AU655109B2 - Seat suspension unit - Google Patents

Description

s ~id 1 f;i:~c l: 655 09 S F Ref: 238661

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

r cr~

D

O

OJ

O

D I)

P

O

OY d 0~ 0

I

IlEI

I~

L((

I

LI

r It Name and Address of Applicant: Hans Van Loo 441 Lawrence Hargrave Drive Scarborough New South Wales 2515

AUSTRALIA

Jennifer Mizpah Van Loo 441 Lawrence Hargrave Drive Scarborough New South Wales 2515

AUSTRALIA

Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Jan Bulkstra Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Seat Suspension Unit ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [31] Application No(s) [33] Country PL2206 AU [32] Application Date 1 May 1992 *i o Si:x- The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815/3 i- -e V. 4

I

SEAT SUSPENSION UNIT Field of the Invention The following invention relates to a seat suspension unit, typically suitable for seats in underground mining vehicles.

Heavy duty vehicles such as those used in underground mining situations negotiate rough terrain. The drivers of such vehicles often suffer back injury as a result of the jarring effect of transmitted vibration from the vehicle through the seat to the driver.

It would be desirable to provide a seat suspension unit of simple construction which would absorb such vibration and thus diminish or eliminate such injuries.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved seat suspension unit.

Disclosure of the Invention There is disclosed herein a seat suspension unit to be attached to a vehicle, comprising: a parallelogram linkage comprising an upper linkage member, a lower linkage member and an upright seat supporting member pivotally attached to adjacent ends of each upper and lower linkage member, the other ends of each upper and lower linkage member comprising respective pivot mountings for attachment of the unit to the vehicle, and resilient means at least at one of said pivot mountings for resisting pivoting of said parallelogram linkage when the unit is attached to the vehicle.

Preferably, at least one of said pivot mountings comprises a U-shaped bracket to be fixed to the vehicle, a cross-piece affixed to the upper and or lower linkage member and defining an axis of pivoting thereof, and wherein said resilient means comprises at least one resilient compressible filling member bearing against an internal surface 30 of the U-shaped bracket and against the cross-piece.

Preferably, the cross-piece has a square cross-section.

Preferably, each upper and lower linkage member is pivotally attached to said upright seat supporting member by way of apparatus comprising: a hollow shaft welded to said upright seat supporting member, and a further shaft extending through said hollow shaft and being welded to a respective upper or lower linkage member.

In combination with the above disclosed seat suspension unit, there is further disclosed herein a frame attached to said upright seating 9 F/LMM//04111 -3member, a seat attached to the frame, and a back rest comprising: a central portion to support the back of a user, a pair of laterally opposed supports extending forwardly (towards the user), and a pair of recesses located below said pair of supports to enable location therein of apparatus attached to the waist/hip region of the user.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a seat suspension unit, Fig. 2 is a schematic end elevational view of a mounting point for an upper parallelogram linkage member forming part of the seat suspension unit of Fig. 1, Figs. 3 and 4 are schematic front elevational and side elevational views respectively of a seat to be affixed to the seat suspension unit of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a tubular frame member to ooo support the seat of Figs. 3 and 4 upon the suspension unit of Fig. 1.

0 Description of the Preferred Embodiment 0-o000 In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically o. 20 depicted a seat suspension unit 10. The unit 10 comprises a seat support plate fixed by welding or the link to a pair of upright linkages 19.

Pivotally attached to each upright 19 is an upper parallelogram linkage o o *ooo, 14 and a lower parallelogram linkage 15. The other ends of each linkage 14 and 15 are respectively pivotally attached by way of U-shaped brackets 25 16 to an upright member 11 which may be formed upon a base 26 or 00000. otherwise attached directly to a vertical mounting point upon a vehicle.

A seat may be affixed to support plate 11 by way of bolts extending through bolt holes 13.

0.i Upper and lower cross ba-s 21 and 20 respectively extend between each upright member 19. Cross bars 20 and 21 are typically formed of '9 'hollow bar the opposing ends of which are welded to upright linkages 19.

Extending through each hollow bar 20, 21 is a rod rotational within its respective hollow cross bar. Each opposing end of the rod is welded at 29 to the respective upper and lower linkage members 14,15.

The other ends of each upper and lower parallelogram linkage 14,15 are attached to the upright member 11 by respective U-shaped brackets 16. As best depicted in Fig. 2, each U-shaped bracket 16 has extending therethrough a square cross-piece 24. Cross-piece 24 may be welded to or RLF/04111 i -4otherwise fixed against rotation to upper or lower linkage member 14,15 by way of cross bolts 25. The outer surface of the square cross-piece 24 bears against a resilient filling material 23 within the U-shaped bracket 16. That is, as for example upper linkage member 14 pivots, the square cross-piece would rotate to an extent limited by the resilient filling 23. The filling 23 would provide a spring effect to the seating unit.

The resilient filling may be formed of rubber or any other suitable synthetic or natural material.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, a seat 30 is depicted. Seat comprises a back rest 31 and a seating surface 33. At either laterally opposing side of back rest 31 there is provided a forwardly extending support 32. Supports 32 are intended to provide lateral stability to one seated upon the seat 33. As the seat is typically intended for use in underground mining situations, a recess 35 is provided below each support 32 to allow the operator sitting upon the seat to wear a battery pouch or a self rescue device or other bulky apparatus about his belt or waist.

o o That is, the back rest 31 is intended to provide back support and lumbar S* support to the spinal area of the user whereas the laterally opposed hip portions of the user will reside nearby recessrs 20 The back rest 31 and the seat 33 are typically formed from wooden board covered by high density foam in turn covered by heavy duty tonneau O covers to repel water for example. Such a cover might be stapled to the wooden board using stainless steel staples.

The back rest 31 and seat 33 are to be affixed by way of bolts or 25 the like to a frame 34 as depicted in Fig. 5. Frame 34 is typically o formed of galvanised steel tubing and galvanised steel angle pieces and plate pieces. Frame 34 may be bolted to the seat support member 12 as depicted in Fig. 1 by way of holes 13.

It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the base plate 26 depicted in Fig. 1 is non-essential since the upright member 11 may be affixed directly to an appropriate mounting point on a vehicle.

Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the seating suspension unit herein may be adapted to numerous applications other than the underground mining industry. For example, the suspension unit may be utilised as a bus drivers seat.

As an additional alternative, the resilient fitting material 23 might be one continuous piece moulded about the square cross-piece RLF/04111

Claims (8)

1. A seat suspension unit to be attached to a vehicle, comprising: a parallelogram linkage comprising an upper linkage member, a lower linkage member and an upright seat supporting member pivotally attached to adjacent ends of each upper and lower linkage member, the other ends of each upper and lower linkage member comprising respective pivot mountings for attachment of the unit to the vehicle, and resilient means at least at one of said pivot mountings fo," resisting pivoting of said parallelogram linkage when the unit is attached to the vehicle.

2. The seat suspension unit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said pivot mountings comprises: a U-shaped bracket to be fixed to the vehicle, a cross-piece affixed to said upper and/or lower linkage member and defining an axis of pivoting thereof, and wherein said resilient means comprises at least one resilien': compressible filling member bearing against an internal surface of the U-shaped bracket and against the cross-piece.

3. The seat suspension unit of claim 2 wherein the cross-piece has a square cross-section.

4. The seat suspension unit of claim 2 wherein both said pivot mountings are as defined in that claim.

The seat suspension unit of any one of the preceding claims wherein each upper and lower linkage member is pivotally attached to said upright seat supporting member by way of apparatus comprising; a hollow shaft welded to said upright seat supporting member, and a further shaft extending through said hollow shaft and being welded to a respective upper or lower linkage member.

6. In combination with the seat suspension unit of any one of the preceding claims, a seating unit comprising: a frame attached to said upright seat supporting member, a seat attached to the frame, and a back rest comprising: a central portion to support the back of a user, a pair of laterally opposed supports extending forwardly (towards the user), and a pair of recesses located below said pair of supports to enable location therein of apparatus attached to the waist/hip region of the S user. r 4 *44 44 Ih tF/LMM//04111 TJ r i ,C i rin n~~-l*Pn~rrrr~r~ 6

7. A seat suspension unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A combination of a seat suspension unit and a seat, the combination being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference 5 to the accompanying drawings. DATED this TWENTY-SEVENTH day of APRIL 1993 Hans Robert Van Loo Jennifer Mizpah Van Loo Patent Attorneys for the Applicants SPRUSON FERGUSON o 69*,. 0' I RLF/04111 S-t V G SSEAT SUSPENSION UNIT ABSTRACT A seat suspension unit (10) typically for underground mining machinery or other vehicles comprises upper and lower parallelogram linkages (14,15) each connected to an upright link (19) which in turn supports a seat support plate The other ends of the upper and lower linkages (14,15) are supported to an upright member (11) by way of U-shaped brackets Extending transversely through each U-shaped bracket (16) is a square cross-piece (24) fixed against relative rotation to upper or lower linkage (14,15) either by welding or by bolts Fitted within the U-shaped brackets (16) and pressing against the outside edges of the square cross-piece (24) are resilient filling members (23) typically formed of rubber. The resilient filling members (23) provide a degree of rotation to square cross-piece (24) whilst providing a resistance against complete rotation. Thus the upper and lower parallelogram linkages (14,15) are resiliently pivotally biassed whilst ensuring that upright linkage member (19) remains essentially upright to maintain the orientation of a seat fitted to support plate (12). Figs. 1 and 2 00. 0 0l 0 00 00 00. 0 00 0 00 0 04.4 0 #4.04 0.444 0 0 (4 *4 000 0. 0. NW RLF/04111