Method and device for adjusting a vehicle reclining seat

• US 20040251728A1
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Multhaupt, Hans-Dieter, Braitmaier, Klaus, Schmidt, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 7,281,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/423.19
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/995 Lower-leg-rests, e.g. calf-rests

Abstract

A method and a device are provided for adjusting a vehicle reclining seat which can be moved together into a resting position, the backrest of a front passenger seat being able to be folded downward to the rear and forming a resting surface together with a backseat. Provision is made for the front passenger seat and the rear seat to be movable automatically into a resting position and back into the seating position.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a vehicle reclining seat which can be moved together into a resting position, the backrest of the front passenger seat being able to be folded down rearward and forming a resting surface together with the backseat of the rear seat, comprising automatically moving the front passenger seat and the rear seat into a resting position and back into the seating position.

2. The method for adjusting a vehicle reclining seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation of the resting position and the deactivation of the resting position back into the seating position takes place under operation by the occupant.

3. The method for adjusting the vehicle reclining seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resting position is set by a changeover switch button being set to move to the resting position, a resting position button being operated, the rear seat moving a means of adjusting the depths of the backrest cushion and seat cushion into the rear position, the front passenger seat moving into the resting position until a front passenger backrest is at an angle of approximately 30°

with respect to the plane, the front passenger head restraint moving into the uppermost position, the sequence stopping so that the head restraint can be removed, legs having to be pivoted to the rear center, the resting position button being operated again, so that the front passenger seat and right rear seat move completely into the resting position.

4. The method for adjusting the vehicle reclining seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seating position is reset by a changeover button being set to leave to the resting position, a resting position button being operated, the conventional seating position being moved to, in which a front-passenger head restraint is fitted, the resting position button being operated again, so that the originally set positions of the front passenger seat and rear seat are moved to.

5. A device for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1 with a front passenger seat and a rear seat which can be moved together into a resting position, the backrest of the front passenger seat being able to be folded down rearward, wherein a front-passenger seat and a rear-seat adjusting device is provided which is driven by motor and brings the front passenger seat and the rear seat automatically into the resting position and back again into the seating position.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein an operating element for activating the resting and seating position is provided.

7. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein an operating element for switching over the seat-adjusting means to move between the resting position is provided, so that the conventional sitting position can be set and the resting position left, so that the resting position can be set.

8. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a control unit which obtains signals from the operating elements is provided, the control unit outputting adjustment signals in accordance with characteristic curves stored in the control unit to a motorized drive which drives the seat-adjusting device.

9. A method according to claim 2, wherein the resting position is set by a changeover switch button being set to move to the resting position, a resting position button being operated, the rear seat moving a means of adjusting the depths of the backrest cushion and seat cushion into the rear position, the front passenger seat moving into the resting position until a front passenger backrest is at an angle of approximately 30°

with respect to the plane, the front passenger head restraint moving into the uppermost position, the sequence stopping so that the head restraint can be removed, legs having to be pivoted to the rear center, the resting position button being operated again, so that the front passenger seat and right rear seat move completely into the resting position.

10. A method according to claim 2, wherein the seating position is reset by a changeover button being set to leave to the resting position, a resting position button being operated, the conventional seating position being moved to, in which a front-passenger head restraint is fitted, the resting position button being operated again, so that the originally set positions of the front passenger seat and rear seat are moved to.

11. The as claimed in claim 6, wherein an operating element for switching over the seat-adjusting means to move between the resting position is provided, so that the conventional sitting position can be set and the resting position left, so that the resting position can be set.

12. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a control unit which obtains signals from the operating elements is provided, the control unit outputting adjustment signals in accordance with characteristic curves stored in the control unit to a motorized drive which drives the seat-adjusting device.

13. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a control unit which obtains signals from the operating elements is provided, the control unit outputting adjustment signals in accordance with characteristic curves stored in the control unit to a motorized drive which drives the seat-adjusting device.

14. A passenger vehicle seat arrangement comprising:

a front seat assembly including a front seat cushion section and front seat, a backrest section,

a rear seat assembly including a rear seat cushion section, and a rear seat backrest section, and

a motorized assembly operable to move the front seat assembly and rear seat assembly between a normal driving condition with an upright front seat backrest section and a resting position with a horizontally disposed front seat backrest section serving as a foot rest in front of the rear seat cushion section.

15. A passenger vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said motorized assembly includes means for automatically moving the front and rear seat assemblies between said normal driving condition and resting position in response to manually operated switches.

16. A passenger vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said motorized assembly is operable to sequentially move the front seat backrest section to a first lowered position accommodating manual removal of a head restraint and then to a second lowered position aligned with the rear seat cushion section.

17. A passenger vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 15, wherein said motorized assembly is operable to sequentially move the front seat backrest section to a first lowered position accommodating manual removal of a head restraint and then to a second lowered position aligned with the rear seat cushion section.

18. A passenger vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said motorized assembly is operable to move the rear seat assembly to a rearward rest position to accommodate movement of the front seat assembly to the rest position.