AU2015100568A4 - Seat for a passenger vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

\\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 - 12 A seat for a passenger vehicle, including a bench seat; a base section for supporting the bench seat above a floor or ground surface of the vehicle; a back support section extending 5 upwardly with respect to the bench seat, including two individual back support sections separated by a bridging section; two lap sash safety belts for anchoring people to respective individual back support sections of the seat; and a bridging lap sash safety belt for anchoring a person to the bridging section of the seat. * 62a 64a 70 1 00a Figure 2b 62b 64b 56 Figure 2c 1 00b

Description

\\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 SEAT FOR A PASSENGER VEHICLE Cross-Reference to Related Applications 5 The disclosure of the specification of Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2013903661 and International Patent Application No. PCTAU2014/050222, is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field of the Invention 10 The present invention relates to a seat for a passenger vehicle. Background of the Invention 15 Passenger vehicles, such as busses, typically include two columns of seats separated by a central aisle. Each seat is typically configured to seat two adults, one on the window and the other on the aisle. For example, the seat 10 shown in Figures la and lb is of a type previously manufactured which includes: 20 1. abench seat 12; 2. an upright back support section 14; and 3. abase section 16. The base section 16 supports the bench seat 12 above a floor or ground surface 18 of the 25 bus 20. In the example shown, the base section 16 is made up of a frame comprising first and second upright members 22a, 22b separated by a transverse member 24 coupled therebetween. The first and second upright members 22a, 22b are coupled to the floor 18 of the bus 20 by fasteners 26, such as bolts. The base section 16 also includes a fastener 28 for fastening the base section 16 to a wall 30 of the bus 20. 30 The upright back support section 14 includes two individual back support sections 32a, \\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 -2 32b separated by a bridging section 32c. The seat 10 is shaped to comfortably seat two adults in respective individual back support sections. The seat 10 includes two sets of lap sash safety belts 34, one for the window seat and the 5 other for the aisle seat. The lap sash safety belt 34 is used to anchor a passenger to the seat 10 in the event of a rapid braking event, such as an collision. A lap sash safety belt 34 typically includes: a. a webbing 36 coupled between a retractor 38 seated in, or attached to, upper section 10 of a first side of an upright back support 32a, 32b and a first anchor point on the base section 16; b. a male connector threaded onto the webbing 36 between the retractor 38 and the anchor point; and c. a female connector 40 fixed to a second anchor point on the base section 16. 15 When seated, the passenger fits the safety belt 34 by grasping the male connector and drawing it over his or her body from the above-mentioned common side towards the female connector 40. The male connector is mated with the female connector 40 and the passenger is secured in position. The above-described lap sash safety belt 34 is known in 20 the art and is not described here in further detail. From time to time, it may be desirable to seat three small people, such as three children, on the seat 10. In order to do so, the seat 10 needs to be modified so as to be able to securely anchor all three children to the seat. As a solution to this problem, the seat can be installed 25 with harness straps 42 in the manner shown in Figure la. The harness straps 42 wrap around the bridging section 32c of the upright back support section 14 of the seat 10. The harness straps may also include a lap belt 44. The above described arrangement of the harness straps 42 need to be fitted by an adult 30 which can be time consuming and generally inconvenient. Further, the harness straps 42 are laid open to anyone positioned on the seat behind. Children have been known pull on \\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 -3 these straps with a view to interfering with the children in front of them. This can cause discomfort to the child strapped into the harness 42 and, moreover, to the driver of the bus 20 who is likely to be alerted to the mischievous behaviour of the passengers with a whole lot of yelling and screaming. 5 It is generally desirable to overcome or ameliorate one or more of the above mentioned difficulties, or at least provide a useful alternative. Summary of the Invention 10 In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a seat for a passenger vehicle, including: (a) a bench seat; 15 (b) a base section for supporting the bench seat above a floor or ground surface of the vehicle; (c) a back support section extending upwardly with respect to the bench seat, including two individual back support sections separated by a bridging section; (d) two lap sash safety belts for anchoring people to respective individual back support 20 sections of the seat; and (e) a bridging lap sash safety belt for anchoring a person to the bridging section of the seat. Preferably, the lap sash safety belts for the individual back support sections each include: 25 (a) a webbing coupled between a retractor seated in upper section of a first side of one of said individual back support sections and a first anchor point on the base section located proximal to said first side of the individual back support section; (b) a first connector threaded onto the webbing between the retractor and the first anchor point; and 30 (c) a second connector coupled to a second anchor point on the base section located proximal to a second opposite side of said one of said individual back support sections, \\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 -4 wherein a person is anchored to the seat when the webbing is drawn across a front side of his or her body, over said one of said individual back support sections, so that the first connector is coupled to the second connector. 5 Preferably, wherein the bridging lap sash safety belt for the bridging section includes: (a) a webbing coupled between a retractor seated in upper section of an inner side of one of said individual back support sections and a first anchor point on the base section located proximal to said inner side of the individual back support section; (b) a first connector threaded onto the webbing between the retractor and the first 10 anchor point; and (c) a second connector coupled to a second anchor point on the base section located proximal to an inner side of the other of said individual back support sections, wherein a person is anchored to the seat when the webbing is drawn across a front side of his or her body so that the first connector is pulled across the bridging section and coupled 15 to the second connector. The present invention also provides a passenger vehicle including a plurality of the above described seats. 20 Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention are hereafter described, by way of non limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: 25 Figure la is a front view of a prior art seat; Figure lb is a side view of the seat shown in Figure la; Figure 2a is a front view of a seat for a passenger vehicle; Figures 2b and 2c are right and left side views of the right seat shown in Figure 2a; Figure 3a is a top view of a safety belt for the seat shown in Figure 2a; 30 Figure 3b is a side view of a safety belt shown in Figure 3a; Figure 4a is a front view of the seat for a passenger vehicle shown in Figure 2a with an \\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 -5 understrap fitted; Figure 4b is a top view of a safety belt with an understrap for the seat shown in Figure 4a; and Figure 4c is a side view of a safety belt shown in Figure 4b. 5 Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention The seat 50 shown in Figures 2a to 2c is used in a passenger vehicle 52, such as a bus, a tram, a boat, an airplane, or any other passenger vehicle. The seat 50 includes a bench seat 10 54; a base section 56 for supporting the bench seat 54 above a floor or ground surface 58 of the vehicle 52; and a back support section 60 extending upwardly with respect to the bench seat 54. The back support section 60 includes two individual back support sections 62a, 62b separated by a bridging section 62c. The seat 50 further includes two lap sash safety belts 64a, 64b for anchoring two people (not shown) to respective individual back 15 support sections 62a, 62b of the seat 50 and a bridging lap sash safety belt 64c for anchoring a person to the bridging section 62c of the seat 50. As particularly shown in Figures 3a and 3b, the lap sash safety belts 64a, 64b for the individual back support sections 62a, 62b of the seat each include: 20 (a) a webbing 66 coupled between a retractor 68 seated in upper section 70 of a first side 72 of one of the individual back support sections 62a, 62c and a first anchor point 74 on the base section 56 located proximal to the first side 72 of the individual back support section 62a, 62b; 25 (b) a first connector 76 threaded onto the webbing 66 between the retractor 68 and the first anchor point 74; and (c) a second connector 78 coupled to a second anchor point 80 on the base section 56 located proximal to a second opposite side 82 of the individual back support section 62a, 62b. 30 A person is anchored to the seat 50 with one of the safety belts 64a, 64b when the webbing \\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 -6 66 is drawn across a front side of his or her body, over the individual back support section 62a, 62b, so that the first connector 76 is coupled to the second connector 78. The bridging lap sash safety belt 64c for the bridging section 62c includes: 5 (a) a webbing 66 coupled between a retractor 68 seated in upper section 70 of an inner side 84 of one of the individual back support sections 62a, 62b and a first anchor point 74 on the base section 56 located proximal to said inner side 84 of the individual back support section 62a, 62b; 10 (b) a first connector 76 threaded onto the webbing 66 between the retractor 68 and the first anchor point 74; and (c) a second connector 78 coupled to a second anchor point 80 on the base section 56 located proximal to an inner side 86 of the other of the individual back support sections 62a, 62b. 15 A person is anchored to the seat 50 with the safety belt 64c when the webbing 66 is drawn across a front side of his or her body so that the first connector 76 is pulled across the bridging section 62c and coupled to the second connector 78. 20 As particularly shown in Figures 3a and 3b, the first connector 76 is preferably includes a male tongue threaded onto the webbing 66 and the second connector 78 preferably includes a female connector shaped to at least partially receive, and connect thereto, the male tongue of the first connector 76. However, any other suitable configuration of connectors could be used. 25 As shown, the safety belts 64a, 64b, 64c include a connector plate 88 for coupling the webbing 66 to respective first anchor points 74. However, the safety belts 64a, 64b, 64c could alternatively include any other suitable way of coupling the webbing 66 to the anchor point 74. 30 As shown in Figure 4a, the seat 50 preferably includes an understrap 90 coupled to the lap \\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 -7 sash safety belt 64c that extends across the bridging section 62c. As particularly shown in Figures 4b and 4c, the understrap 88 includes: (a) a webbing 92 coupled between the first anchor point of 74 of the safety belt 5 64c and a third anchor point 94 on the base section 16 located between the first anchor point 74 and the second anchor point 78 of the base section 16; and (b) a comfort adjustor 96 threaded on to the webbing 92 of the understrap 90 and also threaded onto the webbing 66 of the safety belt 64c between the first connector 76 and the retractor 68. 10 The webbing 92 is couple to the third anchor point 94 by way of a coupling plate 98. However, it may be coupled to the third anchor point by any other suitable means. The comfort adjustor 96 is adapted to slide along the webbing 66 of the safety belt 64c and 15 the webbing 92 of the understrap 90 to adjust the position of the understrap 90 to best suit the size and shape of the person sitting in the bridging section 62c. A width of a bottom section of the bridging section is 240mm. That is, the distance between the two second connectors 78. A width of a bottom section of each one of the 20 individual back support sections is 380mm. The base section 56 includes first and second upright members 100a, 100b separated by a transverse member 100c coupled therebetween. This is a typical configuration. Alternativelt, the base section 56 includes any other suitable means for supporting the 25 bench seat over the floor or ground surface 58 of the vehicle 52 can be used. The first and second upright members 100a, 100b are adapted to be coupled to the floor or ground surface 58 of the vehicle 52 by fasteners 102. Further, the base section 56 is adapted to be coupled to a wall section 104 of the vehicle 52 by a fastener 106. 30 The vehicle 52 is preferably bus for transporting more than 8 people. However, the seats are suitable for use in any other passenger vehicle such as an airplane, or a boat, etc.

\\davies.Iocal\ieldfsVedirected\tld\Desktop\35224453 Specification.doc-28/04/2015 The bridging section 62c is preferably suitable to seat a children up to 12 years old who weights less than 42 kg. 5 Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the 10 inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common 15 general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (16)

1. A seat for a passenger vehicle, including: (a) a bench seat; 5 (b) a base section for supporting the bench seat above a floor or ground surface of the vehicle; (c) a back support section extending upwardly with respect to the bench seat, including two individual back support sections separated by a bridging section; (d) two lap sash safety belts for anchoring people to respective individual back 10 support sections of the seat; and (e) a bridging lap sash safety belt for anchoring a person to the bridging section of the seat.

2. The seat claimed in claim 1, wherein the lap sash safety belts for the individual 15 back support sections each include: (a) a webbing coupled between a retractor seated in upper section of a first side of one of said individual back support sections and a first anchor point on the base section located proximal to said first side of the individual back support section; (b) a first connector threaded onto the webbing between the retractor and the 20 first anchor point; and (c) a second connector coupled to a second anchor point on the base section located proximal to a second opposite side of said one of said individual back support sections, wherein a person is anchored to the seat when the webbing is drawn across a front 25 side of his or her body, over said one of said individual back support sections, so that the first connector is coupled to the second connector.

3. The seat claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bridging lap sash safety belt for the bridging section includes: 30 (a) a webbing coupled between a retractor seated in upper section of an inner side of one of said individual back support sections and a first anchor point on the \\davies.local\meldfsredirected\tld\Desktop\35224453Specification.doc-28/04/2015 - 10 base section located proximal to said inner side of the individual back support section; (b) a first connector threaded onto the webbing between the retractor and the first anchor point; and 5 (c) a second connector coupled to a second anchor point on the base section located proximal to an inner side of the other of said individual back support sections, wherein a person is anchored to the seat when the webbing is drawn across a front side of his or her body so that the first connector is pulled across the bridging section and 10 coupled to the second connector.

4. The seat claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the first connector is a male tongue threaded onto the webbing and the second connector is a female connector shaped to at least partially receive, and connect thereto, the male tongue. 15

5. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, including an understrap coupled to the bridging lap sash safety belt.

6. The seat claimed in claim 4, wherein the understrap includes: 20 (a) a webbing coupled between the first anchor point of the bridging safety belt and a third anchor point on the base section located between the first anchor point and the second point of the base section; and (b) a comfort adjustor threaded on to the webbing of the understrap and also being threaded onto the webbing of the bridging safety belt between the first 25 connector and the retractor and being threaded onto the webbing, wherein the comfort adjustor is adapted to slide along the webbing of the bridging safety belt and the webbing of the understrap.

7. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a width of a bottom section 30 of the bridging section is substantially 240mm. \\davies.Iocal\ieldfsVedirected\tld\Desktop\35224453 Specification.doc-28/04/2015 - 11

8. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a width of a bottom section of each one of the individual back support sections is substantially 380mm.

9. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the base section includes first 5 and second upright members separated by a transverse member coupled therebetween.

10. The seat claimed in claim 9, wherein the first and second upright members are adapted to be coupled to a floor or ground surface of the vehicle by fasteners. 10

11. The seat claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the base section is adapted to be coupled to a wall section of the vehicle by a fastener.

12. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the vehicle is a bus. 15

13. A passenger vehicle including a plurality of the seats claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The passenger vehicle claimed in claim 13, wherein the vehicle is a bus. 20

15. A seat for a passenger vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2a to 4b.

16. A passenger vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2a to 4b. 25 30