Abstract:
A vehicle is provided with on-demand seating to allow maximum cargo space in the passenger compartment when the seats are not needed. The seating is lightweight and compact, maximizing available cargo space and minimizing mass and fuel economy impact. The flexible seat may be stowed within body structure defining the passenger compartment, such as side trim panels or a vehicle floor. The body structure supports the flexible seat in a deployed position in which the flexible seat extends from the body structure into the passenger compartment. Roller mechanisms mounted within the body structure allow the seat to extend and retract from the passenger compartment. The seats may be inflatable, and may include pneumatic foam.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/148,569, filed Jan. 30, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates to a vehicle seat. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Automotive vehicles are becoming more customizable in order to meet the values and priorities of customers. Vehicle owners generally desire flexibility to reconfigure a vehicle to meet their specific needs. For example, customers appreciate the ability to fold down rear seats in order to provide more rear cargo space. Fuel economy considerations are also important to most vehicle owners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A vehicle is provided with “on-demand” seating, i.e., seats that are available only when needed. This allows maximum cargo space in the passenger compartment when the seats are not needed. The seat is lightweight and compact, maximizing available cargo space and minimizing mass and fuel economy impact. The seat is flexible, so that it may be stowed within body structure defining the passenger compartment, such as side trim panels or a vehicle floor. The body structure supports the flexible seat in a deployed position in which the flexible seat extends from the body structure into the passenger compartment. Roller mechanisms mounted within the body structure allow the seat to extend and retract from the passenger compartment. The seat may be inflatable, and may include pneumatic foam. 
     The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective illustration in fragmentary view of a first embodiment of a vehicle having on demand seats; 
         FIG. 2  a schematic perspective illustration in fragmentary view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1 , with the seats in a deployed position; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective illustration in fragmentary view of the vehicle of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective illustration in fragmentary view of another embodiment of a vehicle with an on-demand seat; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary side view of the vehicle and seat of  FIG. 4 , showing the headrest in phantom in a stowed position in the roof, and partially fragmented to show pneumatic foam inside the seat; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary rear view of the headrest of the vehicle of  FIGS. 4 and 5  in a use position with the seat back shown in phantom suspended from the headrest; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary perspective view of the floor of the vehicle of  FIGS. 4-6  with the seat refracted by a roller mechanism under the floor; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary perspective view of the floor of the vehicle of  FIGS. 4-7  with a locking element in a use position and the seat bottom with a J-bar positioned to fit to the locking element. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows portion of a vehicle  10 . Specifically, body structure including a load floor  12  and opposing side trim panels  14 A,  14 B are illustrated. The load floor  12  and side panels  14 A,  14 B partially define a passenger compartment  16 . A rear portion of the passenger compartment  16  is shown in  FIG. 1 , representing an area behind a driver seat and a front passenger seat (not shown). 
     The vehicle  10  has a vehicle seat assembly  20  that includes two seats  22 A.  22 B (stowed in  FIG. 1 , but shown deployed in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) referred to herein as “seats on demand”. Although two seats  22 A,  22 B are shown, in alternative embodiments only one such seat may be provided, or an additional row of similar seats may also be provided. Each seat  22 A,  22 B includes a seat back  36 A,  36 B and a seat bottom  37 A,  37 B. The respective seat backs  36 A,  36 B and seat bottoms  37 A,  37 B may be separate components, separately extendable on respective rollers of roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B, or may be integrated to form a single continuous seat that is extendable in one motion. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the vehicle  10  is configured so that the seats  22 A,  22 B may be retracted into side trim panels  14 A,  14 B, to free cargo space in the passenger compartment. Alternatively, the seats  22 A,  22 B may be deployed, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , to provide “on demand” second or third row seating. The seats  22 A,  22 B may be flexible, frameless fabric panels, and may be a single layer, or multiple layers that may or may not be inflatable. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , a support member  24  is pivotably secured to the floor  12 , and is shown pivoted about pivot axis A, as indicated by arrow B, to a use position. In a stowed position, the support member is generally contiguous with the surrounding floor  12 , and resides in and covers the cavity  26 . A raised portion  27  of the floor  12 , such as a battery tunnel, is located forward of the support member  24 . 
     The vehicle includes roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B secured to the respective side trim panels  14 A,  14 B. The roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B include multiple spring-biased rollers that are hidden from view, as they are nested within the trim panels  14 A,  14 B and the outer casings  29 A,  29 B that are shown. Separate roller mechanisms may be used for the seat back portions  36 A,  36 B and seat bottom portions  37 A,  37 B of seats  22 A and  22 B. Those skilled in the art will readily understand the function of spring-biased rollers to roll and unroll a generally sheet-like material. Such rollers are commonly used to roll and unroll window shades. A side edge of the seat  22 A,  22 B is secured to the roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B. The outer casings  29 A,  29 B and the side trim panels  14 A,  14 B each form a respective slot  30 A,  30 B that allows the seats  22 A,  22 B to extend from the roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B into the passenger compartment  16 . In  FIG. 1 , the seats  22 A,  22 B are retracted by the rollers of roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B such that they are rolled within the trim panels  14 A,  14 B and casings  29 A,  29 B. Pull tabs (not shown) may extend through the slots  30 A,  30 B into the passenger compartment  16  when the seats  22 A,  22 B are in the stowed position to allow easy access to the seat  22 A,  22 B for manually unrolling the seats  22 A,  22 B to the deployed positions shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In the deployed positions, the seats  22 A,  22 B extend laterally to span the space between the side trim panels  14 A,  14 B and the raised portion  27  and support member  24 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the vehicle  10  includes fixtures  32 A- 32 D mounted to the floor  12  and to the support member  24 . The fixtures  32 A- 32 D are adapted to retain the seats  22 A,  22 B when the seats are unrolled and pulled laterally inward toward the fixtures  32 A- 32 D, as indicated by the directional arrows C 1 , C 2 , D 1  and D 2 , shown in  FIG. 2 . The seats  22 A- 22 B may have J-bars or other connecting features along the laterally inward edges that are configured to attach to the fixtures  32 A- 32 D to retain the seats  22 A,  22 B in the deployed position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Such a J-bar feature is described below with respect to the embodiment of  FIGS. 4-8 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a headrest  34  is actuated to pivot into a use position, such as by actuating from the roof (shown with respect to the embodiment of  FIG. 5 ), or from the adjacent vehicle sidewall or center structure, such as support member  24 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the seats  22 A,  22 B are shown inflated in the deployed position. This may be accomplished either via an actuator valve that automatically draws air into the seats  22 A,  22 B when the seats  22 A,  22 B are unrolled to the deployed position, or via a hand held pump attachable to the valve. The seats  22 A,  22 B may be filled with pneumatic foam for comfort. Exemplary pneumatic foam shown in  FIG. 5  with respect to seat  122  could be used in the same manner in seats  22 A,  22 B. When the seats  22 A,  22 B are retracted to the stowed position, the air may be automatically expelled by pressure from the roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the locations of the roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B and the fixtures  32 A- 32 D may be switched, with the roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B secured to the floor  12  and the support member  24 , and with the fixtures  32 A- 32 D secured to the side trim panels  14 A,  14 B. In yet another alternative embodiment, the seats  22 A,  22 B may be sling-type, non-inflatable fabric panels. The roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B and the fixtures  32 A,  32 B may be configured to be movable between multiple positions. For example, the roller mechanisms  28 A,  28 B containing the seat back portions  36 A,  36 B may be movable on locking bars that lock to the side trim panels  14 A,  14 B in three different positions, thus establishing multiple seat back positions. 
     Another embodiment of a vehicle  110  is shown in  FIG. 4  with a seat assembly  120  including a seat  122  that is shown in a deployed position. Although only one seat  122  is shown, additional like seats may be provided to form a row of two such seats, or multiple rows. The seat  122  is suspended from vehicle body structure, such as a roof  140  that includes a headrest  134  pivotably connected thereto. The headrest  134  is shown in  FIGS. 4-6  in a use position. The headrest  134  may be pivoted to a stowed position, shown in phantom as  134 A in  FIG. 5 , when the seat  122  is stowed. In the stowed position, the headrest  134  is nested in a cavity  135  formed in the roof  140 . In the deployed position, the seat back portion  136  of seat  122  is suspended from the headrest  134 , and the seat bottom portion  137  of the seat  122  is secured to a locking element  142  (best shown in  FIG. 8 ) that is pivoted to a locked, use position. A floor  112  of the vehicle  110  is shown partially in solid, with a removed portion shown in phantom. The vehicle body structure including roof  140  and floor  112  are shown only schematically, but should be understood to be representative of any vehicle body structure. The body structure also includes side trim panels that are removed from  FIGS. 4-8  for clarity. 
     The seat  122  is operatively connected to a roller mechanism  128  (shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 ) mounted under the floor  112 . The roller mechanism  128  may include separate rollers for the seat back  136  and the seat bottom  137 . For example, the seat back  136  and seat bottom  137  may be separate, non-integral components.  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the seat  122  is in a deployed position, extending through slots  144 A,  144 B (best shown in  FIG. 7 ) in the floor  112 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , the seat  122  is retracted through the slots  144 A,  144 B by the roller mechanism  128  to be stowed under the floor  112  when in the stowed position. A hand crank  146  shown in  FIG. 7  is connected with the roller mechanism  128  through an opening  148  in the floor  112  to allow the seat  122  to be manually retracted to the stowed position. Alternatively, the roller mechanism  128  may be spring-loaded to automatically retract the seat back  136  and seat bottom  137 . Multiple openings  148  may be provided to connect the crank  146  to the separate rollers of roller mechanism  128  for the seat back  136  and the seat bottom  137 . 
     When deployed, the seat  122  may be inflated by connecting an inflator pump  150 , shown in  FIG. 4 , to valves  152 A,  152 B in the seat back  136  and seat bottom  137  (valves shown in  FIG. 7 ). The seat inflation may be adjusted for comfort preference by connecting the inflator pump  150  (i.e., upon initial inflation or afterward). Alternatively, the valves  152 A,  152 B may be configured to automatically draw in air when the seat back  136  and seat bottom  137 , respectively, are extended and pressure from the roller mechanism  128  is thereby released. When the seat  122  is retracted, pressure from the roller mechanism  128  forces the air out of the seat  122 . The seat  122  may be filled with pneumatic foam  129  to further increase comfort. A cover  154  connected at hinge  156  may be pivoted downward to cover the slots  144 A,  144 B when the seat  122  is stowed. 
     In order to transition the seat  122  from the stowed position of  FIG. 7  to the deployed position of  FIGS. 4-6 , the cover  154  is pivoted upward to the position of  FIG. 7 . A lock  158  connected to floor  112  and extending through an opening  160  in the cover may then be rotated to secure the cover  154  in the open position. Referring to  FIG. 8 , the locking element  142  is then rotated upward through an opening  162  in the floor  112  from a stowed position  142 A to the use position. The locking element  142  is connected to the floor with a one-way ratchet to lock in the use position. The cover  154  also provides structural protection from cargo sliding forward from the rear of the passenger compartment. 
     Next, a release lever  164  accessible through opening  165  in the floor and connected such as by cable (not shown) to the roller mechanism  128  is pulled to position  164 A (shown in phantom) to release the roller, thereby allowing the seat bottom  137  to be pulled through slot  144 B. Pull tabs  139 A,  139 B may be provided to allow easy access to the seat back  136  and seat bottom  137  through the slots  144 A,  144 B. The seat back  136  and seat bottom  137  could be configured to be deployed simultaneously to reduce the number of steps to position the seat  122 . A connecting feature  168 , shown as a J-bar, secured to the edge of the seat bottom  137  is then slipped over the locking element  142  to secure the seat bottom  137  to the locking element  142 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the headrest  134  is then pivoted to the use position. Attachment arms  170 A,  170 B are slid outward from cavities within the headrest  134  and secured in extended positions shown in  FIG. 6  by tightening clamps  172 A,  172 B by twisting the clamps  172 A,  172 B in the respective directions shown with arrows  173 . The clamps  172 A,  172 B extend through slots  174 A,  174 B in the back of the headrest  134 . The release lever  164  of  FIG. 4  is again pulled to release the roller connected with seat back  136  and allow the seat back  136  to be pulled through slot  144 A. Referring to  FIG. 6 , loops  176 A,  176 B formed at the edge of the seat back  136  allow the seat back  136  to be suspended from the arms  170 A,  170 B, and thus supported by the headrest  134  and the roof  140 . The connection of the headrest  134  to the roof  140  may include a multi-position feature, such as a releasable one-way ratchet, that allows the headrest  134 , and thus the seat back  136  when connected thereto, to be positioned at multiple angles with respect to the seat bottom  137 , at the option of the seat occupant. Once deployed, the seat  122  may then be inflated using the pump  150 , as described above. In some embodiments, the seat  122  automatically inflates when deployed. 
     To return the seat  122  to the stowed position, the lever  164  is again pulled to release the rollers of roller mechanism  128 . The connecting feature  168  is then removed from the locking element  142 , and the locking element  142  is pivoted to the stowed position. The loops  176 A,  176 B are removed from the arms  170 A,  170 B and the arms  170 A,  170 B are slid inward into the headrest  134  after first loosening the clamps  172 A,  172 B by twisting in respective directions shown by arrows  177 . The headrest  134  is then pivoted to the stowed position  134 A. The arms  170 A,  170 B are again extended to slide into receiving slots (not shown) formed in the roof  140  to secure the headrest  134  within the cavity  135  in the roof  140  in the stowed position. The manual crank  146  is again used to retract the seat bottom  137  and the seat back  136  into the stowed position beneath the floor  112 . Alternatively, the roller mechanisms  128  may be configured so that the seat back  136  and the seat bottom  137  automatically retract when released from arms  170 A,  170 B and locking element  142 , respectively. Refraction of the seat back  136  and seat bottom  137  could be configured to occur simultaneously. The cover  154  is then unlocked and rotated downward to cover the slots  144 A,  144 B. 
     It should be appreciated that many variations of the embodiments shown may be used. For example, the respective floors  12  and  112  shown in the two vehicle embodiments are stepped floors having different elevations in front of and behind the respective seats  22 ,  122 . Alternatively, a flat floor would also accommodate the seats shown. For example, the slots  144 A,  144 B would simply be formed in the flat floor (i.e., upward-facing slots, facing toward the roof  140 ), and the cover  154  would be a flat panel. The roller mechanism  128  would be angularly adjusted with respect to the position shown in  FIG. 5  to allow the seat  122  to extend through the slots  144 A,  144 B. Also, the locking element  142  would be reconfigured to extend through an upwardly-facing opening in the flat floor, in lieu of opening  162 . 
     In each of the embodiments, the seats  22 A,  22 B,  122  do not include frame structure; rather, the vehicle body structure, such as floor  12 ,  112 , side trim panels  14 A,  14 B and roof  140 , serve as a frame for the seats  22 A,  22 B,  122  with the seats  22 A,  22 B,  122  suspended from and supported by the body structure. In either embodiment, the seats  22 A,  22 B may be inflatable, or may be sling-type, non-inflatable seats. 
     While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.