Vehicle seat

Chairs and seats – Crash seat – Bottom and back movable as unit in response to force

Patent

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Details

29721613, 29721615, 29721616, 29721619, B60N 242, B60R 2113

Patent

active

060768878

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat and more particularly relates to a vehicle seat adapted to be used in a motor vehicle such as motor car.
It is known that motor vehicles, such as motor cars, may be involved in accidents which involve the vehicle rolling over. Such accidents are known as roll-over accidents.
The parameters of a roll-over accident are typically very different from the parameters of an accident involving a front, rear or side impact. The course of the accident is much slower. The front, rear or side impact usually occurs very swiftly, and the entire accident is completed within a very brief period of time. In a roll-over accident it takes a much longer period of time for the vehicle to actually roll over. During the course of a roll-over accident the roof of the vehicle may be depressed.
It has been proposed previously to use a roll-over sensor, which may be adapted to measure the orientation of the vehicle or the angular speed of the vehicle to activate a mechanism which moves a roll bar into a protecting position, or to activate pre-tensioners (which pre-tension safety belts) or air bags, when a roll-over accident occurs.
A roll bar is intended to prevent the roof from being depressed.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide a vehicle seat adapted to provide protection for a person sitting on the seat should a roll-over accident occur.
According to this invention there is provided a vehicle seat, the seat comprising a squab and a backrest, the seat being associated with a roll-over sensor, means being provided, activated by the roll-over sensor to change the configuration of at least part of the seat in such a way that the clearance between the head of an occupant of the seat and the roof of the vehicle is increased.
Preferably the means to change the configuration of the seat are adapted to move at least part of the front surface of the back of the seat rearwardly.
Conveniently the means to change the configuration of the seat comprise means which move at least part of the back of the seat rearwardly with a pivoting motion.
In one embodiment the means to change the configuration of the seat comprise means to move a central part of the back of the seat rearwardly with a pivotal motion, the back of the seat comprising two further side parts which remain in their initial position as the central part pivots.
Conveniently the means to change the configuration of the seat comprise means to move at least part of the upper surface of the squab of the seat downwardly.
In one preferred embodiment the squab of the seat is mounted on rigid pivotal links, the means to change the configuration of the seat initially retaining the seat in a predetermined position, but responding to a roll-over accident sensed by the sensor to move the pivotal links to an alternate condition causing the rear part of the squab of the seat to be lowered and causing the back of the seat to move rearwardly with a pivotal motion.
Conveniently the pivotal links are such that the front of the seat moves forwardly.
Alternatively the means to change the configuration of the seat comprise means to compress a compressible element present within the back or squab of the seat.
In another embodiment the means to change the configuration of the seat comprise a pyrotechnic charge adapted to move a piston within a cylinder, the pyrotechnic charge being activated by the roll-over sensor.
In one embodiment the piston is connected to a wire, the wire being adapted to move part of the back of the seat in a pivotal manner.
Preferably the wire is further connected to locking means adapted to lock the central part of the back of the seat in an initial position relative to the side parts, the locking means being freed as a consequence of tension being applied to the wire.
In another embodiment the housing is connected to the chassis of the vehicle and the piston is connected to a rod which is connected to part of the squab of the seat to cause the squab of the seat to move.
Alt

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