MODULAR SEAT/CONSOLE FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20070158979A1
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Gam, Wee, Klein, James, Kolena, David, Vakil, Sanjay, Kirk, Daniel, Calvert, Kyle, Saberan, Mohammad, Phillips, Brian, Kresky, Fred, Dlugosz, Artur
• Granted Patent: US 7,677,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01558 with key and slot
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0843 about a longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/206 to a position in which it can be used as a support for objects, e.g. as a tray
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane

Abstract

A center seat console that moves between a forward position between front seats, an intermediate position, and a rear position between rear seats is disclosed. The seat/console may function as a seat in the rear seat position, or in the intermediate position. In the intermediate position, the seat/console in the seat configuration may advantageously be used to support a child safety seat. The seat/console may also be configured as a console in either the rear seat, intermediate, or front seat positions. The seat/console is provided with an adjustable height support that permits the seat/console to be lowered to fit beneath arm rests assembled to the front seats when it is desired to place the console between the front seats.

Claims

1. A seating arrangement for a vehicle interior, comprising:

a front row of seats having a first space between a left front seat and a right front seat;

a rear row of seats having a second space between a left rear seat and a right rear seat;

a track extending from the first space to the second space;

a modular seat/console assembled to the track for movement between the first space and the second space; and

wherein the modular seat/console may be moved to an intermediate position relative to the first and second spaces in front of the rear row of seats and behind the front row of seats and may be locked in the intermediate position.

2. The seating arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a child safety seat that is secured to the modular seat/console.

3. The seating arrangement of claim 1 wherein the track has a port at a point along the length of the track through which the modular seat/console may be selectively assembled to the track and removed from the track.

4. The seating arrangement of claim 1 wherein the modular seat/console further comprises a seat base and an articulated base unit that connects the seat base to the track.

5. The seating arrangement of claim 4 wherein the articulated base unit comprises vertically elongated links extending between the seat base and the track, the links each having pivots on an upper end and on a lower end, wherein the links, the seat base and the track cooperate to form an articulated linkage.

6. The seating arrangement of claim 5 further comprising a lock wherein the articulated linkage may be selectively locked in a raised position wherein the modular seat/console is disposed at a first height relative to the track and may be selectively locked in a lowered position wherein the modular seat/console is disposed at a second height that is lower than the first position.

7. A modular center seat/console for a vehicle interior having a front row of seats arranged with a first space between a left front seat and a right front seat, the left front seat having an arm rest having a bottom surface at a first height and the right front seat having an armrest having bottom surface at the first height, a rear row of seats arranged with a second space between a left rear seat and a right rear seat, a track extending from the first space to the second space, the modular center seat/console comprising:

a seat base and seat back that may be positioned to form a bench seat in conjunction with the left rear seat and the right rear seat in a first position, and wherein the seat back may be folded over the seat base to form a center console in a second position, the center seat/console being assembled to the track for movement between the first space and the second space; and

wherein the modular center seat/console is disposed at a second height that is above the first height when in the second space and wherein the modular seat/console is adjusted vertically to be disposed at a third height that is below the first height when in the first position such that the modular seat/console fits below the armrests of the front seats.

8. The modular center seat/console of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of legs that support the seat base relative to the track wherein the angular orientation of the legs may be changed and locked in one of a plurality of positions to change the height of the seat base.

9. The modular center seat/console of claim 7 wherein the seat back may not be placed in the first position at a location forward of a predetermined position.

10. The modular center seat/console of claim 7 further comprising a lock that secures the modular center seat/console in a selected position on the track.

11. The modular center seat/console of claim 10 wherein the lock may be used to selectively secure the modular center seat/console to the track in a rear most position between the left rear seat and the right rear seat, in a forward position between the left front seat and the right front seat, and in an intermediate position relative to the first and second spaces in front of the rear row of seats and behind the front row of seats.

12. The modular center seat/console of claim 7 wherein the left rear seat and the right rear seat are attached to the vehicle for movement between a sub-floor stowed position in a stowage well and a seating position.

13. The modular center seat/console of claim 7 further comprising a vehicle floor having a nominal height wherein the track is secured to the vehicle floor without extending above the nominal height.

14. A modular center seat/console assembly for a vehicle that is assembled to a track that extends between a first row of seats and a second row of seats on a floor of the vehicle, the modular center seat/console assembly comprising:

a seat base;

a seat back pivotally attached to the seat base for movement between a seating position and a console position;

an articulated linkage connecting the seat base to the track on the floor of the vehicle, the linkage being adjustable to change the spacing between the seat base and the floor of the vehicle when the seat back is in the console position, wherein the modular center seat/console assembly is movable fore-and-aft to a position between the two rows of seats, wherein the height of the modular center seat/console assembly may be adjusted to different heights depending upon whether the modular center seat/console assembly is located near the first or second rows of seats.

15. The modular center seat/console of claim 14 wherein the articulated linkage further comprises a plurality of legs that support the seat base relative to the track wherein the angular orientation of the legs may be changed and locked in one of a plurality of positions to change the height of the seat base.

16. The modular center seat/console of claim 14 further comprising a lock that secures the modular center seat/console in a selected position on the track.

17. The modular center seat/console of claim 16 wherein the lock may be used to selectively secure the modular center seat/console to the track in a rear most position between the left rear seat and the right rear seat, in a forward position between the left front seat and the right front seat, and in an intermediate position relative to the first and second spaces in front of the rear row of seats and behind the front row of seats.

18. The modular center seat/console of claim 14 further comprising a vehicle floor having a nominal height wherein the track is secured to the vehicle floor without extending above the nominal height.

19. The modular center console of claim 14 wherein the articulated linkage comprises at least two four bar links wherein the seat base is one of the links and a carriage that attaches to the track is one of the links and the other two links are members that extend vertically between the seat base and the carriage.

20. The modular center console of claim 14 wherein the seat back has a rear surface in the first position that is reoriented to be a top surface in the second position, the top surface having cup holders and a table top surface.