AU642943B2

AU642943B2 - Seat for a vehicle provided with a safety belt with fixation points embarked on the armature of the seat

Info

Publication number: AU642943B2
Application number: AU68466/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Frederic Degrenne; Michael Hallet
Original assignee: Bertrand Faure Automobile SA
Current assignee: Faurecia Sieges dAutomobile SAS
Priority date: 1989-12-26
Filing date: 1990-12-24
Publication date: 1993-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 2010-12-24
Also published as: CA2033049A1; ZA9010318B; MX173168B; ES2055381T3; CA2033049C; EP0435740A1; DE69009162T2; FR2656263B1; BR9006568A; DE69009162D1; AU6846690A; EP0435740B1; IE904671A1; JPH04135949A; FR2656263A1; ATE106047T1; PT96366A

Abstract

A vehicle seat having a safety belt with fixing points integrated in the seat frame, characterised in that one of the ends of the strap (30) forming the safety belt is anchored to the lower rear part of the frame (2) of the sitting portion of the seat by means of a locking mechanism; then a shoulder loop (21) situated forward of the top part of the front of the seat back (14) guides the portion of the safety belt through, over the passenger's shoulder; and then a clip (37), cooperating with a clasp (39) forming the third and lower point of attachment of the safety belt (39), being anchored to the lateral endplate opposite the second point of attachment on the frame of the sitting portion. <IMAGE>

Description

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64~4 3 S F Ref: 151068 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

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o* r o r o*t Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name and Address of Applicant: Address for Service: Bertrand Faure Automobile 8 rue Jean Pierre Timbaud 78390 Bois D'Arcy Yvelines

FRANCE

Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Seat for a Vehicle Provided with a Safety Belt with Fixation Points Embarked on the Armature of the Seat The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5845/3

ABSTRACT

One end of the strap forming the safety belt is rigidly connected to a rear lower portion of the armature of the seating portion of the seat by a blockage mechanism. A shoulder keeper situated frontwardly with respect to the upper portion of the front face of the seat back provides for a sliding and guiding of a run of the safety belt passing above the passenger shoulder. An other end of the run of the safety belt is secured to an iron fitting fixed with one s of the side flanges of the seating portion armature and forming a second fixation point. A keeper cooperating *v with a lock forms a third lower fixation point of the safety belt and is connected to the side flange opposite the second fixation point on the armature of the seating portion of the seat. The two side flanges receiving the fixed and mobile portions of the back seat inclination setting mechanisms with respect to the seating portion of the seat are placed in a position such that a pivoting point of these mechanisms is in a position which is in front of a normal pivoting point of these i* *O mechanisms by a certain distance.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a seat for a vehicle provided with a safety belt with fixation points embarked on the armature of the seat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the present vehicles, each seat is provided with a safety belt which is of the type known under the name, of "three point type" safety belt, meaning that the fixation of the strap forming the belt is made, by one of its ends, on an automatic winder rigidly connected to the vehicle body and forming the first fixation point, while the second end of the belt is fixed by means of a lock placed either on the right side or on the left side of the seat, according to whether it is a left side s2at or a right side seat so to form the second fixation point the intermediate or third fixation point, that is the point situated between the automatic winder and thL lock, is normally also fixed to the vehicle body, so that the strap forming the belt is wound on the automatic winder and extends through a keeper situated on the car body on a point thereof substantially at height of the passenger shoulder and is fixed by its other end as hereabove indicated on the lower portion of the vehicle, that is on the car body as such, or on the frame of the seating portion of the seat.

f However, these known safety belts have a disadvantage of requiring a lengthy installation, and are therefore costly to mount and of a large volume (see in particular DE-A-3 429 426 and DE-A-3 613 830).

Attempts have been made to remedy these disadvantages by providing a so-called "three embarked points" safety belt, meaning that the three fixation points of the safety belt are fi:-ed on the frame of the seating portion and of the seat back of the seat, but 10 one is then confronted with a major disadvantage when, ooo as it is now the case, the inclination of the seat back

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can be set at will by the passenger. Actually, in this a* case, the articulation mechanism situated between the seating portion and the seat back are subjected to very large efforts which can go as far as breaking these mechanisms if an accident occurs.

Indeed, the run of the strap passing over the shoulder and breast of the passenger in order to joint the ventral run of the strap applies, mainly when there is an accident, very high efforts on the seat back which can exceed the maximum admissible effort value for the articulation mechanisms.

In addition to this major disadvantage, it has appeared that the presently known winders with automatic blockage were also not able to support such efforts and that therefore, at the moment of an impact, the safety belt does not fulfill absolutely its protection role, which aggravates the passenger corporal hazards.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle seat including the seat inclination setting mechanisms with a mounting of safety belt with three points fixed to the seat armature (seating portion of the seat and seat back of the seat) but by using most often an automatic winder and employing means protecting the user in all cases without a risk of a too rapid destruction of the articulation mechanisms and of the automatic winder.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a vehicle seat provided with a safety belt having fixation points anchored on a seat armature, wherein: one end of a strap that forms said safety belt is fixedly connected, to form a first fixation point, to a rear lower portion of an, armature of a seating portion of said seat via a blockage mechanism; :go: a shoulder keeper disposed on a seat back forward of an upper portion of a front face of said seat back provides for a sliding and guiding of a run of aid safety belt strap above a passenger's shoulder; 20 another end of a further run of said safety belt strap is secured, 0: to form a second fixation point, to a fitting that is fixed to side flange means on one side of said seating portion armature; and a further keeper that is disposed on said safety belt strap between said shoulder keeper and said fitting and that cooperates, to form a third fixation point, with a lock that is connected to side flange means on an opposite side of said seating portion armature, wh waeby-both ef-said side flange means er.@e4Lfifxed and mobile portions of articulation means for adjusting the position of said seat back relative to said seating portion of said seat, and wherein said blockage mechanism of said safety belt strap is disposed rearwardly of said seat back and comprises spaced-apart throughgoing tubes that are disposed in two essentially parallel vertical planes 'and in three parallel horizontal planes between which runs of said strap are defined, with the o* 1 T i I -4component of the forces of said runs being such as to create an antagonistic force that proouces a torque which considerably reduces the ic-o k A torque exerted on said "-ttA-Rgmeans.

Various other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the object of the invention are shown, by way of non limiting examples, in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a seat provided with a safety belt of a "three embarked points" type on the seat armature, with the safety belt in its rest position; Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, with the safety belt In a working position; Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the seat without its garnishings showing the armature and the

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HRW/7007T iron fittings intended for fixation of the safety belt with three embarked points Fig. 4 is a front view corresponding to Fig. 3 Figs. 5 and 5a are enlarged views showing a portion of the members of the safety belt according to the invention Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevation view showing a detail of the safety belt passing on top of the seat back 10 Fig. 7 is a front perspective view showing the "o seat armature provided with the safety belt I"*I Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of a detail shown in 6* side elevation, illustrating an alternative embodiment of a portion of the safety belt Fig. 9 is a side elevation view of a detail of another embodiment of the safety belt .l Fig. 10 is a side elevation view of the mechanism of Fig. 9 in the blockage position S Fig. 11 is a side elevation view of a third embodiment of a portion of the safety belt Fig. 12 is a side elevation view corresponding to Fig. 11 showing the mechanism in another position Fig. 13 shows a side elevation view of a modification of one of the members of the seat using a safety belt with three embarked points Fig. 14 is a side elevation view corresponding to Fig. 13 of the mechanism of this figure in an other position Fig. 15 is a side elevation view of a variant of Fig. 13 Fig. 16 shows the device of Fig. 15 in a side elevation view in another position.

DISCLOSURE OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to drawings, Fig. 1 shows a 10 vehicle seat, more particularly for an automobile, but which can also be used in other vehicles, notably in 9 aircrafts.

The seating portion 1 of the seat includes, on its armature 2, rearwardly, side flanges 3 the upper portion 3a of which is provided for receiving the fixed element of the rotation mechanism enabling the seAt back 4 of the seat in consideration to be moved so as to put a the seat back 4 in a desired position for using the seat. The control of this rotation device can be either manual, or motorized as it is the case in the majority t of modern vehicles.

Of course, the armature 2 of the seating portion of the seat is also mounted on devices enabling the longitudinal displacement of the seat, and also the variable inclination of the seating portion by using a raising device, known per se.

The seat can also comprise in some cases, in the upper portion of the seat back, a head-rest which is not shown in the present case.

Likewise, the upholstery of the seat, meaning that of the seating portion as well as of the seat back, can be made at will so as to provide as much comfort as possible,for the passenger.

Fig. 3 shows a rear perspective view of the armature 2 of the seating portion 1 which is made of a 10 tube conveniently shaped, and the ends 2a, 2b of which

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tubes are fixed by any convenient means on identical supports 5 made each of a base 6 and two parallel o flanges 7, 8. The latter are normally covered when the seat is finished by the covering flanges 3. The bases 6 and the flanges 7, 8 are made of a steel sheet so as to make rigid the lower rear portion of the armature of the

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seating portion. Moreover, this rear portion of the *e S armature of the seating portion is reinforced by a tube g9 the ends 9a, 9b of which are fixed by any convenient 20 means on the bases 6.

It should also be noticed that the outer flange S: 8 of each support 5 includes an upper extension 10 on which are fixed the fixed flange of the seat back articulation mechanism and the mobile flange of this articulation device, the latter being rigidly connected to the armature 12 of the seat back 4.

The armature 12 of the seat back 4 is made of two frames 13, 14 of a trapezoidal shape which is tapering upwardly, and are connected at their top by a channel-shaped frame 15 making rigid the upper portion of The armature 12 of the seat back 4.

Moreover, the base of the frames 13 and 14 as well as the rear portion of the upper extensions 10 are provided with gussets 16, 17 for setting in position a hollow transverse bar (a tube) 18, the purpose of which 10 will be explained hereafter.

Finally, there is provided on the front portion of the right support 5 in the present case, a yoke *intended for supporting the lock of the safety belt.

Lastly, the upper channel-shaped frame 15 of the armature 12 of the seat back 4 is provided with an iron fitting fixed to the upper left-hand side portion of the frame (see Fig. 3) and through ;"hich extends the upper run of the safety belt. (In this case, it is a left-hand side seat, the iron fitting 21 being on the right for a 20 right side seat). The keeper 21 is situated in front of "the front face of the seat back 4 (see Fig. 6, line Z-Z).

As shown in Fig. 2, the safety belt 30 is held at its lower free end 30a by a keeper 31 which is rigidly connected by a bolt or rivet 32 to the support carrying the flanges 7 and 8.

In some cases, the flange 8 is made of two plates 8, 8a (see Fig. 5) rigidly connected together so as to enable a setting in position, for the other end of the safety belt 30, of a fixation point 34 made 'y the superimposition of transverse bars retained between the supports 5, these fixation plates being connected by a bolt and nut arrangement 35, but which could also be connected together by any other suitable means.

10 As shown in Fig. 5, the lower end 30b of the *99* S belt 30 passes along a transverse tube 118 connecting the flange 8 together, then around the tube 18 fixed on the gussets 16, then returns around a tube 218 connecting the flanges 8 transversely together, and finally, extending behind the seat back 4 of the seat, slides through the upper iron fitting 21 forming a o keeper, the other end 30a of this belt being fixed on the keeper 31 as hereabove explained (Fig. 7).

It should be noted that, if we assume that the traction effort applied on the strap 130a is equal to 1, "due to the successive passage on the points 218, 18 and 118, the force exerted according to F3 is equal to 2.

Therefore, the force F3 has a tendency to rotate the seat back armature 12 rearwardly according to arrow F4.

The effect of the resultant force F3 is to cancel or minimize the rotation torque along F5 exerted on the articulation point.

The run, forming the safety belt 30, comprises a keeper 38 which is mounted freely on it and ends into a cruciform catch 37 intended for penetrating, as it is usual, inside a lock 39 for the fixation of the safety belt, since the lock 39 is rigidly connected to the yoke (see Figs. 1, 2 and 7).

By referring to Figs. 2 and 7, it is clear that 10 the safety belt 30 is subdivided into three successive runs, i.e, a rear run 130a, a front breast run 130b and a ventral run 130c due to the lower fixation iron fitting 34 of the upper keeper on the back 21 of the catch 37 cooperating with the lock 39 and finally to the fixation point with keeper 31.

In some cases, the rear fixation point 34 is replaced (see Fig. 5a) by an automatic winder 43, known *e per se, and on which is normally wound the major portion of the safety belt 30 when the safety belt is not operating.

S The hereabove construction leads immediately to two remarks.

S 55 Due to the fact that the articulation mechanisms which allow the angular displacement of the seat back 4 2 of the seat are displaced frontwardly of the seating portion (point 10) since they are fixed on the upper extensions of the supports 5 substantially in their median zone, there is therefore obtained a decentering of the seat back armature 12 and of the seat back 4 with respect to the seating portion 1 (see Fig. 4 where the line x-x represents the abscissa line and y-y the ordinate line), the point B being the normal articulation point and the point A being the real pivotment point of the rotation mechanism which is situated at about 50mm from the point B in the present 10 case. Moreover, the keeper 21 being placed in the upper *portion of the seat back 4 but on its front face, the effort of the strap making the safety belt 30 is therefore transferred above the passenger shoulder and in front with respect to the seat back 4, the result being that the torque exerted on the articulation mechanism is very small.

Actually (see Fig. the components of the

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rear runs 130d and 130c on the tubes 118, 18, 218 are such that an antagonist force is created and provides a •20 torque which reduces considerably the torque exerted on i" the seat back articulation mechanisms.

For summarizing, the position in front of the seat back articulation mechanisms 12, the position of the keeper 21 rigidly connected to the channel-shaped flange 15 in front and above the passenger shoulder jointed to the lower rigid fixation of the run 130a either on a fixed point or on an automatic winder, avoid any damaging torque on the articulations, which enables making a safety belt with three embarked points.

In Fig. 8, the lower run 130a of the belt shows another embodiment c\ the lower fixed point of the strap having practically the same features as hereabove as shown in Fig. 5. Actually, the throughgoing tubes 118 and 218 are rigidly connected to the armature of the seating portion of the seat, and only the return tube 18 10 is fixed at th( bottom of the seat back, thereby S. limiting the efforts applied to the seat back of the *seat *In some cases it is possible to fix in addition to the throughgoing tube 18 mounted on the seat back armature, throughgoing tubes 318, 418 mounted on the armature of the seating portion, and the throughgoing tube 18 in then slidably mounted in windows o 0 80 formed on either side of the seat back 4 in the gussets 16, 17. A resilient element 81 tends to bring 20 the throughgoing tube 18 back to the position which is most remote from the throughgoing tubes 318, 418. As shown in Fig. 9, the throughgoing tube 18 is situated in a slanting plane parallel to the plane defined by the throughgoing tubes 318, 418, and the tube 18 can effect a movement (direction of the arrow Fl, Fig. 10), in a plane perpendicular to the two hereabove defined planes.

In the event of an impact (see Fig. 10), the tube 18 slides in the windows 80 of the gussets 16, 17 in direction of the arrow F1 (Fig. 10) and then comes to bear against the thioughgoing tubes 318, 418 by firmly blocking the lower run 130a of the safety belt, thereby causing an antagonistic torque cancelling any efforts applied on the articulation mechanism 10 mounted on the seat back armature 12.

In Fig. 11, there is provided in addition to the 10 throughgoing tubes 318, 418 a throughgoing abutment 518 sliding in windows 180 formed in the gusset 16, 17. The abutment 518 cooperates with a cylinder 100 mounted in windows 101 also formed in the gussets 16, 17.

The cylinder 100, which has a tendency to be drawn inside (arrow F2) by a resilient element 81, carries a cable 102 wound around it and retained under **e tension by a second resilient element 81a, this cable 102 being fixed at its lower end on the seat back armature 12.

20 In the event of an impact (Fig. 12), the resilient element 81 is deformed, the abutment 518 drives thus the cylinder 10 and blocks strongly the cable 102, and this all the more that the throughgoing tubes 318, 418 are peripherically serrated so as to provide a good hold of the cable 102. There again, the .result is the same as that previously explained.

Finally, in Fig. 13, the lower run 130a of the safety belt which comes for example from on automatic winder or is provided with any one of the blockage devices described in the preceding figures, passes along a segment in the shape of a shoe 120 articulated at 121 to the armature of the seating portion of the seat.

The front upper portion 122 of the segment 120 is serrated in order to cooperate with a toothed sector 123 fixed on the axis of articulation of each seat back 10 articulation mechanism 12.

There is also provided a resilient element 81b having a tendency to bring rearwardly the sector 120 in the direction of arrow F3 (Fig. 13), but which is

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deformed in the event of an impact and, at that moment, the serration 122 extends into the teeth of the toothed sector 123 (Fig. 14), thereby blocking completely the axis of articulation of the seat back articulation mechanism 12, so that the latter do not support any e S, torque having a tendency to deform them.

20 In Fig. 15, the toothed segment 122 in the shape of a shoe is driven by a lever 230 controlled by a pad 231 on the outer surface of which will extend the run a CC 130a of the safety belt so that, as explained for the previous cases, when there is an impact, the toothing 122 of the segment 120 will extend inside the toothing of the toothed sector 123 (see Fig. 16) so as to latch the seat back articulation mechanisms 12 and thereby avoid any destructive torque of the latter. This action causes a rubbing effect which increases the anchoring of the lower run 130A of the safety belt (Fig. Finally, a lever 230 (Fig. 16) increases the force which blocks the shoe 120 on the toothed sector 123, the purpose of which on the run 130a of the belt 130 being the same as in Fig. In all the embodiments of Figs. 8 to 16, the 10 articulation point A of the mechanisms setting the inclination of the seat back in consideration occupies the same position as that defined for Figs. 4 and Moreover, it is also possible to make safety belts of the parachute type with four embarked points but, in that case, the ventral run is made of two elements which are each connected to the rear lateral "armature of the seating portion of the seat and the o o closing lock being in the middle of the ventral belt this lock can also receive two catches fixed to the 20 lower portion of the shoulder runs, as known. The mounting of each shoulder run is conform to what has been previously described for the rear run 130a.

Finally, it should be noticed that these embarked safety belts are provided with the known devices for adjusting the length of each run in consideration so as to set them as a function of the corpulence of the passenger.

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Claims

1. A vehicle seat provided with a safety belt having fixation points anchored on a seat armature, wherein: one end of a strap that forms said safety belt is fixedly connected, to form a first fixation point, to a rear lower portion of an armature of a seating portion of said seat via a blockage mechanism; a shoulder keeper disposed on a seat back forward of an upper portion of a front face of said seat back provides for a sliding and guiding of a run of said safety belt strap above a passenger's shoulder; another end of a further run of said safety belt strap is secured, to form a second fixation point, to a fitting that is fixed to side flange means on one side of said seating portion armature; and a further keeper that is disposed on said safety belt strap between said shoulder keeper and said fitting and that cooperates, to form a third fixation point, with a lock that is connected to side flange means on an opposite side of said seating portion armature, *whe-by-both ef-said side flange means re-e-4-wefixed and mobile portions of articulation means for adjusting the position of said seat back relative to said seating portion of said seat, and wherein said blockage mechanism of said safety belt strap is disposed rearwardly of said seat back and comprises spaced-apart 0 00 o S* S O 0O S _18- throughgoing tubes that are disposed in two essentially parallel verticaL planes and in three parallel. horizontal planes between which runs of said strap are defined, with the component of the forces of said runs being such as to create an antagonistic force that produces a torqile which considerably reduces the torque o-r- i C L) k C 0 r-% exerted on said e-e Oeans

2 A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein said two side flange means that receive said fixed and mobile portions of said articulation means provide a pivot axis for said articulation means for adjusting the position of said seat back relative to said seating portion of said seat, with said pivot axis being disposed forward of a conventional pivot axis for siich articulation means at a rear end of said seating portion armature.

3 A vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said pivot axis of oaid articulation means is disposed about mm forward of a conventional pivot axis.

4 A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein runs of said safety belt strap enter said blockage mechanism in a first plane and exit the samo-,, in a second, different plane.

A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein said throughgoing tubes of said blockage mechanism are disposed such as -to form the corners of an irregular triangle. -19-

6. A Figs. 1-7 or 14, or Figs. vehicle seat substantially as described with reference to Fig. 8 or Figs. 9 and 10 or Figs. 11 and 12 or Figs. 13 and 15 and 16 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this SEVENTEENTH day of MAY 1993 Bertrand Faure Automobile Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON S S ES S S S S S *SS* S SOSS S *SS. 55 S S S S *5 .5 OS S S '.55 S. 55 S S 0 'St. S@ 0* S 0O 5 0 550 S tees SO S S S S S~ S OS HRW/7007T