Vehicle seat

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat bottom and a seatback coupled to the seat bottom. The seat back includes a front portion configured to oppose a vehicle occupant located on the seat bottom, a rear portion disposed on an opposite side of the seat back from the front portion and including a recess, and a wireless charging module disposed between the front portion and the rear portion and configured to wirelessly charge a user device located in the recess.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors, to the extent described in this section, and in aspects of the description that may not otherwise be considered prior art at the time of filing, is neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted to be prior art against the present disclosure.

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to a vehicle seat configured to wirelessly charge a user device. Background Art

[0003] Vehicles often include a number of storage compartments to hold items during use. For example, conventional vehicles often include a glove box that is located in the dashboard of the vehicle and is movable between a closed state and an open state. Such glove boxes were originally designed to store driving gloves, which were worn to keep the driver's hands clean while operating the vehicle. With modern vehicles, such driving gloves are no longer required, but nearly every vehicle still has a glove box because it provides a convenient way to store useful items such as tire pressure gauges, loose change, and vehicle manuals.

[0004] Similarly, modern vehicles still typically include a map pocket located behind the vehicle seats, even though most vehicle navigation is accomplished using the vehicle's navigation system and / or by using the mapping features of a cellular phone or tablet computer. While the map pocket is unlikely to store maps as originally intended, it is still included in the vehicle and may be used to store useful items, such as a book or tissue, for use by occupants traveling in the back seat of the vehicle.

[0005] While map wells have been repurposed in a similar manner to glove boxes, map wells are often limited in size and therefore cannot accommodate large or bulky items. Instead, map wells are only suitable for accommodating slender and somewhat narrow objects. As a result, map wells are limited in the types and sizes of objects that can be contained therein and are therefore underutilized. Summary of the invention

[0006] In one configuration, a vehicle seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back coupled to the seat bottom. The seat back includes a front portion, a rear portion, and a wireless charging module, the front portion being configured to oppose a vehicle occupant located on the seat bottom, the rear portion being disposed on a side of the seat back opposite the front portion and including a recess, the wireless charging module being disposed between the front portion and the rear portion and being configured to wirelessly charge a user device located in the recess.

[0007] The vehicle seat may include one or more of the following optional features. For example, the recess may be configured to move between an upper position and a lower position relative to and along the rear portion. Additionally or alternatively, the recess may be configured to move between a first position and a second position relative to the rear portion along the longitudinal axis.

[0008] The recess may include at least one lighting device configured to provide notification that the user device is being charged by the wireless charging module. The lighting device may be configured to change color to indicate a full charge of the user device.

[0009] In one configuration, the rear portion may include a universal serial bus (USB) port configured to charge a user device via wired charging. Additionally, the user device may be a cellular phone or a tablet computer. The vehicle may include a vehicle seat.

[0010] In another configuration, a vehicle seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back coupled to the seat bottom. The seat back includes a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion configured to oppose a vehicle occupant positioned on the seat bottom, the rear portion disposed on an opposite side of the seat back from the front portion and including a recess movable between a first position and a second position relative to the rear portion, the rear portion configured to receive and charge a user device when the recess is in the first position, and configured to receive and charge a user device when the recess is in the second position.

[0011] The vehicle seat may include one or more of the following optional features. For example, the recess may be movable along the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position. Additionally or alternatively, the recess may be movable in a direction away from the seat bottom when moving from the first position to the second position.

[0012] The recess may include at least one lighting device configured to provide notification that the user device is charging. The lighting device may be configured to change color to indicate a full charge of the user device.

[0013] In one configuration, the rear portion may include a universal serial bus (USB) port configured to charge a user device via wired charging. Additionally, the user device may be a cellular phone or a tablet computer. The vehicle may include a vehicle seat.

[0014] In yet another configuration, a vehicle includes a vehicle seat including a seat bottom and a seat back coupled to the seat bottom. The seat back includes a front portion configured to oppose a vehicle occupant located on the seat bottom, a rear portion disposed on a side of the seat back opposite the front portion, a recessed portion located on the rear portion and movable relative to the rear portion between a first position and a second position, and a wireless charging module disposed between the front portion and the rear portion and configured to wirelessly charge a user device located in the recessed portion, the wireless charging module being configured to charge the user device when the recessed portion is in the first position and being configured to charge the user device when the recessed portion is in the second position.

[0015] The vehicle may include one or more of the following optional features. For example, the recess may be movable along the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position. Additionally or alternatively, the recess may be movable in a direction away from the seat bottom when moving from the first position to the second position.

[0016] In one configuration, the user device may be a cellular phone or a tablet computer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a vehicle according to the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 2A A vehicle seat Figure 1 a perspective view of an interior of a vehicle of claim 1, the vehicle seat including a wireless charging recess in an upper position;

[0020] Figure 2B A vehicle seat Figure 1 a perspective view of an interior of a vehicle of claim 1, the vehicle seat including a wireless charging recess in a lowered position;

[0021] Figure 3A yes Figure 2A and Figure 2B a rear plan view of a vehicle seat having a wireless charging recess including a user device in a first configuration;

[0022] Figure 3B yes Figure 2A and Figure 2B a rear plan view of a vehicle seat having a wireless charging recess including a user device in a second configuration;

[0023] Figure 4is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle seat according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 5 is a partial rear perspective view of a wireless charging recess removed from a vehicle seat according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 6 is an isolated interior view of a vehicle seat according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 7 is a close-up view of a rear panel and wireless charging recess of a vehicle seat according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 8 is a rear plan view of a vehicle seat having a wireless charging recess according to another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0028] Fig. 9 is a rear plan view of a vehicle seat having a wireless charging recess according to another aspect of the present disclosure; and

[0029] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 A close-up rear plan view of the wireless charging recess.

[0030] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and example configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0032] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific exemplary configurations and are not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a", "an" and "the" may also be intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "including" and "having" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes and operations described herein should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as an execution order. Additional or alternative steps may be adopted.

[0033] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on another element or layer," "engaged to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, directly engaged with, connected to, attached to, or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on another element or layer," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0034] The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. may be used in this article to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts. These elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms may only be used to distinguish an element, component, region, layer or part from another region, layer or part. Unless the context clearly indicates, terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply an order or sequence. Therefore, without departing from the teaching of the example construction, the first element, component, region, layer or part discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer or part.

[0035] In this application, including the definitions below, the term "module" may be replaced with the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; a memory (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0036] The term "code" as used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to a program, a routine, a function, a class and / or an object. The term "shared processor" covers a single processor that executes some or all codes from multiple modules. The term "group processor" covers a processor that executes some or all codes from one or more modules in combination with an additional processor. The term "shared memory" covers a single memory that stores some or all codes from multiple modules. The term "group memory" covers a memory that stores some or all codes from one or more modules in combination with an additional memory. The term "memory" may be a subset of the term "computer-readable medium". The term "computer-readable medium" does not cover transient electrical signals and electromagnetic signals propagated through the medium, and therefore can be considered to be tangible and non-transient memory. Non-limiting examples of non-temporary memory include tangible computer-readable media, which include non-volatile memory, magnetic memory, and optical memory.

[0037] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented in part or in whole by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer program includes processor executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. The computer program may also include and / or rely on stored data.

[0038] A software application (i.e., software resource) may refer to computer software that enables a computing device to perform tasks. In some examples, a software application may be referred to as an "application," "app," or "program." Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and gaming applications.

[0039] Non-transitory memory can be a physical device used to temporarily or permanently store programs (e.g., sequences of instructions) or data (e.g., program state information) for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory can be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., commonly used for firmware, such as bootloaders). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase change memory (PCM), and disk or tape.

[0040] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages ​​and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, apparatus, and / or device (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0041] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementations in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system that includes at least one programmable processor, which may be special purpose or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and to send data and instructions to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0042] The process and logic flow described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors (also referred to as data processing hardware), which execute one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The process and logic flow can also be performed by a dedicated logic circuit (e.g., FPGA (field programmable gate array) or ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit)). As an example, a processor suitable for executing a computer program includes both general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any type of digital computer. Typically, the processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The basic elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or be operably connected to receive data from it or transmit data to it or both. However, a computer does not need to have such a device. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of nonvolatile memory, media, and memory devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

[0043] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, or touch screen) for displaying information to the user and optionally a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices may also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including sound, voice, or tactile input. In addition, the computer may interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device used by the user; for example, by sending a web page to a web browser on a user's client device in response to a request received from the web browser.

[0044] refer to Figures 1 to 10 The vehicle seat 14 includes a seat bottom 16 and a seat back 18, the seat bottom 16 being configured to allow a vehicle passenger to be seated thereon, and the seat back 18 being coupled to the seat bottom 16. The seat back 18 also includes a wireless charging recess 26. The vehicle seat 14 can be incorporated into the vehicle 10, such as Figure 1As shown. The vehicle 10 may be an electric vehicle 10 (EV) and may include autonomous or semi-autonomous capabilities. Alternatively, the vehicle 10 may include internal combustion engine (ICE) components and capabilities. In addition, the vehicle 10 may be a hybrid vehicle 10 that combines EV and ICE components and capabilities.

[0045] The vehicle 10 includes a vehicle interior 12 that is configured to allow a vehicle driver, a front passenger, and / or one or more additional vehicle occupants to be seated therein. In addition, the vehicle interior 12 includes one or more vehicle seats 14 that are configured to seat the vehicle driver or other occupants thereon. For example, the vehicle interior 12 may include two bucket-type vehicle seats 14 in the front row near the vehicle dashboard to accommodate the vehicle driver and the front passenger, and a bench-type vehicle seat to accommodate one or more rear vehicle occupants. Some vehicles 10 may also include one or more rows of additional bucket-type vehicle seats disposed within the interior 12.

[0046] Although the vehicle seat 14 may be various types of vehicle seats, the vehicle seat 14 described below is a bucket-type vehicle seat disposed in the front row of the vehicle interior 12. The vehicle seat 14 includes a seat bottom 16 configured to allow a vehicle driver or front passenger to sit on the seat bottom 16 and a seat back 18 generally configured to support the back of the vehicle driver or front passenger when the vehicle driver or front passenger sits on the seat bottom 16. The vehicle seat 14 may also include a headrest 20 coupled to and extending from the seat back 18.

[0047] The seat bottom 16 is disposed generally perpendicular to the floor of the vehicle 10 and can be moved between fore and aft positions. In addition, the seat bottom 16 can house one or more electronic components to provide power to the vehicle seat 14. The electronic components can be configured to power features of the vehicle seat 14, including but not limited to seat bottom 16 and / or seat back 18 adjustment, vehicle seat heating, and charging capabilities. Furthermore, the electronic components can have their own power source or can use power from a vehicle battery (neither shown).

[0048] The seat back 18 extends from the seat bottom 16 and includes a front portion 22 and a rear portion 24, wherein the front portion 22 is configured to engage the back of a vehicle driver or front passenger sitting on the seat bottom 16, and the rear portion 24 is located on the side of the seat back 18 opposite the front portion 22. More specifically, the seat back 18 is hingedly coupled to the seat bottom 16 so that the seat back 18 can move relative to the seat bottom 16. The rear portion 24 of the seat back 18 is disposed opposite the front portion 22 and includes a wireless charging recess 26. More specifically, the rear portion 24 includes a rear panel 28 having a surface coupled to the wireless charging recess 26. Figure 3A and Figure 3BIn the example shown, the rear panel 28 has a recessed portion 29 to allow easy access to the wireless charging recess 26 and provide additional storage space for the wireless charging recess 26. However, it is also contemplated that the rear panel 28 can be generally flat to allow electronic components to be disposed within or coupled to the rear panel 28 without interfering with additional components of the vehicle seat 14. In addition, the rear panel 28 can include one or more ribs 42 that are configured to provide strength to the rear panel 28.

[0049] like Figure 4 As best shown in FIG. 1 , the seat back 18 includes a wireless charging module 30 disposed between the front portion 22 and the rear portion 24 and coupled to the rear panel 28. More specifically, the wireless charging module 30 may be adjacent to and / or in contact with the rear panel 28. The wireless charging module 30 is configured to wirelessly charge a user device 32 placed in the wireless charging recess 26. In some examples, the wireless charging module 30 is configured to use magnetic induction to transfer energy between the wireless charging module 30 and the user device 32 using an electromagnetic field. Additionally, the wireless charging module 30 may be coupled to and receive power from an electronic power source that is configured to operate other functions of the vehicle seat 14. Although the wireless charging module 30 is described as being coupled to an electronic power source of the vehicle seat 14, the wireless charging module 30 may include its own power source and / or may use a vehicle battery or other power source within the vehicle 10.

[0050] The user device 32 can be any handheld device that includes a display configured to display text or images to a vehicle occupant. In some examples, the user device 32 can be a cellular telephone, such as a smart phone with a touch screen. In other examples, the user device 32 can be a tablet computer, which typically has a larger screen size than a cellular telephone. In addition, the user device 32 is a rechargeable device, so that the user device 32 can restore its power by connecting to a power source (such as the wireless charging module 30). Finally, although the user device 32 is described as including a touch screen, any user device 32 (with or without a touch screen) that can have its power restored by the charging module 30 can be used in conjunction with the wireless charging recess 26.

[0051] Reference now Figure 3A-4In the example shown, the rear portion 24 of the seat back 18 includes a wireless charging recess 26. The wireless charging recess 26 can be a recess having a generally rectangular shape, including a top 33, a bottom 35, and two side portions 37 disposed opposite to each other. The side portions 37 and the bottom 35 can include one or more coupling mechanisms to secure the wireless charging recess 26 to the rear panel 28. In addition, the top 33 is configured to be removable and is not directly coupled to the rear panel 28 to allow a user device 32 to be placed therein. That is, the top 33 defines an opening to the wireless charging recess 26 that initially receives the user device 32 when the user device 32 is inserted into the recess 26, as shown. Figure 3A and 3B shown.

[0052] In addition, the wireless charging recess 26 is configured to be sized and shaped to accommodate any user device 32, including but not limited to a cellular phone or a tablet. In order to accommodate any size of user device 32, the wireless charging recess 26 can be made of a flexible but strong material. For example, the wireless charging recess 26 can have a sufficiently flexible elasticity to allow any size of user device 32 to be fixed in the wireless charging recess 26 without the need for other mechanical fixing mechanisms. In addition, the wireless charging recess 26 can have the strength to keep the user device 32 consistently on the rear panel to facilitate charging the user device 32.

[0053] In addition, the flexibility of the wireless charging recess 26 allows the user device 32 to be stored and charged in the wireless charging recess 26 in a variety of configurations. For example, the user device 32 can be placed in the wireless charging recess 26 in a first configuration (such as a vertical configuration), such as Figure 3A In addition, the user device 32 may be configured in a second manner (such as Figure 3B The horizontal configuration shown in FIG. 1 is placed in the wireless charging recess 26. Figure 3A and Figure 3B In each of the configurations shown, the user device 32 is charged by the wireless charging module 30. In addition, the user device 32 can be placed in any configuration between the vertical configuration and the horizontal configuration for charging. Thus, when a vehicle occupant desires to charge the user device 32, the user can simply place the user device 32 in any configuration into the wireless charging recess 26.

[0054] In addition, the wireless charging recess 26 is configured to allow at least a portion of the display of the user device 32 to be viewed by a vehicle occupant. To facilitate viewing of the user device 32 while charging in the wireless charging recess 26, the wireless charging recess 26 may include a protruding portion 41, such as Figure 3A-44. The protrusion 41 may be shaped and sized to fit the user device 32 in a vertical configuration and include a ledge 43 that allows the user device 32 to be placed thereon to prevent the user device 32 from moving further downward within the wireless charging recess 26. In this way, when a vehicle occupant places the user device 32 in the vertical configuration within the wireless charging recess 26, the user device 32 rests on the ledge 43 such that at least a portion of the display is visible to the vehicle occupant above the wireless charging recess 26. The protrusion 41 may be constructed of the same material as the remainder of the wireless charging recess 26 such that the user device 32 is secured within the protrusion 41 by the wireless charging recess 26 and is configured to be charged therein. In some examples, the wireless charging recess 26 may include more than one protrusion 41 configured to allow visibility of the user device 32 when charging user devices 32 of various sizes and / or configurations.

[0055] In addition, the wireless charging recess 26 is configured to be located at an upper position along the rear portion of the vehicle seat 14 (see Figure 2A ) and lower position (see Figure 2B ). More specifically, the wireless charging recess 26 is configured to move vertically along the longitudinal axis between a lower position disposed along the seat back panel 28 closer to the seat bottom 16 and an upper position disposed along the seat back panel 28 farther from the seat bottom 16 than the lower position and toward the headrest 20. In addition, the wireless charging module 30 is configured to charge the user device 32 when the wireless charging recess 26 is in the upper position, the lower position, and between the upper position and the lower position. The upper position and the lower position are configured to provide the vehicle occupant with flexibility in the viewing angle of the user device 32. In this way, the upper position and the lower position allow vehicle occupants of all ages and sizes to comfortably view the display of the user device 32 during wireless charging of the user device 32.

[0056] In order to facilitate the wireless charging recess 26 in the upper position (see Figure 2A ) and lower position (see Figure 2B ), the wireless charging recess 26 includes a rear panel engaging portion 49 disposed along the side portions 37 and the bottom 35. The rear panel engaging portion 49 is disposed generally parallel to the rear panel 28 and is configured to allow the wireless charging recess 26 to slide along the rear panel 28 between an upper position and a lower position. The rear panel engaging portion 49, and more specifically, the rear panel engaging portion 49 disposed along either side portion 37 of the wireless charging recess 26 may include one or more hooks 40 disposed on opposite sides of the wireless charging recess 26. In the example shown, the rear panel 28 engaging portion 49 includes two hooks 40 located on each side portion, however, it is contemplated that only one hook 40 or more than two hooks 40 may be included. As Figure 5-7As shown, the hook 40 is located near the hole 45 so that the hook 40 includes a free end that can move between a compressed position and an extended position. More specifically, the hole 45 disposed adjacent to the hook 40 allows the hook 40 to move between the compressed position and the extended position. In the extended position, the hook 40 can extend laterally outward farther than the rest of the rear panel engagement portion 49, and in the compressed position, the hook 40 can be compressed toward the center of the wireless charging recess 26.

[0057] In addition, the rear panel 28 may also include a plurality of notches 47 defined therein to receive the hooks 40 of the rear panel engagement portion. The size and shape of the notches 47 of the rear panel 28 are designed to engage the hooks 40 of the wireless charging recess 26 to fix the wireless charging recess 26 in an upper position, a lower position, or between them. The notches 27 may be arranged vertically and adjacent to the two side portions 37 of the wireless charging recess 26. For example, the notches 27 may be arranged on one or more vertical inner edges of the recessed portion 29 of the rear panel 28 and configured to receive the hooks 40 therein. In addition, the plurality of notches 47 may be spaced equidistantly from each other or otherwise arranged to fix the hooks 40 of the wireless charging recess 26 to the rear panel 28 at various positions. In addition, the rear panel 28 may include two sets of vertical notches 27 defined therein, wherein the vertical set is disposed adjacent to each side portion 37 of the wireless charging recess 26. However, other configurations have been contemplated, including but not limited to a single vertical set of notches 27 or notches 27 disposed in a non-uniform manner (ie, not equally spaced from one another).

[0058] For example, to assemble the wireless charging recess to the vehicle seat 14, the hooks 40 of the rear panel engagement portion 49 can start in a fully extended position, and during assembly, the hooks 40 on one side 37 of the wireless charging recess 26 will engage the notches 47 of the rear panel 28 and compress to a fully compressed position. At this point, the hooks 40 on the opposite side will move to a compressed position to allow engagement with the notches 47 on the opposite side of the rear panel 28 to secure the wireless charging recess 26 to the rear panel on both sides 37. To remove the wireless charging recess 26, the hooks 40 on either side of the rear panel engagement portion 49 can be moved to a compressed position, and the wireless charging recess 26 can be removed from engagement with the rear panel 28.

[0059] like Figure 8 As best shown in FIG. 1 , the rear portion 24 of the seat back portion 18 may also include a universal serial bus (USB) port 46 configured to charge the user device 32 or a second user device via wired charging. For example, the user device 32 may be charged via wireless charging using the wireless charging module 30, and the second user device may be charged simultaneously via wired charging providing additional charging capability to the vehicle occupant.

[0060] like Figure 8As shown, the wireless charging recess 26 may include at least one lighting device 48 configured to provide notification that the user device 32 is being charged by the wireless charging module 30. For example, when the user device 32 is not being charged, the lighting device 48 may remain off. If charging of the user device 32 is active, the lighting device 48 will illuminate to confirm to the vehicle occupant that charging is ongoing. In addition, the lighting device 48 may also be configured to change color to indicate the full charge of the user device 32. For example, when the user device 32 is currently being charged, the lighting device 48 may illuminate in red. Once the user device 32 becomes fully charged, the lighting device 48 may illuminate in green to indicate the full charge of the user device 32.

[0061] Reference now Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The example shown, Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The wireless charging recess 126 shown is similar to Figure 3A-7 The wireless charging recess 26 shown in the figure includes a top 133, a bottom 135 and a side 137 made of a strong flexible material, and is configured to charge a user device 32 placed therein using a wireless charging module 30. In addition, the wireless charging recess 126 is movable between an upper position and a lower position, and is configured to charge a user device 32 placed therein in any configuration. However, in Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In the example shown, the wireless charging recess 126 includes a cutout portion 141 to facilitate viewing of the user device 32. The cutout portion 141 is defined into the top 133 of the wireless charging recess 126 and can be any size or shape, or can be customized to the specific size of a commonly used user device 32. In addition, the flexible but strong material of the wireless charging recess 126 allows the user device 32 to be secured on either side of the cutout portion within the wireless charging recess 126 to charge with a display visible to the vehicle occupants. In addition, in Figure 8 and Fig. 9 In the example shown, the side 137 of the wireless charging recess 126 may be larger than that of FIG. Figure 7 The example shown is shorter to allow for greater movement of the wireless charging recess 126 between the upper and lower positions.

[0062] In operation, a vehicle occupant may be seated behind a driver or front passenger seated in a vehicle seat 14. In this way, the vehicle occupant is located at the rear of the vehicle interior 12 with the wireless charging recess 26, 126 in the lower position and the lighting device 48 turned off. When desired, the vehicle occupant may secure the user device 32 in any configuration, such as one of the first configuration or the second configuration, by placing the user device 32 in the wireless charging recess 26, 126. Once secure, the user device 32 is charged by the wireless charging module 30. The lighting device 48 may then illuminate and / or change color to indicate charging to the vehicle occupant. If desired, the vehicle occupant may then adjust the position of the wireless charging recess 26, 126 between the lower position and the upper position to a desired viewing position for the vehicle occupant by engaging the wireless charging recess 26, 126 and pulling or pushing the wireless charging recess 26 up or down to the desired position. The force of pulling or pushing the wireless charging recess 26 disengages the hook 40 from the notch of the rear panel 28 and slides the hook 40 along the rear panel 28 until the wireless charging recess 26, 126 reaches the desired position, where the hook 40 can engage another notch corresponding to the desired position of the wireless charging recess 26, 126 to secure the wireless charging recess 26 in the desired position. The vehicle occupant can then view the display of the user device 32 as desired until charging is complete or the vehicle occupant otherwise desires charging. To remove the user device 32, the vehicle occupant can open the wireless charging recess 26, 126 and remove the user device 32.

[0063] Many embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0064] The foregoing description is provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure. The individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but are interchangeable where applicable and can be used in a selected configuration, even if not specifically shown or described. It can also be varied in many ways. Such variations should not be considered as departing from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising: Seat bottom; as well as A seat back coupled to the seat bottom and comprising: a front portion configured to oppose a vehicle occupant positioned on the seat bottom; a rear portion disposed on a side of the seat back opposite to the front portion and including a recess; and A wireless charging module is disposed between the front portion and the rear portion and is configured to wirelessly charge a user device located in the recess. 2 . The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is configured to move relative to and along the rear portion between an upper position and a lower position. 3 . The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is configured to move relative to the rear portion along a longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position. 4 . The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the recess includes at least one lighting device configured to provide notification that the user device is being charged by the wireless charging module. 5 . The vehicle seat of claim 4 , wherein the lighting device is configured to change color to indicate a full charge of the user device. 6 . The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the rear portion includes a USB port configured to charge the user device via wired charging.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the user device is a cellular phone or a tablet computer.

8. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the recess is capable of moving between a first position and a second position relative to the rear portion, and the rear portion is constructed to receive and charge a user device when the recess is in the first position, and is constructed to receive and charge the user device when the recess is in the second position.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 8, wherein the recess is movable along the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position.

10. A vehicle comprising the vehicle seat according to claim 1.

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