Vehicle having a movable driving position

• US 6,991,060 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Chernoff, Adrian B., Pagliano, Eugenio
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C.
• Application Number:
  US10/318,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20030141736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 180/326, 180/329, 180/330, 297/344.21, 297/344.24
• US Class Current: 180/326
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01 Arrangement of seats relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence

Abstract

A vehicle has multiple movable driving positions resulting from a seat which is movable with respect to the vehicle chassis and has a driver'"'"'s vehicle interface which moves with the seat. A wire bundle interconnects the driver'"'"'s vehicle interface with controls for driving the vehicle. In one embodiment, a carousel rotates and a seat on the carousel revolves and rotates so that the seat continues to face forward.

Claims

1. A driver control for a vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

carousel structure rotatable with respect to the chassis; and

seating structure revolvable with the carousel structure to a plurality of positions from which a driver can control the vehicle;

wherein the seating structure is rotatable with respect to the carousel structure.

2. The driver control of claim 1, wherein the revolution of the seating structure is coordinated with the rotation of the carousel structure so that the seating structure revolves and faces in one predetermined direction as the carousel structure rotates.

3. A driver control cockpit adapted for a drivable vehicle having a rolling platform configured to provide steering, braking, and accelerating functions to the vehicle and controllable from the cockpit, the control cockpit comprising:

carousel structure adapted to be rotatable with respect to the rolling platform;

seating structure revolvable with the carousel structure to a plurality of positions from each of which a driver can drive the vehicle; and

a driver vehicle interface positionable with respect to the seating structure for operation in each of the positions, connectable to the rolling platform, and configured to control at least one of the steering accelerating, and braking functions of the rolling platform;

wherein the seating structure is rotatable with respect to the carousel structure.

4. The driver control cockpit of claim 3, wherein the rolling platform is controllable for at least another of the steering, braking, and accelerating functions by a foot action.

5. The driver control cockpit of claim 3, wherein the revolution of the seating structure is coordinated with the rotation of the carousel structure so that the seating structure faces in one predetermined direction as the carousel structure rotates.

6. The driver control cockpit of claim 3, wherein the rolling platform is controlled for the at least one of the vehicle driving functions in accordance with the position of the seating structure.

7. A driver control cockpit adapted for a drivable vehicle having a rolling platform controllable from the cockpit, the control cockpit comprising:

carousel structure including a pedestal defining a passageway adapted to be rotatable with respect to the rolling platform;

seating structure operatively connected to the pedestal and revolvable with the carousel structure to a plurality of positions from each of which a driver can drive the vehicle; and

a driver vehicle interface positionable with respect to the seating structure for operation in each of the positions and connectable to the rolling platform to control the rolling platform through the passageway in the pedestal;

wherein the seating structure includes a driver seat and a passenger seat adjacent to each other and revolvable with the passageway, and wherein a connection of the driver vehicle interface to the rolling platform includes a wire bundle having sufficient slack in cooperation with the revolving passageway so that control data may be passed between the driver vehicle interface and the rolling platform without overly twisting the wire bundle.

8. A driver control cockpit adapted for a drivable vehicle having a rolling platform controllable from the cockpit, the control cockpit comprising:

carousel structure including a pedestal defining a passageway adapted to be rotatable with respect to the rolling platform;

seating structure operatively connected to the pedestal and revolvable with the carousel structure to a plurality of positions from each of which a driver can drive the vehicle; and

a driver vehicle interface positionable with respect to the seating structure for operation in each of the positions and connectable to the rolling platform to control the rolling platform through the passageway in the pedestal;

wherein the plurality of positions is up to four positions forming a diamond pattern for the seating structure sufficient to define selectively a left-hand drive, right-hand drive, center-front drive, and center-rear drive.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a controllable rolling platform;

carousel structure rotatable with respect to the rolling platform;

seating structure revolvable with respect to the rolling platform to a plurality of positions from each of which a driver can drive the vehicle; and

a driver vehicle interface positionable with respect to the seating structure for operation in each of the positions and connectable to the rolling platform to control the platform;

wherein the seating structure includes a driver'"'"'s seat and a passenger seat.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the passenger seat has a foldable seatback, and one of the plurality of positions of the seating structure positions the driver'"'"'s seat behind the passenger seat with the foldable seatback folded down to provide a support table in front of the driver'"'"'s seat.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a controllable chassis including a by-wire steering system;

seating structure movable with respect to the chassis to a plurality of positions from each of which a driver can drive the vehicle; and

a driver vehicle interface movable with the seating structure for operation in each of the positions and connectable to the chassis to control the by-wire steering system.