Vehicle seat with restraint system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12036903-B1
Application number	US-202318340126-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2023
Priority date	Jun 23, 2023
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

An assembly includes a seat bottom, a scissor mechanism, and a pyrotechnic actuator. The seat bottom includes a rear seat cushion and a front seat cushion in a seat-forward direction from the rear seat cushion. The rear seat cushion is movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the front seat cushion. The scissor mechanism is coupled to the rear seat cushion and movable between an extended position and a compressed position. The scissor mechanism in the extended position holds the rear seat cushion at the raised position. The scissor mechanism in the compressed position holds the rear seat cushion at the lowered position. The pyrotechnic actuator is connected to the rear seat cushion and dischargeable to move the rear seat cushion from the raised position to the lowered position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly comprising:
a seat bottom, the seat bottom including a rear seat cushion and a front seat cushion in a seat-forward direction from the rear seat cushion, the rear seat cushion movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the front seat cushion;
a scissor mechanism coupled to the rear seat cushion and movable between an extended position and a compressed position, the scissor mechanism in the extended position holding the rear seat cushion at the raised position, the scissor mechanism in the compressed position holding the rear seat cushion at the lowered position; and
a pyrotechnic actuator connected to the rear seat cushion and dischargeable to move the rear seat cushion from the raised position to the lowered position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the front seat cushion is arranged to maintain a constant position when the rear seat cushion moves from the raised position to the lowered position.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a track supported by the front seat cushion, the rear seat cushion being engaged with the track and movable along the track between the raised position and the lowered position.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seat back coupled to the seat bottom in a seat-rearward direction from the rear seat cushion.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising an airbag supported by the seat back and inflatable to an inflated position above the seat bottom.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the seat back has a top half, and the airbag extends from the top half in the inflated position.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the seat back has a bottom half at the seat bottom and a midpoint dividing the top half and the bottom half, and the airbag extends below the midpoint in the inflated position.

8. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the airbag is configured to inflate together with the pyrotechnic actuator discharging.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the scissor mechanism includes a first crossmember pivotally coupled to the rear seat cushion and a second crossmember pivotally coupled to the rear seat cushion.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a floor, wherein the first crossmember and the second crossmember are pivotally coupled to the floor.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the seat bottom includes a seat pan, and the first crossmember and the second crossmember are pivotally coupled to the seat pan.

12. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first crossmember and the second crossmember are pivotally engaged with each other.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a floor, wherein the scissor mechanism is mounted to the floor.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the pyrotechnic actuator includes a first end fixed to one of the scissor mechanism or the rear seat cushion and a second end fixed to the floor.

15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seat bottom includes a seat pan, and the scissor mechanism is mounted to the seat pan.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the pyrotechnic actuator includes a first end fixed to one of the scissor mechanism or the rear seat cushion and a second end fixed to the seat pan.

17. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic actuator includes a first end fixed to the scissor mechanism.

18. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic actuator includes a first end fixed to the rear seat cushion.

19. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plate fixed to a bottom surface of the rear seat cushion, the plate being movable with the rear seat cushion from the raised position to the lowered position.

20. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the plate is mounted to the scissor mechanism.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Malapati Srinivas Reddy
• Kadam Mangesh
• Zhao Yuqin

Classifications

• B60N2/42763

  with anti-submarining systems · CPC title

• B60R21/207

  in vehicle seats · CPC title

• B60R21/264

  using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic (B60R21/268 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/42754 Primary

  of the cushion · CPC title

• B60N2/0224 Primary

  Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation · CPC title