Multi-position vehicle seat

摘要

A seat mounting system is provided that allows a vehicle passenger seat, preferably a rear passenger seat mounted within the rear portion of the passenger cabin, to move laterally (i.e., side-to-side), fore-aft (i.e., forwards-backwards), and rotationally. As a result, an occupant of the passenger seat can optimize their seat position for the task at hand, e.g., relaxing, obtaining additional leg and/or shoulder room, rotating inwards during a conversation with others in the car, rotating outwards to aid vehicle egress, etc. Seat movement may be performed automatically or manually using dual track assemblies.

主权项

1. A vehicle seat positioning system, comprising:
a first pair of track assemblies mounted within a vehicle, wherein said first pair of track assemblies is comprised of a first pair of fixed track members and a first pair of rails, wherein said first pair of rails are configured to slide within said first pair of fixed track members, and wherein said first pair of fixed track members are attached to a vehicle structure; a second pair of track assemblies, wherein said second pair of track assemblies is comprised of a second pair of fixed track members and a second pair of rails, wherein said second pair of rails are configured to slide within said second pair of fixed track members, and wherein said second pair of fixed track members are coupled to said first pair of rails, wherein a first rail of said first pair of track assemblies is coupled to a first fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies via a first pin, wherein said first rail of said first pair of track assemblies is coupled to a second fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies via a second pin, wherein a second rail of said first pair of track assemblies is coupled to said first fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies via a third pin, and wherein said first rail of said first pair of track assemblies is coupled to said second fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies via a fourth pin, said first fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies comprising a first mounting slot and a first mounting aperture, said second fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies comprising a second mounting slot, wherein said first pin passes through said first mounting slot of said first fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies and said third pin passes through said first mounting aperture of said first fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies, and wherein said second and fourth pins pass through said second mounting slot of said second fixed track member of said second pair of track assemblies; a vehicle seat mounted to said second pair of rails; a drive system coupled to said first pair of track assemblies and said second pairs of track assemblies, wherein said drive system is configured to move said vehicle seat in a forward direction and a backward direction within a first range of motion via one of said first and second pairs of track assemblies, wherein said drive system is configured to move said vehicle seat in a lateral-left direction and a lateral-right direction within a second range of motion via one of said first and second pairs of track assemblies, and wherein said drive system is configured to move said vehicle seat in a clockwise rotational direction and a counter-clockwise rotational direction within a third range of motion via said first and second pairs of track assemblies; a seat position selection system; and a control system coupled to said drive system and to said seat position selection system, wherein said control system adjusts a position corresponding to said vehicle seat using said drive system in response to an input signal from said seat position selection system.