Vehicle seating assembly with manual independent thigh supports

• US 10,065,546 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2016
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Line, Johnathan Andrew, Hosbach, Christian J., Nichols, Brandon W., Sidhu, Mandeep Singh, Reddy, Balakrishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Brindley, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US15/242,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20160355114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/30 Seat or seat parts characterised by comprising plural parts or pieces

Abstract

A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat base. First and second independent thigh supports are pivotally coupled to the seat base. A support rod extends below the first and second independent thigh supports and is operably coupled to each of the first and second independent thigh supports by a gasket member and a bracket. A first spring member includes a body portion in abutting contact with an underside of the first independent thigh support and includes legs engaged with the support rod. The first spring member biases the first independent thigh support to a raised position. A second spring member includes a body portion in abutting contact with an underside of the second independent thigh support and includes legs engaged with the support rod. The second spring member biases the second independent thigh support to a raised position.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:

first and second independently movable thigh supports operably coupled to a vehicle seat;

a support member extending transversely below the first and second independently movable thigh supports;

a bracket assembly abutting an underside of each of the first and second independently movable thigh supports and defining an enlarged opening for receiving the support member;

a first spring member having a first portion engaged with the first independently movable thigh support and a second portion engaged with the support member; and

a second spring member having a first portion engaged with the second independently movable thigh support and a second portion engaged with the support member, wherein legs of the first and second spring members wrap around a top and front area of the support member.

2. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein a body portion of the first and second spring members is securely engaged with the underside of the first and second independently movable thigh supports, respectively, by a fastenerless snap-fit connection.

3. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second spring members bias the first and second independently movable thigh supports, respectively, away from a support member.

4. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the underside of each of the first independently movable thigh support and the second independently movable thigh support include recesses configured to receive the support member.

5. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein a gasket member includes a C-shaped construction configured to extend around a bottom of the support member.

6. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second independently movable thigh supports are configured to rotate approximately 8 degrees between fully raised and lowered positions.

7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second independently movable thigh supports include a downwardly extending pivot wall configured to receive a pivot pin about which each of the first and second independently movable thigh supports rotate.

8. A seating assembly comprising:

first and second independent thigh supports abutting a seat base;

a support rod extending transversely below each of the first and second independent thigh supports;

a bracket assembly abutting the first and second independent thigh supports and defining an opening through which the support rod extends; and

first and second spring members engaged with the support rod and configured to bias the first independent thigh supports upward away from the support rod.

9. The seating assembly of claim 8, wherein the first and second independent thigh supports are configured to rotate approximately 8 degrees between fully raised and lowered positions.

10. The seating assembly of claim 8, wherein the first and second independent thigh supports include a downwardly extending pivot wall configured to receive a pivot pin about which each of the first and second independent thigh supports rotate.

11. A seating assembly comprising:

independent thigh supports;

a support rod extending transversely below each of first and second independent thigh supports;

a bracket assembly including a gasket and a securing bracket that define an opening through which the support rod extends, wherein each gasket includes a C-shaped construction configured to extend around a bottom of the support rod; and

a spring member disposed between the support rod and the independent thigh supports.

12. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the first and second spring members bias the first and second independent thigh supports, respectively, away from the support rod.

13. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the first and second independent thigh supports are configured to rotate approximately 8 degrees between fully raised and lowered positions.

14. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the first and second independent thigh supports include a downwardly extending pivot wall configured to receive a pivot pin about which each of the first and second independent thigh supports rotate.

15. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the spring member includes legs that wrap around a top and front area of the support rod.

16. The seating assembly of claim 11, wherein an underside of each of the independent thigh supports includes recesses configured to receive the support rod.