Backrest assembly for a rear seat of a vehicle

Abstract

A back panel assembly for a rear bench seat of a vehicle is disclosed. The back panel assembly includes an upper portion and a lower portion made of a hard plastic material. The back panel assembly prevents a gap from being formed between the lower portion and a luggage panel regardless of an operating mode of the rear bench seat. When a seat back is folded, the upper portion, the lower portion, and the luggage panel are aligned in a horizontal direction, thereby allowing a passenger space in the rear bench seat to be fully unified with a trunk.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat, and more specifically, to a backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat that effectively prevents the formation of a gap between the backrest assembly and the luggage compartment, and allows the passenger space to be completely integrated with the luggage compartment when the seat back is folded down. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, recreational vehicles (RVs, SUVs, MPVs, etc.) have a luggage compartment behind the rear seats to accommodate luggage. In such recreational vehicles, the second or third row of seats located directly in front of the luggage compartment can be defined as the rear seats.

[0003] When passengers fold the rear seatbacks forward, the passenger space in the rear seats connects with the luggage compartment, ensuring greater luggage loading space. Simultaneously, when the seatbacks are fully reclined and form a flat surface with the seat cushions, the rear seats can be used as a bed. When the rear seatbacks are folded forward, a gap can form between the rear end of the seatback and the front end of the luggage compartment. To prevent this gap, a skirt portion is provided on the lower part of the rear surface of the seatback cushions. The luggage compartment can be defined as the bottom surface of the luggage compartment.

[0004] Because the standard skirt of the rear seat backrest is made of flexible fabric, its shape is prone to deformation after a certain number of uses or more. This deformation reveals a problem: when the seat backrest is folded forward, it is not effective in preventing a gap from forming between the rear end of the seat backrest and the front end of the luggage compartment.

[0005] Furthermore, the skirt's deformable shape makes it difficult to ensure a seamless connection between the skirt and the luggage, resulting in a less appealing appearance. Specifically, because the skirt is made of a flexible fabric rather than a rigid material, luggage or passengers' hands can easily get stuck inside.

[0006] The details described as background art are intended only to facilitate understanding of the background of this disclosure and should not be construed as an admission of prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made to address the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a back panel assembly for a vehicle rear seat, which is disposed behind and connected to the seat back of the rear seat, and can effectively prevent the formation of a gap between the back panel assembly and the trunk regardless of the operating mode of the rear seat, allowing the passenger space in the rear seat to be completely integrated with the trunk to improve the appearance when the seat back is folded, and preventing luggage or passenger hands from getting stuck in it.

[0008] According to the invention, the above and other objectives can be achieved by a backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat, the backrest assembly comprising: an upper portion disposed behind and connected to the seat back of the rear seat; a lower portion formed separately from the upper portion and disposed below the upper portion to cover the gap between the rear seat and the luggage compartment; and a hinge connector configured to rotatably connect the upper portion to the lower portion. The upper portion may have an adjuster shaft extending through its lower end, and may rotate forward and backward relative to the seat cushion about the adjuster shaft together with the seat back.

[0009] The backrest assembly may also include a plurality of supports, the upper portion of which is connected to a surface at the lower end of the upper portion and is located in front of the lower portion, such that the lower portion of the supports overlaps with a surface at the upper end of the lower portion, and when the upper portion including the seat back rotates forward about the adjuster axis from a position in the normal passenger seating mode where the seat back is upright, the lower portion of the supports may contact the upper end of the lower portion to support the lower portion, thereby allowing the upper portion and the lower portion to rotate forward together.

[0010] The backrest assembly may also include multiple supports, the upper portions of which are connected to a surface at the lower end of the upper portion and located in front of the lower portion to overlap a surface at the upper end of the lower portion. When the upper portion including the seat back rotates rearward about the adjuster axis from its position in the normal passenger seating mode with the seat back upright, the lower portions of the supports can rotate away from the lower portion, thereby allowing only the upper portion to rotate rearward about the hinge connector.

[0011] The hinge connector may include: an upper hinge bracket fixedly connected to the lower end of the upper part; a lower hinge bracket fixedly connected to the upper end of the lower part; a hinge shaft configured to rotatably connect the upper hinge bracket to the lower hinge bracket; and a hinge spring wound around the hinge shaft, a first end of the hinge spring being connected to the upper hinge bracket and a second end being connected to the lower hinge bracket, thereby providing an elastic force that causes the upper hinge bracket and the lower hinge bracket to unfold into a straight line.

[0012] In the normal passenger seating mode with the seat back upright, the lower part remains vertical, and its upper end connects to the front end of the luggage rack to prevent a gap from forming between the lower part and the luggage rack. When the seat back is rotated to a predetermined angle to transition from the normal passenger seating mode with the seat back upright to the relaxed mode, the lower part remains vertical, and its upper end connects to the front end of the luggage rack to prevent a gap from forming between the lower part and the luggage rack.

[0013] When the upper part of the seat back is fully rotated rearward to a flat mode where the upper part of the seat back, together with the seat cushion, defines a flat surface, the lower part remains upright, and the upper end of the lower part can be connected to the front end of the luggage compartment to prevent a gap from forming between the lower part and the luggage compartment. When the upper end of the lower part is connected to the front end of the luggage compartment to prevent a gap from forming between the lower part and the luggage compartment in the flat mode, the internal structure between the seat back and the luggage compartment can be concealed to prevent the internal structure from being exposed to the outside.

[0014] When the upper part, including the seat back, is rotated fully forward to convert to a folding mode, the upper, lower, and luggage compartments align horizontally to prevent gaps from forming between the lower part and the luggage compartment. The upper and lower parts may be made of rigid plastic material. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0016] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view showing a backrest assembly of a vehicle rear seat according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An enlarged view of the portion to which the hinge connector of the backplate assembly is connected;

[0018] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of a hinge connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 It is along Figure 2 The cross-sectional view taken by line II in the figure shows the support member according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0020] Figures 5 to 8 This is a corresponding side view of the back panel assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in normal passenger seating mode, relaxed mode, flat mode and folded mode. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The specific structural and functional descriptions of the embodiments of the present invention are provided merely for illustrative purposes. The invention may take many different forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention are disclosed for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0022] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention, specific examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. Because embodiments of the invention can be modified in many different forms, although the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. Rather, the invention is intended not only to cover the exemplary embodiments, but also to cover various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0023] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used herein to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another. For example, the first component discussed below may be referred to as the second component without departing from the teachings of the invention. Similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component.

[0024] It should be understood that when a component is referred to as "connected" or "attached" to another component, it may be directly connected to or attached to the other component, or an intermediate component may exist between them. Conversely, it should be understood that when a component is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly attached" to another component, no intermediate component exists. Other expressions describing the relationship between components, such as "between," "directly between," "adjacent," or "directly adjacent," should also be understood in the same way.

[0025] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that, when used in this specification, the terms “comprising,” “having,” etc., specify the presence of features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It will be further understood that terms such as those defined in common dictionaries should be interpreted as having the same meaning as they have in the context of the relevant technology and this invention, and should not be construed as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined herein.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a control unit (controller) may be embodied in a non-volatile memory (not shown) and a processor (not shown). The non-volatile memory is configured to store algorithms configured to control the operation of various components of a vehicle, or data relating to software instructions for executing the algorithms. The processor is configured to perform operations using the data stored in the memory, as will be described below. Specifically, the memory and processor may be embodied in a separate chip. Alternatively, the memory and processor may be embodied in a single chip in which the memory and processor are integrated. The processor may be embodied as one or more processors. The controller is understood as a hardware device having a memory and a processor.

[0028] Hereinafter, a backrest assembly for a vehicle's rear seat according to a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Leisure vehicles (RVs, SUVs, MPVs, etc.) have a luggage compartment behind their rear seats for accommodating luggage, and the second or third row of seats located directly in front of the luggage compartment can be defined as rear seats.

[0029] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, the rear seat 10 for a recreational vehicle may include: a seat cushion 11 configured to support the lower body of a passenger sitting thereon; a seat back 12 configured to support the upper body of the passenger; and a headrest configured to support the neck and head of the passenger.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the backrest assembly 20 is coupled to the seat back 12 of the rear seat 10. The backrest assembly 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: an upper portion 100 located behind and connected to the seat back 12 of the rear seat 10; a lower portion 200 formed separately from and below the upper portion 100 to cover the gap between the backrest assembly 20 and the luggage compartment 30; and a hinge connector 300 configured to rotatably connect the upper portion 100 to the lower portion 200.

[0031] The luggage compartment 30 can be defined as the bottom surface of the luggage compartment. An adjuster shaft 40 extends laterally through the lower end of the upper portion 100, and the upper portion 100, together with the seat backrest 12, is rotatable relative to the seat cushion 11 in the fore-and-aft direction about the adjuster shaft 40. The adjuster shaft 40 can be connected to an adjuster 50 including an adjuster motor, and the adjuster 50 can be fixedly connected to the seat cushion frame and the seat backrest frame, and, if desired, can also be connected to the upper portion 100 (thus forming the back panel assembly 20).

[0032] The backplate assembly 20 according to an embodiment of the invention may further include a plurality of supports 400, which are connected at their upper portions to a surface (front surface) at the lower end of the upper portion 100, and are positioned in front of the lower portion 200 to overlap at their lower portions with a surface (front surface) at the upper end of the lower portion 200. The supports 400 (each of which is configured to have an approximately rectangular external shape) may be integrally formed with the upper portion 100 for connection to the upper portion 100, and may also be connected to the upper portion 100 in such a way that the supports 400 are manufactured separately from the upper portion 100, and, if necessary, are connected to the upper portion 100 by additional fastening components (bolts, etc.).

[0033] When the upper part 100 including the seat back 12 rotates forward about the adjuster axis 40 in the normal passenger seating mode with the seat back 12 upright ( Figure 4 As indicated by arrow R1), the lower part of the support 400 contacts the upper end of the lower part 200 to support the lower part 200, thereby causing the upper part 100 and the lower part 200 to rotate forward together.

[0034] At the same time, when the upper part 100 including the seat back 12 rotates backward about the adjuster axis 40 in the normal passenger seating mode with the seat back 12 upright ( Figure 4 As indicated by arrow R2), the lower part of the support 400 rotates and is spaced apart from the lower part 200, thereby only the upper part 100 rotates backward about the hinge connector 300.

[0035] Each of the hinge connectors 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: an upper hinge bracket 310 fixedly connected to the lower end of the upper portion 100; a lower hinge bracket 320 fixedly connected to the upper end of the lower portion 200; a hinge shaft 330 configured to rotatably connect the upper hinge bracket 310 to the lower hinge bracket 320; and a hinge spring 340 wound around the hinge shaft 330, with a first end connected to the upper hinge bracket 310 and a second end connected to the lower hinge bracket 320, thereby providing an elastic force to cause the upper hinge bracket 310 and the lower hinge bracket 320 to unfold into a straight line.

[0036] The upper portion 100 and lower portion 200 of the backrest assembly 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention are preferably made of a rigid plastic material. Specifically, if the lower portion 200 is made of a flexible material, such as a conventional skirt, the following problems exist: the shape of the lower portion 200 is easily deformed after a certain number or more uses, and when the seat back 12 is folded forward while the lower portion 200 is deformed, the gap between the lower portion 200 and the luggage panel 30 cannot be eliminated. Furthermore, when the lower portion 200 is made of a flexible material that is easily deformable, the following disadvantages exist: it is difficult to ensure a unified look with the luggage compartment when the seat back 12 is folded, thereby degrading the appearance, and luggage or passengers' hands may get stuck in the gap.

[0037] To overcome these problems, the backrest assembly 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an upper portion 100 and a lower portion 200 made of a hard plastic material. Therefore, even after the backrest assembly 20 has been used a certain number of times or more, its shape will not deform, and thus the gap between the backrest assembly 20 and the luggage compartment 30 can be effectively eliminated when the seat back 12 is folded forward. Furthermore, since the passenger space in the rear seats is completely integrated with the luggage compartment when the seat back 12 is folded, the advantage is improved appearance and the elimination of the problem of luggage or passengers' hands getting stuck in the gap.

[0038] Figure 5 The image shows a normal passenger seating mode with the seat back 12 upright. In the normal passenger seating mode, the lower part 200 of the backrest assembly 20 remains upright, and the upper end of the lower part 200 is connected to the front end of the luggage rack 30, thereby preventing a gap from forming between the lower part 200 and the luggage rack 30.

[0039] Figure 6 The relaxation mode is shown, in which the seat back 12 is rotated rearward from its normal passenger seating position (where the seat back 12 is upright) to a predetermined angle. In the relaxation mode, the lower part 200 of the backrest assembly 20 also remains upright, and the upper end of the lower part 200 is also connected to the front end of the luggage rack 30, thereby preventing a gap from forming between the lower part 200 and the luggage rack 30.

[0040] Figure 7 The flat mode is shown, in which the upper part 100 of the seat back 12 is fully rotated rearward to align with the seat cushion 11. In the flat mode, the lower part 200 of the backrest assembly 20 also remains vertical, and the upper end of the lower part 200 is connected to the front end of the luggage rack 30, thereby preventing a gap from forming between the lower part 200 and the luggage rack 30.

[0041] According to an embodiment of the invention, since the upper end of the lower part 200 is connected to the front end of the luggage panel 30 in the flat mode to prevent the formation of a gap between them, the internal structure between the seat back 12 and the luggage panel 30 is covered, thereby preventing the internal structure from being exposed to the outside and thus improving the appearance.

[0042] Figure 8 The folding mode is shown, which includes the upper part 100 of the seat back 12 rotating completely forward. In the folding mode, since the upper part 100 of the back panel assembly 20, its lower part 200, and the luggage panel 30 are all aligned in the horizontal direction, gaps can be prevented from forming between the lower part 200 and the luggage panel 30.

[0043] When the back panel assembly 20 is converted Figure 8 In the folding mode shown, the passenger space in the rear seat 10 is completely integrated with the luggage compartment, thereby ensuring sufficient luggage loading space. Specifically, since the lower part 200 of the back panel 20 is aligned horizontally with the luggage compartment 30, the passenger space is completely integrated with the luggage compartment, thereby improving the appearance.

[0044] Therefore, regardless of the operating mode of the rear seats, the backrest assembly 20 for the rear seats of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention can effectively prevent the formation of a gap between the backrest assembly 20 and the luggage compartment 30. Specifically, since the passenger space in the rear seats is effectively integrated with the luggage compartment when the seat back 12 is folded down, the appearance is improved. In addition, it can prevent luggage or passengers' hands from getting stuck in it.

[0045] As is evident from the above description, the present invention provides a backrest assembly for a vehicle's rear seat, comprising an upper and lower portion made of a hard plastic material. The backrest assembly effectively prevents the formation of a gap between the lower portion and the luggage compartment regardless of the rear seat's operating mode, thereby improving the appearance. Furthermore, by eliminating the gap between the lower portion and the luggage compartment, it prevents luggage or passengers' hands from getting stuck. Specifically, since the passenger space in the rear seat is completely integrated with the luggage compartment when the seat back is folded down, the appearance is improved.

[0046] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A backrest assembly for a rear seat in a vehicle, comprising: The upper part is located behind the seat back of the rear seat and is connected to the seat back of the rear seat; The lower part is separated from the upper part and is positioned below the upper part to cover the gap between the rear seats and the luggage compartment; as well as A hinge connector is configured to rotatably connect the upper part to the lower part. The upper portion includes an adjuster shaft extending through the lower end, and together with the seat back, rotates forward and backward relative to the seat cushion about the adjuster shaft.

2. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 1, further comprising: A plurality of support members, the upper portion of which is connected to a surface at the lower end of the upper portion and located in front of the lower portion, wherein the lower portion of the plurality of support members overlaps with a surface at the upper end of the lower portion. This includes the upper part of the seat back rotating forward about the adjuster axis from the position of the seat back in a normal passenger sitting mode, such that the lower part of the support contacts the upper end of the lower part to support the lower part, and the upper part rotates forward together with the lower part.

3. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 1, further comprising: Multiple support members, the upper part of which is connected to a surface at the lower end of the upper part and located in front of the lower part, such that the lower part of the multiple support members overlaps with a surface at the upper end of the lower part. This includes the upper portion of the seat back rotating rearward about the adjuster axis from the position of the seat back in a normal passenger seating mode, such that the lower portion of the support rotates away from the lower portion, and only the upper portion rotates rearward about the hinge connector.

4. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 1, wherein the hinge connector comprises: The upper hinge bracket is fixedly connected to the lower end of the upper part; The lower hinge bracket is fixedly connected to the upper end of the lower part; A hinge axis is configured to rotatably connect the upper hinge bracket to the lower hinge bracket; as well as A hinge spring, the hinge spring being wound around the hinge axis, wherein a first end of the hinge spring is connected to the upper hinge bracket and a second end is connected to the lower hinge bracket, thereby providing an elastic force to allow the upper hinge bracket and the lower hinge bracket to unfold into a straight arrangement.

5. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 1, wherein, In the normal passenger seating mode with the seat back upright, the lower part remains in an upright position, and the upper end of the lower part is connected to the front end of the luggage rack to prevent a gap from forming between the lower part and the luggage rack.

6. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 1, wherein, When the seat back is rotated from the normal passenger sitting mode (with the seat back upright) to a predetermined angle to switch to a relaxed mode, the lower part remains in an upright position, and the upper end of the lower part is connected to the front end of the luggage rack to prevent a gap from forming between the lower part and the luggage rack.

7. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 1, wherein, When the upper portion, including the seat back, is fully rotated rearward to a flat mode in which the upper portion, including the seat back, together with the seat cushion, defines a flat surface, the lower portion remains in an upright position, and the upper end of the lower portion is connected to the front end of the luggage rack to prevent a gap from forming between the lower portion and the luggage rack.

8. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 7, wherein in a flat mode, the upper end of the lower portion is connected to the front end of the luggage panel to prevent a gap from forming between the lower portion and the luggage panel, and the internal structure between the seat back and the luggage panel is covered to prevent the internal structure from being exposed to the outside.

9. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the seat back is rotated completely forward to convert to a folding mode such that the upper portion, the lower portion, and the luggage panel are aligned in the horizontal direction to prevent a gap from forming between the lower portion and the luggage panel.

10. The backrest assembly for a vehicle rear seat according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower portions are made of a rigid plastic material.

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