Center console of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a central console (90) of a motor vehicle comprising an external housing (91) which has, on one rear side, a recessed area (912) one edge of which defines a footrest area (941). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 10

Description

Title of the invention: Central console of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the layout of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

[0002] It relates more particularly to a central console of a motor vehicle.

[0003] It also relates to a motor vehicle having such a central console. State of the art

[0004] A majority of commercially available vehicles have two front seats and a rear bench seat.

[0005] It is common to arrange a center console between the two front seats to offer various functionalities such as storage areas, an armrest and the integration of various electronic devices (gear lever...).

[0006] Existing central consoles are generally parallelepiped-shaped.

[0007] The disadvantage of such a center console is that it can be a source of discomfort for passengers in the rear seat, who have very little legroom. Furthermore, such center consoles can also restrict access to the rear seats, making it more difficult for those sitting in the back of the vehicle to get in and out. Presentation of the invention

[0008] In order to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention proposes a central console for a motor vehicle comprising an external housing which has, on a rear side, a recessed area, one edge of which delimits a footrest area.

[0009] Thus, the rear edge of the center console is recessed, creating an empty space that defines a footrest area for the passenger seated in the middle seat of the rear bench. As a result, the center console improves comfort, particularly for this passenger.

[0010] In addition, such an arrangement also facilitates the entry and exit of other rear passengers from the vehicle, since they can walk directly or lean on the central console when moving around the vehicle.

[0011] Other advantageous and non-limiting features of the center console according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows: - the footrest area is flat; - the footrest area has a width greater than or equal to 15 cm; - the footrest area has a length greater than or equal to 30 cm; - the footrest area is inclined, relative to the floor of the motor vehicle, at an angle between 25 degrees and 35 degrees; - the external housing includes at least one armrest area intended for a passenger's arm to rest on; - the center console has a front support supporting an upper part of the center console and a second rear support supporting the footrest area, the rear support being less rigid than the front support.

[0012] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising: - a rear bench seat, - at least two seats positioned at the front of the bench seat, - a central console according to the present invention, said central console being positioned between the two seats.

[0013] Other advantageous and non-limiting features of the vehicle according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows: - the footrest area is spaced a minimum of 37 cm from the rear seat; - the footrest area is covered at least in part by carpeting from the floor of the motor vehicle.

[0014] It should be noted that in the context of the invention, the term bench may refer to a single unit delimiting several seats, or to a plurality of separate seats placed side by side.

[0015] Of course, the various features, variants, and embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Detailed description of the invention

[0016] The following description with regard to the attached drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be carried out.

[0017] On the attached drawings:

[0018] [Fig-1] is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle bench seat automobile according to the invention used in a three-seater configuration;

[0019] [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective view of the bench seat of [Fig.1] used in a one-seat configuration;

[0020] [Fig.3] is a schematic view of a cross-section of the bench of the [Fig.l];

[0021] [Fig.4] is a schematic top view of the motor vehicle of the [Fig.1], illustrating different configurations for using the bench seat;

[0022] [Fig.5] is a schematic perspective view of a means for mounting a part side of a headrest of the bench seat of the [Fig.l];

[0023] [Fig.6] is another schematic perspective view of the mounting means of the [Fig.5], shown from another angle;

[0024] [Fig.7] is a schematic perspective view of a central part of the headrest from the bench in [Fig.1];

[0025] [Fig.8] is a detailed view of a cross-section of the central part of the support- head of the [Fig.7], on which a deviator appears in cross-section;

[0026] [Fig.9] is another counterpart of that of [Fig.8], when the bench seat accommodates a passenger;

[0027] [Fig. 10] is a schematic perspective view of a central console of the motor vehicle of [Fig.1];

[0028] [Fig. 11] is another schematic perspective view of the center console of [Fig. 10] and the rear bench seat of [Fig. 1];

[0029] [Fig. 12] is a schematic view of a cross-section of the central console of the [Fig. 10],

[0030] Device

[0031] A motor vehicle (car, bus, truck...) generally comprises a chassis and bodywork elements which together define a passenger compartment.

[0032] As shown in [Fig.3], in a conventional manner, such a chassis 2 includes in particular a floor 3, two side wings 4 and a roof 5.

[0033] As shown in [Fig.4], this motor vehicle 1 here comprises two front seats 6 and a rear bench seat 10.

[0034] In the following description, the terms "front" and "rear" will be used in relation to the motor vehicle 1, the front part of an element designating the part of that element which is located on the hood side of the motor vehicle 1 and the rear part designating the part of that element which is located on the opposite side.

[0035] The terms "lower" (or "bottom") and "upper" (or "top") shall be used in the same way, the lower part of an element designating the part of that element which is located on the floor side 3 of the vehicle and the upper part designating the part of that element which is located on the roof side 5 of the vehicle.

[0036] The adjective "longitudinal" shall apply to a direction or axis oriented from the front to the rear of the vehicle, parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle when the steering wheel is in the neutral position.

[0037] The adjective "transverse" shall apply to a direction or axis oriented orthogonally to the longitudinal and horizontal axes when the vehicle is traveling on a horizontal road.

[0038] The term “end” will be used to designate the edges of the bench seat.

[0039] In this disclosure, the vertical will be defined by an axis Al oriented perpendicular to the floor 3 of the motor vehicle 10, when the latter rests by its wheels on a horizontal road. Conversely, the horizontal is defined by a plane PI oriented perpendicular to the axis AL

[0040] In this disclosure, the widths that are compared with each other are defined in the same plane.

[0041] In [Fig.1] and [Fig.2], the bench seat 10, here a rear bench seat, which is installed in the passenger compartment of this motor vehicle 1 and which is fixed to the chassis 2 of this motor vehicle 1, and more precisely to the floor 3 of this motor vehicle 1, has been represented.

[0042] This bench 10 comprises a seat 20, a backrest 30, and a headrest 40. It will be described below in a passenger seating position, that is to say in a configuration in which passengers can sit on the seat 20 and rest their backs against the backrest 30.

[0043] Seat

[0044] The seat 20 includes means for mounting it on the floor 3 of the vehicle. It is intended to be fixed to the floor 3 of the motor vehicle 1, without any mobility relative to the floor 3. For this purpose, it includes, for example, feet screwed to the floor 3. Alternatively, it could have a degree of freedom in forward or backward translation and include rails to allow this movement.

[0045] The seat 20 comprises a rigid frame (defined in contrast to the padding, which is soft), preferably metallic, and padding attached to the frame of the seat 20 (formed, for example, of foam to which a cover is attached). In the present disclosure, the seat 20 is a single piece in the sense that its padding is not divisible but extends in one continuous piece from one end edge to the other of the bench 10.

[0046] The seat cushion 20 may, however, have raised features on its upper surface, delimiting three distinct parts, including two lateral parts 22, 24 framing a central part 23. Here, for example, the parts 22, 23, 24 of the seat 20 are delimited by means of two central grooves 26, 27 formed by seams positioned on either side of the central part 23 of the seat 20. Each part 22, 23, 24 of the seat 20 defines a place (or seat) in the bench 10 adapted to accommodate a passenger.

[0047] The upholstery also has, at the upper face of each side part 22, 24 of the seat 20, a lateral groove 221, 241 formed by a seam parallel to the central grooves 26, 27. These seams make it possible to form at each end of the bench 10 a lateral support edge for the passengers.

[0048] File

[0049] The backrest 30 comprises three distinct parts, two lateral parts 32, 34 of the backrest 30 framing a central part 33. Each part 32, 33, 34 of the backrest 30 defines a place (or seat) in the bench 10 adapted to accommodate a passenger.

[0050] Unlike the seat 20, the backrest 30 is not a single piece. Thus, each part 32, 33, 34 of the backrest 30 comprises an individual rigid frame 330, for example metallic, and an individual softer padding 332 attached to the frame 330. Thus, the backrest 30 is multi-block in the sense that at least one of the parts of the backrest 30 is movable relative to the other parts.

[0051] In the example illustrated in [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2], the front face of the trim has, at each side part 32, 34 of the backrest 30, a groove 321, 341 formed by a vertical seam, delimiting two edges 322, 342 located at the two ends of the backrest 30. Each edge 322, 342 has a shape projecting forward relative to the rest of the backrest 30 allowing a passenger to rest their shoulder on it.

[0052] Each lateral part 32, 34 of the backrest 30 has a width defined transversely between one of the end edges of the backrest 30 and an edge of the central part 33 of the backrest 30. Similarly, the central part 33 of the backrest 30 also has a width defined transversely between its two edges (those abutting the lateral parts 32, 34 of the backrest 30). Naturally, these widths are defined in the same plane, here a plane transverse to the maximum length of the motor vehicle 1.

[0053] As illustrated in [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2], the width of the central part 33 of the backrest is greater than the width of each of the lateral parts 32, 34 of the backrest 30. It should be noted that the same is true for the width of the central part 23 of the seat 20, which is greater than the width of each of the lateral parts 22, 24 of the seat 20.

[0054] Typically, the width of the central portion 33 of the backrest represents between 36 and 44% of the total width of the bench seat 10. For example, here, the backrest 30 of the bench seat 10 has a 30:40:30 configuration in which the width of the central portion 33 of the backrest represents 40% of the total width of the backrest 30 and the width of each side portion of the backrest 30 represents 30% of the total width of the backrest 30. Such an arrangement improves the comfort of the central portion 33 of the backrest 30. Thus, if only one passenger occupies the bench seat 10, they will naturally be inclined to sit on the central portion. central seat 10, which will allow him to have a good view of the road and to be able to talk with the front passengers of the motor vehicle 1.

[0055] Each side section 32, 34 of the backrest 30 is mounted on the seat 20 by means of mounting means (not shown). Alternatively, they could be mounted directly on the chassis 2. Here, in the passenger seating position, the side sections 32, 34 of the backrest 30 have a fixed inclination relative to the seat 20. In other words, in this configuration where passengers can sit on the bench seat, their inclination is not adjustable.

[0056] In this passenger reception position, the side parts 32, 34 of the backrests have a fixed inclination of between 20 degrees and 30 degrees relative to the vertical.

[0057] Here, typically, the lateral parts 32, 34 of the backrest 30 have a similar inclination of 25 degrees (25°) defined with respect to the vertical.

[0058] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the different parts 32, 33, 34 of the backrest 30 are inclined at the same angle, which allows the trims 332 to be aligned. Thus, in this arrangement, the bench 10 appears very spacious.

[0059] The bench seat 10, however, includes means 50 ([Fig. 3]) for adjusting the inclination of the central part 33 of the backrest 33 independently of the lateral parts 32, 34 of the backrest 30. Thus, unlike the lateral parts 32, 34 of the backrest 30, the central part 33 of the backrest 30 is tiltable, here, by rotating the central part 33 of the backrest 30 around a transverse axis. Therefore, the inclination of the central part 33 of the backrest 30 is variable. Typically, the inclination can vary between 0 degrees and 33 degrees from the vertical. As will be explained below, the central part 33 of the backrest 30 can be tilted to four distinct angles: 0 degrees (i.e., zero inclination), 13 degrees, 25 degrees, and 33 degrees from the vertical.

[0060] The adjustment means 50 are preferably manually activable from inside the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle 1. Typically, the adjustment means 50 comprise, for example, a strap, accessible to a passenger from the seat 20, connected to a toothed wheel that is articulated on a frame of the central part 33 of the backrest 30. The teeth of the toothed wheel thus allow the inclination of the central part 33 of the backrest 30 to be adjusted incrementally, in increments of less than 30 degrees, here on the order of 12 degrees. The teeth of the toothed wheel can be configured to adjust the inclination of the central part 30 of the backrest 30 to zero, 13 degrees, 25 degrees, and 33 degrees from the vertical. Of course, in a variant, any other system could be preferred, for example a system with a continuous joint in which the angle of inclination could vary continuously between 0 degrees and 33 degrees.

[0061] The side sections 32, 34 of the backrest 30 each have a reclining portion, hereinafter referred to as an armrest 323, 343, articulated about a transverse axis. Each armrest 323, 343 is integrated into the trim of the corresponding side section 32, 34 of the backrest 30, and can tilt between two positions which will be detailed below.

[0062] Here, each armrest 323, 343 extends over only part of the width of the side part 32, 34 and over only part of the height of the side part 32, 34.

[0063] Each armrest 323, 333 has a frame articulated to the frame of the lateral part 32, 34 of the backrest 30, and a padding that extends over its two opposite main faces. Each armrest 323, 333 is movable between, on the one hand, a retracted position in which one of these two main faces extends in line with the rest of the front face of the padding of the backrest 30 (as illustrated in [Fig. 1]), and, on the other hand, an extended position in which the armrest 323, 343 has an inclination of 90 degrees with respect to the vertical (as illustrated in [Fig. 2]).

[0064] The inclination of each armrest 323, 343 is preferably adjusted manually. Typically, the opening of each of the armrests 323, 343 is achieved by pulling the armrest 323, 343 clockwise at its upper edge (corresponding here to a part of the upper edge of the backrest 30) until it reaches the stop.

[0065] Adjusting the inclination of the central part 33 of the backrest 30 allows the bench seat 10 to be arranged in different configurations to improve the comfort of passengers seated on the bench seat 10.

[0066] Figure 4 illustrates three arrangements A, B, and C of the bench seat 10 according to this disclosure. For example, in arrangement A, the bench seat 10 is used in a three-seat configuration. Here, it can be seen that the central portion 33 of the backrest 30 is inclined at an angle of 33 degrees to the vertical, while the two lateral portions 32 and 34 of the backrest 30 are inclined at a fixed angle of 25 degrees to the vertical. This difference in inclination creates an offset between the various portions 32, 33, and 34 of the backrest 30, such that the central portion 33 of the backrest is positioned further back than the lateral portions 32 and 34 of the backrest 30. This prevents the shoulders of the passengers from touching, thus improving the comfort of the passengers seated on the bench seat 10.

[0067] Conversely, in arrangement B, the side sections 32, 34 and the central section 33 of the backrest 30 are inclined at the same angle of inclination, here 25 degrees from the vertical. Although the bench seat 10 can be used in a three-seater configuration, only two people are seated against the side sections 32, 34 of the backrest 30. Such an arrangement offers positioning flexibility for the two passengers on the bench seat 10 since they can stretch out on sections free of the bench seat 10. In other words, they can extend over the central parts 23, 33 of the seat 20 and the backrest 30. This ensures optimal comfort for the two rear passengers of the motor vehicle 1.

[0068] In arrangement C, the bench seat 10 is used in a one-seat configuration. Here, it can be seen that the central section 33 of the backrest 30 is inclined similarly to the example in configuration A described above. Furthermore, it can be seen that the armrests 323, 343 of the side sections 32, 34 of the backrest 30 are deployed on either side of the central section 33 of the backrest. Thus, in this configuration, the passenger seated in the center of the bench seat 10 benefits from optimal comfort since they are seated in the widest position of the bench seat and can take advantage of two armrests.

[0069] It can also be seen that, in this deployed position of the armrests 323, 343, each armrest 323, 343 has, recessed in its upper main face, a storage tray 324, 344 that is more rigid than the trim. In this example, these two storage trays 324, 344 have different shapes. Here, they are arranged differently to hold different items, such as a smartphone to the left of the center passenger and a cup to the right. Other variations are possible.

[0070] The backrest 30 is movably mounted on the seat 20 by means of folding means (not shown) so that the backrest 30 can be folded against the seat 20 in a closed position that does not allow passengers to be accommodated. The folding means are arranged to pivot the entire backrest 30 between, on the one hand, a closed position in which the back of the backrest 30 forms a flat floor with the trunk, and on the other hand, a passenger position in which the seat 10 is adapted to accommodate at least one passenger. Thus, in the closed position, the rear face of the backrest 30 has a substantially zero inclination relative to the horizontal.

[0071] Headrest

[0072] As illustrated in [Fig.1] and [Fig.2], the headrest 40 comprises three distinct parts, two lateral parts 42, 44 framing a central part 43 of the headrest 40.

[0073] Each part 42, 43, 44 of the headrest 40 comprises an individual rigid frame 421, 431, 441 covered at least on the front face with an individual trim 422, 432, 442 attached to the frame 421, 431, 441 for the comfort of a passenger resting his head against the headrest 40 ([Fig.5], [Fig.6] and [Fig.7]).

[0074] Each part 42, 43, 44 of the headrest 40 has a lower edge that is turned towards the seat back 30 and an upper edge opposite the lower edge and oriented towards the roof of the motor vehicle 1. Each part 42, 43, 44 of the headrest 40 also has a front face on which the head of a seated passenger can rest. the bench seat 10 and an opposite rear face. The central part 43 of the headrest 40 also has two lateral edges respectively turned towards a lateral edge (called proximal lateral edge) of one of the lateral parts 42, 44 of the headrest 40 and the lateral parts 42, 44 of the headrest 40 each have another lateral edge (called distal lateral edge) turned towards one of the lateral wings 4 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0075] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], when the various parts 32, 33, 34 of the backrest 30 are inclined at the same angle, all the parts 42, 43, 44 of the headrest 40 are aligned in line with one another. They then form a continuous unit from one end edge to the other of the seat 10. More precisely, in this case, the headrest 40 is continuous and extends over at least 90% of the width of the seat 10. Thus, in this configuration, it can be seen that the lateral edges of the central part 43 of the headrest 40 are each adapted to come into contact with the proximal edge of one of the lateral parts 42, 44 of the headrest 40.

[0076] In the case where the central part 33 of the backrest 30 has a different inclination from the inclinations of the lateral parts 32, 34 of the backrest 30, the lateral edges of the central part 43 of the headrest 40 are offset towards the rear and do not or only slightly come into contact with the proximal edges of the lateral parts 42, 44 of the headrest 40. In this case, the headrest 40 forms a discontinuous assembly which is divided according to the different parts 42, 43, 44 of the headrest 40.

[0077] Each side part 42, 44 of the headrest 40 is mounted directly onto the chassis 2 of the motor vehicle 1 by means of mounting means 60. In other words, the frames of the side parts 42, 44 of the headrest 40 are not fixed to the frames of the side parts 32, 34 of the backrest 30.

[0078] As illustrated in [Fig.5], the mounting means 60 of each of the side part 42, 44 of the headrest 40 comprise a bracket 61, preferably made of metal, fixed to the frame of this side part 42, 44, and a plate 62 fixed to the chassis 2 of the motor vehicle 1 by fastening means 63 (here corresponding to five fixing screws).

[0079] In this example, the stirrup 61 has a U-shaped form, with a base and two parallel arms 611. Each arm 611 has a horizontal section extending into a rear end 612 curved upwards (illustrated in [Fig. 6]). These ends 612 are arranged to be locked between the frame 2 and the plate 62 in order to fix the stirrup 61 to the frame 2.

[0080] More specifically, the mounting means 60 are provided for fixing each side portion 42, 44 of the headrest 40 onto a rear crossmember 201 of the chassis 2, which crossmember 201 connects the two fenders 4 of the motor vehicle 1 ([Fig. 5]). This rear crossmember 201 carries two supports 202 ([Fig. 6]) on which the plates 62 are attached so as to sandwich the arms of the stirrups 61. Each plate 62 and each support 202 is preferably made of metal.

[0081] It is thus understood that the side portions 43, 44 of the headrest 40 are fixed to the chassis 2 of the motor vehicle 1 by means of the mounting means 60 described above. By "fixed," it is understood that the side portions 43, 44 of the headrest 40 do not have any degree of freedom, for example in forward / backward translation and in height and / or rotation, and no additional adjustment means for, for example, adjusting the inclination and / or height, etc. Such an arrangement makes it possible to optimize the available space in the passenger compartment while promoting the comfort of the passengers seated on the bench seat 10.

[0082] Optionally, the mounting means 60 also include a trim piece 64, preferably made of plastic, which at least partially encloses the bracket 61 of the connecting means 60. Typically, in [Fig.6], it can be seen that this trim piece 64 is anchored in the frame of the lateral part 42, 44 of the headrest 40 and encloses the arms 611 of the bracket 61.

[0083] In the example illustrated in [Fig.1] and [Fig.2], the front face of the headrest trim 40 has, at each lateral part 42, 44 of the headrest 40, a main area 423, 443 substantially flat and an end area 424, 444 curved forward relative to the main area 423, 443 and allowing a passenger to rest the side of his head on it.

[0084] Each side portion 42, 44 of the headrest 40 has a width extending over at least 70% of the width of the side portion 32, 34 of the backrest 30 to which it is attached. Typically, the main area 423, 443 of the trim on the side portions 42, 44 of the headrest 40 extends over at least 90% of the width of the side portion 32, 34 of the backrest 30, which has a substantially flat shape. Such an arrangement improves the comfort of the seat 10.

[0085] As illustrated in [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2], the width of the central part 43 of the headrest 40 is greater than the width of each of the lateral parts 42, 44 of the headrest 40. Typically, the central part 43 of the headrest 40 has a width extending over at least 90% (preferably 100%) of the width of the central part 33 of the backrest 30. Such an arrangement improves the comfort of the central part of the headrest 40.

[0086] Since the central part 33 of the backrest 30 is mounted to move relative to the frame 2, the central part 43 of the headrest 40 is mounted on this central part 33 of the backrest 30 so as to tilt in conjunction with it. For this purpose, it includes mounting means 70 (illustrated in [Fig. 7]) for fixing the central part 43 of the headrest 40 to the central part 33 of the backrest 30. These mounting means 70 comprise two rods 71 ​​(here metallic) having an upper end fixed to the frame 431 of the central part 43 of the headrest 40 and a lower end fixed to the frame 330 of the central part 33 of the backrest 30.

[0087] Each rod 71 is inclined at more than 60° relative to the rods 611 of the stirrup 61 described above (in particular relative to the horizontal sections of the rods 611).

[0088] In this example, these rods 71 ​​are metallic and cylindrical, and each carries a housing 72, here made of plastic, which encloses it on the upper part. Typically, in [Fig. 7], it can be seen that this housing 72 is anchored in the frame 431 of the central part 43 of the support 40. Thus, in the vehicle's passenger compartment, only the housing 72 of the mounting means 70 of the central part 43 of the headrest 40 is visible, which proves to be particularly aesthetically pleasing.

[0089] In one embodiment, the central part 43 of the headrest 40 may also include means for adjusting the position of the central part 43 of the headrest 43. These adjustment means may give the central part 43 of the headrest 40 at least one degree of freedom in translation to adjust its height and / or at least one degree of freedom in rotation to adjust its inclination.

[0090] As illustrated in [Fig.6], each side part 42, 44 of the headrest 40 can include at least one light source 46 (for example here composed of a diode wrapped in a semi-transparent housing) at its distal edge to improve the visual comfort of a passenger sitting against the back of the bench seat 10.

[0091] It is understood that the headrest 40 described above blocks the rear view of the outside environment. Thus, such an arrangement of the headrest 40 is preferentially used when the motor vehicle 1 lacks a rear window allowing the driver to see the outside environment behind the vehicle 1. The function of this rear window can nevertheless be replaced by a rear-view camera. Of course, alternatively, the motor vehicle may include a rear window, even if it does not allow the driver to see the vehicle's surroundings properly. In any case, here the vehicle body lacks a rear window, and an opaque partition is also provided behind the headrest 40.

[0092] Deflector

[0093] The motor vehicle 1 also includes three safety belts, including a side safety belt for each side part 32, 34 of the backrest 30 and a central safety belt 100 for the central part 33 of the backrest 30.

[0094] The side safety belts are of the three-point type and each comprises a strap with a bolt adapted to cooperate with a latch 7 (illustrated in [Fig.1]) attached to the frame 2. In this example, the strap is attached to the frame 2. Of course, in an alternative, the strap of each of the side safety belts can be attached to the side part of the backrest 30.

[0095] The central seat belt 100 (illustrated in [Fig. 9]) is also a three-point type and comprises a strap 101 with two latches, each adapted to cooperate with a hook 7 of the central seat belt 100 attached to the floor 3. The two hooks 7 of the central seat belt 100 are each positioned next to one of the hooks 7 of the side seat belts (on either side of the central seat). Each pair of adjacent hooks is located in a notch 28 provided in the edge of the central part 23 of the seat 20 (as illustrated in [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2]).

[0096] In [Fig.8], the seat belt 100 of the central part is attached to an upper part of the chassis 2 by means of a retractor 8 placed behind the bench seat 10 and separated from the passenger compartment by a partition 9. This partition 9 has an opening to allow the strap 101 to exit into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle 1.

[0097] In the present disclosure, each latch 7 (illustrated in [Fig.1] and [Fig.2]) is fixed to the floor 3 by means of a strap.

[0098] Thanks to the straps and the dimensions of the notches 28, each latch 7 is mounted movably from right to left to adapt to the different bench seat configurations described above. Typically, in configuration B with only two passengers, each latch 7 can move up to 20 mm in the transverse direction so that these two passengers can extend onto the central part 23 of the seat 20.

[0099] The motor vehicle 1 also includes a deflector 80 for the central seat belt 100 (illustrated in [Fig.8] and [Fig.9]). The deflector 80 is directly attached to the lower edge of the central part 43 of the headrest 40, underneath it.

[0100] For this purpose, the deflector 80 comprises a main blade 81 and two lugs 82 positioned at two opposite ends of the main blade 81, on the top of it.

[0101] It has an upper face 811 oriented towards the lower edge of the central part 43 of the headrest 40 and an lower face 812 turned towards an upper edge of the central part 33 of the backrest 30.

[0102] The lower face 812 of this main blade 81 is designed to come into contact with the strap 101 of the central seat belt 100 of the motor vehicle. The purpose of the deflector 80 is to prevent this strap from coming into contact with the headrest 40 itself, which would be unpleasant for the passenger and potentially damaging to the headrest 40 or even to the strap 101 of the central seat belt 100.

[0103] The main blade 81 is profiled along a transverse axis of the motor vehicle 1. In other words, it has a profile whose section (in a longitudinal plane) orthogonal to this transverse axis) is uniform along the transverse axis of the motor vehicle 1. Thus, the diverter 80 has a streamlined shape, is easily manufacturable, which limits the manufacturing costs of this diverter 80.

[0104] This main blade 81 is shaped to minimize its contact area with the strap 101. To this end, the lower face 812 of the main blade 81 has two sides 84, 85 inclined relative to each other so that the lower face 812 of the wall 83 has a dihedral shape in cross-section. The strap 101 is therefore designed to come into contact with the edge located between these two sides 84, 85 (by a quasi-linear support).

[0105] Typically, here, the two inclined faces 84, 85 form an angle between 135 degrees and 175 degrees in order to ensure optimal guidance.

[0106] Here, for aesthetic reasons, the upper face 811 of the main blade 81 also has two inclined sides, so that the section of this main blade forms a rhombus.

[0107] In practice, the motor vehicle 1 is arranged so that the strap 101 only comes into contact with the deflector 80 in rare situations. Thus, as illustrated in [Fig. 8], the edge located between the panels 84, 85 is adapted to come into contact with the strap 101 of the center seat belt 100 only when the central part 33 of the seat back 30 is inclined backwards and the passenger is taller than average. It is therefore understood that the center seat belt 100 generally passes under the deflector 80, and that it only comes into contact with the underside of the deflector 80 in this particular case.

[0108] The main blade 81 of the deflector 80 has, along the transverse axis, a dimension that is less than the width of the central part 43 of the headrest 40 ([Fig. 7]). In practice, it extends beyond the rods 71 ​​on both sides. Typically, it covers more than 50% of the width of the central part 43 of the headrest 43.

[0109] As illustrated in [Fig.8], the lugs 82 which allow the central blade 81 to be fixed to the headrest 40 engage here in two recesses provided in the central part 43 of the headrest 40. These recesses are more precisely provided in the plastic frame of the central part 43 of the headrest 40 (which is visible at the rear and on the underside of the headrest).

[0110] In this disclosure, the lugs 82 define screw holes adapted to receive screws 88 threaded through openings provided in the bottoms of the recesses. Preferably, the screws 88 are screwed from inside the central part 43 of the headrest 40, so as to be invisible, into these screw holes.

[0111] In this example, the deflector 80 is made from a single piece of material made from at least one of the following materials: steel, aluminum, plastic. Its main blade 81 is hollow.

[0112] Console

[0113] As illustrated in [Fig.10], [Fig.11] and [Fig.12], the motor vehicle 1 also includes a central console 90 positioned between the two front seats 6 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0114] Such a center console 90 can form an armrest for the occupants of seats 6 and defines storage spaces such as cup holders or compartments for personal items. It can also house various control elements for features, such as the gear lever, climate controls, audio system controls, navigation system controls, etc.

[0115] The center console 90 is designed to be fixed to the floor 3 of the motor vehicle 1. For this purpose, it includes a support 92 screwed to the floor 3 and onto which various components are mounted, including an external housing 91 which houses the other components of the console. This external housing 91 includes, in particular, an upper edge oriented towards the roof 4 of the motor vehicle 1, two sides oriented respectively towards the two seats 6, and a rear side facing the bench seat 10.

[0116] In this disclosure, the external housing 91 of the center console 90 is in several parts. It includes a lower rear part which delimits a footrest area 941 (described below) and an upper part which delimits, in particular, an armrest area 918 for the front passengers (also described below).

[0117] The rear side of the outer housing 91 of the center console 90 has a notch, hereinafter referred to as clearance 912. In other words, it forms a recess in which the passenger located in the middle of the rear bench seat 10 can put his feet (this passenger being hereinafter referred to as the center passenger).

[0118] The edge of this recess 912 has at least one flat side. Viewed in profile (in cross-section in a vertical and longitudinal plane), it thus has a dihedral shape ([Fig. 10] and [Fig. 12]). This edge therefore has two flat sides, one of which forms a flat upper surface 913 (in the upper part of the external housing 91) and the other of which forms a flat lower surface 914 (in the lower part of the external housing 91). These two surfaces are inclined relative to each other to define a void 95 between them.

[0119] Here, the lower panel 914 defines the footrest area 941. The footrest area is defined as a zone on the center console 90 onto which the entire sole of a passenger's shoe can be placed (provided it is a standard size, for example, smaller than 46 in French sizing). Preferably, this footrest area 941 allows for the simultaneous placement of a major portion of both soles of the passenger's shoes. In other words, it is arranged so that the center passenger can place both feet side-by-side on it.

[0120] The footrest area 941 is preferably rectangular in shape.

[0121] The footrest area 941 is a substantially flat part which has an average width which is greater than or equal to 15 cm, preferably between 15.5 cm and 16.5 cm.

[0122] The footrest area 941 also has an average length which is greater than or equal to 30 cm, and preferably less than or equal to 60 cm.

[0123] As illustrated in [Fig.12], the footrest area 941 is inclined, relative to the floor 3, at an angle 942 between 25 degrees and 35 degrees in order to ensure optimal comfort for the middle passenger using the footrest 941. Typically here, the angle 942 is 33 degrees.

[0124] It extends in a plane which is orthogonal to the vertical plane and which extends longitudinally (from front to back).

[0125] The support 92 is also made up of two parts, including a front support 926 which supports the upper part of the housing 91 and a rear support 927 which supports the lower rear part of the housing 91 (in particular the footrest area 941).

[0126] Advantageously, since it is subjected to less stress, the rear support 926 is less rigid than the front support 927 and is therefore lighter.

[0127] The upper part of the center console 90 may, for example, include the armrest area 918, positioned on the upper edge of the housing 91 and intended to accommodate at least one elbow of an occupant of the front seats 6 of the motor vehicle 1. Typically here, this armrest area 918 has a width greater than or equal to 15 cm, and preferably less than or equal to 30 cm.

[0128] As illustrated in [Fig. 12], the footrest area 941 is separated from the central part 23 of the seat 20 by a minimum distance of 37 cm (here 43 cm), measured along a longitudinal axis. Thus, the center passenger has sufficient legroom in the various configurations illustrated in [Fig. 4]. Preferably, this distance is less than 60 cm to allow an average-sized center passenger to rest their feet on the footrest area 941. Thus, it can be seen in [Fig. 11] and [Fig. 12] that the floor 3 includes a substantially flat area separating the bench seat 10 from the center console 90.

[0129] Preferably, the footrest area 941 is covered at least in part by carpet from the floor 3 of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle 1, improving the comfort of use of the footrest area 941.

[0130] In the example illustrated in [Fig.10], it can be seen that the central console 90 also has ventilation openings 99 located in the rear side of the housing 91 of the central console 90, at the top of it, i.e. above the clearance 912.

[0131] These air vents 99 are arranged to allow optimal airflow to the passengers seated on the bench seat 10. Typically, the air vents 99 can be adjusted by means of adjustments, for example manual controls, to allow rear passengers to direct airflow according to their preferences.

[0132] Advantageously, the air vents 99 are connected to the air conditioning system of the motor vehicle 1, thus making it possible to provide hot or cold air to the passengers sitting on the bench seat 10.

[0133] The dihedral shape of the clearance 912 thus makes it possible to offer passengers on the bench seat 10 a footrest area in the lower part without moving the ventilation outlets away from them.

[0134] In combination, the center console 90 may also include control means located on the rear side of the housing 91 to allow passengers seated on the bench seat 10 to adjust the airflow, temperature, and other parameters of the climate control system. These controls may be ergonomically integrated to facilitate their use by passengers seated in the rear of the vehicle.

[0135] It is thus understood that the central console 90 has dimensions adapted to the different needs of the passengers of the motor vehicle 1.

[0136] More broadly, it is understood that the center console 90, in particular its outer casing 91, has dimensions (length (for example here of 60 cm), width (for example here of 30 cm), height (for example here of 30 cm)) and a shape which maximize the available legroom for rear passengers, while offering features such as storage, support for armrests and integration of various electronic devices.

[0137] Variants

[0138] The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and represented, but a person skilled in the art will be able to make any variation in accordance with the invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Central console (90) of a motor vehicle (1) comprising an external housing (91) which has, on a rear side, a recessed clearance (912) one edge of which delimits a footrest area (941).

2. Center console (90) according to claim 1, wherein the footrest area (941) is flat.

3. Center console (90) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the footrest area (941) has a width greater than or equal to 15 P1T1

4. Cili. Center console (90) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the footrest area (941) has a length greater than or equal to 30 cm.

5. Center console (90) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the footrest area (941) is inclined, relative to a floor (3) of the motor vehicle (1), at an angle (942) between 25 degrees and 35 degrees.

6. Center console (90) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the external housing (91) includes at least one armrest area (918) intended for a passenger's arm to rest upon.

7. Center console (90) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a front support (926) supporting an upper part of the center console (90) and a second rear support (927) supporting the footrest area (941), the rear support (927) being less rigid than the front support (926).

8. Motor vehicle (1) comprising: - a rear bench seat (10), - at least two seats (6) positioned in front of the bench seat (10), - a center console (90) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, said center console (90) being positioned between the two seats (6).

9. Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 8, wherein the footrest area (941) is spaced from the rear seat (10) by a minimum distance of 37 cm.

10. Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the footrest area (941) is covered at least in part by a carpet of a floor (3) of the motor vehicle (1).