Vehicle seat with center seat cushion and console armrest

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017203678-A1
Application number	US-201615290687-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 14, 2016
Publication date	Jul 20, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a backrest and a seat base connected to the backrest. The seat base includes a first cushion portion and a second cushion portion with an insert space between the first cushion portion and the second cushion portion. A cushion and console assembly is disposed in the insert space. The cushion and console assembly includes a liner base, an armrest assembly and a displacement connection between the armrest assembly and the liner base. The displacement connection guides a movement of the armrest assembly relative to the liner base between a stowed position, in which the armrest assembly upper surface forms at least a part of a center seat cushion, and an armrest position, with the upper surface raised upwardly and at a changed angle relative to the first cushion portion and the second cushion portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle seat comprising:
a backrest; and a seat base connected to the backrest, the seat base comprising a first cushion portion and a second cushion portion with an insert space between the first cushion portion and the second cushion portion and a cushion and console assembly disposed in said insert space, the cushion and console assembly comprising: a liner base; an armrest assembly; and a pivot and sliding connection between the armrest assembly and the liner base, the pivot and sliding connection supporting movement of the armrest assembly relative to the base between a stowed position, in which the armrest assembly upper surface forms at least a part of a center seat cushion, and an armrest position, with the upper surface raised upwardly relative to the first cushion portion and the second cushion portion.

2 . A vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein:
the seat is a rear seat, a second row seat, or a further rearward seat; and the first cushion portion forms a drivers side rear occupant seating area and a second cushion portion forms a passenger side rear occupant seating area and the armrest assembly upper surface of the center seat cushion, with the armrest assembly in the stowed position, forms a center rear occupant seating area.

3 . A vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the armrest assembly covers a storage space in the stowed position and the storage space is accessible in the armrest position.

4 . A vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot and sliding connection comprises a link, which is pivotably connected to the armrest assembly and which is pivotably connected to the liner base.

5 . A vehicle seat according to claim 4 , wherein the pivot and sliding connection further comprises:
a slots provided at the liner base; and slot inserts provided at the armrest assembly, the slot inserts each being inserted into a respective one of the slots with the slots forming a guiding track for a sliding of the armrest assembly relative to the liner base, the armrest assembly being pivotably connected to the slot inserts, for pivoting relative to the slot inserts as the slot inserts slide in the slots.

6 . A vehicle seat according to claim 4 , further comprising a spring arrangement biasing the armrest assembly into the armrest position wherein the spring arrangement is connected to the pivot link to bias the link toward the armrest position.

7 . A vehicle seat according to claim 5 , wherein the spring arrangement acts on the armrest assembly relative to the liner base to bias the slot inserts in the respective slot toward the armrest position.

8 . A vehicle seat according to claim 1 , further comprising a spring arrangement biasing the armrest assembly into the armrest position.

9 . A vehicle seat according to claim 1 , further comprising a locking device connected to the armrest assembly and connected to the liner base for locking a position of the armrest assembly relative to the liner base.

10 . A vehicle seat according to claim 9 , wherein the locking device comprises a moveable latching release arm supported by the armrest assembly and a latch seat provided by the liner base whereby the latching release arm is moveable into a locked engaging position with the latch seat.

11 . A vehicle seat according to claim 10 , wherein the locking device further comprises a locking spring arrangement biasing the latching element toward the locked engaging position and a release handle connected to the armrest assembly and accessible from an outside of the armrest assembly and connected to the latching release arm to move the latching release arm into an unlocked position.

12 . A vehicle seat according to claim 1 , further comprising a cup holder arrangement connected to the cushion and console assembly, the cup holder arrangement comprising a cup holder tray movable between a stowed cup holder position and an extended access position, wherein the cup holder tray is moveable between the stowed cup holder position and the extended access position with the armrest assembly in each of the armrest position and the stowed position.

13 . A vehicle seat according to claim 12 , wherein the cup holder arrangement further comprises cup holder tracks provided on the liner base, the cup holder tray moving along the tracks between the stowed cup holder position and an extended access position.

14 . A vehicle seat comprising:
a backrest; a seat base connected to the backrest, the seat base comprising a first cushion portion and a second cushion portion with an insert space between at least some of the first cushion portion and the second cushion portion and a cushion and console assembly disposed in said insert space, the cushion and console assembly comprising: a liner base; an armrest assembly; a displacement connection between the armrest assembly and the liner base to guide movement of the armrest assembly relative to the liner base between a stowed position, in which the armrest assembly upper surface forms at least a part of a center seat cushion, and an armrest position, with the upper surface raised upwardly and at a changed angle relative to the first cushion portion and the second cushion portion.

15 . A vehicle cushion and console assembly comprising:
a liner base; an armrest assembly; a displacement connection between the armrest assembly and the liner base to guide movement of the armrest assembly relative to the liner base between a stowed position, in which the armrest assembly upper surface forms at least a part of a center seat cushion, and an armrest position, with the upper surface raised upwardly and at a changed angle relative to the first cushion portion and the second cushion portion.

16 . A vehicle cushion and console assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the displacement connection comprises a link, which is pivotably connected to the armrest assembly and which is pivotably connected to the liner base.

17 . A vehicle cushion according to claim 16 , wherein the displacement connection further comprises:
a slots provided at the liner base; and slot inserts provided at the armrest assembly, the slot inserts each being inserted into a respective one of the slots with the slots forming a guiding track for a sliding of the armrest assembly relative to the liner base, the armrest assembly being pivotably connected to the slot inserts, for pivoting relative to the slot inserts as the slot inserts slide in the slots.

18 . A vehicle cushion according to claim 16 , further comprising a spring arrangement biasing the armrest assembly into the armrest position wherein the spring arrangement is connected to the pivot link to bias the link toward the armrest position.

19 . A vehicle cushion according to claim 18 , wherein the spring arrangement acts on the armrest assembly relative to the liner base to bias the slot inserts in the respective slot toward the armrest position.

20 . A vehicle cushion according to claim 1 , further comprising a locking device connected to the armrest assembly and connected to the liner base for locking a position of the armrest assembly relative to the liner base.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Gomez John
• Merchant Walter
• Zadina Emery Jay
• Milner Mark

Classifications

• B60N2/4613 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/005

  Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles {, e.g. dismountable auxiliary seats}(B60N2/02 takes precedence {; for railway vehicles B61D1/04}) · CPC title

• B60N3/102 Primary

  storable or foldable in a non-use position · CPC title

• B60N2/793

  for use as storage compartments · CPC title

• B60N2/763 Primary

  adjustable · CPC title