Vehicle seating system

A vehicle seating system for use within a vehicle comprising:

• a seat back;
• a seat bottom coupled to the seat back;
• a track arrangement configured to be coupled to the vehicle;
• a first carriage coupled to the seat bottom and moveable within the track arrangement;
• a second carriage coupled to the seat back and moveable within the track arrangement;
• and
• a link coupling the scat bottom to the seat back,
• wherein the second carriage and the first carriage are releasably coupled to one another so the second carriage is moveable relative to the first carriage when the coupling of the first carriage and the second carriage is released, the position of the second carriage relative to the first carriage being substantially fixed when the coupling of the first carriage and the second carriage is locked,
• wherein the seating system is configured to be moved from a design position into a folded position when the coupling of the first carriage and the second carriage is released, and
• wherein the link is coupled to the seat back at a first joint and to the seat bottom at a second joint,
• wherein the seat back is rotatable relative to the link about the first joint and the seat bottom is rotatable relative to the link about the second joint,
• wherein the second joint comprises a latch member, and
• wherein the latch member is movable between a locked position in which the seat bottom is not permitted to rotate about the second joint and an unlocked position in which the seat bottom is permitted to rotate about the second joint.

A track system for coupling a vehicle seat having a seat bottom and a seat back to a vehicle, the vehicle having a vehicle floor, the vehicle seat being movable between a design position such that an occupant may sit on the seat bottom, a folded position, and a storage position, the track system comprising:

• a first track arrangement configured to be coupled to the vehicle floor, wherein the first track arrangement is disposed in a single plane that is parallel with the vehicle floor;
• a first carriage coupled to the first track arrangement and configured to be coupled to the seat bottom, the first carriage being moveable within the first track arrangement in a longitudinal direction of the first track arrangement;
• a second carriage coupled to the first track arrangement and configured to be coupled to the seat back, the second carriage being moveable within the first track arrangement in the longitudinal direction of the first track arrangement;
• and
• a linkage releasably coupling the first carriage and the second carriage, the linkage being moveable between a locked state in which the position of the second carriage is locked relative to the position of the first carriage and an unlocked state in which the second carriage is moveable within the first track arrangement relative to the first carriage,
• wherein the track system is configured to allow the vehicle seat to be moved from the design position into the folded position only when the linkage is in the unlocked state,
• wherein the track system is configured such that the first and second carriages are placed alongside each other in the first track arrangement such that the first and second carriages overlap each other in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when in the folded position, and
• wherein the track system is configured such that a rear portion of the seat bottom moves toward the vehicle floor and forward immediately at initiation of movement of the vehicle seat moving from the design position to the storage position.

A vehicle seating system for use within a vehicle and selectively adjustable between at least a first configuration, a second configuration, and a third configuration, the vehicle having a vehicle floor, the vehicle seating system comprising:

• a seat back;
• a seat bottom coupled to the seat back;
• a first track member and a second track member, wherein each of the first and second track members are configured to be coupled to the vehicle floor, wherein the second track member is parallel to the first track member on a same side of the seat bottom;
• a first carriage coupled to the seat bottom and moveable within the first track member in a longitudinal direction;
• and
• a second carriage coupled to the seat back and moveable within the second track member in the longitudinal direction;
• wherein the second track member is offset from the first track member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and has a length extending in the longitudinal direction that is longer than a length of the first track member extending in the longitudinal direction;
• wherein the second carriage and the first carriage are releasably coupled to one another to allow the second carriage to move relative to the first carriage, the position of the second carriage relative to the first carriage being substantially fixed when the coupling of the first carriage and the second carriage is locked,
• wherein the seating system is adjustable between the first configuration and the second configuration when the coupling of the first carriage and the second carriage is released,
• wherein when the seating system is in the second configuration, each of the seat hack and the seat bottom are oriented substantially vertically and are located adjacent one another, and
• wherein the seat bottom is configured to move in a downward and forward path spanning from the seat bottom's location in the first configuration to the seat bottom's location in the third configuration toward the vehicle floor immediately at initiation of moving the vehicle seating system from the first configuration to the third configuration.