Abstract: In an automobile including front and rear seats (Sf) and (Sr) disposed at a longitudinal distance on a vehicle body floor (F), rearward-extending support arms (A) are provided at lower portions of sides of the front seat (Sf). The rear seat (Sr) includes a seat portion (3) which is connected at its front end to tip portions of the support arms (A) and pivotally turnable between a predetermined tilted-down position (3H) and a standing position (3S), and a seat back (4) which is connected at its lower end to a front end of a rear floor section (Fr) and pivotally turnable between a predetermined standing position (4S) and a tilted-down position (4H).

Abstract: A latch assembly adapted for use in a vehicle having a movable member, a fixed member, and a striker fixed to one of the movable and fixed members. The latch assembly is adapted to be connectable to the other of the movable and fixed members and to selectively couple the movable member to the striker. More particularly, the latch assembly of the present invention includes a housing, a latch and a release cam coupled to the housing, spring means, and a release mechanism. The housing includes a striker opening adapted to accommodate the striker. The latch is operable in a latched position when the latch assembly is in a latched mode wherein the latch is adapted to couple the striker to the housing and in an unlatched position when the latch assembly is in an unlatched mode wherein the striker is freely movable relative to the housing.

Abstract: A particular seat arrangement for vehicles having three rows of seats is provided. The rows are arranged one behind another, and each row is composed of at least two seats which are situated next to one another and which have seat cushions and a backrest. In order to enlarge the loading compartment, the seats of the two rear rows of seats can be folded. For this purpose, the backrests, which are coupled to the seat cushions, of the seats in the second row of seats can be folded onto the associated seat cushions and the seat cushions can be displaced forwards. In order to obtain a flat loading area, irrespective of the design of the rear side of the backrest of the seats in the second row of seats, the seats in the third row of seats have seat cushions which can be pivoted forwards through 180° about a front pivot axis and backrests which can be pivoted forward through 90° about a pivot axis fixed on the backrest lower edge.

Abstract: The backrest of a rear seat of a motor vehicle presents a frame, which lower fastening means pivoting on the chassis of the motor vehicle on an transversal axis and which upper fastening means to the chassis can be released to rotate the backrest forwards for extending the motor vehicle luggage compartment. The lower pivots are shaped so to pivot the backrest on the chassis of the motor vehicle with the lower part of the backrest arranged either in a first most advanced operative position or in a second most retracted operative position.

Abstract: To maintain rigidity of a seat cushion frame at a seating position, an operating member (14) is axially supported pivotably by a lower arm (3) and a position of a wheel capable of pressing a floor is changed in accordance with a pivoting angle of the operating member (14).

Abstract: The present invention provides a seating arrangement for a motor vehicle including a steering wheel, the seating arrangement includes a lower seat member, a seatback member and a theft deterrent system. The seatback member is coupled to the lower seat member for articulation between a first position and a second position such that the seatback member is oriented generally vertical in the first position and an upper portion of the seatback member is adapted to be disposed adjacent to the steering wheel when the seatback member is in the second position. The theft deterrent system is operative for selectively locking the seatback member in the second position.

Abstract: A motor vehicle having a freight compartment having a floor and a seat having a seat back with a rear seat-back surface movable between a vertical position and a horizontal position, a load-retaining system has arrays of mounting formations on the floor and seat back. The formations of the arrays all are identically spaced within the respective arrays. A mounting plate has a bottom face formed with a plurality of mounting formations engageable in the mounting formations of the arrays and spaced identically to the mounting formations of the arrays. The mounting plate further has a top face formed with an array of mounting formations spaced identically to the mounting formations of the arrays. A device plate has a bottom face formed with a plurality of mounting formations engageable in the mounting formations of the arrays and of the mounting plate top face and a top face. A freight-holding device is fixed to the top face of the device plate.

Abstract: A motor vehicle's rear bench seat has a back seat structure acting as a reclining back and at least one cam plate for guiding the seat back structure relative to a part affixed to the car structure. An element is provided for the absorption of energy, acting in case of a collision, between the cam plate and the part affixed to the car structure.

Abstract: A collapsible seat assembly includes first and second risers supported on a vehicle floor. The first and second movable supports are pivotally connected to the first and second risers, respectively, by first and second parallelogram linkages. Each movable support has a front end and a rear end. A lower seat cushion pan is pivotally connected to the front ends of the movable supports. A seat back and recliner mechanism is pivotally connected to the rear ends of the movable supports. The lower seat cushion pan and seat back are pivotally collapsible forward to substantially horizontal positions in which they are substantially flush and parallel with each other to maximize cargo space in the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle seat back lock mechanism includes a releasable latch connectable to a fixed part of the vehicle for preventing rotation of the seat back. A manual operating element is movable to disengage the latch by rotating a rotational lever which, in turn, moves a connecting rod connected to the latch. The connecting rod can be shifted so that it cannot be moved by the rotational lever. That shifting is done by sliding a cancelling lever which is connected to the connecting rod, thereby sliding the connecting rod within a slot formed in the rotational lever until the connecting rod reaches a part of the slot oriented to prevent the connecting rod from being moved when the rotational lever rotates.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vehicle rear body structure to reduce the amount of the transformation of the vehicle rear body portion for the back row seat in the event of the rear end collision. A pair of the rear wheel houses (51) are formed at the back part of a floor panel. A suspension tower (52) is formed to the rear wheel house (51). The pan (53) is formed nearly in the center part in the traverse direction of the floor panel 1 behind the suspension tower (52). The pan (53) is formed like the plate so as to being opened upward. The bottom of the pan (53) is substantially horizontal. The spare tire (54) is kept substantially horizontal in the pan (53).

Abstract: In an apparatus for permitting pass-through between a vehicle compartment and a trunk room of a motor vehicle, a first hook is provided on a forward foldable portion of a seat back of the rear seat, and a second hook that is engageable with the first hook is provided on the seat back. The first and second hooks are normally biased by coil springs in such a direction as to engage these hooks with each other. A vehicle-compartment-side strap and a trunk-room-side strap are provided for rotating the first hook and the second hook, respectively, so as to release the engagement of these hooks. A lock device is also provided for limiting rotation of the first hook while the forward foldable portion is in the upright portion, thus making it impossible to release the engagement of the first hook with the second hook by pulling the vehicle-compartment-side strap.

Abstract: A vehicle seat back panel can be reinforced against transverse buckling forces by training a high tensile strength web, or strip, back and forth along one face of the panel. The flexible strip is anchored to high strength brackets located along the margins of the panel, so that the strip absorbs most of the buckling loads imposed on the panel in pure tension.

Abstract: An adjustable seat back and supporting rear rail for a specialty vehicle is disclosed. The rear rail is secured by a latches to a pair of pillars of the vehicle within a range of vertical locations. The seat back is selectively lockable within a range of angular orientations from horizontal to vertical. The seat back includes pivot pins that are held by locking fasteners in the desired angular orientation on the rear rail.

Abstract: A system is described for automatically adjusting various adjustable devices in an automotive vehicle such as the seats, mirrors, pedal positions and the like. The system includes a physiological characteristic scanner which generates an output signal representative of that physiological characteristic of the person seated in the driver seat and, optionally, in the passenger's seat. Such physiological characteristics includes, for example, retinal scanners, fingerprint readers, thermal scanners and the like. The output signal from the physiological characteristic determining device is coupled as an input signal to a processor which also has access to digital memory containing data representing the physiological characteristics of authorized drivers of the automotive vehicle. This memory further includes data representative of the various position(s) of the adjustable device(s) for each authorized driver and optionally passenger of the automotive vehicle.

Abstract: In an automobile including front and rear seats Sf and Sr disposed at a longitudinal distance on a vehicle body floor F, rearward-extending support arms A are provided at lower portions of sides of the front seat Sf. The rear seat Sr includes a seat portion 3 which is connected at its front end to tip portions of the support arms A and pivotally turnable between a predetermined tilted-down position 3H and a standing position 3S, and a seat back 4 which is connected at its lower end to a front end of a rear floor section Fr and pivotally turnable between a predetermined standing position 4S and a tilted-down position 4H. A receiving surface Fm for supporting the seat portion 3 lying in the tilted-down position 3H is formed between the front floor section Ff and the rear floor section Fr higher in level than the front floor section Fr, and when the rear seat Sr is in service, the seat portion 3 is retained in the tilted-down position 3H, and the seat back 4 is retained in the standing position 4S.

Abstract: A seat assembly for a vehicle having a seat back and a support member. The seat back is connectable to the vehicle for pivotal movement between an upright-use position and a generally horizontal-stored position. The support member is connectable to the seat back and pivotally attachable to the vehicle. The seat back and the support member are operable to form a truss in the upright-use position and a substantially continuous load surface in the horizontal-stored position.

Abstract: A passenger carrying motor car with a stowage space includes a movable endless belt disposed at a floor of the stowage space. The belt is carried by a rigid supporting member which has a semicircular arc shaped belt guide surface at one end and a belt and driving shaft at the other end. The maximum diameter of the belt during shaft is no greater than the thickness of the supporting member. A second endless belt can be carried by a backrest of a folding seat bordering the stowage space.

Abstract: A utility vehicle body is shown that may be easily and quickly converted, without tools from a flat-bed cargo hauling configuration to a configuration having seating for one to three passengers and a reduced cargo-carrying area. The body may be retrofitted to existing utility vehicles or installed as original equipment. This convertible utility vehicle body is particularly adapted for use by personnel involved in landscaping, golf course maintenance, and maintenance of manufacturing and energy conversion facilities. It is also useful to persons who need access to remote areas for vocational, recreational, or residential activities.

Abstract: A flexible seating system for a vehicle having a seat with a generally horizontal seat cushion and an upright seat back. The seat is movable from a use position to a stowed position lying flat on the vehicle floor or recessed within a well in the vehicle floor in which the seat back overlies the seat cushion. The seat back has an outboard edge located adjacent a side wall of the vehicle with a slidable bearing device extending from the outboard edge of the seat back to a track mounted to the vehicle side wall to guide motion of the seat back as the seat is moved between the use and stowed positions. One or more supports are provided beneath the seat bottom to hold the seat bottom in a spaced relation above the vehicle floor in the use position. The supports and the seat bottom form a 4-bar linkage which rotates as the seat moves between the use and stowed positions.

Abstract: In an automobile including front and rear seats Sf and Sr disposed at a longitudinal distance on a vehicle body floor F, rearward-extending support arms A are provided at lower portions of sides of the front seat Sf. The rear seat Sr includes a seat portion 3 which is connected at its front end to tip portions of the support arms A and pivotally turnable between a predetermined tilted-down position 3H and a standing position 3S, and a seat back 4 which is connected at its lower end to a front end of a rear floor section Fr and pivotally turnable between a predetermined standing position 4S and a tilted-down position 4H. A receiving surface Fm for supporting the seat portion 3 lying in the tilted-down position 3H is formed between the front floor section Ff and the rear floor section Fr higher in level than the front floor section Fr, and when the rear seat Sr is in service, the seat portion 3 is retained in the tilted-down position 3H, and the seat back 4 is retained in the standing position 4S.

Abstract: A retractable automotive seat assembly having a seat back and a seat cushion. The seat assembly is moveable within an interior of a passenger vehicle between an operative position for supporting an occupant and a stowed position with the seat back stored against a headliner of the vehicle and the seat cushion recessed within a floor of the vehicle. The seat back is pivotally mounted to the headliner of the vehicle. A pair of upper retaining latches are mounted to a side wall of the vehicle for securing the seat back in a roof storing position disposed above the seat cushion and adjacent the headliner. A pair of lower retaining latches are mounted to the side wall of the vehicle below the upper retaining latches for securing the seat back in a seat back operative position abutting at least a portion of the seat cushion.

Abstract: A vehicle utility seat in which the seat back can be rotated down onto the seat bottom to form a pass through opening into the trunk area of the vehicle. In addition, the seat bottom can be rotated upward to a stowed position immediately in front of the seat back providing increased cargo area in the rear seat area. A flat load floor is provided beneath the seat bottom for placing cargo thereon. The seat bottom and seat back are formed with complementary seating surfaces so that the seat bottom and seat back can nest together and occupy a minimal volume in the vehicle to maximize the cargo carrying capacity of the vehicle. In addition, the seat bottom and seat back are mounted to the vehicle for rotation about a common pivot axis.

Abstract: A vehicle seat for use in a vehicle having a floor includes a safety belt system mounted to and carried by the vehicle seat, a lower seat structure mounted to the floor, a seatback frame, and a pivot assembly connecting the seatback frame to the lower seat structure such that the seatback frame may pivot with respect to the lower seat structure. The pivot assembly includes a bracket connected to the lower seat structure, and a pivotable connector member connected to the seatback frame and pivotally connected to the bracket. The bracket has first and second side portions that define an open bottom, and the first and second side portions are connected to the lower seat structure.