Movable About Vertical Axis Patents (Class 296/65.06)
  • Patent number: 11167663
    Abstract: An actuator for a vehicle seat comprises an electric motor in which the rotor rotates first and second output shafts of the electric motor; a first reduction gear rotated by the first output shaft, the first reduction gear having a first gear ratio, and driving a first notched shaft having a first notch pitch; a second reduction gear rotated by the second output shaft, the second gear having a second gear ratio, and driving a second notched having with a second notch pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: FAURECIA Sièges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Nicolas Navatte, Emil Rdzanek
  • Patent number: 10358063
    Abstract: An armrest includes an upper support section having one or more ventilation and drainage apertures that couple an upper surface of the upper support section to a lower portion of the armrest to facilitate airflow and drainage between the upper surface of the upper support section and the lower portion of the armrest. The armrest also includes one or more control implements and an arm pad removably coupled to the upper support section. The arm pad includes one or more pad apertures formed therein that communicate with the ventilation and drainage apertures to allow ventilation and drainage between an upper surface of the arm pad and the lower portion of the armrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Craig J. Rekow, Paul D. Magee, Michael P. Gallagher
  • Patent number: 8973966
    Abstract: A seating assembly for a vehicle includes a stepped floor that has an upper portion and a lower portion. A front seat is disposed on the lower portion. A rear seat is arranged in a staggered relationship behind the front seat. The front seat is mounted high and has an upright backrest and the rear seat has a backrest that is more reclined than the backrest of the front seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Woodhouse, Torsten Gerhardt, Robert Spahl
  • Patent number: 8950796
    Abstract: A seating assembly for a vehicle includes a central longitudinal axis extending through the vehicle. A front seat is configured for use by a driver and defines a front seat central longitudinal axis. A rear seat is configured for use by a passenger and defines a rear seat central longitudinal axis. The front and rear seats are substantially arranged on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis in a staggered relationship. The central longitudinal axis of the front seat is arranged at a different angle with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle than the central longitudinal axis of the rear seat. At least one of the seats is positioned such that the central longitudinal axis of the respective seat measured at a rear edge of the seat is mounted closer to the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle than is possible with a symmetrical side-by-side seating arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Woodhouse, Torsten Gerhardt, Robert Spahl
  • Patent number: 8827345
    Abstract: An electro-mechanical seat swivel system may include a bottom plate mounted on a frame of a machine or vehicle, and top plate pivotally mounted on the bottom plate, and an operator seat mounted on the top plate. A pawl may be movably mounted on the bottom plate and engage latch catch brackets mounted to the top plate to lock the seat in predetermined operator seat positions. An electro-mechanical actuator may be mounted to the seat and operatively coupled to the pawl. Latch control switches disposed at operator controls may be operated to cause the electro-mechanical actuator to disengage from one of the latch catch bracket to allow the seat to be rotated to another of the predetermined operator seat positions where the pawl will engage the corresponding latch catch bracket to again lock the operator seat in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Brian VanMiddendorp, Matt Gielda, Jonathan C. Catton, Jason Dare, Lalit S. Deshpande
  • Patent number: 8690221
    Abstract: Front end sides of seat brackets and seat frames are connected with each other turnably by an arm member, an inclined plate is provided at a rear end of the seat frames, and rollers are disposed at a rear end of the seat brackets. The rollers move on the inclined plate as the seat brackets move between a front lower position and a rear upper position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeharu Kimura, Yuzuru Tsukahara, Shinji Ohmi
  • Patent number: 8655554
    Abstract: An autonomous seat system of an automotive vehicle and a performing method thereof are disclosed. The system and method are aimed to reduce discomfort of a passenger due to centrifugal forces resulted from vehicle's turning motion. The system includes a lane prediction unit, a control unit, and a seat adjusting unit. The lane prediction unit is utilized for obtaining lane information in front of the automotive vehicle. According to the lane information the control unit calculates the centrifugal force which the passenger experiences while sitting in a seat of the automotive vehicle, and a seat tilt angle which is required for the seat to compensate the centrifugal force after a predetermined time interval. The seat adjusting unit adjusts the seat to the seat tilt angle after the predetermined time interval so as to reduce or eliminate the ill-effect on the passenger resulted from the centrifugal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
    Inventor: Chyi-yeu Lin
  • Patent number: 8562059
    Abstract: An improved mechanism for a movable seat for use on a bi-directional work vehicle that laterally shifts the lower seating surface as it is pivoted between raised and lowered positions to increase clearance adjacent to the seat to improve operator ingress and egress to the vehicle operator platform. The incorporation of a biasing mechanism enables the seat mechanism to automatically reposition the seat for maximum ingress/egress clearance when the vehicle operator rises from the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: J. Bradley Lukac, John C. Campbell, Kyle J. Brenner, Matthew A. McCullough
  • Publication number: 20130193710
    Abstract: Front end sides of seat brackets and seat frames are connected with each other turnably by an arm member, an inclined plate is provided at a rear end of the seat frames, and rollers are disposed at a rear end of the seat brackets. The rollers move on the inclined plate as the seat brackets move between a front lower position and a rear upper position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: MITSUBISHI AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY CO., LTD
  • Patent number: 8398143
    Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method of using same for controlling the positioning of one or more of the seats for a vehicle, such as a double stroller, with an actuating mechanism beneath the seat that controls the seating arrangement from a tandem arrangement to a lateral arrangement and vice versa, in addition to the seat's pivoting, sliding and revolving. The apparatus comprises a frame anchored to the stroller, the frame having a plurality of stop members and supporting a ring carriage; a ring revolvably captured within the ring carriage; and an actuating mechanism beneath the seat, the mechanism comprising: a handle and a support housing for supporting the mechanism over the ring, for housing a sliding means for sliding the seat, and for supporting a revolving means for revolving the seat, along with the ring, around the frame and a pivoting means for pivoting the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: Randal B Haley
  • Publication number: 20120223500
    Abstract: A side by side vehicle is disclosed having a vehicle frame, a vehicle seat frame positioned in a mid portion of the frame, and powertrain. Side by side seats are supported by the seat frame; and one or more storage units are positioned under the side by side seats. The side by side vehicle also has a rear suspension comprising at least one rear alignment arm coupled to each side of a rear of the vehicle frame, where the alignment arms are coupled to the vehicle frame at front and rear connection points. A distance between the front connection points is greater than a distance between the rear connection points, and at least a portion of the powertrain is positioned between the front connection points of the alignment arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Kinsman, Angus M. Morison, Keith A. Hollman, Adam J. Schlangen, Shawn D. Peterson, Richard D. Ripley, Brent A. Erspamer, Steven M. Schiebel
  • Patent number: 8182016
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a vehicle that is rotatable and removable. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom and a mounting assembly having a first portion that releasably attaches the seat bottom to the vehicle and a second portion. The second portion permits rotation of the seat bottom relative to the first portion and the vehicle and permits translation of the seat bottom relative to the first portion and the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Ronald J. Kaip, David A. Bargiel, Steven R. Swailes
  • Patent number: 8182014
    Abstract: With a vehicle seat arranging structure, a second-row passenger-side seat may be placed in a rearward slide position by sliding the second-row passenger-side seat toward the rear of a vehicle by 150 millimeters so that the second-row passenger-side seat is closer to the rear of the vehicle than the second-row driver-side seat. In addition, each of the second-row driver-side seat and the second-row passenger-side seat may be placed in an obliquely-inward frontward-oriented position by swiveling each of the second-row driver-side seat and the second-row passenger-side seat from the frontward-oriented position 10 degrees inward in the vehicle-width direction. In this way, the sense of distance between the occupants seated in the second-row driver-side seat and the second-row passenger-side seat is reduced. As a result, it is possible to promote communication between these occupants (to make it easier for these occupants to communicate with each other).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Teiji Mabuchi, Osamu Fujimoto, Makoto Itou, Kei Matsui, Yoshihiro Suda
  • Patent number: 8091945
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat frame having a seat back and stadium-type seat base for movement between a seating position and a storage position to improve ease of entry to the vehicle area behind the vehicle seat. The vehicle seat assembly includes a swing assembly coupled to the seat back and configured to rotate the folded seat assembly around a substantially vertical axis. A single handle operation is included for unlatching the seat latches—the seat base automatically flips up—and pivoting the entire vehicle seat toward the interior of the vehicle to allow easy entry behind the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Robert L. Hancock, Robert P. Adams, David F. Ekern, Ornela Zekavica
  • Patent number: 8078364
    Abstract: A vehicle seat apparatus includes: a vehicle seat; a swiveling drive unit that swivels the vehicle seat between the frontward-oriented position in which the vehicle seat faces the front of a vehicle and at least one of the outward-oriented position in which the vehicle seat is oriented in the outward direction of the vehicle and the inward-oriented position in which the vehicle seat is oriented in the inward direction of the vehicle; a traveling route information obtainment unit that obtains information on a traveling route along which the vehicle travels; and a control unit that controls the operation of the swiveling drive unit based on the information obtained by the traveling route information obtainment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Teiji Mabuchi, Osamu Fujimoto, Kei Matsui, Yoshihiro Suda, Yoshihiko Tabuchi, Shoichiro Takehara, Daisuke Yamaguchi, Takaaki Koga
  • Patent number: 8056980
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly comprises a base; a seat mounted to swivel relative to the base; and a console having first and second segments, the first segment mounted to swivel with the seat relative to the base and the second segment being mounted to remain in fixed position as the seat and first console segment swivel. The console's two segments lie in a generally common horizontal plane and are separated by an arcuate spacing so that the first segment is located proximate the operator and the second segment is located distally of the operator. This arrangement of the seat assembly components allows the seated operator to rotate in the seat through a substantial arc, with the first console segment rotating as well while the second console segment remains stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sears Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: L. John Koutsky, Dale R. Ropp, Bradley T. Hebeler
  • Patent number: 7950492
    Abstract: An operator's station for a machine having at least two stations comprises a seat mounted to swivel between at least a first position and a second position, at least first and second windshield portions disposed generally opposed or at an angle to one another and generally corresponding to the first and second positions, and at least first and second windshield wipers movably mounted to selectively sweep the first and second windshield portions, respectively. At least one control device selectively renders the first windshield wiper selectively operable when the seat is disposed in the first position and inoperable when the seat is disposed in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Forest Products Inc.
    Inventor: Chad K. Jorgensen
  • Patent number: 7914061
    Abstract: An apparatus for locking a double-folding seat for vehicles includes a latch plate, a guide unit, a release lever unit and a locking pin. The latch plate has a locking notch therein and is fastened to a seat frame. The guide unit is fitted over a folding shaft of the seat frame at a position spaced apart from the latch plate. The release lever unit is provided on the folding shaft so as to be rotatable. The locking pin is elastically connected to the release lever unit such that the locking pin is locked to the locking notch of the latch plate when the seat frame is folded. Furthermore, when the release lever unit is rotated, the release lever unit pushes the locking pin, so that the locking of the locking pin to the locking notch of the latch plate is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Chan Ho Jeong
  • Patent number: 7850242
    Abstract: A vehicle seat may include a seat main body, a rotation mechanism that is arranged and constructed to horizontally rotate the seat main body between a forwardly facing position and a laterally facing position, a sliding mechanism, and a rotation locking mechanism. The rotation locking mechanism is arranged and constructed to prevent the seat main body from rotating when the seat main body is in a laterally facing position. The rotation locking mechanism includes a first engagement portion, a second engagement portion, and a lock releasing portion. The second engagement portion is capable of moving between a condition in which it does not engage the first engagement portion and a position in which it engages the first engagement portion when the seat main body is in the laterally facing position. The lock releasing portion is arranged and constructed to be engaged with and disengaged from the second engagement portion depending upon the sliding motion of the sliding mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yohei Taguchi, Chikanori Fujita, Hiroki Kusanagi
  • Patent number: 7828383
    Abstract: A rotating seating assembly for use in marine vessels. The seat assembly includes a car and track assembly with moveable sections. The sections can move about curvilinear paths which are defined by the curved track segments. A unique bearing/track linkage mechanism, interlocking the component parts, is incorporated into the novel design. In one configuration, the seating sections rotate about a circle track, a full 360 degrees. Bearing assemblies and rolling mechanisms provide smooth, quiet and efficient operation of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Justin James Urbanek, John W. Hamilton, Michael Dru Merry
  • Patent number: 7654601
    Abstract: A construction vehicle includes vehicle frames, an operator cab, a hydraulic oil tank, and engine, and an engine cover. The operator cab is mounted on the vehicle frames. The hydraulic oil tank is disposed to the rear of the operator cab and stores hydraulic oil. The engine is disposed to the rear of the hydraulic oil tank. The engine cover is a member that covers the engine. A rear face of the hydraulic oil tank and a front face of the engine cover are the same size in a widthwise direction. A rear end of an upper face of the hydraulic oil tank is positioned at the same height as a front end of the upper face of the engine cover. The upper face and side faces of the hydraulic oil tank are exposed to outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Gunnar Spellmeyer, Birgit Weller, Jonas Claudy, Simon Hellwig, Jan Henemann, Christian Grajewski, Florian Kristen, Christian Schuschan, Christoph Pröβler, Felix Runde
  • Patent number: 7648186
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for a rotation seat includes a plate member fixed to an underside of the rotation seat, a stopper member attached to the plate member, a base member fixed to a base, a rotary shaft which supports the plate member rotatably with respect to the base member, a locking recess formed in an intermediate portion of the guide slot, and a resilient member provided in the plate member for urging the stopper member in a direction in which the stopper member is locked to the locking recess. The base member is formed with a guide slot. The locking recess is formed continuously from the guide slot so that the width thereof becomes narrower with distance from the guide slot. When the stopper member moves in a guide direction along the guide slot and gets into the locking recess, the stopper member is urged in the direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Yosuke Ukai, Kazushi Kamiya
  • Patent number: 7506918
    Abstract: In a seat and a maneuvering cabin for telescopic lifts, the seat comprises means for translating, predisposed to translate the seat forwards and backwards along a determined translation direction, and means for rotating, predisposed to rotate the seat about a rotation axis. The maneuvering cabin comprises: a frame for containing and supporting the cabin; at least a transparent front surface which is solidly constrained to the frame, through which an operator can observe outside the cabin in a frontal direction; a roof comprising a transparent portion, which transparent portion is contiguous to the front surface, through which an operator can observe outside the maneuvering cabin in an upwards direction through a predetermined angle of vision, and a non-transparent reinforced portion which is contiguous to the transparent portion; a maneuvering seat located internally of the frame and positioned below the reinforced portion of the roof facing the front surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Manitou Costruzioni Industriali S.r.l.
    Inventor: Riccardo Magni
  • Patent number: 7448665
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for stowing a bench seat or a segment of a bench seat into the floor of a vehicle. The steps include folding the backrest onto the seat base. The seat is then tilted upwards about an axis aligned with one side end of the seat to place the seat in a raised position. The raised seat is then rotated about a vertical axis until the seat is aligned for pivoting into the seat stowage compartment. The seat is then pivoted downwards into the stowage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer P. Lawall, Diane K. McQueen
  • Patent number: 7434863
    Abstract: A rotation seat for a vehicle has a seat, a rotating plate and a base plate. The seat is fixed on the rotating plate which has a nail member and a biasing member. The biasing member forces the nail member. The rotating plate is rotatably connected to the base plate through a first shaft. The base plate has a guide slot so as to regulate extent of the rotation of the rotating plate by guiding the nail member. The guide slot has a first slot and a second slot. The biasing unit forces the second slot through the nail member so as to make the rotating plate rotate from an operator's exiting position to a forward driving position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hamazaki, Kazushi Kamiya, Tomoaki Terada
  • Patent number: 7219961
    Abstract: An operator seat for a work vehicle is provided that is pivotable between at least two operating stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Edward H. Priepke, Levi Taylor
  • Patent number: 7140589
    Abstract: A cushion lift assembly for raising and lowering the front and rear portions of an automobile seat independently and/or simultaneously. The cushion lift assembly includes mounting members and a pair of connecting members interconnecting the mounting members. The connecting members are formed from three stamped members including a first elongated stamped member and two bracket members mounted near opposite ends of the first stamped member. Each of the stamped members includes a rib formed therein. The ribs cooperate to define an annular opening in which a pivot member is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Orchid Automation, LLC
    Inventors: Craig B Woodard, William D Lamb
  • Patent number: 7121608
    Abstract: An operator's seat for a vehicle includes a base structure that allows the operator's seat to be rotated with respect to a platform floor of an operator's compartment within the vehicle. The operator's seat may further include a swivel structure that allows an operator support to swivel independently of the rotation of the base structure. At least one presence sensing device may be provided to detect the presence of an operator. The presence sensing device(s), and rotational position of the operator support may provide input signals to a control module that controls the vehicle travel, load handling features, and/or other features of the vehicle that may be selectively enabled, limited or otherwise controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Billger, Michael P. Gallagher, Kevin A. Gilliland, Eric J. Kaiser, Leroy M. Kluver, Jay L. Kuck, Steven R. Pulskamp, Craig J. Rekow, Adam M. Ruppert, Gary L. Topp, George R. Wetterer
  • Patent number: 6814174
    Abstract: A seat assembly is for a construction vehicle, preferably a compacting vehicle, and includes a base attached to the vehicle and having an axis and a rail movably connected with the base so as to be angularly displaceable about the base axis. The rail has a longitudinal centerline extending generally perpendicularly with respect to the base axis. A seat carriage is movably connected with the rail so as to be linearly displaceable along the rail centerline. A linkage is connected with the base and with the seat carriage and is configured to linearly displace the carriage along the rail centerline when the rail angularly displaces about the base axis, preferably between a most proximal position with respect to the base axis and a most distal position with respect to the axis. Preferably, the linkage includes a cam connected with the base and a follower connected with the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company
    Inventors: Chad L. Fluent, Richard E. Whitfield, Christopher L. Junga
  • Patent number: 6606547
    Abstract: For a closed-loop feedback control of a controlled system having a predetermined set course and a control trajectory for use in controlled systems in motor vehicles, an output trajectory of the controlled system is measured for the entire control time in which the control trajectory is applied to the controlled system, an error of the controlled system is detected as a function of predetermined set course and the output trajectory, and a new control trajectory is calculated for each instant of a later control process as a function of the error and the control trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Lambros Dalakuras, Frank Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20030001404
    Abstract: The invention concerns a seat, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a seat back, a cushion, a pivoting handle mounted on one of the lateral sides of the seat back and adapted to cause the seat back to tilt onto the cushion from a raised position, a rotary plate fixed under the cushion, and a pivoting lever affixed to the rotary plate and adapted to cause the cushion to rotate on itself with the seat back in the raised position. According to the invention, the seat comprises means for pivoting the pivoting lever immediately after the handle has pivoted so as to cause the cushion to rotate about the rotation axis of the rotary plate immediately after the back has been tilted on the cushion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventor: Serge Michel
  • Patent number: 6273494
    Abstract: A support system for the interior of a mobile vehicle such as a tractor-traileror over the road heavy truck. The support system provides vertical support poles for use with various features of the truck vehicle. The poles are integrated into the structure of the sleeper. They provide additional structural rigidity and limit the roof crush in the event of vehicle roll-over. The poles are equipped with various external accessories. They may have a swivel seat attached for additional seating within the sleeper. Sound system speakers may be hung from the poles and aimed where desired. A television or computer monitor may also be hung off the poles enabling adjustment for numerous viewing angles within the cab and the sleeper. The poles may also serve as a conduit for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning for the sleeper environment. The poles can serve as the air ducts or a separate duct could be installed within each pole to channel air to multiple air outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: International Truck & Engine Corp.
    Inventor: David J. Beigel
  • Patent number: 6231103
    Abstract: A foldable motor vehicle seat including a horizontal seat cushion and a vertical seat back joined at a horizontal hinge for pivotal movement of the seat cushion from a horizontal position to a vertical position folded against the seat back. The seat back is connected to a side wall of a body of the motor vehicle for pivotal movement about a vertical axis between a seating position in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the motor vehicle and a cargo position in a plane parallel to the longitudinal centerline. With the seat cushion folded vertically against the seat back and the seat back in its cargo position, the floor of the motor vehicle under the seat is exposed for cargo. With the seat cushion horizontal and the seat back in its seating position, a passenger may sit on the foldable seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Lee Elson, Elisabeth B. Nevitt, Gregory J. Cenzer, James A. Watson, Michael A. Jones, Robert W. Smith, Nancy M. Simioni, Michael H. Bates, Francis Nile Smith, Juan M. Capo
  • Patent number: 6199931
    Abstract: A seat arrangement (2) includes seat segments (4, 5) which constitute a seat base arranged to rotate at least about a pivot corner (7) and possibly about a secondary pivot corner (10) in order to improve access through a door aperture (6) adjacent to the seat arrangement (2) to the rear of the arrangement (2). Thus, the seat arrangement (2) could constitute a bench-type configuration incorporating a driver's seat (3) which extends across the width of a motor vehicle and thereby increasing the available seating capacity of that vehicle. Additionally, through the increased access to the rear of the seating arrangement (2) the motor vehicle will be more convenient in terms of allowing vehicle occupants to sit in rear seating (1) or gain access to vehicle luggage space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Rover Group Limited
    Inventor: Jim Shaw