U.S. patent number 3,603,638 [Application Number 04/799,668] was granted by the patent office on 1971-09-07 for vehicle seat support structure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Universal Oil Products Company. Invention is credited to Alex I. Koji, Eugene R. McGregor.
United States Patent |
3,603,638 |
McGregor , et al. |
September 7, 1971 |
VEHICLE SEAT SUPPORT STRUCTURE
Abstract
A seat-supporting structure particularly adapted for aircraft
which provides transverse front and rear beam members for
attachment to the vehicle floor; a maximum of individual open
luggage storage space under the superposed seat and, at the same
time, provides for individual forward and down seat movement
against the slowly yielding action of a deformable front panel
section which works in combination with energy-absorbing means.
Inventors: |
McGregor; Eugene R. (Huntington
Beach, CA), Koji; Alex I. (Washington, CT) |
Assignee: |
Universal Oil Products Company
(Des Plaines, IL)
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Family
ID: |
25176469 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/799,668 |
Filed: |
February 17, 1969 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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716173 |
Mar 26, 1968 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/216.2;
248/429 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B64D
11/06 (20130101); B60N 2/42709 (20130101); B60N
2/42736 (20130101); B64D 25/04 (20130101); B60N
2/4221 (20130101); B64D 11/0696 (20130101); B64D
11/0619 (20141201); B63B 2029/043 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60N
2/427 (20060101); B60N 2/42 (20060101); B64D
25/04 (20060101); B63B 29/04 (20060101); B64D
11/00 (20060101); B63B 29/00 (20060101); B64D
11/06 (20060101); B64D 25/00 (20060101); F16m
011/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/216,232,344,346
;248/188.1,440,429,924,420,399 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zugel; Francis K.
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending
application Ser. No. 716,173 filed Mar. 26, 1968, now abandoned.
Claims
We claim as our invention:
1. A vehicle seat support structure for superposed seat and back
means providing for an individual luggage storage space thereunder
and individual seat movement with energy absorption control under
sudden deceleration conditions, with such support structure
comprising in combination, a rear lateral beam member and a front
lateral beam member each of which is adapted to be connected to the
vehicle floor, a fore-and-aft beam section at each side of the
support structure which connects said front and rear beam members,
said front lateral beam member having a vertical height sufficient
to serve as a bulkhead for baggage retention means and cooperating
with the beam sections at each side to define an open luggage
storage space below the central portion of the seat, a rear
supporting leg at each side of said support structure extending
upwardly from said rear lateral beam member to the rear portion of
the superposed seat and back means, and an upwardly extending
deformable front support panel positioned above said front lateral
beam member to effect support for the front portion of the
superposed seat, with said deformable front panel having limited
vertical stiffening therein to thereby permit bending thereof and
to operate in combination with at least one other portion of the
seat support structure a controlled energy absorption system upon
the impact of predetermined deceleration of the vehicle.
2. The vehicle seat support structure of claim 1 further
characterized in that said rear lateral beam member is of a tubular
configuration having a substantially smooth exterior surface and
slidable ringlike members are utilized over such beam member to
effect proper positioning and connector means for the rear legs and
for the fore-and-aft beam sections.
3. The vehicle seat support structure of claim 1 further
characterized in that said front lateral beam member and said
fore-and-aft beam sections are of a stiffened sheet metal panel
construction so as to provide strong, lightweight construction.
4. The vehicle seat support structure of claim 1 further
characterized in that each rear supporting leg includes a yieldable
form energy absorbing means whereby to work in combination with a
bending of said front support panel to yieldably oppose impact and
deceleration loading conditions.
5. The vehicle seat support structure of claim 1 further
characterized in that a substantially unstiffened bend zone is
provided along the plane of the juncture between the top of the
front lateral beam member and the lower portion of the front
support panel so as to permit a hinge-type bend line along such
juncture under impact conditions.
6. The vehicle seat support of claim 4 still further characterized
in that the front seat support panel extends downwardly to be in
part coextensive with said front lateral beam.
7. The vehicle seat support of claim 4 still further characterized
in that the front support panel is crushably deformable to a
collapsed, nonreturnable position and will provide in situ energy
absorption.
8. The vehicle seat support structure of claim 1 further
characterized in that slidable and removable seat attachment means
are provided as extending downwardly from said front and rear
lateral beam members whereby there may be a variable transverse
position seat attachment to fixed position track means in the floor
of a vehicle.
9. A vehicle seat support structure for superposed seat and back
means providing for an individual luggage storage space thereunder
and individual seat movement with energy absorption control under
sudden deceleration conditions, with such support structure
comprising in combination, a rear lateral beam member and a front
lateral beam member each of which is adapted to be connected to the
vehicle floor, a fore and aft beam section at each side of the
support structure which connects said front and rear beam members,
a rear supporting leg at each side of said support structure
extending upwardly from said rear lateral beam member to the rear
portion of the superposed seat and back means, and an upwardly
extending deformable front support section positioned above said
front lateral beam section to effect support for the front portion
of the superposed seat, with said deformable front section having
limited vertical stiffening therein to thereby permit bending
thereof, an energy absorption means on each side of said structure
comprising an expansible-type telescoping tube arrangement wherein
one tube passes through fixed position restricting means and causes
such tube to be extruded gradually, each of said energy absorption
means extending from said rear lateral beam member upwardly and
diagonally forwardly to the upper end portion of the front seat
support means, thereby to provide a controlled energy absorption
system upon the impact of predetermined deceleration of the
vehicle.
10. The vehicle seat support structure of claim 9 further
characterized in that the energy-absorbing means are of the
compressible type and each one extends from the top end of the rear
leg to an upper edge portion of said front lateral beam member.
Description
The present invention relates to an improved form of seat mounting
or supporting structure for aircraft or other conveyance seats.
More particularly, the improved support structure has a
construction which eliminates strong, rigid front legs and
incorporates energy absorbing means for yieldably opposing the
forward movement of the seat under crash conditions and, in
addition, places the upwardly extending rear legs and other
supporting members at the side and front portions of the seat
whereby there is an individual open space for the legs and luggage
of a vehicle passenger being seated to the rear of the support
structure.
There are many types and forms of seat-supporting legs and
structures for conveyance seats, particularly in the passenger
aircraft field. Although aircraft seats are customarily provided to
have individual seat cushion support means and separate backs with
individual adjustment means, there have been lower structural
support systems and leg arrangements which in effect, have reduced
the number of legs to a minimum. For example, two sets of front and
rear legs have accommodated three or more side-by-side passenger
seats. These arrangements have resulted primarily from the fact
that seat attachment means must be made to fixed position
front-to-rear tracks in the floor of the aircraft with the tracks,
in turn, connecting to spaced-apart beams or struts extending
across the fuselage of the plane. The present practice, with
multiple seats on a reduced number of legs, has meant that unequal
loadings have been exerted on certain of the legs under
deceleration or crash conditions. For instance, one set of legs may
be required to support or overcome the inertia of approximately two
passengers, while the next adjacent set of legs will merely take
the load of one passenger or of a part of his inertial force.
With respect to energy absorption means, it is not novel to
incorporate a tensile or compressive type of energy absorber into a
vehicle seat; however, again, it has been the usual practice to use
a placement which results in unequal loadings on the two or more
energy absorber means in a multiple seat arrangement and support
system.
In this instance, it may be considered a principal object of the
invention to eliminate inequalities of the action of the support
legs and of the energy absorber means so that there is a resulting
individual seat movement under any impact or unusual deceleration
conditions.
It is a further object of the invention to utilize front and rear
lateral beams so that there can be seat attachment to the floor
tracks of a plane in a manner separate and apart from rear
supporting leg positions.
It is another object of the invention to eliminate typical front
legs for the seat support structure and utilize in lieu thereof, a
deformable front panel section which has a predetermined
compressive load ability and can be bent or crushed when there is a
greater load than that for which it is designed to support.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide special
seat support beam constructions at the front and side sections of
the seat (i.e., in the peripheral locations) such that an
individual open luggage storage space is provided under the central
portion of each seat and, at the same time, individual leg room is
provided for a passenger in a following row.
Briefly, the present invention relates to a vehicle seat support
structure for superposed seat and back means so as to provide for
an individual luggage storage space under each seat, and, in
addition, provide for individual seat movement with energy
absorption control means to oppose sudden deceleration conditions,
with such support structure comprising in combination a rear
lateral beam member and a front lateral beam member each of which
is adapted to be connected to the vehicle floor, a fore-and aft
wall section at each side of the support structure which connects
said front and rear beam members, upwardly extending deformable
front panel support means positioned above and from said front
lateral beam section, and rear leg means at each side of said
support structure extending upwardly from said rear lateral beam
member to the rear portion of the superposed seat and back means,
with yielding and deforming means provided with said deformable
front panel section, whereby upon an impact or predetermined
deceleration of the vehicle there will be a substantially uniform
yielding opposition to the resulting forward and downward movement
of the superimposed seat and back means.
In a preferred design and arrangement, the rear lateral beam will
be of a lightweight tubular construction attached in a manner to
hug the floor of the vehicle and permit luggage, as well as a
passenger's legs, to readily be placed over the beam and enter the
space under the seat proper. In connection with a tubular rear beam
member there may be welded lugs or fixed attachment means; however,
preferably movable rings or clamp means are provided to slip over
the tube and effect easy alignment with the fixed position
longitudinal tracks or other attachment means which may extend
along the vehicle floor level. Also, laterally movable clamp or
holding means are preferably used under the front lateral beam
member to effect the locking of the front of the seat to the
vehicle.
The front lateral beam, as well as the connecting fore-and-aft
members may be of varying types of fabrication, i.e., of tubing,
sheet metal construction, or of extrusions, but, preferably, will
be of a lightweight construction for aircraft usage, such as of a
hollow or stiffened sheet metal panel-type construction. Such
panels shall, of course, be capable of withstanding required
compressive loadings or both compression and tension loads in the
case of the fore-and-aft connecting members.
The support means for the front of the seat proper, above the front
lateral beam, may be bendable or hinged substantially vertical
strut members or, normally, will be of reinforced or stiffened
sheet metal panel construction and of sufficient height so that
they will serve as walls or bulkheads for baggage retention means.
However, in view of the fact that the present seat support
construction is to permit a forward and downward movement of the
superposed seat and a passenger under crash or undue deceleration
conditions, then the panel section should be capable of yielding
and crushing or alternatively a suitable bend line or yield zone
should be provided between the top of the lower front lateral beam
and the bottom of the superposed seat supporting structure at the
front end of the seating unit. For example, the front face of the
lateral beam member and the front face of a superposed seat support
means may be contiguous and of one piece, but the upper panel
section should be capable of hinging in a bend line at the top edge
of the front lateral beam section. Where some stiff struts are used
in the panel means, then the strut connections should be hinged or
made yieldable above the top of the beam at a given predetermined
level. When a plurality of seats are used in side-by-side
relationship, the front and rear lateral beam members will normally
extend as one piece for more than one seat width without affecting
the structural and baggage retention features of the individual
space aspects. However, any front panel sections above the front
beam may be discontinuous between individual seats.
In accordance with the present improved costruction and
arrangement, substantially vertical rear leg means are used at each
side of the seat to extend from the rear lateral beam upwardly to
the lower end of the seat back and to the rear portion of the seat
itself so as to provide the desired open storage space under the
seat. In addition, the energy absorption means will be positioned
in the rear leg means or as side struts in order to have the under
seat area entirely open. For compression-type energy absorbers,
they will extend diagonally from the top ends of each of the rear
legs forwardly and downwardly to the top portion of the front
lateral beam and to the front end of each of the fore-and-aft
beams. This arrangement provides for the energy absorption struts
to be compressed during a crash condition, where the inertia of a
passenger and his seat and back portion will carry in a forward and
downward direction with respect to a pivot point effective from the
lower end of the rear leg means. At the same time there will be a
bending or hinged movement of the upper seat support means along a
plane substantially parallel with the zone of the front connection
of the energy absorption strut with the top of the front lateral
beam member and the front ends of the fore-and-aft beam. For
tensile-type energy absorbers, they will extend from the rear
lateral beam diagonally forwardly to the upper and fore portion of
the seat support structure or, alternatively, be placed in the
position of the rear leg members.
It is not intended to limit the present invention to the use of any
one type of energy absorber means inasmuch as there have been
various satisfactory designs heretofore utilized and disclosed,
such as in connection with U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,966. Generally, the
energy absorbing means will be of a telescoping tubular design
where one tube will pass through a restricting die section into, or
out of, the other tube and provide a yielding but opposing movement
with respect to the attached parts acting under crash or fast
deceleration conditions. While a compression form of energy
absorption strut seems preferable for the present seat support
structure, there may be a tension form of energy absorber as
heretofore noted. As will also be noted, the front panel section
will be deformable and will, in effect, serve as an in situ energy
absorbing means.
The present design and arrangement is specifically provided to
furnish individual seat and passenger movement in a forward and
downward direction under crash conditions so that each seat and its
own energy means is serving but one passenger; however, where two
or more seats are provided in a side-by-side manner, and the
lateral beam members are extended then there will, of course, be
additional fore-and-aft beam members to effect the tying together
of the rear and front lateral beam members at their extended ends
and between the added plurality of seats.
Reference to the accompanying drawing and the following description
thereof will serve to more fully set forth the improved
construction and arrangement of the present vehicle seat support
structure and the advantages obtained in connection therewith.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 of the drawing is a sectional elevational view of one
embodiment of the lower seat support structure means.
FIG. 2 of the drawing indicates diagrammatically how a portion of
the support structure of FIG. 1 will be permitted to move, or be
reoriented, under crash conditions, with the superposed seat moving
forwardly and downwardly as determined by the movement of the
pivoted rear leg and the bending of the front support structure at
a "bend line" above the lower front lateral beam at the zone of the
front connection of the energy absorption struts.
FIG. 3 of the drawing shows, in a diagrammatic sectional view, one
theory of operation of the telescoping tube energy absorption strut
used in the seat support structure.
FIG. 4 of the drawing shows, in a partial isometric type view, an
arrangement for effecting attachments of rear legs to a tubular
form rear lateral beam member.
FIG. 5 shows, in a partial sectional view, one means of effecting
track attachment for the rear lateral beam member by the use of a
slip ring and shear pin connection to a lower stud fitting in turn
adapted to engage a fixed vehicle track.
FIGS. 6 and 7 indicate diagrammatically modified energy absorption
arrangement, with the absorbers being of the tensile type, but
still capable of permitting a controlled forward and downward
movement of the seat and occupant.
FIG. 8 indicates another seat support system where the front panel
section is crushably deformable, while FIG. 8a shows
diagrammatically the crushed front panel section as a result of
impact conditions..
FIGS. 9 and 9a show still another form of seat support system,
where there is a special energy absorption strut in lieu of the
rear leg means and a deformable front panel section capable of
bending above the level of the lateral front beam member upon the
occasion of excessive vehicle deceleration.
FIG. 9b shows a modification of the arrangement of FIG. 9 by
utilizing a combined hinged strut and front panel section as the
front support means in the seat support system.
Referring now specifically to FIG. 1 of the drawing there is
indicated a superposed passenger seat 1 with a lower seat cushion
holding frame or pan 2 (both shown in dashed lines) adapted to be
mounted upon seat-supporting structural means in accordance with
the present invention. The embodiment shown utilizes a rear lateral
beam member 3 and a front lateral beam member 4, with each adapted
to be adjacent to the vehicle floor. The rear beam member 3 is
indicated as being of a tubular design with suitable circumscribing
ring members 5 and clevis means 6 adapted to hold rear leg members
7. Preferably, only two rear legs or struts will be utilized for
each individual seat section and each leg 7 will be positioned
under or near the respective side rear portions of each seat so
that there is an open space below and from the rear of each seat to
permit leg room and/or the stowage of luggage and packages under
the seat itself. In this instance, an upper clevislike portion 8 is
provided on each leg 7 so as to provide a pin connection 9 to a lug
or projection 9' on the underside portion of the seat pan 2. It is,
however, not intended to limit the present improved construction
and arrangement to the use of pin connectors or any one type of
connecting means for the legs and the strut members at the zone of
the beam members.
The front lateral beam section 4 is indicated as being fabricated
of sheet metal with a front sheet or panel 10 and a back panel 11
along with ribs or stiffener means 12, 13 and 14. The lower
stiffener is of an inverted "U" arrangement between sheets 10 and
11 and may be adapted to hold a slidable stud member 15 which in
turn is normally designed to have a lower flanged portion 16 to fit
into a slotted floor track, such as is commonly used with passenger
airplanes. The front beam member 4 and the rear lateral beam member
3 are indicated as being substantially rigidly connected with fore
and aft beam members 17. Beam members 17 are placed along each side
of the unitary structure such that there are resulting side panels
or walls to define an open luggage storage space below the central
portion of the seat proper. Various fabrications may be used, but
in this embodiment each of the fore-and-aft beams 17 are indicated
as being of stiffened sheet metal construction (as better shown in
FIG. 4) so as to provide lightweight characteristics along with
suitable stiffness and strength to insure the proper spacing and
connecting of the rear and front beam members under normal loading
as well as impact stress conditions.
Positioned above and coextensive with the upper portion of beam
member 4 is shown a vertical seat support panel section 18, which
serves to carry the load of the front edge of seat pan 2 and the
seat 1. The support member 18 may be fabricated to be a vertical
extension of front panel 10 with sufficient ribs or stiffener means
so as to adequately carry the load exerted upon the front edge
portion of the superposed seat and its occupant. However, in
accordance with a preferred construction of the present invention,
there may be minimal ribbing or vertical stiffening just above the
plane of the top of the lower front lateral beam member 4 such that
in the event of a crash or any unduly rapid deceleration condition,
where energy absorption of the seat and occupant is required, then
there is permissible bending of the lower portion of support member
18 along its lower horizontal edge, as better shown as the bend
line 23 in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Alternatively, where openness is
desired, there may be merely spaced vertical struts extending
upwardly from the top of beam 4.
As a particular feature of the present improved seat supporting
arrangement, there is utilized a pair of energy absorption struts
19, one strut being positioned along each side portion of the seat
supporting unit. In this instance, an upper end of a yieldable
strut section 19 has a pin connection 20 with the seat lug 9',
while the lower end portion of strut 19 has a pin connection 21
with beam juncture-connecting means 22. The latter is located at
the top edge portion of lateral beam section 4 and the upper and
fore portion of the fore and aft beam 17. This arrangement permits
each individual seat and occupant to have a forward and downward
movement under a predetermined impact load condition which will in
turn cause a compressive action on each of the diagonal energy
absorbing struts 19. In this connection, reference is made
specifically to FIG. 2 of the drawing where there is indicated the
location of the superposed seat portions 1 and 2 in forward and
lowered positions with respect to a bend zone 23. As hereinbefore
noted, the bending will be effected at the lower portion of the
vertical support section 18 or at the zone of the pin 21 used
between strut 19 and the top edge of front beam member 4. At the
same time, there is indicated the movement of rear leg member 7
along the arc "A" from the initial position 7', with the pivot
point being from the lower pin means 24 provided between clevis
means 6 and the lower end portions of legs 7.
In connection with FIG. 2, it will also be noted that there has
been a compression of the energy absorbing strut members 19, with a
telescoping tube portion of each unit being permitted to push into
an accompanying tubular section through suitable restricting die
means such as may be located within a ferrule section 25. As
previously set forth, it is not intended to limit the invention to
any one type of energy absorbing means, such means may be
compressible as shown or tensile in a modified bracing scheme.
However, the present seat support structure requires that the units
be of a telescoping nature and provide an action so as to slowly
and yieldably oppose the forward and downward movement of the
superposed seat and back structures along with the seat
occupant.
In FIG. 3 of the drawing, there is indicated diagrammatically a
simplified embodiment of the action of one type of telescoping tube
energy absorbing unit, where a ferrule section 25 with an internal
die section 26 will serve to restrict and slow down the inward
movement of a tube, such as 19' into a somewhat larger tube 19". In
other words, the same principal may be utilized in connection with
the present energy absorber unit as is set forth in the above-noted
U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3.059,966. The same extrusion principal is
used in a reverse action tension arrangement where one telescoping
tube is drawn through a die member, such as set forth in U.S. Pat.
No. 2,959,207. In any case, the energy absorption feature as used
in compression in the lower support structure and in the present
diagonal manner is of particular advantage to reduce the rate of
movement of the seat occupant and lessen his chances of injury.
Still further, the use of a pair of improved energy absorbing units
which are constructed to preclude a reverse movement, after being
compressed, will serve to eliminate a whiplash on the occupant
after the initial crash or rapid deceleration effect.
In FIG. 4 of the drawing, there is indicated the utilization of
circumscribing connector means 6' for rear beam 3 at the zone of
the rear legs 7 as well as for the connection of fore-and-aft
members 17 to such beam 3. In other words, the clevis portion 6 for
legs 7 may be part of a ring section 6' adapted to be a slide fit
over the tube 3. Also, where more than one seat is desired in a
side-to-side arrangement then special ring sections 6" (see FIG. 4)
may be utilized to have a pair of clevis sections so as to in turn
accommodate a next adjacent rear leg 7 for a next adjacent
individual seat. Thus, there is provided the desired unblocked open
space beneath each of the superposed seat units. The use of the
lower tube 3 of course provides rigidity and beam strength with a
smooth form of lateral beam section which will not cause injury to
an occupant or to packages or luggage which may slide over the
member in normal day to day usage. Actually, the low tubular form
beam can serve as a foot rest for a passenger to the rear and as a
retention for the shifting of underseat baggage during a takeoff
and climb condition for an airplane.
Various methods may be utilized to connect the fore-and-aft members
17 to the rear lateral beam member 3; however, one arrangement, as
indicated, provides that pin means 27 can effect a removable-type
connection between the rear end portion of a fore-and-aft beam
member 17 and a projecting lug or stud section 28 from ring section
6'. In a similar manner at the opposing side of the seat a
fore-and-aft member 17' may connect by means of pin 29 through a
lug 30 from ring section 6". It is of course not intended to limit
the present construction to any one type of connector means between
or for beam members inasmuch as the connections may make use of
pins or bolts and related removable means or use rivets, welding or
other fixed types of connections.
As noted hereinbefore and particularly with respect to aircraft
seating, where there is generally attachment to spaced floor track
means, then rear beam member 3 may have at least one slidable
circumscribing ring section 31 (such as shown in both FIGS. 4 and
5) to effect the desired alignment and attachment with a lower
channel-type track 32 in the aircraft floor. Various means may, of
course, be utilized to effect the direct attachment to the track;
however, as best shown diagrammatically in FIG. 5, there may be a
lower projecting pin member 33 from the lower portion of each ring
31 and a separate but connectable stud-fitting section 34 which has
a hole or slide fit opening 35 to receive pin 33 and permit a
lateral pin connection through the respective hold means 36 and 37.
The pin 33 will be sized to fit down into a hole in the top portion
of track means 32 and preclude fore-and-aft movement of stud
fitting 34. Stud projections 38 below the fitting 34 will be sized
to also fit through spaced holes in the top of track channel 32 and
then slide along in the track to a halfway point and serve to
engage and bear against nodes (between holes) along the upper
flange portion of the track 32 so as to result in a locking of the
seat to the floor. The pin 33 is shown in dashed line position 39
when in the locking position.
Although not shown in detail in the drawing, the stud-fitting
elements 15 and 16 for the front lateral beam 4, as indicated in
FIG. 1, may be of a design similar to that shown with stud portions
38 in FIG. 5 so as to result in the desired locking of the front
end of seat support structure to the track 32 in the aircraft
floor. Of course, where the present type of seating arrangement is
to be utilized with train coaches, buses, or other land-type
passenger conveyances which do not use the floor track arrangement,
then conventional floor bolting arrangements may be connected to
the rear and front lateral beam members to accomplish the tight
attachment of each seat.
In FIG. 6 of the drawing, there is indicated a seat 1' with a
slightly modified seat support, in that the energy absorber units
40 are placed to operate in tension instead of in compression. In
other words, units 40 extend from the rear lateral beam 3 forwardly
and upwardly to a pivot point 41 at the top of a front seat support
means 18', however, this arrangement still permits the restrained
forward and downward movement for the seat and the occupant under
crash conditions. As best shown in FIG. 7, it will be noted that
the bend line will still take place at the top of the front lateral
beam 4' by reason of the latter being stiffened and held by the top
fore portions of fore and aft beam members 17'.
Referring now to FIG. 8 of the drawing, there is indicated still
another modified seat support system in that the front panel
section 18" will serve as the primary energy absorbing member. In
other words, upon the occasion of rapid vehicle deceleration or
vehicle impact, there will be a forward and downward effect of the
occupant with the superposed seat 1" and a resulting deformation
and crushing of the panel section 18" as shown in FIG. 8a. The
front panel section will thus necessarily be designed to adequately
support the front portion of the superposed seat 1" and an occupant
under normal loadings but will be capable of deforming under a
predetermined loading level equivalent to perhaps 6 G's or more. It
is not intended to limit the side framing and rear support legs to
any one special design in the present system; however, as
indicated, there will be side paneling 42 extending upwardly from
above the floor level and the fore-and-aft beam sections 17" so as
to provide an encased luggage-storing area, as well as a leg zone
for an occupant to the rear of the seat. There will also be rear
leg means 7" and diagonal stiffener means 43 in combination with
the side panels 42. Where desired, still further paneling may be
provided in the upper portion of the side zones at 44 but in most
instances, there will be a minimum of stiffening so as to insure
that there may be folding and crushing of such section along with
the bending and crushing of the front panel section 18'" at a
predetermined impact level for the seat and occupant in the
vehicle. As with the other embodiments, there will be a transverse
rear beam member 3 with fittings 6 providing a connection to the
leg members 7" as well as a front lateral beam member 4" which will
have means to laterally accommodate track adjustment members 15'
into track means 32. In the present embodiment, it may be noted
that an extruded member 45 is used in combination with a lower
portion of the lower beam member in 4" and is adapted to
accommodate the varying position stud fitting elements or
attachment means 15'.
With regard to FIGS. 9 and 9a, there is indicated still another
seat-supporting system which is somewhat similar to that of FIGS. 1
and 2. However, in this latter modification it will be noted that
energy absorber means 46 are to be used in lieu of the rear leg
members 7 and will provide a controlled energy absorbing means upon
the occasion of a vehicle impact or rapid deceleration. The overall
supporting system shows a transverse rear beam member 3 with tube
fitting members 6 to attach to the lower portion of the energy
absorbers 46, while a front lateral beam member 4'", and fore and
aft beam members 17'" effect the connection of the rear and front
lateral beam sections. In addition there is shown a deformable or
bendable upper front panel section 18'" above the lateral front
beam section 4'" which will extend to the underside of the seat
1'". Additional struts are shown as 47 and 48, with the former
extending from the upper portion of the front lateral beam section
to the bracket 49 which is in turn at the top level of the energy
absorbing means 46. In this arrangement, upon vehicle impact
conditions, there will normally be a bending of the lower portion
of the front panel section 18'" at the level above the lower front
beam member and the controlled expansion of the elongatable energy
absorbing unit 46, whereby the rear portion of the seat 1'" will be
permitted to raise and, in effect, pivot about the front bend line
as shown in FIG. 9a of the drawing.
In FIG. 9b there is indicated a variation of the arrangement of
FIG. 9 in that in the entire deformation or hinging in the front
seat support section is accomplished by the hinging of spaced-apart
struts 50 at their zones of connection 51 with lateral front beam
members 4'". In this embodiment, there is also indicated the use of
tubular stiffeners or bracing for the members 47' and 48' in the
lower seat support system. Thus it should be noted that the term
"deformable," as used in the present application as applied to the
front seat support section of the support system, will encompass
means to effect bending or hinging, as well as a folding or
crushing, when such section is to be subjected to giving way under
impact-type loadings on the seat and occupant.
It is also to be reiterated that the various individual lock or pin
means, the configuration of struts and beams, types of materials,
etc., as described and indicated in the accompanying drawings are
merely diagrammatic of one embodiment and that various other
designs may be used to effect the desired requirements and strength
for the lower seat support structure. However, in all cases the
members shall be designed to withstand impact-type stresses except,
of course, in the case of the bend line zone between the lower
front lateral beam member 4 and the upper support means 18. The
yield of the energy absorption units 19, 40 and 46 may also be
varied, but generally will be in a design range of providing 9 to
12 G's for an occupied seat.
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