# US 2014/0152039 A1 · Seating arrangement for a passenger vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152039 A1 - Document ID: US20140152039A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/076,919 - Filed: 2013-11-11 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: David Woodhouse; Torsten Gerhardt; Robert Spahl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152039A1 ## CPC - B60N 2/01: Arrangement of seats relative to one another - B60N 2/919: {Positioning and locking mechanisms (B60N2/16, B60N2/18, B60N2/22, B60N2/225 take precedence)} - B60R 7/04: in driver or passenger space {, e.g. using racks (B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence)} - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A seating arrangement for a passenger vehicle includes a vehicular central longitudinal axis. A front seat and a rear seat each include a central longitudinal axis. The respective central longitudinal axes of the front and rear seats are arranged on opposite sides of the vehicular central longitudinal axis in a staggered relationship. The front seat is mounted high and at least one of the seats is positioned such that the central longitudinal axis of the respective seat measured at a rear edge of the respective seat is mounted closer to the vehicular central longitudinal axis than is possible with a symmetrical side-by-side seating arrangement by mounting the respective seat such that a distance measured from the central longitudinal axis of the respective seat at a rear edge of the seat to the vehicular central longitudinal axis is less than half the width of the rear edge of the respective seat. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A seating arrangement for a passenger vehicle having a vehicular central longitudinal axis, the seating arrangement comprising: a front seat having a central longitudinal axis; and a rear seat having a central longitudinal axis, wherein the respective central longitudinal axes of the front seat and rear seat are arranged on opposite sides of the vehicular central longitudinal axis in a staggered relationship, wherein the front seat is mounted high and at least one of the seats is positioned such that the central longitudinal axis of the respective seat measured at a rear edge of the respective seat is mounted closer to the vehicular central longitudinal axis than is possible with a symmetrical side-by-side seating arrangement by mounting the respective seat such that a distance measured from the central longitudinal axis of the respective seat at a rear edge of the seat to the vehicular central longitudinal axis is less than half the width of the rear edge of the respective seat. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the front seat is mounted such that a distance measured between a heel contact point and a referenced H-point for the respective seat lies in the range of 0.375 m to 0.495 m. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The seating arrangement of claim 2, wherein the front seat is mounted such that a distance measured between a heel contact point and a referenced H-point for the respective seat lies in the range of 0.4 m to 0.45 m. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the rear seat is positioned such that the central longitudinal axis of the rear seat measured at a rear edge thereof is mounted closer to the vehicular central longitudinal axis of the passenger vehicle than is possible with the symmetrical side-by-side seating arrangement. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the distance of the central longitudinal axes of both the front seat and the rear seat measured at the rear edge of the front seat and rear seat, respectively, from the vehicular central longitudinal axis of the passenger vehicle is less than half the width of the front seat and rear seat, respectively. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the front seat has an upright backrest with an inclination relative to vertical that is less than 23 degrees. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the front seat has a heel contact point referenced H-point and the rear seat has a heel contact point referenced H-point and a stagger distance between the two H-points measured in a longitudinal direction of the passenger vehicle lies in the range of 0.3 m to 0.35 m. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the front seat has a heel contact point referenced H-point and the rear seat has a heel contact point referenced H-point and the two H-points lie on a common horizontal plane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the front seat is a seat for a driver and the rear seat is a seat for a passenger. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the passenger vehicle has a transversely stepped floor having a front lower part and a rear upper part and both of the front seat and the rear seat are mounted on the rear upper floor. ### Claim 11 A vehicular seating arrangement for a passenger vehicle comprising: a front seat; a rear seat; and respective central longitudinal axes of the seats being arranged on opposite sides of a vehicular central longitudinal axis in a staggered relationship, wherein one of the seats is positioned such that a distance measured from the central longitudinal axis of the respective seat to the vehicular central longitudinal axis is less than half the width of the respective seat. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicular seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the front seat is mounted such that a distance measured between a heel contact point and a referenced H-point for the respective seat lies in the range of 0.375 m to 0.495 m. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The vehicular seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the rear seat is positioned such that the central longitudinal axis of the rear seat measured at a rear edge thereof is mounted closer to the vehicular central longitudinal axis of the passenger vehicle than is possible with a symmetrical side-by-side seating arrangement. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The vehicular seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the distance of the central longitudinal axes of both the front seat and the rear seat measured at the rear edge of the front seat and rear seat, respectively, from the vehicular central longitudinal axis of the passenger vehicle is less than half the width of the front seat and rear seat, respectively. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The vehicular seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the front seat has an upright backrest with an inclination relative to vertical that is less than 23 degrees. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The vehicular seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the front seat has a heel contact point referenced H-point and the rear seat has a heel contact point referenced H-point and a stagger distance between the two H-points measured in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle lies in the range of 0.3 m to 0.35 m. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The vehicular seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the front seat has a heel contact point referenced H-point and the rear seat has a heel contact point referenced H-point and the two H-points lie on a common horizontal plane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The vehicular seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the front seat is a seat for a driver and the rear seat is a seat for a passenger. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The vehicular seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the passenger vehicle has a transversely stepped floor having a front lower part and a rear upper part and both of the front seat and the rear seat are mounted on the rear upper floor.