Vehicle seat with a support for the lower legs

• US 20050173963A1
• Filed: 02/08/2003
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Gundall, Thomas, Edrich, Hans, Hassler, Klaus, Flory, Gerhard
• Application Number:
  US10/507,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20050173963A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/423.280
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/995 Lower-leg-rests, e.g. calf-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/063 with adjustment systems

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat (1) having an automatically displaceable lower leg support (3). The lower leg support can be displaced in an automatically driven fashion between a stowaway position and a position of use.

In order to obtain a compact design of the vehicle seat and a high degree of protection against impact operation, the lower leg support (3) has a sensor (6, 61, 62) which is connected to a control device (52) of the drive (5). The sensor (6) is designed to detect an obstacle.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A vehicle seat, comprising:

an adjustable lower leg support;

a drive configured to automatically adjust the lower leg support between a stowaway position and a position of use; and

a control device configured to control the drive, the control device including a sensor arranged on the lower leg support configured to detect an obstacle.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the sensor is configured as at least one of (a) a proximity sensor and (b) a pressure sensor.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the drive is configured to adjust at least one of (a) a length and (b) an inclination of the lower leg support.

14. The vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the drive is configured as one of (a) an electrical drive and (b) a pneumatic drive.

15. The vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the lower leg support includes an enclosed lower leg support surface.

16. The vehicle seat according to claim 15, wherein the drive is configured to at least one of (a) increase and (b) decrease the lower leg support surface.

17. The vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the lower leg support includes a freely displaceable end and an end pivotably mounted on one of (a) a seat cushion and (b) a seat frame, the sensor arranged at the freely displaceable end of the lower leg support.

18. The vehicle seat according to claim 17, wherein the sensor includes two detection regions.

19. The vehicle seat according to claim 17, wherein the sensor includes a first detection region arranged on a rear of the lower leg support and a second detection region arranged on an end side of the lower leg support.

20. The vehicle seat according to claim 19, wherein one of (a) the first detection region and (b) the second detection region is configured to detect an obstacle when the lower leg support pivots.

21. The vehicle seat according to claim 19, wherein one of (a) the first detection region and (b) the second detection region is configured to detect an obstacle when the lower leg support is extended.

22. The vehicle seat according to claim 20, wherein another one of (a) the first detection region and (b) the second detection region is configured to detect an obstacle when the lower leg support is extended.

23. The vehicle seat according to claim 19, wherein the sensor includes a bar arranged to cover and connect the first detection region and the second detection region, the bar configured to distribute pressure, that occurs when an obstacle is struck, between the first sensor region and the second sensor region.

24. The vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the control device is configured to at least one of (a) stop and (b) reverse the drive in accordance with detection of an obstacle.

25. A vehicle seat, comprising:

adjustable lower leg support means;

drive means for automatically adjusting the lower leg support means between a stowaway position and a position of use; and

control means for controlling the drive, the control means including sensing means arranged on the lower leg support and for detecting an obstacle.