RECLINER HOLD-OPEN MECHANISM FOR A VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20140015297A1
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Interieur Industrie (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Cooley, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,545,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/378.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3009 about transversal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3013 the back-rest being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/366 characterised by the locking device
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/952 characterised by details of the locking system

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat back is coupled to a seat base for movement between an upright position and a folded-forward position when a vehicle seat recliner is in an open configuration. The vehicle seat includes a recliner hold-open mechanism that locks the recliner in the open configuration even after a user releases a handle or otherwise disengages an actuator of the recliner. The seat back is thus free to move between the upright and folded-forward positions without the user being required to hold the actuator in any particular position during the movement. The hold-open mechanism may be configured to cooperate with a seat-base motion controller to free the vehicle seat for movement along a foundation frame while the seat back is between the upright and folded-forward positions.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a seat base;

a seat back coupled to the seat base for movement between an upright position and a folded-forward position about a seat-back pivot axis;

a recliner having an actuator configured to change the recliner from a closed configuration to an open configuration when the actuator is engaged, wherein seat back movement about the seat-back pivot axis is prevented in the closed configuration and allowed in the open configuration; and

a recliner hold-open mechanism configured to lock the recliner in the open configuration when the actuator is disengaged while the recliner is in the open configuration.

2. A vehicle seat as defined in claim 1, wherein the recliner hold-open mechanism comprises a cam plate coupled to the seat back for movement therewith about the seat-back pivot axis and a cam follower coupled to the seat base for movement about a different pivot axis.

3. A vehicle seat as defined in claim 2, wherein the recliner hold-open mechanism comprises a hold-open link coupled to the cam follower and to the recliner.

4. A vehicle seat as defined in claim 1, further comprising a track lock coupled to the seat base and configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein seat base movement along a foundation frame is prevented in the engaged position and allowed in the disengaged position.

5. A vehicle seat as defined in claim 4, wherein the recliner hold-open mechanism comprises a cam follower coupled to the seat base for movement about a different pivot axis, the cam follower being configured to move the track lock to the disengaged position during movement of the seat back between the upright position and the folded-forward position.

6. A vehicle seat as defined in claim 5, further comprising a forward slide blocker configured to move between a lowered position and a raised position, wherein seat movement along the foundation frame beyond a set point is prevented in the lowered position and allowed in the raised position.

7. A vehicle seat as defined in claim 6, wherein the track lock and the forward slide blocker are configured to be in respective disengaged and raised positions during seat back movement between the upright position and the folded-forward position.

8. A vehicle seat as defined in claim 6, wherein the cam follower includes a protrusion that engages the forward slide blocker during seat back movement between the upright position and the folded-forward position so that the track lock and the forward slide blocker are in respective disengaged and raised positions during seat back movement between the upright position and the folded-forward position.

9. A method of moving a seat back of a vehicle seat between an upright position and a folded-forward position, comprising the steps of:

(a) engaging an actuator while the seat back is in one of the upright position or the folded-forward position;

(b) moving the seat back about a seat-back pivot axis to a position between the upright position and the folded-forward position;

(c) disengaging the actuator while the seat back is the position of step (b); and

(d) moving the seat back about the seat-back pivot axis to the other one of the upright or folded-forward positions.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of moving the vehicle seat along a foundation frame after step (a).

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of changing a track lock from an engaged position to a disengaged position to allow the vehicle seat to move along the foundation frame.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) includes the step of changing the track lock.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of changing a forward slide blocker from a lowered position to a raised position to allow the vehicle seat to move past a set point during the step of moving the vehicle seat along the foundation frame.