Vehicle seat assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018056821-A1
Application number	US-201615246173-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 24, 2016
Priority date	Aug 24, 2016
Publication date	Mar 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A seat portion has a passenger receiving surface coinciding with a first plane. The seat portion has a resilient cushioning material with a recessed area defined therein. A tether wire for securing child seat is located within the recessed area. A tether cover assembly has a housing defining a door opening and at least one door configured to move from a closed position concealing the tether wire and the door opening, and an open position exposing the tether wire and the door opening. The housing is installed within the recessed area such that with the door in the closed position the door coincides with or is parallel to the first plane. Movement of the door from the closed position to the open position includes the door moving along a path that coincides with or is parallel to the first plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:
a seat portion having a passenger receiving surface configured and shaped to contact a portion of a passenger seated there-against, at least a portion of the passenger receiving surface coinciding with a first plane, the seat portion having a resilient cushioning material disposed therein with a recessed area being defined within the resilient cushioning material and being open to the passenger receiving surface; a tether wire for securing child seat located within the recessed area; and a tether cover assembly having a housing defining a door opening and at least one door configured to move from a closed position concealing the tether wire and the door opening and an open position exposing the tether wire and the door opening, the housing being installed within the recessed area such that with the door in the closed position the door coincides with or is parallel to the first plane, and movement of the door from the closed position to the open position includes at least a free end of the door moving along a path that coincides with or is parallel to the first plane.

2 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the door is configured to move in a vertical direction from the closed position to the open position.

3 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the door is configured to move in a horizontal direction from the closed position to the open position.

4 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing includes a pair of linear tracks coinciding with or parallel to the first plane, and the door is a plate-like member that slides along the pair of linear tracks from the closed position to the open position.

5 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing includes a pair of linear tracks coinciding with or being parallel to the first plane located on opposite sides of the door opening, and the door includes an accordion-style folding structure configured such that as the free end of the door slides along the pair of linear tracks from the closed position to the open position the accordion-style folding structure sections thereof fold against one another.

6 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing includes a pair of tracks having a curved portion and a linear portion, the curved portion being located within the housing and the linear portion coinciding with or being parallel to the first plane, and the door includes a plurality of portions hinged to each other defining a roll-top door that slides along the pair of tracks from the closed position to the open position.

7 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the seat portion is a seat back portion of a seat structure with the passenger receiving surface extending upward away from a rear end of a seat cushion portion.

8 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the seat portion includes a rigid seat frame with the tether wire being rigidly and non-movably fixed to the rigid seat frame.

9 . A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:
a seat portion having a passenger receiving surface configured and shaped to contact a portion of a passenger seated there-against, at least a portion of the passenger receiving surface coinciding with a first plane, the seat portion having a resilient cushioning material disposed therein with a recessed area being defined within the resilient cushioning material and being open to the passenger receiving surface, the recessed area and adjacent portions of the seat portion being located on a rearward side of the first plane and a passenger receiving area being located on a forward side of the first plane; a tether wire for securing child seat located within the recessed area; and a tether cover assembly having a housing defining a door opening and at least one door configured to move from a closed position concealing the tether wire and the door opening, and an open position exposing the tether wire and the door opening, the housing being installed within the recessed area such that movement of the door between the closed position and the open position is confined to movement at the first side of the first plane with the door being prevented from crossing through the first plane to the second side of the first plane and to the passenger receiving area.

10 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the door is configured to move in a vertical direction from the closed position to the open position.

11 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the door is configured to move in a horizontal direction from the closed position to the open position.

12 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the housing includes a pair of linear tracks coinciding with or parallel to the first plane, and the door is a plate-like member that slides along the pair of linear tracks from the closed position to the open position.

13 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the housing includes a pair of linear tracks coinciding with or being parallel to the first plane located on opposite sides of the door opening, and the door includes an accordion-style folding structure configured such that as the free end of the door slides along the pair of linear tracks from the closed position to the open position the accordion-style folding structure sections thereof fold against one another.

14 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the housing includes a pair of tracks having a curved portion and a linear portion, the curved portion being located within the housing and the linear portion coinciding with or being parallel to the first plane, and the door includes a plurality of portions hinged to each other defining a roll-top door that slides along the pair of tracks from the closed position to the open position.

15 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the seat portion is a seat back portion of a seat structure with the passenger receiving surface extending upward away from a rear end of a seat cushion portion.

16 . The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the seat portion includes a rigid seat frame with the tether wire being rigidly and non-movably fixed to the rigid seat frame.

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Konrad James

Classifications

• 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

• B60N2/2806 Primary

  for securing the child seat to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60N2/2893 Primary

  coupled to the seat sub-frame · CPC title

• B60N2/6009

  covering more than only the seat · CPC title