A SEAT ARRANGEMENT

• US 20160318422A1
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adient US, LLC (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: CLARK, Kenneth M., HICKS, Robert J., SANKARAN, Ganesh, THOMAS, Michael John, MICHALAK, Eric B., ZIMMERBEUTEL, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 10,189,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01 Arrangement of seats relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• 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 2/30 Non-dismountable or dismountable seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3043 about longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3086 Disappearing in a recess of the cushion

Abstract

A seat arrangement, particularly for a vehicle, that includes a second row seat arrangement. The second row seat arrangement includes a first seat, a second seat and a third seat. The first seat can be stored such that direct access to a third row seat arrangement is not limited by the second row seat arrangement. In a two row vehicle, the second row seat arrangement with the first seat stored provides extra space in the second row for placing cargo.

Claims

1. A seat arrangement, comprising:

a first seat adjacent to a curb side of a vehicle with said first seat movable from a deployed position to a stored position;

a second seat;

a third seat, said first seat being smaller than said second seat and said third seat.

2. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first seat is directly accessible from a position outside of the vehicle.

3. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein a space is defined adjacent to the curb-side of the vehicle for ingress and egress to a third row seating arrangement with said first seat in said stored position.

4. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 3, wherein said first seat is stored in said second seat in said stored position, said first seat being pivotably connected to said second seat.

6. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

a front passenger seat, wherein said first seat is stored under said front passenger seat in said stored position.

7. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second seat is movable in a lateral direction such that said second seat is movable in a direction of said third seat and in a direction away from said third seat.

8. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second seat is movable in a forward direction and a rearward direction, said forward direction being parallel to a traveling direction of the vehicle, said rearward direction being opposite the traveling direction of the vehicle.

9. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third seat is arranged adjacent to said second seat with said first seat in said deployed position to define a three seat arrangement, said first seat being arranged adjacent to said second seat in said three seat arrangement.

10. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 9, wherein said first seat, said second seat and said third seat define a second row seat surface in said three seat arrangement, said first seat defining at least twenty percent of said second row seat surface.

5. (canceled)

11. A seat arrangement, comprising:

a first seat;

a second seat; and

a third seat, said first seat being mounted for movement such that said first seat is movable between a deployed position and a stored position, wherein direct access is provided to a third row seating arrangement with said first seat in said stored position.

12. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 11, wherein said first seat is located in an outboard position of a second row seat arrangement with said first seat in said deployed position, said outboard position being adjacent to a curb-side of a vehicle.

13. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 11, wherein said first seat comprises a first seat size, said second seat comprises a second seat size and said third seat comprises a third seat size, said first seat size being less than said second seat size and said third seat size.

14. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 11, wherein said third seat is arranged adjacent to said second seat with said first seat in said deployed position, said first seat being arranged adjacent to said second seat in said deployed position, wherein said first seat is directly accessible from a position outside a vehicle.

15. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 11, wherein said first seat is pivotably connected to said second seat.

16. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 11, wherein said first seat is stored in said second seat in said stored position.

17. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 11, wherein said second seat is mounted for movement such that said second seat is movable in a direction of said third seat and in a direction away from said third seat.

18. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 11, wherein said second seat is movable in a forward direction and in a rearward direction, said forward direction being parallel to a traveling direction of a vehicle, said rearward direction being opposite the traveling direction of the vehicle.

19. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 11, wherein said first seat is an outboard seat, wherein said outboard seat is stowable such that a second row seat arrangement does not limit access to said third row seating arrangement from a curb-side of a vehicle with said outboard seat in said stored position.

20. A seat arrangement in accordance with claim 19, wherein said second row seat arrangement comprises said second seat and said third seat, said third seat being located on one side of said second seat with said outboard seat in said deployed position, said second seat and said third seat defining a two seat configuration with said outboard seat in said stored position, said second seat, said third seat and said outboard seat defining a three seat configuration with said outboard seat in said deployed position, said outboard seat being located on another side of said second seat in said deployed position, wherein a size of said outboard seat is less than a size of said second seat and said third seat.

21. A seat arrangement, comprising:

a second row seat arrangement comprising an outboard seat, wherein said outboard seat is stowable such that a space is defined adjacent to a curb-side of a vehicle for storage of items with said outboard seat in a stored position.