Abstract:
A vehicle seat arrangement ( 1 ) is provided including a seat structure divided, in a transversal direction, into an outer first seat ( 11 ), a middle second seat ( 12 ), and an outer third seat ( 13 ), which can all be moved in a longitudinal direction in relation to the vehicle structure and can be locked therewith. The arrangement is provided with a coupling device ( 20 ) which couples the second seat ( 12 ) to one of the two outer seats ( 11, 13 ), forming a pair, when the other of the two outer seats ( 11, 13 ) is moved in relation to the pair in the longitudinal direction.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a United States National Phase application of International Application PCT/EP2007/008264 and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of German Patent Application DE 10 2006 050 222.1 filed Oct. 12, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a vehicle seat arrangement, in particular for a motor vehicle, which seat arrangement is split in a transverse direction into an outer first seat, a central second seat and an outer third seat which may be displaced respectively in a longitudinal direction relative to the vehicle structure and may be locked thereto. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Vehicle seat arrangements of this type are known in which the individual seats are displaceable independently of one another in the longitudinal direction. Insofar as the central seat is configured to be narrower, such seat is able to adopt a longitudinal seat position which is disadvantageous for comfort and safety. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The object of the invention is to improve a vehicle seat arrangement of the aforementioned type. 
         [0005]    This object is achieved according to the invention by a vehicle seat arrangement for a motor vehicle Having a vehicle structure with the vehicle seat arrangement comprising a seat structure split in a transverse direction into an outer first seat, a central second seat and an outer third seat, which may be displaced respectively in a longitudinal direction relative to the vehicle structure and may be locked to the vehicle structure. A coupling device is provided for coupling the second seat to one of the two outer seats to form a seat pair, when the other of the two outer seats is displaced relative to the aforementioned seat pair in the longitudinal direction. 
         [0006]    As a coupling device is provided which, by forming a pair, couples the central second seat to one of the two outer seats, when the other of the two outer seats is displaced relative to the aforementioned pair in the longitudinal direction, it is avoided that the second seat is arranged in the longitudinal direction offset to the two outer seats. 
         [0007]    Preferably, during the displacement, an individual seat acquires the central seat by means of the coupling device, when passing the undisplaced pair, whilst during the displacement, a coupled pair is preferably uncoupled by means of the coupling device when passing the individual seat and the central seat is transferred to the undisplaced individual seat, so that the central seat is never on its own. 
         [0008]    For the coupling, on the one hand a stop is preferably provided on the central seat which may come to bear against the two outer seats. Instead of an individual stop on the central seat, one respective stop may be provided on the outer seats acting in the same manner on the opposing end in the longitudinal direction. On the other hand, a lock is preferably provided between the two seats of a pair, for example by means of a locking bar mounted on the central seat, which may be extended in the transverse direction, which may be introduced into a lock of the outer seat. The lock may at the same time also form the counter stop for the aforementioned stop. The locking bar is preferably articulated on a rotatable lever which, preferably by pretensioning, assists the extension of the locking bar, i.e. the locking. 
         [0009]    In order to uncouple the pair again by means of the other outer seat, preferably a release bar is provided which is arranged on the side of the individually displaced seat, i.e. opposite the locking bar. Preferably, the release bar is articulated on the same lever as the locking bar—opposite the rotational axis—so that by introducing the release bar the locking bar is also introduced. 
         [0010]    In order to be able to operate both outer seats equally, the coupling device is preferably configured as a mirror image relative to the plurality of its functionally relevant components, the mirror images being able to be arranged in different planes for spatial reasons and for unrestricted operation. 
         [0011]    The seats are generally displaceable by means of seat rail pairs in the longitudinal direction, the seat rail pairs being able to be unlocked by means of actuating levers. The coupling device preferably also comprises components which couple the actuating levers to one another, so that when forming the pair the seat rail pairs of the relevant seats are transferred into the same locked state. Such components may be an extension of the actuating levers or actuating elements specifically attached thereto, which extend over the seat rail pair of the respectively adjacent seat. 
         [0012]    The invention may be used for all vehicles with a vehicle seat arrangement split in the transverse direction, for example in a second or third row of seats. 
         [0013]    The invention is described in more detail hereinafter with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    In the drawings: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a partial view of the embodiment according to the invention, showing the coupling device coupling the first seat to the second seat; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a partial view corresponding to  FIG. 1 , showing all three seats adopting the same longitudinal seat position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a partial view corresponding to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , showing the coupling device coupling the second seat to the third seat; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a detailed view of a release bar and a lock; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of a locking bar and a lock, 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective partially schematic view of the embodiment according to the invention; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective partial view showing the region of the rail locks of two seats. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Referring to the drawings in particular, a vehicle seat arrangement  1  is provided for a rear row of seats of a motor vehicle, for example for the second or third row of seats. The arrangement of the vehicle seat arrangement  1  in the motor vehicle and the usual direction of travel thereof define the following directional information used. In this case, the longitudinal direction is parallel to the direction of travel, whilst the transverse direction is the direction extending in a horizontal plane at right angles to the longitudinal direction. 
         [0023]    The vehicle seat arrangement  1  in the present case is divided into the ratio of 40:20:40, whereby a first seat  11 , a second seat  12  and a third seat  13  are defined. All three seats  11 ,  12  and  13  are connected to the vehicle structure by means of two respective seat rail pairs  15 , which are attached to the respective seat  11 ,  12  or  13  on both sides in the transverse direction and displaceable and lockable relative thereto in the longitudinal direction. The first seat  11  is arranged to the left, the second seat  12  in the middle and the third seat  13  to the right. As regards the basic configuration, the three seats  11 ,  12  and  13  would be able to be displaced independently of one another in the longitudinal direction, i.e. they may adopt different longitudinal seat positions from one another. 
         [0024]    A coupling device  20  ensures that the central, narrow second seat  12  is not displaced and able to be occupied relative to the two outer, wider seats  11  and  13  in the longitudinal direction. Instead, the central second seat  12  is coupled to one of the two outer seats  11  or  13  by forming a pair, and only the other of the two outer seats  11  or  13  may be displaced individually relative to the pair in the longitudinal direction. In this case, two embodiments are possible, namely that the individual seat  11  or  13  may be displaced either to the rear or to the front relative to the pair. The coupling device  20  substantially provided on the lower face of the second seat  12  is arranged in the first embodiment on the front end of the central seat  12  and in the second embodiment rotated by 180° in the horizontal plane at the rear end of the central seat  12 . Since in this case left-right and front-rear are simply transposed, for the sake of simplicity only the first embodiment is described hereinafter. 
         [0025]    The coupling device  20  has a stop  21  as a frontmost component, which projects over the central second seat  12  in the transverse direction on both sides. In the transverse direction within the second seat  12  two guides  22  project parallel to one another from the stop  21  in the longitudinal direction to the rear and are preferably fixedly connected thereto. The two guides  22  are fastened on the underside of the second seat  12  to the structure thereof. A bearing pin  24  similarly fixed to the structure projects downwardly from the second seat  12 . The bearing pin  24  is arranged in the transverse direction in the center of the second seat  12  (and of the stop  21 ) and in the longitudinal direction in the center of the guides  22 . 
         [0026]    On the bearing pin  24  in an upper plane spanned by the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction a two-armed first lever  25  is centrally mounted in a rotatable manner. The first lever  25 —defined by stops—is aligned in the longitudinal direction or at an acute angle obliquely thereto. On the rear end of the first lever  25 , a first locking bar  27  is articulated, whilst at the front end of the first lever  25 , i.e. opposite the first locking bar  27 , a first release bar  29  is articulated (or a further release means is provided). The first locking bar  27  is approximately aligned in the transverse direction and faces toward the first seat  11 , whilst the first release bar  29  is aligned approximately parallel thereto and faces toward the third seat  13 . Both bars  27  and  29  project respectively through one aperture, respectively in one of the guides  22 . The first locking bar  27  is at its free end provided with a first run-on slope  27   a  facing obliquely to the rear. The first release bar  29  is provided at its free end with a first control contour  29   a , for example a radius. 
         [0027]    In a lower plane spanned by the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction and as a mirror image to the aforementioned components of the coupling device  20  relative to the transverse direction, a two-armed second lever  35  is centrally mounted in a rotatable manner on the bearing pin  24 . The second lever  35 —defined by stops—is also aligned in the longitudinal direction or at an acute angle obliquely thereto. At the rear end of the second lever  35  a second locking bar  37  is articulated, whilst at the front end of the second lever  35 , i.e. opposite the first locking bar  27 , a second release bar  39  is articulated (or a further release means is provided). The second locking bar  37  is aligned approximately parallel to the aforementioned bars and faces toward the third seat  13 , whilst the second release bar  39  is aligned approximately parallel thereto and faces toward the first seat  11 . The second locking bar  37  is at its free end provided with a second run-on slope  37   a  facing obliquely to the rear. The second release bar  39  is at its free end provided with a second control contour  39   a , for example a radius. One or more springs, only indicated in the drawings, for example torsion-helical springs or spiral springs, pretension the two levers  25  and  35  against one another or against the second seat  12  in the direction of extension of the bars  27 ,  29 ,  37  or  39 . 
         [0028]    The coupling device  20  has a first lock  41  on the first seat  11  at the front end thereof on the underside, on the side facing the second seat  12 . The first lock  41  is provided on the front face of its housing which faces to the front with a first stop surface  41   a  for cooperating with the stop  21 . The transition region of the housing from the first stop surface  41   a  to the side of the housing facing the second seat  12 , and the front part of the last-mentioned side forms a first control surface  41   b  for cooperating with the second release bar  39 , more specifically with the second control contour  39   a  thereof and with the first locking bar  27 , more specifically the first run-on slope  27   a  thereof. In the side of the housing of the first lock  41  facing the second seat  12 , a first locking opening  41   c  is provided for cooperating with the first locking bar  27  as a counter element. 
         [0029]    As a mirror image to the first lock  41 , the coupling device  20  on the third seat  13  has a second lock  43  on the front end thereof on the underside, on the side facing the second seat  12 . The second lock  43  is provided on the front face of its housing which faces to the front with a second stop surface  43   a  for cooperating with the stop  21 . The transition region of the housing from the second stop surface  43   a  to the side of the housing facing the second seat  12  and the front part of the last-mentioned side forms a second control surface  43   b  for cooperating with the first release bar  29 , more specifically with the first control contour  29   a  thereof and with the second locking bar  37 , more specifically the second run-on slope  37   a  thereof. In the side of the housing of the second lock  43  facing the second seat  12 , a second locking opening  43   c  is provided for cooperating with the second locking bar  37  as a counter element. Insofar as the bars  27 ,  29 ,  37  and  39  are not held back by the locks  41  and  43 , the pretensioning of the levers  25  and  35  ensures that the levers  25  and  35  are rotated out of the longitudinal direction and the bars  27 ,  29 ,  37  and  39  extend beyond the second seat  12  in the transverse direction. 
         [0030]    For explaining the mode of operation of the coupling device  20 , initially the first seat  11  is coupled to the second seat  12 , this pair being intended to be arranged in front of the third seat  13  in the longitudinal direction. The stop  21  bears against the first stop surface  41   a  of the first lock  41 . The first lever  25  is rotated obliquely to the longitudinal direction due to its pretensioning. The first locking bar  27  is extended and reaches through the first locking opening  41   c  of the first lock  41 . The first seat  11  and the second seat  12  are thereby locked to one another. The second release bar  39  bears with its second control contour  39   a  against the first control surface  41   b  of the first lock  41 , whereby the second release bar  39  is introduced. As a result, the second lever  35  is rotated counter to its pretensioning in the longitudinal direction and the second locking bar  37  is also introduced. 
         [0031]    If the third seat  13  is now displaced to the front in the longitudinal direction, the second lock  43  initially passes the introduced second locking bar  37 . If the second locking bar  37  is not fully introduced, the second lock  43  forces back the second locking bar  37  by means of its control surface  43   b  by bearing against the run-on slope  37   a  thereof and thereby introduces the second locking bar. Now the second lock  43  with the second control surface  43   b  bears against the first control contour  29   a  of the extended first release bar  29 . With the further displacement of the third seat  13  to the front, the second lock  43  presses counter to the pretensioning of the first lever  25  on the first release bar  29 , so that the first release bar  29  is introduced. As a result of the forced rotation of the first lever  25  in the longitudinal direction, the first locking bar  27  is also introduced. When the third seat  13  comes to bear against the stop  21  with the second stop surface  43   b  of its second lock  43 , the third seat  13  carries along the second seat  12  to the front. When the second release bar  39  has passed the first control surface  41   b  of the first lock  41 , the second release bar  39  may be extended due to the pretensioning of the second lever  35 . As a result, the second locking bar  37  which reaches through the second locking opening  43   c  of the second lock  43 , is also extended. The second seat  12  and the third seat  13  are, as a result, locked to one another. 
         [0032]    Considered overall, the pushed-forward third seat  13  has thus unlocked (i.e. uncoupled) the previously locked pair made up of the first seat  11  and the second seat  12 , acquired the second seat  12  and by forming a further pair is locked thereto. If the movements are reversed in their direction and sequence relative to the above embodiments, the pair made up of the second seat  12  and third seat  13  is unlocked when reaching the first seat  11 , and the third seat  13  transfers the second seat  12  to the first seat  11 , which is locked to the second seat  12 . 
         [0033]    In order to increase the operating comfort of the vehicle seat arrangement  1 , the seat rail pairs  15  of the two outer seats  11  and  13  are able to be unlocked independently of one another by the user, whilst the seat rail pairs  15  of the central second seat  12  when transferred from an outer seat  11  or  13  to the other outer seat  13  or  11  are unlocked. 
         [0034]    The rail locking, i.e. the locking of the seat rail pairs  15 , is known per se and is explained with reference to the first seat  11 . Each seat rail pair  15  is able to be locked by a spring-loaded latching plate, which simultaneously grips with teeth through openings or tooth gaps or the like of both seat rails of a seat rail pair  15 . A guide pin  51  of the latching plate projects over the seat rail, on which the latching plate is mounted, in the present case the upper rail  15   a  connected to the structure of the first seat  11 . A tube  53  extending in the transverse direction and which may be pivoted by a manually actuatable manual lever  55 , pivots an actuating lever  57  on each seat rail pair  15 , which presses onto the guide pin  51  and as a result lifts out the latching plate from the tooth gaps of the seat rail, which is displaceable relative to the latching plate, in the present case the lower rail  15   b  connected to the vehicle structure. 
         [0035]    According to the invention, the manual lever  55  is dispensed with in the second seat  12 . As a result, an actuating element  59  projecting in the transverse direction is attached to the actuating lever  57  in the adjacent seat rail pair  15  of the first seat  11 , which may cooperate with an extension  57   a  of the actuating lever  57  of the most adjacent seat rail pair  15  of the second seat  12 . When the first seat  11  is displaced toward the second seat  12 , the actuating element  59  of the first seat  11 , when pushed back, presses onto the extension  57   a  of the actuating lever  57  of the second seat  12  and thereby unlocks the second seat  12 . If the manual lever  55  of the first seat  11  is released, the first seat  11  and the second seat  12  are locked. 
         [0036]    The third seat  13  is configured corresponding to the first seat  11  and also has an actuating element  59  on the actuating lever  57  on the seat rail pair  15  adjacent to the second seat  12 , which may unlock the second seat  12  by means of an extension  57   a  on the actuating lever  57  thereof. 
         [0037]    In a further embodiment, not shown in the drawings, the coupling device  20  on the central seat  12  has one respective lock on both sides, as is disclosed for example in DE 103 04 574 B4, the disclosure thereof being expressly referred to. Instead of such a lock, a so-called rotary latch lock may also be used. The respective counter element for the lock is respectively provided on the adjacent outer seat  11  or  13 . The locks and their counter elements thus undertake the function of the locking bars  27  and  37  and the locks  41  and  43 . The mouth of the pawl of the lock also respectively takes over the task of the stop  21 . A release means, for example a release bar, is articulated to the unlocking bolt of the lock or a further component of the unlocking, or coupled in another manner and guided in the transverse direction toward the opposing side of the second seat  12 , where it may be extended over the second seat  12  according to the locked state of the lock. 
         [0038]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.