Kinematic Vehicle Seat Linkage for Compact Third-Row Stowing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional third-row vehicle seats are inefficient in folding and stowing, often leaving gaps or compressing seat cushions, and existing solutions are either cumbersome, expensive, or do not maximize space effectively.
Innovation Solution
A kinematic vehicle seat design featuring a seat base connected to the vehicle with sliding and rotating components, including a slider, seat back assembly, linkages, and lifting mechanisms that allow for concurrent adjustment of seat height and angular position, enabling efficient folding and stowing by sliding the upper rails along the lower rails, which rotates the seat back and adjusts the seat height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional hinged seat back folding is used, then the seat back can be folded atop the seat bottom, but the seat bottom remains floor-mounted and sacrifices valuable space beneath it
Solution Approach 1:
The seat bottom is divided into two independent parts: a first seat bottom portion that remains floor-mounted and a second seat bottom portion that is movable and can be stowed separately. This segmentation allows the first portion to remain in place while the second portion is folded away, maximizing cargo space without requiring the entire seat bottom to be moved or stored.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism transitions from conventional planar folding to three-dimensional motion. The second seat bottom portion moves along a curved trajectory defined by the arc-shaped guide, enabling it to be positioned above the first seat bottom portion in the vertical dimension rather than merely folding flat against it, thereby optimizing space utilization.
2Volume of moving object
If whole-seat tumbling mechanisms are used, then the entire seat can be collapsed, but the implementation is expensive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of implementing a complex whole-seat tumbling mechanism, the invention segments the seat bottom into fixed and movable portions. Only the second seat bottom portion requires a simple lifting mechanism with an arc-shaped guide, dramatically reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while achieving the same cargo space optimization as full seat tumbling.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and isolates only the essential functional components needed for seat stowing: a lifting mechanism and an arc-shaped guide. By removing unnecessary components from a complete tumbling system and retaining only the critical elements, the solution achieves full functionality at a fraction of the manufacturing cost.
3Ease of operation
If collapsible seat bottoms hinged only at the rear are used, then the front of the seat can raise and lower, but the rear height is fixed creating uncomfortable seating positions
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism incorporates an arc-shaped guide that enables dynamic adjustment of the second seat bottom portion's position. Unlike fixed rear hinges that constrain motion, the arc-shaped guide allows the seat bottom to follow a curved trajectory, dynamically adapting to different seating positions and optimizing comfort for various occupant configurations.
4Adaptability or versatility
If sliding lower cushions are used, then rotational motion of the seat back can be accommodated, but gaps are left and seat cushions are unnecessarily compressed
Solution Approach 1:
The seat bottom is segmented into fixed and movable portions, allowing the second seat bottom portion to be independently stowed without affecting the first portion. This eliminates the need for sliding cushions that compromise cushion integrity, as the segmentation enables clean separation and storage of the movable portion while maintaining the structural integrity and continuity of the fixed portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat comprises: a seat base; a first side member is affixed to a base at a first side of the base; a second side member is affixed to the base at a second side of the base, opposite the first side of the base; a slider slidably received in the base; a seat back assembly is rotatably coupled to the first side member and rotatably coupled to the second side member; a linkage rotatably coupled to the seat back assembly and rotatably coupled to the slider; a first lower seat lifting mechanism comprising a lifting bracket, wherein the lifting bracket is rotatably coupled to the first side member at a first end of the lifting bracket; and a second lower seat lifting mechanism comprising a bracket rotatably coupled to the base and a link arm rotatably coupled to the bracket and rotatably coupled to the slider.