Position-variable seat back hinge stiffnesss for belt-integration seats

Abstract

The disclosure provides for a system that includes a seat mounted in a vehicle. The seat includes a base, a back support, a hinge, and a seat belt integrated into the seat. The back support is capable of rotating relative to the base and thereby reclining. The hinge is between the base and the back support and is configured to lock the back support in positions in relation to the base. The seat belt has a shoulder portion and a lap portion and is attached to the seat at a shoulder anchor in the back support and a base anchor in the base. When a generated torque, created from a forward force applied by the shoulder portion of the seat belt, exceeds a threshold amount of torque, the hinge is configured to unlock and back support is configured to rotate forward from a reclined position towards an upright position.

1 . A system comprising:
 a seat mounted in a vehicle, the seat comprising:   a base;   a back support that is capable of rotating relative to the base and thereby reclining;   a hinge between the base and the back support, the hinge being configured to lock the back support in positions in relation to the base; and   a seat belt integrated into the seat, the seat belt having a shoulder portion and a lap portion and being attached to the seat at a shoulder anchor in the back support and a base anchor in the base;   wherein when a generated torque, created from a forward force applied by the shoulder portion of the seat belt, exceeds a threshold amount of torque, the hinge is configured to unlock and the back support is configured to rotate forward from a reclined position towards an upright position.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the back support is dampened by a brake on the hinge. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein when the generated torque exceeds an upper threshold amount, an amount of resistance applied on the hinge is increased to slow the rotation of the back support. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shoulder anchor is configured to receive the forward force. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reclined position is when the back support is at an angle greater than 25 degrees from a vertical plane, and the upright position is when the back support is at an angle at or less than 25 degrees from the vertical plane. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge is configured to lock in place when the back support reaches the upright position. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge is configured to lock in place when the generated torque becomes less than the threshold amount of torque. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hinge is a first hinge;   the seat further comprises:
 a foot rest, and 
 a second hinge between the base and the foot rest; and 
   the second hinge is configured to unlock and rotate along with the first hinge.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcement plate mounted on the vehicle under the seat. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the reinforcement plate has a hardness and a thickness configured to withstand forces on the reinforcement plate caused by the back support when the back support rotates forward from the reclined position towards the upright position. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat is capable of being positioned facing a direction other than towards a front of the vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 locking, using a hinge of a seat between a back support of the seat and a base of the seat, the back support in a reclined position with respect to the base;   locking, using a seat belt retractor, a seat belt in response to a forward force at a shoulder portion of the seat belt, the seat belt being integrated in the seat;   receiving, at the shoulder portion of the seat belt, continued forward force, wherein the continued forward force generates a torque at the hinge; and   when the generated torque at the hinge exceeds a threshold amount of torque, unlocking the back support to rotate forward in relation to the base in response to the continued forward force.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising applying resistance at the hinge to control the rotation of the back support in response to the continued forward force. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the resistance at the hinge is applied by a brake on the hinge. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising locking, using the hinge of the seat, the back support when the back support reaches an upright position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising locking, using the hinge of the seat, the back support when the generated torque falls below the threshold amount of torque. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the reclined position is when the back support is at an angle greater than 25 degrees from a vertical plane, and the upright position is when the back support is at an angle at or less than 25 degrees from the vertical plane. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the hinge is a first hinge; and   the method further comprises:
 unlocking, using a second hinge of the seat between a foot rest of the seat and the base of the seat, the foot rest when the back support is unlocked. 
   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a seat mounted in a vehicle, the seat comprising:   a base;   a back support that is capable of rotating relative to the base and thereby reclining;   a hinge between the base and the back support, the hinge being configured to lock the back support in positions in relation to the base;   a seat belt integrated into the seat, the seat belt having a shoulder portion and a lap portion and being attached to the seat at a shoulder anchor in the back support and a base anchor in the base; and   a reinforcement plate mounted on the vehicle under the seat, the reinforcement plate having a hardness and a thickness configured to withstand forces on the reinforcement plate caused by the back support when the back support rotates forward from a reclined position towards an upright position.