Rear seat extended fold and kneel reconfiguration

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly of the present embodiment is positionable in a vehicle passenger compartment and attachable to a vehicle floor. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom, a seat back, and a five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the seat back to the seat bottom. The five-bar linkage assembly includes a forward linkage, a rear linkage, and a folding linkage which allows movement of the vehicle seat assembly from an upright to a folded assembly.

1 . A vehicle seat assembly positionable in a vehicle passenger compartment and attachable to a vehicle floor, the seat assembly comprising:
 a seat bottom;   a seat back;   a five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the seat back to the seat bottom, the five-bar linkage assembly comprising:   a forward linkage having a first forward linkage end and a second linkage end, the forward linkage end pivotally attached to a forward location of the seat bottom at a first pivot position, and the second forward linkage end pivotally attached to the vehicle floor at a second pivot position;   a rear linkage having a first rear linkage end and a second rear linkage end, the first rear linkage end pivotally attached to a rear location of the seat bottom at a third pivot location, and the second end pivotally attached to the vehicle at a fourth pivot position; and   a folding linkage having a first folding linkage end and a second folding linkage end, the first folding linkage end pivotally attached to the third pivot location, and the second folding linkage end pivotally attached to a fifth pivot position wherein the five-bar linkage assembly allows for movement of the seat bottom in a forward direction as the seat back folds downward to a folded position.   
   
   
       2 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle of less than 10 degrees. 
   
   
       3 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle of less than 5 degrees. 
   
   
       4 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle of about 0 degrees. 
   
   
       5 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle from about 0 to about 5 degrees. 
   
   
       6 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  further comprising one or more brackets that attach the vehicle seat assembly to the vehicle floor. 
   
   
       7 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 6  wherein the one or more brackets include the second and fourth pivot positions. 
   
   
       8 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a bracket that is attached to the vehicle floor and pivotally attaches to the seat back. 
   
   
       9 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the seat bottom includes a right and left side, and the seat back includes a right and left side such that the five-bar assembly attaches the right side of the seat bottom to the right side of the seat back. 
   
   
       10 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a second five-bar linkage assembly that pivotally attaches the left side of the seat bottom and to the left side of the seat back. 
   
   
       11 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a latching mechanism for holding the seat back in an upright prosition. 
   
   
       12 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the seat back is positionable into a reclined position with the folding linkage traversing an angle with greater absolute value than a angle traversed by the rear linkage about the third pivot location. 
   
   
       13 . A vehicle seat assembly positionable in a vehicle passenger compartment and attachable to a vehicle floor, the seat assembly comprising:
 a seat bottom having a left side and a right side;   a seat back having a left side and a right side;   a first five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the right side of the seat back to the right side of the seat bottom;   a second five-bar linkage assembly pivotally attaching the left side of the seat back to the left side of the seat bottom;   wherein the first and second five-bar linkage assemblies each independently comprise:   a forward linkage having a first forward linkage end and a second linkage end, the forward linkage end pivotally attached to a forward location of the seat bottom at a first pivot position and the second forward linkage end pivotally attached to the vehicle floor at a second pivot position;   a rear linkage having a first rear linkage end and a second rear linkage end, the first rear linkage end pivotally attached to a rear location of the seat bottom at a third pivot location and the second end pivotally attached to the vehicle at a fourth pivot position; and   a folding linkage having a first folding linkage end and a second folding linkage end, the first folding linkage end pivotally attached to the third pivot location and the second folding linkage end pivotally attached to a fifth pivot position wherein the five-bar linkage assembly allows for movement of the seat bottom in a forward direction as the seat back folds downward to a folded position.   
   
   
       14 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 13  wherein the bottom bracket is integral to a vehicle floor or the bottom bracket is attached to a vehicle floor. 
   
   
       15 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 13  wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle of less than 10 degrees. 
   
   
       16 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 13  wherein when the seat back is in the folded position the vehicle seat assembly has a load floor angle from about 0 to about 5 degrees. 
   
   
       17 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 13  further comprising one or more brackets that attach the vehicle seat assembly to the vehicle floor and include the second and fourth pivot positions. 
   
   
       18 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 17  wherein the one or more brackets include the second and fourth pivot positions.