Seat apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,857,350 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Goto, Naoki, Yamada, Yukifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROCCA, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US12/396,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20090236882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801.1, 280/808, 297/216.1, 297/470, 297/473
• US Class Current: 280/801.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/43 Safety locks for back-rests B60N2/433
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/688 Particular seat belt attachment and guiding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/266 Rear seats, e.g. benches
• 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 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a first seat, a second seat, and a seatbelt mechanism provided at the second seat. A first frame member for supporting the second seat and a first seat slide mechanism for slidably moving the second seat are arranged to be vertically coplanar with the shoulder belt guide member and the belt anchor of the seatbelt mechanism. A first lock member is provided at a second frame member disposed adjacently to the first seat for supporting the second seat. A second lock member is provided at a supporting member for supporting the first seat. The first and second lock members allow a movement of the second frame member in a forward and backward direction of the vehicle and engage with each other for locking the second frame member relative to the vehicle floor when an excess load is received from the seatbelt mechanism.

Claims

1. A seat apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a first seat adapted to be mounted on a vehicle floor and having a first seating position;

a second seat adapted to be mounted on the vehicle floor via a first seat slide mechanism and a second seat slide mechanism extending in a forward and backward direction of the vehicle, the second seat adjoining the first seat in a width direction of the vehicle, the second seat having a second seating position and a third seating position located between the first seating position and the second seating position; and

a seatbelt mechanism provided at the third seating position of the second seat and including a shoulder belt guide member for guiding a shoulder belt, a belt anchor to which a first end portion of a lap belt is fixedly connected, and a belt attachment portion which is provided at a first side portion of the second seat being adjacent to the first seat and to which a first end portion of the shoulder belt and a second end portion of the lap belt are configured to be fixedly connected, wherein

a first frame member for supporting the second seat and the first seat slide mechanism are arranged to be vertically coplanar with the shoulder belt guide member and the belt anchor,

the second seat slide mechanism is disposed at a second side portion of the second seat being opposite from the first seat,

a second frame member for supporting the second seat is disposed at the first side portion of the second seat,

a first lock member is provided at the second frame member of the second seat,

a second lock member is provided at a supporting member for supporting the first seat, and

the first and second lock members allow a movement of the second frame member in the forward and backward direction of the vehicle and engage with each other for locking the second frame member relative to the vehicle floor when an excess load is received from the seatbelt mechanism.

2. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first lock member includes a first hook extending in the forward and backward direction of the vehicle and having a U-shaped cross section opening towards an upper side thereof,

the second lock member includes a second hook extending in the forward and backward direction of the vehicle at a position further upwardly than the first hook and having a U-shaped cross section opening towards a lower side thereof, and

the second frame member is locked relative to the vehicle floor by an engagement between the first and second hooks when the excess load is received through the seatbelt mechanism.

3. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the supporting member includes a third seat slide mechanism for supporting the first seat, and

the number of input portions of a load applied to the first seat slide mechanism is determined to be equal to the number of input portions of a load applied to the third seat slide mechanism when the excess load is received through the seatbelt mechanism.

4. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the first seat slide mechanism and the third seat slide mechanism are disposed symmetrically relative to a center line of the vehicle floor in the width direction of the vehicle.

5. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first lock member includes a guide member extending from the belt attachment portion provided at the second frame member and having a locking portion, and

the second lock member includes a lever member pivotably connected to the supporting member and extending in the forward and backward direction of the vehicle and inserted through the guide member, the lever member having a plurality of locking protrusions equidistantly aligned in the forward and backward direction of the vehicle so as to be engageable with the locking portion of the first hook, and

the second frame member is locked relative to the vehicle floor by an engagement between one of the locking protrusions of the lever member and the locking portion of the guide member when the excess load is received through the seatbelt mechanism.

6. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

the guide member includes a hollow portion through which the lever member is inserted,

the locking portion of the guide member is provided at a lower side of the hollow portion,

the plurality of locking protrusions are formed at a lower side portion of the lever member, and

the hollow portion is deformed between one of the locking protrusions and the locking portion and the one of the locking protrusions and the locking portion are engaged with each other for locking the second frame member relative to the vehicle floor when the excess load is received through the seatbelt mechanism.

7. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

the supporting member includes a third seat slide mechanism for supporting the first seat, and

the number of input portions of a load applied to the first seat slide mechanism is determined to be equal to the number of input portions of a load applied to the third seat slide mechanism when the excess load is received through the seatbelt mechanism.

8. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the first seat slide mechanism and the third seat slide mechanism are disposed symmetrically relative to a center line of the vehicle floor in the width direction of the vehicle.

9. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

the supporting member includes a third seat slide mechanism for supporting the first seat, and

the number of input portions of a load applied to the first seat slide mechanism is determined to be equal to the number of input portions of a load applied to the third seat slide mechanism when the excess load is received through the seatbelt mechanism.

10. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

the first seat slide mechanism and the third seat slide mechanism are disposed symmetrically relative to a center line of the vehicle floor in the width direction of the vehicle.

11. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the supporting member includes a third seat slide mechanism for supporting the first seat, and

the number of input portions of a load applied to the first seat slide mechanism is determined to be equal to the number of input portions of a load applied to the third seat slide mechanism when the excess load is received through the seatbelt mechanism.

12. A seat apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

the first seat slide mechanism and the third seat slide mechanism are disposed symmetrically relative to a center line of the vehicle floor in the width direction of the vehicle.