Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7108306?dq=inassignee:Temic
Timestamp: 2014-08-02 05:27:22
Document Index: 250413138

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 35', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 41', 'arts 83', 'arts 83', 'art 26', 'art 138', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'arts 182', 'art 35', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'arts 195', 'arts 196', 'art 196', 'art 181', 'arts 182', 'arts 182', 'arts 196', 'arts 182', 'arts 182', 'art 201', 'art 201', 'art 201', 'art 201', 'art 201', 'art 35', 'art 201', 'art 201', 'art 201', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 55', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26']

Patent US7108306 - Electric stowing system for vehicle seat - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsThe invention provides a seat stowing system for stowing in a floor recess (16) a seat (15) with a seat back (22, 23) tipped forward to fold it against a seat cushion (21). The stowing system (20) includes a seat back forward-tipping mechanism for automatically tipping the seat back forward and a swinging...http://www.google.com/patents/US7108306?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7108306 - Electric stowing system for vehicle seatAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7108306 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/518,659PCT numberPCT/JP2003/015711Publication dateSep 19, 2006Filing dateDec 9, 2003Priority dateDec 26, 2002Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2494820A1, CA2494820C, DE60329022D1, EP1575800A1, EP1575800B1, US20050236881, WO2004060713A1Publication number10518659, 518659, PCT/2003/15711, PCT/JP/2003/015711, PCT/JP/2003/15711, PCT/JP/3/015711, PCT/JP/3/15711, PCT/JP2003/015711, PCT/JP2003/15711, PCT/JP2003015711, PCT/JP200315711, PCT/JP3/015711, PCT/JP3/15711, PCT/JP3015711, PCT/JP315711, US 7108306 B2, US 7108306B2, US-B2-7108306, US7108306 B2, US7108306B2InventorsHirohide Suda, Tetsuya Kayumi, Taizou KikuchiOriginal AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (30), Referenced by (9), Classifications (24), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetElectric stowing system for vehicle seatUS 7108306 B2Abstract The invention provides a seat stowing system for stowing in a floor recess (16) a seat (15) with a seat back (22, 23) tipped forward to fold it against a seat cushion (21). The stowing system (20) includes a seat back forward-tipping mechanism for automatically tipping the seat back forward and a swinging mechanism (30) for automatically swinging the folded seat back and the seat cushion as one. The seat back forward-tipping mechanism and the swinging mechanism are drive-controlled by a control unit, and the operation of stowing the seat in the floor recess is thus made electric.
1. An electric stowing system for a vehicle seat for folding a seat back against a seat cushion and swinging the seat cushion and the seat back together and stowing them in a floor recess positioned behind the seat, the system comprising:
seat back forward-tipping means for automatically tipping the seat back forward to fold it against the seat cushion;
swinging means for automatically swinging the forwardly tipped seat back and the seat cushion as one and stowing them in the floor recess; and
a control unit for controlling the operation of the seat back forward-tipping means and the swinging means.
19. The electric stowing system according to claim 1, wherein the seat back forward-tipping means comprises:
a reclining mechanism, having a spring for urging the seat back in a forward-tipping direction, which turns about a pivot shaft of the seat back; and
unlocking means for unlocking the reclining mechanism.
TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to an electric stowing system for a vehicle seat, for electrically stowing in a stowage recess formed in a floor, and returning, a rear seat disposed rearmost among a plurality of rear seats arrayed behind a front seat.
BACKGROUND ART There are those vehicles which, so that they can carry 6 to 7 passengers, have behind a front seat a plurality of rear seats made up of a front-row rear seat, which is a first rear seat, and a back-row rear seat, which is a second rear seat. For example, as disclosed in JP-UM-A-5-40029, a stowing structure for a vehicle seat is known in which a back row seat is folded down to increase the space inside a passenger compartment. This stowing structure will now be described on the basis of FIG. 42 and FIG. 43A through FIG. 43C.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an electric stowing system for a vehicle seat for folding down a seat back against a seat cushion and swinging the seat cushion and the seat back together and stowing the seat in a floor recess positioned behind the seat, the system including: seat back forward-tipping means for automatically tipping the seat back forward to fold it against the seat cushion; swinging means for automatically swinging the forwardly tipped seat back and the seat cushion as one and stowing them in the floor recess; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the seat back forward-tipping means and the swinging means.
In the invention, preferably, when the seat stowed in the floor recess is being returned to its sitting position, at a position where the seat cushion has swung to a predetermined angle a reclining lock of the seat back forward-tipping means is unlocked so that the motor driving force is applied only to the seat cushion. After the seat cushion has been returned to a position where it has swung for example 50� with respect to the seat back, because the seat back is in the sitting position, an operation of pulling the seat back upright becomes unnecessary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a vehicle equipped with an electric vehicle seat stowing system according to the invention;
FIG. 4A is a sectional view on the line 4�4 in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4B is a sectional view showing a headrest tipped forward;
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A vehicle 10 shown in FIG. 1 has, on a floor 12 of a cabin 11, a driver's
By transmitting rotation of a drive motor 55 through a speed-reducing gear set 56 to the left support shaft 28 a, for example the swinging means 30 rotates the left support shaft 28 a forward by reverse-rotating the drive motor 55 seat and a passenger seat as front seats 13; a first rear seat 14 as a front row behind the front seats 13; a second rear seat (a vehicle seat) 15 as a rearmost row behind the first rear seat; and an electric stowing system 20, according to the present invention, for changing the attitude of the second rear seat 15 and stowing it in a floor recess 16.
Referring to FIG. 3, the electric vehicle seat stowing system 20 includes left and right support shafts 28 a, 28 b respectively attached to the left and right ends of a cushion frame 27 of the seat cushion 21 (see FIG. 2). The right support shaft 28 b is rotatably attached to the vehicle body 17 by a mounting 29. The left support shaft 28 a is attached to swinging means 30. This swinging means 30 is mounted on the vehicle body 17.
The cushion frame 27 has left and right cushion locking means 32, 33 at its front end. A control unit 36 is mounted for example with bolts to a central part 35 (see FIG. 2), outside of left and right seating positions 34, 34 of the cushion frame 27. This control unit 36 for example has its exterior formed as a rectangular box and is incorporated into the seat cushion 21 as shown in FIG. 2. and rotates the left support shaft 28 a in reverse by forward-rotating the drive motor 55.
The seat operating button 26 has a stowing operation part 26 a and a returning operation part 26 b. Pushing the stowing operation part 26 a turns the stowing switch 37 ON, and pushing the returning operation part 26 b turns the return switch 38 ON.
A pair of support members 81, 81 (see also FIG. 3) are disposed with a predetermined spacing in the top part 41 a of the left back frame 41 in the left seat back 22. The support members 81, 81 have insertion holes 82, 82. Insertion rods 83, 83 are inserted into the insertion holes 82, 82. A pivot shaft 85 is rotatably attached by brackets (not shown) to bent-over parts 83 a, 83 a of the ends of these insertion rods 83, 83.
A support rod 86 is attached to the pivot shaft 85. A coil spring 87 for swinging the support rod 86 rearward is fitted on the pivot shaft 85. The support rod 86 is held in an in-use position P1 against the spring force of the coil spring 87 by a stopper 88. The stopper 88 is attached to the bent-over parts 83 a, 83 a. The headrest proper 89 is attached to the support rod 86.
As shown in FIG. 4B, when a predetermined load is applied to the rear face 24 a of the left headrest 24, the left headrest 24 is folded against the spring force of the coil spring 87 about the pivot shaft 85 to a folded position P2, toward the front of the vehicle body.
With respect to this, the electric vehicle seat stowing system 20 of the present invention is constructed so that the rear face 24 a of the left headrest 24 is abutted with the rear wall 18 (see FIG. 19A) of the floor recess 16 and a predetermined load is applied to the rear face 24 a of the left headrest 24 to fold the left headrest 24. Therefore, because members such as a shaft offset from the pivot shaft 91 of the left seat back 22 and a wire are unnecessary, it becomes a simple construction. Consequently, by reducing the number of parts and reducing the assembly labor it is possible to make the fitting time short, and productivity can be raised.
The forward tipping mechanism of the left headrest 24 shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B is merely one example, and there is no restriction to this. In short, all that is necessary is that the left headrest 24 be constructed to be forwardly tippable by a predetermined load being applied to the rear face 24 a of the left headrest 24 and that the left headrest 24 be constructed to be returnable to its in-use position when the load on the rear face 24 a is removed.
As shown in FIG. 9A, covers 22 a, 23 a covering the rear sides of the left and right seat backs 22, 23 have slide fasteners 131, 131 in positions 130, 130 corresponding to the left and right unlocking means 47, 52.
As shown in FIG. 9B, a seat pad 133 is provided on the inner side of the cover 22 a. This seat pad 133 has an opening 132 for maintenance access. The opening 132 is opened and closed by opening and closing the left slide fastener 131. Accordingly, opening the left slide fastener 131 reveals the access opening 132 and exposes the left unlocking means 47. Closing the slide fastener 131 covers the left unlocking means 47 with the seat pad 133.
As shown in FIG. 12A, a user 145 opens a tailgate 146 provided at the rear of the vehicle body 17 upward. The opening of the tailgate 146 turns ON a tailgate OPEN switch (not shown). Then, the stowing operation part 26 a of the seat operating button 26 provided behind the second rear seat 15 is pushed with a finger 147 to turn the stowing switch 37 ON.
As shown in FIG. 13B, the turning of the intermediate swing lever 98 causes the end 98 a of the intermediate swing lever 98 to leave the end 96 a of the lower swing lever 96. Then, an intermediate cam face 98 b of the intermediate swing lever 98 pushes on a projecting arm 96 b of the lower swing lever 96. As a result of the projecting arm 96 b of the lower swing lever 96 being pushed, the lower swing lever 96 turns counterclockwise about the lower pin 97 as shown by the arrow e, and the lock gear 95 of the lower swing lever 96 is lifted up.
As a result of the downward tension on the inner cable 111 of the connecting cable 110 shown in FIG. 15B being removed, the spring force of the tension spring 104 shown in FIG. 16A causes the upper swing lever 102 to turn counterclockwise about the upper pin 103 as shown by the arrow h. Consequently, the operating pin 100 in the guide hole 101 is pressed by the upper swing lever 102 as shown by the arrow i. This causes the intermediate swing lever 98 to turn clockwise about the intermediate pin 99 as shown by the arrow j. The end 98 a of the intermediate swing lever 98 pushes the end 96 a of the lower swing lever 96 downward.
The end 96 a of the lower swing lever 96 being pushed downward causes the lock gear 95 of the lower swing lever 96 to mesh with the first gear 93. Consequently, the left lock mechanism 46 becomes locked and the plate 92 is held in its forwardly tipped position.
In FIG. 17B, the turning of the ratchet 138 causes its lock part 138 a to disengage from a lock claw 136 a of the latch 136, and the latch 136 is unlocked. At the same time, the release switch 61 is turned ON by a pin 149.
Referring to FIG. 18A, when the control unit 36 receives an ON signal from the release switch 61 shown in FIG. 17B, the control unit 36 stops the cushion lock actuator 60 shown in FIG. 17A and drives the drive motor 55 of the swinging means 30. The drive of the drive motor 55 causes the left support shaft 28 a to rotate forward, and with the left seat back 22 locked in its forwardly tipped position the seat cushion 21 is swung toward the rear of the vehicle body together with the left seat back 22 as shown by the arrow m.
Because the striker 142 is disposed inside the engaging slot 141 of the latch 136, the latch 136 rising causes a lower side 141 a of the engaging slot 141 to interfere with the striker 142 and the latch 136 turns about the latch pin 137 as shown by the arrow n.
The ratchet 138 swings about the ratchet pin 139 as shown by the arrow q and presses a cam face 138 b of the ratchet 138 against a cam face 136 b of the latch 136. Consequently, the latch 136 is held in a position such that the striker 142 is out of the engaging slot 141.
In FIG. 19B, as a result of the left cushion locking means 32 being unlocked, the seat cushion 21 becomes swingable further about the left support shaft 28 a as shown by the arrow m toward the rear of the vehicle body. At this time, the control unit 36 detects the motor current of the drive motor 55 and determines whether or not the detected value is above a threshold value.
As shown in FIG. 20A, when the seat cushion 21 swings toward the rear of the vehicle body and stows in the floor recess 16, the rear face 24 a of the left headrest 24 abuts with the upper end 18 a of the rear wall 18 of the floor recess 16. Because a predetermined load F acts on the rear face 24 a of the left headrest 24, the left headrest 24 is folded about the pivot shaft 85 as shown by the arrow r against the spring force of the coil spring 87 (see FIG. 4). In this state, the seat cushion 21 swings toward the rear of the vehicle body as shown by the arrow m.
Also, as shown in FIG. 20A, by the rear face 24 a of the left headrest 24 abutting with the upper end 18 a of the rear wall 18 forming the floor recess 16, the left headrest 24 swings about the pivot shaft 85 as shown by the arrow r and is folded against the spring force of the coil spring 87 (see FIG. 4). Because consequently members such as a shaft offset from the pivot shaft 91 (see FIG. 3) of the left seat back 22 and a wire can be made unnecessary, the construction can be made simple.
The user 145 opens the tailgate 146 at the back of the vehicle body 17 upward. Opening the tailgate 146 turns the tailgate OPEN switch (not shown) ON. After that, the returning operation part 26 b of the seat operating button 26 mounted behind the second rear seat 15 is pressed with a finger 147 to turn ON the return switch 38.
After receiving the ON signal from the tailgate OPEN switch, the control unit 36 drives the drive motor 55 (see FIG. 2, FIG. 3) of the swinging means 30. The drive of the drive motor 55 swings the seat cushion 21 about the left support shaft 28 a integrally with the left seat back 22 as shown by the arrow s and so takes it out from inside the floor recess 16.
As shown in FIG. 23B, the upper side 141 b of the engaging slot 141 of the latch 136 abuts with the striker 142. In this state, the bracket 135 and the latch 136 of the left cushion locking means 32 descend integrally with the seat cushion 21 (see FIG. 23A) as shown by the arrow s, the upper side 141 b of the engaging slot 141 pushes the striker 142, and the latch 136 turns about the latch pin 137 as shown by the arrow t.
As shown in FIG. 25B, when the left seat back 22 has been swung to the desired position, the finger 147 is removed from the returning operation part 26 b of the seat operating button 26. When the return switch 38 turns OFF, the control unit 36 drives the actuator 70 of the left unlocking means 47 (see FIG. 5).
A left buckle 165 for clasping this left tongue 164 is connected by a belt 166 to a rear pipe 27 b (see FIG. 29) of a cushion frame 27. This left buckle 165 is disposed in a roughly central rear recess 168 of the seat cushion 21.
A right buckle 175 for clasping this right tongue 174 is connected by a belt 176 to the rear pipe 27 b (see FIG. 29) of the cushion frame 27. This right buckle 175 is disposed in the roughly central rear recess 168 of the seat cushion 21.
Left and right support shafts 28 a, 28 b are attached to the left and right rear ends of the cushion frame 27 of the seat cushion 21 (see FIG. 26). The right support shaft 28 b is rotatably mounted to the vehicle body 17 by a mounting 29. The left support shaft 28 a is attached to swinging means 30. This swinging means 30 is mounted on the vehicle body 17.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 28, three leg parts 182 extending horizontally from the control unit 181 are attached to the upper face center 27 a of the cushion frame 27 by connecting members such as bolts 183 and nuts 184.
The upper face 181 a of the control unit 181 is covered on its upper side by a dome-shaped cover member 185, whereby the control unit 181 is protected. This dome-shaped cover member 185 is incorporated into the central part 35 (see FIG. 26) of the seat cushion 21. The cover member 185 is also fixed with the bolts 183 and nuts 184.
By transmitting rotation of a drive motor 55 through a speed-reducing gear set 56 (see also FIG. 3) to the left support shaft 28 a, for example the swinging means 30 rotates the left support shaft 28 a forward by reverse-rotating the drive motor 55 and rotates the left support shaft 28 a in reverse by forward-rotating the drive motor 55. The drive motor 55 and the speed-reducing gear set 56 are mounted to the vehicle body 17 by a bracket 57. The drive motor 55 is connected to the control unit 181 by a first harness 187.
The seat operating button 26 has a stowing operation part 26 a and a returning operation part 26 b. Pushing the stowing operation part 26 a turns the stowing switch 37 ON. Pushing the returning operation part 26 b turns the return switch 38 ON.
The first through fifth harnesses 187, 188, 189, 191, 192 are connected to the control unit 181 via an opening 193 (see FIG. 28) provided in the front end 185 a of the cover member 185.
The control unit 181 for example has its exterior shaped like a rectangular box. Three connection parts 195 for connecting three connectors 194 to are provided on the front wall 181 b of the control unit 181. Insertion parts 196 are provided on the left and right side walls 181 c, 181 d and the rear wall 181 e of the control unit 181 (only the insertion part 196 on the left side part 181 c is shown in the figure).
By base end parts 182 a (that is, parts bent to the vertical) of the three leg parts 182 mentioned above being inserted into these insertion parts 196, the leg parts 182 are attached to the left and right side walls 181 c, 181 d and the rear wall 181 e. Each of the leg parts 182 has a mounting hole 182 c formed in its distal end 182 b. The bolts 183 are passed through the mounting holes 182 c and the bolts 183 are made to project from the mounting holes 182 c. The projecting bolts 183 are passed through mounting holes 197 formed in the cover member 185, and the nuts 184 are screwed onto the bolts 183 projecting from the mounting holes 197. By this means, the control unit 181 and the cover member 185 are mounted to the upper face center 27 a of the cushion frame 27, and the upper face 181 a of the control unit 181 is covered with the cover member 185.
The cover member 185 has a cover part 201 formed in its middle and protruding upward. The opening 193 is formed in the front end of the cover part 201, that is, in the front end 185 a of the cover member 185. The cover member 185 has a mounting plate 202 formed along the lower ends of left and right side walls 201 a, 201 b and the lower end of a rear wall 201 c of the cover part 201.
The height H1 of the left and right side walls 201 a, 201 b and the rear wall 201 c of the cover part 201 is set to be slightly greater than the height H2 of the control unit 181. By this means, the control unit 181 can be covered with the cover part 201.
The upper face 181 a of the control unit 181 and the harnesses 198 in part are surrounded by the dome-shaped cover member 185, and this cover member 185 is incorporated into the central part 35 (see also FIG. 26) of the seat cushion 21.
As a result of the upper face 181 a of the control unit 181 being surrounded by the cover member 185, outside loads such as the weight of the passengers when passengers are sitting on the seat cushion 21 and the weight of the luggage when luggage is placed on the seat cushion 21 can be borne by the cover member 185. By this means it is possible to prevent the weight of passengers or the weight of luggage from acting on the control unit 181, and the control unit 181 can be protected from outside loads.
By the opening 193 being formed in the front end 185 a of the cover member 185, the multiple harnesses 198 (see FIG. 28) for connection to the control unit 181 can be brought together at the front wall 181 b of the control unit 181. Consequently, it is not necessary for any harness to extend toward the rear of the vehicle body through the rear wall 181 e of the control unit 181.
Here, if the multiple harnesses 198 (see FIG. 28) for connection to the control unit 181 were to be connected for example to the left and right side walls 181 c, 181 d of the control unit 181, the harnesses 198 would be laid underneath the left and right seating positions 34, 34 (see FIG. 26).
However, by the harnesses 198 being brought together at the front wall 181 b of the control unit 181, the multiple harnesses 198 can be laid away from the left and right seating positions 34, 34 (see FIG. 26). Consequently, the load of the passengers can be prevented from acting on the harnesses 198 when passengers sit in the left and right seating positions 34, 34.
Also, although in the second embodiment an example was described wherein, as the cover member 185, as shown in FIG. 28, a cover part 201 is formed centrally, an opening 193 is formed in the front end of the cover part 201, and a mounting plate 202 is formed along the lower ends of left and right side walls 201 a, 201 b and the lower end of a rear wall 201 c of the cover part 201, the shape of the cover member 185 is not restricted to this. In short, any construction with which the top of the control unit 181 can be covered and the multiple harnesses 198 can be taken out from the control unit 181 to the front can be used.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the stowing operation part 26 a of the seat operating button 26 is operated and the stowing switch 37 is thereby turned ON, a seat stowing operation starts, and when the returning operation part 26 b is operated and the return switch 38 is thereby turned ON a seat returning operation starts.
As shown in FIG. 3, for example a slip clutch 55 b is provided in a coupling part 55 a coupling the drive motor 55 and the speed-reducing gear set 56 of the swinging means 30, so that the mechanism can be operated manually without the involvement of the control unit 36.
In the rear seat stowing operation, first, as shown in FIG. 31A the tailgate 146 is opened, and the user 145 tips the seat back 22 forward as shown in FIG. 31B by continuously pushing the stowing operation part 26 a of the seat operating button 26.
First, as shown in FIG. 32A the tailgate 146 is opened, and the user 145 pushes the returning operation part 26 b of the seat operating switch 26 continuously. From the stowed state wherein the left seat back 22 and the seat cushion 21 are stowed in the floor recess 16, which is a stowing space, the left seat back 22 and the seat cushion 21 rotate together and come out of the floor recess 16, and as shown in FIG. 32B the forwardly tipped left seat back 22 and seat cushion 21 return to their predetermined position on the floor 12. This series of operations is carried out under electrical power. After that, the left seat back 22 is returned by hand.
Next, the operation of the control unit 36 when the rear seat 15 is stowed in the floor recess 16 will be described, on the basis of the flow chart shown in FIG. 33A through FIG. 33D. The program starts when the stowing operation part 26 a of the seat operating button 26 shown in FIG. 3 is pushed with a finger to turn the stowing switch 37 ON.
ST131: It is determined whether or not the value detected by the seat cushion position sensor 384 is below a predetermined value (for example 30�) as shown in FIG. 37. When it is greater than the predetermined value, processing ends, and when it is smaller processing proceeds to ST132.
When the ignition switch 374 in FIG. 30 turns ON, the control unit 36 operates and receives an output from the seat cushion position sensor 384. Also, the control unit 36 receives an ON/OFF signal from the lock switch 63. If it is a predetermined value (for example less than 30�) of the kind shown in FIG. 37, that is, if the lock switch 63 is not ON, this is displayed on the display lamp 152 of the warning 386. By this means it is possible to avoid users sitting and traveling when the seat cushion 21 is not surely locked.
ST340: It is determined whether or not the returning operation button (return switch) 26 b of the seat operating button 26 is being pressed.
ST341: If the return switch 26 b is ON, it is determined whether or not the shift position is the Park position. When the shift position is not the Park position, processing ends. When the shift position is the Park position, processing proceeds to ST342.
ST350: It is determined whether or not the detected value detected by the seat cushion position sensor 384 is below a predetermined value of the kind shown in FIG. 37 (for example 30�). When it is below the predetermined value, processing proceeds to ST351, and when it is above the predetermined value processing ends.
After processing goes through ST351 and ends, when the ignition switch 374 turns ON, on the basis of a detection signal from the seat cushion position sensor 384 and an OFF signal from the lock switch 63, the control unit 36, if the angle of inclination of the seat cushion 21 is a predetermined value (for example below 30�) of the kind shown in FIG. 37, lights the display lamp 152 of the warning 386. Thus it is possible to avoid users sitting and traveling when the seat cushion 21 is not surely locked.
Although in the embodiment described above an example was described wherein an operation of rotating the seat cushion 21 from the stowed state of the seat to a forwardly tipped state is carried out, alternatively, in a return to sitting step of returning the folded seat back 22 and the seat cushion 21 from the stowed state to a sitting state, the lock mechanism 46 of the left reclining mechanism 40 of the seat back 22 may be unlocked at a position where the seat cushion 21 has swung to a predetermined angle, for example 50�, and the motor drive force then applied only to the seat cushion 21.
ST460: It is determined whether or not the return switch 38 is ON. As shown in FIG. 41A, with the seat back 22 and the seat cushion 21 folded and stowed in the floor recess 16, the return operation part 26 b of the seat operating part 26 is pushed with a finger. This operation of the return operation part 26 b turns ON the return switch 38.
ST466: When the detection value detected by the seat cushion position sensor 384 shown in FIG. 30 has reached 50�, the lock mechanism 46 is unlocked.
ST467: As a result of this unlocking, as shown in FIG. 41B, when the angle made by the seat cushion 21 and the floor 12 has become 50�, the seat back 22 falls downward away from the seat cushion 21 under its own weight. Then, it is determined whether or not the motor current value is above a predetermined value. When the motor current value is below the predetermined value, processing proceeds to ST468, and the drive motor 55 continues driving. When the motor current value is above the predetermined value, processing proceeds to ST469.
ST471: It is determined whether or not the value from the seat cushion position sensor 384 is below a predetermined value (or example 30�) of the kind shown in FIG. 37. When it is above the predetermined value, processing ends immediately. When it is below the predetermined value, processing proceeds to ST472.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY By making a system for stowing a rear seat in a floor recess formed behind it electric, the effort of the seat stowing task is reduced. Thus the invention is highly expedient for use in automotive vehicles and is useful.
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