Seat folding device of vehicle

• US 7,246,857 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Sang Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): EDELL, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US11/009,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 297/331, 297/332, 297/337, 297/DIG.10, 297/336, 296/65.01, 296/65.08, 296/65.05
• US Class Current: 297/331
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/309 rods

Abstract

The seat folding device of a vehicle includes a seat frame that linearly slides along an anteroposterior direction of the vehicle on a guide rail fixed to a floor panel of the vehicle. Two folding brackets are pivotally coupled at a front middle portion of the seat frame. A tilting bracket is coupled at the lower surface thereof to one end of the folding bracket by a hinge. A seat cushion is disposed at an upper side of the tilting bracket. The present invention thus constructed prevents deterioration of the appearance of the seat device and optimizes the stability of the vehicle, convenience of the user and marketability of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A seat folding device of a vehicle, the device comprising:

two folding brackets pivotally coupled to a front portion of a seat frame of the vehicle;

a tilting bracket coupled at the lower surface thereof to one end of each of said folding brackets by a hinge;

a seat cushion disposed at an upper side of said tilting bracket; and

a tilt-up device provided at said folding brackets and said tilting bracket, wherein said tilt-up device resiliently tilts up the front of said tilting bracket from said folding brackets according to a user'"'"'s control, said tilt-up device comprising;

a tilting shaft having a striker at a middle portion thereof and connecting the folding brackets;

elastic means lifting up the front of said tilting bracket from said folding brackets; and

a latch connecting to said tilting bracket and fixed to said striker.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said seat frame linearly slides along an anteroposterior direction of the vehicle on a guide rail fixed to a floor panel.

3. The device as defined in claim 2, wherein a hinge between said folding brackets and said seat frame is placed between said guide rail and the lower surface of said seat cushion.

4. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein a plate panel is further fixed to a lower surface of said seat cushion, said plate panel inwardly forms a space below said seat cushion for enclosing said folding brackets and said tilting bracket, and said plate panel is also fixed to an upper surface of said tilting bracket.

5. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tilt-up device further comprises:

a folding band connecting at one end thereof to said latch, wherein the other end of said folding band is exposed to the an outer side of said seat cushion.

6. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient means comprises a torsion spring arranged in a zigzag form between said tilting bracket and the lower surface of said seat cushion.

7. The device as defined in claim 6, wherein said torsion spring is fixed at the middle portion thereof to said tilting bracket and the lower surface of said seat cushion, wherein both ends of said torsion spring connect to said folding brackets.

8. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said latch includes:

a latch base fixed to said tilting bracket;

a latch arm pivotally fixed to said latch base; and

a spring supporting said latch arm to pivot said latch arm toward said striker.

9. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein a fixing loop is further upwardly equipped on the rear portion of said seat frame;

and a locking loop is installed to hook by penetrating said fixing loop at the rear end of said seat cushion.