Seat structure for vehicles

Details Seat structure for vehicles Seat structure for vehicles

1999-09-22

2001-08-21

Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)

Supports

Stand

Horizontally movable support surface

C248S421000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06276650

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a seat structure for a vehicle which has improved lower arms.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 199742/1985, a seat for a vehicle is provided with lower rails fixed to a floor panel of the vehicle, upper rails arranged slidably with respect to the lower rails and lower arms held by the upper rails for supporting the seat and the upper rails and the lower arms are coupled by links of a lifter for moving up and down the seat.
When such the seat is subjected to front collision or rear collision, there is a concern that the links of the lifter, particularly the rear side links are considerably deformed. Further, when the load in collision is very large, the load is absorbed by deforming the lower arms and at this occasion, deforming portions of the lower arms are not specified and a sufficient energy-absorbing characteristic may not be achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to resolve the above-described problem of the conventional seat structure by improving a structure of lower arms.
According to the present invention, in order to resolve the above-described problem, there is provided means for enabling to bring lower arms into contact with floor side members.
Specifically, there is provided a seat structure for a vehicle having floor side members slidable to lower rails fixed to a floor of a vehicle and lower arms held by the floor side members for supporting the seat, wherein each of the lower arms is constituted by a plate having a flange produced by extending a side edge thereof in a side direction and a lower side of the flange of the plate is provided with a contact portion which is brought into contact with a portion of the floor side members when excessive load is operated on the seat.
According to the above specific means, when the vehicle is subjected to a front collision or a rear collision, the contact portion of the flange of the lower arm is brought into contact with the portion of the floor side members by high load applied on the seat. Thereby, deformation of links for coupling the lower arm and the floor side member is minimized.
Further, more preferably, there is provided a seat structure in which a bead portion extended in a longitudinal direction is formed at an erected wall portion of the lower arm and further, a flat face portion is formed on a front side thereof and a deformation base end portion which is disposed at a boundary between the bead portion and the flat face portion is formed at the lower side of the flange of the lower arm.
Thereby, according to this more preferable means, when the vehicle is subjected to front collision or rear collision, in the case where high load applied on the seat is very large, the lower arm is deformed along the boundary between the bead portion and the flat face portion with the deformation base end portion as a reference whereby necessary and sufficient energy absorption can firmly be carried out.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4720070 (1988-01-01), Nishino
patent: 4767157 (1988-08-01), Kazaoka et al.
patent: 4778138 (1988-10-01), Yamada
patent: 4948081 (1990-08-01), Hatta
patent: 5154402 (1992-10-01), Hill et al.
patent: 5622406 (1997-04-01), Meschkat et al.
patent: 5664755 (1997-09-01), Gruber
patent: 5697674 (1997-12-01), Aufrere et al.
patent: 60-199742 (1985-10-01), None

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