Abstract: A rigid structure for a vehicle seat element, the structure being formed as a single piece made of a composite material comprising a thermoplastic matrix and reinforcing fibers forming at least firstly first and second rigid sideplates each extending between a first end and a second end, and secondly a rigid horizontal cross-member secured to the second ends of the sideplates. The structure has at least one hinge comprising a first fixing portion overmolded by the first end of the first sideplate.

Abstract: A runner for a vehicle seat, comprising a male bar and a female bar that are mounted to move relative to each other over a predetermined stroke, the runner further comprising a detector disposed on one of the male and female bars, and a detectable member disposed on the other of the male and female bars. The male bar is a generally channel section bar including a horizontal web, the female bar is a generally channel section bar including a horizontal web, and the detectable member is formed by a tab that is integral with or secured to the edge of one of the lips of the male bar, the corresponding side wall of the second bar having an opening disposed in correspondence with the detector adapted to detect the presence or the absence of the tab of the male bar.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a seat proper, a back presenting at least a folding portion, a rigid plate between the seat proper and the folding portion, a control mechanism for locking the folding portion, and a control member. The control mechanism has a control piece that is pivotally mounted about an axis, said control piece being urged about the axis towards a rest position, the piece having a guide slot in which there slides a peg that is secured to the rigid plate, a first lateral branch extends to a closed end for receiving the peg when the folding portion is raised, and a second lateral branch extending to a closed end receives the peg when the folding portion is folded down.

Abstract: Seat pan (3) of an automobile vehicle seat including an anti-submarining crossmember (6) which extends crosswise and which can move towards the rear from a rest position to an extension position and towards the front from the extension position. The crossmember (6) is installed so as to pivot around a transverse axis (A) on a sliding carriage (7) guided in translation on the seat pan framework. Extension means (10) are arranged to connect the crossmember (6) and the carriage (7) so as to pivot the crossmember in relation to the carriage from the rest position to the extension position and energy dissipation means (9) connecting the carriage (7) to the seat pan framework (5) to exert a retention force on the carriage during movement of the carriage forwards.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a seat to a floor of a vehicle, the seat including a seat proper which extends between a front end and a rear end. The fixing device comprises a base serving to support the seat proper, and provided with a rear coupling and with a front coupling, the front coupling comprising an anchoring fork serving to co-operate with a horizontal rod secured to the floor to allow the seat to be pivoted between an in-use position and a tilted-forwards position, the anchoring fork being provided with a finger, and the device further comprising an elastically deformable blade that is secured to the floor and that serves to co-operate with the finger to lock the seat proper to prevent it from pivoting when it is in its tilted-forwards position.

Abstract: A motor-driven adjustment device for a vehicle seat is disclosed which may comprise a motor provided with a casing having two projecting endpieces in a support to which the casing is fixed. The two endpieces of the casing are received in viscoelastic sleeves which are elastically engaged in respective cradles for support so as to prevent rotation relative thereto, the casing being connected to the support solely by the sleeves.

Abstract: A vehicle seat runner comprising at least one stationary channel section bar whose rear end is engaged snugly in a reinforcing bar made by extruding a light alloy.

Abstract: The motor vehicle seat comprises a seat proper and a seat back. The seat is caused to go from a passenger position to a first load position by causing the seat proper to pivot through 90° about a horizontal axis close to its front edge, and by causing the seat back to pivot through 90° about a horizontal axis close to its bottom edge. The seat back thus comes to occupy the space that is occupied by the seat proper when it is in the passenger position. The seat is caused to go from the first load position to a second load position by causing the seat proper to pivot through a further 90° about its horizontal axis. The seat is caused to go from the passenger position to the first load position, and then from the first load position to the second load position, by actuating a single handle.

Abstract: A flexible cover for a vehicle seat has an inside face with a conductive thread fixed thereagainst to form a seam in chain stitch that does not pass through the cover and that is not visible on the outside face of the cover.

Abstract: A vehicle seat having a back that can be folded down, which back has a top portion that is normally locked in a raised position by a pivoting cam which is urged resiliently towards a locking position in which said cam co-operates with a peg by coming into abutment therewith to prevent the back from moving. The cam can be moved by a control member towards a retracted position so as to allow the top portion of the back to be folded down into a horizontal position.

Abstract: System for a vehicle that has a seat fitted with a measuring device of the electromagnetic field type, an airbag arranged to protect the occupant of the seat in the event of an accident, this airbag having several modes of operation, and an operating device designed to cause the airbag to inflate in the event of an accident, selectively according to one of the modes of operation of this airbag on the basis of a parameter representing the mass of the occupant of the seat, as measured by the electromagnetic field-type measuring device.

Abstract: A hinge joining system for an automobile seat includes a seat back flange and a seat pan flange. A hinge mechanism is attached to one of the flanges. An assembly fastener component is connected to the hinge mechanism and passes through an opening in the selected flange, the opening including a raised tapered collar. A thrust component is connected to the assembly fastener component, the thrust component having a bore for radially gripping the raised tapered collar and axially pressing the collar against the selected flange. The assembly fastener component has a tapered male section fitting into the tapered collar, and the bore of the thrust component is also tapered for gripping the tapered collar between the bore and the tapered male section when the thrust component is pressed against the selected flange.

Abstract: A modular seat layout system in an automobile vehicle, especially of the type including three rows of seats, including at least two seats located one behind the other. The rear seat is attached to the floor of the vehicle by a first linkage so that the seat pan of the rear seat can translate forward to be housed, in a forward position, in a space provided for this purpose below the location which is occupied by the seat pan of the front seat in the normal utilization position of the said front seat.

Abstract: Vehicle seat underframe comprising a framework provided with a lower guide shoe and with a moving catch comprising a lateral claw that can move between a locked position and a retracted position. The device for operating the catch is connected to a release cam which normally holds a release finger in the effaced position. When the catch is in the retracted position, the release finger moves into an active position in which a lower end of this finger projects downwards with respect to the framework while an upper end of the release finger immobilizes the release cam.

Abstract: A seat pan of an automobile vehicle seat includes an anti-sub-marining cross member to limit the movement of a pelvis of a user towards the front of the seat, the cross member extending crosswise to a seat pan framework and being able to move towards the front while exerting pelvis retention forces during the movement of the pelvis and cross member towards the front of the seat. The seat pan includes energy dissipation means to control, from a predetermined threshold, forces transmitted by the cross member to the occupant of the seat. The ends of the cross member are connected to links that pivot on the seat pan framework about an axis passing through lower ends of said links so that the movement of the cross member towards the front is in the form of an arc of a circle, defined by the pivoting of the links towards the front, opposing the retention force exerted by the energy dissipation means which are connected to upper ends of the links and near the cross member.

Abstract: An irreversible adjustment mechanism comprising a casing, a pivotally-mounted lever urged resiliently towards a rest position, a pivotally-mounted intermediate member connected to the lever via a drive stage adapted to move the intermediate member only when the lever moves away from its rest position, a fixed ring, an outlet member co-operating with the ring to define hollow wedge-shaped spaces facing in opposite directions and receiving clamping bodies which are urged apart and which are flanked by two fingers that are part of the intermediate member. The outlet member is secured to a coupling shaft which is guided in rotation by a ring held by catches of the casing that pass through recesses in the inlet member while leaving a central portion of the inlet member visible, on which portion an actuating handle may be fixed.

Abstract: An irreversible adjustment mechanism comprising a casing, a pivotally-mounted lever urged resiliently towards a rest position, a pivotally-mounted intermediate member connected to the lever via a drive stage adapted to move the intermediate member only when the lever moves away from its rest position, a fixed ring, an outlet member co-operating with the ring to define hollow wedge-shaped spaces facing in opposite directions and receiving clamping bodies which are urged apart and which are flanked by two fingers that are part of the intermediate member. The casing comprises a base and a cover that are made of sheet metal and that are crimped together.

Abstract: A vehicle seat has a back mounted to pivot on a seat proper by a locking mechanism, and urged forwards by a torsion bar formed by a metal wire which has two ends fixed respectively to the back and to the seat proper. The metal wire constituting the torsion bar forms at least one spiral comprising a plurality of adjacent turns.

Abstract: A seat has a back connected to a seat proper via a hinge comprising two cheekplates that can be secured to each other by means of toothed slugs controlled by a cam. In order to enable the seat back to be folded down forwards, and then to return the back into its initial position, the cam of the hinge is associated with an external memory mechanism implemented in the form of a self-contained assembly which includes its own drive member connected to the cam by a mechanical connection including lost motion that is adapted so that actuation of the cam does not move the drive member, and so that actuation of the drive member causes the cam to be moved towards its unlocked position.

Abstract: A fixing device for a removable armrest, the device comprising a cylindrical support shaft having a projecting locking member and a housing with a plastics material ring adapted to receive the support shaft engaged therein as a bayonet mount. A metal reinforcing strength member surrounds the plastics material ring and co-operates angularly with the locking member of the support shaft by coming into abutment therewith to prevent relative pivoting between the support shaft and the housing.