Kinematic vehicle seat folding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11413994-B2
Application number	US-202016918458-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2020
Priority date	Jul 1, 2020
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

Various vehicle seat improvements are enabled herein. For instance, a seat folding mechanism comprises a first mounting bracket, rotatably attached to a base at a first end of the first mounting bracket, a first end of a connecting rod attached at a second end of the first mounting bracket, opposite the first end of the first mounting bracket, a second mounting bracket, parallel to the first mounting bracket, rotatably attached to the base at a first end of the second mounting bracket, wherein the connecting rod is attached at a second end of the connecting rod to a second end of the second mounting bracket, opposite the first end of the second mounting bracket, a first link arm, rotatably attached at a first end of the first link arm to the first mounting bracket, adjacent to the second end of the first mounting bracket, a first slider, slidably attached to the base, wherein a second end of the first link arm, opposite the first end of the first link arm, is rotatably attached to the first slider, a second link arm, rotatably attached at a first end of the second link arm to the second mounting bracket, adjacent to the second end of the second mounting bracket, and a second slider, slidably attached to the base, wherein a second end of the second link arm, opposite the first end of the second link arm, is rotatably attached to the second slider, whereby sliding of the first slider and the second slider causes the connecting rod to move in height direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat folding mechanism comprising:
a first mounting bracket, rotatably attached to a base at a first end of the first mounting bracket;
a first end of a connecting rod attached at a second end of the first mounting bracket, opposite the first end of the first mounting bracket;
a second mounting bracket, parallel to the first mounting bracket, rotatably attached to the base at a first end of the second mounting bracket, wherein the connecting rod is attached at a second end of the connecting rod to a second end of the second mounting bracket, opposite the first end of the second mounting bracket;
a first link arm, rotatably attached at a first end of the first link arm to the first mounting bracket, adjacent to the second end of the first mounting bracket;
a first slider, slidably attached to the base, wherein a second end of the first link arm, opposite the first end of the first link arm, is rotatably attached to the first slider;
a second link arm, rotatably attached at a first end of the second link arm to the second mounting bracket, adjacent to the second end of the second mounting bracket; and
a second slider, slidably attached to the base, wherein a second end of the second link arm, opposite the first end of the second link arm, is rotatably attached to the second slider, whereby sliding of the first slider and the second slider causes the connecting rod to move in height direction.

2. The seat folding mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first slider is parallel to the second slider.

3. The seat folding mechanism of claim 1 , wherein movements of the first slider and the second slider are synchronized, whereby a change in height of the first end of the connecting rod and a change in height of the second end of the connecting rod equally and concurrently occur.

4. The seat folding mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a pair of parallel rails.

5. The seat folding mechanism of claim 4 , wherein the first slider slidably moves in a longitudinal direction across a first rail of the pair of parallel rails, and the second slider slidably moves in a longitudinal direction across a second rail of the pair of parallel rails.

6. The seat folding mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first slider and the second slider are electromechanically actuated, wherein an electric motor causes the first slider and the second slider to move in a longitudinal direction.

7. The seat folding mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first link arm is attached to the first mounting bracket on an outer side of the first mounting bracket, and the second link arm is attached to the second mounting bracket on an outer side of the second mounting bracket.

8. The seat folding mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first link arm is attached to the first slider on an inner side of the first slider, and the second link arm is attached to second slider on an inner side of the second slider.

9. A seat stowing mechanism comprising:
a seat base comprising a pair of seat rails;
a first mounting bracket, rotatably coupled at a first end of the first mounting bracket to a first seat rail of the pair of seat rails;
a first end of a connecting rod coupled to the first mounting bracket at a second end of the first mounting bracket, opposite the first end of the first mounting bracket;
a second mounting bracket, parallel to the first mounting bracket, rotatably coupled at a first end of the second mounting bracket to a second seat rail of the pair of seat rails, wherein the connecting rod is coupled at a second end of the connecting rod to a second end of the second mounting bracket, opposite the first end of the second mounting bracket;
a first link arm, rotatably coupled at a first end of the first link arm to the first mounting bracket, adjacent to the second end of the first mounting bracket;
a first slider, slidably coupled to and substantially coplanar with the seat base, wherein a second end of the first link arm, opposite the first end of the first link arm, is rotatably coupled to the first slider;
a second link arm, rotatably coupled at a first end of the second link arm to the second mounting bracket, adjacent to the second end of the second mounting bracket;
a second slider, slidably coupled to and substantially coplanar with the seat base, wherein a second end of the second link arm, opposite the first end of the second link arm, is rotatably coupled to the second slider, whereby sliding of the first slider and the second slider causes the connecting rod to move in height direction; and
a seat pan disposed atop the connecting rod.

10. The seat stowing mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the seat pan comprises a spring mat, and wherein the spring mat contacts the connecting rod.

11. The seat stowing mechanism of claim 10 , further comprising a submarine tube in contact with the spring mat, and wherein the submarine tube moves relative to the spring mat in response to a height change of the submarine tube.

12. The seat stowing mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the spring mat comprises a group of tensioned metal wires.

13. The seat stowing mechanism of claim 9 , further comprising:
a seat cushion disposed atop the seat pan.

14. The seat stowing mechanism of claim 9 , wherein a first distance between an outer surface of the first seat rail and an outer surface of the second seat rail is less than a second distance between a first inner side of the seat pan and a second inner side of the seat pan, wherein the first inner side of the seat pan is substantially coplanar with the outer surface of the first seat rail and the second inner side of the seat pan is substantially coplanar with the outer surface of the second seat rail.

15. The seat stowing mechanism of claim 9 , wherein a bottom surface of the seat pan is substantially coplanar with a bottom surface of the seat base when the seat pan is in a lowered position.

16. A method for making a collapsible seat base, the method comprising:
slidably attaching a first upper seat rail to a first lower seat rail;
slidably attaching a second upper seat rail to a second lower seat rail;
pivotally attaching a first submarine bracket to an inner side of the first lower seat rail at a first end of the first submarine bracket;
pivotally attaching a second submarine bracket to an inner side of the second lower seat rail at a first end of the second submarine bracket;
attaching a first end of a submarine tube to the first submarine bracket at a second end of the first submarine bracket, opposite the first end of the first submarine bracket, and attaching a second end of the submarine tube to the second submarine bracket at a second end of the second submarine bracket, opposite the first end of the second submarine bracket;
pivotally attaching a first linkage to the first submarine bracket at a first end of the first linkage and pivotally attaching the first linkage to the first upper seat rail at a second end of the first linkage; and
pivotally attaching a second linkage to the second submarine bracket at a first end of the second linkage and pivotally attaching the second linkage to the second upper seat rail at a second end of the second linkage.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
disposing a seat pan comprising a spring mat atop the submarine tube.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
pivotally attaching a clip to the seat pan, whereby rotation of the clip removably pinches the submarine tube between the spring mat and the clip.

19. The method of claim 16 , w

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Setterberg Peter
• Modh Lars

Classifications

• B60N2/307 Primary

  in a transversal-vertical plane · CPC title

• B60N2/3009

  about transversal axis · CPC title

• B60N2/3093

  slides · CPC title

• B60N2/309

  rods · CPC title

• B60N2/02246

  Electric motors therefor · CPC title