Seating assembly with swivel capability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12030409-B2
Application number	US-202217699996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2022
Priority date	Mar 21, 2022
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A seating assembly includes a coupling member, a seat, a seatback, a swivel plate, and a base. The seat is pivotably coupled to the coupling member. The seatback is pivotably coupled to the coupling member. The swivel plate is coupled to the coupling member. The swivel plate includes a plurality of swivel anchors. The base is coupled to the swivel plate. The swivel plate enables rotational movement of the coupling member, the seat, the seatback, and the swivel plate about a vertical axis. The base includes a plurality of base anchors. The plurality of base anchors receive the plurality of swivel anchors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seating assembly, comprising:
a coupling member;
a seat pivotably coupled to the coupling member;
a seatback pivotably coupled to the coupling member;
a swivel plate coupled to the coupling member, wherein the swivel plate enables rotational movement of the coupling member, the seat, and the seatback about a vertical axis, and wherein the swivel plate comprises a plurality of swivel anchors;
a base coupled to the swivel plate, wherein the base comprises:
a) a central aperture;
b) a geometrical center defining a center point through which the vertical axis extends;
c) a first leg, a second leg, a third leg, and a fourth leg, wherein each leg comprises a terminal end, the terminal ends configured to substantially extend horizontally outward from the center of the base;
d) a first foot, a second foot, a third foot, and a fourth foot, wherein each foot is coupled to the terminal end of their respective leg; and
e) a plurality of base anchors; and

a rotation shaft coupled to the central aperture, wherein the rotation shaft comprises;
a) an upper retention flange, wherein the upper retention flange extends through a rotation plate aperture defined by the rotation plate and has an outer diameter that is greater than a diameter of the rotation plate aperture; and
b) a lower retention flange, wherein the lower retention flange is positioned beneath an underside of the base, wherein the lower retention flange has an outer diameter that is greater than a diameter of the central aperture.

2. The seating assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of swivel anchors is received in one of the plurality of base anchors when the seating assembly is in a forward-facing position.

3. The seating assembly of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of swivel anchors is received in one of the plurality of base anchors when the seating assembly is in a rearward-facing position.

4. The seating assembly of claim 3 , wherein a surface area of overlap between the plurality of swivel anchors and the plurality of base anchors is greater in the forward- and rear-facing positions than a side-facing position.

5. The seating assembly of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of swivel anchors are free of engagement with the plurality of base anchors when the seating assembly is in the side-facing position.

6. The seating assembly of claim 4 , wherein, when the seating assembly is in a diagonally-oriented position:
a first diagonal pair of the plurality of swivel anchors is engaged with a first diagonal pair of the plurality of base anchors; and
a second diagonal pair of the plurality of swivel anchors is disengaged with a second diagonal pair of the plurality of base anchors.

7. The seating assembly of claim 6 , wherein the diagonally-oriented position is at least one intermediate position chosen from between the forward-facing position and the side-facing position and between the rearward-facing position and the side-facing position.

8. The seating assembly of claim 1 , wherein each foot is configured to extend downward with respect to the vertical axis toward at least one track assembly.

9. The seating assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first foot, the second foot, the third foot, and the fourth foot are each configured for engagement with the at least one track assembly.

10. The seating assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one track assembly comprises a first track assembly and a second track assembly, wherein the first foot and the second foot are configured for engagement with the first track assembly, and wherein the third foot and the fourth foot are configured for engagement with the second track assembly.

11. The seating assembly of claim 1 , wherein a central region of the swivel plate has a bowl-shaped profile.

12. The seating assembly of claim 11 , wherein the bowl-shaped profile is configured to provide sufficient clearance between the swivel plate and the base.

13. The seating assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base has a profile that is generally X-shaped.

14. A vehicle seating assembly, comprising:
a coupling member;
a seat pivotably coupled to the coupling member;
a seatback pivotably coupled to the coupling member;
a swivel plate coupled to the coupling member, wherein the swivel plate enables rotational movement of the coupling member, the seat, and the seatback about a vertical axis, and wherein the swivel plate comprises a plurality of swivel anchors;
a rotation plate coupled to the swivel plate; and
a base coupled to the swivel plate, wherein the base comprises:
a) a central region defining a central aperture;
b) a first leg, a second leg, a third leg, and a fourth leg, wherein each leg comprises a terminal end configured to substantially extend horizontally outward from the central region of the base;
c) a first foot, a second foot, a third foot, and a fourth foot, wherein each foot is coupled to the terminal end of their respective leg, and wherein each foot is configured to be coupled to a rail system in a vehicle; and
d) a plurality of base anchors, wherein the plurality of base anchors receive the plurality of swivel anchors, wherein each of the plurality of swivel anchors is received in one of the plurality of base anchors when the vehicle seating assembly is in a forward-facing position, wherein each of the plurality of swivel anchors is received in one of the plurality of base anchors when the vehicle seating assembly is in a rearward-facing position, wherein a surface area of overlap between the plurality of swivel anchors and the plurality of base anchors is greater in the forward-facing position than a side-facing position, and wherein the surface area of overlap between the plurality of swivel anchors and the plurality of base anchors is greater in the rearward-facing position than the side-facing position; and

a rotation shaft coupled to the central aperture, wherein the rotation shaft comprises:
a) an upper retention flange, wherein the upper retention flange extends through a rotation plate aperture defined by the rotation plate and has an outer diameter that is greater than a diameter of the rotation plate aperture; and
b) a lower retention flange, wherein the lower retention flange is positioned beneath an underside of the base, wherein the lower retention flange has an outer diameter that is greater than a diameter of the central aperture.

15. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of swivel anchors are free of engagement with the plurality of base anchors when the vehicle seating assembly is in the side-facing position.

16. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 14 , wherein, when the seating assembly is in a diagonally-oriented position, a first diagonal pair of the plurality of swivel anchors is engaged with a first diagonal pair of the plurality of base anchors, wherein, when the seating assembly is in the diagonally-oriented position, a second diagonal pair of the plurality of swivel anchors is disengaged with a second diagonal pair of the plurality of base anchors, wherein the diagonally-oriented position is at least one intermediate position chosen from between the forward-facing position and the side-facing position and between the rearward-facing position and the side-facing position.

17. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 14 , wherein the base has a profile that is generally X-shaped wherein the profile of the base further comprises:
a forward inflection point; and
a rearward inflection point, wherein a line extending between the forward inflection point and the rearwa

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Line Johnathan Andrew
• Aktas Macit
• Kish Joseph Michael

Classifications

• B60N2/14 Primary

  rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access (B60N2/10 {, B60N2/2869} take precedence) · CPC title