System for folding seats in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017197522-A1
Application number	US-201515326384-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2015
Priority date	Aug 8, 2014
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for changing rear seat positions in a vehicle between deployed and folded configurations. The system comprises means to effect the steps of initiating a movement of the rear seating and, after initiation, moving the front seat so that collision between the seating is avoided. The front seat is returned to its previous position, or as near as possible thereto, afterwards. The system includes means to detect the position of the seating and to calculate whether a collision will occur, and automatically to effect the requisite movements of the front seating to avoid the collision.

First claim

1 . A system for changing the position of seats in a vehicle having forward seating and rearward seating, said rearward seating comprising at least one seat having a deployed configuration and a folded configuration, the system comprising:
a control unit configured to, upon initiation of a movement of said rearward seating between said deployed and folded configurations:
detect a position of said forward seating;
control movement of said forward seating to a first safe position m which no part of the forward seating lies within a first volume defined by an integral of all positions that any part of the rearward seating may occupy between said deployed and folded configurations; and
control movement of the forward seating back to said detected position if such movement would not cause it to collide with said rearward seating;
wherein the control unit is configured to cause at least a first portion of the movement of the rearward seating between said configurations to be performed simultaneously with the movement of the forward seating, and wherein the control unit is configured to:
check whether the forward seating is within said first volume when said first portion of the movement is completed; and
when the forward seating is not in the first volume when the first portion of the movement is completed, continue with the movement of the rearward seating; or
when the forward seating is in the first volume when the first portion of the movement is completed, wait for the forward seating to exit, the first volume before continuing with the movement of the rearward seating.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, when moving the forward seating back to the detected position would cause it to collide with the rearward seating, said control unit is configured to control movement of the forward seating to a second safe position, said second safe position being a position close to said detected position.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of said forward seating and said rearward seating comprises a plurality of seats.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit detects the position of said forward seating by reference to a memory device and a stored position of a last movement of said forward seating.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a detector configured to check whether at least said rearward seating is occupied by a user, and wherein the control unit is configured to effect movement of the vehicle seating only when said rearward seating is not occupied.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said rearward seating further comprises at least one extendable headrest, and wherein the first volume is calculated assuming that the headrest is fully extended.

7 . The system claim 1 , wherein said rearward seating fu her comprises at least one extendable headrest, and wherein the control unit is configured to detect a position of the headrest and calculate the first volume based on said detected position.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said rearward seating further comprises at least one extendable and retractable headrest and, when the system is employed to move the rearward seating to said folded configuration, the control unit is configured to effect movement of said headrest to a retracted position, and to calculate the first volume based on said retracted position of the headrest.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein, upon initiation of a movement of said rearward seating when the rearward seating is in its deployed configuration, a position of the headrest in said deployed configuration of the rearward seating is stored in a memory device, the headrest being restored to its position stored in the memory device upon return of the rearward seating to said deployed configuration.

10 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the control unit is configured so that said movement of said headrest to the retracted position is performed simultaneously with said first portion of the movement of the rearward seating.

13 . A controller for changing the position of at least one forward seat in a vehicle having forward seating comprising at least one forward seat, and rearward seating comprising at least one rearward seat and having a deployed configuration and a folded configuration, the controller configured to:
receive an input indicating that a movement, of said rearward seating between a deployed configuration and a folded configuration has been initiated; receive an input indicative of a position of said forward seating; control movement of said forward seating to a first safe position in which no part of the forward seating lies within a first volume defined by an integral of all of the positions that any part of the rearward seating may occupy between said deployed and folded configurations; and control movement of the forward seating back into said detected position if such movement would not cause it to collide with said rearward seating; wherein the controller is configured to cause at least a first portion of the movement of the rearward seating between said configurations to be performed simultaneously with the movement of the forward seating, and wherein the controller is configured to:
check whether the forward seating is within said first volume when said, first portion of the movement is completed; and
when the forward seating is not in the first volume when the first portion of the movement is completed, continue with the movement of the rearward seating; or
when the forward seating is in the first volume when the first port on of the movement is completed, wait for the forward seating to exit the first volume before continuing with the movement of the rearward seating.

14 . The controller of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to change a position of said rearward seat, the controller being configured, upon, receipt of said input indicating that a movement of said rearward seating between a deployed configuration and a folded configuration has been initiated, to control movement of said rearward seating between said deployed configuration and said folded configuration.

15 . The controller of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to control the movement of said rearward seating between said deployed configuration and said folded configuration to occur simultaneously with at least a portion of said movement of said forward seating to the first safe position in which no part of the forward seating lies within the first volume defined by the it integral of all of the positions that any part of the rearward seating may occupy between said deployed and folded configurations.

16 . A vehicle, comprising:
forward seating; rearward seating comprising at least one seat having a deployed configuration and a folded configuration; and a system for changing positions of the forward seating and rearward seating, the system comprising:
control unit configured to, upon initiation of a movement of said rearward seating between said deployed and folded configurations:
detect a position of said forward seating;
control movement of said forward seating to a first safe position in which no part of the forward seating lies within a first volume defined by the integral of all positions that any part of the rearward seating may occupy between said deployed and folded configurations; and
control movement of the forward seating back to said detected position if such movement would not cause it to collide with said rearward seating;
wherein the control unit is configured to cause at least a first portion of the movement of the rearward seating between said c

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Lopez Pinana Jose

Classifications

• B60N2/835

  specially adapted for rear seats · CPC title

• B60N2/3011

  the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement" · CPC title

• B60N2002/948

  the actuation of the positioning or locking mechanism for one seat part being dependent on the position of another seat part, e.g. the seats floor lock being unlocked when the back-rest is inclined or the backrest can be tilted only when the seat is in its rear position · CPC title

• B60N2002/0055

  characterised by special measures to ensure that no seat or seat part collides, during its movement, with other seats, seat parts or the vehicle itself · CPC title

• B60N2/36

  into a loading platform {(B60N2/065 takes precedence)} · CPC title