Motor vehicle seat

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle seat, comprising: - a seat portion (20A), - a backrest, - means for assembling the backrest on the seat portion, which comprise at least one axial metallic assembly element such as a bolt (32), and - a protective casing (50) concealing said axial metallic assembly element. According to the invention, the protective casing comprises a main portion (51) fastened to the seat portion and a hatch (52) located opposite the axial metallic assembly element, which is divisible or mounted to be movable with respect to the main portion.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE OF THE INVENTION: MOTOR VEHICLE SEAT

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates generally to the field of seating.

[0005] It relates more specifically to a seat comprising:

[0006] - a seat,

[0007] - a file,

[0008] - means for assembling the backrest onto the seat, which include at least one metal assembly pin such as a bolt, and

[0009] - a protective casing concealing said metal assembly shaft.

[0010] It also relates to a motor vehicle, typically a car, equipped with such a seat.

[0011] STATE OF THE ART

[0012] Currently, driver's seats in motor vehicles have sliding mechanisms that allow drivers to adjust their driving position. Passenger seats in these vehicles can also be equipped with such mechanisms.

[0013] These seats come in two types: manually operated and electrically operated. Typically, a seat consists of a seat frame and a backrest frame hinged together by two gussets located on either side of the seat. Each gusset is a metal piece attached to the seat frame by two bolts and has an opening through which the backrest is hinged, allowing it to tilt forward or backward.

[0014] These frames are designed to avoid excessive deformation in the event of an accident. However, in the event of a violent impact, the vehicle's chassis or the seat frame may still deform, making it difficult to extricate the vehicle's occupants.

[0015] In this eventuality, the solution currently employed consists of cutting the vehicle's uprights in order to remove the roof and thus gain easier access to the victims.

[0016] Unfortunately, this solution requires the use of powerful cutting pliers, which emergency services must be equipped with. Even if they do have them, this operation is time-consuming, which can have serious consequences for the victims.

[0017] PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION It is within this framework that the applicant sought new solutions to facilitate the extrication of victims.

[0018] One idea is to tilt the backrest horizontally so that they can be extracted through the luggage compartment.

[0019] This could be achieved using the aforementioned tilting mobility of the backrest relative to the seat.

[0020] But whether the seat is manually or electrically operated, the tilting mobility of the backrest can sometimes be blocked due to deformation of the seat frame or the vehicle chassis, or even an electrical power outage.

[0021] This solution is therefore not satisfactory.

[0022] Moreover, it is even less so because the tilting axis of the backrest is generally located above the seating surface, so that by tilting the backrest completely backwards, it would form a kind of step with the seat which could prevent the extraction of the victim.

[0023] The present invention therefore proposes to allow the tilting of the backrest using means distinct from this articulation.

[0024] More specifically, within the framework of the invention, a seat as defined in the introduction is used, the protective casing of which comprises a main part fixed to the seat and / or the backrest and / or the assembly means, and a hatch located opposite said metal assembly axis, which is breakable or mounted to move relative to the main part. Thus, this hatch allows access to the metal assembly axis (e.g., the bolt) for the purpose of dismantling it. Once the latter is dismantled, it will be possible to tilt the backrest relative to the seat, preferably so that the backrest is aligned with the seat.

[0025] Generally, gussets are provided on either side of the seat, which are attached to the seat frame by two bolts and form a hinge for the backrest frame. In this example, the invention allows emergency services to easily access one of these bolts to unscrew it, thus enabling the seat back to be tilted backward. It is understood that if each gusset is fixed to the rest of the seat frame by two bolts, removing at least one of the bolts then allows the other bolt to be used as a hinge to tilt the backrest.

[0026] Other advantageous and non-limiting features of the seat according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:

[0027] - the hatch is attached to the main part by only part of its outline;

[0028] - a gap of more than one millimeter in width is provided between the hatch and the main part; - the hatch is attached to the main part by two breakable parts located on each side of the gap;

[0029] - the hatch is attached to the main part by a thin strip which is located opposite the slot and which is adapted to form a hinge allowing the hatch to pivot relative to the main part;

[0030] - the protective casing is formed from a single piece by molding (preferably by injection);

[0031] - the hatch has a printed and / or embossed pattern on its outer face;

[0032] - the assembly means include a gusset which is fixed at least by said metal assembly axis to the seat or, respectively, to the backrest, and which is articulated on the backrest or, respectively, on the seat;

[0033] - the assembly means include two bolts fixing the gusset to the seat or, respectively, to the backrest;

[0034] - the assembly means comprise at least one metal assembly axis and a protective casing on each side of the seat, each protective casing comprising a main part fixed to the seat and / or the backrest and / or the assembly means, and a hatch located opposite said metal assembly axis, which is breakable or mounted movable relative to the main part.

[0035] The invention also proposes a motor vehicle equipped with such a seat.

[0036] Of course, the different features, variants and embodiments of the invention can be combined with each other in various ways as long as they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0037] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] The description that follows, 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.

[0039] Regarding the attached drawings:

[0040] [Fig. 1] is a schematic perspective view of a motor vehicle seat according to the invention;

[0041] [Fig. 2] is a schematic view of part of the means of assembling the seat and backrest frames of the seat in figure 1;

[0042] [Fig. 3] is a schematic side view of the seat frame of figure 1, after unscrewing some of the bolts connecting the seat and backrest frames;

[0043] [Fig. 4] is a schematic view of a protective casing equipping the seat of figure 1 and a detail of this casing illustrating a hatch in the closed position;

[0044] [Fig. 5] is a homologous view to that of figure 4, on which the hatch is shown in the open position;

[0045] [Fig. 6] is a schematic view of another protective housing fitted to the seat of figure 1.

[0046] A motor vehicle (car, bus, truck, boat, plane...) generally consists of a chassis and bodywork elements that define a passenger compartment.

[0047] Figure 1 shows a seat 1 intended to be installed in the passenger compartment of such a motor vehicle and to be fixed to the floor of that motor vehicle.

[0048] In the following description, the terms "front" and "rear" will be used in relation to the motor vehicle, the front part of an element referring to the part of that element which is located on the side of the vehicle's hood and the rear part referring to the part of that element which is located on the opposite side.

[0049] The terms "lower" (or "bottom") and "upper" (or "top") will be used similarly, the lower part of an element referring to the part of that element which is located on the floor side of the vehicle and the upper part referring to the part of that element which is located on the roof side of the vehicle.

[0050] The adjective "longitudinal" will 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.

[0051] The adjective "transverse" will apply to a direction or axis oriented orthogonally to the longitudinal and horizontal axes when the vehicle is traveling on a horizontal road.

[0052] The adjectives "internal" and "external" will be used in relation to seat 1, an external face being for example turned towards the outside of the seat when an internal face is turned towards the geometric center of the seat.

[0053] As shown in Figure 1, seat 1 typically comprises a seat 20A, a backrest 10A, and a headrest 30A, each consisting of a frame, upholstery attached to the frame, and a cover slipped over the upholstery. It should be noted that the frame of the backrest and that of the headrest could be considered the same.

[0054] As shown in Figure 3, the seat frame 2 is therefore composed of at least a seat frame 20 and a backrest frame 10. Each of these frames is, for example, formed of metal pieces fixed together.

[0055] Here, we will consider that the backrest frame 10 and the seat frame 20 each have two metal side panels 11, 21, rigidly connected by metal connecting elements (not visible). The two side panels 11, 21 of each frame extend in parallel vertical planes. Alternatively, these frames could be designed differently, for example, as plastic shells. The seat frame 20 could be rigidly fixed to the vehicle floor, but it is generally intended to be mounted for lateral movement along the floor. As shown in Figure 1, it is mounted for this purpose on two longitudinal slides 40A, each consisting of a movable rail coupled to the seat frame 20, and a fixed rail attached to the floor in which the movable rail slides.

[0056] The seat frame 20 could be fixed in height on the floor of the vehicle, but here it is intended to be mounted mobile in height, using four connecting rods, on one side, to the mobile rail, and, on the other, to the seat frame 20.

[0057] The backrest frame 10 could be rigidly fixed to the seat frame 20 so that the backrest angle is not adjustable, but it is generally intended to be mounted mobilically by tilting on the seat frame around a transverse geometric axis, hereafter called pivot axis A2 (see figure 2).

[0058] Figure 2 shows in detail the area ensuring the connection between the lateral sides 11 and 21 of these two frames. It should be noted that the connection is made in the same way on both sides of the seat, so in what follows, only one of them, shown in Figure 2, will be described in detail.

[0059] Here, this connection is ensured by assembly means 30.

[0060] These assembly means include at least one metal pin, such as a bolt, which passes through two openings provided in two metal panels of the seat to connect them. This metal pin and these openings are such that, if the pin is removed from the openings, the backrest can tilt backward.

[0061] In practice, the assembly means 30 take the following form.

[0062] They include first of all a metal wall called gusset 31, which here comes from a stamping operation of a piece of sheet metal.

[0063] This gusset 31 is designed to connect one of the side panels 11 of the backrest frame

[0064] 10 to one of the lateral sides 21 of the seat frame 20.

[0065] In the illustrated embodiment, the gusset 31 is fixed to the side sides 21 of the seat frame 20, and the backrest frame 10 is hinged to it around the pivot axis A2.

[0066] As shown in Figure 2, the gusset 31 is placed on the inside of the side sides 21 of the seat frame 20 but, alternatively, it could be placed on the outside.

[0067] This gusset 31 has an overall triangular shape with rounded corners, and

[0068] 11 has three openings located near its vertices, including a first and second opening (not visible in the figures) lower than the third opening 34. These first and second openings are identical and circular. They are located opposite two corresponding openings in the lateral side 21 of the foundation reinforcement 20. All these openings have similar dimensions. Thus, each of the first and second openings overlaps with a corresponding opening in the lateral side 21 of the foundation reinforcement 20.

[0069] The third opening 34, the one located at the top of the gusset 31, is designed to allow the backrest 10A to tilt around the pivot axis A2. For this purpose, it accommodates, for example, a hinge axis 35 fixed to the backrest frame 10. This assembly being well known to those skilled in the art, it will not be described in detail here.

[0070] In addition to this gusset 31, the assembly means 30 of the backrest frame 10 on the seat frame 20 comprise two metal axes here formed by bolts 32, 33. These bolts are each engaged through one of the first and second openings of the gusset 31 and the corresponding opening provided in the lateral side 21 of the seat frame 20 in order to rigidly fix the gusset 31 to this lateral side 21.

[0071] Each bolt here comprises a screw and a nut. Alternatively, it could comprise only a screw, in which case one of the openings provided in the gusset 31 or the side flank 21 of the seat frame 20 will be tapped so that the screw can be screwed into it.

[0072] This is a standard bolt, in M8 or M10 size.

[0073] The screw consists of a head and a threaded body that is screwed into the nut (or the threaded hole). The screw head forms a recess that allows it to be turned. As shown in Figure 2, the head could be hexagonal. Of course, as shown, for example, in Figure 5, it could have a different shape, such as a recessed shape to accommodate an Allen key or a Torx® key.

[0074] The threaded body of the screw is elongated along a geometric axis passing through the centers of the aforementioned openings, hereinafter referred to as geometric axes A1, A3.

[0075] Each screw is oriented here so that its head is located on the outside of the seat 1. This head then rests against the outside face of the side flank 21 of the seat frame 20 while the nut rests against the inside face of the gusset 31.

[0076] This bolt allows the gusset 31 to be held in support against the lateral side 21 of the seat frame 20.

[0077] The tightening torque of this bolt will preferably be such that, when the gusset 31 is fixed to the seat frame 20 by a single bolt (on each side of the seat), it is possible to manually force the backrest to tilt backwards, around the geometric axis A1, A3 of the other bolt.

[0078] On each side of the seat 1 are two gussets 31 fixed to the seat frame 10 by two bolts 32, 33. At least one of the two bolts located on one side of the seat is coaxial with one of the other bolts on the other side of the seat. In practice, at least the two rear bolts 33 are coaxial. Here, the two front bolts 32 are also coaxial.

[0079] As shown in Figure 4, the seat 1 also includes at least one protective cover 50 which conceals, in particular, the screw heads of the bolts 32 and 33 and the pivot pin 35 in order to protect them. This cover therefore serves both an aesthetic and a technical function. As shown in Figure 6, a second protective cover 60 is preferably provided, located on the other side of the seat.

[0080] These protective covers 50, 60 extend along the sides of the seat 20A, up to under the backrest 10A.

[0081] They are each formed from a single piece of plastic, using injection molding. In this case, it is polypropylene. Each protective cover has a thickness between 1 and 1.2 millimeters.

[0082] As shown in Figure 6, one of these protective covers 60, the one located on the central side of the vehicle, has no opening.

[0083] As shown in Figure 5, the other protective casing 50 has three openings through which emerge a safety belt loop 70 and two operating levers 71, 72 which respectively allow the backrest 10A to be tilted and the seat height 20A to be adjusted.

[0084] These protective covers 50, 60 could of course come in different forms.

[0085] They are preferably fixed to the frame 10 of the seat 10A, although they could alternatively be fixed to the gussets 31 or to the frame 20 of the backrest 20A.

[0086] They extend in any case at least in front of the screw heads of the 32 bolts which are located furthest forward.

[0087] In the event of an accident, the applicant wishes to allow emergency services, and in particular firefighters, easy and rapid access to the screw heads of each of the two bolts 32 located on either side of the seat 1, so that they can unscrew them. Thus, as shown in Figure 3, firefighters will be able to force the seat back 10A to pivot around the geometric axis A3 of the bolts 33, so that the seat occupant can be extricated through the vehicle's trunk.

[0088] To allow this access, each protective cover 50, 60 has a hatch 52, 62 located opposite the screw head of the bolt 32. This hatch 50, 60 can be separated from the remaining part of the cover (hereafter referred to as the main part 51, 61). It thus provides access to the corresponding screw head.

[0089] Alternatively, the hatch could be mounted movably on the main part of the protective housing and held in the closed position, for example by means of snap-fit ​​mechanisms. It could thus be hinged on the main part of the protective housing.

[0090] Here, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the two hatches 51 and 61 have identical shapes, so only one of them will be described hereafter, with reference to Figure 4. This hatch 52 is described as separable in that it is attached to the main part

[0091] 51 of the protective casing 50 by only part of its contour, this part being breakable manually or with the aid of a standard and common tool, such as a flat screwdriver.

[0092] Hatch 52 here has a square shape, but it could alternatively have a different shape.

[0093] It therefore has a four-sided edge.

[0094] On one of its sides, its edge deviates from the edge of the access window by more than one millimeter, so as to delimit a slot 53 into which firefighters can insert the tip of the flat screwdriver 80.

[0095] On the two sides adjacent to this first side, the edge of the hatch 52 is attached to the edge of the access window by two breakable sections 54. Here, these breakable sections 54 are thinner than the hatch itself (approximately 0.5 mm). Furthermore, their length is strictly shorter than the length of each of these two adjacent sides. Alternatively, the edge of the hatch 52 could be attached to the edge of the access window by a single breakable section.

[0096] On the last side, the edge of the hatch could be separated from the edge of the access window. However, here, it is attached to the edge of the access window by a thin strip 55 (typically less than 0.5 mm thick) that runs along this last side. This strip 55 is straight and thus forms a hinge, allowing the hatch 52 to pivot around it when the two breakable parts 54 have been snapped off.

[0097] As Figure 4 clearly shows, hatch 52 has a motif 56 on its outer face, allowing emergency services to easily identify it. Here, motif 56 depicts a firefighter in relief on the hatch. Alternatively, the firefighter could be printed. Of course, the motif could have a different shape, as long as it allows emergency services to clearly see the hatch.

[0098] We can now describe how, in the event of an accident, an emergency responder can extricate the occupant from the vehicle by moving them through the trunk. The first step involves potentially removing any rear seats that might obstruct access to seat 1, where the victim is located.

[0099] Next, using a flathead screwdriver which he inserts into slot 53, the agent can force open the hatch.

[0100] 52 to tilt by breaking its breakable parts 54. he can repeat this operation on the other protective casing 60, so as to open two access windows to the two bolts 32.

[0101] He can then unscrew these two bolts 32. Note that the torque to be applied to unscrew them is in the order of 25 to 30 Nm.

[0102] Once the screws of the two bolts have been removed, the officer can grasp the backrest 10 from above, so as to force it to tilt around the geometric axis A3 of the two bolts 33. Then, he can remove the victim from his seat 1 and from the vehicle.

[0103] The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment shown, but a person skilled in the art will be able to make any variation in accordance with the invention.

[0104] Typically, the rear bolts (33) could be replaced by shouldered axles fitted with circlips or pins, such an axle forming a perfect hinge.

[0105] The front bolts (32) could also be replaced with such pins. However, removing a circlip proves difficult, so it is preferable to use bolts or a pin-type pin.

[0106] While the rear bolts (33) must be coaxial to allow the backrest to tilt, the front bolts (32) may not be.

[0107] Alternatively, two access panels could be provided in each protective cover, allowing emergency services to remove all the bolts to extract the seat back from the vehicle before extricating the victim. In this variant, the rear bolts (33) will not necessarily be coaxial.

[0108] In one embodiment, the gusset could be located on the outer side of the side panel of the seat frame. However, the screw heads of the first bolts will preferably be oriented towards the outer side of the seat.

[0109] In another embodiment, the gusset could belong not to the seat frame but to that of the backrest. In this embodiment, the two bolts would then allow the gusset to be fixed to the corresponding side panel of the backrest. In this case, the cover could extend over the side of the backrest.

[0110] In yet another embodiment, the backrest frame could be fixed to the seat frame without any movement. In this variant, the two bolts provided on each side of the seat would allow one frame to be directly fixed to the other.

[0111] More generally, the hatch can be implemented on a wide variety of seats on the market, including:

[0112] - Sliding driver's seat without height adjustment

[0113] - Sliding driver's seat with mechanical height adjustment

[0114] - Fully electric driver's seat

[0115] - Sliding passenger seat without a raised section

[0116] - Sliding passenger seat with mechanical height adjustment

[0117] - Fully electric passenger seat.

Claims

DEMANDS

1. Motor vehicle seat (1) comprising: - a seat (20A), - a file (10A), - means for assembling the backrest (10A) onto the seat (20A), which include at least one metallic assembly pin such as a bolt (32), and - a protective casing (50) concealing said metal assembly axis, characterized in that the protective casing (50) comprises a main part (51) fixed to the seat (20A) and / or the backrest (10A) and / or the assembly means (30), and a hatch (52) located opposite said metal assembly axis, which is breakable or mounted movable relative to the main part (51).

2. Seat (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hatch (52) is attached to the main part (51) by only a part of its contour.

3. Seat (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a slot (53) is provided between the hatch (52) and the main part (51) of more than one millimeter in width.

4. Seat (1) according to claim 3, in which the hatch (52) is attached to the main part (51) by two breakable parts (54) located on each side of the slot (53).

5. Seat (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the hatch (52) is attached to the main part (51) by a thin strip (55) which is located opposite the slot (53) and which is adapted to form a hinge allowing the hatch (52) to pivot relative to the main part (51).

6. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the protective housing (50) is formed in one piece by molding.

7. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the hatch (51) has on its outer face a printed and / or embossed pattern.

8. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the assembly means (30) comprise a gusset (31) which is fixed at least by said metal assembly pin to the seat (20A) or, respectively, to the backrest (10A), and which is articulated on the backrest (10A) or, respectively, on the seat (20A).

9. Seat (1) according to claim 8, wherein the assembly means (30) comprise two bolts (32, 33) fixing the gusset (31) to the seat (20A) or, respectively, to the backrest (10A).

10. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the assembly means (30) comprise at least one metal assembly pin and a protective housing (50, 60) on each side of the seat (1), each protective housing (50, 60) comprising a main part (51, 61) fixed to the seat (20A) and / or the backrest (10A) and / or the assembly means (30), and a hatch (52, 62) situated opposite said metal assembly pin, which is breakable or movable relative to the main part (51, 61).

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