Automobile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11027639-B2
Application number	US-201916272336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 15, 2018
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

An automobile, includes: a table stowed at a ceiling of a vehicle cabin; and a table raising and lowering apparatus configured to, resulting from a predetermined operation, raise and lower the table between a usage position at a seat front side of a vehicle occupant seated on a vehicle seat and a stowage position at which the table is stowed at the ceiling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automobile, comprising:
a table stowed at and coupled to a ceiling of a vehicle cabin; and
a table raising and lowering apparatus configured to, resulting from a predetermined operation, raise and lower the table between a usage position at a seat front side of a vehicle occupant seated on a vehicle seat and a stowage position at which the table is stowed at the ceiling.

2. The automobile according to claim 1 , further comprising an operation apparatus that causes driving of the table raising and lowering apparatus,
wherein the table raising and lowering apparatus is configured to be driven and the table is raised or lowered in response to the operation apparatus being operated.

3. The automobile according to claim 2 , further comprising a seat movement apparatus that moves the vehicle seat in a seat front-rear direction,
wherein, in response to the operation apparatus being operated, the seat movement apparatus is configured to move the vehicle seat toward a seat rear before the table raising and lowering apparatus lowers the table from the stowage position to the usage position.

4. The automobile according to claim 3 wherein, in response to the table raising and lowering apparatus raising the table from the usage position to the stowage position, the seat movement apparatus is configured to move the vehicle seat to an original position at a seat front side, the original position being a position of the vehicle seat prior to the operation of the operation apparatus for lowering of the table.

5. The automobile according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle seat is a driver seat.

6. The automobile according to claim 5 , wherein:
the automobile is capable of autonomous driving; and
the table can be lowered from the stowage position to the usage position only when the automobile is halted or during fully autonomous driving.

7. The automobile according to claim 5 , wherein:
the automobile is capable of autonomous driving; and
when the table is at the usage position, switching to a driving mode other than a fully autonomous driving mode is prohibited.

8. The automobile according to claim 1 , wherein a spot lamp configured to illuminate the table, when the table is at the usage position, is provided at the ceiling, the spot lamp being disposed at a vehicle upper side of the table when the table is at the stowage position.

9. The automobile according to claim 8 , wherein the spot lamp automatically turns on when the table is lowered by the table raising and lowering apparatus.

10. An automobile, comprising:
a table stowed at a ceiling of a vehicle cabin;
a table raising and lowering apparatus configured to, resulting from a predetermined operation, raise and lower the table between a usage position at a seat front side of a vehicle occupant seated on a vehicle seat and a stowage position at which the table is stowed at the ceiling;
an operation apparatus that causes driving of the table raising and lowering apparatus; and
a seat movement apparatus that moves the vehicle seat in a seat front-rear direction,
wherein the table raising and lowering apparatus is configured to be driven and the table is raised or lowered in response to the operation apparatus being operated,
wherein, in response to the operation apparatus being operated, the seat movement apparatus is configured to move the vehicle seat toward a seat rear before the table raising and lowering apparatus lowers the table from the stowage position to the usage position.

11. The automobile according to claim 10 , wherein, in response to the table raising and lowering apparatus raising the table from the usage position to the stowage position, the seat movement apparatus is configured to move the vehicle seat to an original position at a seat front side, the original position being a position of the vehicle seat prior to the operation of the operation apparatus for lowering of the table.

12. The automobile according to claim 10 , wherein the vehicle seat is a driver seat.

13. The automobile according to claim 10 , wherein:
the automobile is capable of autonomous driving; and
the table can be lowered from the stowage position to the usage position only when the automobile is halted or during fully autonomous driving.

14. The automobile according to claim 10 , wherein:
the automobile is capable of autonomous driving; and
when the table is at the usage position, switching to a driving mode other than a fully autonomous driving mode is prohibited.

15. The automobile according to claim 10 , wherein a spot lamp configured to illuminate the table, when the table is at the usage position, is provided at the ceiling, the spot lamp being disposed at a vehicle upper side of the table when the table is at the stowage position.

16. An automobile, comprising:
a table stowed at a ceiling of a vehicle cabin;
a table raising and lowering apparatus configured to, resulting from a predetermined operation, raise and lower the table between a usage position at a seat front side of a vehicle occupant seated on a vehicle seat and a stowage position at which the table is stowed at the ceiling; and
a seat movement apparatus that moves the vehicle seat in a seat front-rear direction, wherein:
the automobile is capable of autonomous driving; and
the table can be lowered from the stowage position to the usage position only when the automobile is halted or during fully autonomous driving.

17. The automobile according to claim 16 , further comprising an operation apparatus that causes driving of the table raising and lowering apparatus,
wherein the table raising and lowering apparatus is configured to be driven and the table is raised or lowered in response to the operation apparatus being operated.

18. The automobile according to claim 16 wherein, in response to the table raising and lowering apparatus raising the table from the usage position to the stowage position, the seat movement apparatus is configured to move the vehicle seat to an original position at a seat front side, the original position being a position of the vehicle seat prior to the operation of the operation apparatus for lowering of the table.

19. The automobile according to claim 16 , wherein the vehicle seat is a driver seat.

20. The automobile according to claim 16 , wherein a spot lamp configured to illuminate the table, when the table is at the usage position, is provided at the ceiling, the spot lamp being disposed at a vehicle upper side of the table when the table is at the stowage position.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nagatomi Keiko
• Toyama Noritaka
• Kobayashi Atsuko
• Ito Keisuke

Classifications

• B60N2/0272

  using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts · CPC title

• B60N2/0244

  with logic circuits · CPC title

• B60N3/002

  of trays · CPC title

• B62D25/06

  Fixed roofs (non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08) · CPC title

• A47B5/04

  foldable · CPC title