SEAT ASSEMBLY HAVING REAR ACTUATED EGRESS MECHANISM

• US 20110127822A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Moegling, Peter James, Muck, Todd Rupert, Hazlewood, Robert Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,041 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 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence

Abstract

A seat assembly for an automotive vehicle having a rear actuated release mechanism is provided. The seat assembly includes a seat frame, and a seat back pivotally mounted to the seat frame about a pivot axis for movement between a seated position and a stowed position. The seat assembly further includes a release mechanism capable of locking, releasing, and moving the seat back from a seated position to a stowed position. The release mechanism is actuated by a release handle having an elongated slot formed therein. An egress mechanism operable to actuate the release mechanism from the rear of the seat assembly, includes a bracket pivotally attached to the seat frame and having a pin engaged within the slot of the release handle. The rotation of the bracket from a first position to a second position rotates the release handle to actuate the release mechanism to pivot the seat back from the seated position to the stowed position.

Claims

1. A seat assembly for supporting an occupant in a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle, said seat assembly comprising:

a seat frame;

a seat back mounted to said seat frame to pivot about an axis between a seated position and a stowed position;

a release mechanism having a release handle, said release handle having an elongated slot, said release handle operable to actuate said release mechanism to move said seat back from said seated position to said stowed position; and

a bracket mounted to said seat frame to rotate about a rotation point, said bracket having a pin engaged within said slot of said release handle.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein rotation of said bracket from a first position to a second position rotates said release handle to actuate said release mechanism thereby moving said seat back from said seated position to said stowed position.

3. The seat assembly of claim 2, wherein said pin is disposed at a first end of said bracket.

4. The seat assembly of claim 3, wherein a release member is attached to a second end of said bracket, said release member extending beyond said rear end of said seat assembly.

5. The seat assembly of claim 4, wherein said rotation point is disposed on said bracket between said first end and said second end.

6. The seat assembly of claim 5, wherein a distance between said rotation point and said pin is equal to a distance between said pivot point and said release member.

7. The seat assembly of claim 2, wherein movement of said seat back from said stowed position to said seated position rotates said bracket from said second position to said first position.

8. The seat assembly of claim 2, wherein said slot has a pair of opposed ends, and wherein said pin is spaced apart from either of said pair of opposed ends when said bracket is in said first position or in said second position.

9. A seat assembly for supporting an occupant in a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle, said seat assembly comprising:

a seat frame;

a seat back mounted to said seat frame to pivot about an axis between a seated position and a stowed position;

a release mechanism having a release handle, said release handle having an elongated slot, said release handle operable to actuate said release mechanism to move said seat back from said seated position to said stowed position;

a bracket having a first end and a second, said bracket mounted to said seat frame to rotate about a rotation point disposed between said first end and said second end, said bracket having a pin extending from said first end, said pin being engaged within said slot; and

a release member attached to said second end of said bracket, said release member extending beyond a rear end of said seat assembly.

10. The seat assembly of claim 9, whereby upon actuation of said release member, said bracket rotates from a first position to a second position thereby rotating said release handle to actuate said release mechanism to move said seat back from a seated position to a stowed position.

11. The seat assembly of claim 9, wherein a distance between said rotation point and said pin is equal to a distance between said rotation point and said release member.

12. The seat assembly of claim 10, wherein movement of said seat back from said stowed position to said seated position moves said bracket from said second position to said first position.

13. The seat assembly of claim 10, wherein said elongated slot includes a pair opposed ends, and wherein said pin is spaced apart from either of said pair of opposed ends when said bracket is in said first position or in said second position.