Seat base for a seating assembly

• US 10,266,073 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2016
• 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, Kondrad, Marcos Silva, Casey, Carol, Brinker, Rodney Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abraham, Tania
• Application Number:
  US15/259,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20180065508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 29728411
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02253 characterised by the transmission between the electric motor and the seat or seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0284 Adjustable seat-cushion length B60N2/0224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence

Abstract

A seat base for a seating assembly includes a thigh-extension plate and an extension track engaged with the thigh-extension plate. A thigh-extension slider engages with the extension track. A plurality of stabilizer tabs are integrally formed with the thigh-extension slider.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:

a seat carrier including first and second independent thigh supports, each thigh support comprising;

a thigh-extension plate having inner and outer extension tracks;

a thigh-extension slider engaged with the thigh-extension plate, the thigh-extension slider defining inner and outer grooves slidably engaging the inner and outer extension tracks of the thigh-extension plate, respectively; and

integrated stabilizer tabs that provide a transverse tension force along a Y-axis of the vehicle seating assembly.

2. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the integrated stabilizer tabs resiliently engage with exterior edges of the inner and outer extension tracks.

3. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein a front wall of the thigh-extension slider defines a forward recess.

4. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 3, wherein a back wall of the thigh-extension slider defines a rearward recess, and wherein the rearward recess is smaller than the forward recess.

5. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 3, wherein the thigh-extension plate is a metallic plate that is fixedly connected to the seat carrier.

6. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 3, wherein the thigh-extension slider includes a thigh cushion that operates with the thigh-extension slider.

7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

a motor engaging with the thigh-extension slider.

8. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 7, wherein the motor is a screw-drive motor.

9. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 3, wherein the thigh-extension slider is made of glass-filled nylon.

10. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 9, wherein the thigh-extension slider includes 15 percent glass-filled nylon.

11. A thigh-extension for a seating assembly comprising:

a metallic thigh-extension plate;

an extension track engaged with the metallic thigh-extension plate;

a thigh-extension slider having an integral groove slidably engaged with the extension track; and

a plurality of stabilizer tabs integrally formed with the thigh-extension slider, wherein the plurality of stabilizer tabs resiliently engage with exterior edges of the extension track.

12. The thigh-extension for a seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the extension track includes inner and outer extension tracks that slidably engage respective inner and outer grooves defined within the thigh-extension slider.

13. The thigh-extension for a seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the metallic thigh-extension plate is fixedly connected to a seat carrier.

14. The thigh-extension for a seating assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

a screw-drive motor coupled to the thigh-extension slider and the metallic thigh-extension plate.

15. The thigh-extension for a seating assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of stabilizer tabs are configured to provide a transverse tension force along a Y-axis of said seating assembly.

16. A seat base for a seating assembly comprising:

a thigh-extension plate;

an extension track engaged with the thigh-extension plate;

a thigh-extension slider engaged with the extension track; and

a plurality of stabilizer tabs resiliently engaged with exterior edges of the extension track.

17. The seat base for a seating assembly of claim 16, wherein the plurality of stabilizer tabs are configured to provide a transverse tension force along a Y-axis of said seating assembly.