Deployable leg rest assembly

• US 9,821,692 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Vyskocil, Henry, Heath, John
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Rodney B
• Application Number:
  US15/036,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20160288673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 29742326, 29742327, 29742328
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02258 characterised by the mounting of the electric motor for adjusting the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42763 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/995 Lower-leg-rests, e.g. calf-rests

Abstract

A deployable leg rest assembly (3) for mounting to a seat pan (9) of a vehicle seat frame (11) comprises a leg support (4), a mounting plate (13) and a deployment mechanism (6) for deploying the leg support (4). The deployment mechanism (6) connects the leg support (4) to the mounting plate (13). The mounting plate (13) is adapted to be located above the seat pan (9). The deployable leg rest assembly (3) can be mounted to different vehicle seats (1) by accessing the seat pans (9) of the corresponding vehicle seat frames (11).

Claims

1. A deployable leg rest assembly for a vehicle seat, the deployable leg rest assembly comprising:

a leg support;

a mounting plate mountable on top of a seat pan of a frame of the vehicle seat; and

a deployment mechanism that deploys the leg support, wherein the deployment mechanism connects the leg support to the mounting plate, and wherein the deployment mechanism comprises;

a four-bar linkage; and

first and second members mounted to the four-bar linkage, wherein the first and second members are pivotally coupled to each other, and wherein the first member is coupled to a first end of the leg support and the second member is coupled to a second end of the leg support.

2. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the mounting plate is profiled at least substantially to match a corresponding portion of the seat pan.

3. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting plate is configured to define a face-to-face relationship with the seat pan.

4. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting plate is configured to extend in a longitudinal direction over at least part of the seat pan.

5. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting plate is inclined so as to provide an anti-submarining feature.

6. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 5, wherein the mounting plate has a generally S-shaped longitudinal cross section, such that a front portion of the mounting plate is disposed vertically above a rear portion of the mounting plate.

7. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 1, wherein the deployment mechanism is configured to rotate and translate the leg support to a deployed configuration.

8. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 1, further comprising an actuator that actuates the deployment mechanism.

9. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 8, wherein the actuator comprises an electric motor drivingly coupled to a lead screw.

10. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 8, wherein the actuator is mounted to a first end of the mounting plate for positioning at a front end of the seat pan.

11. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 8, wherein the actuator is located beneath a front portion of the mounting plate.

12. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 11, wherein the front portion of the mounting plate defines a cavity for receiving the actuator.

13. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting plate is mountable to the seat pan by a plurality of mechanical fasteners.

14. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting plate comprises one or more reinforcing elements.

15. The deployable leg rest assembly of claim 14, wherein the one or more reinforcing elements comprise one or more reinforcing flanges extending substantially perpendicularly from the mounting plate.

16. A deployable leg rest assembly for mounting to a vehicle seat frame, the deployable leg rest assembly comprising:

a leg support;

a mounting plate mountable to a seat pan;

a deployment mechanism that deploys the leg support, wherein the deployment mechanism connects the leg support to the mounting plate, and wherein the deployment mechanism comprises;

a four-bar linkage; and

first and second members mounted to the four-bar linkage, wherein the first and second members are pivotally coupled to each other, and wherein the first member is coupled to a first end of the leg support and the second member is coupled to a second end of the leg support; and

an actuating apparatus that actuates the deployment mechanism, wherein the actuating apparatus is located beneath a front portion of the mounting plate.

17. A vehicle seat frame, comprising:

a seat pan; and

a deployable leg rest assembly, comprising;

a leg support;

a mounting plate mounted on top of the seat pan; and

a deployment mechanism that deploys the leg support, wherein the deployment mechanism connects the leg support to the mounting plate, and wherein the deployment mechanism comprises;

a four-bar linkage; and

first and second members mounted to the four-bar linkage, wherein the first and second members are pivotally coupled to each other, and wherein the first member is coupled to a first end of the leg support and the second member is coupled to a second end of the leg support.