Power Folding Seat Mechanism
First Claim
1. A power riser assembly operatively coupled between a seat assembly and a floor of an automotive vehicle for moving the seat assembly between a seating position spaced above the floor and a stowed position disposed within a recessed cavity in the floor, said power riser assembly comprising:
- an anchor adapted to be fixedly secured to the floor, said anchor having opposite seating and stowed end stops;
a rear leg extending between an upper end pivotally coupled to the seat assembly defining an upper axis and a lower end pivotally coupled to said anchor defining a lower axis, said rear leg adapted for engaging said seating and stowed end stops, and said rear leg adapted for engaging the seat assembly as said rear leg travels between said seating and stowed end stops;
a drive mechanism mounted to the seat assembly;
a drive linkage operatively coupled between said drive mechanism and said anchor, said drive linkage operable for pivoting the seat assembly about said lower axis and said upper axis and for transferring pivotal movement of the seat assembly between said lower axis and said upper axis;
wherein said drive linkage pivots the seat assembly about said lower axis in response to operation of said drive mechanism in a first direction such that said rear leg travels from said seating end stop to said stowed end stop, and said drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of the seat assembly to said upper axis in response to continued operation of said drive mechanism in said first direction when said rear leg engages said stowed end stop thereby moving the seat assembly to the stowed position, and wherein said drive linkage pivots the seat assembly about said upper axis in response to operation of said drive mechanism in a second direction, and said drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of the seat assembly to said lower axis in response to continued operation of said drive mechanism in said second direction when said rear leg engages the seat assembly such that said rear leg travels from said stowed end stop to said seating end stop thereby moving the seat assembly to the seating position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A power riser assembly riser assembly includes a rear leg pivotally coupled between a seat assembly and a vehicle floor defining upper and lower axes. A drive linkage is operatively coupled between the seat assembly and floor. A drive mechanism coupled to the drive linkage actuates in a first direction causing the drive linkage to pivot the seat assembly about the lower axis from a seating position to an intermediate position whereat the drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of the seat assembly to the upper axis, thereby moving the seat assembly to the stowed position. The drive mechanism actuates in a second direction causing the drive linkage to pivot the seat assembly about the upper axis from the stowed position to the intermediate position whereat the drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of the seat assembly to the lower axis, thereby moving the seat assembly to the seating position.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A power riser assembly operatively coupled between a seat assembly and a floor of an automotive vehicle for moving the seat assembly between a seating position spaced above the floor and a stowed position disposed within a recessed cavity in the floor, said power riser assembly comprising:
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an anchor adapted to be fixedly secured to the floor, said anchor having opposite seating and stowed end stops; a rear leg extending between an upper end pivotally coupled to the seat assembly defining an upper axis and a lower end pivotally coupled to said anchor defining a lower axis, said rear leg adapted for engaging said seating and stowed end stops, and said rear leg adapted for engaging the seat assembly as said rear leg travels between said seating and stowed end stops; a drive mechanism mounted to the seat assembly; a drive linkage operatively coupled between said drive mechanism and said anchor, said drive linkage operable for pivoting the seat assembly about said lower axis and said upper axis and for transferring pivotal movement of the seat assembly between said lower axis and said upper axis; wherein said drive linkage pivots the seat assembly about said lower axis in response to operation of said drive mechanism in a first direction such that said rear leg travels from said seating end stop to said stowed end stop, and said drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of the seat assembly to said upper axis in response to continued operation of said drive mechanism in said first direction when said rear leg engages said stowed end stop thereby moving the seat assembly to the stowed position, and wherein said drive linkage pivots the seat assembly about said upper axis in response to operation of said drive mechanism in a second direction, and said drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of the seat assembly to said lower axis in response to continued operation of said drive mechanism in said second direction when said rear leg engages the seat assembly such that said rear leg travels from said stowed end stop to said seating end stop thereby moving the seat assembly to the seating position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A power riser assembly operatively coupled between a seat assembly and a vehicle floor, the floor having seating and stowed end stops for moving the seat assembly between a seating position spaced above the floor, an intermediate position, and a stowed position disposed within a recessed cavity in the floor, said power riser assembly comprising:
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a rear leg extending between a lower end and an upper end, said lower end adapted to be pivotally coupled to the floor defining a lower axis, said upper end pivotally coupled to the seat assembly defining an upper axis, said rear leg adapted for engaging the seating end stop, the stowed end stop, and the seat assembly; a drive mechanism mounted to the seat assembly; a drive linkage operatively coupled between said drive mechanism and the floor, wherein said drive mechanism actuates in a first direction causing said drive linkage to pivot the seat assembly about said lower axis from the seating position, defined when said lower end of said rear leg engages the seating end stop, to the intermediate position, defined when said lower end of said rear leg engages the stowed end stop, whereat said drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of the seat assembly to said upper axis thereby moving the seat assembly to the stowed position, and wherein said drive mechanism actuates in a second direction causing said drive linkage to pivot the seat assembly about said upper axis from the stowed position to the intermediate position, defined when said upper end of said rear leg engages the seat assembly, whereat said drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of the seat assembly to said lower axis thereby moving the seat assembly to the seating position.
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14. A seat assembly for supporting an occupant in an automotive vehicle having a floor with a recessed cavity, said seat assembly comprising:
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a seat cushion; a seat back operatively coupled to said seat cushion for pivotal movement between a generally upright position and a forwardly folded flat position overlying said seat cushion; an anchor adapted to be fixedly secured to the floor, said anchor having opposite seating and stowed end stops; a rear leg extending between a lower end pivotally coupled to said anchor defining a lower axis and an upper end pivotally coupled to said seat assembly defining an upper axis, said rear leg adapted for engaging said seating and stowed end stops, and said rear leg adapted for engaging said seat cushion as said rear leg travels between said seating and stowed end stops; a drive mechanism mounted to said seat assembly; a drive linkage operatively coupled between said drive mechanism and said anchor, said drive linkage operable for pivoting said seat assembly about said lower axis and said upper axis and for transferring pivotal movement of said seat assembly between said lower axis and said upper axis; wherein said drive linkage pivots said seat assembly about said lower axis in response to operation of said drive mechanism in a first direction such that said rear leg travels from said seating end stop to said stowed end stop, and said drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of said seat assembly to said upper axis in response to continued operation of said drive mechanism in said first direction when said rear leg engages said stowed end stop thereby moving said seat assembly to a stowed position disposed within the recessed cavity, and wherein said drive linkage pivots said seat assembly about said upper axis in response to operation of said drive mechanism in a second direction, and said drive linkage transfers pivotal movement of said seat assembly to said lower axis in response to continued operation of said drive mechanism in said second direction when said rear leg engages said seat cushion such that said rear leg travels from said stowed end stop to said seating end stop thereby moving said seat assembly to a seating position spaced above the floor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification