Patent Application
20060175517
The present invention relates generally to folding vehicle seat assemblies. More particularly, the invention relates to an assembly, method, and system providing sliding movement in conjunction with a folding seat in a vehicle.
Conventional vehicle folding seat assemblies provide for the mechanical folding operation of a seat back between a seat position and a collapsed position for stowing. Often times it is necessary to provide at least a secondary action from a user of the vehicle in order to ready the seat assembly for stowing. For example, a user may be required to activate a seat release, and bring a seat to its most forward position prior to stowing. This makes the seat assembly difficult to use and less attractive to the user.
It would be desirable to provide a seat assembly that automatically brings a seat forward into its stowing position.
A first aspect of the present invention provides a seating assembly for a vehicle. The assembly includes a seat slidably engaged with a seat track, an activation device, and a seat track release member. The activation device positions the seat track release member to allow slidable movement of the seat as the seat is pivoted forward, automatically bringing the seat to a forward position.
A second aspect of the invention provides a method for positioning a seat in a vehicle. The method includes pivoting the seat toward a stow position, releasing engagement of the seat with a seat track in response to the pivoting, and allowing the seat to slide automatically to a forward position in the seat track.
A third aspect of the invention provides a seat assembly for a vehicle. The assembly includes a seat slidably engaged with a seat track, means for pivoting the seat toward a stow position, means for releasing engagement of the seat with the seat track operably connected to the pivoting means, means for activating the releasing means, and means for allowing the seat to slide automatically to a forward position in the seat track when the activating means activates the releasing means.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The figures are not drawn to scale. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention, rather than limiting the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
FIGS. 2 is a front elevated view of right seat version of the seat assembly shown in
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements,
Also referring to
Further referring to
Further referring to
Further included in assembly 10 are folding mechanism 28, rear seat legs 30, stow belt 32, and vehicle mount 34. When a vehicle user begins the stowing process by pulling stow belt 32, rear seat legs 30 are disengaged from the vehicle, and the back of the seat is able to be raised by further pulling on the belt or by lifting on the seat bottom. Folding mechanism 28 allows rear seat legs 30 to be folded inward as the rear of seat base 14 is raised, and seat base 14 is rotated forward. In one embodiment, rotational movement of the seat base 14 is translated to a force via activation device 18 to activate release member 16, disengaging seat base 14. As seat base 14 is rotated forward, the relative distance of parts of seat base 14 with respect to forward seat legs 22 increases. As this distance increases, release cable 20 is pulled, and activation device 18 disengages seat base 14. In one embodiment, activation device 18 attaches release cable 20 to release member 16, and pulling release cable 20 results in a pull or lift on release member 16 thereby disengaging seat base 14.
In an exemplary embodiment, as seat base 14 is rotated forward the angle of the seat base 14 with respect to the vehicle increases. As this angle increases, and once the seat base 14 is disengaged, the force of gravity acting on the weight may pull the seat forward. In this way, the seat is brought to a full forward position during the stow process without additional steps by the vehicle user.
While the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are presently considered to be preferred, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The auto full forward seat adjuster and method are not limited to any particular design or arrangement.
Upon reading the specification and reviewing the drawings hereof, it will become immediately obvious to those skilled in the art that myriad other embodiments of the present invention are possible, and that such embodiments are contemplated and fall within the scope of the presently claimed invention. The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be embraced therein.
