Seating assembly to support a mobile computing device and method of supporting the mobile computing device with the seating assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10308192-B2
Application number	US-201715680263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2017
Priority date	Aug 18, 2017
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

A method of supporting a mobile computing device in a vehicle comprising: providing a seating assembly disposed in an interior of a vehicle, the seating assembly comprising a seatback and a headrest adjustably coupled to the seatback; placing a mobile computing device between the seatback and the headrest; and adjusting the headrest relative to the seatback such that the seatback and the headrest support the mobile computing device. The seatback can further comprise a first lower support member including an upward extension, wherein, placing a mobile computing device between the seatback and the headrest includes placing the mobile computing device adjacent and forward the upward extension of the first lower support member; and wherein, the upward extension of the first lower support member further supports the mobile computing device. The method can further comprise connecting the mobile computing device to a connection port on the seating assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seating assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a seatback including a first lower support member attached to a top portion, which is the upper most part of the seatback, the first lower support member including an upward extension that extends away from the top portion; and
a headrest coupled to the seatback, the headrest including a bottom portion facing the top portion of the seatback and an upper support member disposed at the bottom portion of the headrest, the upper support member including a planar surface and a downward extension that extends generally orthogonally downward from the planar surface and downward away from the bottom portion of the headrest;
wherein, the first lower support member of the seatback and the upper support member of the headrest are configured to cooperate to support a mobile computing device disposed between the top portion of the seatback and the bottom portion of the headrest.

2. The seating assembly of claim 1 ,
the headrest further including a first coupling member extending downward from the bottom portion;
wherein, the coupling member projects into the seatback.

3. The seating assembly of claim 2 ,
wherein, the headrest is adjustable relative to the seatback such that a distance between the top portion of the seatback and the bottom portion of the headrest can be altered by adjusting how far the first coupling member of the headrest projects into the seatback.

4. The seating assembly of claim 2 ,
the first lower support member further including an aperture;
wherein, the first coupling member of the headrest extends through the aperture of the first lower support member.

5. The seating assembly of claim 4 ,
wherein, the upward extension of the first lower support member is disposed rearward from the aperture of the first lower support member.

6. The seating assembly of claim 5 ,
the seatback further including a second lower support member attached to the top portion of the seatback, the second lower support member also including an upward extension that is parallel to the upward extension of the first lower support member and an aperture; and
the headrest further including a second coupling member extending downward from the bottom portion and parallel to the first coupling member;
wherein, the second coupling member extends through the aperture of the second lower support member and projects into the seatback; and
wherein, the upward extension of the second lower support member is disposed rearward of the aperture of the second lower support member.

7. The seating assembly of claim 6 ,
wherein, the downward extension of the upper support member is disposed between the first coupling member and the second coupling member.

8. The seating assembly of claim 1 :
the seatback further including a second lower support member attached to the top portion of the seatback, the second lower support member also including an upward extension that extends away from the top portion and is parallel to the upward extension of the first lower support member;
both the first lower support member and the second lower support member further include an aperture;
the headrest further including:
a first coupling member that extends downward from the bottom portion, through the aperture of the first lower support member, and into the seatback; and
a second coupling member that extends downward from the bottom portion, through the aperture of the second lower support member, and into the seatback;
wherein, the first lower support member of the seatback, the second lower support member of the seatback, and the upper support member of the headrest are configured to support the mobile computing device, which includes a display, disposed between the top portion of the seatback and the bottom portion of the headrest, such that the downward extension of the upper support member, the upward extension of the first lower support member, and the upward extension of the second lower support member support the mobile computing device.

9. The seating assembly of claim 8 ,
the headrest further including a downward extending portion that extends generally orthogonally downward relative to the bottom portion of the headrest;
wherein, the downward extending portion is disposed forward of the mobile computing device and has a width that is wider than a distance between the upward extension of the first lower support member and upward extension of the second lower support member; and
wherein, the width of the downward extending portion is wider than a width of the downward extension of the upper support member.

10. The seating assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
a connection port that enables a mobile computer to connect with a communications and entertainment computing system within the vehicle;
wherein, a wire connects the mobile computing device to the connection port.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Gonzalez Enrique
• Trolle Lara Jose Ricardo
• Romero Regalado Adrian

Classifications

• B60R2011/0017

  Head-rests · CPC title

• B60N2/809

  vertically slidable · CPC title

• B60R11/0252 Primary

  for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks · CPC title

• B60N2/879

  with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers · CPC title

• B60N2/64

  Back-rests {or cushions (B60N2/2222 takes precedence)} · CPC title