US 7,597,375 B2 · Vehicle seats

Abstract

A double folding mechanism of a seat of a vehicle can fold a seat cushion from a space on a floor and fold a seat back into the space, thereby changing the seat from its use condition to its retracted condition. The double folding mechanism can include a first connecting mechanism connecting the seat cushion and the floor and a second connecting mechanism connecting the seat back and the floor. The second connecting mechanism can control the rotational speed of the seat back such that the seat back can enter inside a rotational trajectory of a rear end of the seat cushion after the seat cushion comes out of a rotational trajectory of an upper end portion of the seat back. The double folding mechanism can change the seat from the use condition to the retracted condition in one operation.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims12

Dependent claims

A double folding mechanism of a seat of a vehicle, which mechanism can fold a seat cushion from a space on a floor and fold a seat back into the space, thereby changing the seat from a use condition to a retracted condition, comprising:

a first connecting mechanism connecting the seat cushion and the floor, the first connecting mechanism comprises a first rotational mechanism that supports the seat cushion on the floor so as to be rotatable in a folding and unfolding direction, a first biasing device that biases the seat cushion supported by the first rotational mechanism in the folding direction, and a first retaining mechanism that retains the seat cushion biased by the first biasing device in a use position, and
a second connecting mechanism connecting the seat back and the floor, the second connecting mechanism comprises a second rotational mechanism that supports the seat back on the floor so as to be rotatable in a folding and unfolding direction, a second biasing device that biases the seat back supported by the second rotational mechanism in the folding direction, a second retaining mechanism that retains the seat back biased by the second biasing device in a use position, and a biasing force control device capable of controlling a rotational speed of the seat back rotating in the folding direction,
wherein the first and second retaining mechanisms are arranged and constructed to be released in one operation,
wherein the biasing force control device of the second connecting mechanism is arranged and constructed to control the rotational speed of the seat back such that the seat back can enter inside a rotational trajectory of a rear end portion of the seat cushion after the seat cushion comes out of a rotational trajectory of an upper end portion of the seat back, wherein the first rotational mechanism comprises a rotating member that is rotatably connected to the floor via a first rotational shaft and is rotatably connected to the seat cushion via a second rotational shaft that is positioned parallel to the first rotational shaft, and a detent device that is positioned between the rotational member and the seat cushion so as to control the rotation of the seat cushion about the second rotational shaft,
wherein the rotating member is arranged and constructed to be capable of rotating the rear end portion of the seat cushion downwardly about the second rotational shaft until the detent device functions when the rotating member rotates in the folding direction, so that the rear end portion of the seat cushion moves along the rotational trajectory that does not interfere with the seat back, the rotational trajectory being different from a hypothetical rotational trajectory of the rear end portion expected in case that the rear end portion is not rotated downwardly, and
wherein the seat cushion is positioned such that the hypothetical rotational trajectory will interfere with the seat back.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,769 words

Summary805 words

#This application claims priority to Japanese patent applications serial numbers 2006-013683, 2006-013693 and 2006-036230, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

#The present invention relates to a seat of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a seat of a vehicle having a double folding mechanism, i.e., a folding mechanism that can raise or fold a seat cushion forwardly and simultaneously fold a seat back forwardly, in order to retract the seat. Further, the present invention relates to the double folding mechanism.

#Various types of seats (rear seats) of a vehicle having a double folding mechanism are already known. Such seats are taught, for example, by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-82902.

Brief description of the drawings7 figures

#FIG. 1 is a side view of a seat of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention, which illustrate a use condition and a retracted condition of the seat;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seat, which schematically illustrates a double folding mechanism of the seat;

#FIG. 3 is a side view of the seat, which illustrate a primary position of a seat cushion, i.e., a rotational position of the seat cushion immediately after the seat cushion starts to rotate forwardly from its use position toward its retracted position;

Detailed description5,752 words

#A representative example of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Only the claims define the scope of the claimed invention. Therefore, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the foregoing detailed description may not be necessary to practice the invention in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe detailed representative examples of the invention. Moreover, the various features taught in this specification may be combined in ways that are not specifically enumerated in order to obtain additional useful embodiments of the present invention.

#A detailed representative embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 7.

#First, as shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, a retractable rear seat is exemplified as a seat 1 of a vehicle. As shown in, for example, FIG. 1, the seat 1 includes a seat cushion 2 and a seat back 3. The seat cushion 2 may preferably be constituted of a cushion frame 2a and a pad 2b attached to the cushion frame 2a. Similarly, the seat back 3 may preferably be constituted of a back frame 3a and a pad 3b attached to the back frame 3a. Further, the back frame 3a can be reinforced by a reinforcement member 3r (FIG. 6).

Facts

Application

11/625,148Filed 19 Jan 2007

Priority

JP 2006-01368323 Jan 2006

Published

US 2007/0187972 A116 Aug 2007

Granted

6 Oct 2009

Term ends

8 Jul 2027

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 170 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification5 codes

B60N 2/309
Characterised by the mechanical link: rods
B60N 2/22
The seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable: the back-rest being adjustable
B60N 2/3013
About transversal axis: the back-rest being hinged on the vehicle frame
B60N 2/305
About transversal axis: the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame

Timeline

23 Jan 2006Priority claimedJP 2006-013683
19 Jan 2007Application filedUS 11/625,148
9 Apr 2007Assigned to Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaishaassignment of assignor's interest
16 Aug 2007PublishedUS 2007/0187972 A1
6 Oct 2009GrantedUS 7,597,375 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
8 Jul 2027Term endsEstimated, includes 170 days of adjustment

Vehicle seats

Life of this patent

Vehicle seats

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims12

Description6,769 words

Description6,769 words

Classification5 codes

Drawings