Adjustable seat bolsters

A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

• a seat body including a seat bottom and a seat back pivotally connected to the seat bottom, the seat body further including a lockable seat back pivot mechanism connected between the seat back and the seat bottom for locking the seat back in a desired pivotal orientation with respect to the seat bottom;
• a bolster connected to the seat body, the bolster including a cushioning member and a pivot mechanism connected between the cushioning member and the seat body for allowing the cushioning member to pivot with respect to the seat body about a longitudinal axis, the pivot mechanism including a rack having a first pocket, and a pawl that is engageable with the first pocket so as to position the cushioning member in a first pivotal position relative to the seat body;
• and
• a release device connected between the seat body and the pawl for disengaging the pawl from the pocket so that the cushioning member may pivot outwardly with respect to the seat body, wherein the release device is further connected to the seat back pivot mechanism and is operable to release the seat back pivot mechanism so that the seat back and seat bottom may be folded together.

A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

• a seat body having a seat bottom and a seat back pivotally connected to the seat bottom;
• a pair of upper bolsters connected on opposite sides of the seat back, each of the bolsters including a support structure connected to the seat body, a bolster body, and a ratcheting mechanism connected between the support structure and the bolster body for allowing the bolster body to pivot with respect to the seat back about a longitudinal axis, each ratcheting mechanism including a rack having a plurality of rack teeth, and a pawl that is selectively engageable with the rack teeth such that each ratcheting mechanism provides inward ratcheting pivotal movement of a respective bolster body while locking the respective bolster body against pivotal movement in an outward direction, each ratcheting mechanism further including a biasing member for urging a respective bolster body in the outward direction;
• a pair of lower bolsters pivotally connected on opposite sides of the seat bottom, each lower bolster being pivotable inwardly and outwardly;
• and
• a release device connected between the seat body and the pawls for disengaging the pawls from the racks so that each bolster body may pivot in the outward direction, thereby allowing the seat back and seat bottom to be folded together, wherein the release device is further connected to the lower bolsters and is operable to allow each bolster to pivot outwardly.

A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

• a seat body having a seat bottom and a seat back pivotally connected to the seat bottom, wherein the seat body includes a lockable pivot mechanism connected between the seat back and the seat bottom for locking the seat back in a desired pivotal orientation with respect to the seat bottom;
• a pair of upper bolsters connected on opposite sides of the seat back, each of the bolsters including a support structure connected to the seat body, a bolster body, and a ratcheting mechanism connected between the support structure and the bolster body for allowing the bolster body to pivot with respect to the seat back, each ratcheting mechanism including a rack having a plurality of rack teeth, and a pawl that is selectively engageable with the rack teeth such that each ratcheting mechanism provides inward ratcheting pivotal movement of a respective bolster body while locking the respective bolster body against pivotal movement in an outward direction, each ratcheting mechanism further including a biasing member for urging a respective bolster body in the outward direction;
• and
• a release device connected to the pivot mechanism and operable to release the pivot mechanism so that the seat back and seat bottom may be folded together, wherein the release device is further connected between the seat body and the pawls for disengaging the pawls from the racks so that each bolster body may pivot in the outward direction, thereby allowing the seat back and seat bottom to be folded together.

A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

• a seat body having first, second and third receptacles;
• and
• a bolster having first and second engaging members that are selectively engageable with the receptacles such that the bolster is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the seat body between a first position and a second position different than the first position, wherein when the bolster is in the first position, the first and second engaging members are respectively engaged with the first and second receptacles, and when the bolster is in the second position, the first and second engaging members are respectively engaged with the second and third receptacles;
• wherein the first position is a first vertical position, and the second position is a second vertical position different than the first vertical position, and wherein the seat body includes first and second side portions and the bolster is longitudinally adjustable only along one of the side portions of the seat body.

A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

• a seat body having a plurality of receptacles;
• and
• a bolster having a first engaging member that is selectively engageable with at least two receptacles such that the bolster is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the seat body;
• wherein each of the at least two receptacles has a circumferential groove, and the first engaging member includes a retractable ball bearing that is selectively engageable with the grooves, the seat body includes a seat back having a side portion, and the bolster is longitudinally adjustable along the side portion of the seat back.

A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

• a seat body having a plurality of receptacles;
• and
• a bolster having a first engaging member that is selectively engageable with at least two receptacles such that the bolster is longitudinally adjustable along a side of the seat body;
• wherein each of the at least two receptacles includes a spring that is engageable with the first engaging member, the seat body includes a seat back having a side portion, and the bolster is longitudinally adjustable along the side portion of the seat back.

A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

• a seat body having first, second and third receptacles;
• and
• a bolster having first and second engaging members that are selectively engageable with the receptacles such that the bolster is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the seat body between a first position and a second position different than the first position, wherein when the bolster is in the first position, the first and second engaging members are respectively engaged with the first and second receptacles, and when the bolster is in the second position, the first and second engaging members are respectively engaged with the second and third receptacles;
• wherein the seat body includes a seat back having first and second side portions, and the bolster is longitudinally adjustable only along one of the side portions of the seat back.