H-point lift options for sleeper seats

• US 10,286,815 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2017
• 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, Preuss, Kevin Wayne, Godin, Keith Allen, Ferretti, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Brindley, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US15/477,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20180281631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02 the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable adjustable arm-rests B60N2/75; adjustable head-rests B60N2/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1803 with independent front and/or rear adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1878 Hydraulic or pneumatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2878 the back-rest being inclinable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/34 into a bed
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape

Abstract

A seating assembly includes a seat. A seatback is rotatably coupled with the seat to a fully reclined position. A rear seat lift device includes a mechanism disposed below a cushion support proximate a rear portion of the seat and is operable between a lowered position and a raised position. A rear portion of the seat is elevated relative to the seatback to minimize a height difference between the rear portion of the seat and a bottom portion of the seatback when the seatback is in the fully reclined position.

Claims

1. A seating assembly comprising:

a seat;

a seatback rotatably coupled with the seat to a fully reclined position;

a rear seat lift device including a mechanism disposed below a cushion support proximate a rear portion of the seat and operable between a lowered position and a raised position, wherein a rear portion of the seat pivots upward about a front of the seat and is elevated relative to the seatback to minimize a height difference between the rear portion of the seat and a bottom portion of the seatback when the seatback is in the fully reclined position.

2. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the rear seat lift device includes a bladder assembly having at least one baffle.

3. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the rear seat lift device elevates a rear portion of the seat between 60 and 80 mm.

4. The seating assembly of claim 2, further comprising:

a fluid pump disposed within the seating assembly and in fluid communication with the bladder assembly of the rear seat lift device to affect transition of a bladder from a deflated position to an inflated position.

5. The seating assembly of claim 2, wherein the bladder assembly includes a plurality of distinct and independent bladders in fluid communication with a fluid pump.

6. The seating assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a cable assembly operably coupled with the cushion support and configured to draw the cushion support upward.

7. The seating assembly of claim 6, wherein the cable assembly is operably coupled with a motor that is controlled by an actuation device configured to be operable by a user.

8. The seating assembly of claim 6, wherein the cable assembly is operably coupled with a manual lever that is configured for manual adjustment by a user.

9. The seating assembly of claim 6, wherein cushion wire suspension hooks at a rear portion of the cushion support are raised to elevate the rear portion of the seat.

10. A seating assembly comprising:

a seat;

a seatback rotatably coupled with the seat to a fully reclined position;

a rear seat lift device including a bladder assembly operable between a deflated position and an inflated position, wherein a rear portion of the seat is rotated upward relative to a front portion of the seat to minimize a height difference between the rear portion of the seat and a bottom portion of the seatback.

11. The seating assembly of claim 10, wherein the bladder assembly includes at least one baffle.

12. The seating assembly of claim 10, wherein the bladder assembly inflates to elevate the rear portion of the seat between 60 and 80 mm.

13. The seating assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a fluid pump disposed within the seating assembly and in fluid communication with the bladder assembly to affect transition of the bladder assembly from the deflated position to the inflated position.

14. The seating assembly of claim 10, wherein the bladder assembly includes a plurality of distinct and independent bladders in fluid communication with a fluid pump.

15. A seating assembly comprising:

a seat;

a seatback rotatably coupled with the seat to a fully reclined position;

a rear seat lift device disposed below the seat and operable to elevate only a rear portion of the seat about a front of the seat and relative to the seatback to align the rear portion of the seat with a bottom portion of the seatback when the seatback is in the fully reclined position.

16. The seating assembly of claim 15, wherein the rear seat lift device includes a bladder assembly having at least one baffle.

17. The seating assembly of claim 15, wherein the rear seat lift device elevates a rear portion of the seat between 60 and 80 mm.

18. The seating assembly of claim 15, further comprising:

a fluid pump disposed within the seating assembly and in fluid communication with a bladder assembly of the rear seat lift device to affect transition of a bladder from a deflated position to an inflated position.