Abstract:
A vehicle seat assembly includes a back rest and a seat cushion that may be reconfigurable to alternatively form a forward facing adult seating surface and child seat mounting surface. The back rest may be provided in a substantially horizontal orientation to offer an extended lower leg support surface for a child&#39;s lower legs and feet while seated in a rear facing child seat. The vehicle seat assembly may include a support mechanism to interconnect the seat cushion to a vehicle, enabling selective longitudinal repositioning of the vehicle seat assembly with respect to fixed adjacent interior vehicle structure to establish a variable longitudinal clearance there-between. A rear facing child seat forming back rest and seat cushion portions may be carried by the child seat mounting surface of the vehicle seat assembly. The back rest may be removable from the vehicle seat assembly.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to seat assemblies for vehicles, and more particularly, to the selective mounting of child seats to adult seats. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it may be described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present technology. 
     Child passenger safety laws and restraint requirements may vary in different jurisdictions based on age, weight, and height. Conventional infant seats are frequently at least partially immobilized, relative to an integrated, adult accommodating seat of a the vehicle, by extending a seat belt of the vehicle through at least a portion of the infant seat and/or interconnecting one or more support straps of the infant seat with a frame of the adult accommodating seat, or other structure of the vehicle. 
     Rearward facing seating is a primary carrying mode for infants and, to a lesser degree, toddlers riding in vehicles. Rearward facing seating allows for the distribution of inertia forces, acting on a child during a frontal impact, over a larger area against the seat back, as opposed to concentrating the force through seatbelts. Although rearward facing seating is widely required by state laws and is believed to be a superior mode, it is often difficult for children at older ages to continue with this type of seating because of their height. One problem arises because the feet of tall infants and young toddlers touch the rear seat back; the child must bend his or her knees, which can be uncomfortable. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a seat configuration that allows comfortable seating for tall infants and toddlers by accommodating their relatively longer leg length. 
     SUMMARY 
     This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
     In various aspects, the present teachings provide a vehicle seat assembly selectively reconfigurable to alternately form a forward facing adult seat and a child seat mounting surface. The vehicle seat assembly may include a back rest and a seat cushion. The seat cushion may be configured to serve as the child seat mounting surface. In various aspects, the back rest may be selectively repositionable between a first orientation to provide the forward facing adult seat, and a second, substantially horizontal orientation to provide an extended lower leg support surface for a child&#39;s lower legs and feet while seated in a rear facing child seat. The back rest may also be selectively removable from the vehicle seat assembly. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle seat assembly includes a back rest and a seat cushion that are selectively reconfigurable to alternately form a forward facing adult seating surface and a child seat mounting surface. The vehicle seat assembly may include a rear facing child seat carried by the child seat mounting surface. In various aspects, the back rest of the vehicle seat assembly forms an extended leg support surface for a child&#39;s lower legs and feet while seated in the rear facing child seat. The back rest may also be selectively removable from the vehicle seat assembly. When removed, a horizontal upper surface of the seat cushion may provide the child seat mounting surface and the seat cushion may form a rearwardly facing bolster longitudinally spaced from an opposed forward edge surface of a fixed adjacent interior vehicle structure by a sufficient dimension to provide longitudinal clearance for a rearwardly facing child&#39;s lower legs and feet while seated in the rear facing child seat. 
     According to yet another aspect the present disclosure, a second row vehicle seat assembly is provided including a seat cushion and a removable back rest. The back rest may be selectively reconfigurable between a first position and a second position to alternately form a forward facing adult seating surface when in the first position, and an extended leg support surface when in the second position. A rear facing child seat may be carried by the child seat mounting surface of the vehicle seat assembly. A support mechanism may be provided, configured to fixedly interconnect the seat cushion to a host vehicle. The support mechanism may enable a selective longitudinal repositioning of the vehicle seat assembly with respect to a fixed adjacent interior vehicle structure to establish a variable longitudinal clearance there-between. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present teachings will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a rear facing child seat mounted to a rear seat of a vehicle illustrating a child occupant&#39;s feet in contact with the back rest of the rear seat; 
         FIG. 2  is a side plan view including a rear seat of a vehicle that is configured for selective longitudinal adjustment with respect to other seats and/or a rear bulkhead of the vehicle; 
         FIG. 3  is a side plan view of one embodiment of the present disclosure wherein the back rest of the rear seat is folded rearwardly to provide a substantially horizontal extended leg support surface for the rear facing child seat; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of another embodiment of the present disclosure wherein the back rest of the rear seat is removed, exposing a rear edge surface (e.g., bolster) of the seat cushion to provide a substantially vertical extended leg support surface for the rear facing child seat; and 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of one embodiment of the present disclosure illustrating the longitudinal and lateral leg/foot space afforded between the rear facing child seat and the rear bulkhead of the vehicle. 
     
    
    
     It should be noted that the figures set forth herein are intended to exemplify the general characteristics of materials, methods, and devices among those of the present technology, for the purpose of the description of certain aspects. These figures may not precisely reflect the characteristics of any given aspect, and are not necessarily intended to define or limit specific embodiments within the scope of this technology. Further, certain aspects may incorporate features from a combination of figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustrating specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “leading,” “trailing,” etc. is used with reference to the orientation of the figures being described. Because the components of embodiments can be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is not limiting. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims. 
     For purposes of providing a non-limiting definition and to enable clear understanding of the present disclosure, “longitudinal” means parallel to the direction of the Y axis, “lateral” means parallel to the direction of the X axis, and “vertical” means parallel to the direction of the Z axis. 
     Regardless of the particular models used, the designs of child seating apparatuses has generally required parents/guardians of children to purchase an infant seat, a toddler seat, and a booster seat to accommodate the growth of the child. Once it is determined that a child has outgrown (e.g., is too tall and/or heavy to be appropriately accommodated by) an above-mentioned infant seat, the infant seat is typically removed from the vehicle and replaced by a toddler seat to sufficiently restrain a toddler and enable the toddler to ride within the vehicle. Generally similar to conventional infant seats, conventional toddler seats are at least partially immobilized, relative to an integrated, adult accommodating seat of a vehicle, by extending a seat belt of the vehicle through at least a portion of the toddler seat and/or by interconnecting one or more support straps of the toddler seat with a frame of the vehicle. The booster seats are also similarly fastened into the vehicle using a seat belt and/or one or more support straps of the booster seat. 
     One disadvantage of the evolution of child seat types through the growth cycle of a given child is that the rear-facing configuration almost always employed for infants is abandoned in favor of forward facing configurations frequently for toddlers and almost always for young children. This evolution results from typical rapid and irregular growth spurts of children, making them more adult-like in their seating configuration needs, as well as increased social interaction with adults typically located in the front seating positions of the vehicle. 
     The present disclosure provides supplemental leg room and support for a child positioned in a rear facing toddler or child seat secured to a second row (rear adult) vehicle seat assembly. The second row vehicle seat assembly can be a bucket type seat including a seat back, or back rest, affixed adjacent to a seat cushion. In various aspects, the back rest can recline about 90 degrees between a substantially vertical position and a rearward horizontal position, or about 90 degrees between a substantially vertical position and a forward horizontal position. Additionally, the back rest can be temporarily removed during use of the rear facing toddler or child seat. This arrangement will accommodate larger children who are still required to sit in rear facing seats due to anticipated future regulations. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle  10  may include a passenger compartment  12  enclosing a front row of vehicle seat assemblies  14  and a second row of vehicle seat assemblies  16  supported on an appropriate floor panel  18 . Each row of vehicle seat assemblies  14  and  16  can include bench-type seating, split bench-type seats, or individual bucket-type seats. Larger vehicles, such as passenger vans and suburban utility vehicles (e.g., SUVs) can include a third or even a fourth row of vehicle seat assemblies, not illustrated. 
     For purposes of the present disclosure, the vehicle  10  is illustrated having a second row vehicle seat assembly  16  consisting of a laterally opposed pair of single passenger bucket-type seats  20  and  22  disposed within the passenger compartment  12  longitudinally intermediate the front row of vehicle seat assemblies  14  and a rear bulkhead  24 , separating the passenger compartment  12  from a vehicle trunk, if so equipped. In various aspects, the rear bulkhead  24  may be representative of a third row of vehicle seat assemblies or other fixed interior structure. 
     The passenger-side bucket seat  22  is shown having an upstanding back rest  26  operatively assembled with a substantially horizontal, forwardly directed seat cushion  28 . A rear facing infant seat  30  is mounted to the bucket seat  22 , compressively loaded downwardly upon the seat cushion  28  and longitudinally rearwardly against the back rest  26 . The rear facing infant seat  30  may be secured to the bucket seat  22  by seat belts or supplemental restraints, not illustrated. A child  32  occupying the rear facing infant seat  30  is illustrated as having outgrown the rear facing infant seat  30  such that the child&#39;s legs  34  extend rearwardly beyond the end of the rear facing infant seat  30 , and the child&#39;s feet  36  are pressed against a forward facing front surface of the back rest  26  of the bucket seat  22 , which can be uncomfortable for the child  32 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an exemplary vehicle  38  may include a passenger compartment  40  enclosing a front row vehicle seat assembly  42  and a second row vehicle seat assembly  44  commonly supported by a vehicle floor panel  46 . The second row vehicle seat assembly  44  may be longitudinally positioned between a rear facing surface  48  of the front row vehicle seat assembly  42  and a forward facing surface  50  of a rear bulkhead  52 . The second row vehicle seat assembly  44  includes a back rest  54  that may be operatively interconnected to a seat cushion  56  by a releasable, pivotal hinge mechanism  58 , or the like. When oriented as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a forward facing front surface  62  of the back rest  54  and an upwardly facing surface  64  of the seat cushion  56  together define an adult seating surface  66 . 
     The seat cushion  56  of the second row vehicle seat assembly  44  may be interconnected to the vehicle floor panel  46  by a support mechanism  60  that may be selectively releasable to enable bidirectional longitudinal repositioning of the second row vehicle seat assembly  44 , as illustrated in phantom. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the back rest  54  of the second row vehicle seat assembly  44  is repositioned by an approximate 90 degrees counterclockwise (rearward) rotation from a substantially vertical orientation (as illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) to a substantially horizontal orientation presenting the front surface  62  for use as an extended leg support surface for a child occupant&#39;s  80  lower legs and feet  90 . A rear facing toddler/child seat  70  is configured to form a seat cushion portion  72 . The seat cushion portion  72  may be compressively loaded against the upwardly facing surface  64  (i.e., the child seat mounting surface) of the supporting seat cushion  56  by safety belts or tethers so as to be substantially aligned with the back rest  54 . By way of example,  FIG. 3  shows a first tether  76  extending between the seat cushion portion  72  and the hinge mechanism  58 , and a second tether  78  extending between the back rest portion  74  and the seat cushion  56 . A child occupant  80  of the toddler/child seat  70  may be secured by an integral seat belt system  82 , or the like. 
     The toddler/child seat  70  may be dimensioned and positioned in application to align the nominal child occupant&#39;s  80  legs atop the seat cushion portion  72  of the toddler/child seat  70 , and to enable the lower leg portions and feet  90  of an out-sized child occupant  80  to extend freely rearwardly atop the extended leg support surface formed by the front surface  62  of the back rest  54 . Thus, the legs of the out-sized child occupant  80  are supported along their entire extent by either the seat cushion portion  72  of the toddler/child seat  70  or the extended leg support surface formed by the front surface  62  of the back rest  54 . Preferably, the feet  90  of the out-sized child occupant  80  will not contact any fixed barrier. 
     As an alternative to the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the back rest  54  of the second row vehicle seat assembly  44  can also be repositioned through a substantially 90 degrees clockwise (forward) rotation from a vertical orientation (in  FIG. 2 ) to a horizontal orientation presenting a back surface  68  as a mounting surface for a toddler/child seat  70  (not shown). In this configuration, the seat cushion portion  72  may be compressively loaded against the back surface  68  (i.e., the child seat mounting surface) of the supporting back rest  54  by appropriate tethers. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the back rest  54  of the second row vehicle seat assembly  44  may also be temporarily removed. In various aspects, one may use the hinge mechanism  58  as an attachment point  96  for the toddler/child seat  70 . As shown, the seat cushion portion  72  of the toddler/child seat  70  may be compressively loaded against the upwardly facing surface  64  (i.e., the child seat mounting surface) of the supporting seat cushion  56  by the first tether  76  extending between the seat cushion portion  72  and the child seat attachment point  96  formed by the hinge mechanism  58 , and the second tether  78  extending between the child seat back rest portion  74  and the seat cushion  56 . The child occupant  80  of the toddler/child seat  70  may be secured by an integral seat belt system  82 . In various aspects, the second row vehicle seat assembly  44  may include at least one tether that is selectively reconfigurable to serve as either (1) a lap-type seat belt when the back rest  54  is in a substantially vertical orientation to provide the forward facing adult seat, or (2) a harness for the rear facing toddler/child seat  70  when the back rest  54  is in the substantially horizontal orientation, or removed from the second row vehicle seat assembly  44 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in various aspects, the seat cushion  56  may form an edge portion  94  (e.g., bolster) that faces, and is spaced from, the forward facing surface  50  of the rear bulkhead  52  (or third row seat) by a longitudinal depth dimension designated by an arrow “LD1” when the second row vehicle seat assembly  44  is displaced longitudinally forward in anticipation of the installation of the toddler/child seat  70 . Similarly, the seat cushion portion  72  of the toddler/child seat  70  may form an edge portion  86  that faces, and is spaced from, the forward facing surface  50  of the rear bulkhead  52  by a longitudinal depth dimension designated by an arrow “LD2” when mounted atop the seat cushion  56  of the second row vehicle seat assembly  44 .  FIG. 5  further illustrates a width dimension of an available volume as designated by an arrow “VW” extending the maximum width of the second row vehicle seat assembly  44 . 
     In various aspects, the toddler/child seat  70  may be dimensioned and positioned to align and support the nominal child occupant&#39;s  80  legs atop the seat cushion portion  72  of the toddler/child seat  70 . Once the child occupant&#39;s  80  knee portion  88  approaches the edge portion  86  of the seat cushion portion  72 , the dimensions should enable the extended lower leg portions and feet  90  of an out-sized child occupant  80  to depend freely vertically downwardly within the space created between the second row vehicle seat assembly  44  and the rear bulkhead  52 . The available vertical height dimension is designated by an arrow “VH” extending between the upper surface  92  of the seat cushion portion  72  and the vehicle floor panel  46 . The edge portion  94  of the seat cushion  56  can serve to support and absorb frontal impact loads imposed on the lower legs of the child occupant  80 . In various aspects, the vertical height, lateral width, and longitudinal depth may be constant for a given fixed positioning of the vehicle seat assembly with respect to the interior vehicle structure, defining a clearance volume between the second row vehicle seat assembly  44  and the fixed interior vehicle structure  52 . 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations should not be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.