SEAT RESTRAINING DEVICE

• US 20090121533A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Brown, Joseph Robert, Rao, Manoharprasad K., Spahn, Brian Robert, Kalina, Curtis David, Ruthinowski, Richard Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,862,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/378.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4249 fixed structures, i.e. where neither the seat nor a part thereof are displaced during a crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

The embodiments described herein provide a vehicle seat assembly that is coupled to a floor of a vehicle. The assembly comprises a seat back frame, a seat cushion frame, at least one leg and at least one blocking member. The seat cushion frame is pivotally coupled to the seat back frame. The leg is pivotally coupled to the seat cushion frame and pivotally coupled to the floor of the vehicle. The blocking member is coupled to the seat cushion frame and capable of moving into engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the folded position to the upright seating position. The blocking member is adapted to block movement of the leg and to stabilize the seat assembly in the event of a vehicle collision.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly coupled to a floor of a vehicle and adapted to move from a folded position to an upright seating position, the assembly comprising:

a seat back frame;

a seat cushion frame pivotally coupled to the seat back frame;

at least one leg pivotally coupled to the seat cushion frame and pivotally coupled to the floor of the vehicle; and

at least one blocking member coupled to the seat cushion frame and capable of moving into engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the folded position to the upright seating position, the blocking member is adapted to block movement of the leg and to stabilize the seat assembly in the event of a vehicle collision.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the blocking member is pivotally coupled to the seat cushion frame and is adapted to move in one of an inward and outward direction to engage the leg as the assembly moves from the folded position to the upright seating position.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the blocking member is adapted to move in one of an inward and outward direction to disengage from the leg as the assembly moves from the upright seating position to the folded position.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the blocking member comprises a first engagement surface and the leg comprises a second engagement surface for receiving the first engagement surface so that the blocking member remains engaged with the leg while the seat is in the upright seating position.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the first engagement surface comprises a first L-shaped surface and the second engagement surface comprises a second L-shaped surface, wherein the first L-shaped surface is adapted to inversely engage the second L-shaped surface so that the blocking member remains engaged with the leg while the seat is in the upright seating position.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the first engagement surface comprises a plate surface adapted to abut the second engagement surface of the leg so that the blocking member remains engaged with the leg.

7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a seat position adjustment mechanism coupled to the blocking member and adapted to move the blocking member into engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the folded position to the upright seating position.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the seat position adjustment mechanism is further adapted to move the blocking member out of engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the upright seating position to the folded position.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a seat belt retractor having a seat belt webbing disposed on an underside of the seat cushion frame proximate to the leg, the webbing is adapted to extend in a substantially parallel manner along at least a portion of the seat cushion frame and in a substantially parallel manner along at least a portion of the seat back frame.

10. A vehicle seat assembly coupled to a floor of a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a seat back frame;

a seat cushion frame coupled to the seat back frame;

at least one leg coupled to the seat cushion frame and to the floor of the vehicle; and

at least one blocking member coupled to the seat cushion frame and capable of moving into engagement with the leg in response to the vehicle experiencing an impact, the blocking member is adapted to block movement of the leg and stabilize the seat assembly in the event of vehicle impact.

11. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 10 wherein the blocking member is pivotally coupled to the seat cushion frame and is adapted to pivot toward the leg in response to the vehicle experiencing an impact.

12. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 10 wherein the blocking member includes a first engagement surface and the leg includes a second engagement surface, the first engagement surface is adapted to engage the second engagement surface and hold the blocking member in engagement with the leg in response to the vehicle experiencing the impact

13. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 10, wherein the blocking member includes a pivot portion and a weighted section, the pivot portion is pivotally coupled to the seat cushion frame and the weighted section is adapted to pivot toward the leg in response to the vehicle experiencing the impact

14. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 10 further comprising a restraining member integral or coupled to the seat cushion frame and engaged against the blocking member and a spring disposed about the seat cushion frame and coupled to the blocking member, the restraining member is adapted to keep the blocking member in a pre-loaded state while retained against the seat cushion frame and the spring is adapted to apply a spring force against the blocking member.

15. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 14 wherein the restraining member is adapted to release the blocking member from a retained position about the seat cushion frame in response to the vehicle experiencing impact and the spring is adapted to increase the speed at which the blocking member is moved toward the leg.

16. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 10 further comprising a seat belt retractor having a seat belt webbing disposed on an underside of the seat cushion frame and proximate to the leg and the webbing extends in a substantially parallel manner along at least a portion of the seat cushion frame and in a substantially parallel manner along at least a portion of the seat back frame.

17. A vehicle seat assembly coupled to a floor of a vehicle and adapted to move from a folded position to an upright seating position, the assembly comprising:

a seat back frame;

a seat cushion frame pivotally coupled to the seat back frame;

at least one leg pivotally coupled to the seat cushion frame and further coupled to the floor of the vehicle;

at least one blocking member coupled to a first side of the seat cushion frame which faces the floor of the vehicle capable of moving into engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the folded position to the upright seating position, the blocking member is adapted to block movement of the leg and to stabilize the seat assembly in the event of a vehicle collision; and

the blocking member being disengaged from the leg while the seat assembly is in the folded position.

18. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 17 the blocking member is pivotally coupled to the first side of the seat cushion frame and comprises a first engagement surface, the leg comprises a second engagement surface for receiving the first engagement surface so that the blocking member remains engaged with the leg while the seat is in the upright seating position.

19. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 17 further comprising a seat position adjustment mechanism coupled to the blocking member and adapted to move the blocking member into engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the folded position to the upright seating position and adapted to move the blocking member out of engagement with the leg as the assembly moves from the upright seating position to the folded position.

20. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 17 further comprising a seat belt retractor having a seat belt webbing disposed on the first side of the seat cushion frame and proximate to the leg, the webbing is adapted to extend in a fore/aft direction along the length of the vehicle and in a substantially parallel manner along at least a portion of the seat cushion frame and in a substantially parallel manner along at least a portion of the seat back frame, the retractor being adapted when in a locked state to function as a tension member for creating a rearward moment that restricts the forward rotation of the seat back frame.