Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Seats with body modifications
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-18
2002-08-20
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Seats with body modifications
C296S065050, C296S065130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06435590
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat device of a vehicle, in particular, a seat device of a vehicle which is provided with a flat floor across a substantially entire seating area.
2. Related Art
A seat device as disclosed in a Japanese Un-examined Patent Application publication No.61-37547 has been known. The seat device disclosed in the Japanese publication is provided with a seat which is movable in not only a longitudinal direction of the vehicle but also a lateral direction thereof and rotatable so as to improve an operation performance of the seat device. A Japanese Utility Model Un-examined publication No. 5-40029 discloses a seat device in which a rear seat can be folded and retracted in a recess formed at a rear portion in a cabin space. In this structure, when the seat is retracted, a bottom surface of a seat cushion of the seat is substantially aligned with a floor level of the vehicle.
With this structure, it is advantageous in that when retracted, the cabin space is open to various usage, namely, the availability of the cabin space is enhanced.
It should, however, be noted that the structure as disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model publication is still disadvantageous in availability of the cabin space as a whole although the rear portion the space can be improved in its operability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention is to solve the above inconvenience of the conventional seat device of the vehicle.
In other words, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle seat device which can improve the operability of the cabin space of the vehicle as a whole in a vehicle which is provided with a floor surface across a substantially entire cabin space. The above and other objects of the present invention can be accomplished by a seat device of a vehicle comprising a substantially flat floor surface substantially extending across a full cabin space of the vehicle, front row seats, center row seats and a rear row seat disposed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the floor surface, a seat storage pan extending rearward the rear row seat and downward a level of the floor surface, the front row seats being disposed with a space, the center row seats including a plurality of seats in which at least one of the seats is movable in a lateral direction of the vehicle, when the rear row seat is received in the seat storage pan, a substantially flat and continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floor surface being formed rearward the center row seats to a rear end of the cabin space with a substantially full width of the cabin space, when the center row seats are disposed offset to one side of the vehicle with regard to the lateral direction, a substantially flat and continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floor surface being formed rearward the front row seats to a rear end of the cabin space, and when the center row seats are disposed to produce a space at a central portion of the vehicle in the lateral direction, a substantially flat and continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floor surface being formed rearward the front row seats to a rear end of the cabin space at a central portion of the cabin space in the lateral direction.
In a preferred embodiment, the front row seats include a driver's seat and an assistant's seat, the assistant's seat being movable in the longitudinal direction, and at least one of the center row seats which is disposed at a side of the assistant's seat in the lateral direction being movable in the lateral direction.
It is preferred that the center row seats are movable in both the longitudinal and lateral directions, and a longitudinal sliding mechanism for allowing a longitudinal movement of the center row seats being disposed over a lateral sliding mechanism for allowing a lateral movement of the center row seats.
Preferably, a slide rail for allowing a sliding movement of the central row seats is provided with a mechanism through which a seat is removed from the slide rail. Further, it is preferable that a door opening is formed at a longitudinal side of a vehicle corresponding the center row seats, and a side door for a sliding movement being combined with the door opening.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a seat device of a vehicle comprising a substantially flat floor surface substantially extending across a full cabin space of the vehicle, a front row seat, center row seat and rear row seat disposed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the floor surface, each of the seats being movable in both the longitudinal and lateral directions of the vehicle through a longitudinal sliding mechanism for allowing the seat of a longitudinal movement and a lateral sliding mechanism for allowing the seat of a lateral movement, either one of the longitudinal and lateral sliding mechanisms being mounted on a body side of the vehicle, the other of the sliding mechanism being mounted on the seat so as to be moved together with the seat, and the sliding mechanism mounted on the body side of the vehicle being provided with a removable mechanism through which the seat is removed.
As mentioned above, the seats are constituted to be movable and removable so that the cabin space can be utilized in various applications. Thus, the operability of the cabin space as a whole can be drastically expanded.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments which follows when read in light of the accompanying Figures.
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European Search Report, Appln. No. 99103743.3, Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation, 4 pages.
Winterhagen J: “Der Eurovan Von Fiat und PSA Eurovan from Fiat and PSA,”ATX Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift, vol. 96, Nr. 10, pp. 620-621, Oct. 1994, Stuttgart, DE.
Itoh Akira
Maruyama Masahiro
Matsuhashi Kazuhiro
Miyahara Tamio
Watanabe Yasukazu
Abrams Hugh A.
Engle Patricia
Mazda Motor Corporation
Pape Joseph D.
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood
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