Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110298240 | MONOPOD SEAT STRUCTURE FOR AUTOMOTIVE SEATS AND METHOD - A monopod seat structure including first and second sides. A back is pivotally connected to the seat. A vertical support column is disposed below the seat and positioned substantially centrally between the first and second sides of the seat. A side support member includes a top portion operably connected to one of the first and second sides. A bottom portion is operably connected to a transmission hump of a vehicle. | 12-08-2011 |
20110298250 | MODULAR FRONT SEAT BACK PANEL - A seat assembly having a seat and a seat back that is pivotally connected to the seat. A back cover is disposed on a rear portion of the seat back. The back cover includes an interior side and an exterior side. The interior side includes a plurality of laterally-extending ribs aligned with a plurality of engagement members. At least one vertically-extending channel is disposed on the exterior side of the back cover. | 12-08-2011 |
20120032466 | TRANSVERSE SLIDING/ACCOMMODATION EASY ENTRY SEAT - A vehicle having a door opening defining a threshold. A slide system includes a track operably connected to the vehicle. A slide is linearly moveable relative to the track. A seat is operably connected to the slide. The slide is laterally movable between a retracted position that corresponds with the seat being positioned inside the vehicle and an extended position that corresponds with the seat being disposed in the threshold. | 02-09-2012 |
20120104819 | Vehicle Seat with Rotating Angle Adjustment - A vehicle seat is movable in a rocking or rotating fashion about a center-of-rotation located above a seat bottom. The seat bottom has forward and rear edges and a mounting structure for securing the seat bottom to a vehicle interior engaging the seat bottom to permit movement of the forward edge along a first arcuate path and movement of the rear edge along a second arcuate path. The two arcuate paths having a common center-of-curvature located above the seat bottom, the center-of-curvature defining the center-of-rotation of the seat. A seat back attached to the seat bottom is independently adjustable in recline angle relative to the seat bottom. The arcuate paths may be defined by forward and rear guide tracks formed in one or more seat mounting brackets. A rack-and-pinion drive mechanism is provided to allow manual or powered adjustment of the seat along the guide tracks. | 05-03-2012 |
20120280552 | STRUCTURAL HEAD RESTRAINT GUIDE SLEEVE - A guide sleeve for a vehicle seat having a body portion adapted for insertion into a horizontal support of a vehicle seating assembly. The body portion includes a plurality of engagement members that extend radially outward from a center of the body portion. | 11-08-2012 |
20120306250 | VEHICLE SEAT BACK MEMBER - A vehicle seat back member includes a central web and a front wall that extends from the central web. A rear wall extends along a substantial portion of a rear edge of the central web. A shear center load path of the vehicle seat back member is disposed proximate an inside corner defined by the connection of the central web and the rear wall, and extends substantially along the longitudinal extent of the rear wall. | 12-06-2012 |
20120306251 | VEHICLE SEAT BACK HAVING SUPPORT MEMBERS WITH INTEGRATED RECLINER HEART - A vehicle seat back has first and second support members each having a central web and a rear wall extending therefrom. A seat base is operably connected with the first and second support members. A recliner heart operably connects the seat base with the first and second support members. A shear center of the first and second support members extends along an inside corner connection of the central web and the rear wall of the first and second support members and into the seat base. | 12-06-2012 |
20130032307 | THERMA-ZONE VEHICLE SYSTEM - A temperature adjustment system for a vehicle including a closed network of interconnected fluid pathways disposed in at least one of a headliner, a door, and an instrument panel of the vehicle. A fluid is disposed in the closed network. A fluid pump pushes the fluid through the closed network. The closed network is not open to an interior cabin of the vehicle and thermodynamically influences a cabin temperature of the vehicle. | 02-07-2013 |
20130082478 | ADJUSTABLE FLOATING SEAT - A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a support base. A seat is supported on the support base and cantilevered forwardly therefrom. The support base includes a first brace operably connecting the frame with a first slide assembly disposed on a rocker panel of the vehicle. A second brace operably connects the frame with a second slide assembly disposed on a transmission tunnel of the vehicle. | 04-04-2013 |
20130082500 | FLIP-UP FLOATING SEAT - A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a frame having a seat and a seat back. The seat is operable between a substantially horizontal deployed position and a substantially vertical stowed position. A first brace operably connects the frame with a vehicle rocker panel. A second brace operably connects the frame with a vehicle transmission tunnel. | 04-04-2013 |
20130113257 | REVERSE PEDESTAL SEAT - A vehicle including a seat base having a first slide assembly disposed on each of first and second sides of the seat base. A first support column is disposed below the seat base and is positioned between the first and second sides of the seat base. A second support column is disposed below the second side of the seat base. A brace connects the second support column to a transmission hump of the vehicle. | 05-09-2013 |
20130119715 | VEHICLE SEAT SUSPENSION SYSTEM - A vehicle seat suspension assembly includes a rear support for engagement with a torsion tube of a vehicle seat. First and second spring members have end portions engaged with the rear support. Intermediate cushion pan connectors are disposed on each of the first and second spring members. A cross support is coupled with the first and second spring members and includes power and data wiring apertures. | 05-16-2013 |
20130119726 | WIRE HARNESS FOR A VEHICLE SEATING ASSEMBLY - A wire harness for a vehicle seating assembly includes a body portion having a plurality of engagement hooks adapted for engagement with a vehicle seat cushion pan. A latticework of interconnected lateral support members are bound by a peripheral frame. | 05-16-2013 |
20130119741 | CUSHION PAN FOR A VEHICLE SEAT ASSEMBLY - A cushion pan for a vehicle seating assembly includes a body portion having at least one pocket including a module retention aperture disposed therein. First and second suspension assembly retainers are disposed in the body portion. A peripheral flange extends substantially orthogonal to the planar extent of the body portion and includes a plurality of trim tabs. A plurality of support ribs extend through a midportion of the body portion | 05-16-2013 |
20130240173 | Climate Control System for a Vehicle and a Method of Control - A climate control system for a vehicle and a method of control. The climate control system may include a trim component and a ventilation system. The ventilation system may have a desiccant having volcanic rock particles. Air is circulated through the desiccant to reduce air humidity in the vehicle passenger compartment. | 09-19-2013 |
20130313877 | RECLINER SWING-GATE CONTROL SPACER - A recliner heart spacer ring includes a body portion having a substantially consistent inner diameter. First and second inner cutouts are diametrically opposed from one another. First and second pairs of retention features are diametrically opposed from one another and are adapted to engage a swing gate of a recliner heart. The recliner heart spacer ring guides the swing gate as the swing gate transitions between a range of positions associated with a seat back. | 11-28-2013 |
20140001809 | EASY SLIM FOLD SEAT | 01-02-2014 |
20140025258 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING MASSAGE FUNCTIONS OF A MOTOR VEHICLE SEAT - A method for controlling and selecting massage functions of a motor vehicle seat and include the steps of: switching the system to a selection mode and starting the selection mode; scrolling through massage functions that are organized in a block-by-block manner, wherein the massage functions that are organized in a block-by-block manner include a specific massage zone per block; confirming a selection of the massage block by way of a user selection; and terminating the selection mode. | 01-23-2014 |
20140032043 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING MASSAGE FUNCTIONS OF A MOTOR VEHICLE SEAT - A method for selecting and controlling massage functions of a motor vehicle seat having a control system comprising the steps of: switching the system to a selection mode and starting the selection mode; providing a menu list having options for querying the user's requirements during the massage; selection of an option by the user and providing predefined responses to the respective query and selection of the response by the user and if necessary repeating the steps for further queries; and terminating the selection mode and automatically determining suitable massage settings on the basis of the user's selection and controlling the massage actuators in the motor vehicle seat on the basis of determined massage settings to perform the massage function. | 01-30-2014 |
20140062158 | ULTRA FLEX AND FOLD SEAT WITH INGRESS/EGRESS FEATURE - A vehicle seating assembly includes a track assembly having a rail and a base member slidably engaged with the rail and supporting a seatback. A bracket is coupled to the rail and supports a seat with an articulation feature. A linkage couples the seat with the seatback. A coupler is engaged with the articulation feature. Movement of the coupler relative to the articulation feature translates the seating assembly between a deployed position, wherein the seat is generally orthogonal to the seatback, and a stowed position, wherein the seatback abuts the seat and is generally parallel to the rail. A hinge in the linkage causes translation from the deployed position to an access position. The seat is generally orthogonal to the rail and the seatback is slid to a forward segment of the rail. | 03-06-2014 |
20140152058 | CLIMATE COMFORT SEAT ASSEMBLY - A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat structure. A carrier is disposed on the seat structure and includes a matrix of fluid transfer lines. A spacer material is positioned over the carrier. A trim cover is disposed over the spacer material. A desiccant is made from a volcanic ash and is supported by the seat structure. The matrix of fluid transfer lines thermodynamically influences a relative temperature of the trim cover through both the carrier and the desiccant. | 06-05-2014 |
20140159457 | VIRTUAL H-POINT SEAT BACK SYSTEM - A seat recliner system includes a seat back having a back support member configured to support the back of a passenger. A connecting member extends generally orthogonally from a lower end of the back support member. The connecting member includes a front portion and a rear portion. A seat base includes a forward link operably coupled to the front portion of the connecting member. A rearward link is operably coupled to the rear portion of the connecting member such that the seat back is rotatable about a virtual hip-point of a passenger that is above the seat base and forward of the seat back. | 06-12-2014 |
20140167466 | FLEX AND FOLD VEHICLE SEATING ASSEMBLY - A vehicle seating assembly includes a seatback and a rear bracket pivotally supporting the seatback and slidably engaging a track assembly. A seat has a four-bar linkage that includes a top link for supporting a cushion, a bottom link, a rear link pivotally coupling a rearward portion of the top link with a rearward portion of the bottom link, and a front link pivotally coupling a forward portion of the top link with a forward portion of the bottom link. A connecting member pivotally couples the bottom link with the seatback. Pivoting the seatback forward about the rear bracket causes the connecting member to collapse the linkage rearward to a stowed position. A base member pivotally couples an intermediate portion of the front link with a fixed front bracket. Sliding the seatback forward causes the seat to pivot upward about the base member to a rear access position. | 06-19-2014 |
20140203599 | SEATING ASSEMBLY WITH AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM - A vehicle seating assembly with a cooling system includes a seatback structure with a permeable passenger support which is coupled with the seatback structure. The passenger support has a back support surface and a rear surface. A concave shell has a peripheral edge which is coupled with the rear surface of the passenger support. A conduit member has an intake opening between the passenger support and the shell and an exhaust opening. An air chamber is coupled with the exhaust opening of the conduit member and has a fan on an exterior portion of the air chamber to draw air from the back support surface through the air chamber. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203603 | FLEXIBLE SEATBACK SYSTEM - A vehicle seat suspension system includes first and second side supports defining a seatback structure. An upper component and a lower component are provided, each including at least two outwardly extending flex members. A passenger support includes a periphery operably coupled to distal ends of the flex members. An external peripheral gap is defined between the passenger support and the seatback structure. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203606 | THIN SEAT FLEX REST COMPOSITE CUSHION EXTENSION - A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat defining a seating area and an actuation assembly. An elongate flexible member includes a first end pivotally coupled to the seat and a second end operably coupled with the actuation assembly. The elongate flexible member is pivotally moveable between raised and lowered positions and operable between a retracted position and an extended position. The elongate flexible member enlarges the effective seating area. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203607 | THIN SEAT LEG SUPPORT SYSTEM AND SUSPENSION - A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat defining a seating area. An internal flex member is disposed in the seat. An external flex member is proximate a forward edge of the seat. A first actuation assembly is operably coupled to the internal flex member to raise a portion of the seat. A second actuation assembly translates the external flex member between a retracted position and an extended position that enlarges the effective seating area. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203610 | UPPER SEATBACK PIVOT SYSTEM - A vehicle seating assembly includes first and second side supports defining a seatback structure that is operable between upright and reclined positions. A motorized actuation assembly is disposed between the first and second side supports and is operably coupled to a pivot bar that is rotatably coupled with the seatback structure. An upper seatback suspension component is coupled to the pivot bar. The upper seatback suspension component automatically pivots relative to the pivot bar to a rearward position when the seatback structure is in the upright position and automatically pivots relative to the pivot bar to a forward position when the seatback structure is in the reclined position. An external peripheral gap is defined between the upper seatback suspension component and the seatback structure. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203611 | ARTICULATING HEADREST ASSEMBLY - A vehicle seating assembly includes a seatback, a headrest, and a support structure that extends between the headrest and the seatback. The support structure includes a primary member, a secondary member, and a trim piece that encloses the primary and secondary members. The primary member pivotally couples with the headrest and the seatback. The secondary member has an upper end and a lower end. The upper end pivotally couples with the headrest about a lateral axis and is spaced from the primary member. A first actuator couples between with the primary member and the seatback for rotating the headrest between a rearward position and a forward position. A second actuator couples between the lower end of the secondary member and the seatback to move the headrest between a first angle and a second angle. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203614 | INTEGRATED THIN FLEX COMPOSITE HEADREST ASSEMBLY - A vehicle headrest assembly includes a head restraint operably coupled to a vehicle seatback and having a head support surface. A flexible member includes a top portion operably coupled to the head restraint. The flexible member includes an intermediate portion adjacent the head support surface, a lower portion, and an upper back support disposed on the vehicle seatback and defining an elongated slot through which the flexible member extends. An actuation system is operably coupled to the lower portion of the flexible member. The actuation system operates to move the flexible member through the slot between a deployed position and a non-deployed position. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203617 | INDEPENDENT CUSHION EXTENSION AND THIGH SUPPORT - A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat frame. A first leg support is pivotally coupled with a forward portion of the seat frame. The first leg support is operable between raised and lowered positions. A first extendable member is disposed on a top portion of the first leg support and is operable between extended and retracted positions. A second leg support is adjacent to and independent of the first leg support and is pivotally coupled with the forward portion of the seat frame. The second leg support is operable between raised and lowered positions. A second extendable member is disposed on a top portion of the second leg support and is operable between extended and refracted positions. | 07-24-2014 |
20140203618 | QUICK-CONNECT TRIM CARRIER ATTACHMENT - A quick-connect assembly for a vehicle seating assembly includes a seatback structure. A suspension assembly includes a plurality of outwardly extending flex members. A removable trim carrier is disposed over upper and lower components and is removably coupled to distal ends of the plurality of outwardly extending flex members by a friction-fit connection. A cushion is operably coupled with the trim carrier. An external peripheral gap is defined between the passenger support and the seatback structure. | 07-24-2014 |
20140252834 | LUGGAGE RETENTION SYSTEM - A motor vehicle luggage retention system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. A foldable seat back separates the occupant compartment from the trunk and has an upright position and a folded position that allows pass-through accessibility from the trunk into the occupant compartment. A pivotable bar assembly in the trunk has a lowered position and a raised position. Pivoting the pivotable bar assembly to the lowered position moves the foldable seat back to the upright position and creates a structural safety barrier against objects in the trunk impacting a rear surface of the seat back. Pivoting the pivotable bar assembly to the raised position moves the seat back to the folded position to provide uninterrupted access to the occupant compartment from the trunk. A latch assembly latches the pivotable bar assembly in at least the lowered position. A movable parcel shelf and collapsible storage bin are also disclosed. | 09-11-2014 |
20140265501 | VEHICLE SEATING ASSEMBLY - A vehicle seating assembly includes a seatback having a panel movable to a reclined position and a cushion slidably coupled with the panel to slide down in the reclined position. A base is pivotally supporting the panel and has a concave portion. A seat has a bottom portion slidably coupled with the concave portion for sliding the seat to an upward angle when the panel moves to the reclined position. | 09-18-2014 |
20140316660 | SEAT-INTEGRATED OCCUPANT PRESENCE DETECTOR - A system includes a vehicle seat with an embedded presence detector that can detect a presence of an occupant and output a presence signal. A position controller is configured to receive the presence signal and adjust a position of the vehicle seat to a predetermined driving position in response to receiving the presence signal and prior to turning on a vehicle ignition. | 10-23-2014 |
20140361571 | ARTICULATING CUSHION BOLSTER FOR INGRESS/EGRESS - A vehicle seating assembly having a seat base and a seat back. Bolsters extend laterally from one of the seat base and the seat back and include a bolster support having a hinge assembly and an abutment member and a substantially planar engagement surface disposed therebetween. A flexible cushion overlies the bolster support. A spring-biased dynamic member is operably coupled with one of the seat back and the seat base and is slidably engaged with the substantially planar engagement surface. The spring-biased dynamic member is operable between articulated and unarticulated positions. The spring-biased dynamic member moves to the articulated position upon initiation of a user-initiated event. | 12-11-2014 |
20140361590 | ARTICULATING SEAT BOLSTERS - A vehicle seating assembly for a vehicle having a seat back and a seat. Bolsters extend laterally from one of the seat back and the seat and include a static projection, a cushion, and a dynamic projection disposed between the static projection and the cushion. The dynamic projection is operably coupled to one of the seat back and the seat. An articulation feature is disposed between the dynamic projection and the static projection and is operable between articulated and unarticulated conditions. A control is operably coupled to the articulation feature and is operational to move the articulation feature between the articulated and unarticulated conditions, which consequently move the dynamic projection relative to the static projection, respectively, thereby adjusting the angle of the cushion relative to one of the seat back and the seat. | 12-11-2014 |
20150069811 | SEMI RIGID PUSH/PULL VENTED ENVELOPE SYSTEM - A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat back and a seat base. A shell is disposed in the seat base and includes a left leg support and a right leg support. A membrane is disposed over the shell and includes a plurality of perforations. The membrane and the shell define a cavity. An air channel is defined in a bottom wall of the shell. The air channel extends at least partially into the left leg support and the right leg support. A spacer material is disposed in the cavity. A fan is in communication with the air channel and is configured to move air through the channel, the spacer material, and the plurality of perforations. | 03-12-2015 |
20150076879 | SELF-ADJUSTING SEAT STIFFNESS SYSTEM - A self-adjusting seat stiffness system that uses a tension member and tensioning device to maintain or increase tension in a seat component during a perceived vehicle dynamic event. The system may use an inertial latching spool for the tensioning device as an example of a way to maintain tension at a target acceleration of the spool by locking up the tension member, or may have a controller to control the tensioning member to provide variable tensions depending on varying perceived vehicle parameters. The tensioning of the tension member helps to avoid submarining of an occupant under a seatbelt due to unacceptable seat compression during a vehicle dynamic event. | 03-19-2015 |