VEHICLE SEAT ASSEMBLY HAVING WALK-IN AND FOLD-FLAT FEATURES

• US 20090096270A1
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Thiex, Andreas, Stanner, Martin, Halbig, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/378.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly having a sliding seat bottom, a slide lock mechanism, a seat back pivotally mounted to the seat bottom, a pivot lock mechanism, a walk-in pivot release actuator, a fold-flat pivot release actuator and a blocking member. The blocking member moves between first, second and neutral positions. The blocking member is connected to the slide lock mechanism and the fold-flat pivot release actuator. The seat back moves the blocking member from the neutral position to the first position when the walk-in pivot release actuator is actuated and the seat back pivots forward. The blocking member unlocks the slide lock release mechanism when the blocking member is in the first position. The fold-flat release actuator, when actuated, moves the blocking member from the neutral position to the second position. The blocking member does not obstruct the seat back from pivoting forward when in the second position.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly having a walk-in feature and a fold-flat feature, the vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom adapted to be slidably mounted to a floor of a vehicle;

a slide lock mechanism associated with the seat bottom for locking and releasing the seat bottom to slide, the slide lock mechanism being biased towards a locked condition;

a seat back pivotably mounted to the seat bottom;

a pivot lock mechanism associated with the seat back for locking and releasing the seat back to pivot, the pivot lock mechanism being biased towards a locked condition;

a walk-in pivot release actuator connected to the pivot lock mechanism and configured to unlock the pivot lock mechanism when actuated;

a fold-flat pivot release actuator connected to the pivot lock mechanism and configured to unlock the pivot lock mechanism when actuated; and

a blocking member mounted proximate the seat bottom, the blocking member being configured to move between a first position, a second position and a neutral position between the first and second positions, the blocking member being connected to the slide lock mechanism and to the fold-flat pivot release actuator, the seat back engaging the blocking member and moving the blocking member from the neutral position to the first position when the walk-in pivot release actuator is actuated and the seat back pivots forward, the blocking member obstructing further forward pivot of the seat back and unlocking the slide lock release mechanism when the blocking member is in the first position, the fold-flat release actuator moving the blocking member from the neutral position to the second position when the fold-flat release actuator is actuated and the blocking member being further configured to avoid obstructing the seat back from pivoting forward when the blocking member is in the second position.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a remote walk-in pivot release actuator;

a first linking member connecting the remote walk-in pivot release actuator to the walk-in pivot release actuator; and

a second linking member connecting the blocking member to the slide lock mechanism,

wherein the remote walk-in pivot release actuator is mounted to the seat back and wherein the blocking member is mounted to the seat bottom.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the first and second linking members each comprise a cable slidably disposed within a sleeve, the cables moving within their respective sleeves when pulled.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the walk-in pivot release actuator is mounted to an inboard surface of an outboard portion of the seat bottom.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the blocking member is mounted to an inboard surface of an outboard portion of the seat bottom.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 5 further comprising an elongate bar having first and second ends, the elongate bar being attached at the first end to the blocking member and the second end of the elongate bar protruding through the seat bottom to an outboard portion of the seat bottom, wherein the fold-flat pivot release actuator is mounted to an outboard portion of the seat bottom and the fold flat pivot release actuator is operatively connected to the blocking member through a connection to the second end of the elongate bar.

7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 further comprising a cover plate attached to the second end of the elongate bar, the fold-flat pivot release actuator being connected to the cover plate.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising a spring connecting the fold-flat pivot release actuator to the cover plate.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 8 wherein the spring is a clock spring mounted proximate the second end of the elongate bar.

10. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 9 wherein the fold-flat pivot release actuator has a downwardly projecting portion, and the cover plate has an upwardly projecting portion, the clock spring operatively connecting the downwardly projecting portion of the fold-flat pivot release actuator to the upwardly projecting portion of the cover plate.

11. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the seat back portion has a downwardly projecting protrusion, and the blocking member has an upwardly projecting protrusion, the seat back engaging the blocking member through contact between the downwardly projecting protrusion of the seat back and the upwardly projecting protrusion of the blocking member.

12. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 11 wherein the blocking member is a plate that lies substantially entirely within a plane containing the downwardly projecting protrusion of the seat back portion.

13. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the blocking member pivots between the first position, the second position and the neutral position.

14. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the seat back pivots between a nominal operating position and a fold-flat position, the seat back being disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the seat bottom when in the nominal operating position, and a substantial portion of the seat back being disposed substantially adjacent the seat bottom when in the fold-flat position, and wherein the forward pivot of the seat back causes the blocking member to release the slide-lock mechanism when the seat back is at an angle of between 30 and 35 degrees from the nominal operating position.

15. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 14 wherein the seat back causes the blocking member to release the slide-lock mechanism when the seat back is at an angle of approximately 33 degrees from the nominal operating position.

16. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 14 wherein the seat back is at an angle of between 50 and 60 degrees from the nominal operating position when the blocking member is in the first position.

17. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 16 wherein the seat back is at an angle of approximately 56 degrees from the nominal operating position when the blocking member is in the first position.

18. A vehicle seat assembly having a walk-in feature and a fold-flat feature, the vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom adapted to be slidably mounted to a floor of a vehicle by a plurality of rails;

a slide lock mechanism attached to the seat bottom for locking and releasing the seat bottom to slide on the rails, the slide lock mechanism being biased towards a locked condition;

a seat back pivotably mounted to the seat bottom;

a pivot lock mechanism associated with the seat back for locking and releasing the seat back to pivot, the pivot lock mechanism being biased towards a locked condition;

a walk-in pivot release actuator connected to the pivot lock mechanism and configured to unlock the pivot lock mechanism when actuated;

a fold-flat pivot release actuator connected to the pivot lock mechanism and configured to unlock the pivot lock mechanism when actuated; and

a blocking plate mounted proximate the seat bottom, the blocking plate being configured to pivot between a first position, a second position and a neutral position between the first and second positions, the blocking plate being connected to the slide lock mechanism and to the fold-flat pivot release actuator, the seat back engaging the blocking plate and moving the blocking plate from the neutral position to the first position when the walk-in pivot release actuator is actuated and the seat back pivots forward, the blocking plate obstructing further forward pivot of the seat back and unlocking the slide lock release mechanism when the blocking plate is in the first position, the fold-flat release actuator moving the blocking plate from the neutral position to the second position when the fold-flat release actuator is actuated and the blocking being further configured to avoid obstructing the seat back from pivoting forward when the blocking plate is in the second position.

19. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 18 further comprising a remote walk-in pivot release actuator and a first linking member connecting the remote walk-in pivot release actuator to the walk-in pivot release actuator, the vehicle seat assembly further comprising a second linking member connecting the blocking plate to the slide lock mechanism, wherein the remote walk-in pivot release actuator is mounted to the seat back and wherein the blocking plate is mounted to the seat bottom.

20. A vehicle seat assembly having a walk-in feature and a fold-flat feature, the vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom adapted to be slidably mounted to a floor of a vehicle by a plurality of rails;

a slide lock mechanism attached to the seat bottom for locking and releasing the seat bottom to slide on the rails, the slide lock mechanism being biased towards a locked condition;

a seat back pivotably mounted to the seat bottom;

a pivot lock mechanism associated with the seat back for locking and releasing the seat back to pivot, the pivot lock mechanism being biased towards a locked condition;

a walk-in pivot release actuator mounted to an inboard surface of an outboard portion of the seat back, the walk-in pivot release actuator being connected to the pivot lock mechanism and configured to release the pivot lock mechanism when actuated;

a fold-flat pivot release actuator attached to an outboard surface of an outboard portion of the seat bottom, the fold-flat pivot release actuator being connected to the pivot lock mechanism and configured to release the pivot lock mechanism when actuated; and

a blocking plate mounted to an inboard surface of an outboard portion of the seat bottom, the blocking plate being configured to pivot between a first position, a second position and a neutral position between the first and second positions, the blocking plate being operatively connected to the slide lock mechanism and operatively connected to the fold-flat pivot release actuator, the seat back engaging the blocking plate and pivoting the blocking plate from the neutral position to the first position when the walk-in pivot release actuator is actuated and the seat back pivots forward, the blocking plate obstructing further forward pivot of the seat back and unlocking the slide lock release mechanism when the blocking plate is in the first position, the fold-flat release actuator pivoting the blocking plate from the neutral position to the second position when the fold-flat release actuator is actuated and the blocking plate being further configured to avoid obstructing the seat back from pivoting forward when the blocking plate is in the second position.