Abstract:
A comfort recline seat including a seat back, a seat base, a pivotable connection point, a pivotable base structure, linkages, knuckle connectors may enable a seat base cushion and a seat back cushion to be manipulated to create a range of comfortable seating and bed-like surfaces. The seat may be configured such that the seat base cushion and the seat back cushion may be simultaneously adjusted together to reduce gaps or steps between the seat base cushion and the seat back cushion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Vehicles such as automobiles, buses, trains, airplanes, boats, etc., may be provided with seats for seating passengers. These seats may include a reclining seat back that is capable of being pivoted to improve comfort of passengers. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0002]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,945 describes a wall avoiding convertible ottoman comprising a back-support assembly, a seat-support assembly, a base frame, and a pair of opposed armrests. However, the device of U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,945 cannot be reclined to a significant angle; and the device has low comfort due to lacking cushion material. Moreover, this device is directed toward furniture applications which may not be suitable for a vehicle. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,313,144 describes a stand up and kneel seat including a seat back; a seat cushion; a forward link pivotally extends between the seat cushion and base; a control bracket has a pair of pivotal links forming a four bar connection with the base; and a control link pivotally extends between the seat cushion and control bracket. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 8,313,144 also has a recliner mechanism for selectively pivoting the seat back between a forwardly folded position and a plurality of reclined seating positions. However, the device of U.S. Pat. No. 8,313,144 has a level cushion area only in a vertical position. Furthermore, the device is designed to extend vertically and not create a horizontal bed-like surface. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present application relates to a comfort recline seat which may be manipulated to create a range of comfortable seating and bed-like surfaces to maximize a user&#39;s comfort during use. The comfort recline seat may include a seat back, a seat base, a pivotable connection point, a pivotable base structure, roller bearings, linkages, knuckle connectors, structural braces, and support rods. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates an overall isometric view of an external structure of a comfort recline seat in an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates an overall isometric view of an internal structure of the comfort recline seat of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a detailed view of a basic structural layout of the internal structure of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of internal structure of the comfort recline seat, positioned in a seating position, in an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side view of internal structure of the comfort recline seat, positioned in a reclined position, in an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of internal structure of the comfort recline seat, positioned in a collapsed position, in an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]    Objects, advantages, and features of the exemplary comfort recline seat described herein will be apparent to one skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification, including the attached drawings. 
         [0013]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts through the several views. Further, as used herein, the words “a,” “an” and the like generally carry a meaning of “one or more,” unless stated otherwise. 
         [0014]      FIGS. 1-6  depict various aspects of a comfort recline seat  1  for a vehicle that may be set at different seating, recline, and collapsed positions. Here a vehicle refers to any mode of transportation including, but not limited to, automobiles, buses, trains, airplanes, and boats. However, the present disclosure is also applicable to seats or furniture used in stationary spaces such as a bedroom or a lounge. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a comfort recline seat  1  for a vehicle including a seat back  10 , a seat base  20 , and a pivotable connection point  30  located between the seat back  10  and seat base  20 . The pivotable connection point  30  may connect a lower portion of the seat back  10  to a rear portion of the seat base  20 . The seat back  10  may include a seat back cushion  12 , and the seat base  20  may include a seat base cushion  22 . The seat back cushion  12  and the seat base cushion  22  may be covered with appropriate upholstery, such as cloth, leather, or a synthetic material, to provide comfort to a user while protecting the seat back cushion  12  and the seat base cushion  22  from wear and tear. 
         [0016]    The comfort recline seat  1  may be oriented such that a user seated in the comfort recline seat  1  is facing forward with respect to a forward moving direction of the vehicle. However, the comfort recline seat  1  may also be oriented at an angle with respect to the forward moving direction, perpendicular to the forward moving direction, or oriented facing a rearward direction with respect to the forward moving direction of the vehicle, depending on a layout of a cabin of the vehicle. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an internal structure of the comfort recline seat  1 . The seat back  10  may include a seat back frame structure  14  to support the seat back cushion  12  and to secure the seat back  10  to the seat base  20  via at least the pivotable connection point  30 . The seat back frame structure  14  may include at least one vertical member  14   a  and at least one horizontal member  14   b.  In select embodiments, the seat back frame structure  14  may be in the form of a U-shaped member including a pair of vertical members  14   a  and a horizontal member  14   b.    
         [0018]    The seat base  20  may include at least one vertical support member  24  to support the seat base cushion  22 . The at least one vertical support member  24  may be used to secure the seat  1  to a floor or other structural member of the vehicle. Each of the at least one vertical support member  24  may include an extended portion  24   a  rising upward from the at least vertical support member  24  to connect to the seat back  10  at the pivotable connection point  30 . The extended portion  24   a  of the at least one vertical support member  24  may be secured to an end  14   c  of the seat back frame structure  14  via the pivotable connection point  30 . In select embodiments, the seat base  20  may include two vertical support members  24 . The seat base may include a support beam  26  secured to a front side of the two vertical support members  24 . The two vertical support members  24  and the support beam  26  may be integrally formed together. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the seat base  20  may further include a pivotable base structure having structural braces  40 . In addition to the pivotable connection point  30 , which may allow the seat back frame structure  14  of the seat back  10  to pivot with respect to seat base  20 , the structural braces  40  may allow for the seat base cushion  22  to be rotated with respect to the seat base  20 . The structural braces  40  may include a pair of support rods  42 , and a front end of the support rods  42  may be pivotably secured to the support beam  26  of the seat base  20  via pivots  44 . The pivots  44  may include a bushing or bearing to provide quiet operation and smooth rotation of the pivotable base structure having structural braces  40 . A center point of the pivots  44  may be aligned along a longitudinal axis of a respective support rod of the pair of support rods  42 . The seat base cushion  22  may be mounted onto the support rods  42  to enable a rear end  22   b  of the seat base cushion  22  to rotated upwards or downwards with respect to the support beam  26 . 
         [0020]    The seat back frame structure  14  may include a pair of mounting brackets  70  disposed on an interior side of the seat back frame structure  14 . The mounting brackets  70  may be in the form of knuckle connectors. The mounting brackets  70  may be disposed on an interior side of the seat back frame structure  14 , opposite of the pivotable connection point  30  such that the seat back frame structure  14  is sandwiched between the mounting brackets  70  and the extended portion  24   a  of the vertical support members  22 . 
         [0021]    A first set of linkages  50  may be pivotably mounted to a rear end of each of the support rods  42  and to a bottom portion of each of the mounting brackets  70 . The mounting brackets  70  may include at least two receiving portions  72  to rotatably secure a first end of two separate linkages  52  of the first set of linkages  50 . The support rods  42  may include a set of roller bearings  80  mounted to a bottom surface of the support rods  42 , and a second end of the first set of linkages  50  may be mounted to the roller bearings  80  via a rotatable support shaft  82 . The rotatable support shaft  82  may extend through both sides of the roller bearings  80  in order to receive the second end of the two separate linkages  52  of the first set of linkages  50 . In an assembled form, a linkage  52  of the first set of linkages  50  may be disposed on either side of each of the support rods  42 . 
         [0022]    A second set of linkages  60  may be pivotably mounted at a first end to a top receiving portion  74  of the mounting brackets  70 . A second end of the second set of linkages  60  may be attached to a seat back beam  62  to enable the seat back  10  to be further pivoted during a collapsed position, as will be discussed in detail below. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the support beam  26  is fixed to the vertical support members  24  of the seat base  20 . In operation when the structural braces  40  are rotated such that a rear end  22   b  of the seat base cushion  22  is rotated upward or downward, the first set of linkages  50  may correspondingly be actuated to lower or raise a lower end  12   b  of the seat back cushion  12  while also rotating an upper end  12   a  of the seat back cushion  12  backward or forward. A front end  22   a  of the seat base cushion  22  may remain at substantially the same height while being rotating about the support beam  26 . To adjust a position of the seat back cushion  12  and the seat base cushion  22 , one or more of a pneumatic drive system, a mechanical drive system, an electromechanical drive system, and a hydraulic system may be provided to actuate the first set of linkages  50  and/or the second set of linkages  60 . 
         [0024]    The structural braces  40 , the first set of linkages  50 , and/or the second set of linkages  60  may each be disposed between the seat back frame structure  14  and the vertical support members  24 , with respect to a lateral direction of the seat  1 , in order to provide a compact assembly and to prevent interference with other components of the comfort recline seat  1 . The internal arrangement of the structural braces  40 , the first set of linkages  50 , and the second set of linkages  60  may promote comfort and safety by preventing the above components from protruding out of the seat back  10  and/or the seat base  20 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , three exemplary positions of the comfort recline seat  1  are shown. However, the comfort recline seat  1  is not limited to the exemplary positions, but may also be adjusted and set at positions intermediate of those shown in  FIGS. 4-6 . In select embodiments, the comfort recline seat  1  may be adjusted such that the seat back cushion  12  and the seat base cushion  22  are parallel or substantially parallel with one another. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary sitting position of the comfort recline seat  1 . In the sitting position, the seat base cushion  22  may be sloped downward towards a rear of the comfort recline seat  1  at a shallow angle, while the seat back cushion  12  may be sloped upward and towards a rearward direction of the comfort recline seat  1  at a steep angle. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary reclined position of the comfort recline seat  1 . In the reclined position, the rear end  22   b  of the seat base cushion  22  is rotated upward, while the upper end  12   a  of the seat back cushion  12  is rotated downward and away from the seat base cushion  22 , in comparison with with the sitting position shown in  FIG. 4 . In the reclined position, both the seat back cushion  12  and the seat base cushion  22  are substantially horizontal. The seat back cushion  12  and the seat base cushion  22  may be positioned and set such that a plane formed by the seat back cushion  12  and a plane formed by the seat base cushion  22  are rotated to a minimal angle. In select embodiments, the seat back cushion  12  and the seat base cushion  22  may be positioned to be parallel with each other. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary collapsed position of the comfort recline seat  1 . In the collapsed position, the rear end  22   b  of the seat base cushion  22  may be rotated downward, while the bottom end  12   b  of the seat back cushion  12  may be shifted forward, and the upper end  12   a  of the seat back cushion  12  may be rotated forward toward a front end of the comfort recline seat  1 . In the collapsed position, an overall amount of space taken up by the comfort recline seat  1  is reduced. For example, a front to rear footprint of the comfort recline seat  1  is reduced in the collapsed position, in comparison with the sitting position or reclined position, to provide additional space within a cabin of a vehicle. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , operation of the comfort recline seat  1  will now be described. The connection and arrangement of the support rods  42  and the first set of linkages  50 , as described above, enables the seat back cushion  12  and the seat base cushion  22  to be pivoted and repositioned together at the same time for optimal alignment, thereby simplifying operation and improving overall ergonomics and user comfort. 
         [0030]    Starting from the sitting position, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the seat base cushion  22  may be rotated counter-clockwise such that the rear end  22   b  of the seat base cushion  22  is raised upward. As the seat base cushion  22  is rotated, the first set of linkages  50  may be correspondingly rotated clockwise, which may cause the bottom end  12   b  of the seat back cushion  12  to be lowered and the upper end  12   a  of the seat back cushion  12  to be rotated clockwise downward. 
         [0031]    When the comfort recline seat  1  is actuated to a first extreme position based on the above movements, the exemplary reclined position of  FIG. 5  is achieved. In the reclined position, an edge  22   c  of the rear end  22   b  of the seat base cushion  22 , and an edge  12   c  of the bottom end  12   b  of the seat back cushion  12  may be substantially aligned to avoid significant gaps or a step from being formed between the seat base cushion  22  and the seat back cushion  12 , thereby reducing or eliminating pressure points and improving user comfort. 
         [0032]    The support shaft  82  and the roller bearings  80  are arranged in a slot below the support rods  42  as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 . Shown in  FIG. 4 , the roller bearing  80  is in a rightmost (rearmost) position of the slot when the comfort recline seat  1  is in the sitting position. When the comfort recline seat  1  is actuated to the first extreme position as shown in  FIG. 5 , the roller bearing  80  is in a leftmost (frontmost) position of the slot. When the roller bearing  80  contacts either of the leftmost or rightmost positions of the slot, the rotation of the seat  1  is stopped. Therefore, the ends of the slot, in which the roller bearings  80  are mounted, define the maximum stop points which prevent the comfort recline seat  1  from reclining beyond a predetermined point. However, the system can be locked by other means at other, intermediary, points based on a drive system selection. 
         [0033]    Starting again from the sitting position, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the seat base cushion  22  may be rotated clockwise such that the rear end  22   b  of the seat base cushion  22  is lowered downward. As the seat base cushion  22  is rotated, the first set of linkages  50  may correspondingly be rotated counter-clockwise, and the second set of linkages  60  may be rotated counter-clockwise. The rotations of the first set of linkages  50  and/or the second set of linkages  60  may cause the upper end  12   a  of the seat back cushion  12  to rotate and shift forward in a counter-clockwise direction, and may cause the lower end  12   b  of the seat back cushion  12  to rotate and shift rearward in a counter-clockwise direction. 
         [0034]    When the comfort recline seat  1  is actuated to a second extreme position based on the above movements, the exemplary collapsed position of  FIG. 6  is achieved. In the collapsed position, an overall front to rear footprint of the comfort recline seat  1  is minimized, in comparison with the sitting position and the relined position, thereby providing additional cabin space for use. 
         [0035]    While operation of the comfort recline seat  1  discussed above details operation starting from the sitting position, it should be noted that adjustment toward the reclined position or toward the collapsed position would operate in a similar manner regardless of what intermediate position the seat  1  is currently set to. 
         [0036]    It is understood that the comfort recline seat for vehicle in the present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein, but embraces much modified forms thereof that are within the scope of the following claims.