Abstract:
A movable track cover includes a cover segment mounted for movement transverse to the direction of tracks that carry a movable seat between first and second positions. The cover segment extends over the track to prevent debris from entering track when the seat is in the first location and the second location and also allows the seat pedestal supporting the movable seat to move along said track. A positioning element is connected to the seat pedestal to move the cover segment from said first position to said second position in coordination with movement of said seat along said track.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to seating systems having seats movably mounted on tracks for movement along the tracks. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is known to provide a vehicle, such as a public bus or a motor coach, with seats that can be moved to provide an open space, for example, for securing a mobility aid in the vehicle. These seats are often provided with supporting pedestals that are mounted on rails so they can be moved along the rails between positions that accommodate ambulatory passengers and positions that provide space for securing a mobility aid. 
         [0003]    A known type of rail provides a slot that receives a portion of a pedestal to allow the seats to move along the rails by sliding. A problem frequently encountered with these rails is their tendency to accumulate debris through the slots. This accumulated debris must be removed regularly by maintenance personnel to prevent a build-up of debris that would interfere with easy movement of the seats. Such maintenance can be costly. In addition, the open slot can present an annoyance to persons wearing high-heeled shoes or even a danger under certain circumstances. Accordingly, it has been proposed to provide the movable seats with track covers that move with the seats to maintain the track covered as the seats are moved to deployed or stored positions. 
         [0004]    Known systems that provide movable track covers can be effective if the distances by which the seats must move are restricted. In a common situation, however, the seats must be moved by distances to place seats quite close to each other. This is especially the case in a vehicle that requires the seats to be moved to positions that can accommodate a mobility aid. In this case the seats must be moved closer to each other than they are when in the positions that accommodate ambulatory passengers. But, when the seats with movable track covers move on the same tracks, the minimum distance between seats is the sum of the lengths of the movable track covers. One proposed solution has been to provide two sets of parallel tracks, with the two sets offset laterally from each other so that the seats and the movable track covers are on separate tracks. In this arrangement, the distance by which one set of seats and its accompanying track covers can move is not affected by the second set of track covers because they are on the adjacent set of tracks. While this system has been successful, it can be more difficult to retrofit into existing systems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with the invention a track cover system includes a series of discrete, individually movable track cover segments that are arranged linearly along each track to cover the track when in one orientation or be moved aside to a second orientation by a moving chair pedestal to allow the chair to move along the track. The cover segment then automatically moves to an orientation in which it covers the track as the chair moves past the particular cover. When a chair is in a desired position, the pedestal itself generally covers the track, and the cover will be held in its uncovered orientation. In some instances, as will be described in more detail below, it is preferable to eliminate a movable cover in those locations where a seat pedestal will cover the rail except for a brief time when the seats are being rearranged. 
         [0006]    In preferred embodiments, the covers are mounted for pivotal motion between covered and uncovered orientations. As the seat pedestals move along the seat tracks the pedestals are equipped with positioning elements that lift and rotate the covers about an axis parallel to the tracks so the covers lie flat adjacent the track, allowing the seat pedestal to move along the track. In other embodiments, however, the covers may be mounted for linear movement laterally, whereby they are pushed aside laterally as the seat pedestal moves along the track. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a portion of a vehicle having a seating area with movable seats and track covers in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a seating section according to  FIG. 1  where two of the seats have been moved to positions that create an area for accommodating a passenger in a mobility aid. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective of a hinged track cover segment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective of a lifting plate in accordance with the invention. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 5 through 10  are a sequence that illustrates the movement of a segmented cover as a seat pedestal moves along a seat track. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a seating area  2  of a vehicle that may, for example, be a city transit bus, a motor coach, or any other vehicle having movable seats. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the seating area illustrated is that of a transit bus or motor coach with a row of seats  6 ,  8 ,  10 , and  12 . In this example, seats  8  and  10  are supported by respective movable pedestals  14 . The movable pedestals  14  are mounted on parallel rails  16  that are mounted on the floor  18  of the vehicle as is generally known in the art. Seats  6  and  12  are supported by stationary pedestals  20  because in the embodiment illustrated these seats are not designed to move with respect to the vehicle. 
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with the seats  8  and  10  moved forward to provide an open area between seats  10  and  12  for receiving a mobility aid (not shown) such as a wheelchair or a scooter. It will be appreciated that in the embodiment illustrated the bottoms of the seats  8  and  10  fold up to allow these seats to be moved as close as possible to each other as well as to seat  6 . The mobility-aid area may also be provided with securement elements, such as straps or other devices known in the art to secure the mobility aid to the vehicle. 
         [0014]    In accordance with the invention, the rails  16  are provided with discrete cover segments  22  of a segmented cover system. 
         [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a preferred embodiment of a cover segment  22  of the segmented cover system that comprises a plurality of segments  22 . The cover segment  22  is mounted to the vehicle so that it can be pushed aside by a moving pedestal  14  whereby the pedestal can slide along track  16 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , cover segment  22  is pivotally attached to a mounting plate  24  at a piano-hinge type connection  26 . The mounting plate can be attached to the floor of the vehicle by screws passing through holes  28  and as well by any of several known fastening mechanisms such as adhesives, welding, brazing, rivets, and the like. Moreover, the actual type of hinge connection may be any of a variety of known pivotal connections. The preferred piano hinge connection further includes a return component, which in this embodiment is a spring  30  (or multiple springs) that resiliently biases the cover segment  22  away from the mounting plate  24  so that it will return to the orientation shown in  FIG. 3  unless a force is applied to rotate it against the force of the spring to move rotationally to a position lying on top of the mounting plate as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 through 10 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates a preferred positioning element that is shown as a lifting plate  32 , which is carried by a moving pedestal to lift and rotate a cover segment  22  as a seat moves along the track. The lifting plate shown in  FIG. 4  is configured to be attached to a pedestal  14 , but it could be integral with the pedestal or otherwise arranged to move in coordinated fashion with the seat. One of the advantages of the preferred embodiment disclosed is that it can be retrofitted to an existing system. Thus, the lifting plate  32  includes an upper surface  33  with cutouts  34  that are configured to receive shafts (not shown) in the pedestals  14  during the retrofit. Tabs  36  are initially straight but can be bent over at their ends as shown to engage a far edge of a pedestal  14  to secure the lifting plate to the pedestal for movement therewith. Lifting plate  32  includes lifting ends  38  at opposite ends of the lifting plate and a rotating edge  40 . The functions of these elements will become apparent in connection with  FIGS. 5 through 10 . 
         [0017]    The lifting plate may also take different shapes and need not have the solid plate-like structure illustrated. For example the lifting plate can comprise two separate articles performing the lifting and rotating actions. 
         [0018]    As discussed above in connection with  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a plurality of discrete segmented covers  22  is arranged with respect to a rail or track  16  so that the cover segments  22  cooperate to cover the track  16  and prevent the entry of debris. The length of a cover  22  is can be substantially the length of a pedestal base so that when a pedestal base is aligned with a cover segment  22 , the pedestal base will prevent the accumulation of debris. In other layouts, the cover segments can be shorter than the pedestal base. For example two or more cover plates could be used in place of each of the single plates shown to provide flexibility in the positioning of the seats. 
         [0019]      FIG. 5  illustrates the relative positions of the elements of the embodiment illustrated as a seat is initially moved in a direction from the left of  FIG. 5  toward the right. In the position shown in  FIG. 5 , a lifting end  38  has just engaged under an end of the cover  22  and begun to lift the cover. The lifting begins as the lifting end  38  slides under the end of the cover  22 , and the end of the cover slides up the lifting end  38 . In the embodiment shown the ends of the cover  22  are preferably slightly upturned as shown at  42  so the lifting end  38  can easily slide under the cover  22  and lift it as the pedestal moves along the track. It may be noted that the slope of the lifting ends  38  is a matter of design choice but is preferably gentle enough to facilitate easy movement of the seats. 
         [0020]      FIG. 6  illustrates engagement between the cover  22  and the rotating edge  40  of the lifting plate as the seat pedestal moves further along the track  16 . It will be appreciated that the rotating edge  40  is triangular and sloped downward transverse to the track so that the cover will rotate 180° from its initial position when it is covering the track  16 . The cover segment  22  on the left of  FIGS. 5 and 6  is shown in a fully rotated position, lying upside down on the floor of the vehicle over the mounting plate. 
         [0021]    In preferred embodiments, the cover segments  22  are arranged so that the spacing between them is about 1/16 inch to ¼ inch so debris does not enter between adjacent ends  42  of two adjacent covers. This gap is illustrated in the drawings somewhat larger for clarity of the drawings. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate the positions of the elements as the pedestal  14  moves further along the track  16 . The cover  22  on the left of  FIG. 8  is seen to be beginning to rotate to its track-covering orientation as the spring  30  urges the cover upward against the rotating edge  40 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the further pivoting of the cover  22 , and  FIG. 10  illustrates a completed movement of the seat between two adjacent cover segments  22 . 
         [0023]    It will be appreciated that cooperation between the movable segmented covers  22  and the bases of the pedestals maintain the track in a continuously covered position, with the exception of the very short intervals when the covers are being lifted or are returning to their fully covered positions as the seat pedestal moves from one position to another (see  FIGS. 5 through 10 ). In this regard it may be noted that the segment covers described are particularly advantageous when the seats are designed to be locked to the floor of the vehicle at discrete, predetermined locations. This arrangement, for example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is typical in motor coaches. In layouts such as these, the seats are arranged to be either in locations that accommodate ambulatory passengers ( FIG. 1 ) or in locations that accommodate passengers in mobility aids ( FIG. 2 ). Thus, seats  8  and  10  are typically secured to the locations shown in  FIG. 1  and moved to the locations of  FIG. 2  to accommodate a mobility aid. The discrete segmented covers of the invention preferably cooperate with the discrete positions of the seats in that the seat pedestals themselves are then positioned to cover one of the positions. Moreover, if a particular location of the track will always have a chair at that location, there is no need to provide a cover for that location. This would be the case for the position to which chair  10  has been moved in  FIG. 2 . Because the position of chair  10  in  FIG. 2  is the same as the position of chair  8  in  FIG. 1 , that particular location is always covered by a chair pedestal and need not be provided with a cover  22 . On the other hand, the portions of track  16  not occupied by chairs in  FIGS. 1 and 2  do require covers to protect the track. 
         [0024]    It will also be appreciated that while the figures show all of the covers as being of equal lengths, this is not necessary. For example, if a pedestal base is shorter than the distance between adjacent seat pedestals, the covers between the seats may be longer than the covers at the seat locations. 
         [0025]    Moreover, the concept of the invention can be applied to covers that move in other directions such as laterally, instead of rotationally. For example the covers  22  can be attached to the floor of the vehicle or to mounting plates for movement in directions transverse to track  16 . Thus, the mounting plates and the covers could be provided with interacting elements such as slots and ridges that would allow relative motion laterally. In this modification also the positioning element would be configured to push the covers aside laterally as the seat moved along the track. 
         [0026]    The invention finds particular utility in retrofitting or refurbishing seating systems to provide covered tracks. When the system is applied to new construction, the covers could be mounted directly to the floor of the vehicle, this obviating the need for mounting plates. 
         [0027]    Modifications within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art.