Vehicle seating system with improved vibration isolation
View Patent ↗A vehicle seating system includes a top frame for mounting to a vehicle seat. A bottom frame is provided for mounting to the vehicle and a middle frame or linking system movably mounts the top frame to the bottom frame. The middle frame includes two pair of scissor arms with rollers at the ends of the scissor arms. The top frame has four corners with roller tracks at each corner. The bottom frame also has four corners with roller tracks at each corner. Included among the roller tracks of the top and bottom frames is a single pair of curvilinear tracks, a pair of pivotal connecting tracks and two pair of linear tracks. A regulator system is also disclosed to regulate the amount of fore and aft travel of the top frame.
1. A vehicle seating system for supporting a vehicle seat within a vehicle comprising:
a top frame with a top mounting arrangement for securement to the vehicle seat;
said top frame having forward and rearward ends disposed between opposed sides, and four corners with a roller track at each corner;
a bottom frame with a bottom mounting arrangement for securement to the vehicle;
said bottom frame having forward and rearward ends disposed between opposed sides, and four corners with a roller track at each corner;
a linking system for movably mounting the top frame to the bottom frame, the linking system including pairs of scissor arms pivotally connected to one another, located at opposed sides of said top and said bottom frames, with ends of said scissor arms carrying rollers;
the roller tracks at the rearward end of the top frame being generally curvilinear so as to confine rollers contained therein to a curvilinear motion, the roller tracks at the rearward end of the bottom frame pivotally holding rollers disposed therein and the remaining roller tracks being generally linear so as to confine rollers disposed therein to generally straight line motion; and
a regulator system for regulating the amount of fore and aft travel of said top frame.
2. The vehicle seating system of claim 1 wherein the regulator system is adjustable between two or more positions, one position substantially preventing fore and aft travel of the top frame and the other one or more positions permitting a predetermined limited amount of fore and aft travel of the top frame.
3. The vehicle seating system of claim 1 wherein the regulator system comprises:
a lock out mechanism to substantially prevent fore and aft travel of the top frame when the regulator system is in a first position;
a bumper moveable between two stops for limiting the amount of fore and aft travel of the top frame when the regulator system is in a second position; and
a selector arrangement for selecting between the first and second positions.
4. A regulator system for use in a vehicle seating system which supports a vehicle seat within a vehicle, including a top frame with a top mounting arrangement for securement to the vehicle seat, a bottom frame with a bottom mounting arrangement for securement to the vehicle and a linking system for moveably mounting the top frame to the bottom frame, the regulator system absorbing external forces and regulating the amount of fore aft travel of said top frame during movement of the vehicle, said regulator system comprising:
a lock out mechanism to substantially prevent fore and aft travel of the top frame when the regulator system is in a first position;
a bumper moveable between two stops for limiting the amount of fore and aft travel of the top frame between two different limits of travel during movement of the vehicle when the regulator system is in a second position; and
a selector arrangement for selecting between the first and second positions.