US 11,731,546 B1
Seat back release blocker
Zhaokun Wang, Mountain View, CA (US); Richard Morabito, Grosse Ile, MI (US); Thomas Southworth, Royal Oak, MI (US); and Dillon Arellano, Royal Oak, MI (US)
Assigned to Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Waymo LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 13, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/927,279.
Int. Cl. B60N 2/90 (2018.01); B60N 2/30 (2006.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); B60N 2/01 (2006.01)
CPC B60N 2/938 (2018.02) [B60N 2/01 (2013.01); B60N 2/30 (2013.01); B60W 60/0025 (2020.02); B60N 2002/952 (2018.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seat release blocker for a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode, the seat release blocker comprising:
a cover having at least a top surface and a side surface, the top surface being configured to cover an actuator disposed along a seat of the vehicle, the actuator configured to actuate a release element in order to enable the seat of the vehicle to fold down, the side surface being generally perpendicular to the top surface, the side surface having a set of receptacles each having an opening therethrough; and
one or more fasteners operatively coupled to the set of receptacles, the one or more fasteners being configured to secure the cover to the seat of the vehicle;
wherein, when the cover is fixedly secured by the one or more fasteners to the seat of the vehicle, the cover is adapted to prevent passenger access to the actuator so that the seat of the vehicle cannot be folded down.