Adjustable boat seat handles
Adjustable boat seat handles are described. A described apparatus comprises an elongated lever having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end having a hand grip and the second end having a first flange extending away from the first end, the first flange having a first bore extending through the first flange, a rocker arm having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the third end having a second flange extending away from the third end, the second flange having a second bore extending through the second flange and a pin extending through the first and second bores rotatably coupling the first and second flanges, wherein rotation of the lever in a first direction relative to the rocker arm causes the lever to rotate the rocker arm to enable adjustment of a seat and rotation of the lever in a second direction opposite the first direction causes the lever to fold relative to the rocker arm to be in a stowed position under the seat.
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This disclosure relates generally to boat seat handles and, more particularly, to adjustable boat seat handles.
BACKGROUNDBoat seats may be adjusted using handles located beneath the seat. These handles may be used to actuate mechanisms that enable the boat seat to move vertically, swivel or slide. Typically, the handles are easily accessible to a user, thereby facilitating easy movement or adjustment of the seat. Some handles may be lever-type handles that enable the seat to be moved when pushed further from or pulled closer to the seat. Other handles may be rotated to enable movement of the seat.
The example apparatus described herein is an adjustable boat seat handle, which may be attached to a seat base to be used with a variety of different seat types having varying seat depths. Additionally, some boat seats that may use this example apparatus include parts, such as bolsters, which may fold up or down. The example handle described herein enables a user of a boat seat to easily access the handle when needed and to stow the handle out of the way at other times. As described in greater detail below, the example handle has two portions that may be pivoted or rotated relative to each other. The first portion may be implemented as a rocker arm attached to the boat seat and the second portion may be a lever rotatably coupled to the rocker arm. In use, the lever of the example handle may be moved in a first direction to fully extend the handle such that the handle is easily accessible to a user for adjustment of a seat. The lever may be moved in a second direction to cause the lever to fold relative to the rocker arm, thereby folding the handle and enabling the handle to be stowed under, for example, a base of a boat seat.
In this example, the lever 704 includes a first detent 708 and a second detent 710. The rocker arm 702 includes an indent 712 to receive the detents 708 and 710. Specifically, the first and second detents 708 and 710 engage the indent 712 to hold the handle 502 in first and second positions, respectively. However, other examples may contain one or more detent(s) and one or more indent(s), which may be disposed on either the rocker arm 702 or the lever 704.
The second pin 706, which rotatably couples the rocker arm 702 and the lever 704, is disposed through corresponding holes 916 and 918 (shown in
As shown in
The fastener 604 is to couple the slide system 606 (not shown) to the rocker arm 702 via a third pin 910. The slide system 606 may be disposed between the rocker arm 702 and the third pin 910. The slide system 606 may be further disposed between washers 912 and 914. The second pin 706 is operatively coupled to the rocker arm 702 and lever 704 through the holes 916 and 918 via a nut 920. A washer 922 may be disposed between the nut 920 and the lever 704. The washers 908, 912, 914, 922, and any additional washers not shown may be used when assembling the handle 502 to prevent galling of plastic components. The washers 908, 912, 914 and 922 may also be operative to distribute any stress that may occur during the use of the example handle 502.
Although certain apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. To the contrary, this patent covers all apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an elongated lever having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end having a hand grip and the second end having a first flange extending away from the first end, the first flange having a first bore extending through the first flange;
- a rocker arm having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the third end having a second flange extending away from the third end, a second bore extending through the second flange; and
- a pin extending through the first and second bores rotatably coupling the first and second flanges, wherein rotation of the lever in a first direction relative to the rocker arm causes the lever to rotate the rocker arm to enable adjustment of a seat and rotation of the lever in a second direction opposite the first direction causes the lever to fold relative to the rocker arm to be in a stowed position under the seat.
2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a stop integrally formed at the second end of the lever adjacent the first flange, the stop to engage the second flange of the rocker arm to limit rotation of the lever relative to the rocker arm in the first direction so that further rotation of the lever in the first direction causes the lever and the rocker arm to rotate in unison.
3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising an indent on a surface of the third end adjacent the second flange of the rocker arm.
4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 further comprising a first detent on the first flange of the lever to engage the indent of the second flange to hold the lever in a first position relative to the rocker arm.
5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 further comprising a second detent on a curved edge of the first flange of the lever to engage the indent of the second flange to hold the lever in a second position relative to the rocker arm, the second position different from the first position.
6. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein a first flat edge of the first flange and a second flat edge of the second flange meet when the lever is in the first position.
7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a fastener to couple the fourth end of the rocker arm to a mechanism to adjust the seat.
8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein rotating the lever and rocker arm in the first direction causes the fourth end of the rocker arm to actuate the mechanism to enable adjustment of the seat.
9. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the mechanism is a slide system to slide the seat forward or rearward.
10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a second pin to rotatably couple the rocker arm to a base of the seat, the second pin disposed between the third and fourth ends of the rocker arm.
11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a spring disposed in a cavity of the rocker arm to provide a force in the second direction to return the rocker arm to a position after the rocker arm and lever have been rotated in the first direction to enable adjustment of the seat, the spring disposed between the third and fourth ends of the rocker arm.
12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the hand grip is to facilitate gripping of the lever.
13. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising at least one rib disposed on the lever beginning at the first flange and tapered toward the hand grip.
14. An apparatus comprising:
- a handle to adjust a seat, the handle having a rocker arm and a lever, the lever rotatably coupled to a first end of the rocker arm;
- a fastener to operatively couple a second end of the rocker arm to a slide system to slide the seat; and
- a pin rotatably coupling the rocker arm to a base of the seat, the pin disposed between the first and second ends of the rocker arm.
15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 further comprising an indent on an edge of the rocker arm and a first detent disposed on an edge of the lever, wherein the first detent engages the indent to hold the lever in a first position relative the rocker arm.
16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 further comprising a second detent disposed on the edge of the lever, wherein the second detent engages the indent to hold the lever in a second position relative the rocker arm.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 17, 2014
Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
Assignee: Brunswick Corporation (Lake Forest, IL)
Inventor: Kevin Downey (Rockford, MI)
Primary Examiner: Chi Q Nguyen
Application Number: 14/543,469
International Classification: A47C 1/00 (20060101); B60N 2/44 (20060101); B63B 29/04 (20060101); A47C 1/031 (20060101); A47C 3/18 (20060101); B63B 29/06 (20060101); A47C 7/40 (20060101);