Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a back and a seat proper which includes a rigid frame supported by a raising mechanism for moving the seat upwards or downwards, the raising mechanism being controlled by an actuator which comprises a tube provided with a nut and a screw which co-operates with the nut, the screw being provided with a free end situated inside the tube, the raising mechanism further comprising an elastically-deformable member for assisting the motor of the actuator. The elastically-deformable member is housed inside the tube of the actuator between the free end of the screw and a support element secured to the actuator tube.

Abstract: Seating device comprising a first element pivoting with respect to a second element around an axis, the first element comprising in particular a lower edge and two lateral edges. The device includes a rigid flap, secured in a pivoting manner along the transverse lower edge of the first element, this flap being prolonged laterally by two flexible turns that are secured in a pivoting manner along at least one part of the two lateral lower edges of the first element.

Abstract: A system comprising a cover comprising two adjacent parts joined by a seam and forming a seam flap. The seam comprises first and second threads joined to the two respective faces of the seam flap and forming alternating loops which interlock at the free edge of the seam flap. The loops of the two threads form a mesh in which the seam flap is held tightly and without slack, the loops of the first thread being shorter than the loops of the second thread and forcing the seam flap to fold over towards its first face. The loops of the second thread hook onto hook devices belonging to a self-gripping element.

Abstract: A removable automobile vehicle seat with a tilting seat pan has at least one mechanism for connecting the front of the seat to the floor of the vehicle. The mechanism has an anchoring foot including a device for positioning the foot on an anchoring part that is joined to the floor. A lock pivots on the foot to engage with the anchoring part in a locking position such that the foot is immobilized on the floor. A lug connects a frame of the seat pan with the foot, the connecting lug being joined to the seat pan frame and mounted on the foot to pivot around a transverse axis. This allows the seat pan to pivot between a horizontal normal utilization position and a tilted forward position.

Abstract: A hinge mechanism comprising a fixed cheek plate, a moving cheek plate provided with a circular set of teeth, two toothed slugs disposed at 120° relative to each other, which slugs are slidable relative to the fixed cheek plate and are adapted to co-operate with the circular set of teeth in order to lock the moving cheek plate, a cam for controlling radial displacement of the slugs, and two abutments belonging to the fixed cheek plate, each plate facing the rear end of a corresponding one of the slugs and serving as a bearing surface for the cam.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a cushion made of polyurethane foam covered with a cover comprises the initial step of placing the cover in a mould having the shape of the cushion to be obtained, the cover having a front face forming the exterior decoration layer which is placed against the inside wall of the mould and a rough back face facing towards the inside of the mould. Then a film of thermoplastic material is placed on the rough back face of the cover, the film containing agents reacting with polyurethane isocyanate, the film being initially permeable to water vapor. Then polyurethane is injected into the mould to form said foam by expanding. The film has a plastification capability under the effect of chemical reactions occurring between the material of the film and the isocyanate contained in the polyurethane.

Abstract: An automobile vehicle seat includes two hinge mechanisms, each with a center of rotation through which a common pivoting geometrical axis passes. The hinge mechanisms are connected in rotation by a connecting bar extending, in a range between coaxial and parallel, to the pivoting geometrical axis. The connecting bar including a plurality of flattened zones offset axially relative to one another and located along the bar, the flattened zones are positioned at respective angular planes in relation to the bar axis and serving to increase bar flexibility in the flattened zone thereby reducing stress in the mechanisms.

Abstract: Vehicle seat comprising a backrest and a seat part, a lower part of the backrest having a support frame and an intermediate frame which are pivotally mounted about a first axis on the seat part. The intermediate frame is linked to the seat part by an inclination-adjusting mechanism and to the support frame by a locking device. The support frame bears a top part of the backrest, which can be folded down into a flat position and which is linked to a mechanical coupling device designed to release the support frame when the top part of the backrest is in its flat position.

Abstract: Base for vehicle seat comprising two slide rails and two pivoted transverse shafts each supported by the two slide rails, these control shafts being rigidly fixed respectively to two control levers actuated simultaneously to pivot in two opposed actuating directions. The control shafts are rigidly fixed respectively to two control means, which are able to unlock the two slide rails respectively when the control shafts pivot respectively in their actuating directions from their rest positions.

Abstract: The automobile vehicle seat includes two hinge mechanisms (31, 32) each with a center of rotation (A, B) via which a common pivoting geometrical axis (10) passes, the hinge mechanisms being connected in rotation by a connecting bar (4) extending more or less coaxially with or parallel to the said pivoting axis. The connecting bar includes at least one flattened longitudinal zone (45, 46) in a general plane passing via the axis of the bar.

Abstract: To make a notch in a tube, and more particularly a headrest support tube, with the notch featuring at least one locking edge perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (A) of the tube and forming a square angle with the external surface of the tube, the tube is gripped between clamping jaws, a punch is guided across the jaws in a working direction (B) that converges with the axis (A) of the tube and is angled with respect to said axis by a working angle (&agr;1) of between approximately 15° and approximately 45°. The tip of the punch features a tooth with a working face, an angled rear face, and a front face joining the working face to the rear face, with the working face and the front face forming a working edge, and a suitable punching force is applied to the punch to make the tooth penetrate the tube wall in said working direction, until said working edge has penetrated the tube by a radial distance equal to the depth of the notch to be produced.

Abstract: The seat features an anchoring foot (3) comprising a lock (5) that pivots to engage, in a locking position, with an anchoring part (41) in the floor, and a connecting lug (6) joined to the frame (11) of the seat pan and mounted to pivot on the foot around an axis (A), to allow the seat pan to pivot between a normal utilization position and a tilted forward position.

Abstract: The hinge mechanism (10) is attached to at least one of the seat back or seat pan flange (12, 14) by a joining system comprising at least one assembly component (3) connected to the hinge mechanism and passing through a hole in the flange. The hole features a raised collar (4) which is tapered, at least in part, and is radially gripped in a hole (52) made in a thrust component (5) connected to the said assembly component such that it is pressed axially against the flange. The assembly component (3) features a tapered male section (32) of appropriate diameter to fit into the tapered collar (4) when the hinge mechanism is assembled with the flange, and the bore (52) of the thrust component is also tapered so as to form a female tapered section capable of gripping the tapered collar between the said bore and male tapered section when the thrust component is pressed up against the flange.

Abstract: The seat pan of the automobile vehicle seat includes a seat pan reinforcing frame (3) carrying a suspension lattice and means for creating oscillatory movements in the seat pan. The suspension lattice is made in two independent sections (41, 42), separated along a median vertical plane (P) that divides the seat into a RH side and a LH side, each section (41, 42) of the lattice being connected to specific means (6, 7) for generating a cyclic movement in each section of the lattice, including a rearward movement of translation in an upper portion of its travel, and control means (8; 62, 72) are provided for generating the said movements with an angular phase difference of 180°.