Seat-forming Body Parts Patents (Class 296/66)
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Patent number: 6983985Abstract: A cover assembly covers a recess in the floor of a motor vehicle. With a stowed vehicle seat in the recess, the cover assembly serves to completely cover the recess to form a continuous load floor in the vehicle. With the seat in a use position outside of the recess, the cover assembly includes a portion that is folded within the bin so that the support legs of the seat can extend from the recess to support the seat. The cover assembly includes multiple panels for folding the cover to provide clearance by the seat for opening the cover.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2004Date of Patent: January 10, 2006Assignee: DaimlerChrysler CorporationInventors: Robert McGowan, Glenn F. Syrowik
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Patent number: 6962384Abstract: A seat assembly for a motor vehicle includes a seat cushion translatable on at least one track to a position generally above a tub disposed at least partially in a floor of the vehicle. The seat cushion is stowable in the tub.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2003Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: DaimlerChrysler CorporationInventors: Louis A Rhodes, Douglas J Quigley, Joseph L Salani, Carl Mather, John V Keane, David J Ewers
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Patent number: 6951359Abstract: An interior rear seat for a motor vehicle includes a main seat located in a vehicle rear cabin portion that has opposed two end side portions, and a first rear interior side panel connected to a first inner vehicle skin surface and located adjacent an inwardly projecting wheel arch of the vehicle. The first side panel has a first seating portion that is continuous with one of the end side portions to extend the main seat adjacent the wheel arch. The rear seat with increased comfort is typically part of a production vehicle converted into a taxi vehicle. The invention also concerns a method for modifying a production vehicle with the rear seat.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2004Date of Patent: October 4, 2005Inventor: Michel Swift
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Patent number: 6918625Abstract: A close-out panel for a stowable vehicle seat assembly having pivotable connections to a vehicle floor, the close-out panel having: a first edged attached to the stowable vehicle seat assembly, a second edge, parallel to the first edge, and a living hinge positioned between and parallel to the first edge and the second edge. The living hinge enables the close-out panel to fold when the stowable vehicle seat is deployed and to open into a flat panel flush with the vehicle's floor that conceals the pivotable connections when the vehicle seat is pivoted to a stowed position.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2003Date of Patent: July 19, 2005Assignee: DaimlerChrysler CorporationInventors: Anthony Storto, Fred Castator, Donald Olesko, Mark E Gratowski, Glenn F Syrowik, Lee Shilling
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Patent number: 6899378Abstract: Optionally expandable passenger seating is provided in a second compartment of a vehicle body including a first compartment and a second compartment rearwardly adjacent the first compartment, through use of a passenger seating cushion attached to an interior surface of a rear wallgate, of the first compartment, optionally separating the first and second compartments from one another. The rear wallgate is attached at a lower edge thereof for pivoting movement from a vertical position, whereat the rear wallgate at least partially separates the first compartment from the second compartment with the interior surface of the wallgate facing into the first compartment, to a horizontal position, whereat the rear wall gate extends into the second compartment with the interior surface of the rear wallgate facing generally upward, thereby allowing a passenger to sit on the cushion when the rear wall gate is in the horizontal position.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2003Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: DaimlerChrysler CorporationInventors: Louis A Rhodes, Stephen T Lim, Todd E Olson
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Patent number: 6899379Abstract: A sleeping compartment (10) for a truck is made up of a plurality of pre-assembled sections or modules including a first type (14, 14?, 14?) having one or more seats and a second type (16, 86, 86? , 86?) having a bed. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a seat (60) is mounted on a sidewall (22, 22?, 22?) of the first type of module and includes a seat bottom (66) moveable from a substantially vertical stowed position against the side wall and a substantially horizontal deployed position. A seat support (34) mounted on the floor (20) is movable from a stowed position substantially flush with the floor of the first type of module to a deployed position protruding upwardly from the floor to support the seat bottom in the deployed position. The seat support is preferably a door panel covering a storage space (32) beneath the floor which is accessible from outside the sleeping compartment.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2000Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: Mack Trucks, Inc.Inventor: Milen Milenovich
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Patent number: 6874840Abstract: A seat assembly for use in an automative vehicle comprising a seat back and a seat cushion pivotally coupled to the seat back. A pivot bracket is fixedly secured to each opposite lateral side of the seat back for supporting the seat assembly between opposing lateral side walls within the interior of the vehicle. Each pivot bracket includes a support flange for supporting the seat cushion cantilevered from the pivot bracket. A hook portion engages a latch post on the lateral side walls to retain the seat assembly in an upright seating position. A pivot flange is pivotally coupled to a main pivot post on the lateral side walls for pivoting the seat assembly between the upright seating position to a stow-to-floor position wherein the seat cushion is pivoted forwardly and downwardly to be supported on the floor of the vehicle and the seat back is pivoted against the seat cushion to form an extended cargo load floor.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2001Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Magna Seating Systems Inc.Inventor: Colin G. Neale
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Patent number: 6820914Abstract: A passenger vehicle is equipped with a rear seat bench which has a backrest and a seat cushion. The backrest and seat cushion are divided, in each case, into a ⅓ part and a ⅔ part. The backrest parts can be deposited in a storage space of the respective, assigned seat cushion part. The ⅔ seat cushion part is of removable design. Arranged behind the rear seat bench is a loading space having a height-adjustable loading floor which can be adjusted between a lower position in which the loading floor is situated approximately level with a vehicle floor, and an upper position in which an auxiliary storage space is formed between the loading floor and the vehicle floor. This auxiliary loading space is dimensioned in such a manner that the removed ⅔ seat cushion part can be accommodated therein.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2002Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: DaimerChrysler AGInventors: Hagen Behrends, Dieter Henke, Bernd Loeper
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Patent number: 6817660Abstract: A vehicle rear structure is provided in which, when a seatback is tilted forward and folded, an upper surface of the seatback and a rear floor positioned behind the seat form a flat surface. A bridge plate is extended between the folded seatback and the rear floor. The bridge plate is rotatably attached to the front edge of the rear floor. A portion for lifting a front edge portion of the bridge plate in conjunction with the uprising movement of the seatback is provided at the rear of the seatback to prevent the seatback from getting stuck on the front edge portion of the bridge plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2003Date of Patent: November 16, 2004Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takahiro Ito, Ryosuke Nakashima, Hirobumi Kikuchi, Masami Kawaguchi
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Patent number: 6793265Abstract: A seat arrangement for a vehicle comprises a floor having a first section, a second section, and a third section, arranged one behind another while rising stepwise from another section in front, a first row seat disposed on the first section of the floor, a second row seat which is disposed on the second section of the floor in use, and which is foldable forward so as to be in substantially a level state, a third row seat which is disposed on the third section of the floor in use, and which is rotatable backward along with an associated seat base so as to be in substantially in a level state. A luggage compartment having a flat bottom is formed when the second row seat is folded, and the third row seat is rotated backward.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2003Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Kamida, Jun Otsuki
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Publication number: 20040164582Abstract: An interior rear seat for a motor vehicle includes a main seat located in a vehicle rear cabin portion that has opposed two end side portions, and a first rear interior side panel connected to a first inner vehicle skin surface and located adjacent an inwardly projecting wheel arch of the vehicle. The first side panel has a first seating portion that is continuous with one of the end side portions to extend the main seat adjacent the wheel arch. The rear seat with increased comfort is typically part of a production vehicle converted into a taxi vehicle. The invention also concerns a method for modifying a production vehicle with the rear seat.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2004Publication date: August 26, 2004Inventor: Michel Swift
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Patent number: 6746083Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly for mounting on a vehicle floor including a seat bottom pivotally mounted relative to the vehicle floor. The seat bottom defines an upper surface and an opposed lower surface. The seat bottom is movable between a seating position, wherein the upper surface faces upwards, and a storage position, wherein the lower surface faces upwards. A panel is pivotally connected to the seat bottom. The panel is automatically moved between a first position underneath the seat bottom when the seat bottom is in the seating position, and a generally horizontally deployed position when the seat bottom is moved to the storage position.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2002Date of Patent: June 8, 2004Assignee: Lear CorporationInventors: Dale Michael Drew, Eric Anthony Woods, Mark Allyn Folkert
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Publication number: 20040100117Abstract: A seat assembly for a motor vehicle having a tub disposed at least partially in a floor of the vehicle. The seat assembly comprises at least one rear leg non-releasably secured to the floor of the vehicle. The at least one rear leg is pivotable to stow the seat assembly in the tub.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Inventors: Louis A. Rhodes, Douglas J. Quigley, Joseph L. Salani, Carl Mather, John V. Keane, David J. Ewers
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Publication number: 20040100116Abstract: A seat assembly is disclosed for a motor vehicle having a tub disposed at least partially in a floor of the vehicle. The seat assembly comprises a seat cushion translatable on at least one track to a position generally above the tub. The seat cushion is stowable in the tub.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Inventors: Louis A. Rhodes, Douglas J. Quigley, Joseph L. Salani, Carl Mather, John V. Keane, David J. Ewers
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Publication number: 20040061370Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly for mounting on a vehicle floor including a seat bottom pivotally mounted relative to the vehicle floor. The seat bottom defines an upper surface and an opposed lower surface. The seat bottom is movable between a seating position, wherein the upper surface faces upwards, and a storage position, wherein the lower surface faces upwards. A panel is pivotally connected to the seat bottom. The panel is automatically moved between a first position underneath the seat bottom when the seat bottom is in the seating position, and a generally horizontally deployed position when the seat bottom is moved to the storage position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2002Publication date: April 1, 2004Inventors: Dale Michael Drew, Eric Anthony Woods, Mark Allyn Folkert
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Patent number: 6709040Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly for mounting on a vehicle floor includes a cross bar having ends adapted to be mounted on the vehicle floor. The vehicle seat assembly further includes a seat bottom having a rear portion pivotally mounted on the cross bar such that the seat bottom is structurally secured to the vehicle. The seat bottom defines an upper surface and a lower surface. The seat bottom is pivotable about the cross bar to a storage position within a recess formed in the floor of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2002Date of Patent: March 23, 2004Assignee: Lear CorporationInventors: Dale Michael Drew, Eric Anthony Woods, Mark Allyn Folkert
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Patent number: 6648395Abstract: A vehicle rear seat is provided with a seat cushion, a seat back connected to the seat cushion and foldable from an upright position to a forwardly folded position over the seat cushion, and a retainer board mounted to a rear surface of the seat back for tilting movement. The seat back has a body portion and a decorative cover placed over the body portion. The decorative cover has an upper decorative cover component and a rear decorative cover component. The retainer board includes a core material, a decorative cover composed of one cover element and the other cover element opposing to the one cover element to enclose the core material, and a mount segment extending from the retainer board and connected to the rear decorative cover component of the seat back. The mount segment serves as a hinge to enable the retainer board to be placed in an inoperative rest position and in an operative unfold position.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Johnson Controls Automotive Systems CorporationInventor: Akihiko Hoshino
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Publication number: 20030193206Abstract: A vehicle seat stowing structure has seats provided on a floor. The seats are rotated rearwardly of a vehicle around a rotational shaft fixed to a vehicle body so that the bottom surface of each of seat cushions is directed to the inside of a passenger compartment. The seats are stowed in a recess formed in the floor. The floor is formed so that at least a part thereof extending between a portion provided forwardly of a place, at which the seats are installed, and a front edge of the recess is flat. A casing is provided at a place, which is located forwardly of the recess and faces the bottom surfaces of the seat cushions, on the floor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2003Publication date: October 16, 2003Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shingo Kutomi, Takashi Ogino
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Patent number: 6615514Abstract: A loading machine and chassis for the same, of small size, with an excavator supplement, which can be used for loading, excavation, drilling, etc. in small spaces which were previously only accessible to persons. The operator sits astride the chassis with lateral support points for the operator's feet. A hydraulic system activates the excavator supplement coupled to a loader arm mechanism. Work tools are coupleable to the excavator supplement or the loading arm mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2001Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Inventor: Eloy Ayala Ruiz
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Patent number: 6588823Abstract: A seat for a motor vehicle comprises a squab carried by a frame (31) and a back (54). The squab (31) is mounted for movement along a rail (21, 22, 23) from an operative position to a stored position remote from the operative position. The seat back (54) is pivotally mounted for movement from an operative position to a stored position. Part of the seat-back, when in the stored position, occupies space that was occupied by the squab of the seat when the squab of the seat was in the operative position. The seat may be mounted in a motor vehicle in such a way that part (55) of the back of the seat, when in the stored position, is substantially flush with part of the floor (53) of the motor vehicle to provide a load carrying platform.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2002Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Anders Carlsson, Lennart Simonsson
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Patent number: 6588822Abstract: A tailgate seat apparatus includes a tailgate frame pivotally mounted to a pickup truck for movement between upright and open configurations. A top surface of the tailgate frame defines a seat recess for supporting a person in a seated position. A seat back is pivotally mounted to an inner edge of the tailgate frame for movement between an upright support configuration and a stowage configuration, the back support being nested in the seat recess at the stowage configuration for conventional tailgate use. Armrests are mounted to a front surface of the back support and may be selectively pivoted into front surface channels. The apparatus includes beverage holders and storage compartments.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2002Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Inventor: George Parker Duvall, Jr.
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Publication number: 20030107233Abstract: A passenger vehicle is equipped with a rear seat bench which has a backrest and a seat cushion. The backrest and seat cushion are divided, in each case, into a ⅓ part and a ⅔ part. The backrest parts can be deposited in a storage space of the respective, assigned seat cushion part. The ⅔ seat cushion part is of removable design. Arranged behind the rear seat bench is a loading space having a height-adjustable loading floor which can be adjusted between a lower position in which the loading floor is situated approximately level with a vehicle floor, and an upper position in which an auxiliary storage space is formed between the loading floor and the vehicle floor. This auxiliary loading space is dimensioned in such a manner that the removed ⅔ seat cushion part can be accommodated therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2002Publication date: June 12, 2003Inventors: Hagen Behrends, Dieter Henke, Bernd Loeper
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Patent number: 6464297Abstract: A load floor seat assembly for an adjustable seat is disclosed movable from a normal position to a load floor position. A seat base is adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle floor, at least one seat back arm is pivotably mounted to the seat base about a seat back pivot, and a seat back is pivotably attached to the seat back arm about a load floor pivot. A load floor assembly is attached to the seat back so that in the normal position the seat back is generally perpendicular to the seat base, and in the load floor position the seat back is generally parallel with the seat base and rotated about the load floor pivot, so that the load floor assembly covers the seat back and the seat base.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2000Date of Patent: October 15, 2002Assignee: Dura Global TechnologiesInventors: Pascal E. Garrido, Andrew W. Guthrie, Gregory J. Andrigo, Keith C. Horsfield
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Patent number: 6455948Abstract: An apparatus for folding down back seats in a motor vehicle in order to enlarge the cargo volume, having individual seat elements that can be moved in relation to one another, wherein at least one seat element or a part of a seat element can constitute a part of a loading surface (10), and having drive mechanisms (12, 14, 16) which are connected to the individual seat elements. The proposal is made that a first drive mechanism (12) be disposed at a rotation point (18) of a seat bottom (20), a second drive mechanism (14) be disposed at a sliding point (22) of a headrest (24), and a third drive mechanism (16) be disposed at a rotation point (26) of a seatback (28).Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2000Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Rainer Josef Berger
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Patent number: 6406085Abstract: A removable bi-section cargo cover system comprises a molded floor mat and at least two detachable straps. The bi-section cargo cover system is used in a vehicle where the cargo area is convertible from a full sized to a reduced sized cargo area. The molded floor mat component includes a fold line extending from one side edge to an opposed side edge which creates two sections. The detachable straps hold the molded floor mat to the auxiliary seat backs. When the auxiliary seats are folded-down in a subfloor of the cargo area, the molded floor mat is in a planar mode overlying substantially the full sized cargo area floor surface. When the auxiliary seats are folded-up, the mold floor mat is in a right angle mode overlying substantially the reduced sized cargo area floor surface and the seat backs.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2001Date of Patent: June 18, 2002Assignee: Nifty Products, Inc.Inventor: J. Matthew Stanesic
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Patent number: 6406084Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2001Date of Patent: June 18, 2002Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AGInventors: Armin Carneiro de Campos, Rolf Mitschelen
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Patent number: 6375247Abstract: The invention concerns a body of a motor vehicle with at least one seat module. The purpose of the invention is to simplify the assembly of the seats in the body and at the same time to reinforce the body. For this purpose it is proposed that the seat module include a floor part, at least one seat, the seat adjusting elements, the seat covering parts, the electrical wires connected to the seat and a floor covering and that it be preassembled outside of the body. The floor part has supporting edges at its periphery which are supported in adhesive channels on the load-bearing structure of the body. The seat module is inserted as a prefabricated unit into the load-bearing structure of the body in such a way that the floor part in the region of the seat module forms a double floor with the vehicle floor of the body.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2001Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Reimer Volz, Reinhard Goy
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Publication number: 20020043815Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2001Publication date: April 18, 2002Inventors: Armin Carneiro de Campos, Rolf Mitschelen
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Publication number: 20020027368Abstract: The invention concerns a body of a motor vehicle with at least one seat module. The purpose of the invention is to simplify the assembly of the seats in the body and at the same time to reinforce the body. For this purpose it is proposed that the seat module include a floor part, at least one seat, the seat adjusting elements, the seat covering parts, the electrical wires connected to the seat and a floor covering and that it be preassembled outside of the body. The floor part has supporting edges at its periphery which are supported in adhesive channels on the load-bearing structure of the body. The seat module is inserted as a prefabricated unit into the load-bearing structure of the body in such a way that the floor part in the region of the seat module forms a double floor with the vehicle floor of the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2001Publication date: March 7, 2002Inventors: Reimer Volz, Reinhard Goy
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Patent number: 6347834Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly comprises a seat cushion member mountable on the floor and a seatback member having a loadable back surface and a lockable member mounted on the seatback member adjacent the lower extent thereof. The seatback member is movable between a generally upright occupiable configuration in which the loadable back surface is positioned in a generally rearwardly facing, vertical orientation and the lockable member is retained in closely held juxtaposed proximity to a rearward extent of the seat cushion member, and a substantially horizontal load supporting configuration in which the loadable back surface is positioned in a generally horizontal, upwardly facing relation and the lockable member is rearwardly displaced from the closely held juxtaposed proximity.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2000Date of Patent: February 19, 2002Assignee: Bertrand Faure Components Ltd.Inventor: Christian Couasnon
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Patent number: 6318784Abstract: A lid 24 is constituted by an extending portion 41 of a first carpet 35 extending from the front of a lower portion of a seat cushion 21, a second carpet 43 integrally mounted on the extending portion 41 via a base material 42, and the first carpet 35 is made to function as a hinge 45. In addition, the lid 24 is constructed so as to be retained to a floor 15 with a surface fastener 44.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2000Date of Patent: November 20, 2001Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Harutomi Nishide
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Patent number: 6267426Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2000Date of Patent: July 31, 2001Inventor: Kurt A. Seibold
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Patent number: 6260913Abstract: A small four-wheeled vehicle frame cover covering a body frame for supporting a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels includes a floor panel, side decks, a front deck, and a rear deck. The side decks extend laterally from opposite sides of a cabin, the front deck is present in front of the cabin, and the rear deck is positioned behind the cabin. The decks surround the cabin, forming a gallery. An interior frame constituting the cabin includes a driver supporting unit which is composed of a seat cushion, a seat back, shoulder pads, and side supports. The interior frame and driver supporting unit are positioned way back from entrances in order to enlarge the entrances.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1999Date of Patent: July 17, 2001Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takahito Sekita, Yutaka Murata
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Patent number: 6237981Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 1999Date of Patent: May 29, 2001Assignee: Pug Power LLC.Inventor: Daniel Selleck
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Patent number: 6217096Abstract: A passenger compartment sealing structure for an automobile includes a rear seat selectively movable between a seating position and non-seating, erected position, and a partition such as a window glass provided with the rear seat, the partition being movable relative to the rear seat when in its erected position so as to sealingly abut with a lower surface of the roof of the automobile. When the rear seat 3 is folded down to a position where it overlaps the back of front seats 2L, 2R, a large volume of luggage receiving space 6 is formed rearward of the rear seat 3 so folded down.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1999Date of Patent: April 17, 2001Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Koiwa, Tetsuya Gomi, Yasuto Shigematsu, Kazuyuki Kumakura, Kazue Tashiro
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Patent number: 6062625Abstract: A hardtop for a convertible includes a front roof part and a rear roof part with a fixed rear window. The front and rear roof parts are operated by a lateral folding mechanism to be moved between a raised position and a retracted position in which the roof parts are contained in a roof box. The roof box is made variable in size via a foldable portion of the rear seat. When the roof is in the raised position, the foldable portion of the rear seat forms the rear seat. When the roof is retracted, the foldable portion of the rear seat is folded forward to enlarge the roof box. A shelf is attached to the foldable portion of the rear seat, which is an upper part of a backrest and is foldable about a horizontal axis of rotation to form a floor part of the roof box. The shelf forms a front wall of the roof box when the upper part of the backrest is folded. A roll bar is movable between a raised position and a lowered position. A roller shade box is disposed at a rear area of the shelf.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1998Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AGInventors: Guenther Elelnrieder, Rainer Kristl, Dieter Martens, Oliver Wagner
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Patent number: 6024397Abstract: A seat platform extends between the sidewalls of a vehicle and is mounted to rotating members and is offset from their axis of rotation such that the seat, when rotated to a seating position, is positioned above the floor level and, when rotated to a storage position, is positioned in a recess with the opposite side of the seating surface defining the floor of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the seating platform is slidably mounted to a beam such that the seat can be rotated to one or more intermediate vertical positions and locked in such positions with the seat platform defining a divider for a storage area between the seat platform and the rear of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 1997Date of Patent: February 15, 2000Assignee: Prince CorporationInventors: Robert B. Scraver, David B. Busch, Chester R. Wisniewski
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Patent number: 6019413Abstract: A seating/storage system includes a seat which is rotatably supported on opposite ends between the sidewalls of a vehicle on a pivot axle in spaced relationship above the floor level of the vehicle. The seat pivot axle, in turn, is mounted to a rotating member offset from the pivot axle such that, when rotated to a seating position, the seat is positioned above the floor level and, when rotated to a storage position, the seat is positioned in a recess with the lower side of the seat defining the floor of the vehicle. A releasable latching member extends between the rotatable member and the vehicle seat to selectively lock the seat in use or stored positions. In a preferred embodiment, a releasable latch also extends between a fixed seat frame and the rotatable member to selectively lock the seat back and seat in use or stored positions.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 1998Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Prince CorporationInventors: Robert B. Scraver, David B. Busch, Chester R. Wisniewski, Neil J. Bush, Nick G. Xiromeritis, David J. McCarthy
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Patent number: 5979964Abstract: A vehicle seat that is folded and stowed in a recess in the floor of a vehicle. A rear portion of the seat has shiftable elements that are received in tracks. The shiftable elements may be rollers that are detachable from the tracks. A front portion of the seat is supported by pivot connectors that the seat pivots about for stowing in the recess. Locking pins are received in a series of holes that permit fore and aft adjustment of the seat position.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1997Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Lear CorporationInventors: Marcel Ban, Alan Sturt
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Patent number: 5975612Abstract: The present invention relates to a retractable seat assembly for a motor vehicle which is fully retractable below the level of the vehicle's floor. Typically, the invention involves a bench-type seat which is located behind the driver and passenger seats of a minivan or other vehicle. In an operative position, the seat has generally upright seatback which cooperates with a lower horizontal member to provide the seating portion. In the non-operative or stored position, the entire seat assembly is positioned below the level of the vehicle's floor. In one application, the forward edge and rearward edge of the seat are interconnected to the body of the vehicle for pivotal movement about translatable and fixed axes, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 1997Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: DaimlerChrysler CorporationInventors: Stuart P. Macey, John C. Mrozowski, Thomas Sacoman, Victor Pone, Robert E. Schroeder
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Patent number: 5971467Abstract: A tilting structure for tilting a motor vehicle seat has a seat having a seat cushion, a tilting mechanism disposed underneath the seat cushion for tilting the seat cushion upwardly about a front end thereof to hold the seat cushion and a backrest aligned with each other in a fully flat configuration when the backrest is tilted down rearward, a joint device separably connecting a rear end of the seat cushion to the tilting mechanism, and a cover disposed between the seat cushion and the tilting mechanism and covering the tilting mechanism. The tilting structure can maintain the seat cushion and the backrest fully flat in alignment with each other, and also can tilt the seat cushion up forward.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1996Date of Patent: October 26, 1999Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuya Kayumi, Hidetsugu Okazaki
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Patent number: 5971464Abstract: This invention relates to a pivotable protective pick-up truck tailgate liner assembly which when opened forms a tailgate seat-back rest. When closed it serves as a protective tailgate liner. Means are provided to utilize the tailgate in the horizontal position as a seat, and the tailgate liner invention as the seat back rest. Additionally, means are provided to utilize the existing vehicle body side tailgate latch brackets to lock said liner assembly into a seat back position. This invention is comprised of a rigid plastic base panel and a larger liner panel which are pivotably attached to each other. The base panel is securely attached to the tailgate surface, while snap fit connectors selectively attach and detach said larger liner panel to the tailgate. A sliding striker mechanism provides a means to fix said larger liner panel into the existing vehicle body side tailgate latch brackets to form a tailgate seat back-rest.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1997Date of Patent: October 26, 1999Inventors: John Duane Davis, Daniel Duane Davis, Lawrence Duane Davis
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Patent number: 5957522Abstract: A cargo blocking device for a vehicle that prevents cargo from moving forward beyond a rear passenger seat in an event of a front end collision on a sudden stop of the vehicle. The cargo blocking device can include a blocking frame connected to a backrest of the rear passenger seat. The seat cushion can be hinged to move to an approximately upright vertical position and the backrest can be positioned in an approximately horizontal rest position.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1996Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Matsuhashi, Tetsuhiro Iwaki, Junsuke Inoue
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Patent number: 5913570Abstract: A folding seat for a vehicle comprises a strap assembly (5) provided on the bottom of a seat cushion (2) and including a first belt member (50) providing a connection between the bottom of the seat cushion (2) and the back of the seat back (3) when the seat is folded, and a second belt member (51) cooperative with the first belt member (50) to fasten and retain the head rest body (41) when the seat is folded. The strap assembly (5) can be used to retain together all the seat components including the head rest (4) in a single compact folded configuration, thus providing over the rear of the seat back (3) an extra space adding to the existing space for baggage loading or other purposes.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1998Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignees: Tokyo Seat Co., Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishInventors: Masami Yoshida, Osamu Shirase
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Patent number: 5890758Abstract: A retractable seat assembly for a motor vehicle is fully retractable below the level of the vehicle's floor. Typically, the invention involves a bench-type seat which is located behind the driver and passenger seats of a minivan or other vehicle. In an operative position, the seat has a generally upright seatback which cooperates with a lower horizontal member to provide the seating portion. In the non-operative or stored position, the entire seat is positioned below the level of the vehicle's floor. Preferably, the front and rear edges of the seat are interconnected to the vehicle body for pivotal movement about translatable axes.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1997Date of Patent: April 6, 1999Assignee: Chrysler CorporationInventors: Victor Pone, Robert E. Schroder
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Patent number: 5868451Abstract: A storage structure stores a motor vehicle seat which has a seat cushion and a seatback foldable against the seat cushion and movable in a longitudinal direction of a motor vehicle. The storage structure has a fixed rail fixed to the motor vehicle, a movable rail movable along the fixed rail for longitudinal positioning adjustment of the seat, a holding mechanism disposed on a longitudinal end of the movable rail and the seat cushion, for fixing the seat cushion to the movable rail, and a pivot hinge disposed between an opposite longitudinal end of the movable rail and an engaging portion of the fixed rail, for allowing the seat cushion to swing thereabout with the seat cushion being released by the holding mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1996Date of Patent: February 9, 1999Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Uno, Koji Kamida, Kunimichi Odagaki
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Patent number: 5741046Abstract: In a motor vehicle rear seat with a divided back rest, the individual back rest parts are connected for pivoting about at least one horizontal pivot axis running horizontally and transversely to the travel direction via an inner hinge arranged in the region of the division plane of the back rest and an outer hinge in the region of the side wall of the motor vehicle on the vehicle body, each hinge having a fastening part on the back rest side and a fastening part on the vehicle body side.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 1995Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Andrew Leuchtmann, Hans-Peter Gimbel
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Patent number: 5702145Abstract: A vehicular seat assembly (28), fixedly secured to a floor (24) of a vehicle (10), is movable between a seat forming position (FIG. 1), a storage access position (FIG. 3) and a load floor position (FIG. 5). The seat frame structure (30) includes a front member (38) and a back member (40), both of which are slidable along a track (32). The seat cushion (42) pivots about the front member (38) when it is released from the back member (40). This rotational movement allows a safety lock lever (60) to rotate counter-clockwise (as viewed in the Figures) forcing a cam pin (64) downwardly. The cam (62) also pivots downwardly disengaging itself from its follower (66). Because the follower (66) cannot force the cam (62) downwardly, the seat adjustment mechanism (53) is prevented from moving to its release position to unlocking the vehicular seat assembly (10) from the track (32).Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 1996Date of Patent: December 30, 1997Assignee: Lear Seating CorporationInventors: Thomas J. Fowler, Liviu Rus
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Patent number: 5681077Abstract: A rear seat device for a vehicle disposed on a higher, rear section of a stepped floor surface of a vehicle, and provided so as to be rotatable by substantially 180 degrees toward a front of the vehicle, including: a rear seat back whose length is adjustable between a seating state length, which is a length of the rear seat back in an ordinary seating state for a vehicle occupant, and a folded-up state length, which is shorter than the seating state length.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1996Date of Patent: October 28, 1997Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazunori Hashimoto
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Patent number: 5671820Abstract: A backhoe having an engine hood defining a recess for receiving part of a bottom surface of a driver's seat, and an engine mounted in horizontal posture inside the engine hood. The engine hood includes, in plan view, a first hood space corresponding to the recess, a second hood space and a third hood space arranged laterally of the recess, and a fourth hood space disposed rearwardly of the recess. A cooling air intake is formed in one of the second and third hood spaces, and a cooling air outlet is formed in the other of the second and third hood spaces.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 1996Date of Patent: September 30, 1997Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Masahiko Kobayashi, Shizuo Shimoie, Shizuo Demizu