AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE WITH RECONFIGURABLE SEATS

• US 20150137564A1
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Cuddihy, Mark A., Rao, Manoharprasad K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,227,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/94
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/203 taking a position opposite to the original one
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3056 along longitunal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors

Abstract

A vehicle includes a passenger compartment and a bench seat located in the passenger compartment. The bench seat has a bottom portion and a back portion and is configured to move from a front-facing position to a rear-facing position by moving the back portion toward a front of the passenger compartment for when the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a passenger compartment; and

a bench seat located in the passenger compartment, the bench seat including a bottom portion and a back portion;

wherein the bench seat is configured to move from a front-facing position to a rear-facing position by moving the back portion toward a front of the passenger compartment.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the back portion of the bench seat is configured to pivot relative to the bottom portion to move the bench seat from the front-facing position to the rear-facing position.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein moving the bench seat to the rear-facing position includes pivoting the back portion of the bench seat about an axis defined by the bottom portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a motor operably attached to the bench seat and configured to move the bench seat to the rear-facing position.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the motor is configured to move the bench seat to the front-facing position.

6. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the motor is configured to move the bench seat when the vehicle is stopped.

7. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the motor is configured to move the bench seat while the vehicle is moving and operating in the autonomous mode.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an airbag located in the passenger compartment behind the bench seat in the front-facing position and in front of the bench seat when in the rear-facing position.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the airbag is deployed only when the bench seat is in the rear-facing position.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the bench seat is configured to be reclined such that the bottom portion and the back portion are substantially aligned.

11. A vehicle comprising:

autonomous driving sensors;

an autonomous controller configured to receive signals generated by the autonomous driving sensors and control at least one vehicle subsystems according to the signals;

a passenger compartment; and

a bench seat located in the passenger compartment, the bench seat including a bottom portion and a back portion;

wherein the bench seat is configured to move from a front-facing position to a rear-facing position by moving the back portion toward a front of the passenger compartment.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the back portion of the bench seat is configured to pivot relative to the bottom portion to move the bench seat from the front-facing position to the rear-facing position.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein moving the bench seat to the rear-facing position includes pivoting the back portion about an axis defined by the bottom portion.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a motor operably attached to the bench seat and configured to move the bench seat to the rear-facing position.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the motor is configured to move the bench seat to the front-facing position.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the motor is configured to move the bench seat when the vehicle is stopped.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the motor is configured to move the bench seat while the vehicle is moving and operating in the autonomous mode.

18. The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising an airbag located in the passenger compartment behind the bench seat in the front-facing position and in front of the bench seat when in the rear-facing position, wherein the airbag is deployed only when the bench seat is in the rear-facing position.

19. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the bench seat is configured to be reclined such that the bottom portion and the back portion are substantially aligned.

20. A vehicle comprising:

autonomous driving sensors;

an autonomous controller configured to receive signals generated by the autonomous driving sensors and control at least one vehicle subsystems according to the signals;

a passenger compartment;

a bench seat located in the passenger compartment, the bench seat including a bottom portion and a back portion;

wherein the back portion of the bench seat is configured to pivot about an axis defined by the bottom portion toward a front of the passenger compartment to move the bench seat from a front-facing position to a rear-facing position;

a motor operably attached to the bench seat and configured to move the bench seat to at least one of the rear-facing position and the front-facing position; and

an airbag located in the passenger compartment behind the bench seat in the front-facing position and in front of the bench seat when in the rear-facing position, wherein the airbag is deployed only when the bench seat is in the rear-facing position.