US20130093218A1 - Seat Assembly Having a Folding Seat Bottom and Head Restraint - Google Patents
Seat Assembly Having a Folding Seat Bottom and Head Restraint Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20130093218A1 US20130093218A1 US13/273,491 US201113273491A US2013093218A1 US 20130093218 A1 US20130093218 A1 US 20130093218A1 US 201113273491 A US201113273491 A US 201113273491A US 2013093218 A1 US2013093218 A1 US 2013093218A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- seat
- assembly
- rotation
- axis
- seat back
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
- B60N2/24—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles
- B60N2/30—Non-dismountable or dismountable seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats
- B60N2/3038—Cushion movements
- B60N2/304—Cushion movements by rotation only
- B60N2/3045—Cushion movements by rotation only about transversal axis
- B60N2/305—Cushion movements by rotation only about transversal axis the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
- B60N2/80—Head-rests
- B60N2/806—Head-rests movable or adjustable
- B60N2/838—Tiltable
- B60N2/856—Tiltable movable to an inoperative or stowed position
- B60N2/859—Tiltable movable to an inoperative or stowed position specially adapted for rear seats
Definitions
- the present application relates to a seat assembly having a folding seat bottom and a head restraint.
- a seat assembly having a moveable head restraint is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,734.
- a seat assembly may include a seat mounting bracket, a seat bottom, a seat back, and a head restraint assembly.
- the seat bottom may be disposed proximate the seat mounting bracket and may be configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation.
- the seat back may be disposed proximate the seat bottom.
- the head restraint assembly may be disposed on the seat back and may be configured to move between a first position and a second position. The head restraint assembly may move from the first position to the second position when the seat bottom is rotated about the first axis of rotation with respect to the seat back.
- a seat assembly may include a seat mounting bracket, a seat bottom, a seat back, a head restraint assembly, and an actuator unit.
- the seat bottom may have a seat bottom frame that is rotatably disposed on the seat mounting bracket.
- the seat bottom frame may include a cam.
- the seat back may have a seat back frame that may be disposed on the seat bottom frame.
- the head restraint assembly may be disposed on the seat back frame and may be configured to move between a first position and a second position.
- the actuator unit may be disposed on the seat back frame. The head restraint assembly may move from the first position to the second position when the seat bottom is rotated with respect to the seat back and the cam actuates the actuator unit.
- a seat assembly may include a seat mounting bracket, a seat bottom, a seat back, and a head restraint assembly.
- the seat bottom may have a seat bottom frame that may be disposed on the seat mounting bracket and may rotate about a first axis of rotation.
- the seat back may be disposed on the seat bottom frame.
- the head restraint assembly may be disposed on the seat back and may be configured to move between a first position and a second position. The head restraint assembly may move from the first position to the second position when the seat bottom is rotated about the first axis of rotation toward the seat back.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary seat assembly.
- FIGS. 2-4 are fragmentary side views illustrating movement of the seat assembly.
- FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view of another embodiment of a seat assembly.
- the seat assembly 10 may be configured for use in a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle like a car or truck.
- the seat assembly 10 may be configured as a rear seat, such as a second or third row seat that may be disposed behind a driver seat.
- the seat assembly 10 may have a bench seat configuration that may include seating positions for multiple occupants.
- the seat assembly 10 may include a seat bottom 12 and a seat back 14 that may cooperate to support a seat occupant.
- the seat bottom 12 and seat back 14 may each include a trim cover 16 that may provide an exterior surface upon which a seat occupant may sit.
- Each trim cover 16 may at least partially cover or conceal a cushion 18 .
- the seat bottom 12 may include at least one seat mounting bracket 20 and a seat bottom frame 22 .
- the seat mounting bracket 20 may facilitate attachment or mounting of the seat assembly 10 to a mounting surface 24 , such as a floor pan of a vehicle.
- a mounting surface 24 such as a floor pan of a vehicle.
- Two seat mounting brackets 20 may be provided that are disposed along opposing lateral sides of the seat bottom 12 .
- the seat mounting bracket 20 may be fixedly or removably disposed on the mounting surface 24 .
- the seat bottom frame 22 may be rotatably disposed on the seat mounting bracket 20 to facilitate storage or stowing of the seat assembly 10 . More specifically, the seat bottom 12 and seat bottom frame 22 may be configured to rotate or pivot about a first axis of rotation 26 with respect to the seat mounting bracket 20 .
- the seat bottom frame 22 may have a unitary construction or may be assembled from multiple components. In at least one embodiment, the seat bottom frame 22 may include a first frame member 30 and a second frame member 32 .
- the first frame member 30 may have any suitable configuration.
- the first frame member 30 may be generally U-shaped and may generally extend along front and lateral sides (e.g., left and right sides) of the seat bottom 12 .
- the first frame member 30 may be provided with wires or any suitable surface to support the cushion 18 of the seat bottom 12 .
- the first frame member 30 may be integrally formed with or fixedly disposed on one or more second frame members 32 .
- each end of the first frame member 30 may be fixedly disposed on a corresponding second frame member 32 in any suitable manner, such as with one or more fasteners or by welding.
- the first frame member 30 may extend from the second frame member 32 such that the first frame member 30 is disposed at an angle with respect to the mounting surface 24 and positioned below the first axis of rotation 26 .
- the second frame member 32 may be configured to rotate about the first axis of rotation 26 .
- the second frame member 32 may be rotatably disposed on a seat mounting bracket 20 with a mounting feature 34 , such as a pin or bushing.
- the mounting feature 34 may be fixedly disposed on or integrally formed with the seat mounting bracket 20 or the second frame member 32 in one or more embodiments.
- a mounting feature 34 may be provided with each seat mounting bracket 20 such that the mounting features 34 are coaxially disposed along the first axis of rotation 26 .
- a cam 36 may also be provided with the seat bottom frame 22 .
- the cam 36 may be located above the first axis of rotation 26 and may facilitate actuation of a head restraint assembly as will be discussed in more detail below.
- the cam 36 may be fixedly disposed on or with respect to the second frame member 32 .
- the seat back 14 may be configured to support the back of a seat occupant.
- the seat back 14 may include a seat back frame 40 and a head restraint assembly 42 .
- the seat back 14 may or may not be configured to move when the seat bottom 12 is moved.
- the seat back 14 may be fixedly disposed on the seat mounting bracket 20 or another mounting surface in embodiments where the seat back 14 does not move in response to actuation of the seat bottom 12 .
- the seat back 14 is configured to move when the seat bottom 12 is moved as will be discussed in more detail below.
- the seat back frame 40 may have a unitary construction or may be assembled from multiple components.
- the seat back frame 40 may include a pair of side members 50 , an upper cross member 52 , and a lower cross member 54 .
- the upper and lower cross members 52 , 54 may be spaced apart from each other and may interconnect the side members 50 .
- the seat back 14 and seat back frame 40 may be configured to move or pivot with respect to a second axis of rotation 56 .
- the seat bottom 12 and seat back 14 may pivot about different axes of rotation when the seat bottom 12 is actuated.
- the seat back frame 40 may be pivotally coupled to the seat bottom 12 with a bracket 60 .
- the bracket 60 may be generally L-shaped and may include a first arm and a second arm that may extend at an angle from the first arm.
- the first arm may be fixedly disposed on a side member 50 in any suitable manner, such as with a fastener or by welding.
- the second arm may be pivotally coupled to a portion of the seat bottom frame 22 , such as the second frame member 32 .
- a mounting feature 62 such as a pin, may be provided to couple the second frame member 32 to the bracket 60 .
- the mounting feature 62 may be coaxially disposed with or extend along the second axis of rotation 56 .
- the second axis of rotation 56 may be disposed above the first axis of rotation 26 .
- the head restraint assembly 42 may be moveably disposed on the seat back frame 40 .
- the head restraint assembly 42 may move in different manners or directions in various embodiments. For instance, the head restraint assembly 42 may rotate about an axis or retract with respect to the seat back 14 .
- the head restraint assembly 42 may include a support post 70 and a headrest 72 that may be disposed on the support post 70 .
- the support post 70 may be fixedly disposed on a portion of the seat back frame 40 , such as the upper cross member 52 , and the headrest 72 may move with respect to the support post 70 .
- the support post 70 may be moveably disposed on a portion of the seat back frame 40 , which may allow the head restraint assembly 42 to be extended away from or retracted toward the top of the seat back 14 .
- An example of and extendable/retractable head restraint assembly is shown in FIG. 1 , which shows a headrest 72 in an exemplary retracted position in solid lines and in an exemplary extended position in phantom.
- the head restraint assembly may be provided with a thinner profile or “shingle” configuration than is shown in FIG. 1 in one or more embodiments.
- the headrest 72 may be configured to rotate about a third axis of rotation 74 .
- the third axis of rotation 74 may extend substantially parallel to the first and/or second axes of rotation 26 , 56 .
- the third axis of rotation 74 may be coaxially disposed with or may extend substantially parallel to a cross member portion of the support post 70 that may be at least partially disposed in the headrest 72 .
- the headrest 72 may include a latching mechanism 76 that may be configured to control movement of the headrest 72 .
- a latching mechanism 76 may be disposed in the headrest 72 and may include a biasing member and a moveable latch.
- the biasing member which may be a torsion spring, may be disposed in the headrest 72 and may be disposed about the cross member of the support post 70 .
- the biasing member may exert a biasing force that may urge the headrest 72 to rotate about the third axis of rotation 74 and toward the seat bottom 12 , or in a counterclockwise direction from the perspective shown.
- the latch may also be disposed in the headrest 72 and may move between a latched position and an unlatched position. Rotation of the headrest 72 about the third axis of rotation 74 in at least one direction may be inhibited when the latch in the latched position. Rotation of the headrest 72 about the third axis of rotation 74 may be permitted when the latch is in the unlatched position.
- the latch may retain the headrest 72 in a predetermined initial position when in the latched position. Movement of the latch to the unlatched position may release the headrest 72 and allow the headrest 72 to pivot toward the seat bottom 12 in response to the biasing force exerted by the biasing member.
- the latching mechanism 76 may be configured to permit manual repositioning of the headrest 72 .
- the headrest 72 may be manually pivoted back to the initial position where the latch may reset to the latched position to inhibit pivotal movement of the headrest 72 until the latch is unlatched.
- An actuator unit 90 may be provided to selectively control movement of the head restraint assembly 42 when the seat bottom 12 is moved with respect to the seat back 14 .
- the actuator unit 90 may include a lever 92 and a linkage 94 .
- the lever 92 may be configured to pivot about a lever axis or a fourth axis of rotation 96 and with respect to the seat back frame 42 .
- the lever 92 may be pivotally disposed on a mounting feature such as a pin 98 that may extend along the fourth axis of rotation 96 .
- the pin 98 may be disposed on or engage the bracket 60 or a linkage mounting bracket 100 that may be fixedly positioned with respect to the seat back frame 42 .
- the lever 92 may include a first end 110 , a second end 112 , a first surface 114 , and a second surface 116 .
- the first and second ends 110 , 112 may be disposed opposite each other and may be disposed on opposite sides of the fourth axis of rotation 96 .
- the first surface 114 may be disposed opposite the second surface 116 and may extend from the first end 110 to or toward the second end 112 .
- the first surface 114 may face toward and may be configured to engage the cam 36 .
- the first surface 114 may include a convex portion 120 that may extend from the first end 110 and a concave portion 122 that may extend from the convex portion 120 .
- the convex portion 120 may have an apex 124 , or point along the convex portion 120 that may be disposed at the greatest distance from the second surface 116 .
- the linkage 94 may be configured to transmit force from the lever 92 to the latching mechanism 76 to facilitate movement of the head restraint assembly 42 .
- the linkage 94 may be a cable such as a Bowden cable.
- a first end of the linkage 94 may be disposed proximate the second end 112 of the lever 92 .
- the second end 112 of the lever 92 may include a tab having an opening that receives and retains the first end of the linkage 94 .
- a second end of the linkage 94 may be coupled to the latching mechanism 76 .
- the linkage 94 may extend through the seat back 14 and the support post 70 and into the headrest 72 such that a second end is coupled to the latch of the latching mechanism 76 .
- rotation of the lever 92 may actuate the linkage 94 to release the latching mechanism 76 as will be discussed in more detail below.
- FIGS. 2-4 operation of at least one embodiment of the seat assembly will now be described in more detail.
- an outline of seat assembly is shown in phantom. This embodiment is described primarily with respect to an embodiment in which the headrest may move when the seat bottom is folded toward the seat back, but may also be applied to embodiments in which movement occurs when the seat bottom is unfolded away from the seat back, either alone or in combination with movement when the seat bottom is folded toward the seat back.
- the seat assembly 10 is shown in an initial configuration in which the seat bottom 12 is in an unfolded position.
- the seat bottom 12 may be positioned at a maximum distance from the seat back 14 when in the unfolded position.
- the head restraint assembly 42 is shown in an exemplary first position or initial position in which the head restraint assembly 42 is positioned to support the head of a seat occupant.
- the headrest 72 may generally extend upward or away from the seat bottom 12 when in the first position.
- the latching mechanism 76 may be in a latched position to inhibit movement of the head restraint assembly 42 .
- the latching mechanism 76 may inhibit rotation of the headrest 72 about the third axis of rotation 74 .
- the cam 36 may be positioned near the first end 110 of the lever 92 . As such, the cam 36 may generally rest against a portion of the first surface 114 located between the first end 110 and the apex 124 .
- the seat bottom 12 is shown partially folded toward the seat back 14 .
- the seat bottom frame 22 rotates about the first axis of rotation 26 . Movement of the seat bottom frame 22 moves the cam 36 along the first surface 114 of the lever 92 toward the apex 124 . Movement of the cam 36 toward the apex 124 rotates the lever 92 about the fourth axis of rotation 96 in a clockwise direction from the perspective shown.
- Rotation of the lever 92 actuates the linkage 94 , which moves the latching mechanism 76 from the latched position to the unlatched position, thereby allowing the headrest 72 to rotate about the third axis of rotation 74 and toward the seat bottom 12 , or in a counterclockwise direction from the perspective shown.
- the latching mechanism 76 may be unlatched when the lever 92 is sufficiently rotated about the fourth axis of rotation 96 , such as when the cam 36 engages or is disposed proximate the apex 124 .
- the seat back 14 and seat back frame 40 may begin to pivot about the second axis of rotation 56 when the seat bottom 12 is folded toward the seat back 14 due to the interconnection between the seat back frame 40 and the second frame member 32 .
- the seat back 14 may pivot or rotate toward the seat bottom 12 before the head restraint assembly 42 moves with respect to the seat back 14 in one or more embodiments.
- the seat bottom 12 is shown fully folded toward the seat back 14 or in a folded position.
- the seat bottom 12 and seat bottom frame 22 may be rotated about the first axis of rotation 26 such that the seating surfaces of the seat bottom 12 and seat back 14 face toward and are positioned in close proximity to each other to reduce the package space of the seat assembly 10 .
- movement of the seat bottom frame 22 moves the cam 36 past the apex 124 such that the cam 36 may be positioned proximate the concave portion 122 of the lever 92 .
- the lever 92 may rotate about the fourth axis of rotation 96 in a counterclockwise direction with respect to FIG. 3 from the perspective shown.
- the headrest 72 rotates about the third axis of rotation 74 toward the seat bottom 12 and to a second position.
- the headrest 72 may extend toward and may engage or be positioned in close proximity to the seat bottom 12 when in the second position to reduce the package space of the seat assembly 10 .
- the seat back 14 and seat back frame 40 are pivoted further about the second axis of rotation 56 and move closer to the seat bottom 12 .
- the seat back 14 and/or seat back frame 40 may be disposed in a substantially vertical position when the seat bottom 12 is fully folded.
- the seat bottom 12 and the first frame member 30 may be disposed in a substantially vertical position when the seat bottom 12 is fully folded.
- the head restraint assembly may be returned to the initial configuration by generally reversing the sequence depicted in FIGS. 2-4 .
- the seat bottom 12 may be manually rotated about the first axis of rotation 26 in a counterclockwise direction from the perspective shown to return the seat bottom 12 and the seat back 14 to the initial positions shown in FIG. 2 .
- Movement of the seat bottom 12 may or may not actuate the headrest 72 from the second position to the first position depending on the configuration of the seat assembly 10 .
- the headrest 72 may not move from the second position to the first position when the seat bottom 12 is unfolded.
- the headrest 72 may be manually moved back to the first position where the latching mechanism 76 may reengage the headrest 72 and be in the latched position to inhibit movement of the headrest 72 .
- the actuator unit 90 may be configured to move the head restraint assembly 42 and/or headrest 72 back to the first position.
- a second cable may be provided with the actuator unit 90 to pull the headrest 72 back to the first position when the seat bottom is 12 returned to the unfolded position.
- the actuator unit 90 includes a switch 130 , a wire 132 , and an actuator 134 .
- the switch 130 may be mounted on the seat back frame 42 and/or the bracket 60 .
- the switch 130 may be normally open and may include a lever arm 136 and a contact 138 .
- the switch 130 may be configured to close when the cam 36 engages and actuates the lever arm 136 against the contact 138 when the seat bottom 12 is moved from the unfolded position toward the folded position. An electrical signal or current may then be provided via the wire 132 to the actuator 134 .
- the actuator 134 may be disposed in the head restraint assembly 42 and may be configured as an electrical machine, such as a solenoid or motor.
- the actuator 134 may actuate the latching mechanism 76 to the unlatched position when the switch 130 is closed to permit the headrest 72 to move as previously described.
- the electrical signal may be used to move the headrest 72 from the unfolded position to the folded position or vice versa.
- the head restraint assembly may be configured such that the headrest 72 moves toward or away from the seat back 14 rather than rotating. As such, the headrest 72 may move between a first position or extended position in which the headrest 72 is spaced apart from the top of the seat back 14 and a second position or retracted position in which the headrest 72 is moved toward and may be disposed against the top of the seat back 14 . Such movement may be realized by actuating the support post 70 with respect to the seat back frame 40 . Such actuation may be accomplished using an actuator unit having one or more cables. An example of such a mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,734, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is incorporated by reference.
- one or more cables may be used to couple the seat bottom 12 and the support post 70 . Folding of the seat bottom 12 may actuate a cable which in turn may pull on the support post 70 and hence retract the headrest 72 toward the top of the seat back 14 .
Abstract
Description
- The present application relates to a seat assembly having a folding seat bottom and a head restraint.
- A seat assembly having a moveable head restraint is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,734.
- In at least one embodiment a seat assembly is provided. The seat assembly may include a seat mounting bracket, a seat bottom, a seat back, and a head restraint assembly. The seat bottom may be disposed proximate the seat mounting bracket and may be configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation. The seat back may be disposed proximate the seat bottom. The head restraint assembly may be disposed on the seat back and may be configured to move between a first position and a second position. The head restraint assembly may move from the first position to the second position when the seat bottom is rotated about the first axis of rotation with respect to the seat back.
- In at least one embodiment a seat assembly is provided. The seat assembly may include a seat mounting bracket, a seat bottom, a seat back, a head restraint assembly, and an actuator unit. The seat bottom may have a seat bottom frame that is rotatably disposed on the seat mounting bracket. The seat bottom frame may include a cam. The seat back may have a seat back frame that may be disposed on the seat bottom frame. The head restraint assembly may be disposed on the seat back frame and may be configured to move between a first position and a second position. The actuator unit may be disposed on the seat back frame. The head restraint assembly may move from the first position to the second position when the seat bottom is rotated with respect to the seat back and the cam actuates the actuator unit.
- In at least one embodiment a seat assembly is provided. The seat assembly may include a seat mounting bracket, a seat bottom, a seat back, and a head restraint assembly. The seat bottom may have a seat bottom frame that may be disposed on the seat mounting bracket and may rotate about a first axis of rotation. The seat back may be disposed on the seat bottom frame. The head restraint assembly may be disposed on the seat back and may be configured to move between a first position and a second position. The head restraint assembly may move from the first position to the second position when the seat bottom is rotated about the first axis of rotation toward the seat back.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary seat assembly. -
FIGS. 2-4 are fragmentary side views illustrating movement of the seat assembly. -
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view of another embodiment of a seat assembly. - As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
- Referring to
FIG. 1 , anexemplary seat assembly 10 is shown. Theseat assembly 10 may be configured for use in a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle like a car or truck. In at least one embodiment, theseat assembly 10 may be configured as a rear seat, such as a second or third row seat that may be disposed behind a driver seat. Moreover, theseat assembly 10 may have a bench seat configuration that may include seating positions for multiple occupants. - The
seat assembly 10 may include aseat bottom 12 and aseat back 14 that may cooperate to support a seat occupant. Theseat bottom 12 andseat back 14 may each include atrim cover 16 that may provide an exterior surface upon which a seat occupant may sit. Eachtrim cover 16 may at least partially cover or conceal acushion 18. - Referring to
FIG. 2 , theseat bottom 12 may include at least oneseat mounting bracket 20 and aseat bottom frame 22. - The
seat mounting bracket 20 may facilitate attachment or mounting of theseat assembly 10 to amounting surface 24, such as a floor pan of a vehicle. Twoseat mounting brackets 20 may be provided that are disposed along opposing lateral sides of theseat bottom 12. Theseat mounting bracket 20 may be fixedly or removably disposed on themounting surface 24. - The
seat bottom frame 22 may be rotatably disposed on theseat mounting bracket 20 to facilitate storage or stowing of theseat assembly 10. More specifically, theseat bottom 12 andseat bottom frame 22 may be configured to rotate or pivot about a first axis ofrotation 26 with respect to theseat mounting bracket 20. Theseat bottom frame 22 may have a unitary construction or may be assembled from multiple components. In at least one embodiment, theseat bottom frame 22 may include afirst frame member 30 and asecond frame member 32. - The
first frame member 30 may have any suitable configuration. For example, thefirst frame member 30 may be generally U-shaped and may generally extend along front and lateral sides (e.g., left and right sides) of theseat bottom 12. Thefirst frame member 30 may be provided with wires or any suitable surface to support thecushion 18 of theseat bottom 12. In addition, thefirst frame member 30 may be integrally formed with or fixedly disposed on one or moresecond frame members 32. For example, each end of thefirst frame member 30 may be fixedly disposed on a correspondingsecond frame member 32 in any suitable manner, such as with one or more fasteners or by welding. In addition, thefirst frame member 30 may extend from thesecond frame member 32 such that thefirst frame member 30 is disposed at an angle with respect to themounting surface 24 and positioned below the first axis ofrotation 26. - The
second frame member 32 may be configured to rotate about the first axis ofrotation 26. For example, thesecond frame member 32 may be rotatably disposed on aseat mounting bracket 20 with amounting feature 34, such as a pin or bushing. Themounting feature 34 may be fixedly disposed on or integrally formed with theseat mounting bracket 20 or thesecond frame member 32 in one or more embodiments. In at least one embodiment, amounting feature 34 may be provided with eachseat mounting bracket 20 such that themounting features 34 are coaxially disposed along the first axis ofrotation 26. - A
cam 36 may also be provided with theseat bottom frame 22. Thecam 36 may be located above the first axis ofrotation 26 and may facilitate actuation of a head restraint assembly as will be discussed in more detail below. In at least one embodiment, thecam 36 may be fixedly disposed on or with respect to thesecond frame member 32. - The
seat back 14 may be configured to support the back of a seat occupant. Theseat back 14 may include aseat back frame 40 and ahead restraint assembly 42. The seat back 14 may or may not be configured to move when the seat bottom 12 is moved. For instance, the seat back 14 may be fixedly disposed on theseat mounting bracket 20 or another mounting surface in embodiments where the seat back 14 does not move in response to actuation of theseat bottom 12. In the embodiment shown, the seat back 14 is configured to move when the seat bottom 12 is moved as will be discussed in more detail below. - The seat back
frame 40 may have a unitary construction or may be assembled from multiple components. In at least one embodiment, the seat backframe 40 may include a pair ofside members 50, anupper cross member 52, and alower cross member 54. The upper andlower cross members side members 50. - The seat back 14 and seat back
frame 40 may be configured to move or pivot with respect to a second axis ofrotation 56. As such, the seat bottom 12 and seat back 14 may pivot about different axes of rotation when the seat bottom 12 is actuated. For example, the seat backframe 40 may be pivotally coupled to the seat bottom 12 with abracket 60. In at least one embodiment, thebracket 60 may be generally L-shaped and may include a first arm and a second arm that may extend at an angle from the first arm. The first arm may be fixedly disposed on aside member 50 in any suitable manner, such as with a fastener or by welding. The second arm may be pivotally coupled to a portion of theseat bottom frame 22, such as thesecond frame member 32. For instance, a mountingfeature 62, such as a pin, may be provided to couple thesecond frame member 32 to thebracket 60. The mountingfeature 62 may be coaxially disposed with or extend along the second axis ofrotation 56. In addition, the second axis ofrotation 56 may be disposed above the first axis ofrotation 26. - The
head restraint assembly 42 may be moveably disposed on the seat backframe 40. Thehead restraint assembly 42 may move in different manners or directions in various embodiments. For instance, thehead restraint assembly 42 may rotate about an axis or retract with respect to the seat back 14. Thehead restraint assembly 42 may include asupport post 70 and aheadrest 72 that may be disposed on thesupport post 70. In at least one embodiment, thesupport post 70 may be fixedly disposed on a portion of the seat backframe 40, such as theupper cross member 52, and theheadrest 72 may move with respect to thesupport post 70. Alternatively, thesupport post 70 may be moveably disposed on a portion of the seat backframe 40, which may allow thehead restraint assembly 42 to be extended away from or retracted toward the top of the seat back 14. An example of and extendable/retractable head restraint assembly is shown inFIG. 1 , which shows aheadrest 72 in an exemplary retracted position in solid lines and in an exemplary extended position in phantom. In addition, the head restraint assembly may be provided with a thinner profile or “shingle” configuration than is shown inFIG. 1 in one or more embodiments. - In at least one embodiment, the
headrest 72 may be configured to rotate about a third axis ofrotation 74. In one or more embodiments, the third axis ofrotation 74 may extend substantially parallel to the first and/or second axes ofrotation rotation 74 may be coaxially disposed with or may extend substantially parallel to a cross member portion of thesupport post 70 that may be at least partially disposed in theheadrest 72. - The
headrest 72 may include alatching mechanism 76 that may be configured to control movement of theheadrest 72. Examples of exemplary latching mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0283305 which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is incorporated by reference. In at least one embodiment, thelatching mechanism 76 may be disposed in theheadrest 72 and may include a biasing member and a moveable latch. - The biasing member, which may be a torsion spring, may be disposed in the
headrest 72 and may be disposed about the cross member of thesupport post 70. The biasing member may exert a biasing force that may urge theheadrest 72 to rotate about the third axis ofrotation 74 and toward the seat bottom 12, or in a counterclockwise direction from the perspective shown. - The latch may also be disposed in the
headrest 72 and may move between a latched position and an unlatched position. Rotation of theheadrest 72 about the third axis ofrotation 74 in at least one direction may be inhibited when the latch in the latched position. Rotation of theheadrest 72 about the third axis ofrotation 74 may be permitted when the latch is in the unlatched position. For example, the latch may retain theheadrest 72 in a predetermined initial position when in the latched position. Movement of the latch to the unlatched position may release theheadrest 72 and allow theheadrest 72 to pivot toward the seat bottom 12 in response to the biasing force exerted by the biasing member. In addition, thelatching mechanism 76 may be configured to permit manual repositioning of theheadrest 72. For instance, theheadrest 72 may be manually pivoted back to the initial position where the latch may reset to the latched position to inhibit pivotal movement of theheadrest 72 until the latch is unlatched. - An
actuator unit 90 may be provided to selectively control movement of thehead restraint assembly 42 when the seat bottom 12 is moved with respect to the seat back 14. Various actuator unit embodiments are contemplated. InFIG. 2 , theactuator unit 90 may include alever 92 and alinkage 94. - The
lever 92 may be configured to pivot about a lever axis or a fourth axis ofrotation 96 and with respect to the seat backframe 42. For example, thelever 92 may be pivotally disposed on a mounting feature such as apin 98 that may extend along the fourth axis ofrotation 96. Thepin 98 may be disposed on or engage thebracket 60 or alinkage mounting bracket 100 that may be fixedly positioned with respect to the seat backframe 42. - In at least one embodiment, the
lever 92 may include afirst end 110, asecond end 112, afirst surface 114, and asecond surface 116. The first and second ends 110, 112 may be disposed opposite each other and may be disposed on opposite sides of the fourth axis ofrotation 96. Thefirst surface 114 may be disposed opposite thesecond surface 116 and may extend from thefirst end 110 to or toward thesecond end 112. Thefirst surface 114 may face toward and may be configured to engage thecam 36. Thefirst surface 114 may include aconvex portion 120 that may extend from thefirst end 110 and aconcave portion 122 that may extend from theconvex portion 120. Theconvex portion 120 may have an apex 124, or point along theconvex portion 120 that may be disposed at the greatest distance from thesecond surface 116. - The
linkage 94 may be configured to transmit force from thelever 92 to thelatching mechanism 76 to facilitate movement of thehead restraint assembly 42. In at least one embodiment, thelinkage 94 may be a cable such as a Bowden cable. A first end of thelinkage 94 may be disposed proximate thesecond end 112 of thelever 92. For instance, thesecond end 112 of thelever 92 may include a tab having an opening that receives and retains the first end of thelinkage 94. A second end of thelinkage 94 may be coupled to thelatching mechanism 76. For example, thelinkage 94 may extend through the seat back 14 and thesupport post 70 and into theheadrest 72 such that a second end is coupled to the latch of thelatching mechanism 76. As such, rotation of thelever 92 may actuate thelinkage 94 to release thelatching mechanism 76 as will be discussed in more detail below. - Referring to
FIGS. 2-4 , operation of at least one embodiment of the seat assembly will now be described in more detail. In these figures an outline of seat assembly is shown in phantom. This embodiment is described primarily with respect to an embodiment in which the headrest may move when the seat bottom is folded toward the seat back, but may also be applied to embodiments in which movement occurs when the seat bottom is unfolded away from the seat back, either alone or in combination with movement when the seat bottom is folded toward the seat back. - In
FIG. 2 , theseat assembly 10 is shown in an initial configuration in which the seat bottom 12 is in an unfolded position. The seat bottom 12 may be positioned at a maximum distance from the seat back 14 when in the unfolded position. In addition, thehead restraint assembly 42 is shown in an exemplary first position or initial position in which thehead restraint assembly 42 is positioned to support the head of a seat occupant. As such, theheadrest 72 may generally extend upward or away from the seat bottom 12 when in the first position. Moreover, thelatching mechanism 76 may be in a latched position to inhibit movement of thehead restraint assembly 42. As such, thelatching mechanism 76 may inhibit rotation of theheadrest 72 about the third axis ofrotation 74. Thecam 36 may be positioned near thefirst end 110 of thelever 92. As such, thecam 36 may generally rest against a portion of thefirst surface 114 located between thefirst end 110 and the apex 124. - In
FIG. 3 , the seat bottom 12 is shown partially folded toward the seat back 14. As the seat bottom 12 is folded, theseat bottom frame 22 rotates about the first axis ofrotation 26. Movement of theseat bottom frame 22 moves thecam 36 along thefirst surface 114 of thelever 92 toward the apex 124. Movement of thecam 36 toward the apex 124 rotates thelever 92 about the fourth axis ofrotation 96 in a clockwise direction from the perspective shown. Rotation of thelever 92 actuates thelinkage 94, which moves thelatching mechanism 76 from the latched position to the unlatched position, thereby allowing theheadrest 72 to rotate about the third axis ofrotation 74 and toward the seat bottom 12, or in a counterclockwise direction from the perspective shown. In at least one embodiment, thelatching mechanism 76 may be unlatched when thelever 92 is sufficiently rotated about the fourth axis ofrotation 96, such as when thecam 36 engages or is disposed proximate the apex 124. In addition, the seat back 14 and seat backframe 40 may begin to pivot about the second axis ofrotation 56 when the seat bottom 12 is folded toward the seat back 14 due to the interconnection between the seat backframe 40 and thesecond frame member 32. The seat back 14 may pivot or rotate toward the seat bottom 12 before thehead restraint assembly 42 moves with respect to the seat back 14 in one or more embodiments. - In
FIG. 4 , the seat bottom 12 is shown fully folded toward the seat back 14 or in a folded position. As such, the seat bottom 12 andseat bottom frame 22 may be rotated about the first axis ofrotation 26 such that the seating surfaces of the seat bottom 12 and seat back 14 face toward and are positioned in close proximity to each other to reduce the package space of theseat assembly 10. In addition, movement of theseat bottom frame 22 moves thecam 36 past the apex 124 such that thecam 36 may be positioned proximate theconcave portion 122 of thelever 92. As such, thelever 92 may rotate about the fourth axis ofrotation 96 in a counterclockwise direction with respect toFIG. 3 from the perspective shown. Theheadrest 72 rotates about the third axis ofrotation 74 toward the seat bottom 12 and to a second position. Theheadrest 72 may extend toward and may engage or be positioned in close proximity to the seat bottom 12 when in the second position to reduce the package space of theseat assembly 10. In addition, the seat back 14 and seat backframe 40 are pivoted further about the second axis ofrotation 56 and move closer to theseat bottom 12. In one or more embodiments, the seat back 14 and/or seat backframe 40 may be disposed in a substantially vertical position when the seat bottom 12 is fully folded. In addition, the seat bottom 12 and thefirst frame member 30 may be disposed in a substantially vertical position when the seat bottom 12 is fully folded. - The head restraint assembly may be returned to the initial configuration by generally reversing the sequence depicted in
FIGS. 2-4 . For instance, the seat bottom 12 may be manually rotated about the first axis ofrotation 26 in a counterclockwise direction from the perspective shown to return the seat bottom 12 and the seat back 14 to the initial positions shown inFIG. 2 . Movement of the seat bottom 12 may or may not actuate theheadrest 72 from the second position to the first position depending on the configuration of theseat assembly 10. In at least one embodiment, theheadrest 72 may not move from the second position to the first position when the seat bottom 12 is unfolded. Rather, theheadrest 72 may be manually moved back to the first position where thelatching mechanism 76 may reengage theheadrest 72 and be in the latched position to inhibit movement of theheadrest 72. In at least one other embodiment, theactuator unit 90 may be configured to move thehead restraint assembly 42 and/orheadrest 72 back to the first position. For example, a second cable may be provided with theactuator unit 90 to pull theheadrest 72 back to the first position when the seat bottom is 12 returned to the unfolded position. - Referring to
FIG. 5 , a second embodiment of a seat assembly is shown. In this embodiment, theactuator unit 90 includes aswitch 130, awire 132, and anactuator 134. Theswitch 130 may be mounted on the seat backframe 42 and/or thebracket 60. Theswitch 130 may be normally open and may include alever arm 136 and acontact 138. Theswitch 130 may be configured to close when thecam 36 engages and actuates thelever arm 136 against thecontact 138 when the seat bottom 12 is moved from the unfolded position toward the folded position. An electrical signal or current may then be provided via thewire 132 to theactuator 134. Theactuator 134 may be disposed in thehead restraint assembly 42 and may be configured as an electrical machine, such as a solenoid or motor. Theactuator 134 may actuate thelatching mechanism 76 to the unlatched position when theswitch 130 is closed to permit theheadrest 72 to move as previously described. Moreover, in embodiments in which theactuator 134 is a motor, the electrical signal may be used to move theheadrest 72 from the unfolded position to the folded position or vice versa. - In at least one other embodiment, the head restraint assembly may be configured such that the
headrest 72 moves toward or away from the seat back 14 rather than rotating. As such, theheadrest 72 may move between a first position or extended position in which theheadrest 72 is spaced apart from the top of the seat back 14 and a second position or retracted position in which theheadrest 72 is moved toward and may be disposed against the top of the seat back 14. Such movement may be realized by actuating thesupport post 70 with respect to the seat backframe 40. Such actuation may be accomplished using an actuator unit having one or more cables. An example of such a mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,734, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is incorporated by reference. For example, one or more cables may be used to couple the seat bottom 12 and thesupport post 70. Folding of the seat bottom 12 may actuate a cable which in turn may pull on thesupport post 70 and hence retract theheadrest 72 toward the top of the seat back 14. - While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
Claims (20)
Priority Applications (1)
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US13/273,491 US20130093218A1 (en) | 2011-10-14 | 2011-10-14 | Seat Assembly Having a Folding Seat Bottom and Head Restraint |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
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US13/273,491 US20130093218A1 (en) | 2011-10-14 | 2011-10-14 | Seat Assembly Having a Folding Seat Bottom and Head Restraint |
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US20130093218A1 true US20130093218A1 (en) | 2013-04-18 |
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Family Applications (1)
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US13/273,491 Abandoned US20130093218A1 (en) | 2011-10-14 | 2011-10-14 | Seat Assembly Having a Folding Seat Bottom and Head Restraint |
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US20200094719A1 (en) * | 2018-09-26 | 2020-03-26 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Vehicle head restraint that can be separated from a seatback yet remotely actuated to move to a folded position when attached to the seatback |
CN111051126A (en) * | 2017-09-08 | 2020-04-21 | 博泽科堡汽车零件欧洲两合公司 | Vehicle seat with a seat part which can be pivoted about a single pivot axis |
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US20210155135A1 (en) * | 2019-11-26 | 2021-05-27 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC | Actuating rear center head restraint |
US11124100B1 (en) * | 2020-03-20 | 2021-09-21 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC | Vehicle seat assembly including head restraint that folds and unfolds with seat back |
US20220097574A1 (en) * | 2019-06-27 | 2022-03-31 | Ningbo Geely Automobile Research & Development Co., Ltd. | Rotating vehicle seat and a method for rotating a rotating vehicle seat |
US11752911B1 (en) * | 2022-04-22 | 2023-09-12 | Faurecia Automotive Seating, Llc | Occupant support with foldable headrest |
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