Sedan Slouch Seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288671-A1
Application number	US-201415036254-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2014
Priority date	Nov 19, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A seat assembly for an automotive vehicle comprises a seat cushion and a seat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion for movement between a use position and a fold flat position overlying the seat cushion. A seat track assembly is coupled to the seat cushion for providing selective adjustment of the seat assembly between an upright design position and a reclined slouch position wherein the seat back is automatically pivoted rearwardly in response to forward sliding movement of the seat cushion. A sliding fold flat latch mechanism is operatively coupled to the seat back for slidably guiding the seat back during movement of the seat assembly between the upright design position and the reclined slouch position and for actuation between a locked condition retaining the seat back in the use position and an unlocked condition allowing pivotal movement of the seat back to the fold flat position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A seat assembly for use in an automotive vehicle, said seat assembly comprising:
a seat cushion adapted to be coupled to the floor of the vehicle; a seat back pivotally coupled to said seat cushion for pivotal movement between a use position adapted to be operatively coupled to a support wall within the vehicle and a fold flat position overlying said seat cushion; a seat track assembly operatively coupled to said seat cushion for providing selectively adjustment of said seat assembly between an upright design position and a reclined slouch position wherein said seat back is automatically pivoted rearwardly in response to forward sliding movement of said seat cushion; and a sliding fold flat latch mechanism operatively coupled to said seat back for slidably guiding said seat back during movement of said seat assembly between said upright design position and said reclined slouch position and for actuation between a locked condition retaining said seat back in said use position and an unlocked condition allowing pivotal movement of said seat back to said fold flat position.

2 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said seat track assembly includes a lower track adapted to be fixedly mounted to the floor of the vehicle and an upper track slidably coupled to said lower track for providing said adjustment of said seat assembly between said upright design position and said reclined slouch position.

3 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sliding fold flat latch mechanism includes a striker latch operatively coupled to said seat back and a striker bar adapted to be fixedly secured to the support wall of the vehicle for selectively locking engagement with the striker latch, wherein said striker latch is operable between said locked condition engaged with said striker bar to maintain said seat back in said use position and said unlocked condition disengaged from said striker bar to allow pivotal movement of said seat back to said fold flat position.

4 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said striker latch includes a housing pivotally coupling said striker latch to said seat back for allowing said striker latch to pivot relative to said striker bar, a latch hook pivotally mounted to said housing for engagement with said striker bar in said locked condition, and a cam pivotally mounted to said housing for engagement with said latch hook to releasably maintain said latch hook is said locked condition.

5 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said striker bar extends vertically between an upper end and a lower end and wherein said striker latch slides along the vertical length of said striker bar between said upper and lower ends as said seat assembly is moved between said upright design position and said reclined slouch position while maintaining said seat back in said use position.

6 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said striker latch includes a coil spring coupled between said cam and said housing for biasing said cam into locking engagement with said latch hook.

7 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said striker latch includes a torsion spring coupled between said latch hook and said housing for biasing said latch hook toward said unlocked condition disengaged from said striker bar.

8 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said striker latch includes a pair of pivot posts pivotally connected between said housing and said seat back for pivotally supporting said striker latch relative to said striker bar.

9 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 8 further including a fold flat handle operatively coupled to said seat back for actuating said striker latch between said locked and unlocked condition.

10 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 9 further including a slouch adjuster handle operatively coupled to said seat track assembly for actuating said seat track assembly between said locked and unlocked condition and providing movement of said seat assembly between said upright design position and said reclined slouch position.

11 . A seat assembly for use in an automotive vehicle, said seat assembly comprising:
a seat cushion adapted to be coupled to the floor of the vehicle; a seat back pivotally coupled to said seat cushion for pivotal movement between a use position adapted to be operatively coupled to a support wall within the vehicle and a fold flat position overlying said seat cushion; a seat track assembly operatively coupled to said seat cushion for providing selective adjustment of said seat assembly between an upright design position and a reclined slouch position wherein said seat back is automatically pivoted rearward in response to forward sliding movement of said seat cushion; a sliding fold flat latch mechanism operatively coupled to said seat back for slidably guiding said seat back during movement of said seat assembly between said upright design position and said reclined slouch position and for actuation between a locked condition retaining said seat back in said use position and an unlocked condition allowing pivotal movement of said seat back to said fold flat position; and a bolster section operatively coupled to said seat cushion, wherein said bolster section remains generally aligned with said seat back during said adjustment of said seat assembly between said upright design position and said reclined slouch position.

12 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said seat back extends between a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end pivotally coupled to said seat cushion by a first pivot pin.

13 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said bolster section extends between a lower end and an upper end, said bolster section including a support bracket coupled to said seat cushion and a second pivot pin pivotally coupling said lower end and said support bracket wherein said second pivot pin is coaxial with said first pivot pin of said seat back.

14 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said sliding fold flat latch mechanism includes a striker latch operatively coupled to said seat back and a first striker bar adapted to be fixedly secured to the support wall of the vehicle for selective locking engagement with said striker latch, wherein said striker latch is operable between said locked condition engaged with said first striker bar to maintain said seat back in said use position and said unlocked condition disengaged from said first striker bar to allow pivotal movement of said seat back to said fold flat position.

15 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said bolster section further includes a second striker bar adapted to be fixedly secured to the support wall and a striker hook connected to said upper end of said bolster section and slidably coupled to said second striker bar for allowing said bolster section to recline with said seat back during movement of said seat assembly between said upright design position and said reclined slouch position and maintain a generally planar alignment with said seat back.

16 . A seat assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said striker latch includes a housing pivotally coupling said striker latch to said seat back for allowing said striker latch to pivot relative to said first striker bar, a latch hook pivotally mounted to said housing for engagement with said first striker bar in said locked condition, and a cam pivotally mounted to said housing for engagement with said latch hook to releasably maintain said latch hook is said locked condition.

Assignees

• Magna Seating Inc

Inventors

• Zimmerman Ii Ronald A

Classifications

• B60N2/22

  the back-rest being adjustable {(B60N2/2878 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N2/366 Primary

  characterised by the locking device · CPC title

• B60N2/06

  slidable (B60N2/12 {, B60N2/2209} take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/986

  Side-rests (B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/686

  Panel like structures · CPC title