Vehicle having interchangeably storable and mountable stowable folding seat and center console

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9669740-B2
Application number	US-201514817799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Aug 4, 2015
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

The vehicle includes a passenger compartment, a seat assembly, a folding seat, and a center console. The passenger compartment includes a storage space. The storage space is provided in an interior side wall of the passenger compartment. The seat assembly is provided in the passenger compartment. The seat assembly includes a mounting base. The folding seat has a seat mounting structure. The folding seat is movable between a folded position and a seated position. The center console has a console mounting structure. The folding seat and the center console are each configured to be stored within the storage space of the passenger compartment. The seat mounting structure of the folding seat and the console mounting structure of the center console are each configured to be mounted to the mounting structure of the seat assembly.

First claim

It is claimed:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a passenger compartment having a storage space, the storage space provided in an interior side wall of the passenger compartment;
a seat assembly provided in the passenger compartment, the seat assembly having a mounting base;
a folding seat having a seat mounting structure, the folding seat moveable between a folded position and seated position; and
a center console having a console mounting structure;
the folding seat and the center console are each configured to be stored within the storage space of the passenger compartment,
the seat mounting structure of the folding seat and the console mounting structure of the center console are interchangeably mounted to the mounting base of the seat assembly.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the mounting base includes a front mounting structure and a rear mounting structure, and wherein the seat mounting structure and the console mounting structure each correspond to the front mounting structure and the rear mounting structure of the mounting base so as to be releasably attachable to the mounting base.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the storage space is provided with a predetermined dimension in a length, thickness, and width directions, and wherein both the folding seat and the center console are dimensioned to fit within the predetermined dimension of the storage space.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the front mounting structure of the mounting base includes a latch, and the rear mounting structure of the mounting base includes a pair of mounting brackets.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the folding seat includes a seat attachment rod having a pair of seat attachment ends and a seat hook, the pair of seat attachment ends engage within the pair of mounting brackets of the rear mounting structure of the mounting base, the seat hook engages with the latch of the front mounting structure of the mounting base,
wherein the center console includes a pair of console attachment ends and a console hook, the pair of console attachment ends engage within the pair of mounting brackets of the rear mounting structure of the mounting base, the console hook engages with the latch of the front mounting structure of the mounting base.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the storage space is formed as a recess in an interior trim panel of the vehicle, the recess includes an inner wall, a lower wall, and an outer wall.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the outer wall is spaced a predetermined distance from the inner wall, and wherein the lower wall traverses the predetermined distance between the inner wall and the outer wall.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the center console is configured to be received within the storage space such that a portion of the center console is positioned between the inner wall and the outer wall,
wherein the folding seat, in the folded position, is configured to be received within the storage space such that a portion of the folding seat is positioned between the inner wall and the outer wall.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the seat hook of the seat mounting structure is pivotal about a seat pivot axis between a stored position and an extended position, the seat hook is positioned in the extended position when the seat mounting structure of the folding seat is mounted to the mounting base such that the pair of seat attachment ends are received within the pair of mounting brackets and the seat hook engages with the latch, the seat hook is positioned in the stored position when the folding seat is stored within the storage space,
wherein the console hook of the console mounting structure is pivotal about a console pivot axis between a stored position and an extended position, the console hook is positioned in the extended position when the console mounting structure of the center console is mounted to the mounting base such that the pair of console attachment ends are received within the pair of mounting brackets and the console hook engages with the latch, the console hook is positioned in the stored position when the center console is stored within the storage space.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the folding seat includes a U-shaped seat frame member, the pair of seat attachment ends are formed on a seat attachment rod mounted to the U-shaped seat frame member,
wherein the center console includes a U-shaped console frame member, the pair of console attachment ends are formed on a console attachment rod mounted to the U-shaped console frame member.

11. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the pair of mounting brackets are spaced a first predetermined distance apart, the seat attachment ends are spaced a second predetermined distance apart, the console attachment ends are spaced a third predetermined distance apart, and
wherein the first predetermined distance, the second predetermined distance and the third predetermined distance are equal.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the mounting base is attached to a vehicle floor.

13. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the seat assembly includes a pair of seats and the mounting base is positioned between the pair of seats.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the seat mounting structure of the folding seat and the console mounting structure of the center console are each configured to be removably mounted to the mounting base.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Eng & Mfg North America Inc

Inventors

• Hansen Charles S
• Dhamrat Hamshivraj S
• Lund Andrew E

Classifications

• B60N2/30 Primary

  Non-dismountable {or dismountable} seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats · CPC title

• B60R7/04 Primary

  in driver or passenger space {, e.g. using racks (B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N2/36

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

• B60N2/305

  the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame · CPC title

• B60N2/3097

  Dismountable seats storable in a non-use position (B60N2/015, B60N2/28 take precedence) · CPC title