Adjustable vehicle seat

• US 6,601,918 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volvo Personvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Personvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Mattsson, Ingemar
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDELL, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US09/782,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20010004164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.11, 297/284.1, 297/410
• US Class Current: 297/284.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0284 Adjustable seat-cushion length B60N2/0224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4263 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/666 vertically adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2204 Adjustable back-rest height or length

Abstract

An adjustable chair for vehicles in which the frame structure is easy to manufacture and includes few components while still providing adjustment in several directions. By adjustment in several directions, it is meant, for example, adjustment of the length of the chair seat, as well as the height of the back of the chair. By manufacturing each frame in one piece with integrated attachments and similar, it is also possible to utilize the same frames for both manually and electrically operated chairs. The chair includes a seat part and a back part each of which have several possibilities for adjustment for individual and ergonomic adaption of the chair; including the aspects of length, height, side support and lumbar support. An operator is provided for adjusting the seat and the back parts, together with components that form parts thereof. The seat and back part are made up of one internal frame each, which includes an edge section that is formed in one piece and a rear section that connects the edge sections, wherein the frame is provided with one or more longitudinally adjustable sections having sinusoidal, waved or trapezoidal cross-sections.

Claims

1. A chair for vehicles, said chair comprising:

a seat part and a back part, each of said parts being adapted to have several adjustment possibilities for individual adaptation of the chair regarding length, height, side and lumbar support; and

an internal frame construction forming a portion of at least one of the seat or back parts, said frame construction including a front and a rear edge section and two opposite side edge sections, each of said side edge section being formed in one piece and being connected with the rear edge section, wherein opposing sections of said side edge sections of the frame are provided with one or more elastic, longitudinally adjustable sections, and the rear edge section is provided with one or more interruptions between opposing longitudinally adjustable sections that facilitate the frame construction being adjustable in a longitudinal direction by elastic deformation of said adjustable sections.

2. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally adjustable sections of the side edge sections have sinusoidal or trapezoidal cross-sections.

3. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame construction further comprises an integrally injection molded part of a thermoplastic material.

4. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 1, wherein the adjustable sections of the frame can be adjusted approximately +/−

30 mm.

5. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 1, wherein the side edge sections of the frame are provided with reinforcement plates from a point where the seat part and the back part meet to the point where the longitudinally adjustable sections begin.

6. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame has integrated attachments for manual as well as electrical operating units and reinforcements for mounting of side collision protections.

7. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 6, wherein the longitudinally adjustable sections of the frame form part of a back rest and constitutes a vertically adjustable head rest.

8. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 6, wherein the longitudinally adjustable part of the frame forms part of a chair seat and constitutes a longitudinally adjustable front section thereof.

9. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 6, wherein the frame is provided with mounting points for a pivotable axle for a lumbar support.

10. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 9, wherein the vertical adjustment of the lumbar support is mechanically connected to the vertical adjustment of a head rest.

11. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 10, wherein the vertical movement of the lumbar support is approximately half the distance which the head rest is adjusted.

12. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 6, wherein the edge sections of the frame have mounting points for side supports for legs and back, respectively.

13. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 12, wherein the side supports are formed in one piece and includes a first section which has a hinge section that is configured to be fastened to the frame, and a second section is adapted to be angled in relation to the frame.

14. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 13, wherein the side supports are angled by a rotatable cam that acts upon an edge on the underside of the second section.

15. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 12, wherein the side supports are identically designed for both seat part and back part.

16. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 6, wherein the frame is provided with stuffing that in a section between the longitudinally adjustable sections has several recesses that originate from the back side of the stuffing and which accommodate expansion and compression of the stuffing during longitudinal adjustment of the sections.

17. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 16, wherein the recesses are provided with a geometrical form chosen from the group comprising circular and triangular shapes.

18. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 6, wherein the frame in the front adjustable part of the seat part is provided with a transversal reinforcement configured to prevent submarining in the event of a collision.

19. The chair for vehicles as recited in claim 18, wherein the transversal reinforcement has a central recess on an upper side thereof.