) of the slide (15) allow the parts (25) to be positioned at various locations.

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