Vehicle seating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12337728-B2
Application number	US-202318475508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2023
Priority date	Dec 9, 2020
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle seating system includes a seatback pivotally coupled to a seat base. The seatback is operable between an upright position and a reclined position. A lift assembly is operably coupled to the seat base. The lift assembly is operable between a disengaged position and an engaged position. A position sensor is coupled to the lift assembly via a ball joint, wherein the ball joint and the position sensor adjust with movement of the lift assembly. A seat controller communicatively is coupled to the position sensor, wherein the seat controller determines if the lift assembly is in the disengaged position or has moved to the engaged position based on position data received from the position sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seating system, comprising:
a seatback having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the seatback is operable between an upright position and a reclined position;
a seat base operably coupled to the seatback, wherein the seat base includes a front end and a rear end that is positioned in a vehicle-rearward direction relative to the front end and proximate to the bottom end of the seatback;
a lift assembly operably coupled to the seat base, wherein the lift assembly is vertically operable between a disengaged position and an engaged position to vertically adjust the rear end of the seat base relative to the bottom end of the seatback, the rear end of the seat base being adjusted toward the bottom end when the lift assembly is in the engaged position;
a position sensor coupled to the lift assembly via a ball joint, wherein the position sensor and the ball joint adjust with vertical movement of the lift assembly; and
a seat controller in communication with the position sensor, wherein the seat controller determines a position of the lift assembly in response to position data received from the position sensor.

2. The vehicle seating system of claim 1 , wherein the lift assembly includes a lift frame, and wherein the lift frame operates to vertically adjust the rear end of the seat base to abut the bottom end of the seatback when the seatback is in the reclined position.

3. The vehicle seating system of claim 1 , wherein the lift assembly is in the disengaged position when the seatback is in the upright position.

4. The vehicle seating system of claim 1 , wherein the seat controller is communicatively coupled to a speed sensor to determine a vehicle speed.

5. The vehicle seating system of claim 4 , wherein the seat controller communicates at least one of a visual alert and an audible alert when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed threshold and the lift assembly is in the engaged position.

6. The vehicle seating system of claim 5 , wherein the seat controller is communicatively coupled with an instrument cluster, and wherein the at least one of the visual alert and the audible alert is communicated to the instrument cluster.

7. A seat system for a vehicle, comprising:
at least one seat base including a forward edge and a rearward edge;
at least one seatback operably coupled to the at least one seat base, wherein a lower end of the at least one seatback is positioned proximate to the rearward edge of the at least one seat base;
at least one lift assembly vertically operable between a disengaged position and an engaged position to vertically adjust the rearward edge of the at least one seat base relative to the lower end of the at least one seatback, the engaged position being vertically above the disengaged position;
at least one position sensor coupled to a frame of the at least one lift assembly via at least one ball joint to sense a position of the at least one lift assembly, the frame being disposed proximate the rearward edge of the at least one seat base, wherein the at least one position sensor and the at least one ball joint are adjusted with adjustment of the at least one lift assembly; and
a seat controller communicatively coupled with the at least one position sensor, wherein the seat controller determines the position of the at least one lift assembly in response to position data received from the at least one position sensor and a vehicle speed, and wherein the seat controller communicates an alert signal when the vehicle speed is at or above a predetermined speed threshold and the at least one lift assembly is in the engaged position.

8. The seat system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one seatback is pivotally coupled to the at least one seat base, wherein the at least one seatback is operable between an upright position and a reclined position, and wherein the at least one lift assembly is in the engaged position when the at least one seatback is in the reclined position.

9. The seat system of claim 7 , further comprising:
an instrument cluster communicatively coupled to the seat controller, wherein the alert signal is communicated to the instrument cluster.

10. The seat system of claim 9 , wherein the instrument cluster displays a visual alert and emits an audible alert in response to the alert signal.

11. The seat system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a sensor operably coupled to the at least one seatback, wherein the sensor senses an angle of the at least one seatback, and wherein the at least one lift assembly adjusts to the engaged position when the at least one seatback is at a predetermined angle.

12. The seat system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one lift assembly includes a first lift assembly and a second lift assembly and the at least one seat base includes a first seat base and a second seat base, and wherein the first lift assembly is operably coupled to the first seat base and the second lift assembly is operably coupled to the second seat base, and wherein the at least one ball joint includes a first ball joint and a second ball joint, and further wherein the at least one position sensor includes a first position sensor coupled to the first lift assembly via the first ball joint and a second position sensor operably coupled to the second lift assembly via the second ball joint.

13. The seat system of claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second position sensors communicate the position data to the seat controller.

14. A method of alerting a passenger of seat positioning, comprising:
positioning a frame of a lift assembly proximate to a rearward edge of a seat base;
rotating a seatback to a first predetermined angle;
vertically adjusting the lift assembly from a first position to a second position when the seatback reaches the first predetermined angle;
vertically adjusting the lift assembly from the second position to a third position as the seatback is rotated from the first predetermined angle to a second predetermined angle, the second predetermined angle greater than the first predetermined angle;
rotating the seat base to vertically adjust the rearward edge of the seat base with the lift assembly to adjust a gap between the rearward edge of the seat base and a bottom edge of the seatback, the rearward edge of the seat base being closer to the bottom edge compared to a front edge of the seat base;
adjusting a position sensor vertically with movement of the frame as the lift assembly is adjusted, wherein the position sensor is coupled to the frame of the lift assembly via a ball joint;
sensing a position of the position sensor coupled to the lift assembly;
determining if the lift assembly is in the third position;
determining a vehicle speed; and
providing at least one of a visual alert and an audible alert when the lift assembly is in the third position and the vehicle speed is at or above a predetermined speed threshold.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of providing at least one of the visual alert and the audible alert includes emitting the audible alert via an instrument cluster.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
terminating the audible alert when at least one of a predetermined period of time has elapsed and the lift assembly is returned to the first position.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of providing at least one of the visual alert and the audible alert includes displaying the visual alert via an instrument cluster.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
outputting a pulse width modulation value i

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kulhawik Benjamin
• Del Puerto Antonio
• Craig Ryan John

Classifications

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60N2210/14

  Inductive; Magnetic field · CPC title

• B60K2360/178

  Warnings · CPC title

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/26

  using acoustic output · CPC title