Vehicle seat assembly
View Patent ↗A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a lower seat portion and a seatback portion. The seatback portion is selectively movable to vary the reclination angle of the seatback portion. The seat assembly is configured so that a first part of the lower seat portion rises relative to a second part of the lower seat portion so that the lower seat portion acts as an occupant restraint when a predetermined condition exists. Exemplary predetermined conditions include the reclination angle changing, the reclination angle exceeding a predetermined amount, and conditions indicative of an elevated risk of vehicle impact.
1. A vehicle restraint system comprising:
a vehicle seat assembly including a lower seat portion and a seatback portion;
said seatback portion being characterized by a reclination angle;
said seatback portion being selectively movable to vary the reclination angle;
said lower seat portion being characterized by a tilt angle;
said lower seat portion including a cushion and a member extending inside the cushion and being selectively movable with respect to the cushion;
wherein said seat assembly is configured such that
the tilt angle is independent of the reclination angle and
the member automatically moves relative to the cushion
in response to a change in the reclination angle of the seatback portion.
2. The vehicle restraint system of claim 1 , wherein the member is mechanically coupled to the seat back portion in a predetermined relationship such that movement of the seatback portion resulting in an increase in the reclination angle automatically causes the member to rise.
3. The vehicle restraint system of claim 2 , wherein the member extends transversely inside the cushion and is configured to restrain the lower torso of an occupant of the seat assembly.
4. The vehicle restraint system of claim 3 , further comprising at least one pivot; and wherein said member is pivotable about the pivot.
5. The vehicle restraint system of claim 3 , further comprising at least one track; and wherein said member is operatively connected to the track.
6. The vehicle restraint system of claim 3 , further comprising at least one second member operatively coupling the member and the seatback portion.
7. The vehicle restraint system of claim 3 , further comprising a flexible member mechanically coupling the member and the seatback portion.
8. The vehicle restraint system of claim 3 , further comprising a cam operatively connected to the seatback portion and configured to raise the member.
9. The vehicle restraint system of claim 2 , wherein the seatback portion includes a first segment mechanically coupled to the member extending inside the cushion of the lower seat portion, and a second segment selectively movable with respect to the first segment to enable the seatback portion to move to a stowed position without causing movement of the member extending inside the cushion of the lower seat portion.