Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The embodiments herein generally relate to vehicle seats. More particularly, the embodiments relate to a panel mounted seat for a three-wheeled vehicle and a method of assembling the seat onto the vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[002] In conventional three-wheeled vehicles, especially electric vehicles, the placement of the battery box below the driver’s seat is a common design feature. However, this arrangement presents certain challenges. When the driver seat is directly mounted on the battery box, it creates a hindrance to accessing the battery. Every time the battery needs to be accessed for maintenance or replacement, the seat must be dismounted from the battery box. This can be cumbersome and time-consuming.
[003] Moreover, direct mounting of the seat on the battery box imposes limitations on the weight that can be placed on the battery box. Excessive weight on the battery box can be detrimental to its performance and lifespan. Therefore, this design approach restricts the amount of weight that can be supported, which may impact the overall functionality and efficiency and the thermal efficiency of the vehicle.
[004] Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 1, conventional three-wheeled vehicles opt for a wide structure (12) mounted on a floor (14) to support the driver's seat (10), eliminating the need for direct load on the battery box (not shown). The wide structure (12) necessary to accommodate the battery box can adversely affect the aesthetics of the vehicle. Additionally, the structure occupies valuable legroom that would otherwise be available to the driver, potentially compromising their comfort and driving experience.
[005] Another drawback of connecting the structure to the floor is the inconvenience it poses for the battery access. To reach the battery, the entire structure needs to be dismounted, making servicing and maintenance more complicated and time-consuming. Furthermore, the structure itself may tend to be heavy to adequately support the weight of the driver. The aforementioned structure may prove to have complex design due to varying requirement of the battery capacity, may add to the manufacturing cost of the structure and will affect the overall efficiency of the three-wheeled electric vehicle due to added weight.
[006] Further, in the conventional three-wheeled vehicles, the driver’s seat may include only a seat bottom which is mounted on the battery box and a backrest (10B) separately mounted onto the body of the vehicle (as shown in Fig,1). The aforementioned seating arrangements may create discomfort for the driver due to lack of proper backrest and lumbar rest.
[007] Therefore, there is a need for a seat structure for the driver’s seat in the three-wheeled vehicle which obviates the aforementioned drawbacks.
OBJECTS
[008] The principal object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a seat structure for a three-wheeled vehicle, and the seat structure is configured to be mounted on a panel of the three-wheeled vehicle.
[009] Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide the seat structure which is configured to be mounted on the panel of the vehicle such that a driver’s seat is suspended above a floor of the vehicle and providing easy access to a battery disposed below the driver’s seat in the vehicle.
[0010] Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide the seat structure that is light weight, low in cost, ergonomic and configured to support high load.
[0011] Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide the seat structure which facilitates in providing lumbar support and enhanced comfort to a driver by enabling mounting of a seat body comprising a bottom part and a backrest part onto the seat structure.
[0012] Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a method of assembling the seat structure onto the three-wheeled vehicle.
[0013] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.
.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014] The embodiments herein are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0015] Fig. 1 depicts a conventionally mounted seat in a three-wheeled vehicle;
[0016] Fig.2a is an isometric view of a seat structure for a three-wheeled vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0017] Fig. 2b is another isometric view of the seat structure, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0018] Fig.3 is a rear view of the seat structure, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0019] Fig. 4a is another rear view of the seat, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0020] Fig. 4b is yet another rear view of the seat structure, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0021] Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the seat structure for a three-wheeled vehicle according to another embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0022] Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the seat structure for a three-wheeled vehicle, according to another embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein; and
[0023] Fig.7 is a flowchart depicting a method of assembling the seat structure onto the three-wheeled vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0025] The embodiments herein achieve a seat structure for a three-wheeled vehicle which is configured to be mounted on a panel of the vehicle. Further, the embodiments herein achieve the seat structure which is configured to be mounted such that a driving seat is suspended above a floor of the vehicle, providing easy access to a battery disposed below the driving seat in the vehicle. Furthermore, the embodiments herein achieve the seat structure that is light weight, low in cost, ergonomic and configured to support high load. Additionally, the embodiments herein achieve the seat structure which facilitates in providing lumbar support and enhanced comfort to a driver by enabling mounting of a seat comprising a bottom portion and a backrest onto the seat structure. The embodiments herein achieve a method of assembling the seat structure onto the three-wheeled vehicle. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 2 through 7, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.
[0026] Fig. 2a is an isometric view of a seat structure (100) for a three-wheeled vehicle, depicting the seat structure (100) mounted on a mounting assembly (200), according to an embodiment of the invention. For the purposes of this description and ease of understanding, the seat structure (100) is considered to be for a three-wheeled vehicle. However, it is also within the scope of this invention to have the seat structure (100) for any other vehicle without otherwise deterring the intended function of the seat structure as can be deduced from this description. In an embodiment, the seat structure (100) includes a frame (102), a plurality of cross-members (104), at least two reinforcement brackets (106), at least one first mounting bracket (108), and at least two second mounting brackets (110). The frame (102) is a unitary structure having a seating portion (102B) and a backrest portion (102A) extending transversely to the seating portion (102B). In an embodiment, the frame (102) is a tubular structure. In an embodiment, the frame (102) is made of steel.
[0027] Each of the plurality of cross-members (104) is provided between a first side (102F) and a second side (102S) of the frame (102) along the seating portion (102B) and the backrest portion (102A) of the frame (102). In an embodiment, a first cross-member (104A) and a second cross-member (104B) of the plurality of cross-members (102) are connected to the backrest portion (102A) of the frame (102). In an embodiment, each of the plurality of cross-members (104) is connected to the frame (102) by welding.
[0028] The at least two reinforcement brackets (106) are attached to the frame (102) at a bending portion (102C) formed at an intersection of the backrest portion (102A) and the seating portion (102B) of the frame (102). Each of the at least two reinforcement brackets (106) is configured to strengthen the bending portion (102C) of the frame (102) to enhance load bearing capacity of the seat structure (100). In an embodiment, each of the at least two reinforcement brackets (106) is attached on corresponding first side (102F) and second side (102S) of the frame (102) near the bending portion (102C) of the frame (102) by welding.
[0029] Further, as shown in Fig. 2c, two of the first mounting brackets (108) are attached to the first cross-member (104A) of the plurality of cross-members (104). At least one first mounting bracket (108) is configured to facilitate the mounting of the seat structure (100) onto the body of the vehicle. In an embodiment, two first mounting brackets (108) are configured to facilitate mounting of the seat structure (100) onto the body of the vehicle along an X-axis of the seat structure (100). Furthermore, in an embodiment, each of the two first mounting brackets (108) has a guiding pin (108GP) to facilitate aligned mounting of the seat structure (100) onto the body of the vehicle during assembly. In an embodiment each of the two first mounting brackets (108) is connected to the first cross-member (104A) by welding.
[0030] The at least two second mounting brackets (110) are attached to the second cross-member (104B) of the plurality of cross-members (104) and the frame (102). In an embodiment, the second cross-member (104B) is connected to the frame (102) at a lower part of the backrest portion (102A) of the frame (102) near the bending portion (102C) of the frame (102). Each of the at least two second mounting brackets (110) is configured to facilitate the mounting of the seat structure (100) onto the body of the vehicle. The at least two second mounting brackets (110) are positioned on the seat structure (100) such that the seat structure (100) is adapted to support high load when the seat structure (100) is mounted onto the body of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the at least two second mounting brackets (110) are configured to facilitate mounting of the seat structure (100) onto the body of the vehicle along a Z-axis of the seat structure (100). In an embodiment, each of the at least two second mounting brackets (110) is connected near a respective end of the second cross-member (104B) and respectively at the first side (102F) and the second side (102S) of the frame (102) by welding.
[0031] Further, in an embodiment, the seat structure (100) includes a plurality of wires (112) connected to the frame (102) along the seating portion (102B) and the backrest portion (102A) of the frame (102) The plurality of wires (112) is adapted to provide lumbar support and strengthen the seat structure (100). In an embodiment, the plurality of wires (112) is connected transversely and longitudinally at the seating portion (102B) of the frame (102). The plurality of wires (112) is connected transversely at the backrest portion (102A) of the frame (102). In an embodiment each of the plurality of wires (112) is connected to the frame (102) by welding.
[0032] In an embodiment, as shown in Fig.2b and Fig. 4b, the seat structure (100) includes a seat body (114) configured to be assembled onto the frame (102) of the seat structure (100). In an embodiment, the seat body (114) includes a backrest part (114A) and a bottom part (114B). The backrest part (114A) is adapted to be assembled on the backrest portion (102A) of the frame (102) and the bottom part (114B) of the seat body (114) is adapted to be assembled on the seating portion (102B) of the frame (102). In an embodiment, each of the backrest part (114A) and the bottom part (114B) of the seat body (114) includes a slot (not shown) to facilitate the assembling of the backrest part (114A) and the bottom part (114B) of the seat body (114) respectively onto the backrest portion (102A) and seating portion (102B) of the frame (102).
[0033] In an embodiment, as depicted in Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b, the seat structure (100) is configured to be mounted on a mounting assembly (200) provided in the vehicle for facilitating mounting of the seat structure (100) onto the body of the vehicle. The mounting assembly (200), according to an embodiment includes a first vertical pillar (202A), a second vertical pillar (202B) disposed in parallel opposite to the first vertical pillar (202A), a horizontal pillar (204) connecting the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B), and a cross-beam (206) connected to the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B) and disposed in parallel above the horizontal pillar (204). Each of the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B) is attached to a body of the vehicle. In an embodiment, each of the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B) is attached to the body by welding. Further, in an embodiment, the horizontal pillar (204) is attached to the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B) by welding. In an embodiment, each of the at least two first mounting brackets (108) of the seat structure (100) is fastened to the cross-beam (206) of the mounting assembly (200). Each of the at least two second mounting brackets (110) of the seat structure (100) is fastened to the horizontal pillar (204) of the mounting assembly (200). The mounting assembly (200) facilitates the mounting of the seat structure (100) on the body of the vehicle such that the seat structure (100) is suspended above the floor of the vehicle, leaving space for mounting a battery of the vehicle onto the floor, below the seat structure (100).
[0034] In another embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the mounting assembly (200) includes the first vertical pillar (202A), the second vertical pillar (202B) disposed parallelly opposite to the first vertical pillar (202A), and the cross-beam (206) connected between the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B). In this embodiment, each of the at least two second mounting brackets (110) of the seat structure (100) is fastened respectively with the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B) of the mounting assembly (200).
[0035] Fig. 7 is a flowchart depicting a method (300) of assembling the seat structure (100) onto the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention. The method (300) includes attaching the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B) on the panel of the vehicle, wherein the panel separates a driving compartment of the vehicle from a rear compartment of the vehicle. Further, the method (300) includes attaching the horizontal pillar (204) with the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B), below a cross-beam (206) of the panel. Furthermore, the method (300) includes assembling the seat body (114) onto the frame (102) of the seat structure (100). Additionally, the method (300) includes fastening at least one first mounting bracket (108) to the cross-beam (206) of the panel and fastening each of the at least two second mounting brackets (110) to the horizontal pillar (204). In another embodiment, the method (200) includes fastening each of the at least two of the second mounting brackets (110) respectively to the first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B).
[0036] The technical advantages achieved by the embodiments disclosed herein include easy access to battery of the vehicle, high load bearing capacity, enhanced comfort to the driver due to lumbar support and backrest, availability of legroom, easy assembling, cost effective, low production cost, an improvement in aesthetics of the driver seat and the vehicle.
[0037] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
, Claims:1. A seat structure (100) for a three-wheeled vehicle, said seat structure (100) comprising:
a frame (102) having a seating portion (102B) and a backrest portion (102A) extending transversely to said seating portion (102B);
at least one first mounting bracket (108) provided on a first cross-member (104A), said first-cross member (104A) connected to said backrest portion (102A) of said frame (102); and
at least two second mounting brackets (110) connected to said frame (102) and connected to a second cross-member (104B),
wherein each of said first mounting bracket (108) and second mounting brackets (110) is adapted to facilitate mounting of said seat structure (100) onto a mounting assembly (200) connected to a body of the vehicle.

2. The seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seat structure (100) comprises at least two reinforcement brackets (106) configured to be attached to said frame (102) near a bending portion (102C) of said frame (102) on corresponding first side (102F) and a second side (102S) of said frame (102), said bending portion (102C) defined along an intersection of said backrest portion (102A) and said seating portion (102B) of said frame (102).

3. The seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting assembly (200) comprises:
a first vertical pillar (202A) and a second vertical pillar (202B) disposed parallel to said first vertical pillar (202A), wherein each of said first vertical pillar (202A) and said second vertical pillar (202B) is adapted to be attached to the body of the vehicle;
a horizontal pillar (204) connecting said first vertical pillar (202A) and said second vertical pillar (202B); and
a cross-beam (206) adapted to be connected to each of said first vertical pillar (202A) and said second vertical pillar (202B) and disposed in parallel above said horizontal pillar (204).

4. The seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said first mounting bracket (108) is adapted to be fastened/welded to said cross-beam (206) of said mounting assembly (200), and each of said two second mounting brackets (110) is adapted to be fastened/welded to said horizontal pillar (204).

5. The seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said two second mounting brackets (110) is adapted to be fastened/welded respectively to said first vertical pillar (202A) and said second vertical pillar (202B).

6. The seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seat structure comprises plurality of cross-members (104) and plurality of wires (112), wherein said plurality of wires (112) is adapted to be connected transversely along said backrest portion (102A) of said frame (102) and adapted to be connected both transversely and longitudinally along said seating portion (102B) of said frame (102).

7. The seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seat structure (100) comprises a seating body (114) adapted to be assembled onto said frame (102), wherein said seating body (114) comprises a backrest part (114A) adapted to be assembled onto said backrest portion (102A) of said frame (102) and a bottom part (114B) adapted to be assembled onto said seating portion (102B) of said frame (102).

8. The seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame (102) comprises a unitary tubular structure and said frame (102) is made of material comprising steel.

9. The seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first mounting brackets (108) has a guide pin (108GP) configured to facilitate alignment of said seat structure (100) with the mounting assembly (200).

10. A method (300) of assembling a seat structure (100) on a body of a vehicle, said method (300) comprising:
attaching each of a first vertical pillar (202A) and a second vertical pillar (202B) disposed parallel to said first vertical pillar (202A) to a panel of the vehicle;
attaching a horizontal pillar (204) with said first vertical pillar (202A) and the second vertical pillar (202B);
assembling a seat body (114) on a frame (102) of said seat structure (100);
fastening an at least one first mounting bracket (108) of said seat structure (100) to a crossbeam (206) connected to each of said first vertical pillar (202A) and said second vertical pillar (202B); and
fastening each of an at least two second mounting brackets (110) of said seat structure (100) to said horizontal pillar (204).
A method (300) of assembling a seat structure on a body of a vehicle, said method (300) comprising:
attaching each of a first vertical pillar (202A) and a second vertical pillar (202B) disposed parallel to said first vertical pillar (202A) to a panel of the vehicle;
assembling a seat body (114) on a frame (102) of said seat structure (100);
fastening each of an at least two first mounting brackets (108) of said seat structure (100) to a cross-beam (206) connected to each of said first vertical pillar (202A) and said second vertical pillar (202B); and
fastening each of an at least two second mounting brackets (110) of said seat structure (100) respectively to each of said first vertical pillar (202A) and said second vertical pillar (202B).