About Vertical Axis; I.e., Rotates Patents (Class 297/344.21)
  • Publication number: 20040195885
    Abstract: A removable seat assembly for mounting on an all-terrain vehicle, which seat assembly is characterized by a base plate frame for mounting on an ATV and receiving a fixed or rotatable pedestal or a pedestal having a rotatable pedestal flange, and a seat attached to the pedestal or the pedestal flange. The base plate frame is designed to permanently or removably weld, clamp or bolt on the utility rack of an all-terrain vehicle or mount on a seat slide, and a swivel mechanism may be interposed between the seat pedestal and the seat or between the seat pedestal and the base plate frame or seat slide to facilitate rotation of the seat with respect to the base plate frame and the all-terrain vehicle. In another embodiment a pair of support arms extend upwardly from a support arm mount secured to the rotatable seat, pedestal or pedestal flange and terminate in a top frame carrying a cover to protect and camouflage the occupant of the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventor: James C. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20040195886
    Abstract: A braking mechanism to control rotational movement of a seat is disclosed. The braking mechanism may comprise a circular member (e.g., a disc or ring) that is coupled to a base assembly and a caliper, coupled to a seat assembly, to engage the circular member. In a biased position, a braking element of the caliper applies a braking force to the circular member. A user can reduce the braking force by increasing the tension on a cable coupled to the caliper. Once the braking force is sufficiently reduced, the user may rotate the seat until the desired rotational orientation is attained. Upon release of the cable, the braking mechanism re-engages to prevent further rotational movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: George T. Beatty, Nathan A. Hemmer, John H. Traube, Carl R. Hutchison
  • Publication number: 20040160105
    Abstract: A chair assembly includes a seat support unit disposed on a base, and an annular seat frame mounted on the support unit. The support unit has a middle portion mounted on the base, a front portion extending forwardly and downwardly from the middle portion, and a rear portion which extends rearwardly and upwardly from the middle portion and which has a height higher than the front portion. The seat frame has a rear frame portion mounted detachably on the rear portion of the support unit, and a front frame portion mounted detachably on the front portion of the support unit such that the seat frame is disposed to extend along an inclined plane that inclines forwardly and downwardly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventor: Chun-Hsien Tseng
  • Patent number: 6773070
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a portable variably positionable seating device is provided. The apparatus and method for providing a portable variably positionable seating device, according to the present invention, includes a plurality of tines. In one embodiment, at least two of tines include a boom that swivels on one end of the tines. Also included are one or more removable panels that engage with the tines and will support a person. A support assembly is also provided, and is pivotally connectable to the tines. The support assembly includes at least a first tube. A plurality of arms, pivotally connected to the tines and to the support assembly, are included. Also included is a carriage device. The carriage device is slidably and rotationally positioned on the first tube of the support assembly. A plurality of legs, pivotally attached to the carriage device, are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Inventors: David H. Worledge, Karen T. Urbielewicz, Donald V. Urbielewicz, Jeffrey R. Lynch
  • Patent number: 6746079
    Abstract: A seat with linkage attachable on either side of conventional luggage carts, on both sides, or to the backside, and once the push/pull handle rotates upward, positions itself vertical, for headroom clearance, and simultaneously deploys the seat to horizontal level, for seating, with an extension arm attached to, or part of, the bent projecting arm of the push/pull handle. The seated user's weight transfers directly to the floor by a U-shaped underseat support, preventing the cart from moving, and when the handle is down, for cart movement, the downward rotation retracts the seat up to stowed position with a torsion spring. The seat can be installed on a corner post of the cart structure, manually rotated to level position around the cart's corner, providing seating at either side, or back of the cart, and in stow position rests against cart structure. In all embodiments multiple stacking of carts is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Inventor: Maria R. Cabedo-Deslierres
  • Publication number: 20040066074
    Abstract: This invention relates to seat pivoting mechanisms of the type that would be used on industrial vehicles such as forklift trucks, for example. The pivoting seat mechanism permits locking the seat in a forward facing position, as well as allowing the seat to pivot or rotate through a fixed, controlled angle. The seat pivot system is compact and does not unnecessarily add height to the seat structure, thereby conserving headroom within a vehicle cab or protective cage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventor: Rod Ovitt
  • Publication number: 20030230920
    Abstract: A seat apparatus is provided to ensure an operator's backward visibility when a vehicle moves back. The seat apparatus includes a seat 1 rotatably supported on a vehicle body 3 through a rotating mechanism 5. The seat 1 has a mechanism for enabling its rotational position against the vehicle body 3 to be adjusted. In addition to an accelerator pedal 7 of the vehicle, an accelerator lever 10 is provided to allow an operator to operate a vehicle traveling unit manually.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideki Itou
  • Publication number: 20030209931
    Abstract: A chair control arrangement for a chair (1) movable on castors (11) and having an horizontally swivelable seat is shown. It comprises locking means (13, 38) for locking translational movement of a chair on its castors (11) and/or swivel movements of the chair seat and control means (41, 85) for controlling the locking means (13, 38) and situated in a position usable by the user of the chair when sitting therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventor: Alan Glaser
  • Publication number: 20030189364
    Abstract: A sectional sofa and a convertible unit is disclosed. The sectional sofa includes a stationary portion and a moving portion. The moving portion is adjacent to the stationary portion and the moving portion is capable of moving relative to the stationary portion. The moving portion and the stationary portion are also connected to one another by a common base. The sofa also includes provisions for joining the moving portion with the stationary portion and for facilitating and accommodating the motion of the moving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventor: Alan Friedman
  • Publication number: 20030189370
    Abstract: A chair adjustment mechanism suitable for use in vehicles including aircraft. The mechanism allows the chair to be easily moved in a horizontal place and locked into any position within a boundary of this plane. This movement includes swivel movement in 360 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventors: Nathan A. Hemmer, David C. Cox
  • Patent number: 6629729
    Abstract: A pair of foldable rear seats for a motor vehicle includes a support stub fixed to the vehicle and a pair elongated support arms pivotally connected to the support stub. A pair of seat bottoms are pivotally connected to each of the respective support arms, such that each seat bottom is pivotable between a vertical folded position and a horizontal open position. Further, a pair of seat backs are each pivotally connected to a rear portion of each respective seat bottom in order to fold into the respective seat bottom from an open position. A headrest is slidably disposed on each seat back. Furthermore, a pair of seat legs are each pivotally connected to the seat bottom at an outer portion thereof so that when the seat bottom is in the open state, the seat leg, in its open position, extends from the seat bottom to the vehicle floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michael Wiedeman, Michael Tsay, Mami Endo, John Dixon, John A. Frye, Frank D. Moburg
  • Patent number: 6619742
    Abstract: A pivot assembly for a swiveling chair is provided. The pivot assembly includes an elongated rod received in a tubular element, the elongated rod being capable to pivot by the intermediary of bearing assemblies such as to allow the chair to swivel. Each bearing assembly includes two segments mechanically engaged with one another. Each bearing assembly is responsive to pressure tending to urge the segments toward one another such as to close itself on the elongated rod and thus reduce or eliminate any clearance that may develop between the elongated rod and the bearing assembly. This arrangement is useful because it eliminates or at least it reduces free play that may develop in the components of the pivot assembly over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Dutailier International Inc.
    Inventor: Pierre Bellefleur
  • Publication number: 20030164636
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a portable variably positionable seating device is provided. The apparatus and method for providing a portable variably positionable seating device, according to the present invention, includes a plurality of tines. In one embodiment, at least two of tines include a boom that swivels on one end of the tines. Also included are one or more removable panels that engage with the tines and will support a person. A support assembly is also provided, and is pivotally connectable to the tines. The support assembly includes at least a first tube. A plurality of arms, pivotally connected to the tines and to the support assembly, are included. Also included is a carriage device. The carriage device is slidably and rotationally positioned on the first tube of the support assembly. A plurality of legs, pivotally attached to the carriage device, are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: David H. Worledge, Karen T. Urbielewicz, Donald V. Urbielewicz, Jeffrey R. Lynch
  • Publication number: 20030160488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a turning table of a seat for a vehicle which includes a lower plate installed in a floor of a vehicle, a first slider installed on an upper surface of the lower plate, a turning plate rotatably supported by the first slider, a second slider installed on an upper surface of the turning plate, and an upper plate which is supported by the second slider and integrally fixed to the lower plate. The upper protrusion of the lower plate which supports the corner portions of the lower plate and the turning plate and the lower protrusion of the turning plate are engaged each other. The lower plate and the upper plate are stable fixed. The first and second sliders integrally form the connection portions between a plurality of the ball portions. In the present invention, in a state that the seat is stopped, it is possible to easily prevent a movement of the seat based on an engagement between the upper protrusion of the lower plate and the lower protrusion of the rotation plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Jin Hyuk Kim, Hwa Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 6568757
    Abstract: An office chair includes a frame having a tube with a tapered inner periphery and a plurality of legs extend from the tube. A C-shaped sleeve is movably received in the tube and has a tapered outer periphery. The sleeve has a threaded inner periphery so as to be threadedly engaged with a seat post. Two notches are defined in the tapered outer periphery of the sleeve so that two pins extend through the tube and are engaged with the two notches to restrict the sleeve from being rotated. The sleeve is firmly clamp the seat post when a load is applied downward the seat post. When lifting the seat post, the sleeve is raised and loosened so that the seat post is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Inventors: Ming Chuan Lin, Jack Wang
  • Patent number: 6557919
    Abstract: With respect to a rotating seat for a vehicle, for example, for the elderly or the handicapped, the known art requires two operations of moving a seat body forward and rotating it to a door opening, and is thus poor in usability. Further, if the seat is positioned to the front such that the seat can be rotated at that position, the space close to occupant's feet is sacrificed. It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a rotating vehicle seat having excellent usability without sacrificing the space close to occupant's feet. A rotating vehicle seat of the present invention includes a rotating support base 10 for rotatably supporting a seat body 2, a longitudinal support base for supporting and moving the rotating support base in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and a coupling arrangement means 6, 38 disposed between the seat body 2 and the longitudinal support base for coupling the rotational movement and the longitudinal movement of the seat body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Suga, Masamitsu Iwatani, Takafumi Hijikata, Tadashi Takenoshita, Yoshiyuki Miura, Mineki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6547303
    Abstract: A seating system for a vehicle having a rearwardly opening door relative to a seat. The seat having a seat cushion, seat back and a seat pivot rotatably connected to the vehicle for rotation of the seat about a vertical axis. At least one linkage is coupled between the seat cushion and a vehicle door. The linkage is sized and positioned such that the seat pivots in response to the door movement. The seat remains substantially adjacent to the vehicle door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Rick A. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6540295
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is movable between a seating position and a storage position to form a relatively flat horizontal load floor. The seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back. A side member extends upward from the seat bottom. The seat back is rotatably mounted on the side member such that the seat back is rotatable about a horizontally extending axis. The seat back is preferably mounted on the side member so that the seat back can be rotated or flipped around by about 180 degrees so that a seating surface and a back surface of the seat back are rotatable to a reverse position. Preferably, the side member is pivotally attached to the seat bottom and is capable of moving the seat back into a generally horizontal position to define the load floor. An optional panel can be movably attached to the seat back. The panel is movable between a first position adjacent the seat back, and an extended position extending outward from the seat back and covering the seat bottom to further extend and define the load floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Mohammad Saberan, Ernesto Blanco, Eugene S. Dudash, H. Winston Maue, Eric A. Partington
  • Patent number: 6536732
    Abstract: A swivel mechanism for foldable furniture includes two disks and a rotatable assembly sandwiched in between. Each disk has a plurality of through holes each for receiving an elongated metal tube and jointly connecting the tube to the disk. The through hole has a side wall with a slanted concave surface. A bridge member having one side with a slanted concave surface is formed across the through hole. When the metal tube is held in a slanted open position, the slanted concave surfaces of the side wall and the bridge member are engaged with the tube to provide strong support and restrain movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Inventor: Tony Wei-Sin Chang
  • Patent number: 6533354
    Abstract: A swiveling chair is described. The swiveling chair has a back portion, a seat portion attached to the back portion, a swiveling component attached to the seat portion, a leg support attachment attached to the swiveling component, wherein the leg support attachment has at least three leg openings, and at least three chair legs attached to the leg support attachment, wherein the at least three legs attach to the leg support attachment at the at least three leg openings and wherein the at least three legs attach at an angle from a perpendicular line to the leg support attachment to a center line in each of the at least three legs and wherein the angle is between 35 and 55 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Inventor: Hui Chu Ko
  • Patent number: 6520579
    Abstract: A child seat includes a seat body, a base, and a mechanism for simultaneously sliding the seat body forward as the seat body is rotated relative to the base. This rotation sliding mechanism includes a cam plate connected to the seat body and an abutting plate connected to the base. When the seat body is in a forward-facing position, one side of the cam plate is entirely abutted against the abutting plate. When the cam plate is rotated by 45°, the cam plate moves toward the front while a corner of the cam plate abuts against the abutting plate. With this structure, the child seat has enhanced securing stability relative to a vehicle seat and can facilitate in-vehicle handling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Aprica Kassai Kabushikikaisha
    Inventors: Kenzou Kassai, Hiroyasu Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20030015903
    Abstract: A high chair for feeding a child is disclosed. The high chair includes a base and a chair sized to support a child. The chair is supported on the base at a height suitable for feeding a child. The chair is rotatable relative to the base about a substantially vertical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventor: Peter Jonathan Myers
  • Publication number: 20020185902
    Abstract: A swivelable beach chair having excellent corrosion resistance, where said chair has a PVC tubing frame, which supports a flexible fabric covering that forms the seat and the back; has a PVC tubing underpinning that supports the seat; has a swivelable means that supports the underpinning, where said swivelable means is a planar bearing that has a pair of self aligning plastic disks; and has a base, which is a PVC tubing ring assembly having spoke like components that radiate from the bottom disk of the swivel means. The beach chair also, optionally, has arm rests with a recline feature for adjusting the angle of the back. The hinge connecting the back to the seat is also comprised of PVC tubing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventor: Richard A. Almerico
  • Patent number: 6447065
    Abstract: A swivel assembly for use in a seat suspension having a first swivel plate and an opposingly located second swivel plate with a plurality of ball bearings disposed between the swivel plates. The bearings permit the first swivel plate to rotate with respect to the second swivel plate. A lip is located inwardly from the bearings on the first swivel plate with the lip defining an aperture. An adjustment plate having an outer edge engages the lip. The adjustment plate also includes a plurality of sloped adjustment surfaces which increase in height and which have slots formed in the sloped adjustment surfaces. A plurality of fasteners extend through the slots into the second swivel plate and further engage the sloped adjustment surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Sears Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Dale R. Ropp
  • Publication number: 20020084684
    Abstract: A swiveling chair is described. The swiveling chair has a back portion, a seat portion attached to the back portion, a swiveling component attached to the seat portion, a leg support attachment attached to the swiveling component, wherein the leg support attachment has at least three leg openings, and at least three chair legs attached to the leg support attachment, wherein the at least three legs attach to the leg support attachment at the at least three leg openings and wherein the at least three legs attach at an angle from a perpendicular line to the leg support attachment to a center line in each of the at least three legs and wherein the angle is between 35 and 55 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventor: Hui Chu Ko
  • Patent number: 6352308
    Abstract: A support frame device for connecting a seat portion to an upright post includes a base mounting plate with right and left anchoring plates secured to right and left anchored plates of a spacer plate, respectively. An annular stiffening member has an annular abutment end abutting against a lower peripheral edge portion of the spacer plate. A hollow stem with an upper flange portion is extended through a post mounting bore in the spacer plate and an axial passage of the stiffening member such that the flange portion abuts against an upper peripheral edge portion of the spacer plate. An annular lower end of the stem is then malleated to form a flared portion that abuts against a lower end of the stiffening member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Inventor: Su-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 6322250
    Abstract: An x-ray chair, for providing support and comfort to a patient seated therein during an x-ray procedure, comprising a patient carrier and a lower mobility assembly. The patient is seated within the patient carrier, and the lower mobility assembly allows the patient carrier to rotate (via a lazy susan arrangement), tilt forwards and backwards, and tilt sideways. Various adaptations are provided on the patient carrier to maximize the comfort and support for the patient, including removable support pillows, a removably pummel, retractable leg supports, and multipositional arm rests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Inventor: Miriam M. Pratt
  • Patent number: 6315360
    Abstract: A swivel apparatus is provided for a folding, beach chair. The apparatus includes a load-distributing platform configured like an inverted bowl with a bottom surface for stable engagement with sand and other unconsolidated soils. A swivel mechanism is secured atop the load-distributing platform. A carriage is secured atop the swivel mechanism and has a number of clips for selective fastening to the legs of a folding, beach chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Inventor: Derrek Guerrini
  • Patent number: 6231126
    Abstract: A structure fastens the seat of a chair to a support shaft of the base of the chair. The structure includes a fastening plate and a fastening seat. The fastening plate is fastened to the underside of the seat of the chair. The fastening seat is fastened pivotally to the fastening plate and is provided with a tapered protrusion having a through hole for receiving the support shaft of the base of the chair. The tapered protrusion is integrally made with the fastening seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Inventor: Tien-Fu Cheng
  • Patent number: 6179255
    Abstract: A seat mounting assembly to rotate a seat in a segment of an inclined rotational plane. The assembly rotates at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction of the force of gravity to bank the seat upward as it traverses to either the left or the right. The seat mounting assembly is constructed and arranged to receive a seat and to be mounted in a vehicle, such as a boat. An anti-rotational assembly is provided to control the rotational speed and the segment within the rotational plane in which the assembly reciprocates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Inventor: John W. Radford
  • Patent number: 6168234
    Abstract: A seat assembly including a vehicle seat and a system for rotating a vehicle seat are provided wherein the system is designed to carry integrated seat restraint loads. The seat includes a base having a lower base section and an upper base section which supports the vehicle seat on an upper surface thereof. A reversible DC motor and a transmission including a drive screw are supported on the lower base section. A flexible cable couples an output shaft of the DC motor to the drive screw which rotates about a horizontal axis upon actuation of the DC motor. The transmission also includes a drive nut threadedly mounted on the drive screw to move along the substantially horizontal axis upon actuation of the motor. The transmission further includes a link coupled to the upper base section and the drive nut to transmit linear motion of the drive nut to rotary motion of the upper base section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Ian D. Haynes, John A. Quoziente, Michelle A. Girolamo, Gregg A. Gibbons, Richard D. Sanders
  • Patent number: RE37927
    Abstract: A folding swivel chair comprised of an upper section having a seat portion. A swivel mechanism is secured to the seat portion of the upper section. The device includes a lower section having a pair of folding leg sections foldably secured together by two cross bars. The two cross bars are secured to the swivel mechanism. The swivel mechanism allows the upper sections to swivel in relationship to the lower section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Inventor: James G. Fitch