Abstract:
A seat assembly for a vehicle that is rotatable and removable. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom and a mounting assembly having a first portion that releasably attaches the seat bottom to the vehicle and a second portion. The second portion permits rotation of the seat bottom relative to the first portion and the vehicle and permits translation of the seat bottom relative to the first portion and the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/009,987 filed Jan. 4, 2008. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to seating systems and more particularly to reconfigurable seating systems for vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Multi-passenger vehicles such as sport-utility vehicles and minivans are increasing in popularity due to the capability of such vehicles in transporting multiple passengers and/or large cargo. Such multi-passenger vehicles typically include up to three rows of passenger seats, which may be selectively positioned to adjust a seating configuration and/or storage area of the vehicle. For example, some vehicle seats include the ability to be dumped and stowed into a floor pan of the vehicle to allow a rear surface of the seat assembly to be used as a load floor, thereby increasing the overall cargo space of the vehicle. 
     While conventional vehicle seat assemblies may be moved from a stowed position to a use position to selectively provide the vehicle with additional cargo space, such seats are not pivotable between a forward-facing position and a rearward-facing position. Furthermore, while such seat assemblies may be selectively removed from the vehicle to increase the cargo space within the vehicle, such seats are not electrically connected to the vehicle when in use and, therefore, do not enjoy electrical functions such as powered movement of the vehicle seat (i.e., fore/aft, recline, etc.), power lumbar, and/or heated/cooled seats. 
     SUMMARY 
     A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a seat bottom and a mounting assembly having a first portion that attaches the seat bottom to the vehicle and a second portion. The second portion permits rotation of the seat bottom relative to the first portion and the vehicle and permits translation of the seat bottom relative to the first portion and the vehicle. 
     A vehicle includes a floor and a seat assembly. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom rotatably supported by the floor between a first position and a second position and is selectively translatable relative to the floor. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a seat assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a seat assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention and incorporating a child-booster seat into a seat bottom of the seat assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a swivel mechanism for use with the seat assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a seat structure of the seat assembly of  FIG. 1  detailing an electrical connection between the seat assembly and an external structure; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of a vehicle with part of a roof removed to show a pair of second-row seat assemblies in a forward-facing position; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of a vehicle with part of a roof removed to show a pair of second-row seat assemblies moving from a forward-facing position to a rearward-facing position; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a vehicle with part of a roof removed to show a second-row seat assembly in a rearward-facing and translated position and another second-row seat assembly in a forward-facing and translated position; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of a vehicle with part of a roof removed to show a pair of second-row seat assemblies in a rearward-facing position; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of pivotal and translational movement of the seat assembly of  FIG. 1  relative to an external structure when pivoted between a first position and a second position; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an electrical connector for use with the seat assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an electrical connector for use with the seat assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly for use with the seat assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
     With reference to the figures, a seat assembly  10  is provided and includes a seat bottom  12 , a seatback  14  pivotably supported by the seat bottom  12 , and a mounting assembly  16  that permits rotation and translation of the seat assembly  10  relative to a vehicle  18 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the mounting assembly  16  is shown to include a floor bracket  20 , a seat bracket  22 , and an adjustment mechanism  24 . The floor bracket  20  may be fixedly attached to a floor bracket  25  of a floor  26  of the vehicle  18  and may include at least one floor-latch mechanism  28  extending therefrom. The floor-latch mechanism  28  may selectively engage a series of strikers  30  attached to the floor  26  of the vehicle  18  to selectively attach the floor bracket  20  to the floor  26  of the vehicle  18 . Each floor-latch mechanism  28  may be movable between a latched state and an unlatched state to selectively attach the floor bracket  20  and, thus, the seat assembly  10 , to the floor  26  of the vehicle  18 . When the floor-latch mechanism  28  is in the latched state, each floor-latch mechanism  28  engages the strikers  30  to prevent removal of the seat assembly  10  from the vehicle  18 . Conversely, when the floor-latch mechanisms  28  are in the unlatched state, the floor-latch mechanism  28  disengage the strikers  30  and permit removal of the seat assembly  10  from the vehicle  18 . 
     The floor bracket  20  may also include a series of wheels  32  ( FIG. 1 ) disposed on a bottom surface thereof. The wheels  32  facilitate movement of the seat assembly  10  when the seat assembly  10  is removed from the vehicle  18 . For example, when the floor-latch mechanisms  28  are all moved into the unlatched state and the seat assembly  10  is removed from the vehicle  18 , the wheels  32  may be moved into an extended position to allow the wheels  32  to engage the ground. Engagement between the wheels  32  and the ground facilitates movement of the seat assembly  10  towards and away from the vehicle  18 . While the wheels  32  are described as being moved into an extended position when the seat assembly  10  is removed from the vehicle  18 , the wheels  32  could alternatively be fixed relative to the floor bracket  20  such that when the floor bracket  20  is disengaged from the floor  26  of the vehicle  18 , the wheels  32  are already in position to engage the ground to facilitate movement of the seat assembly  10  when removed from the vehicle  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the floor-latch mechanisms  28  may be attached to the floor bracket  20  via a pair of mounting brackets  34 . The mounting brackets  34  are positioned generally on inboard and outboard sides of the seat assembly  10  and may be integrally formed with the floor bracket  20 . Alternatively, the mounting brackets  34  may be separately formed from the floor bracket  20  and then subsequently fixedly attached to the floor bracket  20  by a suitable fastener such as, for example, a rivet or a bolt. In either configuration, the mounting brackets  34  extend generally from the floor bracket  20  and away from the seat bottom  12  to allow the floor-latch mechanisms  28  to respectively engage strikers  30  disposed on the floor  26  of the vehicle  18 . 
     Referring to FIGS.  3  and  9 - 11 , one or both of the mounting brackets  34  may include an electrical connector  36  that is in selective engagement with an electrical connector  38  of the vehicle  18 . The electrical connectors  36 ,  38  may respectively include a contact  40 ,  42  that is spring biased into an extended position to facilitate connection between the electrical connector  36  of the mounting bracket  34  and the electrical connector  38  of the vehicle  18 . 
     The contact  40  of the electrical connector  36  is positioned relative to the mounting bracket  34  such that when the mounting brackets  34  are attached to the strikers  30  via the floor-latch mechanisms  28 , the contact  40  is aligned with the contact  42  of the vehicle  18 . Once the floor-latch mechanism  28  is moved into the latched state and is attached to the strikers  30 , the electrical connector  36  of the mounting bracket  34  is in electrical communication with the electrical connector  38  of the vehicle  18  due to engagement between the contacts  40 ,  42 . Because the electrical connector  38  of the vehicle  18  may be in electrical communication with a vehicle wiring harness  44 , electrical energy may be supplied to the seat assembly  10  via the vehicle wiring harness  44  and electrical connectors  36 ,  38 . 
     Supplying the seat assembly  10  with power allows the seat assembly  10  to have various powered features. For example, the seat assembly  10  may include a heating element  46  ( FIG. 1 ) that selectively heats the vehicle seat. While the seat assembly  10  is described as including a heating element  46  to selectively heat the seat assembly  10 , the seat assembly  10  could alternatively or additionally include other powered features such as, for example, powered lumbar, powered recline, powered fore/aft adjustment, and powered swivel. Regardless of the particular powered feature installed in the seat assembly  10 , connection between the vehicle wiring harness  44  and electrical connectors  36 ,  38  provides the seat assembly  10  with electrical power and allows such powered features of the seat assembly  10  to operate. 
     As described above, the floor-latch mechanisms  28  permit selective removal of the seat assembly  10  from the vehicle  18 . When the seat assembly  10  is installed in the vehicle  18  and the floor-latch mechanisms  28  are returned to the latched state and engage respective strikers  30  of the vehicle  18 , electrical connection between the electrical connector  36  and the electrical connector  38  is automatically established. Because the contact  40  of the electrical connector  36  and the contact  42  of the electrical connector  38  are spring biased into an extended position, when the mounting brackets  34  are received by the strikers  30  of the floor  26 , the electrical connector  36  is aligned with the electrical connector  38  such that the contacts  40 ,  42  are engaged. Engagement between the contacts  40 ,  42  permits the vehicle wiring harness  44  to supply the seat assembly  10  with power. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the seat bracket  22  is shown rotatably connected to the floor bracket  20 . The seat bracket  22  includes a bottom surface  48  and a top surface  50 . The bottom surface  48  generally opposes the floor bracket  20  and the floor  26  of the vehicle  18 . The top surface  50  may oppose a bottom of the seat bottom  12  and may be attached thereto by the adjustment mechanism  24 . 
     The seat bracket  22  may be rotatably supported by the floor bracket  20  and may be rotated between a first position and a second position. The seat bracket  22  may include a central aperture  54  that is rotatably attached to a central aperture  56  of the floor bracket  20 , whereby engagement between a flange of each aperture  54 ,  56  permits relative rotation therebetween. The central aperture  54  may be offset from the central aperture  56  such that the seat bracket  22  is asymmetric to the floor bracket  20  ( FIG. 8 ). In other words, an axis of rotation of the seat bracket  22  is offset from an axis of rotation of the floor bracket  20  such that when the seat bracket  22  is rotated relative to the floor bracket  20 , the seat bracket  22  is both rotated and translated relative to the floor bracket  20  ( FIG. 8 ). 
     The adjustment mechanism  24  may be attached to the mounting assembly  16  generally at the top surface  50  of the seat bracket  22  ( FIG. 2 ). The adjustment mechanism  24  may include a pair of rails  58  disposed on opposite ends of the seat bracket  22  and an adjustment handle  60 . The rails  58  may be fixedly attached to the top surface  50  of the seat bracket  22  and may each slidably receive a slider bracket  62 . The slider bracket  62  may be fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the seat bottom  12  such that the slider bracket  62  is fixed for movement with the seat bottom  12 . 
     The slider bracket  62  may include a locking feature  64  that locks the slider bracket  62  relative to the rails  58  to selectively prevent movement of the seat bottom  12  relative to the seat bracket  22 . The locking features  64  may be in communication with the adjustment handle  60 , whereby movement of the adjustment handle  60  between a first position and a second position toggles the locking feature  64  between a locked state and an unlocked state. 
     For example, when the adjustment handle  60  is moved into a first position, the locking feature  64  may be moved into the unlocked state, thereby permitting fore/aft translation of the seat bottom  12  relative to the seat bracket  22  and vehicle  18 . When the adjustment handle  60  is moved from the first position to the second position, the locking feature  64  may be moved from the unlocked state to the locked state to restrict translation of the seat bottom  12  in the fore/aft direction relative to the seat bracket  22  and vehicle  18 . A biasing member (not shown), such as, for example, a coil spring, may be in communication with the adjustment handle  60  to bias the adjustment handle  60  into the second position. Biasing the adjustment handle  60  into the second position biases the locking features  64  into the locked state to prevent translation of the seat bottom  12  relative to the seat bracket  22  and vehicle  18 . 
     With particular reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , operation of the seat assembly  10  will be described in detail. When the seat assembly  10  is attached to the vehicle  18 , the floor-latch mechanisms  28  of the floor bracket  20  are attached to the strikers  30  such that the floor bracket  20  and, thus, the seat bottom  12 , are attached to the floor  26  of the vehicle  18 . In this position, the seat assembly  10  is in a usable position. 
     When the seat assembly  10  is initially installed in the vehicle  18 , the seat bottom  12  may be in a forward-facing position such that an occupant seated in the seat assembly  10  will be facing a front row of seats  68  of the vehicle  18  ( FIG. 4 ). A locking mechanism  70  ( FIG. 2 ) may prevent rotation of the seat bottom  12  relative to the floor bracket  20  and, thus, the vehicle  18 . A force may be applied to the locking mechanism  70  to toggle the locking mechanism  70  from a locked state to an unlocked state to permit rotation of the seat bottom  12  relative to the floor bracket  20 . 
     When the locking mechanism  70  is in the unlocked state, a force may be applied generally to the seat assembly  10  either at the seat bottom  12  and/or seatback  14  to rotate the seat bottom  12  and seatback  14  relative to the floor bracket  20  and vehicle  18  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ). Such force may be applied to the seat bottom  12  and/or seatback  14  to rotate the seat bottom  12  and seatback  14  from the forward-facing position ( FIG. 4 ) to a rearward-facing position ( FIG. 7 ). Rotation of the seat bottom  12  and seatback  14  from the forward-facing position to the rearward-facing position results in rotation of the seat bottom  12  substantially one hundred and eighty degrees. 
     Once the seat bottom  12  has been rotated substantially one hundred and eighty degrees from the forward-facing position to the rearward-facing position, the locking mechanism  70  may once again be positioned in the locked state to prevent rotation of the seat bottom  12  relative to the floor bracket  20  until the locking mechanism  70  is moved into the unlocked state. 
     As described above, the seat bracket  22  is asymmetric to the floor bracket  20 . As such, when the seat bottom  12  is rotated relative to the floor bracket  20 , the seat bottom  12  is not only rotated about an axis of rotation of the seat bracket  22 , but is also translated. As shown in  FIG. 8 , such translation results in movement of the seat bottom  12  generally towards a virtual centerline  71  ( FIG. 5 ) extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle  18 . In other words, such translation results in the seat bottom  12  moving away from a side  72  of the vehicle  18  and generally towards a center portion of the vehicle  18 . Such translation toward a central portion of the vehicle  18  improves the overall ingress/egress of the vehicle  18  when the seat bottom  12  and seatback  14  are in the rearward-facing position. 
     When the seat bottom  12  is in the rearward-facing position, ingress and egress to the seat bottom  12  is facilitated through use of a seatbelt latch  74  being connected to the seat bottom  12  by a flexible tether  76  ( FIG. 1 ). In one configuration, the tether  76  may be formed of a braided steel cable, whereby a first end of the cable is attached to the seatbelt latch  74  and a second end of the cable is attached generally to the seat bottom  12 . Regardless of the particular construction of the tether  76 , the flexible nature of the tether  76  allows the seatbelt latch  74  to bend and move out of the way when an occupant is attempting to enter or exit the seat bottom  12 . Because the seatbelt latch  74  is located on an outboard side of the seat bottom  12  when the seat bottom  12  is in the rearward-facing position, use of a rigid tether would cause the seatbelt latch  74  to protrude from the seat bottom  12  and restrict such movement into and out of the seat bottom  12  when the seat bottom  12  is in the rearward-facing position. When the seat bottom  12  is in the forward-facing position, the seatbelt latch  74  is disposed generally at an inboard side of the seat bottom  12  and, therefore, does not restrict such entry and exit from the seat bottom  12 . 
     When the seat bottom  12  is in the forward-facing position or the rearward-facing position, a force may be applied to the adjustment handle  60  to selectively move the seat bottom  12  in the fore/aft directions relative to the seat bracket  22  and, thus, to the floor  26  of the vehicle  18 . As described above, applying a force to the adjustment handle  60  against the force exerted thereon by the biasing member causes the locking features  64  to be moved into the unlocked state and permits the slider brackets  62  to move relative to the rails  58 . 
     Movement of the slider brackets  62  relative to the rails  58  similarly allows movement of the seat bottom  12  relative to the seat bracket  22  and, thus, allows movement of the seat bottom  12  and seatback  14  relative to the floor  26  of the vehicle  18  in the fore/aft directions. Therefore, regardless of the position of the seat bottom  12  (i.e., whether in the forward-facing position or the rearward-facing position), the seat bottom  12  may be translated relative to the floor  26  of the vehicle  18  by selectively applying a force to the adjustment handle  60  and moving the locking features  64  into the unlocked state. In operation, once the locking features  64  are moved into the unlocked state by applying a force to the adjustment handle  60 , a force may be applied to either or both of the seat bottom  12  and the seatback  14  to translate the seat bottom  12  and seatback  14  in the fore-aft directions relative to the vehicle  18 . 
     While the seat bottom  12  is described as being translatable relative to the vehicle  18  when the seat bottom  12  is in either the forward-facing position or the rearward-facing position, translation of the vehicle seat may also be accomplished when the seat bottom  12  is disposed in a position generally between the forward-facing position and the rearward-facing position. For example, the seat bottom  12  may be positioned relative to a vehicle side opening  78  such as, for example, a side door of the vehicle  18  to facilitate loading children into the vehicle  18 . Loading of children may also be facilitated by including an integrated child booster seat  13  into the seat assembly  10 , whereby the booster seat  13  is disposed in either the seat bottom  12  ( FIG. 1A ) or the seatback  14  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     When the seat bottom  12  is rotated such that the seat bottom  12  faces the vehicle side opening  78 , a force may be applied to the adjustment handle  60  to unlock the locking feature  64  and permit the seat bottom  12  to be translated toward the vehicle side opening  78 . Translating the seat bottom  12  towards the vehicle side opening  78  facilitates loading of children, for example, into the seat bottom  12 . Once the child is loaded onto the seat bottom  12 , the seat bottom  12  may be rotated into the forward-facing position or the rearward-facing position and locked in the forward-facing position or the rearward-facing position by the locking mechanism  70 . 
     The seat bottom  12  is moved generally towards a virtual centerline  71  of the vehicle  18  when the seat bottom  12  is rotated from the forward-facing position to the rearward-facing position. As such, the seat bottom  12  may be moved into closer proximity to vehicle features such as, for example, a table  80  ( FIG. 7 ) that may be attached to the floor  26  of the vehicle  18  when the seat bottom  12  is rotated into the rearward-facing position. Movement of the seat bottom  12  generally closer to the virtual centerline  71  of the vehicle  18  facilitates use of the table  80  when the seat bottom  12  is in the rearward-facing position. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.