LATERAL SLIDE VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20110121603A1
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Cozzo, Ronald C., Iwaki, Yasuhiro, Dressel, Brian E., Kyogoku, Osamu, Blatseas, Spyridon G., Mayne, Rudy M. JR., Lanz, William C., Burghardt, Ross L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/64
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01 Arrangement of seats relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01583 locking on transversal elements on the vehicle floor or rail, e.g. transversal rods

Abstract

An adjustable vehicle seat arrangement includes a plurality of strikers connected with a vehicle frame, an inboard vehicle seat, and an outboard vehicle seat. At least one outboard seat rear striker includes a latching section divider dividing the outboard seat rear striker into at least two laterally spaced apart latching sections. The outboard vehicle seat includes an outboard seat rear latch that cooperates with the outboard seat rear striker and an outboard seat front latch that cooperates with an outboard seat front striker. The outboard seat is generally laterally aligned with and laterally offset from the inboard seat. The outboard seat is laterally adjustable and the outboard seat rear latch is configured to engage the outboard seat rear striker at each of the at least two laterally spaced apart latching sections. A method for laterally adjusting a vehicle seat and a vehicle seat assembly are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat arrangement comprising:

a plurality of strikers connected with a vehicle frame including at least two outboard seat rear strikers and an outboard seat front striker, wherein at least one of the outboard seat rear strikers includes a latching section divider dividing the at least one outboard seat rear striker into at least two laterally spaced apart latching sections;

an inboard vehicle seat mounted to the vehicle frame; and

an outboard vehicle seat including at least two outboard seat rear latches that each cooperates with a respective outboard seat rear striker and an outboard seat front latch that each cooperates with the outboard seat front striker, wherein the outboard seat is generally laterally aligned with and laterally offset from the inboard seat, the outboard seat being laterally adjustable and at least one of the outboard seat rear latches being configured to engage the at least one outboard seat rear striker at each of the at least two laterally spaced apart latching sections.

2. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein when the outboard seat rear latches are disengaged from the respective outboard seat rear strikers and the outboard seat front latches are engaged with the respective outboard seat front strikers, the vehicle seat is pivotable about an axis generally defined by the outboard seat front strikers and the vehicle seat is movable in a lateral direction.

3. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one outboard seat rear latch is operable in a first operating position, a second operating position and a third operating position, in the first operating position the at least one outboard seat rear latch engages the at least one outboard seat rear striker at a first latching section of the at least two latching sections, in the second operating position the at least one outboard seat rear latch engages the at least one outboard seat rear striker at a second section of the at least two latching sections, and in the third operating position the at least one outboard seat rear latch is disengaged from the at least one outboard seat rear striker.

4. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 3, wherein the latching section divider contacts the at least one outboard seat rear latch to preclude lateral movement of the at least one outboard seat rear latch from the first latching section toward the second latching section when the at least one outboard seat rear latch is in the first operating position.

5. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a garnish adjacent the outboard seat strikers, the garnish including a locator wall aligned with the latching section divider in a longitudinal direction, the locator wall cooperating with the outboard seat to locate the vehicle seat in a lateral direction.

6. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 5, wherein the locator wall is disposed between the outboard seat rear striker and the outboard seat front striker.

7. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 5, wherein the outboard seat includes a locator feature selectively cooperating with the locator wall.

8. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein the latching section divider is annular ridge.

9. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 8, wherein the at least one outboard seat rear striker is generally U-shaped having a circular cross section and the latching section divider surrounds the circumference of the circular cross section.

10. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein the outboard seat includes a left hand mid-row seat and a right hand mid-row seat.

11. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 10, wherein the inboard seat is laterally disposed between the left hand mid-row seat and the right hand mid-row seat.

12. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 1, further comprising an inboard seat rear striker for mounting the inboard seat to the vehicle frame, wherein the inboard seat rear striker has a smaller lateral dimension than the outboard seat rear strikers.

13. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 12, wherein the lateral dimension of the outboard seat rear strikers is at least about twice the lateral dimension of the inboard seat rear striker.

21. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 6, wherein a width measured in the lateral direction of the locator wall is substantially equal to a width measured in the lateral direction of the latching section divider.

22. The vehicle seat arrangement of claim 7, wherein the outboard lateral seat includes an outer riser, at least one of the outboard seat rear strikers mounts to the outer riser, wherein the locator feature is a part of the outer riser.

14-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A vehicle seat assembly including:

a vehicle seat operable in a first lateral position and a second lateral position, which is offset laterally from the first lateral position, the vehicle seat including a rear latch and a front latch for securing the seat to a vehicle frame;

a rear striker cooperating with the rear latch for securing the vehicle seat to the vehicle frame, the rear striker including a generally cylindrical horizontal section and a substantially annular latching section divider dividing the horizontal section into a first latching section and a second latching section, wherein the rear latch engages the first latching section when the vehicle seat is in the first lateral position and the rear latch engages the second latching section when the vehicle seat is in the second lateral position; and

a front striker cooperating with the front latch for securing the vehicle seat to the vehicle frame.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the latching section divider entirely surrounds the circumference of the horizontal section.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the front latch is fixed to the vehicle seat and moves with the seat.

19. The assembly of claim 16, wherein each striker is generally U-shaped.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the rear striker includes an inner rear striker and an outer rear striker laterally spaced from the inner rear striker, and the rear latch includes an inner rear latch and an outer rear latch, wherein the inner rear latch latches to the inner rear striker and the outer rear latch latches to the outer rear striker.