Sheet arrangement switching device

Abstract

The present invention provides a seat arrangement switching device that allows the vehicle's seats to be switched between a long arrangement and a cross arrangement in a single manual step. [Solution] A slide mechanism 6 is placed between the leg base 3 and the turntable support 4. The turntable support 4 has a first guide groove 43 with a partially arc-shaped first rotation guide groove 431 along the outer edge of the turntable 5. The leg base 3 also has a second guide groove 36 having a partially arc-shaped second rotation guide groove 362 and a slide guide groove 361 that extends linearly backward and smoothly continues therefrom. Guide rollers are provided on the sheet support portion, protruding downward and inserted into the first guide groove 43 and the second guide groove 36. The long arrangement L of the sheets S1 can be converted to a cross arrangement by applying a force in the sliding direction, and the cross arrangement C of the sheets S1 can be converted to a cross arrangement by applying a force in the rotation direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat arrangement switching device applicable as passenger equipment, particularly a seat for a railway vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in vehicles such as railway vehicles, there is known and in practical use a seat arrangement switching device for switching the seat arrangement state between a long arrangement in which the back surface of the backrest is arranged in a direction substantially parallel to the traveling direction of the vehicle, and a cross arrangement in which the back surface is arranged in a direction substantially parallel to the width direction of the vehicle (a direction substantially orthogonal to the traveling direction). The long arrangement can take up a larger space for standing passengers and aisles compared to the cross arrangement, and is a suitable arrangement when the vehicle is crowded. On the other hand, the cross arrangement is a suitable arrangement when the vehicle is not crowded because the frequency of passengers swaying laterally during acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle is lower, providing a better riding comfort.

[0003] As such a seat arrangement switching device, an electrically powered device has been proposed that includes a rotating mechanism for rotating the seat, a sliding mechanism for sliding the rotation center of the rotating mechanism to a long position closer to the side wall of the vehicle when in a long arrangement, sliding the rotation center of the rotating mechanism to a cross position further away from the side wall of the vehicle when in a cross arrangement, and sliding the rotation center of the rotating mechanism to a rotation-permitted position further away from the side wall of the vehicle than the cross position when rotating the seat, and a control unit that controls the rotating mechanism and the sliding mechanism to perform switching processes from a long arrangement to a cross arrangement and from a cross arrangement to a long arrangement (see Patent Document 1). In the seat arrangement switching device disclosed in the said document, when switching from a long arrangement to a cross arrangement, a configuration is adopted in which the sliding mechanism slides the rotation center of the rotating mechanism from the long position to a rotation-permitted position beyond the cross position, rotates the seat using the rotating mechanism, and slides the rotation center of the rotating mechanism from the rotation-permitted position to the cross position using the sliding mechanism. In other words, when switching from a long configuration to a cross configuration, if the seat is rotated with the rotation center of the rotation mechanism positioned in the long or cross position, the seat (backrest and armrests) will interfere with the side wall of the vehicle. Therefore, the rotation center of the rotation mechanism is slid to a rotation-permissible position, and finally slid to a cross position that is closer to the side wall than the rotation-permissible position, in order to minimize the dead space between the seat and the side wall of the vehicle. Similarly, when switching from a cross configuration to a long configuration, the process is configured as a three-step procedure: the rotation center of the rotation mechanism is slid from the cross position to the rotation-permissible position by a sliding mechanism, the seat is rotated by the rotation mechanism, and the rotation center of the rotation mechanism is slid from the rotation-permissible position to the long position by a sliding mechanism. The same document also discloses a configuration in which the switching between cross and long configurations is performed in two steps, but in this case, there is a problem that the gap between the seat and the side wall is not the minimum gap, resulting in dead space.

[0004] On the other hand, the applicant has invented and filed a patent application for a manual seat arrangement switching device that can switch from a long arrangement to a cross arrangement, or from a cross arrangement to a long arrangement, in two steps, thereby simplifying the switching work while also reducing the dead space between the seat and the vehicle side wall in both the long arrangement and cross arrangement configurations. This seat arrangement switching device employs a configuration in which a seat frame, a rotating support plate, and a rotating plate support base are provided between the seat body and the fixed leg base, and a sliding mechanism is provided to allow the rotating plate support base to slide back and forth in the width direction of the vehicle relative to the fixed leg base. This configuration allows switching to the cross arrangement through a two-step process: first, a forward slide process in which the turntable support is slid by the slide mechanism from the long position (the position in the long arrangement) to the cross position (closer to the center in the width direction of the vehicle); and second, a cross rotation process in which the seat frame is rotated by the turntable by a predetermined angle (approximately 90 degrees in the positive or negative direction) from the reference angle (the angle in the long arrangement). Similarly, switching to the long arrangement is possible through a two-step process: first, a long rotation process in which the seat frame in the cross arrangement is rotated by the turntable by a predetermined angle (approximately 90 degrees in the positive or negative direction) to the reference angle; and third, a return slide process in which the turntable support is slid by the slide mechanism from the cross position to the long position.

[0005] Furthermore, the seat arrangement switching device described in the same document employs a configuration in which the four corners of the seat body, in plan view, are cut into a predetermined oblique shape that fits within the rotation range of the seat body during cross rotation and long rotation processing, in order to avoid interference between the seat and the vehicle side wall and to set the minimum gap between the seat body and the side wall in cross arrangement to be approximately the same as the minimum gap between the seat body and the side wall in long arrangement. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 09-052545 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-130358 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Such seat arrangement switching devices are relatively often requested for railway vehicles with large fluctuations in passenger numbers depending on the time of day, and for tourist trains that require diverse seat arrangements. However, for local line operators in particular, adopting an electrically operated seat arrangement switching device is difficult from a cost perspective, and a manual seat arrangement switching device is inevitably required. Furthermore, local line operators tend to have insufficient manpower, so there is a need for a seat arrangement switching device that can switch between long and cross arrangements quickly and with little effort, even if it is manual. However, seat arrangement switching devices such as those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 require a two-step or three-step switching operation that combines sliding and rotating operations. The complexity of the mechanism and the number of work steps lead to increased costs, longer working times, and more effort, which has limited the number of vehicles in which they can be introduced.

[0008] This invention was made in view of the above problems, and its main objective is to provide a seat arrangement switching device that can switch the seat arrangement of a vehicle between a long arrangement and a cross arrangement in a short time with a single manual step, i.e., a single action. Furthermore, this invention is applicable not only to railway vehicles but also to vehicles such as buses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In other words, the present invention relates to a seat arrangement switching device comprising a leg base fixed to the floor of a vehicle, a seat support part that supports a seat body having at least a seat and a backrest part, a rotating disc for rotating the seat support part, a rotating disc receiver that rotatably supports the rotating disc, and a sliding mechanism for sliding the rotating disc receiver in the front-rear direction of the seat body relative to the leg base, and is configured to be switchable between a long arrangement in which the backrest surface of the backrest part is substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle and a cross arrangement in which the backrest surface is substantially parallel to the width direction of the vehicle. The seat body in the present invention is intended to be one that can be sat on by multiple users, and a two-seater seat body can be given as a preferred example, but it can also be applied to a single-seater seat body.

[0010] Furthermore, the sheet arrangement switching device according to the present invention has a first guide groove formed in the turntable support, which has a first rotation guide groove that forms a partial arc shape along the outer edge of the turntable, and a second guide groove formed in the leg base, which has a second rotation guide groove that forms a partial arc shape that can communicate with the first rotation guide groove in the vertical direction, and a slide guide groove that extends linearly to the rear smoothly continuous with the second rotation guide groove, and a guide roller is provided on the sheet support that protrudes downward and is inserted into the first guide groove and the second guide groove, and when an operating force is applied to advance the sheet body or sheet support in a long arrangement, the guide roller moves forward in the slide guide groove guided by the slide mechanism, and as a result the sheet body, sheet support, turntable and turntable support move forward together, The system is characterized in that, as the guide roller moves into the first and second rotation guide grooves and rotates, the sheet body, sheet support, and turntable rotate together with respect to the turntable receiver and leg base, converting to a cross arrangement. When a rotational force is applied to the sheet body or sheet support in the cross arrangement, the guide roller rotates as it passes through the first and second rotation guide grooves, causing the sheet body, sheet support, and turntable to rotate together with respect to the turntable receiver and leg base. As the guide roller moves into the slide guide groove and is guided by the slide mechanism to retract into the slide guide groove, the sheet body, sheet support, turntable, and turntable receiver retract together, converting to a long arrangement.

[0011] With the sheet arrangement switching device according to the present invention, the sheet arrangement can be changed to a cross arrangement by simply applying manual force to advance the sheet body or sheet support in the direction facing the backrest surface, accompanied by a rotational movement. Similarly, the sheet arrangement can be changed back to a long arrangement by simply applying manual force to rotate the sheet body in the cross arrangement, accompanied by a straight-line movement. This allows the mutual switching process between the long arrangement and the cross arrangement to be performed in a minimum of one step. Therefore, a manual sheet arrangement switching device can be provided at a low cost with a simple structure without having to adopt an electric sheet arrangement switching device, which tends to be expensive, and the labor and working time required for the sheet arrangement switching operation can also be reduced.

[0012] In particular, in the present invention, when the first rotation guide groove and the second rotation guide groove are formed in a partial arc shape with a central angle of approximately 180 degrees, and the slide guide groove is formed continuously with the center of the arc of the second rotation guide groove, it becomes possible to selectively change the seat body to a cross arrangement facing either the front or rear direction of the vehicle.

[0013] Furthermore, regardless of whether the seat arrangement is a long arrangement or a cross arrangement, it is desirable to provide a locking mechanism in order to fix the seat body in that arrangement, which consists of a locking pin provided on either the leg base or the seat support and elastically biased toward the other, and a locking hole provided on the other for inserting the locking pin.

[0014] In a seat arrangement switching device equipped with such a locking mechanism, a lock release mechanism is required when switching between a long arrangement and a cross arrangement. By placing the operating part of the lock release mechanism on the leg rest, seat support, or armrest attached as an accessory to the seat support, and by operating the operating part, the lock pin can be removed from the lock hole, making it possible to place the operating part in a location that is difficult for passengers to touch, thereby enhancing safety.

[0015] In addition, if a pressing mechanism that biases the turntable receiver or the seat support part in the long array in the forward direction and biases the seat support part in the cross array in the rotational direction is disposed on the pedestal, when the locking mechanism is released by the unlocking mechanism, the operator can reduce the required operating force, reduce the labor and the required time, and realize a smooth seat array switching operation.

Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to perform both the conversion from the long array to the cross array and the conversion from the cross array to the long array in a one-step process, realize the simplification of the manual seat array switching operation at a low cost, and reduce the labor and time required for the seat array switching operation, and it is possible to provide a seat array switching device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] Partial perspective plan view showing the seat array state by the seat array switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] View showing the seat in the long array in the same embodiment. [Figure 3] View showing the seat in the cross array in the same embodiment [Figure 4] Exploded perspective view showing the seat array switching device of the same embodiment. [Figure 5] View showing the seat support part in the same embodiment. [Figure 6] View showing the turntable receiver and the turntable in the same embodiment. [Figure 7] View showing the pedestal in the same embodiment. [Figure 8] Front (side view seen from the passage side) perspective view showing the seat array switching device of the same embodiment. [Figure 9] Perspective view showing the armrest in the seat support part of the same embodiment. [Figure 10] Perspective view showing the seat array switching device in the long array in the same embodiment. [Figure 11] Perspective view showing a sheet array switching device in the process of converting from a long array to a cross array in the same embodiment. [Figure 12] Front (side view seen from the passage side) view showing the sheet corresponding to FIG. 11. [Figure 13] Perspective view showing the sheet array switching device in the cross array in the same embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] The sheet array switching device X according to this embodiment is applicable to a vehicle such as a railway vehicle T, for example. As shown in FIG. 1, it is a device for switching a seat body 1 having a seat portion 11 and a backrest portion 12 between a long array (L) and a cross array (C). The long array (L) is a sheet array in which the backrest surface 12a of the backrest portion 12 is arranged in a direction substantially parallel to the traveling direction D of the vehicle T, and the cross array (C) is a sheet array in which the backrest surface 12a of the backrest portion 12 is arranged in a direction substantially parallel to the width direction W of the vehicle T. In this figure, in a vehicle T provided with a seat S1 equipped with a sheet array switching device X only on one side (left side in the illustrated example) of the vehicle T, and a seat S2 fixed to the long array provided on the other side across the passage TR, a state in which the seats S1 of the long array (L) and the cross array (C) are mixed is shown. Hereinafter, the seat S1 equipped with the sheet array switching device X will be described.

[0020] Figure 2 shows a seat S1 arranged in a long configuration (L), and Figure 3 shows a seat S1 arranged in a cross configuration (C). This seat S1 comprises a seat body 1 having a seat portion 11 and a backrest portion 12, a seat support portion 2 that supports the seat body 1, a base 3 fixed to the floor TF, a rotating disc receiver 4 supported by the base 3, a rotating disc 5 mounted on the rotating disc receiver 4 so as to rotate around a vertical axis and allowing the seat support portion 2 to rotate, and a sliding mechanism 6 that slides the rotating disc receiver 4 relative to the base 3. Of these, the seat support portion 2, base 3, rotating disc receiver 4, rotating disc 5, and sliding mechanism 6 are the main components of the seat configuration switching device X of this embodiment.

[0021] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the seat support section 2 mainly consists of a base frame 21 on which the seat portion 11 is placed, a pair of left and right back frames 22 erected at the rear end of the base frame 21 (the back frames 22 are omitted in Figure 5), and armrests 23 erected on both sides of the base frame 21 (in Figure 5, the armrests 23 are omitted in (b), and only the lower ends of the armrests 23 are shown in (c)). Figure 5 mainly shows the base frame 21, but Figure 5(a) shows a bottom view that is inverted vertically for explanatory purposes. The base frame 21 consists of a seat frame 211 formed by bending and welding a metal plate so that its vertical cross-section is inwardly shaped like a "U" and its plan view is shaped like a "square", and three reinforcing bars 212, 213 on the left, right, and center that are extended in the front-to-back direction with a vertical cross-section that is open upwards inside the seat frame 211. The bottom walls of each reinforcing brace 212 and 213 have multiple circular holes formed in them to reduce weight.

[0022] A top plate 214 is provided at the rear end of the central reinforcing bar 213. The foot plates 221 of the left and right back frames 22 are attached so as to straddle the rear ends of the upper walls on both sides of the seat frame 211 and the top plate 214 of the reinforcing bar 213. To adjacent foot plates 221, back frames 222 formed by combining metal pipe materials to form a vertically long "L" shape in front view are fixed. At the upper end of each back frame 222, a head frame 223 formed into a "U" shape in front view by bending and welding a metal pipe material is attached. The backrest portion 12 supported by such a back frame 22 has a shape that supports the back and head of the seated person, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Also, on the upper surface of the seat frame 211, a seat plate 215 (shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 5) having a shape that avoids the top plate 214 and the foot plates 221 of the back frame 22 is placed and fixed, and the seat portion 11 is directly placed on this seat plate 215. A large number of round holes are also formed in the seat plate 215 for weight reduction. Note that the seat portion 11 and the backrest portion 12 incorporating cushioning materials may constitute a backrest-seat integrated seat body 1. The armrest 23 is an accessory of the seat support portion 2 formed of a corner frame so as to generally form a trapezoid in side view by synthetic resin molding, and is attached so as to stand on the outside of both side portions of the seat frame 211. The upright column 231 on the rear end side of the armrest 23 is formed thicker than other parts and is arranged so as to overlap with the foot plate 221 of the back frame 22, and the upper front portion where the seated person places the hand is round.

[0023] Also, in the vicinity of the rear end at the bottom of the central reinforcing bar 213 in the central portion of the seat frame 211, at a position that is the center in the width direction of the entire base frame 21, a guide roller 24 is provided so as to project downward. The guide roller 24 is composed of a cylindrical shaft portion 241 whose upper end is fixed to the bottom of the reinforcing bar 213 and a disk-shaped roller portion 242 that is attached to the lower end of the shaft portion 241 and is made rotatable around a vertical axis by incorporating a bearing. Also, at a position slightly above the roller portion 242 on the shaft portion 241, a gripping portion 243 is formed by partially reducing the diameter and making it concave in a ring shape.

[0024] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the base 3 is a box-shaped hollow member with a rectangular shape in plan view, fixed to the floor TF, and is formed by combining metal plates. The long side walls 31, 31 of the base 3 are oriented in the forward and backward direction D of the vehicle T, one short side wall 32 is oriented towards the passage TR, and the other short side wall 33 is oriented towards the wall surface TW. The upper side of the base 3 is covered by an upper wall 34 that occupies about 4 / 5 in the longitudinal direction (width direction W of the vehicle T) and an upper cover 35 that occupies the remaining 1 / 5. The upper wall 34 is made of a metal plate with multiple circular holes formed in it for weight reduction, and a second guide groove 36 that penetrates vertically is formed therein. The second guide groove 36 consists of a slide guide groove 361 that extends linearly parallel to the width direction W from near the rear end of the central part of the upper wall 34 in the direction of travel D of the vehicle T to near the central part of the upper wall 34 in the width direction W of the vehicle T, and a second rotation guide groove 362 that forms a semi-circular arc shape with a central angle of approximately 180° and smoothly continues from the front end of the slide guide groove 361 with a curved shape of a large curvature. The connection portion between the slide guide groove 361 and the second rotation guide groove 362 is the apex of the semi-circular shape of the second rotation guide groove 362, and the outer edges of the openings of the slide guide groove 361 and the second rotation guide groove 362 are set to a gently curved shape (partial arc shape). The opening width of this second guide groove 36 is set to a size that allows the guide roller 24 to pass through, and when assembling the sheet 1, the roller portion 242 of the guide roller 24 is set to roll along the second guide groove 36.

[0025] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the rotating plate support 4 is a member configured to be roughly square in plan view, and mainly consists of a rotating plate support plate 41 formed by bending both ends in the direction of travel D of the vehicle T downwards. Reinforcement is provided by fixing reinforcing members 42 made of thin square pipe material to the four sides of the upper surface of the rotating plate support plate 41. The rotating plate support plate 41 has a first guide groove 43 that penetrates vertically from the center to the rear end in the width direction W of the vehicle T. The first guide groove 43 consists of a first rotation guide groove 431 which is semi-circular in shape with a central angle of approximately 180° and is almost identical in size and shape to the second rotation guide groove 362. At the top of the semi-circular shape of the first rotation guide groove 431, there is a continuous insertion groove 44 that communicates linearly with the rotating plate support plate 41 and the central part of the reinforcing member 42 located at the rear end in the width direction W, opening to the rear in the direction of travel D. The opening width of the first guide groove 43 (first rotation guide groove 431) is set to a size that allows the guide roller 24 to pass through, and when assembling the sheet 1, the gripping portion 243 on the shaft portion 241 of the guide roller 24 is set to be in contact with the first guide groove 43.

[0026] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, a turntable 5 is attached to the center of the turntable support plate 41. The turntable 5 consists of a lower disc 51 and an upper disc 52 that are almost symmetrical in shape, and an annular retaining ring 53 that has almost the same diameter as the lower disc 51. The upper disc 52 is slightly smaller in diameter than the lower disc 51. The lower disc 51 and the upper disc 52 have flat central recesses 511 and 521, flat inner protrusions 512 and 522, outer protrusions 513 and 523 that bulge out in a semicircular shape in vertical cross-section, and outer edge flat portions 514 and 524 formed radially outward from the center. The lower disc 51 is fixed to the turntable support plate 41 at the central recess 511 and the outer edge flat portion 514. Furthermore, the outer edge flat portion 514 of the lower disc 51 and the retaining ring 53 are fixed in a state where the outer edge flat portion 524 of the upper disc 52 is sandwiched between them from above and below. In addition, multiple ball bearings 54 are housed between the outer protrusions 513 and 523, and this configuration allows the upper disc 52 to rotate around a vertical axis while maintaining its center relative to the lower disc 51. The central part of the upper disc 52 is aligned with the central round hole 213a of the central reinforcing bar 213 of the seat frame 211 (shown as dashed lines in Figure 7(b)), and the central recess 521 of the upper disc 52 and the reinforcing bar 213 are fixed together, so that the upper disc 52 and the seat frame 211 can rotate as a single unit, that is, the turntable 5, the seat support portion 2 and the seat body 1 can rotate horizontally relative to the turntable receiver 4.

[0027] Between the pedestal 3 and the turntable receiver 4, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7, a slide mechanism 6 is provided that slides the turntable receiver 4 in the longitudinal direction in the vehicle width direction W of the vehicle T with respect to the pedestal 3 in a straight-line motion. This slide mechanism 6 mainly consists of a rail portion 61 provided along both side edges on the long side of the upper wall 34 of the pedestal 3 and a slider portion 62 provided along both side edges of the turntable receiver plate 41 of the turntable receiver 4. The rail portion 61 is composed of a base plate 611 fixed to both side edges on the long side of the upper wall 34 of the pedestal 3 and extending parallel to the vehicle width direction W of the vehicle T, having a flat plate shape, and a rail 612 fixed to the base plate 611. The rail 612 is a member that is slightly shorter than the base plate 611 and does not reach the side wall 32, and has a shape in which the central portion in the height direction of both rising surfaces is recessed in a partial arc shape over the longitudinal direction. The slider portion 62 is composed of a mounting plate 621 provided along both side edges of the turntable receiver plate 41 and extending slightly inward and parallel to the vehicle width direction W of the vehicle T, and a slider 622 having a substantially the same size as the mounting plate 621 and having a "U" - shaped longitudinal cross-section and equipped with a ball bearing 623 inside. Then, by inserting the rail 612 into the inside of the slider 622 through the ball bearing 623 in the longitudinal direction, the turntable receiver 4 is configured to be slidably movable back and forth in the vehicle width direction (the longitudinal direction when viewed from the passage TR side) W with respect to the pedestal 3.

[0028] In such a slide mechanism 6, in order to move the turntable receiver 4 forward in the vehicle width direction W of the vehicle T (movement from the wall TW side to the passage TR side) with respect to the pedestal 3 and attenuate and relieve the impact when the guide roller 24 reaches the connection portion with the second rotation guide groove 362 of the slide guide groove 361, on the upper wall 34 of the pedestal 3, a pair of shock absorbers 63 is arranged slightly inward of the pair of rail portions 61 and near the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the rail 612 with the tip portions facing the wall TW side. And a pair of stopper plates 64 that collide with these shock absorbers 63 are attached to the longitudinal rear end portion of the slider portion 62 attached to the turntable receiver plate 41 of the turntable receiver 4, and are attached to the turntable receiver plate 41 together with the slider portion 62 so that the tip portions protrude inward (in the traveling direction D of the vehicle T) of the turntable receiver plate 41.

[0029] Furthermore, in the sheet arrangement switching device X of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9, a locking mechanism 7 is provided between the leg base 3 and the sheet support 2 to fix the sheet S1 in place when it is arranged in a long arrangement (L) or a cross arrangement (C), and a release mechanism 8 is provided to release the fixed state by the locking mechanism 7. The locking mechanism 7 consists of a locking pin 71 placed on the leg base 3 and three locking holes 73, 74, 74 through which the locking pin 71 is inserted. The locking pin 71 consists of a pin 71a positioned vertically, a spring 71d that biases the pin 71a upward from below via washers 71b and 71c, a cylindrical case 71e that houses the lower end of the pin 71a and the spring 71c, and a guide frame 72 that guides the vertical movement of the pin 71a. The guide frame 72 is mounted on the upper surface of the upper wall 34 of the leg base 3, at a position closer to the upper cover 35 in the width direction W of the vehicle T (towards the back when viewed from the passage TR side) than the slide guide groove 361, and in the central part in the direction of travel D of the vehicle T (center in the width direction when viewed from the passage TR side). It consists of a horizontal mounting piece 72a fixed to the upper wall 34, a pair of vertical pieces 72b rising from the longitudinal center of both horizontal mounting pieces 72a, and a guide piece 72c that is horizontally positioned between the upper ends of both vertical pieces 72b. A round hole 72d for inserting a pin 71a is formed in the center of the guide piece 72c. The case 71e is mounted on the lower surface of the upper wall 34 directly below the guide frame 72. A through hole for inserting a pin 71a is formed in the upper wall 34 at the location where the guide frame 72 and case 71d are mounted. Furthermore, in the long arrangement (L), when the pin 71a passes up and down the rotating plate support 4, it passes through the insertion groove 44 to avoid interference with the rotating plate support 4.

[0030] The locking holes 73 are provided to secure the seats S1 in the long arrangement (L). These locking holes 73 are formed vertically through the central reinforcing bar 213 attached to the seat frame 211 of the seat support section 2, at a position closer to the top cover 35 in the width direction W of the vehicle T (towards the back when viewed from the aisle TR side), and in the central part in the direction of travel D of the vehicle T (the center in the width direction when viewed from the aisle TR side). The area around the locking holes 73 is reinforced with a square-shaped backing plate 73a fixed to the reinforcing bar 213. The two locking holes 74 are provided to secure the seats S1 when they are arranged in a cross arrangement (C), regardless of which direction the vehicle T is facing in the direction of travel D. These locking holes 74 are formed in the central part of the seat frame 211 in the width direction W of the vehicle T, near the front and rear ends in the direction of travel D of the vehicle T (both ends in the width direction when viewed from the aisle TR side), at a position where the center of the central round hole 213a formed in the reinforcing bar 213 is in a straight line with the direction of travel D of the vehicle T. The area around the lock hole 74 is reinforced with a square-shaped backing plate 74a fixed to the seat frame 211.

[0031] In the seat arrangement switching device X of this embodiment, a release lever 81 provided on the leg rest 3 and a pair of release levers 82 provided on a pair of armrests 23 attached to the seat support 2 serve as the operating parts for the lock release mechanism 8. These operating parts (release levers 81 and 82) are deliberately placed in locations that are difficult for passengers' hands and feet to reach in order to prevent passengers from accidentally touching them. Specifically, the release lever 81 is located in a lever unit 81a provided inside the side wall 32 of the leg rest 3, and is configured to be tongue-shaped so that it can be operated by pulling it up with the operator's hand through an opening window 32a formed in the center of the height direction of the center of the width direction of the center of the side wall 32 in the direction of travel D of the vehicle T (center of the aisle TR side). The release lever 81 is connected to a wire cable 83, and by inserting the other end of the wire cable 83 into the lower end of the pin 71a, when the release lever 81 is pulled up, the wire cable 83 pulls down the pin 71a, and the upper end of the pin 71a is pulled out from the lock hole 73. A pair of release levers 82 are positioned on a lever unit 81a fitted into an opening window 231a formed at the upper front end of the upright column 231 of the armrest 23, and are configured with a tongue shape that allows the operator to pull up the lower end by hand. The release levers 82 are connected to a wire cable 84, and by inserting the other end of the wire cable 84 into the lower end of the pin 71a, when the release lever 82 is pulled up, the wire cable 84 pulls down the pin 71a, and the upper end of the pin 71a is pulled out from the lock hole 73. The wire cable 83 is held at an appropriate location inside the footrest 3, and the wire cable 84 passes inside the armrest 23 and is held on the underside of the seat frame 211, and in the long arrangement (L), both wire cables 83 and 84 are fixed to the pin 71a by passing through the insertion groove 44.

[0032] Furthermore, in the seat arrangement switching device X of this embodiment, the lock release mechanism 8 releases the engagement between the lock pin 71 and the lock holes 73 and 74 in the lock mechanism 7, and a pressing mechanism 9 is provided to bias the seat support 2 in the direction of operation in order to reduce the burden of switching between the long arrangement (L) and the cross arrangement (C) of the seat S1. First, as the pressing mechanism 9 that biases the rotating disc receiver 4 in the long arrangement (L) in the forward direction (towards the passage TR in the width direction W of the vehicle T) to slide, as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8, a pair of dampers 91, each with a rubber tip 91a biased by a strong spring, are fixed side by side on the upper cover 35 of the leg base 3, and the tips 91a of these dampers 91 are pressed against the rear wall 41a formed by bending the rear end of the rotating disc receiver plate 41 (the end of the wall side TW in the width direction W of the vehicle T) downward, thereby pushing out the rotating disc receiver 4, the seat support 2 and the seat body 1. The damper 91 also plays a role in mitigating the impact when the seat S1 is changed from a cross arrangement (C) to a long arrangement (L) by causing the rear wall 41a of the rotating disc support plate 41 to collide with the tip portion 91a.

[0033] On the other hand, as a pressing mechanism 9 that biases the seat support 2 in the cross arrangement (C) in the rotational direction, as shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 9, a pair of dampers 92 having the same configuration as the damper 91 described above are fixed in a straight line to the side of each damper 91 (in the front-rear direction in the direction of travel D of the vehicle T) on the upper cover 35 of the leg base 3, with the tip 92a of each damper 92 facing the front and rear of the vehicle T. The tip 92a of these dampers 92 are pressed against a projection 232 having a "U" shape in cross shape, which is attached to the front end of the armrest 23 of the seat support 2 in the cross arrangement (C) facing the front or rear of the vehicle T, so as to push out the seat support 2, the seat body 1 and the rotating plate receiver 4. The damper 92 also plays a role in mitigating the impact when the seat S1 is changed from a long arrangement (L) to a cross arrangement (C) by causing the projection 232 of the armrest 23 to collide with the tip 92a.

[0034] The operation and behavior of the sheet arrangement switching device X of this embodiment, which has the configuration described above, in switching the sheet S1 from a long arrangement (L) to a cross arrangement (C), and from a cross arrangement (C) to a long arrangement (L), will be explained below.

[0035] First, in the long-arranged (L) seat S1 shown in Figure 10, the backrest surface 12a of the backrest portion 12 is facing the passage TR side. In this state, the lock mechanism 7 is activated, causing the pin 71a of the lock pin 71 provided on the upper wall 34 of the leg base 3 to be biased from below and inserted into the lock hole 73 of the central reinforcing bar 213 attached to the seat frame 211 of the seat support portion 2. In this state, when an operator manually pulls up the release lever 81 of the lock release mechanism 8 or pulls up either of the two release levers 82, the pin 71a of the lock pin 71 descends and is removed from the lock hole 73, releasing the lock and allowing the components above the leg base 3 (rotating disc receiver 4, rotating disc 5, and seat support portion 2) to move. Here, the worker places their hands on a part of the seat body 1 (e.g., the backrest 12) or a part of the seat support 2 (e.g., the armrest 23) and applies force toward the aisle TR in the width direction W of the vehicle T. At the same time, the tip 91a of the damper 91 pushes out the rear wall 41a of the turntable support plate 41, causing the seat body 1 to move forward toward the aisle TR as a unit with the seat support 2, the turntable 5, and the turntable support 4. This forward movement is ensured by the straight-line movement of the turntable support 4 relative to the leg base 3 by the slide mechanism 6, and is accompanied by the forward movement of the guide roller 24 along the slide guide groove 361 of the leg base 3 and the damping of the forward movement by the oil damper 63. When the guide roller 24 reaches the boundary between the slide guide groove 361 and the second rotation guide groove 362 (shown by dashed lines in Figures 11 and 12), the pair of slider sections 62 collide with the shock absorber 64, mitigating the impact, and at the same time, the first rotation guide groove 431 of the rotating disc support 4 becomes vertically connected to the second rotation guide groove 362. In this state, the front end 11a of the seat section 11 is in a position advanced toward the passage TR, as shown by dashed lines in Figure 2.Here, because the slide guide groove 361 and the second rotation guide groove 362 are smoothly continuous, and the semi-circular shape of the second rotation guide groove 362 includes a component in the width direction W, when an operator continues to apply force in the forward direction while intending the orientation of the seat body 1 to be either forward or backward in the direction of travel D of the vehicle T, the guide roller 24 begins to move to either the quarter-circular arc of the second rotation guide groove 362 or the first rotation guide groove 431 that matches that orientation, and at the same time, the seat support part 2 and the turntable 5 smoothly transition to rotational movement relative to the turntable receiver 4 and the leg base 3. This rotational movement continues until the guide roller 24 reaches the ends of the second rotation guide groove 362 and the first rotation guide groove 431. When the orientation of the seat body 1 has rotated 90°, the projection 232 of the armrest 23 collides with the tip 92a of the damper 92, mitigating the impact. At the same time, the pin 71a, which is biased upward on the lock pin 71, rises and enters one of the lock holes 74, locking the seat support 2 to the footrest 3. The seat S1 is then converted to the cross arrangement (C) shown in Figure 13 and maintained in that position. The operating area of ​​the seat body 1 associated with this rotational movement is inside the semicircle C1 shown by the dashed line in Figure 2.

[0036] In the cross-arranged (L) seat S1 shown in Figure 13, the backrest surface 12a of the backrest portion 12 is facing either forward or backward in the direction of travel D, and the locking mechanism 7 is activated in this state. In this state, when the operator manually pulls up either the release lever 81 or 82 of the release mechanism 8, the pin 71a of the lock pin 71 descends and is removed from the lock hole 74, releasing the lock and allowing the components above the footrest 3 (rotating plate receiver 4, rotating plate 5, and seat support portion 2) to move. At this point, when the operator places their hand on a part of the seat body 1 (e.g., the backrest portion 12) or a part of the seat support portion 2 (e.g., the armrest 23) and applies force in the direction of rotation, the tip 92a of the damper 92 pushes out the projection 232 of the armrest 23, causing the seat body 1 to start rotating together with the seat support portion 2 and the rotating plate 5. When the guide roller 24 passes through the second rotation guide groove 362 and the first rotation guide groove 431 and reaches the boundary between the second rotation guide groove 362 and the slide guide groove 361, because the second rotation guide groove 362 and the slide guide groove 361 are smoothly continuous and the semi-circular shape of the second rotation guide groove 362 includes a component in the width direction W, if the operator continues to apply force in the rotation direction while intending the orientation of the seat body 1 to be in the width direction W of the vehicle T, the guide roller 24 will begin to move into the slide guide groove 361, and at the same time, the orientation of the seat body 1 will rotate 90° as the seat support 2, the turntable 5, and the turntable receiver 4 smoothly transition to a retraction movement relative to the leg base 3. The operating range of the seat body 1 accompanying this rotation movement is inside the circle C2 shown by the dashed line in Figure 3. As the operator continues to apply force, the slide mechanism 6 initiates the straight-line movement of the turntable support 4 relative to the base 3, causing the guide roller 24 to move backward along the slide guide groove 361 of the base 3. When the guide roller 24 reaches the end of the slide guide groove 361, the rear wall 41a of the turntable support plate 41 collides with the tip 91a of the damper 91, mitigating the impact. At the same time, the pin 71a of the lock pin 71, which is biased upward, rises and enters the lock hole 73, locking the seat support 2 relative to the base 3, and the seat S1 is converted to a long arrangement (L) and maintained in that position.

[0037] Thus, with the seat arrangement switching device X of this embodiment, although the switching between a long arrangement (L) and a cross arrangement (C) involves two types of movements of the seat body 1—sliding and rotating—after unlocking, the operation by a worker such as a train crew member or station staff member is limited to applying force in one direction to move the seat body 1. Therefore, it is possible to complete the operation in essentially one manual step. Consequently, it is possible to reduce the labor required for changing the arrangement of the seats S1 and simplify the structure of the seat arrangement switching device X, making it possible to introduce a seat arrangement switching device X at a low cost that can change the seat arrangement in a short time with fewer personnel.

[0038] Furthermore, in the seat arrangement switching device X of this embodiment, as shown by the semicircle C1 in Figure 2 and the circle C2 in Figure 3, the range of rotation of the seat body 1 is extremely compact and is located on the aisle TR side of the leg base 3 than the side wall 33 on the wall TW side. Therefore, the leg base 3 can be brought as close as possible to the wall TW of the vehicle T without requiring any processing such as cutting a part of the corner of the seat body 1, thereby minimizing the gap between the seat S1 and the wall TW. In conjunction with this, it is also possible to secure the widest possible width for the aisle TR.

[0039] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, in the embodiments described above, the first rotation guide groove 431 and the second rotation guide groove 362 are made into semi-circular shapes so that the cross arrangement (C) can face either side of the vehicle T's direction of travel D. However, if the orientation of the cross arrangement (C) is predetermined to be in one direction, the first rotation guide groove and the second rotation guide groove can be made into quarter-circular arcs with a central angle of approximately 90°. Furthermore, by providing lock holes at locations corresponding to the middle portions of the first rotation guide groove 431 and the second rotation guide groove 362, a cross arrangement (C) that faces diagonally with respect to the direction of travel D can be established.

[0040] Furthermore, the same effect can be achieved by reversing the arrangement configuration from the above-described embodiment, such as providing the rail portion on the rotating plate support 4 and the slider portion 62 on the leg base 3 in the slide mechanism 6, or providing the lock pin on the seat support portion 2 and the lock hole on the leg base 3 in the lock mechanism 7.

[0041] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the unlocking mechanism 8 was shown to have a total of three operating parts: a release lever 81 on the footrest 3 and two release levers 82 on the armrests 23, in order to simplify the unlocking operation. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration that reduces the number of parts or a configuration different from the embodiment, such as limiting the release lever 82 to one of the armrests 23, adopting a configuration in which a release lever is provided on only one of the footrests 3 or armrests 23, changing the release lever 81 on the footrest 3 to a release pedal operated by foot, or adopting a configuration in which the operating parts are provided in places other than the footrest 3 or armrests 23.

[0042] Furthermore, the specific configuration of each part is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] X...Sheet arrangement switching device C...Cross arrangement L...Long arrangement S1...Seat T... Vehicle TR…floor 1…Seat body 11... Seat part 12...Backrest 12a...Back support surface 2...Seat support section 24... Guide roller 3...Step stool 36…Second guide groove 361... Slide guide groove 362...Second rotation guide groove 4… Rotating disc receiver 43…First guide groove 431...First rotation guide groove 5… Rotating disc 6…Slide mechanism 7…Locking mechanism 8…Lock release mechanism 81, 82... Operation section (release lever) 9…Pressing mechanism

Claims

1. In a seat arrangement switching device configured to switch the orientation of a vehicle's seats between a long arrangement that is approximately parallel to the direction of travel and a cross arrangement that is approximately parallel to the width direction, The vehicle comprises a leg base fixed to the floor, a seat support for supporting a seat body having at least a seat and a backrest, a rotating disc for rotating the seat support, a rotating disc receiver for rotatably supporting the rotating disc, and a sliding mechanism for sliding the rotating disc receiver in the front-rear direction relative to the leg base of the seat body. The turntable support is provided with a first guide groove having a partial arc shape along the outer edge of the turntable, and the leg base is provided with a second guide groove having a partial arc shape that can communicate vertically with the first guide groove, and a slide guide groove that extends linearly to the rear smoothly and continuously with the second guide groove, and the seat support is provided with a guide roller that protrudes downward and is inserted into the first guide groove and the second guide groove. When an operating force is applied to advance the seat body or seat support portion, which are in the long arrangement where the backrest surface of the backrest portion is substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle, the guide roller is guided by the slide mechanism and moves forward in the slide guide groove, causing the seat body, seat support portion, turntable, and turntable support to move forward together, and as the guide roller moves to the first and second rotation guide grooves and rotates, the seat body, seat support portion, and turntable rotate together with respect to the turntable support and the footrest, causing the backrest surface to be converted to the cross arrangement where it is substantially parallel to the width direction of the vehicle. A sheet arrangement switching device characterized in that, when a rotational operating force is applied to the sheet body or the sheet support in the cross arrangement, the guide roller rotates as it passes through the first rotation guide groove and the second rotation guide groove, causing the sheet body, the sheet support, and the turntable to rotate together with respect to the turntable receiver and the leg base, and as the guide roller moves into the slide guide groove and is guided by the slide mechanism to retract into the slide guide groove, the sheet body, the sheet support, the turntable, and the turntable receiver retract together, thereby converting to the long arrangement.

2. The sheet arrangement switching device according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation guide groove and the second rotation guide groove are in the shape of a partial arc with a central angle of approximately 180 degrees, and the slide guide groove is formed continuously with the central part of the arc of the second rotation guide groove.

3. A seat arrangement switching device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a locking mechanism that holds the long arrangement or the cross arrangement, comprising a locking pin provided on either the leg base or the seat support and elastically biased toward the other, and a locking hole provided on the other for inserting the locking pin.

4. The seat arrangement switching device according to claim 3, further comprising a lock release mechanism for releasing the locked state by the lock mechanism, and an operating part for removing the lock pin from the lock hole provided on the leg base or the seat support.

5. The seat arrangement switching device according to claim 1, wherein a pressing mechanism is provided on the leg base for biasing the rotating disc receiver or the seat support in the long arrangement in the forward direction and biasing the seat support in the cross arrangement in the rotational direction.

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