GB2246699A

GB2246699A - A seat frame for use in a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2246699A
Application number: GB9016421A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tony Jonsson
Original assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Current assignee: Autoliv Development AB
Priority date: 1990-07-26
Filing date: 1990-07-26
Publication date: 1992-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 2010-07-26
Also published as: GB9016421D0; GB2246699B

Abstract

A seat frame for a seat to be used in a motor vehicle has two spaced apart vertically extending sides which are inter- connected by a horizontal upper element and a horizontal lower element. The frame is reinforced by tensioned flexible elongate element extending diagonally across the frame. If such a frame is used in the front seat of the motor vehicle, the frame does not present any transverse bar which can damage the knees of a person travelling in the rear of the vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION "Improvements in or relating to a seat frame" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a seat frame and more particularly relates to a seat frame intended for a seat for use in a motor vehicle.

A seat that is used in a motor vehicle can be subjected to severe stress, particularly under an accident situation.

It has been proposed to mount the retractor reel for a seat belt in the back of a seat, adjacent tho shoulder of a person to wear the seat belt. Whilst this expedient does provide various advantages, it is to be appreciated that a seat having a seat belt mounted in this position must be sufficiently strong to withstand the forces applied to the seat under accident conditions.

It has been proposed previously to provide a seat-back consisting of a frame having two parallel substantially vertical sides inter-connected by a top-piece which is substantially horizontal, the frame being re-inforced by a transverse or diagonally extending re-inforcing element. Typically, such a re-inforcing element has consisted of a tubular hollow element, typically of square or rectangular cross-section.

Whilst a seat incorporating a frame of this type in the back of the seat may be sufficiently strong to withstand the forces applied to the seat during an accident, the frame does provide a disadvantage in that the re-inforcing element has some extent in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and thus may tend to reduce the free longitudinal space available for accommodating the legs of a passenger in a rear seat of the vehicle. Also, such a re-inforcing bar is typically located just in front of the knees of a person travelling in the rear of the vehicle, which means that in an accident, should the person travelling in the rear of the vehicle travel forwardly, the knees of that person may well be injured.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved frame for a vehicle seat in which the disadvantages of the prior art as described above are obviated or reduced.

According to this invention there is provided a frame for use as a frame in a seat for use in a vehicle, the frame comprising two- spaced substantially vertically extending sides inter-connected by an upper horizontal element and a lower horizontal element, the frame being re-inforced by a tensioned flexible elongate element extending substantially diagonally across the frame.

Preferably the tensioned element is associated with a further tensioned element extending from a point on the tensioned element to a point at or adjacent a further corner of the frame.

Conveniently two tensioned elements are provided each extending substantially diagonally of the frame.

Advantageously the two diagonally extending tensioned elements are inter-connected at a substantially central node.

Preferably the elongate elements extend away from said node upwardly at an acute angle and downwardly at an obtuse angle.

The frame may include a further transversely extending horizontal re-inforcing member adjacent the top of the frame.

Preferably the tensioned element comprises a wire, strap, belt or the like.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a frame for forming the back of the seat of a vehicle such as a motor car, FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view, similar to Figure 1, illustrating a modified embodiment of the invent ion, FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view, similar to that of Figures 1 and 2, illustrating a further modified embodiment of the invention, and FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring initially to Figure 1 of the ac companying drawings a frame 7'which is to form the frame for the rear or "back" of a vehicle seat is illustrated and indicated generally by the numeral 1. The frame consists of two parallel sides 2,3 which are inter-connected, at the top, by a horizontally extending top-part 4. The frame, in this embodiment of the invention, also includes a lower horizontally extending part 5 extending between the lower ends of the two sides 2,3.

The various frame elements described above are assembled together to define a substantially rectangular frame. The top part and the two sides may be integrally formed. The frame elements may be of any appropriate form and may thus comprise tubular metal elements. In order to re-inforce the frame and provide the frame with the desired strength, the frame is placed under stress by means of a- flexible stress-imparting element 6 which extends diagonally between two diagonally opposed regions of the frame, in this case two diagonally opposed corners. The element 6 is under tension and thus tends to compress the frame, consequently imparting strength to the frame.

The element 6 is a flexible element, in that, if the element 6 has a transverse force applied to it, then the element will tend to bend. Thus the element 6 may comprise a wire or cable, or belt or strap, or some other similar component.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings a similar embodiment of the invention is illustrated, save that the elongate flexible element 6 is associated with a further flexible element 7 of a similar construction which is connected to the elongate element 6 at a point substantially two-thirds along its length, the element 7 also being connected to the lower left-hand corner of the frame 1 as illustrated. The element 7 is under tension, thus tending to deflect the element 6.

This expedient tends to provide a clear-unobstructed space for the knees of a person sitting behind the seat in question, thus minimising the risk of injury to the knees.

Figure 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the element 7 forms part of an elongate element 8 which extends diagonally across the frame 1, in the opposite sense to the elongate element 6. The elongate elements 6 and 8 are tensioned, so that the elements are arranged substantially symmetrically, with the upper parts of the elongate elements diverging away from a node 9, where the elements 6 and 8 are inter-connected, at a relatively acute angle, and the lower parts of the elements extending away from the node at an obtuse angle.

The embodiment of Figure 3 possesses the advantage that the frame is able to withstand a force applied either at the top right-hand corner or at the top left-hand corner, so a frame of this type can be used regardless of where a safety reel is to be mounted on the frame.

Figure 4 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. It can be seen, from Figure It, that the sides 2,3 of the frame are formed integrally with the top piece It, and the lower horizontally extending element 5 is of a different dimension to that of the side elements 2 and 3. The elongate elements 6 and 8 are illustrated, in the form of straps, which extend diagonally from a point adjacent the top of each side to a point adjacent the bottom of the other side. The straps are inter-connected at a node 9, as in the embodiment of Figure 3. It is to be noted that a further strap por tion 10 is provided extending from the node 9 to the lower horizontal element 5.

A further horizontal re-inforcing element 11 is provided adjacent the top of the frame.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A frame for use as a frame in a seat for use in a vehicle, the frame comprising two spaced substantially vertically extending sides inter-connected by an upper horizontal element and a lower horizontal element, the frame being re-inforced by a tensioned flexible elongate element extending substantially diagonally across the frame.

2. A frame according to Claim 1 wherein the tensioned element is associated with a further tensioned element extending from a point on the tensioned element to a point at or adjacent a further corner of the frame.

3. A frame according to Claim 1 wherein two tensioned elements are provided each extending substantially diagonally of the frame.

A A frame according to Claim 3 wherein the two diagonally extending tensioned elements are inter-connected at a substantially central node.

5. A frame according to Claim It wherein the elongate elements extend away from said node upwardly at an acute angle and downwardly at an obtuse angle.

6. A frame according to any one of the preceding Claims including a further transversely extending horizontal re-inforcing member adjacent the top of the frame.

7. A frame according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the tensioned element comprises a wire, strap, belt or the like.

8. A frame substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9 A frame substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A frame substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A frame substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure It of the accompanying drawings.

12. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.