Hinged Backrest Patents (Class 296/65.16)
  • Patent number: 8360497
    Abstract: A lock mechanism for an electric retractable seat for a vehicle, includes a seat cushion frame, a seat back frame, a guide groove, a latch including an engagement opening portion, a slide member disengaging from the engagement opening portion when the latch is in an unlocked position, engaging with the engagement opening portion during a movement of the seat cushion frame to the seating position, and being locked between the guide groove and the engagement opening portion when the latch is in a locked position, a pawl for restricting the latch from pivoting when the pawl is in a restricted position, and allowing the latch to pivot when the pawl is in a released position, a releasing member for rotating the pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motohiro Kokubo, Kazuya Iwasa, Hideki Fujisawa, Hiroaki Hayahara
  • Patent number: 8353551
    Abstract: A linear latch interconnecting a pivotally adjustable seatback with a frame location of a vehicle interior. A bracket supported housing pivotally secures to a surface of the frame. An elongated member is supported in linearly displaceable fashion to the bracket and exhibits a plurality of spaced apart apertures. A forward extending end of the member connects to the seatback. A coil spring influences seats over the elongated member and biases the same in a first lineal direction away from the housing. A pair of pins are anchored to an inner support member within the housing and which is biased in a first lateral direction to cause the pins to seat through aligning apertures in the elongated member. A cable retracting mechanism displaces the inner support member in a second opposite direction, causing the pins to outwardly displace from the elongated member and to permit adjustment relative to the housing in order to define a range of seatback motion between upright design and rear recline positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: BAE Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen C. Bruck
  • Patent number: 8353552
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat base, a seat back, and a striker. The seat back connects with the seat base for pivotal movement about a pivot axis. The striker is moveable in a linear direction between a retracted position where the striker is disposed in the seat back and an extended position where the striker extends from the seat back for engaging an associated latch. Movement of the seat back in a first direction, which is toward the seat base, results in the striker moving toward the retracted position. Movement of the seat back in a second direction, which is away from the seat base, results in the striker moving toward the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Scheurer, II, Terrie Ellison, Trenton Hobbs, Derek Shane Lindsay
  • Patent number: 8317255
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a side support capable of supporting a side portion of the torso of an occupant seated in the seat. The seat has a seatback capable of being tilted up or down relative to a seat cushion. A support shaft extending from a lateral surface part of the seatback in a widthwise direction toward an outside of a vehicle is rotatably supported by a bracket. A spring for urging the seatback in a forward-tilting direction is disposed between the support shaft and the bracket. The bracket and the spring are positioned proximately to a rear surface part of the side support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Arata, Kazuyuki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8313133
    Abstract: A utility bed includes a bed frame, a bed floor, a sidewall, and a locking mechanism. The bed floor is pivotally coupled with the bed frame and is pivotable between an upright position and a cargo support position. The sidewall comprises a door portion and a wall portion. The door portion is pivotally coupled with the bed floor and pivotable between a closed position and an opened position. The locking mechanism is associated with the sidewall. The locking mechanism is configured to retain the bed floor in the upright position with the door portion of the sidewall in the opened position. Vehicles including a utility bed are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Darin D. King
  • Patent number: 8291734
    Abstract: A stowable vehicle seat, which is stowed by folding a seat back toward the side of a seat cushion, releasing a floor lock while the seat back is in a superposed state on the seat cushion, and lifting the vehicle seat up toward the vehicle body side. The vehicle seat is fixed by connecting a striker disposed on the back face of the seat back with a dragger unit disposed on the vehicle body side. After an operation to release locking of the dragger unit, separation of the striker from the dragger unit is estimated, and a dragger motor is driven so that a latch of the dragger unit is moved to the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Kan, Kazumutsu Azuma
  • Patent number: 8267458
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a motor vehicle having a floor and a structural pillar includes a seat base connected to the vehicle floor and a seatback pivotally connected to the seat base. The seatback is capable of pivoting between a stowed position wherein the seatback is folded toward the seat base and an upright position wherein the seatback is generally perpendicular to the seat base. A striker mechanism is provided on a top outboard corner of the seatback. The striker mechanism is arranged to be movable between a generally vertically extended position wherein the striker mechanism engages a latch located on the structural pillar of the vehicle when the seat is in the upright position, and a retracted position wherein the striker mechanism is pivoted toward the top outboard corner of the seatback as the seatback is pivoted from the upright position toward the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Derek Shane Lindsay
  • Patent number: 8251430
    Abstract: A vehicle seat reclining device comprises a slider, which has an engaging portion and rotatable portions, and a rail having engagable portions. The engaging portion is retractable from the rail during a backrest tilting operation and advances towards the rail to lock the backrest in a selected tilted position. The engagable portions engage with the advanced engaging portion to prevent sliding of the slider relative to the rail. Clearances are provided between the rail and the slider in a width direction that is orthogonal to a rotational axis defined in the engaging portion. The width direction is also orthogonal to the central axial line of the rail. The rotatable portions project from the slider in a radial direction from the rotational axis and narrow the clearances so as to guide the rotation of the slider relative to the rail around the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ansei Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ishii, Satoshi Umezu
  • Patent number: 8251429
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle including a folding rear compartment seat, the seat resides adjacent the vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a latch assembly accessible via a slot. A seat belt retractor is disposed within the vehicle body above the slot. A seat belt webbing extends from the retractor. The seat is comprised of a seat back and a seat base with a pivot interconnecting the back and base. An assembly including a striker and a webbing guide is secured to the seat back. The assembly comprises a first arm mounted to the seat back and engaging the striker element and a second arm adapted to receive the seat belt webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Derek Shane Lindsay, Carlington George Demetrius
  • Patent number: 8226147
    Abstract: A linear latch interconnecting a pivoting seatback with a frame location of a vehicle interior. The latch includes a bracket secured to a surface of the frame. An elongated gear rack exhibits upper and lower ratchet defining surfaces and is supported in linearly displaceable fashion to the bracket, a forward extending end of the gear rack connecting to the seatback such that the gear rack is biased in a first lineal direction relative to the bracket. A pair of locking members are pivotally secured to the bracket and are biased in first directions to engage selected teeth associated with the upper and lower ratchet defining surfaces of the gear rack. The locking members are concurrently pivoted out of contact with the gear rack to permit readjustment of the seatback in a second counter-biasing direction, following which they re-engage additional selected teeth associated with gear rack surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: BAE Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen C. Bruck, Harry Keith Brantley
  • Patent number: 8186737
    Abstract: An adjustable vehicle seat (1) has an inclinable seat part (2) and an inclinable backrest (3) mounted to the seat part (2). Front and rear areas of the seat part (2) are mounted pivotably in bearings (7, 5) at positions adjacent to remote sides of the seat part (2). The bearings (7, 5) also are mounted pivotably in the vehicle floor or rails (11). The lengths of the front bearings (7) can be changed for changing an inclination of the seat part (2). A backrest adjusting motor adjusts inclination of the backrest (3) to compensate for changes in the inclination of the seat part (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dieter Jungert, Tassilo Gilbert, Ulrich Hutschek
  • Patent number: 8177281
    Abstract: A stowable vehicle seat having improved operability and safety at the time of seat stowage are provided. A seat having a seat cushion back includes a foot lock mechanism for inhibiting the rotating of the cushion, a reclining lock mechanism for inhibiting the rotating of the seat back, a strap pullable toward any pull direction, and a lock releasing mechanism for keeping/releasing the rotate inhibiting states of the foot lock mechanism and the reclining lock mechanism by the pulling operation of the strap. When the pull direction of the strap is a horizontal direction, the lock releasing mechanism releases the rotate inhibiting states of both the foot lock mechanism and the reclining lock mechanism, and when the pull direction of the strap is an upward direction, the lock releasing mechanism keeps the rotate inhibiting states of both the foot lock mechanism and the reclining lock mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuo Sayama
  • Patent number: 8177282
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided. The vehicle seat includes: a seat cushion including a seating part, a front leg which is rotatably attached to the seating part at a front side, and rear legs which support a rear side of the seating part; and a seatback is provided rotatably to the rear side of the seat cushion. The front leg is rotatably attached to a vehicle floor, the rear legs are detachably attached to the vehicle floor, and the vehicle seat is adapted to be arranged into a seating mode and a storage mode. In the seating mode, the seatback is locked on the seat cushion in an upright state, and the rear legs are locked on the vehicle floor, and in the storage mode, the seat cushion is turned forward by unlocking the lock on the seatback and the locks on both of the rear legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Kuno
  • Publication number: 20120104786
    Abstract: A detachable, foldable seat specially designed to attach to the tailgate of a pickup truck or sport utility vehicle. The device comprises a bench seat, having a bottom seat cushion and a back support cushion attached to a hinge mechanism with a tailgate jamb post. The seat can fold in half at the hinge between the bottom and back support cushion of the device. During installation, the jamb post of the hinge inserts into the jamb between the open tailgate and the truck bed, securing the seat in position. A dual purpose strap attaches to either side of the bottom cushion such that the strap wraps around the open tailgate and further secures the seat in place. When the device is uninstalled and in a closed configuration, the strap serves as a fastening strap to keep the device in a stowed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Brandon Wimberley
  • Patent number: 8118342
    Abstract: A lock apparatus of a seat for a vehicle includes a striker, a first plate including a first plate groove portion, a second plate including a second plate groove portion, plural fixing portions provided at the first and second plates, a hook member being pivotable between a lock release position and a lock position and including a hook groove portion with and from which the striker is engageable and releasable, a pawl member engageable with and releasable from the hook member, a biasing member biasing the hook member and the pawl member, and plural connecting portions provided at the first and second plates for connecting the first and second plates. The connecting portions are located at an area defined between the fixing portions and one side portion of the first and second plates opposite to another side portion at which the first and second plate groove portions are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motohiro Kokubo, Ikuno Nakanishi, Kouji Kondoh
  • Patent number: 8113567
    Abstract: A structure of storing a vehicular seat according to one aspect of the invention is constituted by a seat detachably connected to a support base, and a storing space capable of storing the seat detached from the support base. The seat includes an engaging member is fixed to the support base by engaging an engaging portion provided at the support base. The storing space includes a bottom wall, side walls erected to an upper side from two left and right side edges of the bottom wall, and a depth wall erected from a depth edge of the bottom wall to the upper side, and is constituted to slide to store the seat. The seat includes fixing means at predetermined positions inside of the storing space. The fixing means are formed by shapes to slidingly receive and to fix the engaging member of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Yamashita, Yoshihide Itou, Fukuo Ogiso, Tamotsu Keinaga, Ko Ishikawa, Hideyuki Kato, Susumu Watanabe, Masaya Kometani, Makoto Murakami
  • Publication number: 20120025557
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle including a folding rear compartment seat, the seat resides adjacent the vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a latch assembly accessible via a slot. A seat belt retractor is disposed within the vehicle body above the slot. A seat belt webbing extends from the retractor. The seat is comprised of a seat back and a seat base with a pivot interconnecting the back and base. An assembly including a striker and a webbing guide is secured to the seat back. The assembly comprises a first arm mounted to the seat back and engaging the striker element and a second arm adapted to receive the seat belt webbing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Derek Shane Lindsay, Carlington George Demetrius
  • Publication number: 20110298240
    Abstract: A monopod seat structure including first and second sides. A back is pivotally connected to the seat. A vertical support column is disposed below the seat and positioned substantially centrally between the first and second sides of the seat. A side support member includes a top portion operably connected to one of the first and second sides. A bottom portion is operably connected to a transmission hump of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: John W. Jaranson, Johnathan Andrew Line, Jerry R. Brown, James Creighton, Daniel Ferretti, Christopher J. Kiehler
  • Patent number: 8052195
    Abstract: Device for energy absorption in particular for an automotive vehicle seat upon impact, said device comprising a first element substantially in the form of a plate with a hole and a second element inserted in the hole, said first element comprising a series of cutouts that are successive along a deformation direction and define a series of yokes between each other extending along a direction of elongation transversal to the direction of deformation, said yokes having each a length along the direction of elongation, said length increases strictly from one yoke to the next according to the distance of the yokes in relation to the second element and the yokes having an overall concavity turned towards the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Ho-Sung Kang, Julien Meghira
  • Patent number: 8047614
    Abstract: The present invention provides a seat apparatus having: a seat back; a forward tilt device that allows at least a portion of the seat back to tilt forward; a securing device that secures the seat back at a vehicle body side; and a release strap that is used for releasing a securing condition of the securing device and has a grip portion. The release strap has a first condition in which the grip portion is positioned at a rear side of the seat back and a second condition in which the grip portion is positioned at a portion so as to be accessible from a front side of the seat back, and one of the first condition and the second condition of the release strap can be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignees: NHK Spring Co., Ltd., Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Goshima, Masami Handa, Morihiro Ichisugi, Toshiaki Sunaga
  • Publication number: 20110233982
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a motor vehicle having a floor and a structural pillar includes a seat base connected to the vehicle floor and a seatback pivotally connected to the seat base. The seatback is capable of pivoting between a stowed position wherein the seatback is folded toward the seat base and an upright position wherein the seatback is generally perpendicular to the seat base. A striker mechanism is provided on a top outboard corner of the seatback. The striker mechanism is arranged to be movable between a generally vertically extended position wherein the striker mechanism engages a latch located on the structural pillar of the vehicle when the seat is in the upright position, and a retracted position wherein the striker mechanism is pivoted toward the top outboard corner of the seatback as the seatback is pivoted from the upright position toward the stowed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Derek Shane Lindsay
  • Publication number: 20110227385
    Abstract: A split stowing seat system is used, in a vehicle. The seat system may comprise a seat cushion (102) configured to be pivotally coupled about a first rotational axis (110) to a first portion of a vehicle body of the vehicle,—and a seat back (104) configured to be pivotally coupled about a second rotational axis (112) to a second portion of the vehicle body. The seat back (102) is detachably coupled to the seat cushion (104). One of the first and second rotational axes (110,112) runs along a substantially transverse direction of the vehicle and the other of the first and second rotational axes runs along a substantially perpendicular direction to the transverse direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventor: Brian S. Holder
  • Patent number: 8016341
    Abstract: A motor vehicle seat comprises a backrest (3), a seating surface (2) connected to the backrest (3) by a pivotable connection (P1) and to the vehicle floor by a front leg support (P2). The inventive stowable seat also comprises a swing arm (7) connected to the backrest and the floor by two pivot joints (P4,P5), wherein the seat is movable between an unfolded state when the seating surface (2) is substentially parallel to the floor, the backrest (3) is in a substentially vertical position and, each swing arm (7) is placed in the backrest (3) extension, thereby enabling it to be upwardly displaced and a folded state when the backrest (3) is folded substantially horizontally onto the seating surface (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignees: Grupo Antolin-Ingenieria, Peugeot Citroen Automobiles
    Inventors: Jean Duchateau, Patrick Faye, Jean Claude Aumond, Pascal Kliminowski
  • Patent number: 8011713
    Abstract: A seat arrangement is provided for a motor vehicle with a first vehicle seat and a second vehicle seat that is arranged adjacent to the first vehicle seat in the transverse direction. The vehicle seats include, but are not are not limited to a seat part and a back rest. The first vehicle seat can be displaced in the transverse direction from a first position into a second position in which the first vehicle seat is offset in the direction of the second vehicle seat. The second vehicle seat can furthermore be folded from a service position into an idle position. The seat part of the second vehicle seat is lowered in the idle position such that the seat part of the first vehicle seat is arranged above the seat part of the second vehicle seat in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Hermann-Walter Schlamann
  • Publication number: 20110181070
    Abstract: A motorcycle passenger backrest has a generally U-shaped or V-shaped backrest frame that is configured for connection to a mounting bracket on the motorcycle. The inner surface of the backrest frame is configured with a recessed space having a base surface and a side surface that extends from the base surface at an angle. A carrier frame configured to fit within the recessed space is pivotally mounted to each leg of the backrest frame. The carrier frame is movable between an up, stored position, with the carrier frame in contact with the base surface of the recessed space, and a down, carrier position, with the carrier frame pivoted away from the backrest frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventor: Christopher D. Lindloff
  • Patent number: 7980617
    Abstract: A vehicle seat unit includes a left-side passenger seat, a right-side passenger seat, and a middle passenger seat positioned to lie therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Cosco Management, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Brncick, Robert Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 7980618
    Abstract: A center seat provided rightward in a left seat is detached from a center seat retention base when a seatback is caused to fold so that the thickness direction of the seatback coincides with the thickness direction of a seating cushion. Then, the folded center seat is caused to move on a floor forward in the vehicle, and is housed into a center seat-housing portion in a console box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kato, Hideyuki Murasato
  • Patent number: 7971920
    Abstract: A walk-in memory apparatus for an automobile seat locks the seat on a body only after the seat moves past a preset reference point when the seat, moved forwards with a seat back folded up by a seat walk-in apparatus, moves backwards with the seat back unfolded. The walk-in memory apparatus causes the entire seat to move forwards along tracks in an unlocked state when the seat back is folded up. The seat includes a track memory unit which, when the seat moves backwards with the seat back unfolded, causes the seat to be unlocked from the track when the stopper bracket is located ahead of a reference stopper and to be locked on the track when the stopper bracket is located behind the reference stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Daewon Precision Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Yong Jang, Jong Moon Yoo, Byung Jae Lee, Sang Man Seo, Eun Sue Kim
  • Publication number: 20110133508
    Abstract: A flipper panel assembly for covering a gap between a seat assembly and a cargo load floor. The seat assembly is movable forward and rearward and includes a pivotal seat back. The flipper panel assembly includes a main panel slidably disposed on the cargo load floor and fixedly secured to the seat assembly. A flipper panel is pivotally coupled to the main panel. The flipper panel assembly translates along the cargo load floor in response to moving the seat assembly forward and rearward. The flipper panel pivots in response to pivotal movement of the seat back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Magna Seating, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Zuelch
  • Patent number: 7954873
    Abstract: A striker is supported by and coupled to a seat body and is held in a rotated position where the striker is lowered to a position along the shape of the seat body. When the seat body is moved and stowed, the striker is raised to and held at a rotated and raised position where the striker can be engaged and locked to a locking device. Elasticity of an opening spring and a rubber body, which are arranged between the striker and a coupling section, allows a forced rotational displacement of the striker in both forward and reverse directions from a state in which the striker is held at the rotated and raised position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Abe, Takahiro Sugama, Masami Natsume, Yasuhiro Nishii
  • Patent number: 7914062
    Abstract: A lock apparatus for a vehicle seat includes a protruding portion formed at the side of a seat cushion so as to protrude therefrom, the seat cushion being movable between a usable position and a retracted position, a guide wall member having a guide groove with which the protruding portion is engaged, a latch formed with an opening portion within which the protruding portion is engagable, a sliding member a sliding surface, a latch biasing member, a pawl, a cam surface formed at the pawl for rotating the latch so as to sandwich the protruding portion, a pawl biasing member, a releasing lever and a releasing member formed so as to protrude from the releasing lever in order to rotate the pawl by pressing a releasing portion in a direction against the biasing force applied to the pawl by the pawl biasing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Iwasa, Hiroaki Hayahara
  • Patent number: 7909382
    Abstract: In an automobile having a seat cushion supporting the hip, and a seat back supporting the back, of a seated person wherein the seat back in its use position with the seat cushion folded thereon is lifted up to its non-use position in an upper part of the cabin, the seat back when moved from the use position to the non-use position is prevented from interfering with a seat disposed in its front. There is a guide means for guiding the seat back 12 so that it moves rearwards gradually when it is moved from the use position to the non-use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignees: Kanto Auto Works, Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Kanamori, Osamu Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7866726
    Abstract: A convertible top assembly for a motor vehicle includes a rear panel, a front panel and a pair of outer side panels. The front panel is movably coupled to the rear panel and movable relative to the rear panel between an extended position extending between the rear panel and a windshield header of the vehicle and a retracted position stacked with the rear panel. The outer side panels are movably coupled to the rear panel for movement between a use position extending outwardly from opposite sides of the rear panel and a stowed position disposed inwardly from the use position. The convertible top assembly further includes a linkage operatively connecting the front panel and outer side panels so as to cause movement of the outer side panels between the use position and the stowed position in response to movement of the front panel between the extended position and the retracted position, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Neubrand
  • Patent number: 7823950
    Abstract: There is provided a seat device for a vehicle comprising a pair of main seats disposed in the vehicle width direction including respectively a main seat cushion and main seat back, and a sub seat back disposed between the main seat backs, wherein the sub seat back is configured so as to be in an arranged position in which the sub seat back is located above the main seat cushion and before the main seat back, and the main seat backs are configured so as to be moved inward when the sub seat back is in the arranged position. Accordingly, the width of the seat can be adjusted variably, without improperly affecting spaces behind or before the seat, thereby attaining both the movement of seat and the improvement of space utility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Toyota, Akira Ito, Kazue Sumida
  • Patent number: 7806454
    Abstract: A carrier assembly of a seat assembly for use in a motor vehicle allows for the efficient installation of the carrier assembly and several seat assembly accessories. The seat assembly has a seat back, a locking frame and a seat cushion. The carrier assembly includes an elongated base member extending along a longitudinal axis. A pair of outer hinge brackets are attached to the ends of the elongated base member. The seat back is pivotally mounted to the outer hinge brackets about a pivot axis that is spaced apart and parallel to said longitudinal axis of the elongated base member. A pair of floor brackets attached to the ends of the elongated base member secures the elongated base member to the floor of the motor vehicle. The carrier assembly is independent of the locking frame and the seat cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Vikas Bhatia, Gregory Todd Donovan, John Fredrik Runske
  • Publication number: 20100237673
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle frame, a vehicle seat supported by the vehicle frame, and a striker connected to the vehicle frame. The vehicle frame defines a passenger ingress/egress opening. The vehicle seat includes a pivotal seat back movable between an upright and a collapsed position. The striker includes a handle grip positioned on the vehicle frame for gripping by an associated passenger entering or exiting the vehicle through the passenger ingress/egress opening. The striker is positioned on the vehicle frame to cooperate with the seat back to retain the seat back in the upright position. A vehicle seat is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventor: Derek Shane Lindsay
  • Patent number: 7762604
    Abstract: A vehicle seating arrangement adapted for use in connection with a vehicle having an increased cargo and/or passenger carrying capacity is provided. The vehicle seating arrangement comprises a front or first row seat coupled to a vehicle body, a second row seat and a rear or third row seat coupled to the vehicle body. The second row seat includes a seat cushion for supporting a seat occupant and a seat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion. The seat cushion is pivotally coupled to the vehicle body. The seat back has one of a first striker and a first latch mechanism and the vehicle body has the other of the first striker and the first latch mechanism. The third row seat includes a seat cushion affixed to the vehicle body for supporting a seat occupant, and a seat back pivotally coupled to the seat cushion. The seat back has one of a second striker and a second latch mechanism and the vehicle body has the other of the second striker and the second latch mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Derek Shane Lindsay
  • Patent number: 7758129
    Abstract: A pair of seat backs are arranged in a vehicle width direction. A pair of floor brackets attach outer end portions of the seat backs in the vehicle width direction to a floor of the vehicle. A pair of center hinge brackets attach inner end portions of the seat backs in the vehicle width direction to the floor. A pair of connecting portions are provided in the center hinge brackets which are adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction. The seat backs are independently pivotably attached to the floor. The connecting portions are connected with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuki Maruno, Masashi Wada
  • Patent number: 7753429
    Abstract: A seat assembly is provided for use in a vehicle interior, and includes a frame and lower and upper bracket assemblies. The lower bracket assembly is connected to a lower portion of the frame, and selectively moves the frame in a longitudinal direction with respect to the vehicle interior. The upper bracket assembly is connected to an upper portion of the frame, and has a slot which receives a selector pin for selectively pivoting the upper portion of the frame with respect to the lower portion of the frame. A moveable linkage is connected to the upper bracket assembly and moves the selector pin for adjusting between different passenger seating positions. An adjustment mechanism includes a lever for moving the moveable linkage via a cable. The seat assembly can include a deployable storage bin positioned between the bulkhead and a seat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Paul Villeminey
  • Patent number: 7753428
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle seat device operating as follows. A retracting instruction is given by a seat switch to start operation of a seat back actuator. Lock of the seat back and a seat cushion is released to rotate the seat back to the position where it is overlapped with the seat cushion. A floor actuator is driven to release engagement between the floor panel and the floor lock. A lift up motor is operated to lift up the vehicle seat device toward the vehicle body. After this, a dragger lock motor is operated to lock a striker on the seat back rear surface and the dragger unit, thereby completing the retraction operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kato, Takahiro Sugama, Masami Natsume, Takahiro Kan, Mikihito Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 7735896
    Abstract: An all-terrain vehicle has a cargo deck provided above rear wheels and a folding rear seat disposed on a front portion of the cargo deck. A seating surface covers an opening portion of an article storage area when the seating surface is set to allow an occupant to be seated on the seating surface. A backrest is rotated forward about rear rotation axes to cover the opening portion when the seating surface is rotated forward about the front rotation axes, thereby covering the opening portion of the article storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Kubota
  • Patent number: 7688582
    Abstract: In a power supply unit disposed below a floor behind a seat, battery modules are disposed in a lower position, and a DC/DC converter and a motor driving inverter are disposed side by side in a vehicle width direction above the battery modules. Thus, cooling air flowing from the front side to the rear side of a vehicle body is divided into upper and lower portions to cool in parallel the DC/DC converter and the motor driving inverter on the upper side and the battery modules on the lower side. Thus, it is possible to simplify a passage of the cooling air to reduce the size of the entire power supply unit, and improve mountability of the power supply unit on the vehicle body. Also, it is possible to apply low temperature cooling air, before heat exchange, to the battery module, the DC/DC converter, and the motor driving inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Fukazu, Takeo Nishibori, Kentaro Shibuya, Masao Kawata, Hiroo Yamaguchi, Junya Fujisawa, Atsushi Nakano, Hiroshi Kosaka
  • Patent number: 7661744
    Abstract: A pair of seat backs are arranged in a vehicle width direction. A pair of floor brackets attach outer end portions of the seat backs in the vehicle width direction to a floor of the vehicle. A pair of center hinge brackets attach inner end portions of the seat backs in the vehicle width direction to the floor. A supporting bar is separated from the floor, is extended in the vehicle width direction and is disposed behind the seat backs. The seat backs are independently pivotably attached to the floor. Both end portions of the supporting bar in the vehicle width direction are attached to the floor brackets. A center portion of the supporting bar in the vehicle width direction is attached to the center hinge brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuki Maruno, Masashi Wada
  • Patent number: 7658430
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a motor vehicle having a floor and a structural pillar is provided, the seat assembly including a seat bottom frame attached to the floor and a seat back frame pivotally attached to the seat bottom frame. The seat back frame is capable of pivoting between a stowed position where the seat back frame is generally parallel to the seat bottom frame and an upright position where the seat back frame is generally perpendicular to the seat bottom frame. A striker mechanism is positioned on the seat back frame and is capable of assuming a normal position arranged to engage a latch located in the structural pillar of the vehicle when the seat assembly is in an upright position, and a refracted position where the striker mechanism is retracted towards the seat back frame as the seat assembly Is pivoted from the upright position to the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Mary K. Zielinski, Paul H. Shea, Michael L. Rogers
  • Patent number: 7658360
    Abstract: A seat sliding apparatus for a vehicle includes a lower rail fixed to a vehicle floor, an upper rail fixed to a vehicle seat and supported by the lower rail so as to be movable relative thereto, and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism includes multiple lock portions provided at the lower rail along a longitudinal direction thereof, a lock member provided at the upper rail and rotating about a rotation axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the upper rail so as to be engageable with or disengageable from the lock portions, and a bracket for supporting the lock member in a direction of the rotation axis. The seat sliding apparatus for a vehicle further includes a deflection preventing member for preventing a deflection of the bracket in the direction of the rotation axis and being integrally provided at the upper rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Kojima
  • Patent number: 7654602
    Abstract: A reclining seat for use in a material handling vehicle includes a seat back that is pivotally coupled to a wall of the operator compartment and to a seat pad. The seat pad is moveable toward a center of the operator compartment to provide the capability to recline, and is typically maintained in the upright position by a spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Raymond Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory W. Smiley, Robert Lewis
  • Publication number: 20090295186
    Abstract: A lock apparatus of a seat for a vehicle includes a striker, a first plate including a first plate groove portion, a second plate including a second plate groove portion, plural fixing portions provided at the first and second plates, a hook member being pivotable between a lock release position and a lock position and including a hook groove portion with and from which the striker is engageable and releasable, a pawl member engageable with and releasable from the hook member, a biasing member biasing the hook member and the pawl member, and plural connecting portions provided at the first and second plates for connecting the first and second plates. The connecting portions are located at an area defined between the fixing portions and one side portion of the first and second plates opposite to another side portion at which the first and second plate groove portions are formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motohiro Kokubo, Ikuno Nakanishi, Kouji Kondoh
  • Patent number: 7614702
    Abstract: A rear seat system of a motor vehicle includes at least one seat that has a backrest and a seat surface. The backrest has, laterally, a backrest sidewall extending at least over part of the height of the backrest, and can be folded over forward about a pivot axis independently of the lateral backrest sidewall or cheek. It is important that the backrest sidewall is mounted such that it can be adjusted by pivoting about the pivot axis and is configured in such a manner that it can be adjusted together with the backrest into at least two different backrest inclination positions. In this case, the backrest can be folded over forward about the pivot axis from each backrest inclination position independently of the lateral backrest sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Markus-Claus Kübler, Klaus-Roger Düwel, Klaus Padberg
  • Patent number: 7543877
    Abstract: A compressive member is used to bias a seat backrest into a predetermined position, generally upright as illustrated, relative to a seat base with the compressive member deforming to enable the seat to be pivoted by the application of force to the backrest. When used on a materials handling vehicle for which it is particularly applicable, the resiliently biased backrest attenuates forces that are transferred to the back of an operator occupying the seat when the vehicle is driven over irregularities in a floor supporting the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Hanson, Steven R. Pulskamp, Eric J. Kaiser, Ted R. Wagner, David T. Rench, George R. Wetterer
  • Patent number: 7516999
    Abstract: The seat device, disposed on the floor panel in the cabin with the instrument panel, comprises the driver seat, the assistant seat and the rear seat, wherein the assistant seat is foldable and movable forward close to the instrument panel to be located in the stored position where the length of the folded seat is made short, the rear seat is foldable and movable forward to be located in the stored position, and the assistant seat in the stored position and the rear seat in the stored position provide the substantially continuous storage space which is formed by back faces of respective seat backs and of the assistant seat and the rear seat. Thus, both the large space and the roomy cabin for passengers can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru Toyota