The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, in particular a rear seat system having a seat inclination adjustment device.
In a generally known vehicle seat of the species in question including a seat part and a backrest part, the seat part having a raisable and lowerable seat front edge is mounted pivotably about a horizontal transverse axis for a seat inclination adjustment.
It is further generally known to manufacture seat parts and backrest parts with a wire frame as a lattice frame, the cushioning being made of a foam part and a cover in each case.
It is further generally known to design the rear seat row of a vehicle as a seat bench and to symmetrically or non-symmetrically divide the associated backrest, one backrest part or both backrest parts being foldable onto a seat of the seat bench to enlarge the trunk compartment.
The publication DE 10 2009 020 659 A1, for example, describes a vehicle seat including at least a seat part and a backrest part, in which the seat part having a raisable and lowerable seat front edge is mounted pivotably about a horizontal transverse axis for a seat inclination adjustment. A seat front part is freely pivotable between an upper end position having a raised seat front edge to support the thigh and a lower end position having a lowered seat front edge, and the pivotable seat front part is pretensioned in the direction of the upper end position by at least one spring element.
Another publication, DE 10 2005 039 310 A1, discloses an adjustable rear seat. The rear seat includes a seat pan, a seat cushion accommodated by the same, a backrest support, a backrest cushion accommodated by the same, and a headrest mounted in the backrest support. The seat pan and the backrest support are hinged to each other. The top area of the backrest support is pivotably mounted in the auto body. The front area of the seat pan is mounted in the body floor, the seat pan being adjustable in the longitudinal direction and vertical extension of the vehicle with the aid of actuating means mounted in the body floor.
Such a seat inclination adjustment is used to improve seat comfort with the aid of a thigh support which is adapted to a thigh inclination. Conventional systems for adjusting the seat inclination generally result in relatively complex seat frames having mechanical adjusters, latches and operations at accordingly high costs. Separate actuating levers as actuating means for the seat pan are required in particular in the adjustable rear seat of DE 10 2005 039 310 A1. Such actuating levers typically interfere considerably since they need to be situated close to the operating site, which mostly results in a limitation of comfort. The use of spring elements for raising a seat front part of a vehicle seat according to the publication DE 10 2009 020 659 A1 appears to be inexpensive and simple; however, the disadvantage is that, once a spring element having a corresponding characteristic spring curve is selected, it allows individual raising of a seat part only conditionally. It is not possible to implement intermediate positions in a solution having spring elements.
Proceeding from this related art, it is the object of the present invention to design a vehicle seat, in particular as an integral part of a rear seat row of a vehicle, in such a way that improved seat comfort is provided using simple and cost-effective measures.
The starting point is a vehicle seat, in particular as an integral part of a rear seat row of a motor vehicle, including a backrest and a seat part, which is situated movably about a horizontal pivot axis for setting the seat inclination independently of the backrest with the aid of a seat inclination adjustment device, the pivot axis extending between a movable cushion part and a fixed cushion part.
A vehicle seat of this species is described in the publication DE 10 2009 020 659 A1, for example.
Deviating from this related art, it is provided according to the present invention that the adjustment device includes a top support plate and a bottom support plate, the movable cushion part resting on the top support plate, an actuating means with the aid of which it is possible to bring about a movement of the top support plate relative to the bottom support plate being situated between the support plates, whereby it is possible to bring the movable cushion part from an essentially planar non-excursion position into an inclined excursion position.
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cushion parts are designed in one piece or in two pieces, the movable cushion part and the fixed cushion part in the two-piece embodiment forming a butt joint. The butt joint completely separates the movable from the fixed cushion part in a first embodiment variant, or the butt joint is formed only partially in a second embodiment variant, so that the movable cushion part is still partially connected to the fixed cushion part. A flexible foam allows a one-piece design, while less flexible foams, if necessary, require a two-piece design of the cushion parts having an at least partially implemented butt joint. A one-piece design is more advantageous than a two-piece design with respect to simpler manufacturing. A two-piece design having a vertical butt joint in the y direction is described in greater detail in one exemplary embodiment, since a one-piece design does not require further explanation.
In one further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the pivot axis of the movable cushion part is formed close to the top side of the mutually adjoining cushion parts, a butt joint being situated in the top area of a longitudinal axis of the butt joint in particular with a two-piece design of the cushion parts, whereby a high pivot point position of the movable cushion part in relation to the fixed cushion part is formed.
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bottom support plate is connected to a car body or the bottom support plate is connected to the body via a wire frame. The design having the wire frame is described in greater detail in the exemplary embodiment.
In one preferred embodiment, it is further provided that the bottom support plate is attached to the wire frame, which is fixed to the body, in a stable position in the front and back areas on transverse wires provided for this purpose.
In one advantageous embodiment, the top support plate is attached to the bottom support plate.
This attachment is advantageously designed in such a way that the top support plate includes at least one engagement element which engages in at least one guide element of the bottom support plate. In this way no separate joining elements are required.
Advantageously, this results in a special positioning of the at least one engagement element with respect to the at least one guide element and in a functionality of the adjustment device of the vehicle seat, which is that the at least one engagement element is situated completely in the at least one guide element in the non-excursion position, while the at least one engagement element is movable out of the at least one guide element in the excursion position. The elements, the top support plate and the bottom support plate are able to move relative to each other almost without friction and without additionally necessary joining elements.
Moreover, it is provided that the at least one engagement element and the at least one guide element have semi-circular designs. In addition to the described functionality per se, advantageously the movement of the top support plate relative to the bottom support plate is optimally matched to the desired pivoting movement of the movable cushion part resting on the top support plate.
Further preferred embodiments of the present invention are derived from the remaining features described in the subclaims.
One possible design of the present invention is described hereafter in one exemplary embodiment. For the purposes of the description, the direction situated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle shall be referred to as “x.” “y” denotes the direction in the horizontal of the vehicle transversely to the x direction, and “z” denotes the direction in the vertical of the vehicle transversely to the x direction. This nomenclature of the spatial directions using Cartesian coordinates corresponds to the coordinate system generally used in the automotive industry. Identical reference numerals are used hereafter for identical components within all figures; if necessary, not every figure will again explain all previously introduced components based on the reference numerals.
The rear seat system is designed in three pieces, the three-piece design, which is known per se, of the rear seat system being configured in a ratio of 40/20/40. A 40% portion of the rear seat system forms a vehicle seat 100, which is an integral part of the rear seat row of a motor vehicle. As is shown in
The perspective depiction of
Analogously to first seat part 12A, second and third seat parts 12B, 12C in each case form a second movable cushion part 12B-1, and a third movable cushion part 12C-1 and a second fixed cushion part 12B-2, and a third fixed cushion part 12C-2 situated behind that in the x direction. It becomes apparent that second and third seat parts 12B, 12C also meet the requirements to be able to carry out an inclination adjustment of seat part 12B, 12C analogously to the first seat part 12A. In
A side cushion 12D is situated in each case laterally from first seat part 12A and third seat part 12C—viewed in the y direction—which closes the space between the side areas of body K and the side areas of first and third seat parts 12A, 12C, so that a widened comfortable seat surface is formed in the x direction from seat parts 12A, 12B, 12C and side cushions 12D.
To simplify the explanation, hereafter only first seat part 12A is addressed, which forms part of vehicle seat 100, which, once again, is an integral part of the rear seat system. The description may be applied analogously to second and third seat parts 12B, 12C of the rear seat system.
Pivot axis Y1 is situated beneath the surfaces of adjoining cushion parts 12A-1, 12A-2 by a small vertical distance, so that a high pivot point position is formed for first movable cushion part 12A-1 in relation to first fixed cushion part 12A-2. The pivot point position pivot axis Y1 is matched to a hip point of an average person, whose hip point axis Y2 is situated in the y direction.
Since pivot axis Y1 is situated only a small distance beneath the surfaces of adjoining cushion parts 12A-1, 12A-2, the movement of first movable cushion part 12A-1 from the non-excursion position into excursion position 12A-1′ causes minor compression in a compression area S of the foam or of the shared cover in the upper area of the adjoining cushion parts above pivot axis Yl.
During the movement of first movable cushion part 12A-1 from the non-excursion position into excursion position 12A-1′, a small gap 12F is formed beneath pivot axis Yl, so that this area experiences minor strain in a strain area D of the cover covering, if necessary, cushion parts 12A-1, 12A-2 in the lower area.
Since two cushion parts 12A-1, 12A-2 are provided with a covering cover at least in the upper area, an observer of seat part 12A advantageously does not notice that first seat part 12A includes a front first movable cushion part 12A-1 and a rear fixed cushion part 12A-2. Vertical butt joint 12E formed between cushion parts 12A-1, 12A-2 situated behind each other in the x direction is thus situated beneath the cover and is hidden to the observer.
In a one-piece design, the formation of vertical butt joint 12E and of gap 12F is dispensed with, while the pivot point position and the compression area as well as the strain area forms analogously in the flexible foam and the cover situated above and, if necessary, beneath the same.
Bottom support plate 30 includes guide elements 31, which are used to secure a foam support plate 40, which in
Moreover, an additional rear longitudinal wire 22 and an additional lateral longitudinal wire 23 are implemented. Transverse wires 21, 24 are situated essentially in the y direction in the installed state of vehicle seat 100. Longitudinal wires 22, 23 are situated essentially in the x direction in the installed state of vehicle seat 100.
Front transverse wire 21 is situated beneath bottom support plate 30 in the installed state of vehicle seat 100. According to
Another attachment of wire frame 20 to body K is situated in each case laterally from wire frame 20 (see
A rear transverse wire 24 is situated parallel to front transverse wire 21. Rear transverse wire 24 is held in a stable position within wire frame 20 by rear longitudinal wire 22 within wire frame 20. Bottom support plate 30 engages in rear transverse wire 24 with the aid of clips 33 which are open in the z direction, as is shown in
Rear longitudinal wire 22 further passes through an end-face wall 34 of bottom support plate 30, so that bottom support plate 30 is secured on wire frame 20, which is fixed to the body, also against displacements in the y direction.
Front transverse wire 21 laterally transitions into lateral longitudinal wire 23 to which a side cushion 12D may be fixed, so that side cushion 12D may be situated in a stable position next to first seat part 12A.
Guide elements 31 are designed as low-friction receptacles, whose inner contours correspond to the outer contours of rail-like engagement elements 41 of top foam support plate 40. Due to the web-like design of guide elements 31, engagement elements 41 are movable in a friction-fit and form-locked manner, in particular in a low-friction manner, and in another advantageous manner are situated in guide elements 31 without additional elements, such as brackets, hinges or the like.
The original state (
Bottom support plate 30, which is connected to wire frame 20, is seated on body K. Air chambers 50, which serve as actuating means for the inclination adjustment of first movable cushion part 12A-1, are situated on bottom support plate 30. Air chambers 50 are another special feature. Air chambers 50 enable the inclination adjustment, without necessitating an interfering actuating means in the visible area of vehicle seat 100 or of the rear seat system, or in the area of the seat surface. Air chambers 50 are fillable via a very small actuating element used to temporarily activate a compressor.
It is provided to set up an installation space in side cushion 12D for the associated compressor (not shown).
Finally,
A vehicle seat 100 or a rear seat system including an adjustable backrest and an adjustable seat part 12A has the advantage that an upper body is not overstretched in relation to the lower body of a person sitting thereon in the case of a strongly inclined backrest due to the inclination adjustment of seat part 12A. It is known that a combination of backrest and seat inclination adjustment results in a considerably more ergonomical sitting posture. The provided vehicle seat 100, in particular as part of a rear seat system, represents a simple and cost-effective vehicle seat 100, which improves the seat comfort as desired.
The approach may be applied similarly to an undivided rear seat system. In such a case, the associated seat part as a whole is raised in the width provided for the rear seat system into an excursion position.
100 vehicle seat (rear seat system)
12A first seat part
12A-1 first movable cushion part
12A-2 first fixed cushion part
12A-3 rear connection
12B second seat part (seat center part)
12B-1 second movable cushion part
12B-2 second fixed cushion part
12C third seat part
12C-1 third movable cushion part
12C-2 third fixed cushion part
(′) inclined position
12D side cushion
12E vertical butt joint
12F gap
K body
H hip point of a person
Y1 pivot axis
Y2 hip axis
S compression area
D strain area
20 wire frame
21 front transverse wire
22 rear longitudinal wire
23 lateral longitudinal wires
24 rear transverse wire
25 lateral excursion wire
26 detent means
27 hook/eye connection
30 bottom support plate
31 guide elements
32 hook
33 clip
34 wall
40 top support plate (foam support plate)
41 engagement elements
42 trim channel
50 air chambers (actuating means)
60 screen
61 pull strap
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2011 118 344.6 | Nov 2011 | DE | national |
This application is a National Phase of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2012/003822, International Filing Date Sep. 12, 2012, claiming priority of German Patent Application No. 10 2011 118 344.6, filed Nov. 11, 2011, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2012/003822 | 9/12/2012 | WO | 00 | 5/27/2014 |