PUBLIC TRANSPORT VEHICLE PASSENGER SEAT WITH RETRACTABLE RESTRAINT ELEMENT

Abstract

The seat (14) includes at least one lateral hip support element (26), movable between a first hip support position (a) and a second gripping position (b), and comprising a gripping part (28) accessible at least in the second position (b).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a passenger seat for a public transport vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle. An example of a prior art seat is disclosed in document EP2862745 A1.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to an urban or regional rail vehicle, in which passengers are required to move around while the vehicle is in motion.

[0003] Such a railway vehicle comprises a passenger compartment, extending in a longitudinal direction and delimited by side walls in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0004] In such an urban vehicle, this passenger compartment includes at least one passageway bordered laterally by rows of at least two seats, with their backrests facing the side walls, thus facing the passageway. These seatbacks are therefore difficult to access from the aisle for holding onto, or inaccessible when a passenger is present in the corresponding seat.

[0005] Typically, vertical grab bars are arranged on either side of the row of seats in the longitudinal direction, and a horizontal grab bar, fixed to the ceiling, is arranged above the row of seats.

[0006] Thus, a passenger moving in the passageway can hold onto these vertical and horizontal grab bars, to move safely despite the movements of the vehicle.

[0007] It should be noted that, for safety reasons, it is necessary to be able to hold at least one grab bar at all times. Therefore, it must be possible to hold two grab bars simultaneously, for moving from one to the other, particularly when moving inside the vehicle.

[0008] However, for some shorter individuals, particularly those under 1.50 meters (5 feet), it is not possible to hold onto both bars simultaneously. This is especially true for women in the 5th percentile and for children. For such individuals, the horizontal support bar fixed to the ceiling is too high, and the vertical support bars are too far apart.

[0009] As a result, such a small person must necessarily let go of one vertical bar to go and grab the other vertical bar when moving down the corridor.

[0010] To address this issue, grab handles are usually installed along the passageway. These handles must be low enough to be accessible to a short person. However, such handles can be awkward for taller people, or even people of average height, as they may come up to their face, for example.

[0011] Furthermore, it is not possible to install a vertical grab bar in such a passageway, as such a bar would hinder the mobility of people with reduced mobility, particularly those in wheelchairs.

[0012] The invention aims in particular to improve the safety of the movement of people, especially small people, in a public transport vehicle, without arranging awkward hanging handles and without arranging additional vertical bars.

[0013] For this purpose, the invention relates in particular to a seat for a passenger car of a public transport vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, comprising at least one lateral hip support element, characterized in that the lateral element is movable between a first hip support position and a second gripping position, and comprises a gripping part accessible, at least in the second position (B), to a standing person to allow this person to hold on during a movement in the car.

[0014] When a person requires support while moving in the moving vehicle, they can move the side element into its second position, to hold it in its gripping part.

[0015] When seats bordering a passageway are equipped with such a lateral element, the person can remain permanently along the entire length of the passageway.

[0016] When the lateral element is not used to support a person, it is returned to its original position to fulfill its classic function of hip support.

[0017] A seat according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following technical characteristics, taken alone or in any technically feasible combination. The seat comprises a backrest and a seat extending between the backrest and a front edge. The side element is rotatable about a pivot joint with an axis defined near the front edge and substantially parallel to it. The side element is formed by a folded bar, for example, to form a loop, and connected to the pivot joint. The seat includes means for moving the side element to its second position, including, for example, an elastic return mechanism and / or motorized drive means. The seat includes first releaseable means for locking the side element in its first position. The seat includes second releaseable means for locking the side element in its second position.

[0018] The invention also relates to a car of a public transport vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, comprising at least one passenger room, characterized in that it comprises, in the passenger room, at least one seat as defined above.

[0019] A car according to the invention may further include one or more of the following technical characteristics, taken alone or in any technically feasible combination. The passenger compartment extends in a longitudinal direction and is delimited by side walls in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; the seat has a backrest facing one of the side walls. The car has a row of at least two seats, the seats in each set of two adjacent seats in the row sharing a common movable side element.

[0020] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example and with reference to the attached figures, among which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a public transport vehicle car, comprising at least one seat according to the invention; Figure 2 is a top view of the car of Figure 1.

[0021] Figures show a car 10 of a public transport vehicle. Preferably, the public transport vehicle is a rail vehicle, in particular an urban rail vehicle such as a tram or metro. Alternatively, the vehicle is a regional train. According to another alternative, the vehicle is a bus. Any other type of public transport vehicle is possible.

[0022] Depending on the public transport vehicle envisaged, it may consist of several 10 cars, generally similar.

[0023] Car 10 has a passenger room 12 extending in a longitudinal direction X. Room 12 is delimited by side walls 13 in a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X.

[0024] Room 12 contains at least one seat 14 intended for a passenger. Seat 14 typically consists of a seat cushion 16 and a backrest 18.

[0025] In this description, particular attention will be paid to a seat 14 whose backrest 18 is turned towards one of the side walls 13, as shown in the figures. In the example described, all the seats 14 are oriented in this way.

[0026] Alternatively, room 12 could include other seats (not shown) whose backrest and seat are aligned in the longitudinal direction X.

[0027] Each seat 14 is fixed in room 12 by conventional fixing means.

[0028] Preferably, room 12 has several rows 20 of seats 14 aligned in the longitudinal direction X. Each row 20 has at least two seats 14, for example three seats 14 as shown in figure 2, or alternatively four seats 14.

[0029] Two rows of 20 seats are arranged opposite each other in the transverse direction Y, together defining a passageway.

[0030] Room 12 includes a vertical grab bar 22 on either side of each row 20 in the longitudinal direction X. Furthermore, room 12 includes a horizontal grab bar 24 above each row 20 in a vertical direction Z perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y. Room 12 also advantageously includes a central vertical grab bar 23.

[0031] These vertical grab bars 22, 23 and horizontal 24 allow people moving along the aisle in the moving car 10 to hold on so as not to risk falling.

[0032] However, the horizontal grab bars 24 are not accessible to people of short stature, especially those less than 1.50m tall.

[0033] To enable shorter people to hold on while traveling in the car 12, each seat 14 has at least one lateral hip support element 26, movable between a first hip support position A and a second gripping position B. Each lateral element 26 has a gripping portion 28 accessible in the second position.

[0034] The first A and second B positions are shown in Figure 1. In the first position A, the lateral element 26 extends substantially horizontally, fulfilling a classic hip support function, and alternatively, also an armrest function. In the second position B, the lateral element 26 extends substantially vertically, so that the gripping part 28 is accessible to a person standing near the seat 14, particularly a shorter person.

[0035] Thus, when the lateral element 26 is in the second position B, it allows a small person to move in the passageway, holding onto a vertical support bar 22, 23 or a lateral element 26.

[0036] Advantageously, each lateral element 26 is rotationally mobile about a pivot joint 30 with an axis defined near a front edge of the seat, and substantially parallel to this front edge. In the case of the seats 14, this pivot axis is parallel to the longitudinal direction X.

[0037] In the example described, each lateral element 26 is formed by a bar folded to form a loop, more specifically a closed loop. For example, this loop is closed at the pivot joint 30.

[0038] Alternatively, the folded bar forms an open loop. The loop has, for example, one end connected at the pivot joint and one free end.

[0039] Alternatively, the lateral element 26 does not form a closed loop, but is formed by a folded, unclosed bar.

[0040] The seat 14 includes means for moving the lateral element to its second position B. These means for moving are, for example, controlled by a control device that can be activated from each support bar 22 bordering the assembly 20 comprising this seat 14.

[0041] For example, the movement means include an elastic element for returning the lateral element 26 to its second position B. In this case, these movement means include initial locking means for the lateral element 26 in its first position A, which can be released by actuating the control element. Actuating the control element thus releases the lateral element 26, which is then moved to its second position B by the elastic element.

[0042] Advantageously, the means of movement include secondary locking means for the lateral element 26 in its second position B, designed to hold the lateral element 26 immobile in its second position B, thus forming a fixed support element for the person grasping it. This second locking element can be released by a release mechanism, for example, arranged near the lateral element 26, and / or each support bar 22 bordering the assembly 20 comprising this seat 14.

[0043] Alternatively, the means of movement include motorized drive means to drive the lateral element 26 between its first position A and its second position B. Several options are then conceivable.

[0044] In a first possible configuration, the motorized drive means are configured to drive the lateral element 26 from its first position A to its second position B. These drive means are disengageable, and the displacement means include an elastic return element to bring the lateral element 26 back to its first position A when the drive means are disengaged.

[0045] In a second possible configuration, the motorized drive means are configured to drive the lateral element 26 from its second position B to its first position A. These drive means are disengageable, and the displacement means include an elastic return element, to return the lateral element 26 to its second position B when the drive means are disengaged.

[0046] In a third possible configuration, the motorized drive means are reversible, to drive the lateral element 26 towards one or the other of its positions depending on the command.

[0047] In a fourth possible configuration, the means of movement include only the elastic element for returning to the second position B, the lateral element 26 being manually returned to the first position A.

[0048] The configurations described above are only examples; any type of configuration of means of transport is conceivable.

[0049] Advantageously, in each row 20, at least one side element 26 is common to two adjacent seats 14. More particularly, the seats 14 of each set of two adjacent seats 14 in row 20 share a common movable side element 26.

[0050] It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but could have various complementary variants.

[0051] For example, a seat aligned with the longitudinal direction could include a lateral element 26 as described previously, particularly when this seat borders a passageway.

[0052] It is clear that the invention allows a small person to move safely within the moving car 10. Figure 2 shows, by means of circles around the support elements, all the areas in which the person can hold onto a support element. It appears that, thanks to the lateral elements 26, these areas are interconnected to allow safe movement along the entire length of the car 10.

Claims

1. A seat (14) for a car (10) for public transportation vehicle passengers, in particular railway vehicles, including at least one lateral hip wedge element (26), characterized in that the lateral element (26) is movable between a first hip wedging position (A) and a second gripping position (B), and includes a gripping part (28) accessible, at least in the second position (B), to a standing person to allow this person to hold on when moving in the car.

2. The seat (14) according to claim 1, including a seat back (18) and seat bottom (16) extending between the seat back (18) and a front edge, the lateral element (26) being rotatable around a pivot link (30) with an axis defined near the front edge and substantially parallel to said front edge.

3. The seat (14) according to claim 2, wherein the lateral element (26) is formed by a bent bar, for example to form a loop, and connected to the pivot link (30).

4. The seat (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, including means for moving the lateral element (26) toward its second position (B), for example comprising an elastic return member and / or motorized driving means.

5. The seat (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, including first releasable means for locking the lateral element (26) in its first position (A).

6. The seat (14) for a passenger according to any one of the preceding claims, including second releasable means for locking the lateral element (26) in its second position (B).

7. A public transport vehicle car (10), in particular for a railway vehicle, including at least one passenger room (12), characterized in that it includes, in the passenger room (12), at least one seat (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The car (10) according to claim 7, wherein, the passenger room (12) extending in a longitudinal direction (X) and being delimited by side walls (13) in a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X), the seat (14) includes a seat back (18) turned toward one of the side walls (13).

9. The car (10) according to claim 8, including a row (20) of at least two seats (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the seats (14) of each set of two adjacent seats (14) of the row (20) sharing a shared moving lateral element (26).