Rear seat extended fold and kneel reconfiguration
A vehicle seat assembly of the present embodiment is positionable in a vehicle passenger compartment and attachable to a vehicle floor. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom, a seat back, and a five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the seat back to the seat bottom. The five-bar linkage assembly includes a forward linkage, a rear linkage, and a folding linkage which allows movement of the vehicle seat assembly from an upright to a folded assembly.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a seat assembly that is extendable in a forward direction and stows in a minimal space.
2. Background Art
Prior art vehicle seat assemblies include a seat back pivotally attached to a seat bottom. These prior art assemblies allow movement of the seat back from upright to folded positions. In one specific assembly, the seat back is attached to the seat bottom via a four-bar mechanism. Such a four-bar seat assembly is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,919. Although such four-bar seats have been used successfully in rear seat vehicle applications, current automotive design trends require rear seats that occupy a lower amount of space when such seat assemblies are in the folded position. Unfortunately, the four-bar mechanism provides a somewhat limited range of motion making it difficult for such seats to meet the more current automobile design requirements and to conform to curbed vehicle floors.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improved vehicle seat assemblies with lower package space and near zero degree load floor angle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention solves one or more problems of the prior art by providing in at least one embodiment a vehicle seat assembly. The vehicle seat assembly of the present embodiment is positionable in a vehicle passenger compartment and attachable to a vehicle floor. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom, a seat back, and a five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the seat back to the seat bottom. The five-bar linkage assembly includes a forward linkage, a rear linkage, and a folding linkage. The forward linkage has a first forward linkage end and a second linkage end. The forward linkage end pivotally attaches to a forward location of the seat bottom at a first pivot position, and the second forward linkage end pivotally attaches to the vehicle floor at a second pivot position. Similarly, the rear linkage has a first rear linkage end and a second rear linkage end. The first rear linkage end pivotally attaches to a rear location of the seat bottom at a third pivot location, and the second end pivotally attaches to the vehicle at a fourth pivot position. Finally, the folding linkage has a first folding linkage end and a second folding linkage end. The first folding linkage end pivotally attaches to the third pivot location, and the second folding linkage end pivotally attaches to a fifth pivot position. Advantageously, the five-bar linkage assembly allows for movement of the seat bottom in a forward direction as the seat back folds downward to a folded position thereby providing minimal package space.
Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred compositions or embodiments and methods of the invention, which constitute the best modes of practicing the invention presently known to the inventors.
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While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A vehicle seat assembly positionable in a vehicle passenger compartment and attachable to a vehicle floor, the seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom;
- a seat back;
- a five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the seat back to the seat bottom, the five-bar linkage assembly comprising:
- a forward linkage having a first forward linkage end and a second linkage end, the forward linkage end pivotally attached to a forward location of the seat bottom at a first pivot position, and the second forward linkage end pivotally attached to the vehicle floor at a second pivot position;
- a rear linkage having a first rear linkage end and a second rear linkage end, the first rear linkage end pivotally attached to a rear location of the seat bottom at a third pivot location, and the second end pivotally attached to the vehicle at a fourth pivot position; and
- a folding linkage having a first folding linkage end and a second folding linkage end, the first folding linkage end pivotally attached to the third pivot location, and the second folding linkage end pivotally attached to a fifth pivot position wherein the five-bar linkage assembly allows for movement of the seat bottom in a forward direction as the seat back folds downward to a folded position.
2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle of less than 10 degrees.
3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle of less than 5 degrees.
4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle of about 0 degrees.
5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle from about 0 to about 5 degrees.
6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising one or more brackets that attach the vehicle seat assembly to the vehicle floor.
7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 wherein the one or more brackets include the second and fourth pivot positions.
8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a bracket that is attached to the vehicle floor and pivotally attaches to the seat back.
9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the seat bottom includes a right and left side, and the seat back includes a right and left side such that the five-bar assembly attaches the right side of the seat bottom to the right side of the seat back.
10. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second five-bar linkage assembly that pivotally attaches the left side of the seat bottom and to the left side of the seat back.
11. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a latching mechanism for holding the seat back in an upright prosition.
12. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the seat back is positionable into a reclined position with the folding linkage traversing an angle with greater absolute value than a angle traversed by the rear linkage about the third pivot location.
13. A vehicle seat assembly positionable in a vehicle passenger compartment and attachable to a vehicle floor, the seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom having a left side and a right side;
- a seat back having a left side and a right side;
- a first five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the right side of the seat back to the right side of the seat bottom;
- a second five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the left side of the seat back to the left side of the seat bottom;
- wherein the first and second five-bar linkage assemblies each independently comprise:
- a forward linkage having a first forward linkage end and a second linkage end, the forward linkage end pivotally attached to a forward location of the seat bottom at a first pivot position and the second forward linkage end pivotally attached to the vehicle floor at a second pivot position;
- a rear linkage having a first rear linkage end and a second rear linkage end, the first rear linkage end pivotally attached to a rear location of the seat bottom at a third pivot location and the second end pivotally attached to the vehicle at a fourth pivot position; and
- a folding linkage having a first folding linkage end and a second folding linkage end, the first folding linkage end pivotally attached to the third pivot location and the second folding linkage end pivotally attached to a fifth pivot position wherein the five-bar linkage assembly allows for movement of the seat bottom in a forward direction as the seat back folds downward to a folded position.
14. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 13 wherein the bottom bracket is integral to a vehicle floor or the bottom bracket is attached to a vehicle floor.
15. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 13 wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle of less than 10 degrees.
16. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 13 wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle from about 0 to about 5 degrees.
17. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 13 further comprising one or more brackets that attach the vehicle seat assembly to the vehicle floor and include the second and fourth pivot positions.
18. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 17 wherein the one or more brackets include the second and fourth pivot positions.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 23, 2006
Publication Date: Dec 27, 2007
Inventors: Kyle Calvert (Sterling Heights, MI), Alexander Jorg Koblischke (Simmozheim)
Application Number: 11/475,569
International Classification: A47C 1/00 (20060101);