Vehicle seat, particularly for a motor vehicle, comprising a folding back rest and a foldable seat base and method

• US 7,413,251 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2004
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc)
• Inventors: Link, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/590,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,382 Days
• Field of Search: 297/334, 297/378.12
• US Class Current: 297/334
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/072 Complex cross-section, e.g. obtained by extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0818 inside the rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0875 in a vertical direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3013 the back-rest being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3088 characterised by the mechanical link
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/309 rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/36 into a loading platform B60N2/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/366 characterised by the locking device

Abstract

An apparatus and method for adjusting a vehicle seat having a backrest and a seat base by moving the backrest and seat base at the same time to one of a normal position and a loading position. A transmission that may include a drive is provided and may further include a lock mechanism coupled to the vehicle seat.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat (25), particularly for a motor vehicle, comprising a backrest (1), a seat part (24) and a seat base (8), the backrest (1) being able to be set into a first seat back position and into a second seat back position by being pivotable relative to the seat part (24) about a first rotary spindle (3) arranged essentially transversely with respect to a main seating direction, and the seat base (8) being able to be set into a first seat base position and into a second seat base position by being pivotable relative to the seat part (24) about a second rotary spindle (10) arranged essentially transversely with respect to the main seating direction, including in the vehicle seat (25) a transmission configured in such a manner that a pivoting movement of the backrest (1) from the first seat back position into the second seat back position is coupled to a pivoting movement of the seat base (8) from a first seat base position into a second seat base position,

wherein the transmission comprises a first rail (5) and a second rail (6), with a first rail position of the rails (5, 6) relative to each other corresponding to the first seat back of the backrest (1) and the first seat base position of the seat base (8) and, a second rail position of the rails (5, 6) relative to each other corresponding to the second seat back position of the backrest (1) and the second seat base position of the seat base (8), and

wherein a longitudinal displacement of the rails (5, 6) relative to each other takes place between the first rail position of the rails (5, 6) and the second rail position of the rails (5, 6).

2. The vehicle seat (25) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spatial region taken up by the backrest (1) in the second seat back position at least partially overlaps a spatial region taken up by the seat base (8) in the first seat base position.

3. The vehicle seat (25) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second rotary spindles (3, 10) are provided essentially parallel to each other, essentially horizontally and, in the main seating direction, essentially at opposite ends of the seat part (24).

4. The vehicle seat (25) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle seat has a locking means in such a manner that the rails (5, 6) can be locked with respect to a longitudinal displacement.

5. The vehicle seat (25) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a drive is coupled to the rails (5, 6) wherein, a setting of the rails (5, 6) from the first rail position into the second rail position can be brought about.

6. The vehicle seat (25) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive is one of an electric actuator, pneumatic actuator and a hydraulic actuator.

7. The vehicle seat (25) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setting of the backrest (1) from the first seat back position into the second seat back position and the setting of the seat base (8) from the first seat base position into the second seat base position take place at the same time.

8. The vehicle seat (25) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the setting of the backrest (1) from the second seat back position into the first seat back position and the setting of the seat base (8) from the second seat base position into the first seat base position take place at the same time.

9. A method for adjusting a vehicle seat including a backrest and a seat base, the method comprising:

moving the backrest from a first seat back position to a second seat back position; and

moving the seat base from a first seat base position to a second seat base position,

wherein the moving of the backrest and the seat base occurs at the same time due to a transmission with rails that couple the backrest to the seat base and are displaced longitudinally relative to each other and the vehicle seat is in a cargo position.

10. The method for adjusting a vehicle seat of claim 9, wherein moving of the backrest from the second seat back position to the first seat back position occurs at the same time as moving the seat base from the second seat base position to the first seat base position, and the vehicle seat is in a normal position.

11. A method for adjusting a vehicle seat including a backrest, a seat part, a seat base and a transmission, the transmission comprising a first rail and a second rail, the method comprising:

providing the backrest (1) being able to be set into a first seat back position and into a second seat back position by being pivotable relative to the seat part (24) about a first rotary spindle (3) arranged essentially transversely with respect to a main seating direction;

providing the seat base (8) being able to be set into a first seat base position and into a second seat base position by being pivotable relative to the seat part (24) about a second rotary spindle (10) arranged essentially transversely with respect to the main seating direction;

coupling a pivoting movement of the backrest (1) from the first seat back position to the second seat back position to a pivoting movement of the seat base (8) from the first seat base position into the second seat base position with the transmission;

providing the transmission with a first rail position of the rails (5, 6) relative to each other corresponding to the first seat back position of the backrest (1) and the first seat base position of the seat base (8), and a second rail position of the rails (5, 6) relative to each other corresponding to the second seat back position of the backrest (1) and the second seat base position of the seat base (8); and

displacing the rails longitudinally relative to each other between the first rail position of the rails (5, 6) and the second rail position of the rails (5, 6).