AU736391B2 - Pivotal mounting for a vehicle seat - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT g h f s Invention Title: PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR A VEHICLE SEAT .0 ev. The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 Document4 PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR A VEHICLE SEAT This invention relates to a mechanism for pivotally mounting a seat within a vehicle for movement of the seat between an inboard position and an outboard position. The invention in particular provides a seat for assisting entry into and exit from motor vehicles by elderly or disabled persons.

It is known to pivotally mount a vehicle seat for rotation about a vertical axis for the seat to protrude through the vehicle door opening and then to slide further out of the vehicle to enable an elderly or disabled passenger to sit on the seat. Once the passenger is seated, the seat is slid rearwardly towards the vehicle and pivotally returned inside the vehicle and locked in position. Thus the seat mounting must carry the weight of a passenger as it is pivotally moved from an outboard to an inboard position, and also when it is moved from an inboard to an outboard position for the passenger to alight. The pivotal 15 mounting of the seat must be strong enough to carry the load which a passenger imposes thereon.

The presence of a sill along the bottom of the door opening of a vehicle presents a problem for these known seats in that the seat must pass over the sill. Although the seat could be mounted such that it remains above the level of the sill when in its inboard and outboard positions, this will restrict the headroom that is available for the passenger within the vehicle and may leave insufficient headroom for the passenger to be comfortably moved through the vehicle door opening.

This invention seeks to provide a seat mounting mechanism for pivoting the seat which is of simple yet robust design and which incorporates means for raising the seat for it to pass over a sill in a vehicle.

According to the invention there is provided a mechanism for pivotally mounting a seat within a vehicle for movement of the seat between an inboard position and an outboard position, the mechanism including, a base frame for connection to a floor of the vehicle, a first pivot means carried by the base frame and positioned rearwardly thereon such that when the base frame is installed in the vehicle, the first pivot means is adjacent a door pillar of the C:\WINWORD\DELILA-COMPLETEMOUNTPIV.DOC -2 vehicle, a pivotal frame for carrying the seat and including a second pivot means for assembly with the first pivot means to form a pivot mounting whereby the second pivot means is vertically movable relative to the first pivot means, the pivotal frame being mounted as a cantilever to the second pivot means, wherein the base frame includes a ramp means on which a portion of the pivotal frame bears for raising the pivotal frame relative to the base frame as it is pivoted thereon to move the seat from the inboard to the outboard position, whereby the ramp means raises the pivotal frame sufficiently for it to clear a sill of the vehicle.

The mechanism according to the invention provides for the seat to be raised as it is pivoted, that is, the pivoting causes the seat to be simultaneously raised. This avoids the provision of separately operable pivotal and raising mechanisms and is a feature which contributes to the simplicity and thus a lesser manufacturing cost for the mechanism.

15 Preferably the pivotal frame includes a cantilevered support arm which extends from the second pivot means and includes means for carrying the seat .*.thereon.

Preferably the first pivot means is a pivot pin which extends upwardly from the base frame and the second pivot means is a collar for assembly on the pivot pin.

Preferably the portion of the pivotal frame which bears on the ramp ".means is the cantilevered support arm.

S" A further preferred feature of the invention is that the base frame is connectable to a floor of the vehicle at the existing seat mounting holes. This allows easy and thus cheaper installation of the mechanism as compared, for example, to a mechanism which requires new mounting holes to be drilled in the vehicle floor. This preferred feature is readily accomplished by providing a generally rectangular form for the base frame. Thus the base frame may include spaced members for extending longitudinally of the vehicle and spaced cross members. These members can be provided with holes for mounting bolts which locate with the existing mounting holes in the floor of a vehicle when the mechanism is positioned in the vehicle.

C:\WINWORD\DELLAH\COMPLETE4OUPN.D-C 3- Preferably the pivot pin is positioned at a corner of the base frame and preferably the ramp means extends between the longitudinally extending member and the cross member which provide that corner. Also, preferably, the ramp means is located adjacent the pivot pin.

As the ramp means must support a portion of the load on a seat, it is preferably formed from a low friction material such that the cantilevered support arm, when carrying a load, can slide over its ramp surface with minimal frictional resistance. Alternatively the ramp means may have a composite structure including a layer of low friction material which provides the ramp surface.

The means of the pivotal frame for carrying the seat preferably includes tracks for mounting the sliders of a seat for moving the seat forwardly and rearwardly on the pivotal frame. Thus the seat position within a vehicle is adjustable as is normally the case for at least the front seats in a motor vehicle.

i 15 This feature also facilitates access by an elderly or disabled person in that when the seat is pivoted to its outboard position, it can be moved forwardly to outermost position on its mounting on the pivotal frame, thereby improving its accessibility to a disabled or elderly person.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

the drawings Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mechanism according to the invention and a seat for mounting thereon.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a seat mounted within a vehicle by a mechanism according to the invention, showing the possible movements for the seat therein.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the seat of Fig. 2 showing it in an outboard position.

Figs. 4 and 5 are rear views illustrating how the seat is raised as it is pivoted, and

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Fig. 6 is a rear view illustrating the seat in an outermost outboard position.

A mounting mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a base frame 10 for connection to the floor 12 of a vehicle.

A door opening 14 in the vehicle has a bottom which is higher than the level of floor 12 such that a sill 16 extends along the side of the vehicle at the door opening 14. A door pillar 18 extends upwardly from the sill 16.

Base frame 10 is substantially square or rectangular and includes spaced members 20 and 22 for extending longitudinally in the vehicle and spaced cross members 24, 26. A pivot pin 28 extends upwardly from a rear corner of frame 10 where cross members 20 and 24 are joined such that when base frame 10 is installed in the vehicle and secured to floor 12, pivot pin 28 is positioned adjacent door pillar 18.

A ramp ,means 30 (to be described in more detail below) is included on 15 the base frame 10 and extends between longitudinal member 24 and cross member 20 adjacent the pivot pin 28.

~Base frame 10 furthermore includes spaced stops 32 and 34 along inner member 22 and a bearing pad 35 at its front outer corner. Stops 32 and 34 and pad 35 are for a pivotal frame 50 (which frame is described below). Base 00.

frame 10 also includes latches 36, 38 operable by a single lever 40. Latch 36 .oo..i is attached to cross member 24 towards longitudinal member 22 and latch 38 is attached to longitudinal member 20 towards the front of base frame Latch 36 is for latching the pivotal frame 50 in the inboard position and the other latch 38 is for latching it in the outboard position.

Base frame 10 is securable to floor 12 at four locations generally indicated at 42, 44, 46 and 48. The base frame 10 includes holes at these locations for receiving mounting bolts for securing the base frame to floor 12 via the existing seat mounting holes in the floor. Thus base frames having a particular shape and size can be provided to suit the particular seat anchorage positions for particular models of motor vehicle.

A pivotal frame 50 for carrying a seat 52 includes a collar 54 which slides over the pivot pin 28 for pivotally mounting the pivotal frame 50 on the C:\WINWORD\DELILAH\COMPLETE MOUNTPIV.DOC base frame 10. A support arm 56 is attached to collar 54 such that it extends therefrom as a cantilever. When pivotal frame 50 is assembled with base frame 10 when collar 54 is on pivot pin 28), cantilevered support arm 56 bears on ramp means Pivotal frame 50 includes means for carrying seat 52 in the form of two parallel tracks 58, 60 within which the normal slides 62, 64 of a seat are mountable for sliding the seat back and forth along the tracks 58, 60 (note that Fig. 1 shows the seat slides 62, 64 separated from the seat 52 and mounted on tracks 58, 60). Tracks 58, 60 are welded onto cantilevered support arm 56, and cross beams 66 are welded across tracks 58, 60. A gusset plate 68 is welded to collar 54, cantilevered support arm 56 and along track 58, and another gusset plate 70 on the other side of frame 50 is welded to support arm 56 and along track 60. A catch 72 is attached to cantilevered support arm 56 and includes a pin for engaging with latch 36 for latching pivotal frame 50 to °of 15 base frame 10 at the inboard position for seat 52. This latched position is defined by brackets (not shown) on pivotal frame 50 engaging stops 32 and 34.

Also, in this position, an underneath front side portion of pivotal frame 50 rests 0 0.

on bearing pad Fig. 2 illustrates the movement of seat 52 when the pivotal frame 50 is latched to base frame 10 at the inboard position for the seat. In this latched position, the seat 52 is movable forwardly and rearwardly by movement of seat :•:":slides 62, 64 along tracks 58, 60. This sliding arrangement for a seat 52 is well known and is therefore not described in further detail herein. The seat 52 is latchable in selected positions along tracks 58, 60 as is normal.

Pivotal frame 50 (and thus seat 52) can be unlatched from base frame by operating lever 40 (the manually operable portion of which is hidden in Fig 1 by longitudinal member 20) to release the latch 36. A significant feature of the preferred embodiment is the double latch arrangement 36, 38 for latching pivotal frame 50 to base frame 10, wherein both latches are operable by a single lever 40. The latches 36, 38 are known and are thus not described in detail herein. When the latch 36 is released, seat 52 can be manually handled to pivot it to an outboard position (see Fig. which handling causes C:\WINWORDDELILA-COMPLETE OUNTpIVDOC6collar 54 of pivotal frame 50 to rotate on pivot pin 28. Simultaneously frame is raised due to an undersurface portion 57 of cantilevered support arm 56 (see Fig. 5) bearing on and sliding "up" a ramp surface 31 of ramp means Ramp means 30 is preferably formed from a nylon-type thermoplastic polyamide material such as, for example, Delrin, although any hard wearing low friction bearing material may be used. Ramp means 30 is curved through 900 and has an undersurface lying on longitudinal member 20 and cross member 24, and an upper surface 31 which slopes upwardly from the cross member 24 end to the longitudinal member 20 end over its 900 curve. Ramp means 30 is attached to members 20 and 24 by screws 74. As portion 57 of cantilevered support arm 56 slides over surface 31 of ramp means 30, collar 54 slides upwardly on pivot pin 28 as it rotates thereon until the seat 52 reaches the limit of its pivotal movement, which is defined by catch 72 engaging with latch 38 (see Fig. When pivotal frame 50 is latched in the outboard position 15 for seat 52, the seat can be moved forwardly along tracks 58, 60 via its slides l 62, 64 (see Fig. 6).

return seat 52 to its inboard position, it is returned to its rearmost position on frame 52, latch 38 is released by operating lever 40, and the seat is then manually pivoted back into the vehicle. As the seat frame 50) pivots about pivot pin 28, it is simultaneously lowered as the cantilevered support arm 56 slides "down" ramp surface 31.

The operating lever 40 may be replaced by a Bowden cable operated by a pull handle and rod arrangement. The Bowden cable may be connected to operate the rear latch 36 with the pull handle and rod mounted alongside the seat 52 such that its handle is more accessible for a disabled or elderly person to operate compared to the lever 40. For this alternative, both the latches 36 and 38 remain interconnected and are thus simultaneously released by pulling on the handle.

Members 20, 22, 24 and 26 of base frame 10 are preferably of box section construction and may be fabricated from 1.2 or 1.6 mm bright mild steel plate. Individual members 20-26 and frame 10 as such can be contoured to match the contouring (if any) of a vehicle floor 12. Members 20-26 are welded C:%WWWORDIDELILAMCOMPLETE\UOUNTPIV.D C 7 together to form frame 10, and pivot pin 28 is welded into the corner of members 20 and 24 across the box section to ensure a strong anchorage and distribution of loads on the pivot pin across the base frame section. A box section construction for base frame 10 provides for a light weight and strong structure.

Pivotal frame 50 may also be fabricated from 1.2 or 1.6 mm bright mild steel plate (apart from cross beams 66 which are tubular). Cantilevered support arm 56 is preferably hollow and has a frustoconical shape, tapering to a smaller cross section end away from collar 54. It may also comprise two sections which are angled relative to each other (as can be seen in Figs. 4 and This frustoconical form for the cantilevered support arm 56 can be fabricated from plate and is preferred because it gives the required strength for transferring load forces to the pivot pin 28 whilst minimising weight. The S:support arm 56 is welded to collar 54.

A ramp means 30 which is separate from the pivot pin 28 is preferred because it relieves the pivot pin of some of the load forces that will be transferred from pivotal frame 50 to base frame 10 when the seat 52 is pivoted between an inboard and an outboard position whilst a person is seated thereon. However the invention encompasses other ramp means, for example, a ramp means associated with the pivot pin on which the collar bears could be used.

Alternatives for the pivotal mounting are also within the scope of the invention. For example the base frame 10 could include a socket which receives a pivot pin carried by the pivotal frame 50, the pivot pin in this case being attached to the support arm 56. The cantilevered support arm 56 may also have a form other than the preferred frustoconical structure described herein.

The invention provides an uncomplicated mechanism which is strong but relatively light weight and which is readily installable in a vehicle. The invention also encompasses the mechanism in combination with a seat and this combination when mounted in a vehicle.

C:\WINWORDIDELILAHCOMPLETEIOUNTPIV.DOC 8 The invention described herein is susceptible to variations, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described and it is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations, modifications and/or additions which fall within the scope of the following claims.

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Claims (9)

1. A mechanism for pivotally mounting a seat within a vehicle for movement of the seat between an inboard position and an outboard position, the mechanism including, a base frame for connection to a floor of the vehicle, a first pivot means carried by the base frame and positioned rearwardly thereon such that when the base frame is installed in the vehicle, the first pivot means is adjacent a door pillar of the vehicle, a pivotal frame for carrying the seat and including a second pivot means for assembly with the first pivot means to form a pivot mounting whereby the second pivot means is vertically movable relative to the first pivot means, the pivotal frame being mounted as a cantilever to the second pivot means, wherein the base frame includes a ramp means on which a portion of the pivotal frame bears for raising the pivotal frame relative to the base frame as it is pivoted thereon to move the seat from S15 the inboard to the outboard position, whereby the ramp means raises the pivotal frame sufficiently for it to clear a sill of the vehicle. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pivotal frame includes a cantilevered support arm which extends from the second pivot means and includes means for carrying the seat thereon. 20 3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the first pivot means is a pin which extends upwardly from the base frame and the second pivot means is a collar for assembly on the pin. a A mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein the portion of the pivotal frame which bears on the ramp means is the cantilevered support arm.

5. A mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the base frame includes spaced longitudinally extending members and spaced cross members and is connectible to a floor of the vehicle at the vehicle's existing seat mounting points.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first pivot means is located at a corner of the base frame formed by a join between a longitudinally extending member and a cross member, and the ramp means C:\WNWORDMDELILAH\COMPLEE OUNTPIV.DOC 10 extends between the longitudinally extending member and the cross member adjacent the first pivot means.

7. A mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the ramp means is formed from or includes a low friction material providing a ramp surface on which the portion of the pivotal frame slides as that frame is pivoted on the base frame.

8. A mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the base frame and the pivotal frame include engageable latch means for releasably latching the pivotal frame at the inboard position for the seat and for releasably latching the pivotal frame at the outboard position for the seat.

9. A mechanism as claimed in claim 8 wherein the engageable latch means for both said positions are releasable by a single operating lever.

10. A mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the means for carrying the seat of the pivotal frame includes a sliding mechanism 15 for moving the seat forwardly and backwardly relative to the pivotal frame.

11. A mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 including a vehicle seat mounted on the means for carrying the seat of the pivotal frame.

12. A vehicle including a mechanism and seat as claimed in claim 11 mounted therein. 20 13. A mechanism for pivotally mounting a seat within a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures. 4* ~DATED: 5 October, 1998 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: FREEDOM ACCESS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD OotAA^t^ 4 C:NWNWORD\DELILIfCOMPLETEWOUNTPIV.DOC -11-