Easy-Entry Vehicle Seat Assembly With Folding Bottom and Forward Base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat configurations, such as tilting seat backs or folding components, often fail to provide adequate access to areas behind the seat, limiting ease of entry and exit in certain vehicle types.
Innovation Solution
A seat assembly with a foundation frame, a vehicle seat, and a seat-bottom motion controller that allows the seat base to move between a rearward and forward position, and the seat bottom to pivot from an occupant-use position to a folded-up position along the seat back, facilitated by a motion controller that changes configurations to enable easy access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the seat back is tilted forward or folding components are used, then access to areas behind the seat is improved, but the seat structure becomes more complex and may still not provide adequate access
Solution Approach 1:
The seat bottom is divided into a first portion (front section) and a second portion (rear section) that can move independently relative to each other. The second portion pivots about a seat-bottom pivot axis to move between an occupant-use position and a folded-up position, allowing the front portion to remain in place while the rear portion folds away to create access space without requiring the entire seat structure to be complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat bottom configuration transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one where the second portion can pivot between different positions. The seat-bottom motion controller enables this dynamic transformation, allowing the seat to adapt its configuration based on whether an occupant is using it or access to the area behind is needed.
2Ease of operation
If the seat bottom is allowed to move freely from occupant-use position to folded-up position, then ease of entry and exit is improved, but safety control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A seat-bottom motion controller is introduced as an intermediary device between the occupant and the seat bottom movement. This controller selectively enables or disables the pivoting motion of the second portion based on activation status. When activated, it allows the second portion to pivot from occupant-use position to folded-up position; when deactivated, it prevents this movement, thereby maintaining safety control while enabling ease of entry when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger support includes a vehicle seat and an easy-entry motion controller. The vehicle seat is moveable between a passenger-use configuration and an easy-entry configuration. The easy-entry motion controller controls movement of the vehicle seat between the passenger-use configuration and the easy-entry configuration, including movement of a seat back between an occupant-use position and a tilted-forward position, movement of a seat bottom between an occupant-use position and a folded-up position, and movement of a seat base between a rearward position and a forward position. The passenger support thus provides enhanced access to other areas of the vehicle, such as passenger supports located therebehind.