U.S. patent application number 16/021778 was filed with the patent office on 2020-01-02 for leg support for vehicle seat.
The applicant listed for this patent is Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC. Invention is credited to Mateusz ANTONIUK, Jacek MISZCZAK, Andreas ROHLFING, Boris VON KUJAWA.
Application Number | 20200001764 16/021778 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 68886149 |
Filed Date | 2020-01-02 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200001764 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ANTONIUK; Mateusz ; et
al. |
January 2, 2020 |
LEG SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE SEAT
Abstract
An occupant support may include a seat bottom and a seat back
coupled to the seat bottom. In some embodiments, a leg support is
coupled to the seat bottom and configured to support an occupant's
leg when in an extended position,
Inventors: |
ANTONIUK; Mateusz; (Grojec,
PL) ; VON KUJAWA; Boris; (Stadthagen, DE) ;
ROHLFING; Andreas; (Stadthagen, DE) ; MISZCZAK;
Jacek; (Grojec, PL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC |
Auburn Hills |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
68886149 |
Appl. No.: |
16/021778 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2002/0236 20130101;
B60N 2/0232 20130101; B60N 2/995 20180201 |
International
Class: |
B60N 2/90 20060101
B60N002/90; B60N 2/02 20060101 B60N002/02 |
Claims
1. An occupant support including a seat bottom and a leg support
coupled to the seat bottom and configured to support an occupant's
leg when in an extended position, wherein the leg support includes
a drive motor, a first rotation drive, and a support unit, the
drive motor is coupled to the support unit in a fixed position
relative to the support unit, the first rotation drive is arranged
to extend between and interconnect the support unit and the seat
bottom, and the support unit is coupled to the first rotation drive
to pivot about a lateral axis between a stored configuration and
the extended configuration, wherein the support unit includes a
first arm, a second arm located in spaced-apart relation to the
first arm, and a support plate coupled to the first arm and the
second arm, and wherein the leg support further includes a
length-adjustment unit that includes a first attachment slide
coupled to the first arm, a second attachment slide coupled to the
second arm, and a length-adjustment motor unit coupled to the
support plate and configured to move the support plate along the
first and second attachment slides.
2. The occupant support of claim 1, wherein the leg support
includes a second rotation drive located in spaced-apart lateral
relation to the first rotation drive and a connecting rod arranged
to extend between and interconnect the first and second rotation
drives so that movement of the support unit is coordinated.
3. The occupant support of claim 2, wherein the connecting rod has
a generally square cross-section shape.
4. (canceled)
5. The occupant support of claim 2, wherein the first arm is
located between the drive motor and the first rotation drive and
the second arm is located between the drive motor and the second
rotation drive.
6. (canceled)
7. The occupant support of claim 1, wherein each of the first arm
and the second arm are configured to pivot about the lateral
axis.
8. (canceled)
9. The occupant support of claim 1, wherein the first attachment
slide is located between a first portion of the support unit and
the first arm and the second attachment slide is located between a
second portion of the support unit and the second arm.
10. The occupant support of claim 9, wherein the support unit is
attached to the first and second attachment slides so that the
support unit can move from a first position relative to the seat
bottom to a second position relative to the seat bottom and the
support unit is at a first distance from the seat bottom in the
first position and at a generally greater second distance from the
seat bottom in the second position.
11. The occupant support of claim 1, wherein each of the first and
second attachment slides include an arm mount, a support plate
mount, and a slide unit that extends between and interconnects the
arm mount and the support plate mount.
12. The occupant support of claim 11, wherein the support plate
mount includes a first mount block and a second mount block that
each locate a portion of the slide unit therein and are each
coupled to the support plate.
13. The occupant support of claim 11, wherein the arm mount is
coupled to the arm in a fixed position relative to the arm so that
the support plate can move relative to the arm in response to a
force applied by a length-adjustment motor.
14. The occupant support of claim 1, wherein the length-adjustment
motor unit includes a length-adjustment motor coupled to the
support plate, a spindle receiver coupled to the second arm, and a
threaded spindle extending between and interconnecting the
length-adjustment motor and the spindle receiver.
15. The occupant support of claim 14, wherein the length-adjustment
motor rotates the threaded spindle so that the support plate
travels in a direction that is generally orthogonal to the lateral
axis.
16. An occupant support including a seat bottom and a leg support
coupled to the seat bottom and configured to support an occupant's
leg when in an extended position, wherein the leg support includes
a drive motor, a first rotation drive, and a support unit, the
drive motor is coupled to the support unit in a fixed position
relative to the support unit, the first rotation drive is arranged
to extend between and interconnect the support unit and the seat
bottom, and the support unit is coupled to the first rotation drive
to pivot about a lateral axis between a stored configuration and
the extended configuration, and wherein the drive motor rotates at
a first speed and the first rotation drive rotates at a second
speed that is generally less than the first speed.
17. The occupant support of claim 16, wherein the first rotation
drive is configured to transmit a load relative to the drive motor
in response to an impact force applied to the support unit without
power being applied to the drive motor.
18. An occupant support including a seat bottom and a leg support
coupled to the seat bottom and configured to support an occupant's
leg when in an extended position, wherein the leg support includes
a drive motor, a rotation drive, a support unit, and a
length-adjustment unit, the drive motor is coupled to the support
unit in a fixed position relative to the support unit, the first
rotation drive is arranged to extend between and interconnect the
support unit and the seat bottom, and the support unit is coupled
to the first rotation drive to pivot about a lateral axis between a
stored configuration and the extended configuration, wherein the
length-adjustment unit includes an attachment slide coupled to the
support unit and a length-adjustment motor configured to move at
least a portion of the support unit along the attachment slide.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure relates to occupant supports, and
particularly to movable occupant supports. More particularly, the
present disclosure relates to occupant supports with leg supports
for use in vehicles.
SUMMARY
[0002] According to the present disclosure, an occupant support
includes a seat bottom and a seat back coupled to the seat bottom.
The seat back is arranged to extend upwardly away from the seat
bottom.
[0003] In illustrative embodiments, the occupant support includes a
leg support coupled to the seat bottom to move relative to the seat
bottom. The leg support is configured to support an occupant's leg
when in an extended position.
[0004] In illustrative embodiments, the leg support includes a
drive motor, a first rotation drive, and a support unit. The drive
motor is coupled to the support unit in a fixed position relative
to the support unit. The first rotation drive is arranged to extend
between and interconnect the support unit and the seat bottom. The
support unit is coupled to the first rotation drive to pivot about
a lateral axis between a stored configuration and an extended
configuration.
[0005] Additional features of the present disclosure will become
apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of
illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out
the disclosure as presently perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The detailed description particularly refers to the
accompanying figures in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an occupant support
including a seat bottom, a seat back extending upwardly from the
seat bottom, and a leg support located in an extended configuration
and extending out from the seat bottom, and further showing that
the leg support can pivot about a lateral axis to a stored
configuration as suggested in FIG. 2;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the leg support
located in the stored configuration after it has pivoted about the
lateral axis so that leg support does not extend out from the seat
bottom;
[0009] FIG. 3 is an enlarged portion of a circled region of FIG. 1,
showing that the leg support includes a support unit including a
support plate and a portion of the support plate broken away to
show a drive motor coupled to a first arm of the support unit, and
further showing a square rod extending from the drive motor toward
a second arm;
[0010] FIG. 4 is an exploded assembly view of the leg support of
FIGS. 1-3 showing that the leg support includes a first rotation
drive and a second rotation drive that are connected by the square
rod and further showing that the support plate is coupled to the
first arm and the second arm by a first slide unit and a second
slide unit;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3
showing the drive motor coupled to the first arm and further
showing that the support plate is spaced apart from the first
arm;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3
showing a length-adjustment unit extending between the support
plate and the second arm, and further showing that the
length-adjustment unit includes a length-adjustment motor unit
including a length-adjustment motor, a spindle receiver, and a
threaded spindle extending between the length-adjustment motor and
the spindle receiver; and
[0013] FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3
showing that the support plate is coupled to the first arm and the
second arm by a first attachment slide and a second attachment
slide, and that the first arm is located between the first
attachment slide and the drive motor and the second arm is located
between the second attachment slide and the length-adjustment
motor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] A leg support 16 in accordance with the present disclosure
is adapted for use with an occupant support 10, as shown in FIGS.
1-3. Occupant support 10 includes a seat back 12 and a seat bottom
14 coupled to seat back 12 to support an occupant in a seated
position. Occupant support 10 further includes leg support 16
coupled to the seat bottom 14. Leg support 16 is configured to
support an occupant's leg when in an extended configuration as
shown in FIG. 1 and pivot about a lateral axis A1 to a stored
configuration as shown in FIG. 2.
[0015] Leg support 16 is configured to pivot about lateral axis A1
relative to seat bottom 14 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Leg support
16 includes a first rotation drive 18, a drive motor 20, and a
support unit 22, as shown in FIGS. 1-4. First rotation drive 18 is
coupled to seat bottom 14 and is configured to pivot support unit
22 in response to a force applied by drive motor 20. Drive motor 20
is coupled to support unit 22 in a fixed position relative to
support unit 22. Support unit 22 pivots about lateral axis A1 in
response to a force applied by the drive motor to pivot support
unit 22 from the extended configuration shown in FIG. 1 to the
stored configuration shown in FIG. 2. First rotation drive 18,
drive motor 20, and support unit 22 cooperate to provide leg
support when leg support 16 is in the extended configuration, as
shown in FIG. 1.
[0016] First rotation drive 18 is arranged to extend between and
interconnect support unit 22 and seat bottom 14, as shown in FIGS.
1, 2, and 4. First rotation drive 18 is driven by drive motor 20 by
a rod 21. In some embodiments, rod 21 has a square cross section.
Illustratively, drive motor 20 rotates at a first speed and first
rotation drive 18 rotates at a second speed that is generally less
than the first speed of drive motor 20. In one example, first
rotation drive 18 is configured to resist rotation of the support
unit 22 during an impact event without power being supplied to the
drive motor 20. Reference is hereby made to U.S. Patent Publication
No. US2015/0306986 and U.S. Patent Publication No. US2018/0086229
for disclosure relating to mechanisms suitable for use as a
rotation drive, which applications are hereby incorporated in its
entirety herein.
[0017] Support unit 22 is coupled to first rotation drive 18 and is
configured to pivot about lateral axis A1, as suggested in FIGS. 1
and 2. Support unit 22 includes a first arm 24, a second arm 26,
and a support plate 28, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. First arm 24 is
located between drive motor 20 and first rotation drive 18 as shown
in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. Second arm 26 is located in spaced-apart
relation to first arm 24. Support plate 28 is coupled to first arm
24 and second arm 26. First arm 24, second arm 26, and support
plate 28 cooperate to support an occupant's leg.
[0018] In some embodiments, leg support 16 includes a second
rotation drive 19 as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6. Second rotation
drive 19 is located in spaced-apart relation to first rotation
drive 18 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. Second rotation drive 19 is
coupled to second arm 26 to locate second arm 26 between second
rotation drive 19 and first arm 24. Drive motor 20 drives second
rotation drive 19 by rod 21 as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7 so that
both first rotation drive 18 and second rotation drive 19 pivot
support unit 22 about lateral axis A1 at about the same time.
[0019] Support unit 22 further includes length-adjustment unit 30
as shown in FIGS. 4-7. Length-adjustment unit 30 includes a
length-adjustment motor unit 32, a first attachment slide 34, and a
second attachment slide 36 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7.
Length-adjustment motor unit 32 extends between support plate 28
and second arm 26. First attachment slide 34 is coupled to first
arm 24 between a first portion of support plate 28 and first arm
24. Second attachment slide 36 is coupled to second arm 26 and is
located between a second portion of support plate 28 and second arm
26. Length-adjustment motor unit 32 cooperates with first
attachment slide 34 and second attachment slide 36 to move support
plate 28 along first and second attachment slides 34, 36. Support
plate 28 is coupled to first and second attachment slides 34, 36 so
that support plate 28 can move from a first position relative to
the seat bottom to a second position relative to the seat bottom
that is generally greater than the first position.
[0020] Each of first and second attachment slides 34, 36, include
an arm mount 38, 40, a support plate mount 42, 44, and a slide unit
46, 48, as shown in FIG. 4. Arm mount 38, 40 is configured to
couple first and second attachment slides 34, 36 to either first or
second arm 24, 26. Support plate mount 42, 44 is configured to
couple support plate 28 to either first or second attachment slide
34, 36. Slide unit 46, 48 extends between and interconnects arm
mount 38, 40 and support plate mount 42, 44.
[0021] Length-adjustment motor unit 32 includes a length-adjustment
motor 50, a spindle receiver 52, and a threaded spindle 54, as
shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7. Length-adjustment motor 50 is coupled
to support plate 28 with a length-adjustment motor bracket 58.
Spindle receiver 52 is coupled to second arm 26. Threaded spindle
54 extends between length-adjustment motor 50 and is received by
spindle receiver 52. Length-adjustment motor 50 rotates threaded
spindle 54 to move support plate 28 along first and second
attachment slides 34, 36 from a first position to a second position
relative to the seat bottom. Illustratively, the second position is
generally at a greater distance from seat bottom 14 than the first
position. Illustratively, length-adjustment motor 50 rotates
threaded spindle 54 so that support plate 28 travels in a direction
that is generally orthogonal to lateral axis A1.
[0022] Support plate mounts 42, 44 include a first mount block 43
and a second mount block 45, as shown in FIG. 4. Each of first
mount block 43 and second mount block 45 locate a portion of slide
unit 46, 48 therein. Illustratively, each of first mount block 43
and second mount block 45 are coupled to support plate 28. First
mount block 43 cooperates with second mount block 45 to allow
support plate 28 to be moved by length-adjustment motor 50.
[0023] Illustratively, arm mount 38, 40 is coupled to first or
second arm 24, 26 in a fixed position relative to first or second
arm 24, 26 so that support plate 28 can move relative to first and
second arm 24, 26 in response to a force applied by
length-adjustment motor 50.
[0024] In some embodiments, occupant support 10 further includes a
leg-support controller 56. Leg-support controller 56 is configured
to power drive motor 20 to either extend or retract support unit 22
between the extended or stored configurations, as suggested in
FIGS. 1 and 2. Leg-support controller 56 is further configured to
power length-adjustment motor 50 to either extend or retract
support plate 28 along first and second attachment slides 34, 36.
In some embodiments, leg-support controller 56 simultaneously
powers drive motor 20 to extend support unit 22 to the extended
configuration and length-adjustment motor 50 to extend support
plate 28.
[0025] The following numbered clauses include embodiments that are
contemplated and non-limiting:
[0026] Clause 1. An occupant support including
[0027] a seat bottom and
[0028] a leg support coupled to the seat bottom and configured to
support an occupant's leg when in an extended position.
[0029] Clause 2. The occupant support of clause 1, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the leg support includes
a drive motor, a first rotation drive, and a support unit.
[0030] Clause 3. The occupant support of clause 2, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the drive motor is
coupled to the support unit in a fixed position relative to the
support unit.
[0031] Clause 4. The occupant support of clause 3, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the first rotation drive
is arranged to extend between and interconnect the support unit and
the seat bottom.
[0032] Clause 5. The occupant support of clause 4, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the support unit is
coupled to the first rotation drive to pivot about a lateral axis
between a stored configuration and the extended configuration.
[0033] Clause 6. The occupant support of clause 5, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the leg support includes
a second rotation drive located in spaced-apart lateral relation to
the rotation driver and a connecting rod arranged to extend between
and interconnect the two rotation drives so that movement of the
support unit is coordinated.
[0034] Clause 7. The occupant support of clause 6, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the connecting rod has a
generally square cross-section shape.
[0035] Clause 8. The occupant support of clause 7, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the support unit
includes a first arm, a second arm located in spaced-apart relation
to the first arm, and a support plate coupled to the first arm and
the second arm.
[0036] Clause 9. The occupant support of clause 8, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the first arm is located
between the drive motor and the first rotation drive and the second
arm is located between the drive motor and the second rotation
drive.
[0037] Clause 10. The occupant support of clause 8, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the leg support further
includes a length-adjustment unit that includes a first attachment
slide coupled to the first arm, a second attachment slide coupled
to the second arm, and a length-adjustment motor coupled to the
support plate and configured to move the support plate along the
first and second attachment slides.
[0038] Clause 11. The occupant support of clause 5, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the support unit
includes a first arm, a second arm located in spaced-apart relation
to the first arm, and a support plate coupled to the first arm and
the second arm and each of the first arm and the second arm are
configured to pivot about the lateral axis.
[0039] Clause 12. The occupant support of clause 11, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the leg support further
includes a length-adjustment unit that includes a first attachment
slide coupled to the first arm, a second attachment slide coupled
to the second arm, and a length-adjustment motor unit coupled to
the support plate and configured to move the support plate along
the first and second attachment slides.
[0040] Clause 13. The occupant support of clause 12, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the first attachment
slide is located between a first portion of the support unit and
the first arm and the second attachment slide is located between a
second portion of the support unit and the second arm.
[0041] Clause 14. The occupant support of clause 13, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the support unit is
attached to the first and second attachment slides so that the
support unit can move from a first position relative to the seat
bottom to a second position relative to the seat bottom and the
support unit is at a first distance from the seat bottom in the
first position and at a generally greater second distance from the
seat bottom in the second position.
[0042] Clause 15. The occupant support of clause 12, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein each of the first and
second attachment slides include an arm mount, a support plate
mount, and a slide unit that extends between and interconnects the
arm mount and the support plate mount.
[0043] Clause 16. The occupant support of clause 15, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the support plate mount
includes a first mount block and a second mount block that each
locate a portion of the slide unit therein and are each coupled to
the support plate.
[0044] Clause 17. The occupant support of clause 15, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the arm mount is coupled
to the arm in a fixed position relative to the arm so that the
support plate can move relative to the arm in response to a force
applied by a length-adjustment motor.
[0045] Clause 18. The occupant support of clause 12, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the length-adjustment
motor unit includes a length-adjustment motor coupled to the
support plate, a spindle receiver coupled to the second arm, and a
threaded spindle extending between and interconnecting the
length-adjustment motor and the spindle receiver.
[0046] Clause 19. The occupant support of clause 18, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the length-adjustment
motor rotates the threaded spindle so that the support plate
travels in a direction that is generally orthogonal to the lateral
axis.
[0047] Clause 20. The occupant support of clause 5, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the drive motor rotates
at a first speed and the first rotation drive rotates at a second
speed that is generally less than the first speed.
[0048] Clause 21. The occupant support of clause 20, any other
clause, or combination of clauses, wherein the first rotation drive
is configured to transmit a load relative to the drive motor in
response to an impact force applied to the support unit without
power being applied to the drive motor.
* * * * *