Interchangeable module system
AssigneeJohnson Controls Technology Company
InventorsNeil J. Bush, Daniel J. Koester, William J. Fluharty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seat assembly of a vehicle capable of receiving and retaining an interchangeable module. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom, a seat back, and a module receiver. The module receiver is secured to either the seat bottom or the seat back and includes a coupling device to retain the module which is received in the module receiver.
Claims25
A seat assembly of a vehicle capable of receiving and retaining an interchangeable module, said seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom;
- a seat back extending generally upward from said seat bottom;
- and
- a module receiver secured to one end of said seat bottom and seat back, said module receiver including at least one electrical contact and having a first portion of a retention mechanism for releasably retaining a module for use by a vehicle occupant when the module is received and retained in said module receiver, said first portion of said retention mechanism including an aperture for receiving a projection on the module and a selectively releasable latch member coordinated with said aperture to retain the module by engaging a portion thereof.
A seat assembly for a vehicle, said seat assembly comprising:
- a seat back having a first surface for supporting a seat occupant when in a seated position and a second surface, said seat back including at least one electrical contact;
- and
- a module receiver secured to said seat and engaging said second surface of said seat back, said module receiver having a coupling device for releasably retaining a module for use by a vehicle occupant when the module is received and retained in said module receiver, said coupling device including an aperture for receiving a projection on the module and a selectively releasable latch member coordinated with said aperture to retain the module by engaging a portion thereof.
A seat assembly of a vehicle capable of receiving and retaining an interchangeable module, said seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom having a generally horizontal seating surface;
- a seat back extending generally upward from said seat bottom;
- and
- a module receiver secured to said seating surface of said seat bottom, said module receiver being disposed on and forming at least a portion of said seating surface, said module receiver including a first portion of a retention mechanism for releasably retaining a module for use by a vehicle occupant when the module is received and retained in said module receiver, said first portion of said retention mechanism comprising an aperture for receiving a projection on the module and a selectively releasable latch member coordinated with said aperture to retain the module by engaging a portion thereof.
A seat assembly of a vehicle capable of receiving and retaining an interchangeable module, said seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom having a generally horizontal seating surface;
- a seat back extending generally upward from said seat bottom;
- a module receiver secured to one of said seat bottom and said seat back;
- and
- at least a first module and a second module, each of said at least first module and said second module being coordinated with and releasably received by said module receiver whereby each of said at least first module and said second module is interchangeable with said module receiver, said first module providing a first function and said second module providing a second function, said at least first module and said second module being selected from a group consisting of a seating surface module, a base module, a mesh panel module, a tote bag module, a mobile office module, a commuter module, a brief case support module, and an elevated support module.
A seat assembly of a vehicle capable of receiving and retaining an interchangeable module, said seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom;
- a seat back extending generally upward from said seat bottom;
- and
- a module receiver secured to one of said seat bottom and seat back, said module receiver having a first portion of a retention mechanism for releasably retaining a module for use by a vehicle occupant when the module is received and retained in said module receiver, said first portion of said retention mechanism including an aperture for receiving a projection on the module and a selectively releasable latch member coordinated with said aperture to retain the module by engaging a portion thereof, said one of said seat bottom and seat back to which said module receiver is secured includes coordinated electrical contacts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.