CUSHION-LENGTH ADJUSTER FOR VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20190160990A1
• Filed: 09/26/2018
• Published: 05/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: MORROW, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,773,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/14 of adjustable shape; elastically mounted ; adaptable to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions movably-coupled seat and backrests with elastic adjustment means A47C1/03261; elastically-mounted back-rests or backrest-seat units in the base frame A47C7/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0284 Adjustable seat-cushion length B60N2/0224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/72 Attachment or adjustment thereof

Abstract

An occupant-support base includes a seat pan and a seat pad. The seat pan and the seat pad cooperate to support an occupant thereon. The seat pad includes a fixed portion and a movable portion that is configured to move relative to the fixed portion.

Claims

1. An occupant-support base comprising

a seat pan,

a seat pad coupled to the seat pan to define a space therebetween and adapted to support an occupant above the seat pan, and

a pad-extension system configured to move a movable portion of the seat pad relative to the seat pan between a retracted configuration in which the seat pad has a first occupant support length and an extended configuration in which the seat pad has a second occupant-support length that is greater than the first occupant-support length,

wherein the pad-extension system includes a movable-seat pan located in the space between the seat pan and the seat pad, a movable-pan mount located in the space between the seat pan and the seat pad, and an actuator coupled to the seat pan, and the movable-seat pan is fixed to the movable-pan mount such that the actuator causes the movable-seat pan and the movable-pan mount to translate relative to the seat pan in the space between the retracted configuration and the extended configuration.

2. The occupant-support base of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a motor coupled to bottom surface of the seat pan and a pinion mounted to the motor for pivotable rotation about a pinion axis and the pinion extends upwardly toward the seat pad, through the seat pan, and into engagement with the movable-pan mount.

3. The occupant-support base of claim 2, wherein the pinion axis is perpendicular to the movable-pan mount.

4. The occupant-support base of claim 3, wherein the space between the seat pan and the seat pad is about equal to a thickness of the pinion and the movable-seat pan.

5. The occupant-support base of claim 4, wherein the space is less than or equal to about 15 millimeters.

6. The occupant-support base of claim 4, wherein the space is equal to about 12.75 millimeters.

7. The occupant-support base of claim 2, wherein the movable-pan mount is formed to include a rack aperture defined by a perimeter edge and a rack is coupled to the perimeter edge.

8. The occupant-support base of claim 1, wherein the movable-pan mount is formed to include a plurality of guide slots that extend through the movable-pan mount parallel to one another.

9. The occupant-support base of claim 8, wherein the plurality of guide slots includes a major guide slot, a first minor-guide slot, and a second-minor guide slot.

10. The occupant-support base of claim 9, wherein the major-guide slot is positioned centrally on the movable-pan mount and the first and second minor-guide slots are spaced apart from the major-guide slot on opposite sides from one another.

11. The occupant-support base of claim 10, wherein a plurality of movable-pan mount fasteners extend though the guide slots and into corresponding holes to couple slidingly the movable-pan mount to the seat pan.

12. The occupant-support base of claim 11, wherein the movable-pan mount fasteners include a first fastener and a second fastener that each extend through the major-guide slot, a third fastener that extends through the first minor-guide slot, and a fourth fastener that extends through the second minor-guide slot.

13. The occupant-support base of claim 1, wherein the movable-seat pan includes a mount plate coupled to the movable-pad mount and a seat-pad mover coupled to an end of the mount plate and configured to extend outwardly away from the occupant-support base in the extended configuration to increase the occupant support length of the seat pad.

14. The occupant-support base of claim 13, wherein the seat-pad mover includes a first shell coupled to the mount plate and a second shell coupled selectively to the first shell.

15. The occupant-support base of claim 14, wherein the second part is formed to include a motor-receiving space and the motor is arranged to lie in the motor-receiving space when the pad-extension system is in the retracted configuration.

16. An occupant support comprising

a seat back,

a seat bottom including a seat pan and at seat pad spaced apart from at least a portion of the seat pan to define a space therebetween and adapted to support an occupant above the seat pan, and

a pad-extension system configured to move a movable portion of the seat bottom between a retracted configuration in which the seat bottom has a first occupant support length and an extended configuration in which the seat bottom has a second occupant-support length that is greater than the first occupant-support length,

wherein the pad-extension system includes a movable-seat pan located between the seat pan and the seat pad, a movable-pan mount located between the seat pan and the seat pad, and an actuator coupled to the seat pan, and the movable-seat pan is fixed to the movable-pan mount such that the actuator causes the movable-seat pan and the movable-pan mount to translate relative to the seat pan in the space between the retracted configuration and the extended configuration.

17. The occupant-support base of claim 16, wherein the actuator includes a motor coupled to a bottom surface of the seat pan such that the actuator extends upwardly toward the seat pad and into engagement with the movable-pan mount and a pinion mounted on the motor for pivotable rotation about a pinion axis, and the pinion axis is perpendicular to the movable-pan mount.

18. The occupant-support base of claim 17, wherein the space between the seat pan and the seat pad is about equal to a thickness of the pinion and the movable-seat pan.

19. The occupant-support base of claim 18, wherein the space has a thickness less than about 15 millimeters.

20. The occupant-support base of claim 19, wherein the space has a thickness equal to about 12.75 millimeters.