Seat structure dual motion recliner pivot mechanism

• US 10,632,873 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2018
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bagian, Kimberly, Attala, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US15/944,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20190308532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 2973781
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3031 in a longitudinal-vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/36 into a loading platform B60N2/065 takes 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

Abstract

A seating assembly comprises an arcuate bracket mounted to a seatback assembly and having a first pivot point proximate a first end of the arcuate bracket, a forward mount operably coupled within a curved slot formed in the arcuate bracket, a rearward mount, and a control link operably coupled with each of the first pivot point and the rearward mount. The seatback assembly pivots forwardly and translates rearwardly when rotated to a forward folded stowed position.

Claims

1. A seating assembly comprising;

an arcuate bracket mounted to a seatback assembly and a first pivot point disposed proximate a first end of the arcuate bracket;

a forward mount operably coupled within a curved slot formed in the arcuate bracket;

a rearward mount; and

a control link operably coupled with each of the first pivot point and the rearward mount;

wherein the seatback assembly pivots forwardly and translates rearwardly when rotated to a stowed position.

2. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the forward mount further comprises a support structure pin that is slidably disposed and received within the curved slot and through which the forward mount is operably coupled with the curved slot.

3. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the seatback assembly is foldable between an upright design position and the stowed position;

and

the arcuate bracket is mounted at opposite ends to the seatback assembly at the first end of the arcuate bracket and a second end of the arcuate bracket, respectively, wherein the first end of the arcuate bracket is mounted to an upper portion of the seatback assembly at the first pivot point and a second end of the arcuate bracket is mounted to a lower portion of the seatback assembly.

4. The seating assembly of claim 3, wherein a rear edge of the seatback assembly moves rearwardly when the seatback assembly is rotated from the upright design position to the stowed position.

5. The seating assembly of claim 4, wherein the rear edge of the seatback assembly is disposed in juxtaposed relation with a forward edge of a rear cargo area floor when the seatback assembly is in the stowed position.

6. The seating assembly of claim 5, wherein an exposed rearward surface of the seatback assembly and the rear cargo area floor form a substantially continuous surface when the seatback assembly is in the stowed position.

7. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the arcuate bracket is fixedly mounted and disposed within a recess disposed on a side of the seatback assembly.

8. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the forward mount and the rearward mount are separate components separately mounted to a floor pan of a motor vehicle.

9. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the forward mount and the rearward mount are combined as an integrated bracket mounted to a floor pan of a motor vehicle.

10. The seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the arcuate bracket comprises one of a pair of arcuate brackets each mounted at opposite ends to the seatback assembly at the first pivot point and a second support point, respectively, the forward mount comprises one of a pair of forward mounts operably coupled within a curved slot formed in each of the arcuate brackets, the rearward mount comprises one of a pair of rearward mounts, and the control link comprises one of a pair of control links operably coupled with each of the first pivot points and the rearward mounts, and wherein one each of the pair of arcuate brackets, the pair of forward mounts, the pair of rearward mounts, and the pair of control links is disposed on each lateral side of the seating assembly.

11. A dual motion recliner pivot mechanism for a forward foldable seatback assembly having an upright design position and a forward folded stowed position mounted to a floor pan of a motor vehicle, the dual motion recliner pivot mechanism comprising;

an arcuate bracket having a curved slot disposed substantially along a centerline of the arcuate bracket, where a first end of the arcuate bracket is disposed proximate to an upper portion of the forward foldable seatback assembly at a first pivot point and a second end of the arcuate bracket is disposed proximate to a lower portion of the forward foldable seatback assembly;

a forward mount operably coupled with the curved slot of the arcuate bracket;

a rearward mount; and

a control link operably coupled at a first end thereof with the first pivot point and operatively coupled at a second end thereof with the rearward mount;

wherein the forward foldable seatback assembly simultaneously pivots forwardly and translates rearwardly when rotated from the upright design position to the forward folded stowed position.

12. The dual motion recliner pivot mechanism of claim 11, wherein each of a forward edge and a rear edge of the seatback assembly moves rearwardly when the seatback assembly is rotated from the upright design position to the forward folded stowed position.

13. The dual motion recliner pivot mechanism of claim 12, wherein the seating assembly comprises a second row or further rearward seating assembly and a rear cargo area floor is disposed rearward of the seating assembly.

14. The dual motion recliner pivot mechanism of claim 13, wherein the rear edge of the seatback assembly is disposed in juxtaposed relation with a forward edge of the rear cargo area floor when the seatback assembly is in the forward folded stowed position and an exposed rearward surface of the seatback assembly and the rear cargo area floor form a substantially continuous surface when the seatback assembly is in the forward folded stowed position.

15. The dual motion recliner pivot mechanism of claim 11, wherein the control link is operably coupled with each of the first pivot point and the rearward mount via a pivot pin, respectively.

16. The dual motion recliner pivot mechanism of claim 11, wherein the forward mount comprises a support structure pin that is slidably received and disposed within the curved slot, whereby the support structure pin operably couples the forward mount with the curved slot of the arcuate bracket.

17. The dual motion recliner pivot mechanism of claim 16, further comprising an integrated bracket mounted to a floor pan of a motor vehicle, and wherein each of the support structure pin and the control link is mounted on the integrated bracket.

18. A seating assembly comprising a seatback assembly, a lower seat assembly, and a dual motion recliner pivot mechanism, the dual motion recliner pivot mechanism comprising;

an arcuate bracket having a first end mounted proximate to an upper portion of the seatback assembly proximate a first pivot point and a second end mounted proximate to a lower portion of the seatback assembly;

a forward mount operably coupled within a curved slot formed in the arcuate bracket;

a rearward mount; and

a control link operably coupled with each of the first pivot point and the rearward mount;

wherein the seatback assembly pivots forwardly and is translated rearwardly when rotated to a forward folded stowed position.

19. The seating assembly of claim 18, wherein the dual motion recliner pivot mechanism comprises one of a pair of dual motion recliner pivot mechanisms, one each of the pair of dual motion recliner pivot mechanisms being disposed on each lateral side of the seating assembly.

20. The seating assembly of claim 19, wherein the seating assembly is arranged as one of a pair of seating assemblies disposed in lateral side-by-side relation within a motor vehicle, the pair of seating assemblies being disposed to define a second row or further rearward seating assembly with a rear cargo area floor disposed rearward of the pair of seating assemblies, and

wherein a rear edge of the seatback assembly of each of the pair of seating assemblies is disposed in juxtaposed relation with a forward edge of the rear cargo area floor when either of the seatback assemblies is in the forward folded stowed position and an exposed rearward surface of the seatback assembly and the rear cargo area floor form a substantially continuous surface when each of the seatback assemblies of the pair of seating assemblies is in the forward folded stowed position.