DECELERATION RESPONSIVE VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20100066116A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chard Safety B.V.
• Original Assignee: Chard Safety B.V.
• Inventors: Coenen, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 8,240,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/65.10
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42727 involving substantially rigid displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42763 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/023 Three-point seat belt systems comprising two side lower and one side upper anchoring devices B60R22/022, B60R22/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1951 characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A deceleration responsive vehicle seat (20) for an occupant (9) of a vehicle, wherein the seat has a frame structure adapted to absorb the weight of the occupant and other forces exerted by said occupant on the seat. The frame structure includes a seat cushion frame assembly comprising a seat cushion frame (21), a seat cushion (22) being supported on said seat cushion frame, the frame structure further including a backrest frame assembly (25,27), a backrest cushion having an upper part (26) and a lower part (28), said backrest cushion being supported by said backrest frame assembly. The seat cushion and backrest cushion support the occupant in an upright sitting normal position. The seat further includes frame structure fixation means (2,3) adapted and arranged to fix said frame structure to the vehicle body. The seat further includes an integrated seat belt system (40,41,42,43) for said occupant.

Claims

1. A deceleration responsive vehicle seat for an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:

a seat having a frame structure adapted to support the occupant and to absorb the weight of the occupant and other forces exerted by said occupant on the seat,

said frame structure including a seat cushion frame assembly, said seat cushion frame assembly comprising a seat cushion frame and a seat cushion being supported by said seat cushion frame,

said frame structure further including a backrest frame assembly, said backrest frame assembly comprising a backrest frame and a backrest cushion being supported by said backrest frame,

said seat allowing to support said occupant in an upright sitting normal position,

said seat further including frame structure fixation means adapted and arranged to fix said frame structure to the vehicle body,

said seat further including a seat belt system with a seat belt for said occupant,

wherein said frame structure provides deceleration responsive mobile support of said seat cushion and backrest cushion with respect to the fixation means upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration.

2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure fixation means provide mobile attachment of the seat cushion frame assembly and the backrest frame assembly to the vehicle body, preferably pivotal attachment, and wherein the seat cushion frame assembly and backrest frame assembly are linked to one another in a mobile manner, preferably by one or more pivotal connectors, so that upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration the cushion frame assembly and backrest assembly will move.

3. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure is adapted to allow for forward motion of the seat cushion frame, backrest frame and occupant of the seat towards a crash position upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration.

4. The seat according to claim 3, wherein said frame structure is such that upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration the backrest cushion, at least in the region of the upper portion of the torso, moves forward over a greater distance than the seat cushion.

5. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure is such that upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration the backrest cushion tilts forward, preferably as the back rest frame is connected by an associated rear pivotal frame structure fixation means to the vehicle body.

6. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure is such that upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration the seat cushion, preferably in addition to a forward motion thereof, is subjected to a tilting so as cause a forward portion of the seat cushion frame to be raised relative to a rear portion of the seat cushion frame.

7. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure is such that upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration the seat structure will move solely induced by inertia of the mass of occupant and of relevant parts of the seat.

8. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said seat further includes blocking means that are construed and arranged to block said seat in its normal position and allow for motion upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration when one or more predetermined conditions are fulfilled, e.g. an inertia induced increase of a load on said blocking means above a predetermined load level, or a sensing of the deceleration, said deceleration increasing above a predetermined deceleration, or a sensing of a collision risk, sudden vehicle movement or steering action, etc.

9. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said seat includes an actuator adapted to force said seat to a crash position upon a command to said actuator, e.g. based on a sensing of the deceleration.

10. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said frame structure allows for returning of said seat cushion and backrest cushion to their normal position responsive to reduction or termination of deceleration.

11. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said frame structure is adapted to allow for returning of said seat cushion and backrest cushion from a forward crash position to their normal position responsive to reduction or termination of deceleration based on gravity acting on the seat and occupant.

12. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said frame structure allows for returning of the seat cushion and backrest cushion to their normal position responsive to rebound of the seat and occupant resulting from the collision.

13. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the seat belt system further includes at least:

a seat belt end terminal, preferably a retractor, mounted on said frame structure or a seat belt end terminal, preferably a retractor, to be mounted on the vehicle body,

a seat belt shoulder guide member mounted on said backrest frame assembly, and

additional seat belt members, e.g. an anchoring member and a seat belt lock member, mounted on said frame structure on opposite sides of the seat cushion.

14. The seat according to claim 13, wherein said seat belt system furthermore includes one or more intermediate seat belt guide members provided in said frame structure at one or more locations spaced from each other and from the shoulder guide member and the end terminal, each of said intermediate seat belt guide members being adapted to guide said seat belt thereby defining a path for said seat belt between said end terminal and said seat belt shoulder guide member.

15. The seat according to claim 14, wherein the frame structure is such that upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration the spatial orientation of said end terminal, one or more intermediate seat belt guides and said shoulder seat belt guide changes with respect to said spatial orientation in normal position thereby causing a lengthening of the path of the seat belt between the end terminal and the shoulder guide member, preferably of at least 10 centimetres, more preferably between 10 and 50 centimetres, most preferable between 10 and 30 centimetres.

16. The seat according to claim 14, wherein said one or more intermediate seat belt guide members each included a curved guide face for the seat belt mounted stationary on the frame structure.

17. The seat according to claim 14, wherein the frame structure includes a first and second frame member each provided with at least one intermediate seat belt guide member, said first and second frame member being subjected to a change of mutual spatial orientation during motion from said normal position to the crash position thereby causing a lengthening of the path for the seat belt.

18. The seat according to claim 17, wherein said first member is associated with the seat cushion frame assembly and the second member with the backrest frame assembly.

19. The seat according to claim 17, wherein a pair of intermediate seat belt guide members is arranged on one of the first and second frame members and another central intermediate seat belt guide member on the other of the first and second frame members, so as to form an open loop in said seat belt around said intermediate guide members, said frame members being construed and arranged to move said central intermediate guide member away from said pair upon motion to the crash position thereby lengthening the path for the seat belt.

20. The seat according to claim 15, wherein said one or more intermediate seat belt guide members each included a curved guide face for the seat belt mounted stationary on the frame structure so as to frictionally guide the seat belt there along when contacted by said seat belt.

21. The seat according to claim 15, wherein the frame structure and said one or more intermediate seat belt guides therein are such that in normal position some of the intermediate seat belt guides are spaced from the seat belt, and wherein upon motion to the crash position said one or more “

normally spaced”

intermediate seat belt guides come into contact with said seat belt.

22. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the retractor is mounted on said seat cushion frame assembly.

23. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the fixation means comprises a forward fixation member, essentially fixing said seat cushion frame assembly to the vehicle body, and a rearward fixation member, essentially fixing said backrest frame assembly to said vehicle body, e.g. to the floor of the vehicle.

24. The seat according to claim 23, wherein said forward and rearward fixation members are pivotal connectors, said backrest frame assembly and said seat cushion frame assembly each including a pivotal frame member connected to said respective pivotal connector.

25. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said seat belt system includes an anchoring member and a lock member are attached to seat cushion frame assembly.

26. The seat according to claim 1, preferably claim 23, wherein a belt retractor is mounted on a pivotal frame member of the seat cushion assembly.

27. The seat according to claim 1, wherein said seat cushion frame assembly and backrest frame assembly are interconnected via a pivotal connection.

28. The seat according to claim 1, wherein a pivotal frame member of the seat cushion assembly is at its upper end pivotally connected to the seat cushion frame member upon which the seat cushion is supported.

29. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the backrest frame assembly includes an upper backrest frame member supporting an upper part of the backrest, and a lower backrest frame member supporting a lower part of the backrest, said upper and lower backrest member being pivotally interconnected, preferably such that upon collision or pre-collision braking induced motion of the seat from said normal position said backrest members include a gradually decreasing angle between them.

30. The seat according to claim 24, wherein the pivotal frame member connected to said rearward pivotal connector is integral with the upper backrest frame member, such that upon motion to said crash position said upper backrest frame member pivots about said pivotal connector.

31. The seat according to claim 30, wherein the lower backrest frame member is at is lower end pivotally connected to a rear portion of the seat cushion frame member.

32. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure fixation means are spaced part forward and rearward vehicle floor pivotal connector members for said seat cushion frame assembly and said backrest frame assembly respectively.

36. A vehicle provided with one or more seats according to claim 1.

37. A vehicle provided with multiple rows of one or more seat arranged one behind another, wherein the seats are at least according to claim 32, and wherein the forward pivotal connectors are integral with the rearward pivotal connectors of the seat(s) of the row in front.

38. A vehicle provided with multiple seats according to claim 1 arranged behind another and/or next to one another, wherein the seats are mechanically interconnected so as to cause motion of each seat to its crash position independent of the presence of an occupant on said seat.

33. A deceleration responsive vehicle seat for an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:

a seat having a frame structure adapted to support the occupant and to absorb the weight of the occupant and other forces exerted by said occupant on the seat,

said frame structure including a seat cushion frame assembly, said seat cushion frame assembly comprising a seat cushion frame and a seat cushion being supported by said seat cushion frame,

said frame structure further including a backrest frame assembly, said backrest frame assembly comprising a backrest frame and a backrest cushion being supported by said backrest frame,

said seat allowing to support said occupant in an upright sitting normal position,

said seat further including frame structure fixation means adapted and arranged to fix said frame structure to the vehicle body,

wherein the frame structure fixation means provide mobile attachment of the seat cushion frame assembly and the backrest frame assembly to the vehicle body, preferably pivotal attachment, and wherein the seat cushion frame assembly and backrest frame assembly are linked to another in a mobile manner,

said seat further including a seat belt system with a seat belt for said occupant,

wherein the frame structure is such that—

upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration—

inertial forces result in the seat cushion frame assembly performing a motion so as to move the seat cushion forward and simultaneously the backrest cushion tilting forward, the seat cushion frame assembly preferably also causing a relative inclination of the seat cushion frame so as to cause a forward portion of the seat cushion frame to be raised relative to a rear portion thereof.

34. The seat according to claim 33, wherein the frame structure causes the rear portion of the seat cushion to be lowered towards the vehicle floor in the course of performing the relative inclination.

35. A deceleration responsive vehicle seat for an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:

a seat having a frame structure adapted to support the occupant and to absorb the weight of the occupant and other forces exerted by said occupant on the seat,

said frame structure including a seat cushion frame assembly, said seat cushion frame assembly comprising a seat cushion frame and a seat cushion being supported by said seat cushion frame,

said frame structure further including a backrest frame assembly, said backrest frame assembly comprising a backrest frame and a backrest cushion being supported by said backrest frame,

said seat allowing to support said occupant in an upright sitting normal position,

said seat further including frame structure fixation means adapted and arranged to fix said frame structure to the vehicle body,

wherein the frame structure fixation means provide mobile attachment of the seat cushion frame assembly and the backrest frame assembly to the vehicle body, preferably pivotal attachment, and wherein the seat cushion frame assembly and backrest frame assembly are linked to another in a mobile manner,

said seat further including a seat belt system with a seat belt for said occupant, which seat belt system further includes at least;

a seat belt end terminal, preferably a retractor, mounted on said frame structure or a seat belt end terminal, preferably a retractor, to be mounted on the vehicle body,

a seat belt shoulder guide member mounted on said backrest frame assembly,

additional seat belt members, e.g. an anchoring member and a seat belt lock member, mounted on said frame structure on opposite sides of the seat cushion,

wherein said seat belt system furthermore includes one or more intermediate seat belt guide members provided in said frame structure at one or more locations spaced from each other and from the shoulder guide member and the end terminal, each of said intermediate seat belt guide members being adapted to guide said seat belt thereby defining a path for said seat belt between said end terminal and said seat belt shoulder guide member,

and wherein the frame structure is such that upon pre-collision braking and/or collision induced deceleration the spatial orientation of said end terminal, one or more intermediate seat belt guides and said shoulder seat belt guide changes with respect to said spatial orientation in normal position thereby causing a lengthening of the path of the seat belt between the end terminal and the shoulder guide member, preferably of at least 10 centimetres, more preferably between 10 and 50 centimetres, most preferable between 10 and 30 centimetres.

39. A vehicle seat having a backrest frame and a three-point seat belt system, wherein the shoulder guide for the seat belt is part of the backrest frame and is placed at an angle with respect to the horizontal, the backrest frame further including an inner seat belt guide adjacent to the shoulder guide, which inner seat belt guide also is a part of the backrest frame and is also placed at an inclined orientation, the angle between the inner seat belt guide and the adjacent shoulder guide being less than 90 degrees, the seat belt arriving at the inner seat belt guide from below, then passing from the front to the back of said inner seat belt guide over the guide and then towards the back of the shoulder guide from where the seat belt passes over the shoulder guide to the front of the backrest frame so that it may the then pass over the torso of the occupant, preferably the effective width of the shoulder guide being at least twice the width of the seat belt.