Stow To Floor Seat Assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022161696-A1
Application number	US-202017441946-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 22, 2019
Publication date	May 26, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A seat assembly includes a five-bar linkage for moving the seat assembly between a plurality of positions in an automotive vehicle. A first link is rotatably coupled to a seat back at a second pivot point disposed coaxial to a first pivot point, and to a seat base defining a fifth link at a third pivot point. A second link extends axially between the first and second pivot points. A third link is defined by a lower seat back portion and a seat cushion and extends between the first pivot point and a fifth pivot point disposed adjacent a front portion of the seat cushion. A fourth link is rotatably coupled to the third link at the fifth pivot point and the seat base at a fourth pivot point. The seat assembly is capable of moving to both a pitched easy entry position and a stow flat to floor position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A seat assembly adapted to be mounted to a floor of an automotive vehicle for movement between a plurality of positions, the seat assembly comprising:
a seat cushion having a front portion and a rear portion for supporting an occupant in the automotive vehicle; a seat back including a lower seat back portion pivotally coupled to an upper seat back portion at a first pivot point (P 1 ) defining a first axis (A 1 ), the lower seat back portion releasably coupled to the rear portion of the seat cushion; and a five-bar linkage comprising
a first link extending between a first end and an opposite second end, the first end rotatably coupled to the seat back at a second pivot point (P 2 ) disposed coaxial to the first pivot point (P 1 ), and the second end defining a third pivot point (P 3 ),
a second link extending axially between the first and second pivot points (P 1 , P 2 ),
a third link defined by the lower seat back portion and the seat cushion and extending between the first pivot point (P 1 ) and a fifth pivot point (P 5 ) disposed adjacent the front portion of the seat cushion,
a fourth link extending between a first end and an opposite second end, the first end rotatably coupled to the third link at the fifth pivot point (P 5 ), and the second end defining a fourth pivot point (P 4 ), and
a fifth link defined between the third pivot point (P 3 ) and the fourth pivot point (P 4 ).

2 . The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a seat base extending between the third pivot point (P 3 ) and the fourth pivot point (P 4 ) for mounting the seat assembly in the automotive vehicle.

3 . The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the seat base is coupled to a seat track assembly for providing fore and aft movement of the seat assembly in the automotive vehicle.

4 . The seat assembly of claim 3 further comprising a headrest pivotally coupled to the upper seat back portion, the headrest moveable between a generally upright position for supporting a head of an occupant and a folded position in which the headrest pivots toward the upper seat back portion.

5 . The seat assembly of claim 4 further comprising a latching mechanism disposed between the lower seat back portion and the rear portion of the seat cushion for selectively unlocking the seat cushion from the seat back.

6 . The seat assembly of claim 5 further comprising a third pivot locking mechanism operably coupled at the third pivot point (P 3 ) for selectively locking the third pivot point (P 3 ) and preventing rotation between the first link and the seat base.

7 . The seat assembly of claim 6 further comprising a second pivot locking mechanism operably coupled at the second pivot point (P 2 ) for selectively locking the second pivot point (P 2 ) and preventing rotation between the upper seat back portion and the first link.

8 . The seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising a first pivot locking mechanism operably coupled at the first pivot point (P 1 ) for selectively locking the first pivot point (P 1 ) and preventing rotation between the upper seat back portion and the lower seat back portion

9 . The seat assembly of claim 8 further comprising a track locking mechanism incorporated in the seat track assembly for selectively locking and preventing sliding motion of the seat assembly along the seat track assembly.

10 . The seat assembly of claim 9 further comprising a stopping mechanism operably coupled at the fifth pivot point (P 5 ) for variably limiting rotation between the fourth link and the seat cushion at the fifth pivot point (P 5 ).

11 . The seat assembly of claim 10 wherein the stopping mechanism includes
a shaft extending between the fourth link and the seat cushion at the fifth pivot point (P 5 ),
a stopping cam disposed at a first end of the shaft, the stopping cam including a cam surface extending between a first radially extending stop lobe and a second radially extending stop lobe,
a leader cam coupled to a second end of the shaft, wherein rotation of the leader cam simultaneously rotates the shaft and the stopping cam, and
a stopper extending axially from the seat cushion between the first and second stop lobes of the stopping cam, wherein rotation of the seat cushion around the fifth pivot point (P 5 ) is restricted as rotation of the stopper is correspondingly restricted between the first and second stop lobes.

12 . The seat assembly of claim 11 further comprising a biasing mechanism operably coupled to the leader cam to rotatably bias the leader cam in a first direction.

13 . The seat assembly of claim 12 further comprising a locking cam coupled to the fourth link for selectively locking the leader cam and preventing rotation of the shaft and the stopping cam.

14 . The seat assembly of claim 13 wherein actuation of the locking cam rotates the stopping cam and the first and second stop lobes between a first position defining a first rotational range of the seat cushion around the fifth pivot point (P 5 ), and a second position defining a second rotational range of the seat cushion around the fifth pivot point (P 5 ).

15 . The seat assembly of claim 14 further comprising a biasing mechanism at the second pivot point (P 2 ) to rotatably bias the second pivot point (P 2 ) in a second direction opposite the first direction.

16 . The seat assembly of claim 15 further comprising a biasing mechanism at the third pivot point (P 3 ) to rotatably bias the third pivot point (P 3 ) in the second direction.

17 . The seat assembly of claim 16 further comprising a biasing mechanism at the fourth pivot point (P 4 ) to rotatably bias the fourth pivot point (P 4 ) in the second direction.

18 . The seat assembly of claim 17 further comprising a biasing mechanism at the fifth pivot point (P 5 ) to rotatably bias the fifth pivot point (P 5 ) in the second direction.

19 . The seat assembly of claim 18 further comprising a biasing mechanism operably coupled between the seat base and the seat track assembly to bias the seat assembly in a fore direction along the seat track assembly.

20 . The seat assembly of claim 19 wherein the seat assembly is disposed in a design position in which the stopping cam is disposed in the first position, the seat cushion is latched to the seat back and spaced from the floor of the automatic vehicle, and the seat back and headrest are disposed generally upright to support the occupant.

21 . The seat assembly of claim 20 wherein the seat assembly is moveable to a comfort recline position in response to actuation of the first and second pivot locking mechanisms, wherein the stopping cam is disposed in the first position, the seat cushion is spaced from the floor of the automotive vehicle, and the upper seat back portion tilts in the first direction at the first and second pivot points (P 1 , P 2 ) for increased occupant comfort.

22 . The seat assembly of claim 21 wherein the seat assembly is moveable to an easy entry position in response to actuation of the second and third pivot locking mechanisms, the locking cam, and the track locking mechanism, wherein the stopping cam is disposed in the second position and the seat assembly tilts forwardly and downwardly toward the floor of the automotive vehicle and slides along the seat track assembly in the fore direction to allow ingress and egress behind the seat assembly.

23 . The seat assembly of claim 22 wherein the seat assembly moves to a stow

Assignees

• Magna Seating Inc

Inventors

• Agalave Shriram
• Naikare Harshad
• Lamkane Akshay
• Runde David
• Dioum Cheikh
• Carrara Bruno

Classifications

• B60N2/0224

  Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation · CPC title

• B60N2/12

  slidable and tiltable · CPC title

• B60N2/06

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

• B60N2/3031

  in a longitudinal-vertical plane · CPC title

• B60N2/2222

  the back-rest having two or more parts · CPC title