Motor Vehicle Seat Assembly with Pivotable Knee and Hip Axes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle seat assemblies that fold to provide additional storage capacity either reduce forward storage capacity or increase the stacked height of the seat, limiting cargo volume and passenger access to third row seats.
Innovation Solution
A seat assembly design featuring pivotable components that allow the seat back to fold down against the seat bottom, with the seat bottom kneeling on the floor, creating a flat load floor while maintaining access to third row seats by pivoting forward and downward, utilizing pivot axes and stabilizer legs to maximize cargo capacity and ingress/egress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the seat back is folded down onto the seat bottom to provide additional storage capacity, then cargo capacity is improved, but the stacked height of the seat increases reducing available cargo volume
Solution Approach 1:
The seat assembly is divided into separate functional segments: the seat bottom cushion, the seat back, and the stabilizer leg assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be independently positioned and configured. The seat bottom can be kneeling on the floor while the seat back folds flat against it, with the stabilizer leg providing independent support, thereby achieving a compact stacked configuration that maximizes cargo volume without increasing overall height.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions the seat assembly from a vertical stacking configuration to a horizontal folding configuration. By folding the seat back down onto the seat bottom in a horizontal plane rather than stacking vertically, the design achieves a flat load floor that maximizes cargo capacity while maintaining a low profile height, effectively utilizing horizontal space instead of vertical space.
2Ease of operation
If the seat tips forward to provide access to the third row seats, then ingress and egress is improved, but forward storage capacity is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The seat assembly incorporates dynamic positioning capabilities through multiple pivot points and articulation joints. The seat bottom can pivot forward about a knee axis and the seat back can pivot about a hip axis, allowing the assembly to dynamically transition between upright, folded, and tipped-forward positions. This dynamic configuration enables easy ingress and egress to third row seats while maintaining the ability to return to a low-profile position that preserves forward storage capacity.
3Volume of moving object
If the seat assembly is folded to maximize cargo volume, then cargo capacity is improved, but access to third row seats is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The seat assembly incorporates dynamic positioning capabilities through multiple pivot points and articulation joints. The seat bottom can pivot forward about a knee axis and the seat back can pivot about a hip axis, allowing the assembly to dynamically transition between upright, folded, and tipped-forward positions. This dynamic configuration enables easy ingress and egress to third row seats while maintaining the ability to return to a low-profile position that preserves forward storage capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment of a seat assembly for a motor vehicle a seat back pivots about a hip axis, a seat bottom pivots about a knee axis, and at least one seat bottom leg is pivots about an ankle axis, so that the seat back folds down against the seat bottom and the seat bottom kneels on the floor to at least partially define a seating load floor. According to another embodiment, a seat bottom and a seat back are articulatable in a forward direction to fold the seat bottom and back down toward a floor of the vehicle to at least partially define a seating load floor.