Sheet holding device

Abstract

To provide an improved seat holding device that allows a flipped-up seat to be fixed by opening a rear hatch and inserting a hand from the rear of a vehicle. [Solution] The seat holding device has a connecting portion provided on the seat, and holds the seat in a flipped-up position by pulling out the seat belt from a pocket provided in the pillar and connecting with this.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The following disclosure relates to a device for holding a seat in a raised position, and more particularly to a device for holding a seat by diverting a seat belt for protecting an occupant. [Background technology]

[0002] Relatively large vehicles such as minivans often have three or more rows of seats to accommodate a large number of passengers. Since not all seats are always in use, seats in the third and subsequent rows may be equipped with a mechanism that allows them to be folded up to accommodate more luggage. Such vehicles require a mechanism to keep the folded-up seats in a raised position to prevent them from accidentally falling. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that repurposes seat belts, originally intended for the safety of passengers, to keep the seats in a folded-up position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Public Actual Shinpei No. 01-81135 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the technology of Patent Document 1, to flip up and hold a seat, the user must first unbuckle the seat belt and pull it under the seat, then fold the seat back and flip up the seat, then run the unbuckled seat belt along the side of the flipped-up seat, and insert the tongue into the second buckle on the C-pillar (or D-pillar). To perform this series of steps, a person must first enter the vehicle interior, and then, to load luggage into the now-opened vehicle interior, the person must again exit the vehicle and go around to the rear of the vehicle. Other conventional technologies also require more or less cumbersome work both inside and outside the vehicle. The following disclosure relates to a seat retention device that has been improved so that this series of steps can be completed simply by inserting one's hand from outside the vehicle interior. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The seat holding device has a connecting portion provided at the rear end of the seat, and by pulling the seat belt out of a pocket provided in the pillar and connecting to this, the seat can be held in a flipped-up position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The seat belt and its connection are within arm's reach when the rear hatch is opened, so the entire process of lifting and holding the seat belt can be performed from outside the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat held in a flipped-up state, as viewed from the rear of a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a belt pocket including a locking mechanism for fastening webbing. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic representation of the relationship between the connecting portion and the webbing, in which (a) is an example in which the tongue is engaged with the buckle, (b) is an example in which the webbing is hung on a branch, (c) is an example in which the branch is further provided with a hook, and (d) is yet another example. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional elevation view showing the positional relationship between the seat belt guide and the buckle. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a lid that folds back and fixes the webbing. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing the relationship between the lid, webbing, and connecting portion, where (a) is an example using a buckle, and (b) is an example in which the webbing is hung on a branched branch. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of another example of a lid, where (a) shows the lid in an open state, (b) shows the lid in a closed state with the webbing sandwiched therebetween, and (c) shows another example of the lid's fastening portion. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a hook that supports a webbing by folding it back, where (a) is a cross-sectional elevation view and (b) is a cross-sectional plan view. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a fastener, in which (a) shows an example of fastening the webbing in a folded state, and (b) shows an example of fastening the webbing to somewhere in the vehicle interior. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Several exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is particularly noted that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and therefore should not be construed as limiting relative dimensions to one another.

[0009] The seat retention device according to this embodiment can be applied to, for example, a minivan with three rows of seats, but it can also be applied to vehicles with two rows of seats or vehicles with four or more rows of seats. In the following, an example of lifting up the right seat in the third row will be explained, and the pillar means the so-called D pillar, but it goes without saying that the device can also be applied to the left seat, and the pillar can be the C pillar, E pillar or any subsequent pillar.

[0010] Referring mainly to Figure 1, the flip-up seat 1 is pivotally supported by a hinge 15 on, for example, the rear wheel house of the vehicle. When lowered downward around the hinge 15, it lands on the floor 11, and an occupant can sit on it by unfolding the seat back 25. To flip up the seat 1, first, the seat back 25 is tilted forward F so that it is aligned with the seat cushion 23, and then the seat 1 is rotated sideways and upward around the hinge 15 to flip up the seat 1 toward the interior surface of the vehicle compartment. The seat holding device of this embodiment is used to hold the seat 1 in this flipped-up state.

[0011] The seat retention device generally comprises a seat belt 5 and a coupling part 9 supported by the seat 1 for coupling to the seat belt 5 .

[0012] The seat belt 5 can be the same as a well-known seat belt used for the safety of an occupant, and includes a webbing 31 and a tongue 33 for connecting to a buckle. The webbing 31 is stored in a pocket 43 provided in the trim 27 that covers the interior side of the pillar 3 and is pulled out through a belt guide 7. The belt guide 7 may include a swingable ring 41. The ring 41 swings following the movement of the webbing 31, thereby facilitating the pulling of the webbing 31. The other end of the webbing 31 is fixed to, for example, the side surface of the cushion frame 21 (hidden and not visible in FIG. 1 ). Typically, a tongue 33 is slidably connected to the webbing 31 midway between the fixed end and the belt guide 7, thereby allowing movement in the longitudinal direction of the webbing 31. When the webbing 31 is wound in the pocket 43, the tongue 33 follows the webbing 31 and is pulled up to the vicinity of the belt guide 7.

[0013] A retraction mechanism is provided inside the pocket 43, constantly biasing the webbing 31 in a retracting direction. The webbing 31 is withdrawn against this biasing force to enable use of the seat belt 5. The pocket 43 also includes a locking mechanism that stops withdrawal at a certain point. While this locking mechanism automatically stops withdrawal, a manual stopper 45, as shown in FIG. 2, may also be provided. In this example, the stopper 45 is pivotally supported on the edge of the pocket 43 and can be easily opened and closed by hand. When the stopper 45 is closed, for example, the webbing 31 can be freely withdrawn. When opened as shown by the two-dot chain line, the stopper 45 grips the webbing 31 and frictionally locks it into the pocket 43, thereby resisting withdrawal. Of course, the relationship between opening and closing and the lock / unlock function may be reversed, and the location of the stopper 45 is not limited to the edge of the pocket 43 but can be located anywhere on the pillar 3. Furthermore, the stopper 45 is not limited to a frictional mechanism, and any other locking mechanism, such as a clip, may be used.

[0014] Referring back to FIG. 1, the seat 1 has a connecting portion 9 for connecting to the seat belt 5, and the connecting portion 9 is supported, for example, on the rear end of the cushion frame 21. The seat belt 5 can be releasably connected to the connecting portion 9, and the seat 1 is held in a raised state by the connection. As can be easily seen from FIGS. 1 and 4, the belt guide 7 and the connecting portion 9 are very close to each other, so that the seat belt 5 can resist the rocking of the seat 1 even when the vehicle shakes slightly, thereby stabilizing the seat 1 in the raised state. For further stabilization, a stopper 45 may be used to restrict the withdrawal of the webbing 31.

[0015] The connecting portion 9 can use an engaging device such as a hook that engages with a tongue, or, as shown in FIG. 3(a), a well-known buckle 51 that connects with a general tongue can be used. In these cases, the seat belt 5 can be connected to the connecting portion 9 by using the tongue 33. Before connection, the webbing 31 is wound up by the retraction mechanism of the pocket 43, and the tongue 33 is located near the belt guide 7, so it is extremely easy to connect it to the connecting portion 9 that is flipped up nearby. In addition, if the rear hatch of the vehicle is opened, the seat 1, belt guide 7, and connecting portion 9 are all within easy reach, so the operation of flipping up and securing the seat 1 can be easily performed from outside the vehicle.

[0016] Instead of or in addition to the buckle 51, the connecting portion 9 may use a device for hooking and retracting the webbing 31, as exemplified in Figures 3(b) to 3(d). The device may be shaped like a tuning fork, for example, as exemplified in Figure 3(b), and may include an axle 53 and a branch 55 branching off from the axle 53. The axle 53 is rotatably supported by, for example, the cushion frame 21 of the seat 1, so that the entire connecting portion 9 can rotate around the axle 53 as a central axis. Preferably, the rotation axis is oriented in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle to facilitate the operation of rotating the axle 53 from the rear of the vehicle.

[0017] Each of the branches 55 has a length sufficient to hook the webbing 31. To prevent the webbing 31 from falling off, as shown in FIG. 3(c), for example, each of the branches 55 may further be equipped with a fall-off prevention means such as a hook portion 57. Also, instead of a tuning fork-like shape, the branches 59 may be inverted as shown in FIG. 3(d), in which case the webbing 31 can be hooked on both the multiple branches 59 and the shaft portion 53, which is advantageous for preventing the webbing 31 from falling off. Needless to say, the connecting portion 9 may have various other shapes.

[0018] The webbing 31 can be wound up by hooking it onto the branches 55, 59 (or onto the shaft 53) and rotating it around the shaft 53. This arrangement absorbs slack in the webbing 31, further advantageously stabilizing the seat 1. Preferably, a one-way restricting mechanism such as a ratchet mechanism that restricts rotation of the shaft 53 in one direction is provided between the cushion frame 21 and the shaft 53. This arrangement is further advantageous for preventing slack in the seat belt 5. In this case, too, the stopper 45 may be used to restrict the withdrawal of the webbing 31, or the webbing 31 may be locked by fully withdrawing it from the pocket 43 without using the stopper 45. Furthermore, a mark such as a line or a symbol may be provided on the webbing 31 at the position that contacts the branches 55, 59 when fully withdrawn.

[0019] The seat holding device can further include a seat belt retainer for restricting the unwinding of the webbing 31 and fixing its position on the pillar 3 side. An example of the retainer is an openable lid provided, for example, on the front side of the pillar 3, as illustrated in FIG. 5. After the webbing 31 has been unwound to an appropriate length, the lid 47 is clamped and closed to restrict the unwinding and fix its position. The unwound webbing 31 is folded back in the lid 47 toward the joint 9. Using the lid 47 prevents the webbing 31 from loosening, thereby enabling the seat 1 to be stably maintained in a flipped-up state.

[0020] With the lid 47, the positional relationship between the seat belt 5, belt guide 7, and connecting portion 9 is as shown in Figure 6, for example. That is, if the lid 47 is positioned so that it is at approximately the same height as the connecting portion 9 when the seat 1 is in the raised position, the distance from the lid 47 to the connecting portion 9 is the shortest, and the direction of the webbing 31 coincides with the direction in which the seat 1 tends to fall. This is advantageous in resisting the rocking of the seat 1 even if the vehicle shakes slightly, and therefore the seat 1 is maintained in a stable raised position.

[0021] The lid 47 provided on the front surface of the pillar 3 also provides convenience when an occupant sits down. That is, if the seat belt 5 is appropriately pulled out and secured by the lid 47, the tongue 33 will be located near the shoulder of the seated occupant. The occupant can grasp the tongue 33 without twisting their body too much, open the lid 47, pull out the seat belt 5, and fasten the tongue 33 to the buckle on the seat cushion 23 (the original buckle used for the safety of the occupant).

[0022] The lid 47 can be supported by the pillar 3 by a hinge mechanism as shown in FIG. 7, for example. That is, the lid 47 is pivotally supported by a hinge 61 on the trim 27 of the pillar 3 and can be opened and closed. The trim 27 is appropriately recessed so that the webbing 31 can be sandwiched between the trim 27 and the lid 47. The inner surface of the trim 27 may be provided with appropriate unevenness or the like to increase the locking force on the webbing 31. Needless to say, the inner surface of the lid 47 may also be provided with unevenness or the like. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the webbing 31 is pulled out to an appropriate length and sandwiched between the lid 47, and the lid 47 is closed as shown in FIG. 7(b), whereby the webbing 31 is fixed and folded back.

[0023] The lid 47 may be provided with an appropriately flexible claw 63, for example, at the distal end from the hinge 61, thereby facilitating engagement with the trim 27. The claw 63 may also be provided with a locking projection 65, and the trim 27 may be provided with a corresponding locking hole 67. The locking projection 65 engages with the locking hole 67 to prevent the lid 47 from accidentally opening. Needless to say, instead of the combination of the projection 65 and the hole 67, an engagement pin 69, as shown in FIG. 7(c), or other locking means may be used. Preferably, a push-lock mechanism is used, in which the lid 47 is locked by pressing it once and released by pressing it again.

[0024] Instead of the openable lid 47, a hook 71 as shown in Fig. 8 may be used. The hook 71 is, for example, a rod-shaped element that is fitted into and fixed to the trim 27, and by hooking the webbing 31 onto this and folding it back, it is sufficient to fix the position and prevent loosening. Needless to say, the positional relationship shown in Fig. 6 can also be achieved by using the hook 71. The hook 71 is a simple device and is easy to use, but it is sufficiently effective in maintaining the seat 1 in a stably raised state.

[0025] In addition to these means, a fastener 73 for appropriately securing the webbing 31 can be used. Examples of the fastener 73 include a combination of a button and a grommet that can pass through and secure the webbing 31, a snap button (snap fastener), a combination of a hook and eyelet, or a hook-and-loop fastener that can be wrapped around the webbing 31 to secure it. For example, as shown in FIG. 9( a), the fastener 73 may secure the webbing 31 folded back at the hook 71 (or the lid 47) to each other. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9( b), the webbing 31 may be secured to the trim 27. The fastener 73 can effectively resist the pulling out of the webbing 31, and is therefore advantageous for stably maintaining the seat 1 in the lifted-up state.

[0026] Although several embodiments have been described, modifications or variations of the embodiments can be made based on the above disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1 sheet 3 Pillar 5 Seatbelts 7 Belt guide 9 Joint part 11 floors 13. Windows 15 Hinge 21 Cushion Frame 23 Seat cushion 25 seat back 27 Trim 31 Webbing 33 Tongue 41 Ring 43 Pocket 45 Stopper 47 Lid 51 Buckle 53 Shaft 55,59 branches 57 Hook part 61 Hinge 63 Nails 65 Locking protrusion 67 Locking hole 69 pins 71 Hook 73 Fixtures F forward

Claims

1. A device for holding a seat in a raised position toward the interior surface of a vehicle compartment, a seat belt including a webbing and a tongue connectable to a buckle of the seat; a pocket provided on a pillar along the inner surface for storing the webbing, the pocket including a guide for guiding the webbing when pulled out and taken up, and a locking mechanism configured to resist the pulling out; a connecting portion supported by the seat and releasably connecting with the webbing to stabilize the seat in the flipped-up state; A device comprising:

2. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes a stopper pivotally supported so as to be engageable with the pocket, the stopper being configured to resist the withdrawal of the webbing when the stopper is engaged with the pocket by pinching the webbing.

3. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling portion comprises a shaft portion rotatably supported on the seat, a one-way mechanism that restricts rotation of the shaft portion in one direction, and branches branching from the shaft portion and configured to hook the webbing onto each of the branches, thereby preventing slack in the webbing and stabilizing the raised state by hooking the webbing onto the branches and rotating it.

4. a lid configured to be openably and closably coupled to the pillar and to sandwich the webbing and fix the webbing when closed, the lid being disposed so as to be at the same height as the coupling portion when the seat is in the flipped-up state; 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

5. 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the lid is configured to fold over and pinch the webbing, thereby preventing slack in the webbing.

6. 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the lid includes a hinge for pivotally mounting to the pillar and a pawl or pin for locking the lid to the pillar in a closed position.

7. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the guide includes a hook that folds back and supports the webbing, and the hook is positioned so as to be at the same height as the connecting portion when the seat is in the raised position.

8. 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the hook includes a fastener for securing the webbing either in a folded position or to the vehicle interior, thereby resisting withdrawal of the webbing.

Images