A securing structure for fixing an child restraint designed for automobile bus seats onto a bench type seat of the kind commonly found on school buses. The securing structure comprises a fabric seat belt harness secured by seat belt buckles onto an fastening anchor that is attached to the bench seat frame. At least one slack take-up tensioning buckle ensures that the harness can be tensioned snugly around the child restraint. In one embodiment the fastening anchor is an elongated tongue bolted to the frame and thin enough to be slid out of the way in the seam of the seat when not being used to secure the harness. In another embodiment an elongated hook is used.
This invention relates to a securing device for fixing a child restraint or baby seat to a bench type seat as of the kind found commonly in school buses.
Child restraints generally are of the type which can be secured to the bus seats of an automobile, containing restraining straps extending from the back of the seat, behind the shoulders of the baby, down over the baby’s torso, to join in the pelvic area between the baby’s legs, and finally terminating in a buckle in the automobile seat. Generally such type of child restraints are contoured to fit snugly in the profile of an automobile seat, which is usually of the bucket type. Such child restraints can either face forward or face rearward, depending on the size, age, and weight of the child being held, among other factors.
Child restraint bus seats of the kind described above, while providing adequate protection for infants when seated in an automobile seat of the bucket type, cannot be as safely used in a bench type seat of the kind commonly found in public transportation vehicles, such as school buses. One reason is because child carrier seats designed for automobiles are not generally designed to be accommodated on school bus seats.
The frame of a crash resistant school bus seats are designed to undergo plastic flow when an impact is applied to the back rest portion of the seat. One or more stopping mechanisms are provided to retard movement of the back rest farther than a predetermined limit, thereby keeping a passenger in an upright position in the seat as a result of a crash. The frame is made from inexpensive, off-the-shelf metal tube and sheet stock and hence is inexpensive to design and build.
A shock absorbing frame for making a crash-resistant bus seats composed of a seat member and a back rest arranged at a first seating angle with respect to the seat member, the back rest being adapted to bend forward to a second seating angle upon application of an impact force exceeding a predetermined magnitude to the back rest, a first energy-absorbing part of the frame for absorbing at least a portion of the impact force as the back rest moves from the first to second seating angles, the frame further including at least one stopping mechanism designed to make the back rest essentially rigid with respect to the seat member when the back rest reaches the second seating angle thereby keeping a passenger sitting in the vehicle seat substantially upright during a crash.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a shock absorbing frame for making a crash-resistant bus seats, as well as a bus seat made from this frame, the frame being composed of a seat member and a back rest arranged at a first seating angle with respect to the seat member, the back rest being adapted to bend forward to a second seating angle upon application of an impact force of a predetermined magnitude to the back rest, an energy-absorbing part of the frame absorbing at least a portion of the impact force as the back rest moves from the first to second seating angles, the frame further including at least one stopping mechanism designed to make the back rest essentially rigid with respect to the seat member when the back rest reaches the second seating angle thereby keeping a passenger sitting in the vehicle seat substantially upright in his seat as a result of a crash.
A vehicle seat back mounting having a latch pivotably mounted for a limited swinging movement with a recessed catch shaped for engaging a projection on the stationary bus seats part to prevent forward tilting. The center of gravity of the latch is located laterally and below the pivot point so that during manual tilting of the seat back the force of gravity releases the latch from the projection; and so that during sudden deceleration of the vehicle an inertial force counteracts the force of gravity and prevents unlatching.
A pivotal seat back mounting for use in a vehicle seat having a forwardly tiltableback to facilitate rear bus seats passenger entry and exit, comprising spaced angularly fixed pivot and latch engageable means adapted for fixed attachment to an untilting seat component, back mounting means pivotally engaging said pivot means for movementbetween normally erect and forwardly collapsed back positions, latch means pivotally mounted on said back mounting means movable between normal back erect latching and forward tilting positions, said latch means having a center of gravity vertically andhorizontally spaced from its pivotal center to provide a gravity actuated latch release couple on said latching means when said seat back is manually tilted forward, to provide a predominant inertial activated latch retention force on said latch meansduring sudden deceleration of the vehicle, and to provide an inertia actuated supplemental release couple increasingly responsive to increasingly sudden manually initiated forward seat back movement when the vehicle is stationary.
Bus seats of various constructions are already known, as are hinges of different constructions which mount the rear component of the vehicle seat on the rear region of the seat component of the seat for tilting at least frontwardly from atleast one erect position to a frontwardly collapsed position and back. Then, it is also known to equip the hinges of the hinge arrangement with a fine-adjustment arrangement which enables the user of the bus seats to select an erect position which is mostcomfortable or convenient to the user.
The present invention relates to school bus seats and more particularly to a modular school bus seat frame characterized by differentiated sub-assembly possibilities to ease of installation on a bus and readily modified to meet differing configuration requirements by customers all with a minimized number of differing parts.
School bus seats are built to meet many differing customer specifications. For example, some bus seats must accommodate three point safety belts by providing a compatible upper back rest, other specifications call for a universal child restraint attachment equipped lower frame, while still others provide standard DOT (United States Department of Transportation) seat backs. At the same time customers can specify seats in different widths or heights and can demand various strength requirements.
Differing customers’ specifications have required substantially or entirely different component sets. The need to supply such component sets has even occurred in relation to completed vehicles that have been put into service, particularly when the vehicle has been moved from one state or municipality to another due to differing requirements of the new jurisdiction.
The invention provides a modular bus seats assembly for school busses. The seat assembly includes an aisle riser including a support neck, a wall riser including a support neck, a front cross support fitted between the aisle riser and the wall riser, a rear cross support fitted between the aisle riser and the wall riser, a perimeter tube fitted at opposite ends to the support necks of the aisle riser and the wall riser, respectively, and a back panel supported within the perimeter tube behind and above the rear cross support.
The bus seats include an aisle support having a hexagonally shaped aperture or cavity and a window side support having a hexagonally shaped aperture or cavity. A bottom substrate or seat is hinged to the aisle support and the window support. The bus seat includes a seat back having a hexagonally shaped apertures or cavities. A hexagonally shaped pin or torsion member interengages the hexagonally shaped aperture or cavity of the aisle support and one of the hexagonally shaped apertures orcavities of the seat back. Another hexagonally shaped pin or torsion member interengages the hexagonally shaped aperture or cavity of the window side support and the other hexagonally shaped aperture or cavity of the bus seats back. The hexagonally shapedpins or torsion members in combination with the apertures prohibit rotation of the seat back with respect to the aisle and window side supports unless a forceful load as described above is applied. Preferably, the seat back and supports are made of apolymeric material. The hexagonally shaped cavities are manufactured without significant knit lines formed as the flowability of fiber reinforced polymeric material is enhanced.
School bus seats comprise a pin having a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. First and second brackets include an aperture selected correspondingly from the groupconsisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. First and second supports include an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. The apertures in the brackets andsupports are formed in a fiber reinforced polymer such that the apertures are devoid of knit lines. The pins reside in the apertures of the supports and brackets inhibiting rotation of the brackets with respect to the supports. A seat back is securedto the brackets.
School bus seats comprising a superstructure having vertical left and right side supports for supporting a seat back is also disclosed and claimed. Each of the side supports includes a fuse and the fuses are inelastically deformable upon theapplication of force to the superstructure.
A school bus seats comprise a pin having a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. First and second brackets include an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. First and second supports include an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. The apertures in the brackets and supports are formed in a fiber reinforced polymer such that the apertures are devoid of knit lines. The pins reside in the apertures of the supports and brackets inhibiting rotation of the brackets with respect to the supports. A seat back is secured to the brackets.
A school bus seats as claimed in claim 1 wherein a component of said school bus seats back is made by the following steps: coating a mold with a spray elastomer; inserting said component into said mold; and, injecting urethane foam into saidmold, said urethane adhering to said component and said elastomer.
A school bus seats, comprising: a seat back, support legs, a seat bottom and a one-piece integral envelope cushion completely residing over said seat back, said envelope cushion includes an integrally molded polyurethane foam having anelastomeric skin formed on the exterior thereof; said seat back is a sandwich composite, and includes an aisle-side bracket interconnecting one of said support legs and a window-side bracket interconnecting the other of said support legs by pinsselected from the group consisting of hollow pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal and octagonal pins; wherein said sandwich composite seat back is ultrasonically welded to said brackets.
This invention relates to a modular bus seat construction. In particular this invention is directed to school bus seats. Specifically, this invention relates to a new bus seat construction or to a retrofit of an existing bus seat. This new inventive bus seats are comprised of a front modular portion, a rear modular portion, a collar portion and a seat portion. The front, rear and seat portions are comprised of wood and a elastomer skinned urethane foam. The elastomer skinned urethane foam is adhered to the plywood. The collar portion is comprised of an elastomer skinned urethane foam. The front modular portion, the rear modular portion, and the collar portion comprise the bus seat back.
It is an object of the present invention to provide modular bus seats which may be used to replace existing bus seats. This is accomplished through the simple removal of the existing plywood used in the school bus seat. It is then replaced with the appropriate modular portion of the present invention. The rear modular portion of the bus seat back is affixed to the front modular portion. The seat modular portion is affixed to the bus seat frame. The collar portion generally surrounds the existing metal frame of the bus seat back and is affixed to the front modular portion of the bus seat.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for retrofitting existing school bus seats which comprise the steps of removing existing plywood from the existing bus seat frame, spraying a mold with an elastomer spray, inserting a piece of wood into the mold, and then injecting the mold with the urethane foam which bonds to the wood and integrally forms an elastomeric skin thereon, and then finally by inserting the wood with the elastomer skinned urethane foam adhered thereto into engagement with the bus seat frame.
Bus seats comprising a metal frame, a bus seat back and a bus seat; said bus seat back includes a front modular portion; a rear modular portion; and a collar portion; said front modular portion affixed to said metal frame; said rear modular portion affixed to said front modular portion; and said collar portion affixed to said front modular portion adjacent said front and rear modular portions. The bus seats are affixed to the metal frame. The modular construction of the bus seat back enables replacement of a specific section or sections of the bus seat. The bus seat back and bus seat can be used in retrofit installations or in new installations. The bus seat back and bus seat are constructed of an elastomer skinned urethane foam which adheres to front, rear and bottom pieces of plywood. The collar portion is constructed of the elastomer skinned urethane foam but does not include a plywood portion. The collar portion is affixed to the front plywood portion.
Bus seats back comprising a metal frame, a front side and a back side; said front side includes a first piece of plywood; said back side includes a second piece of plywood; said first and second pieces of plywood include an integral elastomer skinned urethane foam adhered thereto; said first piece of plywood affixed to said metal frame; said second piece of plywood affixed to said first piece of plywood; and, a collar comprising an integral elastomer skinned urethane foam; said collar affixed to said first piece of plywood and being adjacent said front and back sides of said bus seats back.
Existing school bus seats are comprised of a metal frame and a plywood superstructure. In particular, for the bus seat back the plywood is inserted into the metal frame and it is maintained in place by means of the plywood being crimped into position within a channel. In regard to the bus seat, plywood is affixed to the metal frame by hinge and locking means. A rebonded foam is used on the existing school bus seats. A vinyl is stretched over the rebonded foam and is sewn together. One deficiency of the existing school bus seat is that the vinyl which is stretched over the rebonded foam is easily torn. Vandalism on school buses is quite common. The usual site of the vandalism is on the rear of the bus seat.
The object of this invention is to provide such an adjustable two-position school bus seats, in which the seat cushion can be easily and readily adjusted to a first position, to be in a short projecting position for a short child, or be adjustedto a second position in a forwardly projecting position to be in a long-projecting position to accommodate a tall child, so that either child can sit back and rest in comfort against the back rest of the seat, while sitting with his knees bent, so thatthe lower portions of the legs can dangle comfortably over the edge of the seat, to or toward the floor.
In one modification of bus seats constructed in accordance with the present invention, the seating cushion is provided with positioning clips depending from the under surface of the cushion, to engage and brace against limiting or back-stopportions of the supporting frame for the bus seats, when the seating cushion is in either selected position. When the seating cushion is to be adjustably shifted from one position to the other position, the entire cushion is raised from its support androtated in horizontal plane to reversely aligned horizontal position, and is then replaced on its supporting frame, so that the positioning clips will engage the limiting stops on the supporting frame in an appropriate position to locate the bus seats cushionin the second position. The clips are in two sets, and the two sets are on the cushion at different distances from the two transverse edges considering one edge as the number one edge and the other as the number two edge, since each edge will be frontor rear according to its temporary positioning.
When the number two clips, spaced back from their transverse edge of the seat cushion are positioned to brace against the back-stop, part of the seat cushion extends backward, so that only a shorter length of the bus seats cushion projects forward,suitable for smaller children.
Why we should manufacture two position bus seats for children’s school bus seats? The reason is that can protent children from injury.
Children’s school bus seats are adjustable to either of two positions: (1) a forwardly projecting position to provide a longer depth seat for larger children with longer leg thighs; and (2) a backward position to provide a shorter depth seat for smaller children with short thighs; so all can sit back comfortably against the back rest cushion with their knees bent and legs dangling.
In adults the thigh dimension is relatively long, and bus seats are generally deep enough to accommodate the long thigh of the adult, with the leg still able to bend at the knee and dangle. In children, however, their thighs are still relativelyshort, and the usual bus seat is of such long depth, from front to rear, that it is not possible for a small child to sit comfortably against the back of the seat and have his knees able to bend enough so that his legs can dangle comfortably over thefront edge of the seat. If the children sit back in order to have the comfort of the back rest, their legs are too short to bend at the knees, and consequently the calves of their legs rest on the front edge of the seat which they are occupying, andtheir legs soon tire.
The problem is to provide an adjustable school bus seats that may be adjustably positioned to occupy either of two positions, one in which the seat cushion will project forward enough to accommodate a tall adult child, and a second positionsuitable to accommodate a small child, with the child’s back, in either case, resting against the back rest of the seat and with his legs bent at the knees, to permit his legs to bend at the knees and dangle over the front edge of the seat.
