Vehicle seat having back reinforced against forward movement

• US 6,152,526 A
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Persson, Dan, Lindstrom, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US09/319,954
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 297/464, 297/468, 297/470, 297/473, 297/474, 297/483, 297/216.1, 297/216.13
• US Class Current: 297/216.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4249 fixed structures, i.e. where neither the seat nor a part thereof are displaced during a crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/688 Particular seat belt attachment and guiding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A seat for a motor vehicle has a squab (1) and a back (8). The back of the seat is provided with a framework (12) for supporting a guide means or retractor (13) for a safety belt (10) located adjacent the top of the back of the seat. The framework (12) is reinforced to prevent inadvertent forward movement of the top part of the back of the seat by means of an elongate substantially inextensible clement (14), one end of which is secured to an upper part of the framework (12) and the other end of which is secured in position (17). The elongate element is configured so that if the top part of the back (8) of the seat tends to move forwardly a tension is imparted to the inextensible elongate element (14), the elongate element thus acting substantially to prevent forward movement of the upper part of the back (8) of the scat.

Claims

1. A seat for a motor vehicle, the seat being provided with a squab and a back, the back of the seat being provided, at a point adjacent the top of the back of the seat, with one of a) guide means for a safety-belt and b) a retractor mechanism for a safety-belt, the back of the seat being provided with a framework supporting said one of the guide means and the retractor, the framework being reinforced to prevent inadvertent forward movement of the top part of the back of the seat by means of an elongate substantially inextensible element, one end of the elongate inextensible element being secured to an upper part of the framework of the back of the seat, wherein support means is provided which extend rearwardly from the squab of the seat and which guides the elongate element and constrains the elongate element to pass a point located rearwardly of the lower part of the back of the seat, the other end of the elongate element being connected to means supporting the squab of the seat, the elongate element thus being configured so that if the top part of the back of the seat tends to move forwardly, a tension is imparted to the inextensible elongate element, the inextensible elongate element thus acting substantially to prevent forward movement of the upper part of the back of the seat.

2. A seat according to claim 1 wherein said other end of the elongate element is secured to a carriage which slidably supports the seat.

3. A seat according to claim 1 wherein said other end of the elongate inextensible element passes through clamping means mounted on means which support the seat, the clamping means being engageable and disengageable with the elongate inextensible element, the back of the seat being connected to the squab of the seat by means of a recliner mechanism to permit adjustment of the back of the seat.

4. A seat according to claim 3 wherein resilient means is provided to maintain tension in the elongate inextensible element when the clamping means are released.

5. A seat according to claim 1 wherein the back of the seat is connected to the squab of the seat by means of a recliner mechanism to permit adjustment of the back of the seat, and said support means is connected to, and extends rearwardly from, the recliner mechanism.

6. A seat according to claim 1 wherein the framework within the back of the seat is articulated and further support means is provided, associated with such further articulation, to engage the elongate element.