Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Jung Jeon

Joseph Michael Kish

Johnathan Andrew Line

Spencer Robert Hoernke

Macit Aktas

Kurt Leon Kormos

Jeffrey Gabalski

David William Gaines

Craig Rackers

Shawn Anthony Dixon

A seating system for a vehicle includes a first seat assembly having a first seat base and a first armrest that is convertible between an armrest position and a center seat position, and a second seat assembly having a second seat base and a second armrest that is convertible between an armrest position and a middle seat position. The seating system also includes a convertible third seat assembly located between the first and second seat assemblies and having a third seat formed by the first armrest and the second armrest in the middle seat position, wherein the first and second armrests are moveable between the armrest position and the center seat position.

Vehicle seating system having convertible center seat

A vehicle seating assembly is provided that includes a pivot bracket coupled to a vehicle floor and disposed at a front of a seat frame, a gear assembly and a locking disk assembly disposed around an axis of rotation defined by the pivot bracket, wherein the gear assembly and the locking disk assembly are configured to each alternatively move the seating assembly from a sitting position to a standing position, and a track assembly disposed on the vehicle floor and between opposing side brackets of a seat frame. The track assembly includes a cam assembly movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The vehicle seating assembly further includes a crank assembly extending between the pivot bracket and the cam assembly and configured to move the cam assembly from the locked position to the unlocked position.

Manual and powered actuation of track assembly

A vehicle seating assembly is provided that includes a seat rotatable about an axis of rotation disposed at a front of the seat between a sitting position and a standing position, a latch assembly rotatably coupled to the rear of the seat and releasably coupled to a track assembly disposed below the seat, wherein if the seat is in a sitting position, the latch assembly is in a locked position relative to the track assembly, and wherein if the seat is in a standing position, the latch assembly is in an unlocked position relative to the track assembly, and a connecting bar extending through the latch assembly, wherein the latch assembly is rotatable around the connecting bar as the seat moves between the sitting position and the standing position.

Mechanism for seating assembly latch assembly

A vehicle seating assembly is provided that includes a seat frame movable between a sitting position and a standing position and coupled to a pivot bracket, a cross member extending through the pivot bracket and defining an axis of rotation, and a gear assembly coupled to the pivot bracket. The gear assembly includes a sector bracket rotationally coupled to the cross member, and a pinion gear operable to rotate along the sector bracket from a first position to a second position, thereby moving the seat frame between a sitting position and a standing position. The vehicle seating assembly further includes a locking disk assembly coupled to the pivot bracket such that if the locking disk assembly is in a disengaged position relative to the sector bracket, then the frame is rotatable about the axis of rotation defined by the cross member.

Manual and powered actuation of seating assembly

A reclining seat assembly comprises a lower seating structure having an inboard side and an outboard side and a seatback pivotally affixed to the lower seating structure, the seatback having an inboard side and an outboard side. A gear system operatively couples one of the inboard side or the outboard side of the seatback to the corresponding inboard side or outboard side of the lower seating structure. The gear system operatively rotates the seatback relative to the lower seating structure. An actuator is coupled to the gear system to move the seatback between angular positions. A metal rod extends between the inboard side and outboard side of the seatback and has an inboard end and an outboard end. A threaded fastener assembly operably couples the inboard end and the outboard end of the metal rod to the inboard side and the outboard side of the seatback.

Growing community of inventors

Northville, MI, United States of America

Jung Jeon