Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Seats with body modifications
Patent
1997-08-20
1999-11-16
Hoge, Gary C.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Seats with body modifications
296 6511, 297 14, 297 61, 2972847, B60N 210
Patent
active
059843977
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to vehicle seating, and in particular to "occasional" vehicle seating which is adapted to fold for compact stowage when not in use in order to create an increased load carrying area.
For example, many multipurpose or estate type vehicles have a third row of "occasional" seating situated behind the customary second row of seating. When not in use, this occasional seating may be designed to fold into the floor space, or against the sides of the vehicle in such a manner as to cause minimal encroachment upon the load carrying area.
There are various problems associated with the design of such seating. Folding of the seating into the vehicle floor usually creates a convenient flat load carrying area, but may not always be possible owing to spare wheel storage or fuel tank positioning. In many vehicles, therefore, the occasional seating must be stored at the sides of vehicle.
Typical prior art seating which is stored at the vehicle sides is often of a simple design; for example, a bench type seat which simply hinges down from the vehicle side on which an occupant sits sideways-facing. Whilst this is convenient, there is a preference for forward facing seating.
Typical prior art forward facing seating provides a seat base with a backrest which folds backwards to allow the seat base to be folded upwards and against the side of the vehicle, thereby obscuring parts of the rear and/or side windows. The stowage position of this seating is undesirable because it intrudes sideways into the load carrying area, and as indicated above, also obscures vision by occluding parts of the windows of the vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle seating unit which is capable of being stowed below the waistline (ie. window level) of the vehicle while not intruding into the normal load carrying area, and preferably which is quickly and easily moved between deployed and stowed positions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide occasional seating which, when deployed in the vehicle, is capable of safely accommodating occupants in a forward or rearward facing position, and which preferably includes an integral backrest which provides adequate back, neck and head restraint for varying sizes of occupant.
According to one aspect, the present invention provides a folding seating unit for a vehicle comprising: the seat base about a first axis; and the seat base to a substantially vertical position against a side of the vehicle, about a second axis which is substantially orthogonal to the first axis.
According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a folding seating unit for a vehicle comprising: first, substantially upright, position to a second, stowed position generally parallel to the seat; side of the vehicle, having first pivot means for attachment to the seat base and second pivot means for attachment to the vehicle side, which first and second pivot means enable the seat base to fold from a first, stowed position substantially parallel to the side of the vehicle to a second, deployed position substantially parallel to the vehicle floor; and rotation of the outboard leg about the second pivot means are in opposing directions during a folding operation.
According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a folding seating unit for a vehicle comprising: first position in which it is substantially upright to a second position in which it is folded onto the seat base, the back rest including: sides of the backrest; in relation thereto in a longitudinal direction, the second frame supporting a centre squab of the back rest extending longitudinally between the side squabs of the backrest and of substantially the same length as the side squabs, the second frame thereby adapted to extend the height of the centre region of the back rest when in an extended position, and adapted to at least partly retract into the first frame when in a retracted position.
The present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the acc
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Database WPI, Section PQ, Week 7951, Derwent Publications Ltd., London.
Bagnall Danella Louise
Dawson Richard
Goodall Christopher J.
Oliver Matthew Richard
Walker David John
Hoge Gary C.
Rover Group Limited
Tricom Automotive Limited
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