Removable component system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12570185-B2
Application number	US-202217688079-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2022
Priority date	Mar 7, 2022
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

A removable component system may include a vehicle, a plurality of removable components, one or more sensor assemblies, and/or an electronic control unit that may be connected to the one or more sensors. A method of operating the removable component system may include moving, via the electronic control unit, a first removable component of the plurality of removable components relative to a mounting surface of the vehicle, detecting a new removable component or removal of a second removable component of the plurality of removable components while moving the first removable component, and/or modifying the movement of the first removable component according to the detected new removable component and/or the removal of the second removable component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of operating a removable component system, the system including a vehicle comprising a plurality of zones, a plurality of removable components positioned within the plurality of zones, one or more sensor assemblies, and an electronic control unit, the method comprising:
moving, by the electronic control unit, a first removable component of the plurality of removable components relative to a mounting surface of the vehicle; detecting a location of a zone of the plurality of zones associated with a new removable component or removal of at least one of the plurality of removable components, by the one or more sensor assemblies, while moving the first removable component; modifying the movement of the first removable component according to the detected location of the zone of the new removable component or the at least one removed removable component.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to move the removable components longitudinally, laterally, rotationally, vertically, and angularly.

3 . The method of claim 1 , including determining, by the one or more sensor assemblies, a location of the new removable component.

4 . The method of claim 1 , including identifying each removable component within the vehicle.

5 . The method of claim 1 , including receiving a user request,
wherein moving the first removable component includes moving the first removable component, at least in part, according to the user request.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying movement of the first removable component further includes at least temporarily stopping movement of the first removable component, by the electronic control unit, to avoid a collision of the first removable component and the new removable component.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying movement of the first removable component further includes (i) if the new removable component is detected, at least temporarily limiting movement of the first removable component, by the electronic control unit, to avoid a collision of the first removable component and the new removable component, or (ii) if removal is detected, increasing a speed of movement of a remaining removable component of the plurality of removable components.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, via the one or more sensor assemblies, a location of a zone for each removable component.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein modifying movement of the first removable component further includes at least one of temporarily stopping and limiting movement of the first removable component, by the electronic control unit, if the new removable component is disposed at least partially in a same zone of the plurality of zones as the first removable component.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying movement of the first removable component further includes at least one of temporarily stopping and slowing movement of the first removable component, by the electronic control unit, if the new removable component is located in the zone of the plurality of zones that the first removable component is moving to.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the removable components are configured for selective connection with, movement along and relative to, and removal from one or more track assemblies connected with said mounting surface, and
at least some of the removable components are configured for electrical connection with said one or more track assemblies.

12 . The method of claim 1 , including determining, by the electronic control unit, an occupancy of the plurality of removable components,
wherein moving the first removable component further includes moving the first removable component such that the first removable component is spaced from a second removable component by a first distance if the second removable component is occupied and by a second distance if the second removable component is unoccupied.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

14 . The method of claim 13 , including
receiving a first request; receiving a second request; and moving the first removable component within the second distance in response to the second request if the second removable component is unoccupied, wherein moving the first removable component such that the first removable component is spaced from the second removable component includes moving the first removable component according to the first request.

15 . The method of claim 1 , including receiving a user request,
wherein the user request corresponds to a cargo configuration,and moving the first removable component further includes moving the first removable component to maximize a rectangular surface area of cargo space of the vehicle.

16 . The method of claim 1 , including receiving a user request,
wherein the user request corresponds to a rear configuration, and moving the first removable component further includes moving the first removable component toward a rear of the vehicle.

17 . The method of claim 1 , including:
receiving a user request for movement of one or more of the plurality of removable components; determining that at least one of the first removable component and a second removable component of the plurality of removable components are occupied; moving, by the electronic control unit, the second removable component such that a distance between the first removable component and the second removable component is maximized; and moving one or more unoccupied removable components of the plurality of removable components between the first and second removable components to provide a physical barrier between the first removable component and the second removable component.

18 . A method of operating a removable component system, the system including a vehicle, a plurality of removable components, one or more sensor assemblies, and an electronic control unit, the method comprising:
receiving a user request for movement of one or more of the plurality of removable components; determining an occupancy status of the plurality of removable components; and moving, by the electronic control unit, occupied removable components of the plurality of removable components relative to a mounting surface of the vehicle such that a distance between the occupied removable components is maximized.

19 . The method of claim 18 , including moving one or more unoccupied removable components of the plurality of removable components between at least two of the occupied removable components to provide a physical barrier between the at least two occupied removable components.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Jones Jeffrey A
• Ricart Raúl
• Ferré Fàbregas Antoni

Classifications

• B60N2/3043

  about longitudinal axis · CPC title

• B60N2002/0216

  the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a transversal axis · CPC title

• B60N2/856

  movable to an inoperative or stowed position · CPC title

• B60N2/307

  in a transversal-vertical plane · CPC title

• B60N2205/30

  Seat or seat parts characterised by comprising plural parts or pieces · CPC title