US 11,904,732 B2Granted

Vehicular system capable of adjusting a passenger compartment from a first arrangement to a child care arrangement

AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC

InventorsMarcos Silva Kondrad, Patrick Maloney, Kevin Mozurkewich, Johnathan Andrew Line, Jeffrey Brian Yeung

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Abstract

A transportation system is disclosed. The transportation system includes a vehicle, a plurality of seating assemblies positioned within a passenger compartment of the vehicle and defining an arrangement, a plurality of actuators that effect movement of various components of the plurality of seating assemblies, a plurality of sensors, and a controller. Specific examples of pre-set or pre-programmed arrangements are disclosed, as well as the ability to customize the arrangement. Additionally, exemplary methods are disclosed that illustrate transitions between a variety of the pre-set or pre-programmed arrangements.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicle, comprising:

a passenger compartment;
an access door that separates the passenger compartment from a vehicle-exterior environment, the access door being movable between an open position and a closed position;
a first seating assembly;
a second seating assembly positioned vehicle-rearward of the first seating assembly, the first seating assembly and the second seating assembly each comprising:
a seatbase;
a seat having a first end and a second end, the seat being movably coupled to the seatbase at the second end of the seat such that the seat is movable between an upwardly-stowed position and a downwardly-deployed position;
a seat actuator that adjusts an angular position of the seat relative to the seatbase;
a seatback movably coupled to the seatbase proximate to the second end of the seat, a seating surface of the seat and the seatback being configured to receive an occupant;
a seatback actuator that adjusts an angular position of the seatback relative to the seatbase;
and
a swivel actuator coupled to the seatbase such that the seatbase is rotatable about a vertical axis;
and
a controller that receives request signals from a user interface and transmits instruction signals to at least one component of the first seating assembly and the second seating assembly, the at least one component chosen from the seat actuator, the seatback actuator, and the swivel actuator, wherein the controller adjusts a seating arrangement from a first arrangement to a second arrangement in response to the transmitted instruction signals, and wherein the second arrangement is a child care arrangement.

10 more elements

A method of adjusting a passenger compartment arrangement of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing the vehicle with a first seating assembly, a second seating assembly being positioned rearward of the first seating assembly, a third seating assembly positioned rearward of the first seating assembly and laterally adjacent to the second seating assembly, the first seating assenbly, the second seating assembly, and the third seating assembly, each comprising a seat and a seatback that define a seating surface configured to receive an occupant, and the vehicle having a plurality of access doors that separate the passenger compartment from a vehicle-exterior environment;
receiving a request from a user interface to transition an arrangement of the passenger compartment of the vehicle from a first arrangement to a second arrangement, wherein the second arrangement is a child care arrangement;
determining with an occupancy sensor of the second seating assembly whether the second seating assembly is unoccupied prior to initiation of the transition from the first arrangement to the second arrangement;
detecting a first current seat position of the seat of the first seating assembly with a first seat position sensor;
comparing the first current seat position of the first seating assembly to a first desired seat position and determining a first seat positional difference;
detecting a second current seat position of the seat of the second seating assembly with a second seat position sensor;
comparing the second current seat position of the second seating assembly to a second desired seat position and determining a second seat positional difference;
in response to the second seat positional difference, activating a seat actuator of the second seating assembly to align the seat of the second seating assembly with the second desired seat position, the second desired seat position being an upwardly-stowed position of the seat of the second seating assembly;
detecting a first current rail position of the first seating assembly along a rail system within the passenger compartment of the vehicle with a first rail sensor;
comparing the first current rail position of the first seating assembly with a first desired rail position and determining a first rail positional difference;
and
in response to the first rail positional difference, activating a first translation actuator of the first seating assembly to align the first seating assembly with the first desired rail position, the first desired rail position resulting in the first and second seating assemblies being positioned in a central region of the passenger compartment.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/092,743Filed 9 Nov 2020
Published: US 2022/0144146 A112 May 2022
Granted: 20 Feb 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification28 codes

B60N 2/0296
The seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable: central command actuator to selectively switch on or engage one of several special…
B60N 2/345
Into a bed: by adding parts
B60N 2/0021
Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon: characterised by the type of sensor or measurement
B60N 2/0026
For identifying, categorising or investigation of the occupant or object on the seat: for distinguishing between humans, animals or objects