IP Library Granted Patent US 9,446,687
Granted Patent B2
US 9,446,687 · App. 14/608,572 · Granted Sep 20, 2016

Selectable fixed and rotational seat frame assembly for a vehicle frame

Inventors: Ishmael Kamara (Lanham, MD); Peter Kennedy (Bloomfield, MI); Michael Kryzaniwskyj (Warren, MI); Dan Evans (Royal Oak, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60N2/015B60N2/20B62D65/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,446,687
App. No.
14/608,572
Granted
Sep 20, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A seat attachment system for a vehicle frame includes a vehicle frame having a lower seat-bracket receptacle defined within a frame base and an upper seat-bracket receptacle defined within an upper frame member, a seat frame attached to the vehicle frame at the lower and upper seat-bracket receptacles and a lower seat-bracket set comprising a rotation-free lower bracket and a rotational lower bracket, wherein the lower seat bracket receptacle receives one of the rotation-free lower bracket and the rotational lower bracket, wherein when the rotation-free lower bracket is attached to the lower seat-bracket receptacle and the seat frame is coupled with the rotation-free lower bracket, the seat frame is free of rotational movement, and wherein when the rotational lower bracket is attached to the lower seat-bracket receptacle and the seat frame is coupled with the rotational lower bracket, the seat frame is capable of rotational movement.

Claims (13)

1. A vehicular seat attachment system comprising:

a lower bracket coupled to a base;

an upper bracket having a vertically-oriented slot and coupled to a vehicle frame; and

a seat frame affixed to the upper and lower brackets, the seat frame having an engagement protrusion that slidably engages the vertically-oriented slot to permanently define a rotation-free seat frame, the vertically-oriented slot being free of fasteners.

2. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the seat frame includes a fixed connection point for attaching the seat frame to the lower bracket, wherein engagement between the engagement protrusion and the vertically-oriented slot defines a positioning mechanism of the seat frame, and wherein the seat frame is bolted to the lower bracket to define a primary attachment mechanism of the seat frame, wherein the vertically-oriented slot provides only lateral support for the seat frame.

3. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 2 , wherein the base defines a lower connection surface adapted to receive the lower bracket.

4. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the upper bracket is attached to an upper connection surface defined within the vehicle frame.

5. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 1 , wherein a single-use retaining mechanism is disposed within the vertically-oriented slot, wherein the single-use retaining mechanism receives and permanently retains the engagement protrusion to define the rotation-free seat frame.

6. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a lower frame-rotating bracket that is alternatively and exclusively coupled to a lower connection surface of the base, in lieu of the lower bracket;

an upper frame-rotating bracket that is alternatively and exclusively coupled to an upper connection surface of the vehicle frame, in lieu of the upper bracket;

a rotational seat frame having a pivot point that rotationally engages the lower frame-rotating bracket to define a rotating vehicle seat that is rotatable about the pivot point between a variety of rotational positions; and

a striker disposed within the upper frame-rotating bracket that selectively engages an upper retaining mechanism of the rotational seat frame, wherein the upper retaining mechanism is selectively attached to the striker.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2015
From: KAMARA, ISHMAEL; KENNEDY, PETER; KRYZANIWSKYJ, MICHAEL; EVANS, DAN
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 034843/0304 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160221471A1 · Aug 4, 2016