Patent Description:
The seat of a vehicle consists of a seating (cushion) having a substantially horizontal arrangement and of a backrest having a substantially vertical arrangement.

The seats are one of the elements of the vehicle that most affects passenger comfort as they constitute the interface through which the passengers come into physical contact with the vehicle. Currently, the seats are designed looking for the best possible compromise in order to meet a wide range of passenger sizes and a wide range of driving conditions (for example, for a long journey on roads open to the public, comfort should be privileged and whereas in track driving, containment should be privileged); consequently, the seats allow almost to all people to obtain a good (or in some cases acceptable) level of comfort in all driving conditions but they hardly allow people to obtain a high level of comfort in all driving conditions.

Patent application <CIT> describes a seat for a vehicle, wherein a reversible cover is provided which is removable by means of hinges and extends over the seating and over the backrest.

Patent application <CIT> describes a reversible cover element for a seat of an automobile having two opposite faces that can be used alternatively.

Patent application <CIT> describes a cover for a portion of a seat of a motor vehicle and comprising a panel couplable with a fixing mechanism mounted on the padding layer of the seat of the vehicle.

Patent application <CIT> describes a mounting structure of a seat cover on a main body of a seat of the vehicle; first magnetic locks are mounted near a peripheral edge of the main body of the seat and in a channel formed on the surface of the main body of the seat and corresponding second magnetic locks are mounted on the inner face of the seat cover.

Aim of the present invention is to provide a seat for a vehicle that allows to offer high comfort to all the occupants and in all driving conditions.

The present inventionis defined by a seat for a vehicle comprising the technical features set forth in independent claim <NUM>.

The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the present invention forming an integral part of the present disclosure.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a nonlimiting embodiment thereof, wherein:.

In <FIG>, number <NUM> denotes as a whole a seat of the vehicle.

The seat <NUM> is divided into a seating <NUM> (cushion) having a substantially horizontal arrangement and into a backrest <NUM> having a substantially vertical arrangement; together, the seating <NUM> and the backrest <NUM> give the seat <NUM> an "L" shape. The backrest <NUM> ends at the top with a headrest <NUM> which is integrated with the backrest itself (i.e. forms a single indivisible body with the backrest <NUM>).

From a constructive point of view, the seat <NUM> comprises a base structure <NUM> configured to be fixed to a floorboard of the vehicle and a cover <NUM> that is fixed above the base structure <NUM>, covers the base structure <NUM> and constitutes the outermost part of the seat <NUM>, that is, it constitutes the aesthetic and tactile interface with the outside.

The cover <NUM> comprises (at least) a reversible (foldable down) component <NUM> which is fixed to the rest of the seat <NUM> (i.e. to the rest of the cover <NUM>) in a separable manner and has two opposite faces <NUM> and <NUM>, each capable of being arranged outwards or, alternatively, inwards reversing the orientation of the reversible component <NUM>. In other words, the reversible component <NUM> is of the "double face" type and can be coupled to the rest of the seat <NUM> (i.e. to the rest of the cover <NUM>) with the face <NUM> facing outwards (therefore visible) and with the face <NUM> facing inwards (therefore resting on the base structure <NUM> and hidden from view) or it can be coupled to the rest of the seat <NUM> (i.e. to the rest of the cover <NUM>) with the face <NUM> facing outwards (therefore visible) and with the face <NUM> facing inwards (therefore resting on the base structure <NUM> and hidden from view).

Consequently, a user can manually reverse (fold down) the reversible component <NUM> so as to invert the face <NUM> or <NUM> of the reversible component <NUM> that is visible (i.e. is facing outwards).

Obviously, the reversible component <NUM> is asymmetrical (as schematically shown in <FIG>), i.e. the face <NUM> of the reversible component <NUM> has different characteristics from the face <NUM> of the reversible component <NUM>. The two faces <NUM> and <NUM> of the reversible component <NUM> can be different from each other in the surface colouring, in the material that makes up the surface finish (for example the face <NUM> could have a leather surface finish while the face <NUM> could have a surface finish in alcantara), in the shape (for example the face <NUM> could be flatter and therefore more comfortable while the face <NUM> could be more excavated and therefore with more containment), or in the rigidity (yielding) of the material that is close to the two faces <NUM> and <NUM> (for example the face <NUM> could be less rigid and therefore more comfortable while the face <NUM> could be more rigid). That is, a less rigid foam may be present near the face <NUM> while a more rigid foam may be present near the face <NUM>.

According to what is shown in <FIG>, the cover <NUM> comprises a seat <NUM> (i.e. a through opening) in which the reversible component <NUM> is arranged; i.e. the seat <NUM> reproduces in negative the shape of the reversible component <NUM> so as to be able to accommodate inside it the reversible component <NUM> without appreciable play (indeed, optionally with a small interference that forces the reversible component <NUM> to compress elastically and slightly). The seat <NUM> consists of a through passing through the cover <NUM> so that on the bottom the reversible component <NUM> rests directly on the underlying base structure <NUM>.

According to what is shown in <FIG>, a series of connection devices <NUM> are provided (only one of which is shown in <FIG>) which connect the reversible component <NUM> of the cover <NUM> to the base structure <NUM>. That is, according to what is shown in <FIG>, the reversible component <NUM> of the cover <NUM> is connected to the base structure <NUM> by means of a series of connection devices <NUM> which are preferably distributed along the outer edge of the reversible component <NUM>. Then, the connection devices <NUM> are configured to alternatively connect each face <NUM> or <NUM> of the reversible component <NUM> to the base structure <NUM>.

According to what is shown in <FIG>, each connection device <NUM> is of the magnetic type (i.e. it entails a magnetic coupling creating the joining force through magnetic attraction) and comprises a body <NUM> integral to the base structure <NUM> and two bodies <NUM> that are integral to the two opposite faces <NUM> and <NUM> of the reversible component <NUM> (i.e. one body <NUM> is arranged in the area of the face <NUM> while the other body <NUM> is arranged in the area of the face <NUM>) and are each configured to be magnetically attracted by the body <NUM>. According to a possible embodiment, in each connection device <NUM> both bodies <NUM> and <NUM> are permanent magnets (obviously with reversed magnetic poles so as to attract one another). According to an alternative embodiment, only one of the two bodies <NUM> and <NUM> is a permanent magnet while the other of the two bodies <NUM> and <NUM> is a piece of ferromagnetic metal.

According to a preferred embodiment, in each connection device <NUM> the body <NUM> integral to the base structure <NUM> is larger (and therefore heavier) than the bodies <NUM> integral to the reversible component <NUM> of the cover <NUM> so as to reduce the overall weight of the reversible component <NUM> while maintaining an adequate force of attraction between the reversible component <NUM> and the base structure <NUM>. In other words, in each connection device <NUM>, instead of making bodies <NUM> and <NUM> of equal mass, mass is moved on the body <NUM> integral to the base structure <NUM> to reduce the mass of the bodies <NUM> integral to the reversible component <NUM> of the cover <NUM>.

According to a possible embodiment, in each connection device <NUM>, a light layer of non-ferromagnetic material is always interposed between the two bodies <NUM> and <NUM> to avoid a direct contact between the two bodies <NUM> and <NUM> and therefore avoid a "magnetic bonding ", that is, prevent the two bodies <NUM> and <NUM> from joining with a too high a magnetic force of attraction that becomes difficult to overcome when it is necessary to remove the reversible component <NUM> of the cover <NUM>. For example, according to what is shown in <FIG>, the bodies <NUM> are arranged under a finishing layer <NUM> so as to be hidden from view and so that the finishing layer <NUM> (which is made of non-ferromagnetic material) is always interposed between each body <NUM> and the corresponding body <NUM>.

According to the preferred embodiment shown in the appended figures, the connection devices <NUM> are of the magnetic type. According to other preferred embodiments, some, but not all, of the connection devices <NUM> are of another type; for example, some, but not all, of the connection devices <NUM> are of a mechanical type and use an interference (i.e. an elastic deformation) or a screwing to create the coupling.

Some or all of the connection devices <NUM> are configured to connect a side wall (perpendicular to the faces <NUM> and <NUM>) of the reversible component <NUM> to a side wall of the seat <NUM>. In this case, each connection device <NUM> comprises the body <NUM> integral to the cover <NUM> in the area of the seat <NUM> and the body <NUM> which is integral to the reversible component <NUM> and is configured to create a firm joint with the body <NUM>; in particular, each connection device <NUM> comprises a single body <NUM> integral to the cover <NUM> in the area of the seat <NUM> and a single body <NUM> which is integral to the reversible component <NUM> and is configured to create a firm joint with the body <NUM>. In addition, some connection devices <NUM> configured to connect, alternatively, each opposite face <NUM> or <NUM> of the reversible component <NUM> to the base structure <NUM> could also be provided.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, a single reversible component <NUM> arranged in the area of the seating <NUM> is provided; according to other embodiments not shown, a single reversible component <NUM> arranged in the area of the backrest <NUM> or of the headrest <NUM> is provided, several reversible components <NUM> all arranged in the area of the seating <NUM>, the backrest <NUM> or the headrest <NUM> are provided, or several reversible components <NUM> arranged in the area of the seating <NUM>, the backrest <NUM> and/or the headrest <NUM> are provided.

It is important to point out that the seat <NUM> can be a single seat arranged in the front or rear position (as shown in the appended figures) or it can be a double or triple seat arranged in the rear position; in this case, the seat <NUM> preferably comprises a single base structure <NUM> that accommodates two or three different covers <NUM>.

The embodiments described herein can be combined with each other without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention which is defined by the appended claims.

The seat <NUM> described above has numerous advantages.

Firstly, the seat <NUM> described above makes it possible to offer high comfort to all the occupants, i.e. to all passengers using the seat <NUM>, and in all driving conditions. This result is obtained in that a base structure <NUM> is used that is permanently fixed to the floorboard of the vehicle and is common to all the passengers using the seat <NUM> and in all driving conditions (i.e. it always remains the same for all the passengers using the seat <NUM> and in all driving conditions) and a cover <NUM> that is (easily and quickly) modifiable by reverting the reversible component <NUM> and therefore can be customised for each passenger using the seat <NUM> also as a function of the driving conditions.

In addition, the seat <NUM> described above also allows the aesthetic appearance of the seats <NUM> to be varied quickly, allowing the owner of the vehicle to substantially vary the aesthetic appearance of the passenger compartment.

Claim 1:
A seat (<NUM>) for a vehicle and comprising:
a base structure (<NUM>) configured to be fixed to a floorboard of the vehicle;
a cover (<NUM>) which covers the base structure (<NUM>), constitutes the outermost part of the seat (<NUM>) and comprises at least one reversible component (<NUM>) which is fixed to the rest of the seat (<NUM>) in a separable manner and has two opposite faces (<NUM>, <NUM>), each capable of being arranged outwards or, alternatively, inwards reversing the orientation of the reversible component (<NUM>); and
a series of connection devices (<NUM>), which connect the reversible component (<NUM>) to the base structure (<NUM>);
wherein the cover (<NUM>) comprises a seat (<NUM>) in which the reversible component (<NUM>) is arranged;
wherein at least one first connection device (<NUM>) is configured to connect a side wall of the reversible component (<NUM>) to a side wall of the seat (<NUM>) and comprises: a first body (<NUM>) integral to the cover (<NUM>) in the area of the seat (<NUM>) and a second body (<NUM>) which is integral to the reversible component (<NUM>) and is configured to create a firm joint with the first body (<NUM>);
the seat (<NUM>) is characterised in that the first connection device (<NUM>) entails a magnetic coupling creating the joining force through magnetic attraction between the first body (<NUM>) and the second body (<NUM>).