Seat assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12472849-B2
Application number	US-202217954934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2022
Priority date	Aug 31, 2022
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

A seat assembly comprises a seat adjuster; and a seat including: a seat bottom connectable to a track assembly; a seatback pivotably connected to the seat bottom; a calf rest pivotably connected to the seat bottom; and a headrest pivotably connected to the seatback. The seat adjuster includes one or more motors and is connected to the seat to adjust the seat to a first seat position and to a second seat position via adjusting the seatback, the calf rest, and the headrest about a plurality of pivot axes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A seat assembly, comprising:
a seat adjuster; and a seat including:
a seat bottom connectable to a track assembly;
a seatback pivotably connected to the seat bottom;
a calf rest pivotably connected to the seat bottom; and
a headrest pivotably connected to the seatback,
wherein the seat adjuster includes one or more motors and is connected to the seat to adjust the seat to a design position and to a zero-gravity position via adjusting the seatback, the calf rest, and the headrest about a plurality of pivot axes, and
wherein a position of a hip point of a user relative to a portion of the seat bottom is same in the design position and the zero-gravity position based on the connection between the portion of the seat bottom supporting a hip of the user and the track assembly,
wherein an orientation of the portion of the seat bottom is fixed with respect to the track assembly.

2 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , including the track assembly and a seat base, wherein the seat base connects the seat to the track assembly.

3 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the seat bottom includes a first seat bottom portion and a second seat bottom portion, the first seat bottom portion corresponds to the portion of the seat bottom,
the plurality of pivot axes includes a first pivot axis, a second pivot axis, a third pivot axis, and a fourth pivot axis, and to adjust the seat from the design position to the zero-gravity position, the seat adjuster adjusts:
the seatback about the first pivot axis at an angle within a range of 20°-30°,
the second seat bottom portion about the second pivot axis at an angle within a range of 10°-20°,
the calf rest about the third pivot axis at an angle within a range of 20°-30°, and
the headrest about the fourth pivot axis at an angle within a range of 10°-20°.

4 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the seat bottom includes a first seat bottom portion and a second seat bottom portion,
the plurality of pivot axes includes a first pivot axis, a second pivot axis, a third pivot axis, and a fourth pivot axis, and to adjust the seat from the design position to the zero-gravity position, the seat adjuster:
reclines the seatback about the first pivot axis at an angle within a range of 23°-27°,
adjusts the second seat bottom portion upward about the second pivot axis at an angle within a range of 13°-17°,
adjusts the calf rest upward about the third pivot axis at an angle within a range of 23°-27°, and
adjusts the headrest forward about the fourth pivot axis at an angle within a range of 13°-17°.

5 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seatback is disposed at an angle within a range of 36°-40° relative to a longitudinal direction of the track assembly when the seat is in the zero-gravity position.

6 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the calf rest is disposed at an angle within a range of 15°-19° relative to a longitudinal direction of the track assembly when the seat is in the zero-gravity position.

7 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the headrest is disposed at an angle within a range of 37°-41° relative to the seatback when the seat is in the zero-gravity position.

8 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the plurality of pivot axes includes a calf rest pivot axis,
the calf rest is pivotable the calf rest pivot axis, the calf rest pivot axis is disposed below the hip point of a user when the seat is in the design position, and the calf rest pivot axis is disposed above the hip point when the seat is in the zero-gravity position, wherein the design position corresponds to a position of an average sized adult user seated in a predefined location and orientation determined based on design of the seat assembly.

9 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the plurality of pivot axes includes a first pivot axis, a second pivot axis, a third pivot axis, and a fourth pivot axis,
the seat bottom includes a first seat bottom portion and a second seat bottom portion; the first seat bottom portion is connectable to the track assembly, the second seat bottom portion and the seatback are pivotably connected to the first seat bottom portion, the calf rest is pivotably connected to the second seat bottom portion, and to adjust the seat to the design position and to the zero-gravity position, the seat adjuster adjusts the seatback about the first pivot axis, the second seat bottom portion about the second pivot axis, the calf rest about the third pivot axis, and the headrest about the fourth pivot axis.

10 . The seat assembly of claim 9 , wherein, when the seat is in the zero-gravity position:
the seatback is disposed at an angle within a range of 36°-40° relative to a longitudinal direction of the track assembly, the second seat bottom portion is disposed at an angle within a range of 46°-50° relative to the longitudinal direction, the calf rest is disposed at an angle within a range of 15°-19° relative to the longitudinal direction, and the headrest is disposed at an angle within a range of 37°-41° relative to the seatback.

11 . The seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein, when the seat is in the design position:
the seatback is disposed at an angle within a range of 59°-63° relative to the longitudinal direction, the second seat bottom portion is disposed at an angle within a range of 11°-15° relative to the longitudinal direction, the calf rest is disposed at an angle within a range of 58°-62° relative to the longitudinal direction, and the headrest is disposed at an angle within a range of 22°-26° relative to the seatback.

12 . The seat assembly of claim 9 , including the track assembly, wherein, to adjust the seat to one of the design position or to the zero-gravity position, the seat adjuster simultaneously adjusts:
the first seat bottom portion in a longitudinal direction along the track assembly, the seatback about the first pivot axis, the second seat bottom portion about the second pivot axis, and the calf rest about the third pivot axis, and the headrest about the fourth pivot axis.

13 . The seat assembly of claim 12 , wherein the track assembly includes a fixed track and a movable track,
the first seat bottom portion is fixed relative to the movable track.

14 . The seat assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first pivot axis is disposed farther from the hip point of the user than the second pivot axis.

15 . The seat assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first pivot axis is disposed farther below the hip point of a user than the second pivot axis.

16 . The seat assembly of claim 9 , wherein the third pivot axis is disposed at least twice as far in front of the hip point of a user than the second pivot axis when the seat is in the design position and when the seat is in the zero-gravity position.

17 . The seat assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first seat bottom portion is disposed at an angle within a range of 20°-30° relative to the track assembly when the seat is in the design position and when the seat is in the zero-gravity position.

18 . The seat assembly of claim 17 , wherein the second seat bottom portion is disposed substantially parallel to the first seat bottom portion when the seat is in the design position.

19 . The seat assembly of claim 9 , wherein a position of the hip point of a user relative to the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis is same in the design position and in the zero-gravity position.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Legh Darren
• Meredith Justin
• King James
• Farley Kevin
• Collins Jake
• Molina Myriam
• Edwards Chris J

Classifications

• B60N2/0284

  Adjustable seat-cushion length (B60N2/0224 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/995 Primary

  Lower-leg-rests, e.g. calf-rests · CPC title

• B60N2/838

  Tiltable · CPC title

• B60N2/853

  characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors · CPC title

• B60N2/185

  characterised by the drive mechanism · CPC title