Rear seat device for vehicle

Abstract: A rear seat device for a vehicle disposed on a higher, rear section of a stepped floor surface of a vehicle, and provided so as to be rotatable by substantially 180 degrees toward a front of the vehicle, including: a rear seat back whose length is adjustable between a seating state length, which is a length of the rear seat back in an ordinary seating state for a vehicle occupant, and a folded-up state length, which is shorter than the seating state length.

Description: Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rear seat device for a vehicle according the preamble of claim 1. It relates in particular, to a rear seat device for a vehicle which is disposed on the higher, rear section of a stepped floor surface of a vehicle, and which is rotatable toward the front of the vehicle. Description of the Related Art The structure disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (JP-U) No. 3-125625 according to the preamble of claim 1 is known as an example of a rear seat device for a vehicle which is disposed on the rear section of the floor surface of a vehicle. As illustrated in Fig. 5, this rear seat device for a vehicle is provided with a cam hole 72 and an outer peripheral cam 74, which are formed at a pair of brackets 70, and a pivoting shaft 78 and a guide shaft 80, which are provided at a rear seat cushion 76 and oppose the cam hole 72 and the outer peripheral cam 74 respectively. The rear seat cushion 76 is movable with respect to a floor surface 82 between a first position (illustrated in Fig. 5), at which the rear seat cushion 76 is maintained substantially horizontally, a second position (not illustrated), at which the rear seat cushion 76 stands upright substantially vertically, and a third position (the position shown in Fig. 6), at which the rear seat cushion 76 is rotated 180 degrees toward the front of the vehicle. As illustrated in Fig. 6, when the rear seat cushion 76 can be rotated together with a rear seat back 77 substantially 180 degrees toward the front of the vehicle with respect to the floor surface 82, in order for the rear seat cushion 76 and a front seat 84 to not interfere with each other, the distance from a center of rotation P1 of the rear seat cushion 76 to the front seat 84 is set longer than a radius of rotation R1 of the rear seat cushion 76. However, in an ordinary rear seat device for a vehicle, the height of the rear seat back 77 is greater than the length of the rear seat cushion 76. Therefore, a radius of rotation R2 of the rear seat back 77 is greater than the radius of rotation R1 of the rear seat cushion 76. Accordingly, the front seat 84 must be moved to its forwardmost position (i.e., to the position furthest toward the front of the vehicle). However, it has been difficult to employ this type of rear seat device for a vehicle in small automobiles in which the distance between the front seat 84 and a rear seat 86 cannot be made so large. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a rear seat device for a vehicle in which a rear seat can be rotated substantially 180 degrees toward the front of the vehicle even in small automobiles. This object is solved by the subject matter of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments thereof are the subject matter of claims 2 to 11. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating a rear seat device for a vehicle relating to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating a portion of the rear seat device for a vehicle relating to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a schematic side view illustrating an ordinary seating state of a rear seat device for a vehicle relating to a conventional example. Fig. 6 is a schematic side view illustrating a state in which the rear seat device for a vehicle relating to the conventional example is rotated substantially 180 degrees toward the front of a vehicle. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of a rear seat device for a vehicle of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 through 4. In the figures, arrow FR points toward the front of the vehicle, whereas arrow UP points toward the top of the vehicle. As shown in Fig. 1, a rear seat cushion 12 of a rear seat 10 of the present embodiment is disposed on a floor surface 14A which is the portion of a stepped floor 14 which is provided toward the rear of the vehicle and is the higher portion. The rear seat cushion 12 is divided into a rear seat cushion main body portion 12A, which is provided above the floor surface 14A, and a rear seat cushion divisional portion 12B, which is provided below the floor surface 14A. The rear seat cushion main body portion 12A is mounted to the front end portion of the floor surface 14A via a rotating/sliding mechanism 18. When the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A is rotated toward the front of the vehicle by the rotating/sliding mechanism 18, the rear seat cushion divisional portion 12B remains in a recess 16 formed in the floor surface 14A. A front seat 42 is moved slightly toward the front of the vehicle from the position shown by the broken line, and the rear seat back 20 is rotated forward from an ordinary seating state to a state in which the rear seat back 20 is superposed on the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A. Thereafter, the rear seat back 20 and the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A are rotated 180 degrees toward the front of the vehicle by the rotating/sliding mechanism 18 so as to assume the state illustrated by the one-dot-chain line in Fig. 1. In this state, the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A and the rear seat back 20 are moved onto the front section floor surface 14B which is the portion of the stepped floor 14 which is provided toward the front of the vehicle and is the lower portion. A reverse surface 12C of the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A is thereby positioned at substantially the same height as the floor surface 14A. In the rear seat 10 of the present embodiment, as illustrated by the two-dot-chain line in Fig. 1, the rear seat back 20 is longer than the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A. As shown in Fig. 2, the rear seat back 20 is divided, at the lower portion thereof, into a longitudinal direction lower portion and a longitudinal direction upper portion which are a rear seat back divisional portion 22, which serves as a seat back lower portion, and a rear seat back main body portion 24, which serves as a seat back upper portion. The rear seat back divisional portion 22 is connected so as to be rotatable toward the rear of the vehicle (in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 2) around a bottom end S1 of the outer covering portion of a back surface 24A (the surface toward the rear of the vehicle) of the rear seat back main body portion 24, which outer covering portion is provided so as to be continuous with the outer covering portion of a back surface (the surface toward the rear of the vehicle) of the rear seat back divisional portion 22. Namely, the lower end S1 serves as a hinge portion for the rotation of the rear seat back divisional portion 22 toward the front of the vehicle. A recess 25 is formed beneath the back surface 24A of the rear seat back main body portion 24. The rear seat back divisional portion 22 is stored in the recess 25 as illustrated by the one-dot-chain line in Fig. 2. The rear seat back main body portion 24 is connected to the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A by a rear seat back rotating/sliding mechanism 26. The rear seat back main body portion 24 is movable to a state in which the rear seat back main body portion 24 is collapsed forward so as to be superposed on the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A (i.e., the state illustrated by the solid line in Fig. 1), and is slidable in longitudinal directions of the vehicle (in the directions of arrows C and D in Fig. 1). As illustrated in Fig. 3, the rear seat back rotating/sliding mechanism 26 is fixed to frames 28, 30 of the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A. The rear seat back rotating/sliding mechanism 26 is equipped with a bracket 34 which serves as a connecting member and which has a rotating shaft 32 along the transverse direction of the vehicle. As shown in Fig. 4, the rear seat back rotating/sliding mechanism 26 is fixed to a frame 35 of the rear seat back, and includes an elongated hole 36 serving as a guide portion and a link arm 48 having a rotating shaft 38 which is movably inserted into the elongated hole 36. The rotating shaft 32 and the rotating shaft 38 are respectively structured by a T-nut 42 and a bolt 44 which is screwed with the T-nut 42. A link arm 48 is connected via a bush 46 to the T-nut 42 of the rotating shaft 32, whereas a bracket 40 is connected via a bush 46 to the T-nut 42 of the rotating shaft 38. Accordingly, as illustrated by the solid line in Fig. 1, the rear seat back main body portion 24 and the rear seat back divisional portion 22, which has been moved into the recess 25 formed in the lower portion of the back surface 24A of the rear seat back main body portion 24, are collapsed forward onto the rear seat cushion main body 12A by the rear seat back rotating/sliding mechanism 26, and the rear seat back 20 is slid in the direction of arrow D (i.e., to the state illustrated by the solid line in Fig. 1) by the rear seat back rotating/sliding mechanism 26. In this way, the respective positions in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle of distal ends 24B, 12D of the rear seat back main body portion 24 and the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A, respectively, can be aligned. As shown by the one-dot-chain line in Fig. 1, in the state in which the rear seat 20 is rotated substantially 180 degrees toward the front of the vehicle from the state illustrated by the solid line, the rear seat back divisional portion 22 is interposed between the rear seat back main body portion 24 and the floor surface 14B. As a result, by changing the thickness M1 of the rear seat back divisional portion 22, the gap M2 between the rear seat 10 and the floor surface 14B can be eliminated. Reference numeral 21 in Figs. 1 and 2 is a head rest. The head rest 21 is mounted to the rear seat back main body portion 24 so as to be attachable thereto and removable therefrom. The rear seat cushion main body 12A and the rear seat back 20 are each divided into two portions at the right and the left (i.e., in the transverse direction of the vehicle) at the driver's seat side and the front passenger's seat side (e.g., are divided into two at a dimensional ratio of 6:4 for left and right). In the upright state in which the rear seat cushion main body 12A and the rear seat back 20 of the driver's seat side are rotated substantially 90 degrees to the front, the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A and the rear seat back 20 at the front passenger's seat side can be placed in an upright state of being rotated substantially 90 degrees to the front or in a folded-up state of being rotated substantially 180 degrees toward the front. Next, operation of the present embodiment will be described. In the rear seat device for a vehicle of the present embodiment, the rear seat back divisional portion 22, which forms the bottom portion of the rear seat back 20, is rotated toward the rear of the vehicle (in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 2) with the bottom end S1 of the outer covering portion of the reverse surface 24A of the rear seat back main body portion 24 serving as a hinge portion. The rear seat back divisional portion 22 is thereby set at the position illustrated by the one-dot-chain line in Fig. 2. Further, due to the rear seat back rotating/sliding mechanism 26, the rear seat back 20 is collapsed forward onto the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A. At this time, the link arm 48 of the rear seat back rotating/sliding mechanism 26 swings around the rotating shaft 32 and the rotating shaft 38, so as to move from the state shown by the three-dot-chain line in Fig. 1 (the usual seating state) to the position illustrated by the solid line. In the forward collapsed state of the rear seat back main body portion 24, the distal end portion 24B of the rear seat back main body portion 24 projects further toward the front of the vehicle than the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A as illustrated by the two-dot-chain line in Fig. 1. Accordingly, in this state, when the rear seat back 20 is pushed in the direction of arrow D, the rotating shaft 38 moves in the direction of arrow D along the elongated hole 26 of the bracket 40. Therefore, the rear seat back main body portion 24 which has been collapsed forward onto the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A moves in the direction of arrow D, so that both of the distal end portions 12D and 24B are aligned. More specifically, because the rear seat back main body portion 24 is moved to the solid line position, the entire length of the rear seat 10 can be shortened. As a result, the rear seat device for a vehicle of the present embodiment can be applied to small automobiles in which the interval between the front seat 42 and the rear seat 10 is not overly large. By rotating the rear seat back 20 180 degrees toward the front of the vehicle from the state in which the rear seat back 20 is collapsed forward onto the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A, a wide, flat luggage compartment can be provided from behind the rear seat 10 to the reverse surface 12C of the rear seat cushion main body portion 12A. Further, in the rear seat device for a vehicle of the present embodiment, as illustrated by the one-dot-chain line in Fig. 1, in the state in which the rear seat back 20 is rotated substantially 180 degrees toward the front, the rear seat back divisional portion 22 is interposed between the rear seat back main body portion 24 and the floor surface 14B. Therefore, by changing the thickness M1 of the rear seat back divisional portion 22, the gap M2 between the rear seat 10 and the floor surface 14B can be eliminated. As a result, the rear seat 10 in the state of having been rotated substantially 180 degrees toward the front of the vehicle can be directly supported by the floor surface 14B. Therefore, there is no need to provide, between the rear seat 10 and the floor surface 14B, a supporting member for supporting the rear seat 10. Details of specific embodiments of the present invention have been described herein. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that other various embodiments within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims are possible.

Claims: A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle, which is disposed on a higher, rear section (14A) of a stepped floor surface (14) of the vehicle, which is provided so as to be rotatable around a shaft extending in a transverse direction of the vehicle, by substantially 180 degrees toward a front of the vehicle, and which comprises: a rear seat cushion (12), a rear seat back (20) and a mechanism (26) which allows said rear seat back (20) to collapse forward onto said rear seat cushion (12), characterized in that the length of said rear seat back (20) is adjustable between a seating state length which is the length of said rear seat back (20) in an ordinary seating state for a vehicle occupant, and a folded-up state length which is shorter than the seating state length. A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said rear seat back (20) is divided into two portions in a longitudinal direction thereof which are an upper portion, which is a rear seat back (20) main body portion, and a lower portion, which is a rear seat back (20) divisional portion, and said rear seat back (20) divisional portion is provided so as to be rotatable around a shaft (S1) which extends in a transverse direction of said rear seat back (20) with respect to said rear seat back (20) main body portion. A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said mechanism (26) allows said rear seat back (20) main body portion to collapse forward onto a rear seat cushion (12) and allows said rear seat back main body portion (24) to slide in substantially longitudinal directions (C, D) of the vehicle from a forward collapsed state. A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said mechanism (26) has a guide member (40), which is provided at said rear seat back main body portion (24), and a connecting member, which connects the rear seat cushion (12) and said rear seat back (20) and is guided by said guide member (40). A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said connecting member has a link member (48), and a vicinity of one end portion of said link member (48) is provided so as to be able to move while the vicinity of the one end portion of said link member (48) is being guided by said guide member (40). A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said link member (48) has a screw member (42, 44, 46) which movably fixes the vicinity of the one end portion of said link member (48) to said guide member (40). A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a vicinity of another end portion of said link member (48) is rotatably fixed to a frame (28, 30) provided at the rear seat cushion (12). A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein said connecting member has a screw member (42, 44, 46) which fixes the vicinity of the other end portion of said link member (48) to the frame (28, 30). A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to one of claims 5 to 8, wherein said guide member (40) has an elongated hole (36) which guides the vicinity of the one end portion of said link member (48). A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the shaft (S1) which extends in the transverse direction of said rear seat back (20) is provided at a surface (24A) of said rear seat back (20) at a rear side of the vehicle, and said rear seat back divisional portion (22) is provided so as to be rotatable toward a rear of the vehicle. A rear seat device (10) for a vehicle according to one of claims 2 to 10, wherein said rear seat back divisional portion (22) and said rear seat back main body portion (24) are connected at vicinities of respective surfaces thereof at a rear side of the vehicle in the ordinary seating state for a vehicle occupant

Inventors: HASHIMOTO KAZUNORI, HASHIMOTO, KAZUNORI
Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR CO LTD, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B60N2
IPC codes: B60N2