Vehicle seat provided with an adjustable seat cushion

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat provided with an adjustable seat cushion. The seat cushion (10) comprises a cushion body (20) and a cushion front portion (30) movably connected to cushion body by means of a device (1) including a support (3) fastened to the cushion body and comprising a pair of side walls provided with respective slots (11a, 11b), a slider (9) fastened to the cushion front portion and comprising at least one pair of projecting pins (13, 13b) arranged on the two sides respectively of the slider and received and retained in a corresponding slot of the support, and a locking arrangement for selectively allowing or preventing movement of the slider pins along the support slots. By appropriately designing the shape of the support slots, it is possible to move forward the front portion of the seat cushion and at the same time to incline it upwards.

Description

Vehicle seat provided with an adjustable seat cushion

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat provided with an adjustable seat cushion.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicle seat comprising a seat cushion that is adjustable both in length and in height and in inclination relative to the vehicle floor.

[0003] In order to improve the comfort of drivers and passengers while travelling, vehicle seats are generally provided with devices allowing to vary the position of the seat relative to the vehicle floor and with devices allowing to vary the position of seat parts relative to each other.

[0004] More specifically, vehicle seats are usually provided with a sliding device for pushing or pulling the seat cushion in a forward or backward direction relative to the vehicle floor, a height adjustment device for adjusting the height of the seat cushion relative to the vehicle floor and a reclining device for adjusting the inclination of the seat backrest relative to the seat cushion.

[0005] These devices can be implemented by very simple mechanisms, so that they can be provided in almost all vehicles without necessarily involving an increase in the manufacturing costs and times.

[0006] It is also known to provide the vehicle seat with a device for adjusting the position of the seat cushion in order to let the user’s legs rest against the front end of the seat cushion.

[0007] In case of motor vehicles, such device is particularly useful, as it allows to provide a better support to the user’s knees and increase the user’s comfort even during long trips.

[0008] According to prior art, these adjusting devices are usually implemented by means of two separate mechanisms: a first mechanism allows to increase the seating surface of the seat cushion by moving forward the front portion of the seat cushion; a second mechanism allows to tilt upwards the front portion of the seat cushion.

[0009] Thanks to the combination of these two movements, the front portion of the seat cushion can be brought to abut against the user’s knee pits and support them.

[0010] However, the provision of two separate mechanisms makes the overall construction of the known devices complex.

[0011] In addition, each of these mechanisms has a complex structure and a very high number of parts.

[0012] As a result, incorporating such device in a vehicle seat involves a remarkable increase in the manufacturing costs and times.

[0013] For this reason, while sliding devices or reclining devices are provided in almost all the vehicle seats, such devices for adjusting the seat cushion can only be integrated in top-of-the-range solutions.

[0014] JP S 57-11612 discloses a vehicle seat provided with a device that only allows to incline upwards the front portion of the seat cushion; however, said device does not allow to move forward said front portion of said seat cushion for increasing the overall length of the seat cushion. Indeed, in the vehicle seat disclosed in this document inclining upwards the front portion of the seat cushion involves a reduction of the overall length of the seat cushion rather than an increase thereof.

[0015] Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to overcome the limitations set forth above by providing a vehicle seat equipped with a device for adjusting the seat cushion implemented by a mechanism having a simple structure and a limited number of parts.

[0016] In this respect, another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat equipped with a device allowing to adjust both the length and the inclination of the seat cushion implemented by means of a single mechanism.

[0017] These and other objects are achieved with the vehicle seat as claimed in the appended claims.

[0018] The vehicle seat according to the invention includes a seat cushion which comprises, in a per se know manner, a cushion body and a cushion front portion that is movably connected to the cushion body.

[0019] More specifically, the cushion body includes a body frame and a body foam element mounted thereon, the cushion front portion includes a front portion frame and a front portion foam element mounted thereon, and the front portion frame is movably connected to the body frame.

[0020] According to the invention, the device for adjusting the seat cushion includesa support fastened to the body frame and comprising a pair of side walls arranged on the two sides respectively of the body frame, these side walls being provided with respective slots aligned to each other; anda slider fastened to the front portion frame and comprising at least one pair of projecting pins arranged on the two sides respectively of the slider, each pin being suitable for being received and retained in a corresponding slot of the support.

[0021] Said device further comprises a locking arrangement for selectively allowing or preventing movement of the slider pins along the support slots.

[0022] Said locking arrangement comprises first engaging means provided on the support or connected thereto and second engaging means provided on the slider or connected thereto, the first and second engaging means being intended to cooperate with each other for preventing movement of the slider pins along the support slots; said locking arrangement further comprises a releasing member for bringing said second engaging means out of engagement from said first engaging means, thus allowing movement of the slider pins along the support slots.

[0023] The locking arrangement preferably comprises biasing means for urging the first and second engaging means to the engagement position, so that the releasing member has to overcome the resistance of said biasing means for bringing said second engaging means out of engagement from said first engaging means.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first engaging means comprises a plurality of recesses distributed along each side wall of the support and the second engaging means comprises a pair of pegs, each of which is intended to be received in a recess of a respective side wall of the support, or a rod, whose opposite ends are intended to be received in respective recesses of the side wall of the support.

[0025] Thanks to this arrangement, namely to the provision of the plurality of recesses, the slider can be locked relative to the support in a plurality of different positions. As a consequence, the front portion of the seat cushion can be locked relative to the body of the seat cushion in a plurality of different positions selectable by the user.

[0026] It is evident form the above that the shape of the slots in the support side walls determines the path of the slider when moving relative to the support, and consequently the path of the front portion of the seat cushion when moving relative to the body of the seat cushion.

[0027] Advantageously, by providing slots that are upwardly inclined in the forward direction, it is possible to move forward the front portion of the seat cushion (thus increasing the seating surface of the seat cushion) and at the same time to incline it upwards, so that both movements required to the front portion of the seat cushion are simultaneously achieved by a single mechanism.

[0028] In addition, the front portion of the seat cushion is also moved upwards.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device for adjusting the seat cushion comprises means for pushing the slider towards the front ends of the slots of the support when the first engaging means are released from the second engaging means.

[0030] This arrangement allows to counteract gravity force, which tends to push the cushion front portion of the vehicle seat rearward, i.e. towards the seat backrest.

[0031] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:Fig.1

[0032] shows a vehicle seat according to the invention;Fig.2

[0033] schematically shows in a cross-sectional view the seat cushion of the vehicle seat of;Fig.3a

[0034] is a view of the device for adjusting the seat cushion of the vehicle seat ofin a first configuration;Fig.3b

[0035] is a further view of the device for adjusting the seat cushion of the vehicle seat ofin said first configuration;Fig.4a

[0036] is a view of the device for adjusting the seat cushion of the vehicle seat ofin a second configuration;Fig.4b

[0037] is a further view of the device for adjusting the seat cushion of the vehicle seat ofin said second configuration;Fig.5a

[0038] is a view of the device for adjusting the seat cushion of the vehicle seat ofin a third configuration;Fig.5b

[0039] is a further view of the device for adjusting the seat cushion of the vehicle seat ofin said third configuration;Fig.6a

[0040] is a view of the device for adjusting the seat cushion of the vehicle seat ofin a fourth configuration;Fig.6b

[0041] is a further view of the device for adjusting the seat cushion of the vehicle seat ofin said fourth configuration.

[0042] In the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference will be made to a motor vehicle seat, such as a front seat of a motor vehicle.

[0043] However, such application should not be interpreted in a limiting sense, and the vehicle seat according to the invention can be used in any type of vehicles, including aircrafts or ships.

[0044] Ina vehicle seat 100 is shown. This vehicle seat includes a seat cushion 10 and a seat backrest 40. The seat cushion 10, in turn, comprises a seat cushion body 20 and a seat cushion front portion 30, movably connected to the seat cushion body.

[0045] It is to be noted that in the present description:“front” portion or “front” end means the portion / end farther from the seat backrest;“rear” portion or “rear” end means the portion / end closer to the seat backrest;.“forward direction” and the like indicate a movement away from the seat backrest;“backward direction” and the like indicate a movement towards the seat backrest;“upward direction” and the like indicate a movement away from the vehicle floor on which the vehicle seat is mounted;“downward direction” and the like indicate a movement towards the vehicle floor on which the vehicle seat is mounted.

[0046] The construction of the seat cushion 10 is schematically shown in. The seat cushion body 20 includes a body frame 22 and a body foam element (not shown) mounted on the body frame 22. Analogously, the seat cushion front portion 30 includes a front portion frame 32 and a front portion foam element 34 mounted on the front portion frame 32.

[0047] The seat cushion front portion 30 is movably connected to the seat cushion body 20 through a device 1 allowing to adjust the position of said cushion front portion 30 relative to said seat cushion body 20.

[0048] The construction and operation of the device 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 3a, 3b to Figures 6a, 6b.

[0049] The device 1 includes a support 3 fastened to the body frame 22 and comprising a pair of side walls 5a, 5b arranged on the two sides respectively of said body frame and joined to each other by a joining wall 7 arranged under said body frame 22.

[0050] Said device 1 further includes a slider 9 fastened to the front portion frame 32, namely to the bottom surface of said front portion frame.

[0051] The side walls 5a, 5b of the support 3 are provided with respective slots 11a, 11b aligned to each other, and the slider 9 is correspondingly provided, at each opposite side thereof, with one or more projecting pins 13a, 13b (two pins at each side in the illustrated example) that are received and retained in the respective slots 11a, 11b of the support 3.

[0052] As a result, the pins 13a, 13b can slide along the length of the slots 11a, 11b but they cannot be separated from said slots.

[0053] The device 1 further comprises a locking arrangement that can be switched from a locking position, in which movement of the slider pins 13a, 13b along the support slots 11a, 11b is prevented, to an unlocking position, in which movement of the slider pins 13a, 13b along the support slots 11a, 11b is allowed.

[0054] Said locking arrangement comprises first engaging means provided on the support or connected thereto.

[0055] In the shown embodiment, the first engagement means comprises, on each side wall 5a, 5b of the support, a plurality of recesses 15a, 15b provided in the upper edge of the side wall.

[0056] This plurality of recess includes at least a first recess at the rear end of the respective slot 11a, 11b and a second recess at the front end of the respective slot 11a, 11b.

[0057] However, in the preferred embodiment shown in the Figures, several intermediate recesses are provided on each side wall of the support between said first and second recesses, these intermediate recesses arranged along the upper edge of the respective.

[0058] The provision of a plurality of intermediate recesses allows to lock the slider 9 relative to the support 3 – and, therefore, the seat cushion front portion relative to the seat cushion body – at a corresponding number of positions between the rearmost position (corresponding to the first recess) and the foremost position (corresponding to the second recess), which allows to adapt the position of the seat cushion front portion to the specific morphology of each user.

[0059] The locking arrangement further comprises second engaging means provided on the slider 9 or connected thereto and designed to cooperate with the first engaging means of the support.

[0060] In the shown embodiment, the second engagement means comprises a transverse rod 17, whose opposite ends 17a, 17b can be received in a pair of recess 15a, 15b on the first and second side walls 5a, 5b, respectively, of the support.

[0061] In an alternative embodiment, the second engagement means could comprise separate pegs on the two sides respectively of the slider, each peg being apt to be received in a recess of the respective side wall of the support.

[0062] It will be evident to the skilled in the art, that in further alternative embodiments of the invention the first engaging means could be made as projections provided at the upper edge of the side walls of the support, and the second engaging means could be made as seats shaped to receive said projections.

[0063] The transverse rod 17 is carried by a pair of arms 19a, 19b which are rotatably connected at pivot pins 21a, 21b to opposite sides of the slider 9, so that the arms 19a, 19b can rotate from a locking position, in which the ends 17a, 17b of the transverse rod17 are received in a pair or recesses 15a, 15b of the support 3, to an unlocking position, in which the ends 17a, 17b of said transverse rod 17 are released from the recesses 15a, 15b of said support 3, and vice versa.

[0064] Biasing means are preferably provided for urging the transverse rod 17 to the locking position.

[0065] These biasing means may include, for instance, torsion springs 23a, 23b provided at the pivot pins 21a, 21b of the arms 19a, 19b.

[0066] In order to switch the transverse rod 17 to the unlocking position, the arms 19a, 19b are connected, at their ends opposite to the ends carrying the transverse rod, to a releasing member 25 that can be operated by the user.

[0067] In the shown embodiment said releasing member is made as a handle 25 that is arranged under the seat cushion and can be manually driven by the user.

[0068] Nevertheless, it is also possible to envisage a releasing member provided with a motorized drive that can be activated by the user.

[0069] In Figures 3a, 3b the device 1 is shown in a first configuration in which the slider pins 13a, 13b are at the rear end of the respective support slots 11a, 11b and the locking assembly is in the locking position, with the ends 17a, 17b of the transverse rod 17 firmly received in the first, rearmost recesses 15a, 15b of the side walls 5a, 5b of the support 3.

[0070] In this initial configuration, the front portion 30 of the seat cushion 10 is in its rearmost position relative to the seat cushion body 20.

[0071] By acting on the releasing handle 25, the user can make the arms 19a, 19b rotate about the pivot pins 21a, 21b by overcoming the elastic resistance of the torsion springs 23a, 23b, so that the ends 17a, 17b of the transverse rod 17 are released from the recesses 15a, 15b (see Figures, 4a, 4b).

[0072] With the locking arrangement in such unlocking position, the slider 9 is movable relative to the support 3, as the slider pins 13a, 13b are free to slide along the respective support slots 11a, 11b.

[0073] For instance, the pins 13a, 13b can slide up to the front end of the respective slots 11a, 11b (see Figures 5a, 5b).

[0074] It is evident that, as an alternative, the pins 13a, 13b could slide up to an intermediate position along the respective slots 11a, 11b

[0075] Once the desired adjusted position is reached, the user can release the releasing handle 25: under the action of the torsion springs 23a, 23b the arms 19a, 19b are urged to the locking position, in which the ends 17a, 17b of the transverse rod 17 are firmly received in a new pair of recesses 15a, 15b of the side walls 5a, 5b of the support 3, namely the second, foremost recesses 15a, 15b in the shown embodiment (see Figures 6a, 6b).

[0076] In this final configuration, the front portion 30 of the seat cushion 10 is in its foremost position relative to the seat cushion body 20.

[0077] It is evident that the path followed by the pins 13a, 13b of the slider 9 (and consequently by the front portion 30 of the seat cushion 10) is determined by the shape and extension of the slots 11a, 11b in the support side walls.

[0078] Therefore, by providing slots 11a, 11b that are upwardly inclined in the forward direction (i.e. going from their rear ends closer to seat backrest to their front ends farther from the seat backrest), it is possible to move forward the front portion of the seat cushion and at the same time to incline it upwards.

[0079] In addition, the front portion of the seat cushion can also be moved upwards.

[0080] In more detail, as shown the Figures, the slots 11a, 11b have a slightly curved profile, with an upwardly oriented concavity, which ensures a smooth forward translation and upward rotation of the seat cushion front portion 30 relative to the seat cushion body 20.

[0081] It is evident that the weight of the device will tend to push the front portion 30 of the seat cushion downwards and backwards (i.e. towards the seat backrest) as soon as the locking arrangement is switched to the unlocking position.

[0082] In order to assist the user in more comfortably moving the front portion 30 of the seat cushion, the device 1 preferably comprises means for pushing the slider towards the front ends of the slots 11a, 11b of the support 3.

[0083] In the shown embodiment, such pushing means comprise a spring 27 that is mounted to the support 3 and is in contact with an abutment crossbar 29 fastened to the slider or integral therewith.

[0084] The spring is loaded to the maximum when the slider pins 13a, 13b are at the rear ends of the slots 11a, 11b of the support 3, while it is less loaded when the slider pins 13a, 13b are at the front ends of said slots 11a, 11b.

[0085] As a result, starting from the configuration shown in Figures 3a, 3b, when the locking arrangement is brought to the unlocking position, the spring 27 pushes forward the abutment crossbar 29 and the slider 9, thus promoting the forward and upward movement of the seat cushion front portion 30.

[0086] Conversely, starting from the configuration shown in Figures 6a, 6b, when the locking arrangement is brought to the unlocking position, the resistance of the spring 27 can be easily overcome for obtaining the downward and backward movement of said seat cushion front portion 30.

[0087] Pushing means for pushing the slider towards the front ends of the slots 11a, 11b of the support 3 other than a spring (such as, for instance, a piston or a motorized shaft) can be obviously envisaged by the skilled person.

[0088] It is evident from the above that in the vehicle seat according to the invention the adjustment of the seat cushion is implemented by a single mechanism having a simple structure and a reduced number of components.

[0089] Therefore, the device for adjusting the seat cushion can be integrated to vehicle seat without major modifications to the seat design.

[0090] As said device can be manually operated, its introduction does not involve any remarkable increase in the vehicle seat manufacturing costs. On the other hand, a motorized drive of the device can be envisaged in case of top-of-the-range applications.

[0091] It is also evident that the embodiment described above and shown in the Figures is in no way to be understood in a limiting sense, and that several variations and modifications are possible without, however, departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Vehicle seat (100), comprising a seat cushion (10) which comprises a cushion body (20) provided with a body frame (22) and a cushion front portion (30) provided with a front portion frame (32), wherein said vehicle seat is provided with a device (1) connecting said body frame (22) to said front portion frame (32) and including- a support (3) fastened to said body frame (22) and comprising a pair of side walls (5a, 5b) arranged on the two sides respectively of said body frame and provided with respective slots (11a, 11b) aligned to each other;- a slider (9) fastened to said front portion frame (32) and comprising at least one pair of projecting pins (13a,13b) arranged on the two sides respectively of said slider, each pin of the at least one pair being received and retained in a corresponding slot (11a, 11b) of said support; and- a locking arrangement (15a, 15b, 17a, 17b) that can be switched between a locking position, in which movement of said pins (13a, 13b) along said slots (11a, 11b) is prevented, and an unlocking position, in which movement of said pins (13a, 13b) along said slots (11a, 11b) is allowed, characterized n that said slots (11a, 11b) are upwardly inclined going from their rear end to their front end, whereby said front portion frame (32) is moved forward and at the same time it is inclined upwards as said pins (13a, 13b) of said slider (9) move from said rear end of said slots (11a, 11b) to said front end of said slots.Vehicle seat (100) according to claim 1, wherein said slots (11a, 11b) are curved, with an upwardly oriented concavity.Vehicle seat (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said locking arrangement comprises first engaging means (15a, 15b) provided on said support (3) or connected thereto and second engaging means (17a, 17b) provided on said slider (9) or connected thereto, the first and second engaging means being intended to cooperate with each other for preventing movement of the slider pins along the support slots when the locking arrangement is in the locking position, and wherein said locking arrangement further comprises a releasing member (25) for bringing said second engaging means out of engagement from said first engaging means, thus bringing the locking arrangement to the unlocking position and allowing movement of the slider pins along the support slots.Vehicle seat (100) according to claim 3, wherein said locking arrangement comprises biasing means (23a, 23b) for urging said first and second engaging means to the engagement position.Vehicle seat (100) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said first engaging means comprises a plurality of recesses (15a, 15b) distributed along each side wall (5a, 5b) of said support (3) and said second engaging means comprises a pair of pegs, each of which is intended to be received in a recess of a respective side wall of said support, or a rod (17), whose opposite ends (17a, 17b) are intended to be received in respective recesses of the side wall of the support.Vehicle seat (100) according to claim 5, wherein said device (1) comprises a pair of arms (19a, 19b) which are rotatably connected at pivot pins (21a, 21b) to opposite sides of said slider (9), said arms (19a, 19b) carrying at their first ends said rod (17) and being connected, at their second ends opposite to said first ends, to said releasing member (25).Vehicle seat (100) according to claims 4, wherein said device (1) comprises a pair of arms (19a, 19b) which are rotatably connected at pivot pins (21a, 21b) to opposite sides of said slider (9), said arms (19a, 19b) carrying at their first ends said rod (17) and being connected, at their second ends opposite to said first ends, to said releasing member (25) and wherein said biasing means include torsion springs (23a, 23b) provided at said pivot pins (21a, 21b) of said arms (19a, 19b).Vehicle seat (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said device (1) further comprises means for pushing said slider towards the front ends of said support slots (11a, 11b).Vehicle seat (100) according to claim 8, wherein said means for pushing said slider towards the front ends of said support slots (11a, 11b) comprise a spring (27) mounted to said support and in contact with an abutment crossbar (29) fastened to said slider (9) or integral therewith.Vehicle seat (100) according to claim 3, wherein said releasing member (25) is manually driven by the user.Vehicle seat (100) according to claim 3, wherein said releasing member (25) is provided with a motorized drive that can be activated by the user.

Images