U.S. patent application number 09/791639 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-04 for vehicular seat support structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to ARACO KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Harada, Tatsuo, Shimizu, Hirotsugu.
Application Number | 20010026075 09/791639 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18573231 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010026075 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shimizu, Hirotsugu ; et
al. |
October 4, 2001 |
Vehicular seat support structure
Abstract
The vehicular seat support mechanism includes a vehicular seat
having a seat cushion that forms a sitting portion, the seat
cushion having a pivot axis, which is horizontal with respect to
the width direction of a vehicle, provided toward the rear thereof,
which enables the seat cushion to pivot in a fore-and-aft direction
of a vehicle, and a link mechanism that moves the pivot axis of the
seat cushion to rear and downward. This support mechanism reduces
the height of the pivoting locus of the seat drawn when the seat is
placed into storage, thus allowing the seat to be pivoted into
storage without requiring a large space.
Inventors: |
Shimizu, Hirotsugu;
(Anjo-shi, JP) ; Harada, Tatsuo; (Toyota-shi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
277 S. WASHINGTON STREET, SUITE 500
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
ARACO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
|
Family ID: |
18573231 |
Appl. No.: |
09/791639 |
Filed: |
February 26, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/65.05 ;
296/65.09 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/3075 20130101;
B60N 2/01583 20130101; B60N 2/3079 20130101; B60N 2205/35 20130101;
B60N 2/3011 20130101; B60N 2/309 20130101; B60N 2/305 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/65.05 ;
296/65.09 |
International
Class: |
B60N 002/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 28, 2000 |
JP |
2000-51602 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vehicular seat support mechanism comprising: a vehicular seat
having a seat cushion that forms a sitting portion, the seat
cushion having a pivot axis, which is horizontal with respect to
the width direction of a vehicle, which enables the seat cushion to
pivot in a fore-and-aft direction of a vehicle; and a mechanism
that moves the pivot axis of the seat cushion downward while the
seat cushion pivots about the pivot axis.
2. A vehicular seat support mechanism according to claim 1, further
comprising: a storage recess that is provided in a compartment
floor and that receives the vehicular seat when the vehicular seat
is placed into a storage position; and a mounting bracket provided
at a site in the compartment floor that is forward of the storage
recess, wherein the link mechanism includes a first link having a
lower end portion connected to the mounting bracket so that the
first link is pivotal in a fore-and-aft direction relative to the
mounting bracket, the first link extending rearwardly upward in an
inclined state, and having an upper end portion connected to a rear
end portion of the seat cushion so that the first link is pivotal
in the fore-and-aft direction relative to the seat cushion; and a
second link having a lower end portion connected to a site of the
mounting bracket that is rearward of a site of connection of the
mounting bracket to the first link so that the second link is
pivotal in the fore-and-aft direction relative to the mounting
bracket, the second link extending forwardly upward in an inclined
state and crossing the first link, and having an upper end portion
connected to a site in the rear end portion of the seat cushion
that is forward of a site at which the first link is connected to
the rear end portion of the seat cushion, so that the second link
is pivotal in the fore-and-aft direction relative to the seat
cushion.
3. A support mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the rear end
portion of the vehicular seat is pivoted rearward and downward to
place the vehicular seat into the storage recess, by a rearward
pivoting motion of the first link and a rearward pivoting motion of
the second link.
4. A support mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: the vehicular
seat includes a seatback that is disposed in association with the
rear end portion of the seat cushion via a reclining mechanism; and
the vehicular seat is displaced into a state where the seatback is
placed down over the seat cushion when the vehicular seat is placed
into the storage recess by pivoting the vehicular seat
rearward.
5. A support mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: the vehicular
seat is a rear seat having a plurality of sitting portions that are
arranged in a right-and-left direction; and the mounting bracket is
provided below the rearward portion of the seat cushion forming the
rear seat, and the first link and the second link are connected to
the mounting bracket.
6. A support mechanism according to claim 5, wherein there are a
plurality of the mounting brackets and associated first and second
links, and a first one of the mounting brackets and associated
links is provided below a right-side portion of the rear end
portion of the seat cushion, and a second one of the mounting
brackets and associated links is provided below a left-side portion
of the rear end portion of the seat cushion.
7. A support mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the mounting
bracket is provided at a site that is lower than the compartment
floor.
8. A support mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: the vehicular
seat is a rear seat having a plurality of seats that are divided in
a right-and-left direction; and there are a plurality of the
mounting brackets and associated first and second links, and at
least one of the mounting brackets and associated links is provided
below the rear end portion of the seat cushion of each seat forming
the rear seat.
9. A support mechanism according to claim 8, wherein one of the
mounting brackets and associated links is provided below each one
of a right-side portion and a left-side portion of the rear end
portion of each seat cushion.
10. A support mechanism according to claim 7, further comprising a
mounting recess that is provided at a site that is forward of the
storage recess and that is lower than the compartment floor,
wherein the mounting bracket is disposed in the mounting
recess.
11. A support mechanism according to claim 10, wherein: the
vehicular seat is a rear seat having a plurality of seats that are
divided in a right-and-left direction; and there are a plurality of
the mounting brackets and associated first and second links, and at
least one of the mounting brackets and associated links is provided
below the rear end portion of the seat cushion of each seat forming
the rear seat.
12. A support mechanism according to claim 11, wherein one of the
mounting brackets and associated links is provided below each one
of a right-side portion and a left-side portion of the rear end
portion of each seat cushion.
13. A support mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the storage
recess has a depth such that a surface of the vehicular seat
becomes substantially flush with a reference plane of the
compartment floor when the vehicular seat is placed into the
storage recess.
14. A vehicular seat support mechanism according to claim 1,
further comprising: a mounting bracket provided at site in the
comparment floor, wherein the link mechanism includes a first link
having a first end pivotally connected to the mounting bracket so
that the first link is pivotal in a fore-and-aft direction relative
to the mounting bracket, the first link having a second end
pivotally connected to the rear-end portion of the seat cushion so
that the first link is pivotal in the fore-and-aft direction
relative to the seat cushion; and a second link having a first end
pivotally connected adjacent to the rear-end of the mounting
bracket so that the second link is pivotal in the fore-and-aft
direction relative to the mounting bracket, the second link
crossing the first link, the second link having a second end
pivotally connected to a site in the rear end portion of the seat
cushion that is forward of a site at which the second end of the
first link is connected to the rear end portion of the seat
cushion, so that the second link is pivotal in the fore-and-aft
direction relative to the seat cushion.
15. A support mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the rear end
portion of the vehicular seat is pivoted rearward and downward by a
rearward pivoting motion of the first link and a rearward pivoting
motion of the second link.
16. A support mechanism according to claim 14, wherein: the
vehicular seat includes a seatback that is disposed in association
with the rear end portion of the seat cushion via a reclining
mechanism; and the vehicular seat is displaced into a state where
the seatback is placed down over the seat cushion by pivoting the
vehicular seat rearward.
17. A support mechanism according to claim 14, wherein: the
vehicular seat is a rear seat having a plurality of sitting
portions that are arranged in a right-and-left direction; and the
mounting bracket is provided below the rearward portion of the seat
cushion forming the rear seat, and the first link and the second
link are connected to the mounting bracket.
18. A support mechanism according to claim 17, wherein there are a
plurality of the mounting brackets and associated first and second
links, and a first one of the mounting brackets and associated
links is provided below a right-side portion of the rear end
portion of the seat cushion, and a second one of the mounting
brackets and associated links is provided below a left-side portion
of the rear end portion of the seat cushion.
19. A vehicular seat support mechanism comprising: a vehicular seat
having a seat cushion that forms a sitting portion, the seat
cushion having a pivot axis, which is horizontal with respect to
the width direction of a vehicle, which enables the seat cushion to
pivot in a fore-and-aft direction of a vehicle; a support portion
which supports the seat cushion on a floor of the vehicle,
detachable to the floor; a storage housing that is provided in the
floor and accommodates the vehicular seat when the vehicular seat
is placed into a storage position seat cushion; and a mechanism
that moves the pivot axis of the seat cushion downward while the
seat cushion pivots about the pivot axis, a lower support end
portion of the mechanism being provided in the storage housing.
Description
[0001] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-51602
filed on Feb. 28, 2000 including the specification, drawings and
abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to a vehicular seat support structure
for supporting a vehicular seat.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] One type of existing vehicular seat support mechanism
supports a rear end portion of a seat cushion of a vehicular seat
at a forward side of a storage recess formed in a compartment floor
in such a manner that the seat cushion is pivotal in fore-and-aft
directions. This mechanism functions so that the vehicular seat can
be placed into the storage recess by pivoting the seat rearwards,
with the seatback placed down over the seat cushion.
[0006] This support mechanism, as described in Japanese Utility
Model Registration No. 2594404 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,581), includes
a pair of right and left-side bars and a pair of right and
left-side mounting brackets. The right and left-side bars are
provided on right and left-side edge portions of a forward portion
of the storage recess, which are protruded inwards in the storage
recess. The right and left-side bars form a pivot of a seat cushion
and a seatback. The right and left-side mounting brackets are
provided at right and left-side sites in a rear end portion of the
seat cushion. The mounting brackets are supported by the right and
left-side bars so that the brackets are pivotal in the fore-and-aft
directions. In this manner, the rear end portion of the seat
cushion is supported pivotally in the fore-and-aft directions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a
support mechanism for a vehicular seat that has improved
operability in placing the vehicular.
[0008] The invention relates to a vehicular seat support mechanism.
The vehicular seat support mechanism includes a vehicular seat
having a seat cushion that forms a sitting portion, the seat
cushion having a pivot axis, which is horizontal with respect to
the width direction of a vehicle, provided toward the rear thereof,
which enables the seat cushion to pivot in a fore-and-aft direction
of a vehicle, and a link mechanism that moves the pivot axis of the
seat cushion to rear and downward.
[0009] The support mechanism may support a rear end portion of a
seat cushion forming a vehicular seat at a site forward of a
storage recess portion provided in the compartment floor, in such a
manner that the seat cushion is pivotal in fore-and-aft directions.
The support mechanism may further functions to allow the vehicular
seat to be placed into the storage recess portion by pivoting the
seat rearward.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The foregoing and further objects, features and advantages
of the invention will become apparent from the following
description of preferred embodiments with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals are used to represent
like elements and wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle equipped with a
rear seat that is supported by adopting support mechanisms in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating
a state in which each seat cushion forming the rear seat is
supported;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a seat frame
structure of a left-side seat of the rear seat, and support
mechanisms attached to the seat frame structure;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a side view of the rear seat supported on a
compartment floor;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view in which the rear seat is being placed
into storage; and
[0016] FIG. 6 is a side view in which the rear seat has been placed
into storage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] The invention will be described hereinafter with reference
to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a
vehicle equipped with a rear seat that is supported by adopting a
support mechanism in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
invention. The vehicle has a three-row seat arrangement in which
three rows of seats are displaced in the fore-and-aft directions.
That is, the vehicle has a first-row seat (front seat 10a), a
second-row seat 10b, and a third-row seat (rear seat 10c). The rear
seat 10c has three sitting portions that are arranged in the
right-and-left direction. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the rear seat
10c is divided at a proportion of 6:4 in the right-and-left
direction into a left-side seat 10c1 and a right-side seat 10c2.
The left-side seat 10c1 and the right-side seat 10c2, forming the
rear seat 10c, are supported at their rear end portions to a floor
F by support mechanisms in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
[0018] The left-side seat 10c1 has a seat cushion 11 and a seatback
12. As shown in FIG. 3, a seatback frame 12a of the seatback 12 is
connected at its lower end portion to a rear end portion of a
cushion frame 11a of the seat cushion 11 via a reclining mechanism
13. During a normal state, the seatback 12 is set in an upright
position. At the time of storage, the locking of the seat cushion
11 and the seatback 12 established by the reclining mechanism 13 is
removed (unlocked), and the seatback 12 is pivoted down until a
front surface of the seatback 12 contacts an upper surface of the
seat cushion 11. Thus, the seatback 12 assumes a state where the
seatback 12 is placed over the seat cushion 11. The right-side seat
10c2 has a seat cushion 14 and a seatback (not shown), and is
constructed similarly to the left-side seat 10c1. Each of the seat
cushion 11 forming the left-side seat 10c1 and the seat cushion 14
forming the right-side seat 10c2 is supported to the floor F by a
forward lock mechanism 20a, a side lock mechanism 20b, and a pair
of right and left-side rearward support mechanisms 20c.
[0019] The forward lock mechanisms 20a are attached to forward end
portions of inner lower arms 11b, 14b of the seat cushions 11, 14
via connecting portions so that the forward lock mechanisms 20a are
pivotal in the right-and-left directions. As shown in FIG. 3, the
seatback 12 is held to the seat cushion 11 in an upright state by
the reclining mechanism 13. The forward lock mechanism 20a is able
to establish the seat cushion 11 in a locked state on the floor F
by engaging with a corresponding one of strikers 21 provided on the
floor F. Furthermore, the forward lock mechanisms 20a are designed
so that the forward lock mechanisms 20a can be folded toward a
lower-surface side of the seat cushions 11, 14 when the locked
state is removed. The side lock mechanisms 20b are attached to
forward end portions of outer lower arms 11c, 14c of the seat
cushions 11, 14. Each side lock mechanism 20b is positioned on an
outer side of a corresponding one of the outer lower arms 11c, 14c
as shown in FIG. 2. Each side lock mechanism 20b is designed so as
to establish a locked state or an unlocked state by detachably
engaging or disengaging with a striker 22 provided on an inward
side wall of an adjacent tire housing (not shown) of the vehicle
body. Each rearward support mechanism 20c is made up of a mounting
bracket 23, a first link 24, and a second link 25.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the compartment floor F has a
storage recess f2 that is formed rearward of a main floor portion
f1 on which the rear seat 10c is disposed. Mounting recess portions
f3 that are lower than the main floor portion f1 are formed at
sites forward of the storage recess f2 that correspond to right and
left sites in rear end portions of the seat cushions 11, 14. The
rearward support mechanisms 20c are disposed on the mounting recess
portions f3, respectively. The left-side seat 10c1 and the
right-side seat 10c2 are disposed on the main floor portion f1
forward of the storage recess f2. Each of the left-side seat 10c1
and the right-side seat 10c2 is supported by the forward lock
mechanism 20a, the side lock mechanism 20b, and the right and
left-side rearward support mechanisms 20c. With regard to each
rearward support mechanism 20c, the mounting bracket 23 is attached
onto the corresponding mounting recess portion f3 of the
compartment floor F. In addition, the first link 24 and the second
link 25 are connected to the mounting bracket 23 and to the
corresponding one of the lower arms 11b, 11c, 14b, 14c of the seat
cushion 11, 14. In this vehicle, a carpet C is laid substantially
over the enter surface of the compartment floor F.
[0021] With regard to the left-side seat 10c1, the mounting bracket
23 of each rearward support mechanism 20c is positioned under a
corresponding one of right and left-side sites in a rear end
portion of the seat cushion 11. The first link 24 is connected at
its lower end portion to a forward portion of the mounting bracket
23 in such a manner that the first link 24 is pivotal in the
fore-and-aft directions. The first link 24 extends rearwardly
upwards in an inclined state. An upper end portion of the first
link 24 is connected to the corresponding one of the lower arms
11b, 11c of the seat cushion 11 in such a manner that the first
link 24 is pivotal in the fore-and-aft directions. The second link
25 is connected at its lower end portion to a site of the mounting
bracket 23 that is rearward of the site of connection to the first
link 24, in such a manner that the second link 25 is pivotal in the
fore-and-aft directions. The second link 25 extends forwardly
upwards in an inclined state, crossing the first link 24. An upper
end portion of the second link 25 is connected to a site in the
rear end portion of the corresponding one of the lower arms 11b,
11c of the seat cushion 11 that is forward of the site at which the
first link 24 is connected to the rear end portion of the lower
arm, in such a manner that the second link 25 is pivotal in the
fore-and-aft directions. In the above-described state, the right
and left-side rearward support mechanisms 20c support the rear end
portions of the seat cushion 11 at the right and left-side
sites.
[0022] With regard to the right-side seat 10c2, the mounting
bracket 23 of each rearward support mechanism 20c is positioned
under a corresponding one of right and left-side sites in a rear
end portion of the seat cushion 14. The first link 24 is connected
at its lower end portion to a forward portion of the mounting
bracket 23 in such a manner that the first link 24 is pivotal in
the fore-and-aft directions. The first link 24 extends rearwardly
upwards in an inclined state. An upper end portion of the first
link 24 is connected to the corresponding one of the lower arms
14b, 14c of the seat cushion 14 in such a manner that the first
link 24 is pivotal in the fore-and-aft directions. The second link
25 is connected at its lower end portion to a site in the mounting
bracket 23 that is rearward of the site of connection to the first
link 24, in such a manner that the second link 25 is pivotal in the
fore-and-aft directions. The second link 25 extends forwardly
upwards in an inclined state, crossing the first link 24. An upper
end portion of the second link 25 is connected to a site in the
rear end portion of the corresponding one of the lower arms 14b,
14c of the seat cushion 14 that is forward of the site at which the
first link 24 is connected to the rear end portion of the lower
arm, in such a manner that the second link 25 is pivotal in the
fore-and-aft directions. In the above-described state, the right
and left-side support mechanisms 20 support the rear end portions
of the seat cushion 14 at the right and left-side sites.
[0023] The left-side seat 10c1 and the right-side seat 10c2
supported to the compartment floor F as described above can be
placed into the storage recess f2 independently of each other when
necessary. When placed into storage recess f2, a space is formed,
which can be used as a luggage compartment, over the site on the
main floor portion f1 for disposing the left-side seat 10c1 and the
right-side seat 10c2 and over the storage recess f2, thereby
forming a large luggage compartment rearward of the second-row seat
10b. It should be noted that the manner of placing the left-side
seat 10c1 into the storage recess f2 and the manner of placing the
right-side seat 10c2 into the storage recess f2 are substantially
the same. Therefore, the following description of the manner of
placing the seats into the storage recess f2 will be made by
referring to the left-side seat 10c1 and the right-side seat 10c2
collectively as the rear seat 10c for the sake of convenience in
description.
[0024] FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate a process of placing the rear seat
10c (the left-side seat 10c1 and/or the right-side seat 10c2) into
the storage recess f2. During a normal seat state of the rear seat
10c as shown in FIG. 4, each seat cushion 11, 14 is supported on
the compartment floor F by the forward lock mechanism 20a and the
right and left-side rearward support mechanisms 20c, and the seat
cushion is further supported on the inner side wall of the adjacent
tire housing (not shown) by the side lock mechanism 20b.
[0025] To place the rear seat 10c from this state into the storage
recess f2, the locked state of each seat cushion 11, 14 retained by
the forward lock mechanism 20a and the side lock mechanism 20b with
respect to the compartment floor F and the inner side wall of the
tire housing, respectively, is removed. Furthermore, the locked
state of the seatback 12 retained by the reclining mechanism 13
with respect to the seat cushion 11, 14 is removed (unlocked), and
then the seatback 12 is placed down over the seat cushion 11, 14.
Thus, the rear seat 10c is set in a folded state.
[0026] Then, the rear seat 10c is pivoted rearward as indicated in
FIG. 5 by raising a forward end portion of the rear seat 10c while
maintaining the folded state where the seatback 12 is placed on the
seat cushion 11, 14. The rear seat 10c is thus placed into the
storage recess f2 rearward of the site for disposing the rear seat
10c. When the rear seat 10c has been placed into the storage recess
f2 while the folded state is maintained, the lower surface of the
seat cushions 11, 14 is at an upper position and the forward lock
mechanisms 20a are protruded upwards. Therefore, the forward lock
mechanisms 20a are subsequently pivoted down onto the seat cushions
11, 14. Thus, the rear seat 10c is stored as shown in FIG. 6, so
that the site in the compartment floor F for disposing the rear
seat 10c and the opening portion of the storage recess form an
integral flat surface, thereby forming a large luggage compartment
in the vehicle. The rear seat 10c can be returned from the storage
recess f2-stored state to the normal seat state by reversing the
above-described procedure.
[0027] Thus, the rear seat 10c, in which each seat cushion 11, 14
is supported at the right and left-side sites in the rear end
portion thereof by the right and left-side rearward support
mechanisms 20c, is placed into the storage recess f2 as described
above, so that the rear seat disposing site in the main floor
portion f1 in the compartment floor F and the opening portion of
the storage recess f2 form an integral flat surface, thereby
forming a large luggage compartment. During the process of placing
the folded rear seat 10c into storage, each rearward support
mechanism 20c turns along arc-shaped loci indicated by one-dot
chain lines in FIG. 4 from the normal seat state shown in FIG. 4 to
the stored state shown in FIG. 6.
[0028] More specifically, the first link 24 of each rearward
support mechanism 20c pivots rearwards and downwards about a lower
end connecting portion a at which the first link 24 is connected to
the mounting bracket 23, so that an upper end connecting portion a1
at which the first link 24 is connected to a corresponding one of
the seat cushions 11, 14 is moved to a rearward and downward
position a2. The second link 25 pivots rearwards and downwards
about a lower end connecting portion b at which the second link 25
is connected to the mounting bracket 23, so that an upper end
connecting portion b1 at which the second link 25 is connected to
the corresponding one of the seat cushions 11, 14 is moved to a
rearward and downward position b2.
[0029] Therefore, during the operation of placing the rear seat 10c
into storage, the folded rear seat 10c pivots rearward while a rear
end portion of the rear seat 10c moves downward gradually, due to
the pivoting motion of the first link 24 and the pivoting motion of
the second link 25 that follows the pivoting motion of the first
link 24. Therefore, the pivoting locus of a distal end portion of
the folded rear seat 10c forms an elliptic shape whose pivot center
is lower than that of a circular locus of a pivoting motion
(circular motion) about a single pivot, and whose height is less
than that of the circular locus.
[0030] The rear end portion of the rear seat 10c moves to the rear
and downward gradually because the pivoting motion of the support
mechanisms 20c is not the pivoting motion forming circular motion
about a single pivot like the conventional support mechanism.
Therefor, an area of the pivoting motion is small in comparison
with the conventional support mechanism. Furthermore, the pivot
axis of the rear seat 10c becomes lower so that the up-down
movements of the center of gravity of the rear seat 10c becomes
less. Therefore, the labor required for the storing operating is
reduced. Furthermore, since each support mechanism 20c supports the
rear end portion of a corresponding one of the seat cushions 11, 14
using the first link 24 and the second link 25 crossing each other,
the supporting mechanism 20c has a sufficient effect of anchor when
a seat belt is adopted to the rear seat. Furthermore, the support
mechanisms 20c have sufficient support strength enough to absorb an
impactive force in a fore-and-aft directions of the vehicle.
[0031] Thus, the support mechanisms 20c are effective at supporting
the rear seat 10c made up of a plurality of seats divided in the
right-and-left directions (the left-side seat 10c1 and the
right-side seat 10c2). The rearward support mechanisms 20c can be
adopted not only as support mechanisms for supporting an elongated
bench type seat having a plurality of sitting portions arranged in
the right-and-left directions, but also as support mechanisms for
supporting a seat having a single sitting portion.
[0032] Although in the foregoing embodiment, the support mechanism
of the invention is adopted for the rearmost seat (third-row seat)
in a vehicle having a three-row seat arrangement, the support
mechanism of the invention is not limited to that embodiment, but
may also be adopted for the second-row seat in a vehicle having a
two-row seat arrangement. In such a case, the support mechanism of
the invention achieves substantially the same advantages as those
achieved by the foregoing embodiment.
[0033] Furthermore, the mounting bracket 23 of each rearward
support mechanism 20c is disposed in the mounting recess portion f3
that is lower than the main floor portion f1 of the compartment
floor F. Therefore, when the rear seat 10c is placed into storage,
no component member of the rearward support mechanisms 20c
protrudes above from the main floor portion f1, so that the site
for disposing the rear seat 10c and the storage site altogether
form a substantially flat surface, thereby providing a large
luggage compartment.
[0034] Although in the foregoing embodiment, the support mechanism
including two links, for example the first link 24 and the second
link 25, is adopted as the vehicular seat support mechanism of the
present invention, the vehicular seat support mechanism may be a
mechanism such as that the pivot axis moves to either front or rear
and downward. The support mechanism of the invention is not limited
to that mechanism including two links. If a link mechanism
including only the first link 24 is adopted to the support
mechanism, the invention achieves substantially the same advantages
as those achieved by the foregoing embodiment.
[0035] Further, although in the foregoing embodiment, the storage
recess f2 is provided toward the rear of the rear seat 10c, the
storage recess f2 may be provided toward the front of the rear seat
10c.
[0036] While the invention has been described with reference to
preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments or
constructions. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover
various modifications and equivalent arrangements. In addition,
while the various elements of the preferred embodiments are shown
in various combinations and configurations, which are exemplary,
other combinations and configurations, including more, less or only
a single element, are also within the spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *