Vehicle control lockout

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10889264-B2
Application number	US-201815944071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2018
Priority date	Apr 3, 2018
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle includes a seat movable from an upright position to a folded position. The vehicle includes a steering wheel in front of the seat. The vehicle includes a lockout box supported by the seat and positioned to restrict access to the steering wheel when the seat is in the folded position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a seat movable from an upright position to a folded position;
a steering wheel in front of the seat;
a gear selector; and
a lockout box supported by the seat and positioned to restrict access to the steering wheel when the seat is in the folded position, the lockout box including a main body and an extension extending from the main body, the extension positioned to restrict access to the gear selector when the seat is in the folded position.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lockout box abuts the steering wheel when the seat is in the folded position and is spaced from the steering wheel when the seat is in the upright position.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the seat includes a seat bottom and a seatback, the seatback between the seat bottom and the lockout box when the seat is in the folded position.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a rail supported by the seat, the lockout box slidably supported by the rail.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the lockout box is slidable along the rail from a first position spaced from the steering wheel to a second position adjacent the steering wheel when the seat is in the folded position.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising a second seat behind the seat, the lockout box in the first position adjacent the second seat when the seat is in the upright position.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a center console, the gear selector supported by the center console.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an infotainment interface, the lockout box positioned to permit access to the infotainment interface when the seat is in the folded position.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a passenger cabin, the lockout box positioned to inhibit view of the steering wheel from the passenger cabin when the seat is in the folded position.

10. An assembly, comprising:
a seat bottom;
a seatback having a top end opposite a bottom end supported by the seat bottom; and
a lockout box supported by the seatback and extending away from the bottom end beyond the top end.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a headrest supported by the seatback at the top end.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the seatback includes a first side opposite a second side extending between the top end and the bottom end, and the lockout box includes an extension extending away from the first side beyond the second side and proximate the top end.

13. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lockout box is collapsible.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the lockout box includes a bottom, a side, and a hinge connecting the bottom to the side.

15. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lockout box defines a chamber and includes a lid movable to an open position permitting access to the chamber.

16. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lockout box includes a shelf movable from a retracted position to an extended position.

17. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lockout box includes a cupholder.

18. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lockout box includes an electrical outlet.

19. A vehicle, comprising:
a seat movable from an upright position to a folded position;
a steering wheel in front of the seat;
a lockout box supported by the seat and positioned to restrict access to the steering wheel when the seat is in the folded position; and
a rail supported by the seat, the lockout box slidably supported by the rail.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the lockout box is slidable along the rail from a first position spaced from the steering wheel to a second position adjacent the steering wheel when the seat is in the folded position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Schmidt David J
• Delonis Martin
• Patil Uday Kiran
• Amann John

Classifications

• B60N2/3072

  on a lower level of a multi-level vehicle floor · CPC title

• B60R7/043 Primary

  mounted on or under a seat · CPC title

• B60N3/002

  of trays · CPC title

• B60N3/102

  storable or foldable in a non-use position · CPC title

• B60N2/206

  to a position in which it can be used as a support for objects, e.g. as a tray · CPC title