Vehicle seating assembly

• US 10,596,927 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Herrera Barrera, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Walraed-Sullivan, Kyle J.
• Application Number:
  US15/725,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20190106022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 297131
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3056 along longitunal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/34 into a bed
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/36 into a loading platform B60N2/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/835 specially adapted for rear seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/919 Positioning and locking mechanisms B60N2/16, B60N2/18, B60N2/22, B60N2/225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/363 characterised by provisions for enhancing the cargo floor surface, e.g. elements closing gaps or enlarging the back-rest surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/30 Seat or seat parts characterised by comprising plural parts or pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/266 Rear seats, e.g. benches
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A vehicle seating assembly includes an upper seatbase pivotably coupled to a lower seatbase at a front end by a front hinge. The lower seatbase is slidably coupled to a rail. A seatback is pivotably coupled to a rear end of the upper seatbase by a rear hinge.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating assembly, comprising:

an upper seatbase;

a lower seatbase pivotably coupled to the upper seatbase at a vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase by a front hinge, the front hinge being directly connected to a first end of the upper seatbase and the vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase such that the front hinge is in direct physical contact with the upper seatbase and the lower seatbase, wherein the lower seatbase is slidably coupled to a rail; and

a seatback pivotably coupled to the upper seatbase by a rear hinge, the rear hinge being positioned between a second end of the upper seatbase that is opposite the first end and a lower end of the seatback, the rear hinge being directly connected to the seatback and the upper seatbase such that the rear hinge is in direct physical contact with the seatback and the upper seatbase, wherein pivotable motion about the front hinge and the rear hinge enables movement between a first configuration and a second configuration, and wherein the lower seatbase remains permanently coupled to the rail throughout movement between the first configuration and the second configuration.

2. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the first configuration is an L-shaped position and the second configuration is a horizontal position, wherein the horizontal position places the vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase in-line with, and immediately adjacent to, the first end of the upper seatbase, wherein the horizontal position places the second end of the upper seatbase in line with, and immediately adjacent to, the lower end of the seatback.

3. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 2, wherein the horizontal position places the front hinge proximal to a top side of the vehicle seating assembly, and wherein the horizontal position places the rear hinge proximal to a bottom side of the vehicle seating assembly.

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

a recessed area in each of the seatback, the upper seatbase, and the lower seatbase, wherein the recessed areas are positioned to align with one another when in the horizontal position.

5. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 4, wherein the recessed areas have a first depth and a second depth, and wherein the first depth is greater than the second depth.

6. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 4, further comprising:

a raised portion on a backside of the seatback and positioned above the recessed area on the seatback, wherein the raised portion is configured as a head cushion in the horizontal position.

7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 6, wherein the raised portion is a headrest that has been rotated from a top portion of the seatback to the backside of the seatback.

8. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 2, further comprising:

a restraint system that is accessible in the horizontal position, wherein the restraint system is coupled to the seatback and the upper seatbase.

9. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 8, wherein the restraint system restrains an occupant in horizontal and vertical directions.

10. A vehicle seating assembly, comprising:

an upper seatbase;

a lower seatbase pivotably coupled to the upper seatbase at a vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase by a front hinge, the front hinge being directly connected to a first end of the upper seatbase and the vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase such that the front hinge is in direct physical contact with the upper seatbase and the lower seatbase, wherein the front hinge is fully recessed between the upper seatbase and the lower seatbase, and wherein the lower seatbase is slidably coupled to a rail; and

a seatback pivotably coupled to the upper seatbase by a rear hinge, the rear hinge being positioned between a second end of the upper seatbase that is opposite the first end and a lower end of the seatback, the rear hinge being directly connected to the seatback and the upper seatbase such that the rear hinge is in direct physical contact with the seatback and the upper seatbase, wherein the rear hinge is fully recessed between the seatback and the upper seatbase, wherein pivotable motion about the front hinge and the rear hinge enables movement between an L-shaped position and a horizontal position, wherein the horizontal position places the vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase in-line with, and immediately adjacent to, the first end of the upper seatbase, wherein the horizontal position places the second end of the upper seatbase in line with, and immediately adjacent to, the lower end of the seatback, and wherein the front and rear hinges each remain fully recessed in each of the L-shaped position and the horizontal position.

11. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 10, wherein the horizontal position places the front hinge proximal to a top side of the vehicle seating assembly, and wherein the horizontal position places the rear hinge proximal to a bottom side of the vehicle seating assembly.

12. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a restraint system that is accessible in the horizontal position, wherein the restraint system is coupled to the seatback and the upper seatbase.

13. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 12, wherein the restraint system restrains an occupant in horizontal and vertical directions.

14. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a recessed area in each of the seatback, the upper seatbase, and the lower seatbase, wherein the recessed areas are positioned to align with one another when in the horizontal position.

15. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a raised portion on a backside of the seatback and positioned above the recessed area on the seatback, wherein the raised portion is configured as a head cushion in the horizontal position.

16. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 14, wherein the recessed areas have a first depth and a second depth, and wherein the first depth is greater than the second depth.

17. A vehicle seating assembly, comprising:

an upper seatbase;

a lower seatbase pivotably coupled to the upper seatbase at a vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase by a front hinge, the front hinge being directly connected to a first end of the upper seatbase and the vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase such that the front hinge is in direct physical contact with the upper seatbase and the lower seatbase, wherein the front hinge is fully recessed between the upper seatbase and the lower seatbase, wherein the lower seatbase is slidably coupled to a rail, and wherein the lower seatbase remains permanently coupled to the rail throughout movement between the first configuration and the second configuration; and

a seatback pivotably coupled to the upper seatbase by a rear hinge, the rear hinge being positioned between a second end of the upper seatbase that is opposite the first end and a lower end of the seatback, the rear hinge being directly connected to the seatback and the upper seatbase such that the rear hinge is in direct physical contact with the seatback and the upper seatbase, wherein the rear hinge is fully recessed between the seatback and the upper seatbase, wherein pivotable motion about the front hinge and the rear hinge enables movement between an L-shaped position and a horizontal position, wherein the front and rear hinges each remain fully recessed in each of the L-shaped position and the horizontal position, wherein the horizontal position places the vehicle-forward end of the lower seatbase in-line with, and immediately adjacent to, the first end of the upper seatbase, wherein the horizontal position places the second end of the upper seatbase in line with, and immediately adjacent to, the lower end of the seatback, and wherein the upper seatbase and the lower seatbase have a width that is less than a width of the seatback.

18. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 17, wherein the width of the upper seatbase and the lower seatbase generally corresponds to a distance between rear wheel wells of a vehicle.

19. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 18, further comprising:

a recessed area in each of the seatback, the upper seatbase, and the lower seatbase, wherein the recessed areas are positioned to align with one another when in the horizontal position.

20. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 19, further comprising:

a raised portion on a backside of the seatback and positioned above the recessed area on the seatback, wherein the raised portion is configured as a head cushion in the horizontal position.