EP1000832A1 - Rotatable seat, especially for a railway vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The seat has a mobile upper section (14) mounted on a fixed base (16) and has a turning mechanism (28) that allows its position to be reversed. The turning mechanism comprises a vertical pivot (30) connecting the upper section to the base, a slider (36) which acts as a bearing and can rotate about the pivot or move perpendicular to its axis (Z), and two cams (46, 48) on the base and upper section respectively. One of the cams has a profile which causes the upper section to follow a given trajectory as it rotates.

Description

The present invention relates to a rotating seat, in particular for a vehicle rail.

We already know in the prior art a seat of the type comprising a mobile upper part for receiving at least one occupant carried by a part fixed lower forming base and turning means of the upper part back and forth and vice versa.

Seats of this type are arranged in particular in vehicles railway. The means for turning a seat allow the orientation to be reversed front-rear of this seat so as to place this seat and the passenger (s) occupying it (s) in the direction of movement of the vehicle, regardless of the direction in which this vehicle travels a path.

Usually the seats of a railway vehicle are arranged close a left or right side wall of this vehicle.

The space between the seats and the adjacent side wall is preferably the most possible, the movement of the seat from front to back (and vice versa) by a simple rotation of the movable upper part of the seat around a fixed vertical axis is hindered by the side wall. Because of this, generally the reversal a seat is made, first of all, by moving the movable upper part of the wall next to the seat, then by rotating this movable part around a vertical axis and finally by bringing this movable part closer to the wall next to the seat.

The object of the invention is to provide a seat, in particular for a vehicle rail, equipped with space-saving turning means, light and simple to maneuver in order to quickly reverse the front-rear orientation of all the seats of a railway vehicle.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a seat, of the aforementioned type, characterized in that that the turning means comprise a pivot connecting the upper part and the base, the axis of this pivot being substantially vertical and linked to the base, a slide forming a movable mounted bearing, on the upper part, rotating around the pivot and translation substantially perpendicular to the axis of this pivot, and two cams complementary carried respectively by the base and the upper part, one of these cams comprising an evolving profile imposing on the upper part a path of predetermined reversal.

• une première came forme un doigt solidaire du piétement et la seconde came forme un guide à profil évolutif ménagé dans la partie supérieure, ce guide s'étendant sensiblement parallèlement à un plan perpendiculaire à l'axe du pivot;
• le guide comprend deux tronçons rectilignes d'extrémité formant des rampes imposant à la partie supérieure des déplacements résultant d'une combinaison d'un mouvement de rotation autour de l'axe du pivot et d'un mouvement de translation sensiblement perpendiculaire à cet axe du pivot, et un tronçon curviligne intermédiaire imposant à la partie supérieure un déplacement en rotation autour de l'axe du pivot;
• le siège comprend des moyens libérables de verrouillage de la partie supérieure par rapport au piétement;
• les moyens de verrouillage comprennent des moyens de serrage de deux faces de friction en vis-à-vis, sensiblement perpendiculaires à l'axe du pivot, délimitant respectivement la partie supérieure et le piétement, ces moyens de serrage étant portés par le pivot;
• le pivot s'étend à travers des parois en vis-à-vis de la partie supérieure et du piétement portant les faces de friction, et les moyens de serrage comprennent une tête d'extrémité du pivot, formant une mâchoire fixe, et une mâchoire mobile montée coulissante axialement sur le pivot, les parois en vis-à-vis s'étendant entre les mâchoires fixe et mobile, la mâchoire mobile étant déformable élastiquement axialement et déplaçable entre une position décomprimée de séparation des faces de friction et une position comprimée de serrage de ces faces de friction;
• la mâchoire mobile est déplaçable et compressible axialement par coopération avec une came articulée sur le pivot autour d'un axe sensiblement perpendiculaire à celui de ce pivot;
• la came forme l'extrémité d'un levier de commande des moyens de verrouillage;
• la face de friction de la partie supérieure comprend des organes roulants, de préférence à billes, déplaçables sensiblement parallèlement à l'axe du pivot ente une position saillante d'entretoisement des faces de friction en vis-à-vis, dans laquelle ces organes sont en contact roulant avec la face de friction du piétement, et une position escamotée de contact des faces de friction en vis-à-vis, les organes roulants étant rappelés élastiquement en position saillante.

According to other characteristics of this seat:

• a first cam forms a finger integral with the base and the second cam forms a guide with an evolving profile formed in the upper part, this guide extending substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the pivot;
• the guide comprises two rectilinear end sections forming ramps imposing displacements on the upper part resulting from a combination of a rotational movement around the axis of the pivot and a translational movement substantially perpendicular to this axis of the pivot, and an intermediate curvilinear section requiring the upper part to rotate in rotation around the axis of the pivot;
• the seat comprises releasable means for locking the upper part with respect to the base;
• the locking means comprise means for clamping two facing friction faces, substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pivot, respectively delimiting the upper part and the base, these clamping means being carried by the pivot;
• the pivot extends through walls facing the upper part and the base carrying the friction faces, and the clamping means comprise an end head of the pivot, forming a fixed jaw, and a jaw mobile slidingly mounted axially on the pivot, the facing walls extending between the fixed and mobile jaws, the mobile jaw being elastically deformable axially and movable between a decompressed position for separation of the friction faces and a compressed position for tightening these friction faces;
• the movable jaw is displaceable and compressible axially by cooperation with a cam articulated on the pivot around an axis substantially perpendicular to that of this pivot;
• the cam forms the end of a lever for controlling the locking means;
• the friction face of the upper part comprises rolling members, preferably with balls, displaceable substantially parallel to the axis of the pivot ente a projecting position for bracing the friction faces facing each other, in which these members are in rolling contact with the friction face of the base, and a retracted position of contact of the friction faces facing each other, the rolling members being resiliently returned to the projecting position.

The invention also relates to a railway vehicle comprising a seat as defined above.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation d'un siège selon l'invention;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe, à échelle agrandie, suivant la ligne 2-2 de la figure 1;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne 3-3 de la figure 2, dans laquelle le levier de commande est en position de déverrouillage de la partie supérieure mobile du siège;
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne 4-4 de la figure 2;
• la figure 5 est une vue similaire à la figure 3, dans laquelle le levier de commande est en position de verrouillage de la partie supérieure mobile du siège;
• les figures 6 à 9 sont des vues de dessus, schématiques, du siège représenté sur la figure 1, montrant ce dernier dans des positions successives au cours d'une opération de retournement du siège.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an elevational view of a seat according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, along line 2-2 of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of Figure 2, wherein the control lever is in the unlocked position of the movable upper part of the seat;
• Figure 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 of Figure 2;
• Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, wherein the control lever is in the locking position of the movable upper part of the seat;
• Figures 6 to 9 are schematic top views of the seat shown in Figure 1, showing the latter in successive positions during an inversion of the seat.

FIG. 1 shows a seat 10, according to the invention, arranged in a rail vehicle 12.

The seat 10 comprises a movable upper part 14 carried by a part fixed lower 16 secured to a floor 18 of the vehicle 12. The upper part 14 is intended to receive at least one occupant, for example two occupants as in the case shown in figure 1.

Conventionally, the upper part 14 includes seat cushions 20 and backrest 22 as well as armrests 24. The upper part 24 is arranged at proximity of a side wall 26 of the vehicle 12.

The seat 10 also includes means 28 for turning over the part upper 14 from front to back and vice versa. These turning means 28 are illustrated in more detail in Figures 2 to 9.

The turning means 28 comprise a pivot 30 connecting the part upper 14 and the base 16 of the seat. The geometric axis Z of this pivot 30, substantially vertical, is linked to the base 16.

The pivot 30 extends through two substantially horizontal walls facing each other, one 32 mobile and the other 34 fixed. The first wall 32, upper, defines a frame of the upper part 14. The second, lower wall 34 delimits the base 16.

The turning means 28 also include a slide 36 mounted movable in translation, substantially perpendicular to the Z axis, in a rail straight guide 38 formed in the upper wall 32. The slide 36 forms a mounted bearing movable in rotation around the pivot 30. The rotation of the slide 36 is facilitated by a needle bearing 40 interposed between the pivot 30 and the slide 36 (see Figures 3 to 5).

The pivot 30 extends through an oblong hole 42, elongated in a direction substantially parallel to that of the guide rail 38, formed in the upper wall mobile 32. The pivot 30 also extends through a circular orifice 44, forming a bearing, formed in the fixed bottom wall 34.

The turning means 28 further comprise two cams complementary carried respectively by the base 16 and the upper part 14.

A first cam forms a substantially vertical finger 46, integral with the bottom wall 34. The second cam is delimited by a groove 48 forming a guide formed in the upper wall 32. This groove 48 extends substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the Z axis. The profile of the groove 48 evolves so as to impose at the movable upper part 14 a predetermined turning path.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the ends of the groove 48 are aligned substantially in a plane containing the axis Z and define in cooperating with finger 46 the two positions turned over with respect to each other of the upper part 14 corresponding to the two normal seat use positions shown in Figures 6 and 9.

The groove 48 comprises two rectilinear end sections forming ramps 48A, 48B and an intermediate curvilinear section 48C.

The ramps 48A, 48B are inclined relative to the direction of movement in translation of the slide 36, so that these ramps cooperate with the finger 46 of so as to impose on the upper part 14 displacements resulting from a combination a rotational movement around the Z axis and a translational movement substantially perpendicular to this Z axis.

The curvilinear section 48C cooperates with the finger 46 so as to impose on the upper part 14 a movement in rotation around the axis Z.

The seat 10 comprises means 50 for locking the upper part 14 relative to the base 16. These locking means 50 are controlled so to be locked or released by a lever 52 provided with an operating end 54 extending from the inside to the outside of the base 16 through an opening 56 of this latest.

The locking means 50 comprise means for clamping two friction faces F1, F2 delimiting, respectively, the movable upper wall 32 and the fixed bottom wall 34. These friction faces F1, F2 extend substantially perpendicular to the Z axis.

The clamping means, carried by the pivot 30, comprise a head end of this pivot, forming a fixed jaw 58, and a movable jaw 60 mounted sliding axially on the pivot 30. The movable upper wall 32 and the lower wall fixed 34 extend between the fixed 58 and mobile 60 jaws.

An anti-friction pad, carried by the movable upper wall 32 is in contact with the fixed jaw 58 in order to minimize the friction between the fixed jaw 58 and the movable upper wall 32 when the latter moves perpendicular to the axis Z.

The movable jaw 60, elastically deformable in the direction of the axis Z, is movable between a decompressed position of separation of the friction faces F1, F2, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and a compressed position for clamping these friction faces F1, F2, as shown in FIG. 5.

The decompressed and compressed positions of the movable jaw 60 correspond, respectively, to the unlocking and locking positions of the means 50.

The movable jaw 60 comprises, for example, two elastic washers 64.66 inserted between two flat washers 68.70. The 64.66 spring washers are for example of the Belleville type.

The movable jaw 60 is displaceable and compressible axially by cooperation with a cam 72 articulated on the pivot 30, possibly with a play in the direction of the Z axis, around a geometric axis X substantially perpendicular to this Z axis.

It will be noted that the cam 72 preferably forms an articulated end of the control lever 52 opposite its operating end 54.

It will also be noted that the cam 72 is supported on a flat washer 74 axially immobilized by a stop nut 76 screwed onto the end of the pivot 30 opposite to the fixed jaw 58.

In order to facilitate the movement of the upper part 14 relative to the base 16, the friction face F1 carried by the movable upper wall 32 includes rolling bodies shown in particular in Figure 4. Preferably, these bodies, by example three in number, each have a ball 78. Each ball 78 is movable substantially parallel to the Z axis between a projecting position bracing of the friction faces F1, F2, in which the ball 78 is in contact rolling with the friction face F2 of the base (see Figure 4), and a retracted position in which the friction faces F1, F2 are in contact with each other so as to immobilize the upper part 14 of the seat relative to the base 16.

The balls 78 are resiliently returned to the projecting position by springs 80 urging the rolling members.

The main stages of turning the seat 10 according to will be described below. the invention, with particular reference to Figures 6 to 9.

Initially, the upper part 14 of the seat is in a first position normal use of this seat as shown in Figure 6. The means of lock 50 are activated (control lever 52 in high position) so as to immobilize the upper part 14 relative to the base 16.

To return the seat 10, the operator first of all lowers the lever control 52 (preferably with the foot), to its low position shown on the Figure 3, so as to release the locking means 50. The movable upper part 14 can then move relative to the base 16.

Then, the operator manually drives the upper part 14 of the seat giving the latter a general reversal movement parallel to a plane horizontal, clockwise with reference to Figures 7 to 9.

The cam finger 46 then cooperates with the ramp 48A which has the effect to impose on the upper part 14 a combined translational movement, tending to move the upper part 14 away from the adjacent side wall 26 in one direction transverse to the Z axis, and rotation about this Z axis (see Figure 7). Moving in translation of the upper part 14 results from the displacement of the slide 36 in its guide rail 38. The movement of this slide 36 is preferably assisted by a compression spring 82 (see in particular Figure 3) interposed between opposite ends of this slide and the rail 38. The rotational movement of the upper part 14 results from the rotation of the slide 36 around the pivot 30.

The cam finger 46 then cooperates with the curvilinear section 48C which has to rotate the movable part 14 around the axis Z so as to bring this part 14 in the position shown in Figure 8. Note that the positions of the mobile upper part 14 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are substantially symmetrical with respect to a transverse vertical plane of the vehicle.

Finally, the cam finger 46 cooperates with the second ramp 48B which has for effect of completing the reversal of the movable upper part 14 and bringing this part 14 with the adjacent side wall 26, as shown in FIG. 9.

To immobilize the movable upper part 14 in the second position normal use of the seat shown in Figure 9, the operator raises the lever control 52, to its position as shown in Figure 5, so that re-activate the locking means 50.

To return the seat to its position illustrated in Figure 6, the operator moves the upper part 14 according to a path necessarily opposite to that described previously. Thus, when the upper part 14 and the base 16 of the seat are equipped with electrical means (for example motorization means intended for drive the upper part 14), the electric cables extending if necessary between this part 14 and this base 16 are not likely to accidentally wrap around the pivot 30 following successive rotations of the upper part 14 still in the Same direction.

Among the advantages of the invention, it will be noted that it allows a operator very easily turn over a seat by driving the movable upper part of the latter in a general reversal movement, without this movement being hindered by the side wall of the vehicle near the seat.

Furthermore, this movement can be easily automated using means conventional command and control (cylinders, rotary motor (s), etc.).

The command could be local (for example a push button of seat control), or centralized for all or part of the seats of a vehicle.

Claims (10)

Seat of the type comprising a movable upper part (14) for receiving at least one occupant carried by a fixed lower part forming a base (16) and means (28) for turning the upper part (14) back and forth and reciprocally,
characterized in that the turning means (28) comprise a pivot (30) connecting the upper part (14) and the base (16), the axis (Z) of this pivot (30) being substantially vertical and linked to the base (16), a slide (36) forming a bearing mounted to be displaced, on the upper part (14), in rotation about the pivot (30) and in translation substantially perpendicular to the axis (Z) of this pivot (30), and two complementary cams (46,48) carried respectively by the base (16) and the upper part (14), one of these cams comprising an evolving profile imposing on the upper part (14) a predetermined turning path. Seat according to claim 1, characterized in that a first cam forms a finger (46) integral with the base (16) and the second cam forms a guide (48) to evolutionary profile formed in the upper part (14), this guide (48) extending substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the axis (Z) of the pivot (30). Seat according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide (48) comprises two rectilinear end sections forming ramps (48A, 48B) imposing on the upper part (14) displacements resulting from a combination of a rotational movement around the axis (Z) of the pivot and a movement translational substantially perpendicular to this axis (Z) of the pivot, and an intermediate curvilinear section (48C) imposing on the upper part (14) a rotational movement about the axis (Z) of the pivot. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in what it includes releasable means (50) for locking the upper part (14) relative to the base (16). Seat according to claim 4, characterized in that the means for locking (50) comprise means (58,60) for clamping two friction faces (F1, F2) opposite, substantially perpendicular to the axis (Z) of the pivot, delimiting respectively the upper part (14) and the base (16), these clamping means being carried by the pivot. Seat according to claim 5, characterized in that the pivot (30) extends to through walls (32,34) opposite the upper part (14) and the base (16) bearing the friction faces (F1, F2), and in that the clamping means comprise a pivot end head (30), forming a fixed jaw (58), and a movable jaw (60) slidably mounted axially on the pivot (30), the walls (32,34) facing each other extending between the fixed (58) and movable (60) jaws, the movable jaw (60) being elastically deformable axially and movable between a decompressed position of separation of the friction faces (F1, F2) and a compressed position for clamping these faces friction (F1, F2). Seat according to claim 6, characterized in that the movable jaw (60) is axially displaceable and compressible by cooperation with a cam (72) articulated on the pivot (30) around an axis (X) substantially perpendicular to that of this pivot (30). Seat according to claim 7, characterized in that the cam (72) forms the end of a lever (52) for controlling the locking means (50). Seat according to any one of Claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the friction face (F1) of the upper part (14) comprises rolling members, preferably with balls (78), displaceable substantially parallel to the axis (Z) of the pivot between a projecting position for bracing the friction faces (F1, F2) opposite, in which these members are in rolling contact with the friction face (F2) of the base (16), and a retracted position of contact of the friction faces (F1, F2) facing each other, the rolling elements being resiliently returned to the projecting position. Railway vehicle characterized in that it comprises a seat according to one any of the preceding claims.

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