Double articulation for the folding backrest of a rear seat for motor vehicles and motor-vehicle seat including the articulation

Claim 2

For use in a motor vehicle having a body, a floor, a seat pivotally connected to the body about a transverse axis located at a forward portion of the seat so as to be movable between a portion of normal use adjacent to the floor and a substantially vertical position, and a foldable backrest. a double articulation mechanism connecting a lower portion of the backrest to the body having a first transverse articulation pin and a second transverse articulation pin parallel to and spaced downwardly from the first transverse articulation pin to pivot the backrest between a substantially vertical position of normal use, a first lowered position in which the backrest pivots forwardly about the first transverse articulation pin so that the backrest bears on the seat, and a second lowered position in which the backrest pivots forwardly about the second transverse articulation pin after the seat is moved to a substantially vertical position so that the backrest bears on the floor, the double articulation mechanism comprising: a guide assembly fixed to the body, the guide assembly having first and second guide tracks receiving the first and second transverse articulation pins, respectively, to permit free-relative motion between the guide assembly and the transverse articulation pins, the guide tracks being shaped as arcs and having associated stop surfaces, the arc of the first guide track being centered on the axis of the second transverse articulation pin, the arc of the second guide track being centered on the axis of the first transverse articulation pin, and the stop surfaces engaging the transverse articulation pins when the backrest is in the vertical position, to define base positions for the transverse articulation pins, whereby the backrest is pivotable about the first transverse articulation pin to move to the first lower position wherein the first transverse articulation pin remains in its base position and the second transverse articulation pin moves out of its base position along the second guide track, and is pivotable about the second transverse articulation pin to move to the second lower position wherein the second transverse articulation pin remains in its base position and the first transverse articulation pin moves out of its base position along the first guide track.

Claim 3

A double articulation mechanism according to claim 1 in which the stop surface associated with the second transverse articulation pin includes a resilient member for restraining the second transverse articulation pin in its base position, the resilient member enabling the second articulation pin to move away from its base position only as a result of the application of a predetermined force.

Claim 4

A double articulation mechanism according to claim 1 in which the guide assembly comprises a substantially flat s-shape body having two sides which define the first and second guide tracks respectively.

Claim 5

A double articulation mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the guide assembly further comprises a metal core incorporated in a plastic body and including a support plate fixed to the motor vehicle body.

Claim 6

A double articulation mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the stop surface associated with the first guide track is secured to the seat.

Claim 7

A double articulation mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the stop surfaces associated with the guide tracks have circular cross sections.

Claim 8

A double articulation mechanism according to claim 6 wherein the axes of the first and second transverse articulation pins are in a substantially vertical plane defined by the stop surfaces when the backrest is in the vertical position.

Claim 9

A double articulation mechanism according to claim 3 wherein one of the guide tracks includes a groove and the corresponding transverse articulation pin has an enlarged head for engaging the groove.

Claim 10

A seat and foldable backrest assembly for use in a motor vehicle having a body and a floor, comprising: a pivotal connector connecting the seat to the body about a transverse axis located at a forward portion of the seat so as to be movable between a position of normal use adjacent to the floor and a substantially vertical position; a double articulation mechanism connecting a lower portion of the backrest to the body; a first transverse articulation pin secured to the backrest; a second transverse articulation pin secured to the backrest parallel to and spaced downwardly from the first transverse articulation pin to pivot the backrest between a substantially vertical position of normal use, a first lowered position in which the backrest pivots forwardly about the first transverse articulation pin so that the backrest bears on the seat, and a second lowered position in which the backrest pivots forwardly about the second transverse articulation pin after the seat is moved to a substantially vertical position so that the backrest bears on the floor; the double articulation mechanism including a guide assembly fixed to the body, the guide assembly having first and second guide tracks receiving the first and second transverse articulation pins respectively, to permit free-relative motion between the guide assembly and the transverse articulation pins, the guide tracks being shaped as arcs and having associated stop surfaces, the arc of the first guide track being centered on the axis of the second transverse articulation pin, the arc of the second guide track being centered on the axis of the first transverse articulation pin, and the stop surfaces engaging the transverse articulation pins when the backrest is in the vertical position, to define base positions for the transverse articulation pins, whereby the backrest is pivotable about the first transverse articulation pin to move to the first lower position wherein the first transverse articulation pin remains in its base position and the second transverse articulation pin moves out of its base position along the second guide track, and is pivotable about the second transverse articulation pin to move to the second lower position wherein the second transverse articulation pin remains in its base position and the first transverse articulation pin moves out of its base position along the first guide track.

Claim 11

A seat and foldable backrest assembly for use in a motor vehicle having a body and a floor, comprising: a pivotal connector connecting the seat to the body about a transverse axis located at a forward portion of the seat so as to be movable between a position of normal use adjacent to the floor and a substantially vertical position; a double articulation mechanism connecting a lower portion of the backrest to the body; a first transverse articulation pin secured to the backrest; a second transverse articulation pin secured to the backrest parallel to and spaced downwardly from the first transverse articulation pin to pivot the backrest between a substantially vertical position of normal use, a first lowered position in which the backrest pivots forwardly about the first transverse articulation pin so that the backrest bears on the seat, and a second lowered position in which the backrest pivots forwardly about the second transverse articulation pin after the seat is moved to a substantially vertical position so that the backrest bears on the floor; the double articulation mechanism including a guide assembly fixed to the body, the guide assembly having first and second guide tracks receiving the first and second transverse articulation pins respectively, to permit free-relative motion between the guide assembly and the transverse articulation pins, the guide tracks being shaped as arcs and having associated stop surfaces, the arc of the first guide track being centered on the axis of the second transverse articulation pin, the arc of the second guide track being centered on the axis of the first transverse articulation pin, and the stop surfaces engaging the transverse articulation pins when the backrest is in the vertical position, to define base positions for the transverse articulation pins, whereby the backrest is pivotable about the first transverse articulation pin to move to the first lower position wherein the first transverse articulation pin remains in its base position and the second transverse articulation pin moves out of its base position along the second guide track, and is pivotable about the second transverse articulation pin to move to the second lower position wherein the second transverse articulation pin remains in its base position and the first transverse articulation pin moves out of its base position along the first guide track.

Claim 12

A seat and foldable backrest assembly according to claim 9 in which the stop surface associated with the second transverse articulation pin of the double articulation mechanism includes a resilient member for restraining the second transverse articulation pin in its base position, the resilient member enabling the second articulation pin to move away from its base position only as a result of the application of a predetermined force.

Claim 13

A seat and foldable backrest assembly according to claim 9 in which the guide assembly of the double articulation mechanism comprises a substantially flat s-shape body having two sides which define the first and second guide tracks respectively.

Claim 14

A seat and foldable backrest assembly according to claim 11 wherein the guide assembly of the double articulation mechanism further comprises a metal core incorporated in a plastic body and including a support plate fixed to the motor vehicle body.

Claim 15

A seat and foldable backrest assembly according to claim 9 wherein the stop surface associated with the first guide track of the double articulation mechanism is secured to the seat.

Claim 16

A seat and foldable backrest assembly according to claim 9 wherein the stop surfaces associated with the guide tracks of the double articulation mechanism have circular cross sections.

Claim 17

A seat and foldable backrest assembly according to claim 14 wherein the axes of the first and second transverse articulation pins are in a substantially vertical plane defined by the stop surfaces of the double articulation mechanism when the backrest is in the vertical position.

Claim 18

A seat and foldable backrest assembly according to claim 11 wherein one of the guide tracks of the double articulation mechanism includes a groove and the corresponding transverse articulation pin has an enlarged head for engaging the groove.

Claim 19

A seat and backrest assembly according to claim 9 wherein the backrest comprises two side-by-side, independently foldable portions, the adjacent sides of the two portions being connected to the body by a connecting member having two axes of articulation that coincide with the axes of the firs and second transverse articulation pins of each foldable portion.