Seats Convertible To Other Devices Patents (Class 296/69)
  • Patent number: 6811200
    Abstract: A seat cushion comprises a cushion body portion including a storage recess and a cushion bottom portion covering the storage recess so as to selectively open or close it. A supplementary seat comprises a supplementary seat back which is pivotally supported so as to rotate in the longitudinal direction and a supplementary seat cushion formed separately from the supplementary seat back. The supplementary seat cushion is configured so as to selectively take a sitting position, where it is located at the side of the seat cushion, and a stored position, where it is stored in the storage recess. Accordingly, since only the supplementary seat cushion is stored in the storage recess, the deterioration of comfortable ride caused by the high-sitting point can be suppressed. Also, the supplementary seat back can be used as a armrest or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Keeichirou Shibata, Kouji Nakao, Kenji Satani, Masahiko Hondou
  • Patent number: 6729668
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for dividing (41, 42) the storage space behind a seat, comprising a storage floor (21) having a horizontal hinge (22). The storage floor (21) can be unfolded (46) or folded up in relation to the vehicle floor. Said hinge (22) enables the storage floor (21) to alternate between being in a storage position and a non-storage position. The invention aims to facilitate structure and handling. In order to achieve this, the storage floor (21) is fixed to the rear (19) of the seat by means of the hinge (22), forming a unit comprising the storage floor (21) and seat, which can be pre-assembled. In the non-storage position, the storage floor (21) folds onto the rear side (19) of the back of the seat (12) and is fixed thereto by a retaining means (30). In the storage position (21.2), the storage floor (21) juts out of the back of the seat (12) and is held in position by means of supporting surfaces (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Johann Borgers GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Mark Maibom
  • Patent number: 6682120
    Abstract: A vehicle seat wherein left and right seat backs are attached to left and right seat cushions, respectively, in such a manner as to be folded up thereon. A support shaft is provided on the left and right seat cushions for allowing the left and right seat cushions and the left and right seat backs folded up on the left and right seat cushions to be rotated toward the rear of a vehicle individually. The seat cushions and the seat backs so rotated about the support shaft are stored in a recessed portion in a vehicle body floor. The support shaft is provided on the vehicle body floor so that the support shaft is supported in the vicinity of edge portions of the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Kamida, Kazuyuki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6682291
    Abstract: A transport device for loading and unloading a trunk space of a motor vehicle is provided which includes at least one transport belt movably located on the bottom of the trunk space and at least two rollers for guiding the movable transport belt, wherein the at least one transport belt is located on the bottom of the trunk space and on a top surface of a vehicle part positioned adjacent to the bottom of the trunk space and capable of being pivoted into a horizontal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Schätzler, Manfred Pfalzgraf
  • Patent number: 6679536
    Abstract: A foldable and tumblable seat assembly includes a base having a front end and a rear end. The front end of the base is pivotally connected to a vehicle floor. A seat bottom frame having a front end and a rear end is also provided. The front end of the seat bottom frame is pivotally connected proximate the front end of the base. The seat assembly includes a lower arm having an upper end and a lower end. The lower end of the lower arm is pivotally connected proximate the rear end of the base. The invention also provides an upper arm having an upper end and lower end. The lower end of the upper arm is pivotally connected to the upper end of the lower arm. A seat back is attached to at least the upper arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Karl Otto Sonnenberg, Mohammad Saberan, Paul Castellani, Todd Jerome Gilson
  • Patent number: 6663179
    Abstract: A backseat (10) has a seat cushion (11) and a seat back (14). The seat cushion (11) is divided into a movable block (12) and a stationary block (13). When turning forward the seat back (14) in the horizontal position to expand a luggage compartment (2), the stationary block (13) does not obstruct turning the seat back (14), and it is left unmoved and the movable block (12) normally set at a first position is shifted to a second position in front of and on a level below that of the first position. The movable block (12) does not obstruct the sliding and reclining operations of a front seat disposed in front of the backseat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hikaru Sunohara
  • Patent number: 6648395
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Automotive Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Hoshino
  • Patent number: 6601901
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a motor vehicle including at least one J-shaped bracket movable toward and away from a front of the vehicle, a pivot rod engaging the at least one J-shaped bracket, and a seat cushion frame connected to the at least one J-shaped bracket. At least one link is attached to the seat frame and attached to the floor of the vehicle, and at least one guide bracket is mounted to the vehicle floor. The guide bracket has an arcuate slot engagable with the pivot rod as the J-shaped bracket moves toward the front of the vehicle to pivot the J-shaped bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: John E Schambre, Rudi Krajcirovic, Marcus G Washington, Liliana Neag, Louis D DeLellis, Michael O Forker
  • Patent number: 6598926
    Abstract: A stowable seating apparatus optimizes vertical space when stowed by positioning its component elements such that their minimum dimensions are vertical, and by avoiding overlapping of component elements. The stowable seating apparatus facilitates avoidance of packaging constraints when stowed because of combined movement of both a seat cushion and a seatback. The design of the stowable seating apparatus is easily modifiable to accommodate the differing packaging constraints of different vehicle interiors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Clifford Lee Price, Heidi H. McAdoo-Wilson, Mark R. Hinzmann
  • Patent number: 6595587
    Abstract: A structure of vehicle seat including a seat cushion frame pivoted therein, a striker, and a lock mechanism for locking and unlocking the seat cushion frame to and from the striker. The lock mechanism is disposed in the rearward area of the seat cushion frame, while the striker is fixed on the floor of vehicle, so as to allow smooth and direct escape of a great load from the seat cushion frame via the striker to the floor. This avoids the necessity of any reinforcement leading to weight increase of the seat. Also, a seat belt is provided in the seat cushion frame together with the lock mechanism in an integral manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki-Kaisha, Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Konishi, Tsutomu Terasaki, Isao Sekita
  • Publication number: 20030122397
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for dividing (41, 42) the storage space behind a seat, comprising a storage floor (21) having a horizontal hinge (22). The storage floor (21) can be unfolded (46) or folded up in relation to the vehicle floor. Said hinge (22) enables the storage floor (21) to alternate between being in a storage position and a non-storage position. The invention aims to facilitate structure and handling. In order to achieve this, the storage floor (21) is fixed to the rear (19) of the seat by means of the hinge (22), forming a unit comprising the storage floor (21) and seat, which can be pre-assembled. In the non-storage position, the storage floor (21) folds onto the rear side (19) of the back of the seat (12) and is fixed thereto by a retaining means (30). In the storage position (21.2), the storage floor (21) juts out of the back of the seat (12) and is held in position by means of supporting surfaces (28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventor: Mark Maibom
  • Patent number: 6585188
    Abstract: A rescue vehicle having a compartment for receiving a movable stretcher having two mushroom-shaped pins located at a front end and a rear end respectively of the stretcher. The compartment has a lateral opening for passage of the stretcher, and which is narrower than the length of the stretcher; a click-on lock unit located at one end of the compartment, such end facing the lateral opening, and for locking a first of the two pins; and a guide unit, which is set back with respect to the lateral opening, is coplanar with the lock unit, and on which a second of the two pins slides during insertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Agusta S.P.A.
    Inventor: Pietro Alli
  • Patent number: 6568736
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Jach, Michelle Girolamo, Chuck Patterson
  • Patent number: 6540279
    Abstract: The present invention provides a storage enclosure for a motor vehicle within the interior of the motor vehicle. The invention also provides a work station that defines the top portion of the enclosed storage area. This top work surface is pivotally attached to the upper area of the storage enclosure and provides access to the enclosed interior volume of the area. The work surface area is preferably a trifurcated work station. The work surface area that provides a top to the interior storage unit may be fully unfolded to provide an extended work surface area by a user. When the storage area is covered, the closure may form a supportive platform for use as a work station. This work station provides a flat surface area and includes a holding compartment that nests within the flat surface area. The support platform may by pivoted to allow access to the storage enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventor: David A Bargiel
  • Patent number: 6533341
    Abstract: The backrest of a rear seat of a motor vehicle presents a frame, which lower fastening means pivoting on the body of the motor vehicle on a transverse axis and which upper fastening means to the body 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 body 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventor: Francesco Marinelli
  • Patent number: 6499787
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Jach, Michelle Girolamo, Chuck Patterson
  • Patent number: 6488327
    Abstract: A seating system for a vehicle includes a seat portion with a front edge and a rear edge, and a back portion with an upper edge and a lower edge, where the rear edge of the seat portion is connected to the lower edge of the back portion. The system includes a platform portion of the vehicle configured to support an underside of the seat portion when the seat assembly is in a seating position. A pivot connection couples the platform to the seat portion to selectively move the seat assembly from the seating position to a cargo storage position. A cargo storage surface is provided on the underside of the seat assembly that is supported above a floor portion of the vehicle by the back portion of the seat assembly when the seat assembly is in the cargo storage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. Pearse, Kenneth S. Karpczuk, William J. Hentges
  • Patent number: 6455948
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Josef Berger
  • Patent number: 6406084
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Armin Carneiro de Campos, Rolf Mitschelen
  • Patent number: 6364391
    Abstract: A horizontal hinged tailgate assembly 7 is provided for a vehicle 10. The tailgate assembly 7 includes a frame 20. A seating platform 60 is provided which is connected to frame 20 and has a seating surface 62. A seat back 64 is included with a first position with a lower end 68 connected to frame 20 adjacent seating platform 60 and an upper end 88 oriented generally vertically upwards. The seat back 64 also has a second table position with the lower end 68 being connected to frame 20 and with seat back 64 extending rearwardly from frame 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan A. Everett
  • Patent number: 6318784
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Harutomi Nishide
  • Patent number: 6293603
    Abstract: In a vehicular seat 10A in which a link 15 which is rotatably fixed to a floor 9 is connected to a seat frame 21 at one end thereof for guiding the vehicular seat 10A for movement from an in-use state to a received state and vice versa, a rotation restraining member 17 is provided in such a manner as to extend between the floor 9 and the seat frame 21 for restraining the vehicular seat 10A, which has reached the received state from the in-use state, from further rotating about the link 15 by virtue of the action of inertia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Waku, Hiroyuki Isayama, Hiroaki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 6267426
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Kurt A. Seibold
  • Patent number: 6237981
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Pug Power LLC.
    Inventor: Daniel Selleck
  • Patent number: 6234553
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Randy Glenn Eschelbach, Glenn Scott, James Anthony Dykla
  • Patent number: 6217096
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Koiwa, Tetsuya Gomi, Yasuto Shigematsu, Kazuyuki Kumakura, Kazue Tashiro
  • Patent number: 6196613
    Abstract: A flattable seat structure of an automobile includes: a slide rail fixed to a floor of the automobile; a seat cushion having a front roller which is engaged with the slide rail in a front-and-rear direction slidably; a first lock mechanism for maintaining the seat cushion in a seated state; a seat back having a lower-end roller which is engaged with the slide rail in the front-and-rear direction slidably; a second lock mechanism for maintaining the seat back in a seated state; a cushion link connected with a middle fulcrum of the seat cushion and connected with a middle portion of the slide rail; and a back link whose one end is connected with a middle fulcrum of the seat back positioned in an upper side further than the lower-end roller, the other end of the back link being connected with the middle portion of the slide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Tomiji Arai
  • Patent number: 6193317
    Abstract: A back seat arrangement for passenger compartments, especially of motor vehicles, has a back seat bench which can be folded up into an upright position about a pivot axis arranged in its front region, a backrest, which can be tilted forwards into a flat position about a pivot axis arranged in its lower region, at least one rear belt buckle, which can be fixedly connected to the bodywork of the motor vehicle, and a back seat section arranged in the abutment region between the back seat bench and the backrest which serves for the positioning of the at least one rear belt buckle. The back seat section arranged in the abutment region between the back seat bench and the backrest is an intermediate padded part, extending at least in sections into the width of the seat, secured on the bodywork and separate from the back seat bench and the backrest, which holds the at least one rear belt buckle in the operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Rolf Mitschelen, Vasilios Orizaris
  • Patent number: 6183033
    Abstract: An automobile seat is composed of a seat cushion, seat back, and supporting element. The seat cushion supports the hip portion of a vehicle occupant at its normal position. The seat cushion is disposed so that the seat cushion may be freely movable while being forwardly rotated about a front end supporting fulcrum from the normal position to an inverted position. The seat cushion has a reverse surface which is made substantially horizontal at its inverted position. The seat back supports the back of the vehicle occupant at its normal position. The seat back is disposed so that the seat back may be freely movable while being forwardly fallen down from the normal position to a fall-down position. The seat back has a rear surface which is made substantially horizontal at its fall-down position. The reverse surface of the seat cushion at the inverted position and the rear surface of the seat back at the fall-down position are located at substantially the same height level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomiji Arai, Katsunori Nakane
  • Patent number: 6135558
    Abstract: A motor vehicle seat includes a backrest, a seat cushion and a coupling mechanism movably coupling the seat cushion to the backrest. The backrest is foldable between an erected seating position and a folded sleeping position. The seat cushion is movable between a retracted seating position and an extended sleeping position. The coupling mechanism couples mechanically the seat cushion to the backrest such that the folding of the backrest from the erected seating position to the folded sleeping position causes displacement of the seat cushion from the retracted seating position to the extended sleeping position. In the extended position, the seat cushion is substantially horizontally aligned with the backrest in the folded sleeping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Sitztechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Meinhard Behrens, Jan Klindworth
  • Patent number: 6102463
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly has a hidden storage compartment disposed in a seat member of the seat assembly. The seat member is pivotally connected to a support mounted on a vehicle floor and is pivotable between forward and rear positions. The seat member has a seating side which faces upward in the rear position and an oppositely facing storage side which faces upward in the forward position. The storage side includes a recess in the seat member internally defining a storage compartment and has an openable cover normally closing the storage compartment and openable to allow access thereto. The cover forms a storage floor surface when the seat member is in the forward position. The assembly has a releasable latch for retaining the cover in a closed position and preventing spilling of the contents therefrom when the seat member is inverted in the rear position. When the seating member is in the rear position, the storage compartment is hidden from view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark H. Swanson, Thomas Richard Van Slembrouck, Jun Such D. Heur, Robert P. Johnson, Ronald Joseph Smith
  • Patent number: 6082805
    Abstract: A multi-purpose seat for use on a recreational vehicle which allows access to a storage space provided below the multi-purpose seat. The present invention provides a multi-purpose seat adapted to be positioned into any one of a bed position, forward sofa position, backward soft position, or storage access position. The multi-purpose seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back which are hingedly attached to a housing provided in a recreational vehicle. A pivot assembly is provided on each end of the seat bottom and seat top to allow the multi-purpose seat to be positioned into any one of the aforementioned positions. Through the use of a novel pivot hinge assembly the present invention allows for access to space which has heretofore been inaccessible for use as a storage area, and moreover, allows the seat to be positioned in forward and backward facing directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignees: Atwood Mobile Products, Flair Interiors, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry E. Gray, Keith Swihart
  • Patent number: 6015186
    Abstract: A folding bench seat is provided, particularly for vehicles. It consists of a bench seat frame with a restraint system and comprises a base frame secured to the floor and a top structure. The top structure has an upright column unit, a back unit and a seat unit, and the column unit is supported via a horizontal pivot on the base frame and can be folded down from the upright position to a flat position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Aguti Produktenwicklung & Design GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Grieger
  • Patent number: 6000751
    Abstract: An extra seat back 7 is arranged behind a regular seat 4, 5 of a vehicle in such a manner that the extra seat back 7 can take a first position embedded in a recess of a luggage floor, a second position rised up from the luggage floor, and a third position of a full-flat state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisatoyo Kato, Takao Okonogi
  • Patent number: 5988726
    Abstract: A simple-structure vehicular rear seat wherein an upstanding seat cushion reliably receives and stops a luggage piece placed on a luggage supportive floor surface if the piece moves for any reason. When a seat back is laid down forward, the reverse surface of the seat back can be used as a luggage supportive floor surface. A seat cushion is supported on an elevated step portion of a stepped floor, and made up of a lower cushion and an upper cushion. The upper cushion is connected to the elevated step portion by a link-type connection mechanism that allows the upper cushion to be moved between a normal position where the upper cushion is supported on the lower cushion and an upstanding position where the reverse surface of the upper cushion abuts against and is supported by a front wall surface of the elevated step portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Takashimaya Nippatsy Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Onoda, Kazunori Hashimoto, Yorisuke Matsufuji
  • Patent number: 5975610
    Abstract: A seat and backrest is provided for mounting onto a vehicle's tailgate and which moves with the tailgate without obstructing the tailgate's motion. The seat and backrest may be easily removed from the tailgate and later replaced, so as to enable the vehicle to be used without the invention acting as an obstruction to loading and unloading the vehicle. A hinged cover panel is incorporated for providing a table surface and a cover for the seating surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventor: Mark Alan Tracy
  • Patent number: 5967584
    Abstract: A storage system includes an elongated, generally rectangular housing which has a forward-facing surface in the vehicle defining the rear seat backs of a vehicle and which has an open opposite end for extending into the trunk of a vehicle. The housing is slidably mounted to move from a retracted position substantially within the vehicle trunk in which the forward-facing surface defines the rear seat back rests of the rear passenger area of a vehicle and an extended position in which the generally rectangular housing is moved forwardly to expand the available storage space within the trunk. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the generally rectangular storage housing includes at least one pivoted access door such that access can be obtained to the rectangular storage housing from within the rear seat passenger area of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the access means includes a pivoted top lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Prince Corporation
    Inventors: David J. McCarthy, Russell P. Shafer, Jonathan A. Dykstra, Donald L. Sauer, Chester R. Wisniewski, Christopher R. Fusco, Rick A. Anderson, Mark E. Adomeit
  • Patent number: 5934732
    Abstract: A rear seat assembly for a vehicle can be moved between a seating configuration and a load floor configuration without requiring the operation of release pins or knobs. The seat assembly includes a mount assembly bolted to the floor of the vehicle and a seat back pivotably engaged with the mount assembly. The seat back is formed with a lower finger. A seat cushion is movably coupled to the mount assembly, and an interlock pin is immovably formed, as by welding, to the seat cushion. The seat cushion can be pushed backwardly to a seating configuration, in which the seat cushion is juxtaposed with the seat back and the interlock pin abuts the engagement surface to hold the seat back upright. Also, the seat cushion can be rotated forwardly to distance the interlock pin from the seat back and thereby permit the seat back to be pushed downwardly into a horizontal load floor configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Steven M. Jakubiec
  • Patent number: 5871255
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a coupler for connecting the seat to the floor of a vehicle, and a first seat section. The first seat section is connected to the coupler, and includes a femur portion and a back portion. A second seat section is also connected to the coupler, and includes a femur portion and a back portion. A third seat section is additionally connected to the coupler and includes a femur portion and a back portion. The first and second seat sections are movable between: (1) a first position wherein the femur portion is generally parallel to the vehicle floor and the back portion is generally perpendicular to the vehicle floor; (2) a second position wherein the femur portion and the back portion are both generally parallel to the vehicle floor; and (3) a third position wherein the femur portion and back portion are both disposed generally perpendicular to the vehicle floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Charles E. Harland, Dianna L. Sabo
  • Patent number: 5868450
    Abstract: A rear seat apparatus for a vehicle is disposed on a rear elevated portion of a stepped floor of the vehicle. At least a rear seat cushion of the rear seat apparatus is allowed to swing toward the front of the vehicle from a horizontal seating state, in which a passenger may sit on the rear seat cushion. The rear seat apparatus has a connection mechanism for connecting the rear seat cushion to the rear elevated portion of the floor. The connection mechanism allows the rear seat cushion to be moved by approximately 90 degrees toward the front of the vehicle and then slid downward so as to be brought into an upright state, in which a front portion of the rear seat cushion is held on a front lower-level portion of the floor. The connection mechanism also allows the rear seat cushion to be moved by approximately 180 degrees from the seating state toward the front of the vehicle so as to be brought into an overturned state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 5795023
    Abstract: A motor vehicle seat has a seat cushion angularly movable about a pivot, a backrest angularly movable about a shaft, and a headrest detachably mounted on the backrest, the headrest having a pair of stays extending downwardly. A headrest storage mechanism has a headrest storage space defined between the seat cushion and the backrest when the seat cushion is lifted forward and the backrest is lowered forward toward the seat cushion, with the headrest removed from the backrest, and a pair of arms mounted on the seat cushion and attached to the pivot, for supporting the headrest in a given attitude when the seat cushion is lifted forward. The headrest storage space has such dimensions as to be able to store the stays extending downwardly from the headrest when the headrest is supported on the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kayumi
  • Patent number: 5768724
    Abstract: A modular RV furniture apparatus includes a platform, a U-shaped frame having enlargements formed at its leg extremities for insertion through selected socket openings of the platform. A key panel movable under the platform has key openings formed therein for locking the frame in place with the enlargements blocked by the key openings. The leg extremities of the frame are spaced at a distance D, pairs of the socket openings also being spaced at the distance D for permitting the frame to be selectively engaged with the platform and locked in place in a plurality of fixed positions. At least some socket openings are spaced at a center spacing S that is a submultiple of the distance D, a back-support on the frame having a width W being the distance D plus a multiple of the spacing S. A manual or powered locking device holds the key panel in the locked position, an electrical interlock deactivating a vehicle ignition circuit when the key panel is not in the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Inventor: V. Donald Buell
  • Patent number: 5681077
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 5662369
    Abstract: A device for collapsing a backrest of a backseat of a car for placing in communication a rear trunk with the passenger compartment of the car. The backrest is biased from an upright position to a collapsed position forwardly by a coiled biasing spring. A latch rod fixed to the backrest is received and held by a releasable latch of a backseat lock so that the backrest is releasably held in an upright position against the biasing force of the biasing spring. The lock is connected to a control cable operable manually from the vicinity of the front seat of the car or from the vicinity of the rear trunk to render the latch holding action ineffective and release the latch rod. The biasing spring will then collapse the backrest forwardly. The backrest is restored manually to an upright position and locked in readiness for collapsing by the biasing spring. The control cable has a flexible outer casing and an inner cable slidable longitudinally therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Chuouhatsujou Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshikatsu Tsuge
  • Patent number: 5639141
    Abstract: A system or structure allowing conversion of the front area seating of a van to a dinette for two and/or four persons and to a single and/or double bed. The structures provided enable the front passenger seat to rotate 360 degrees and slide over a position adjacent to the driver seat which also can be rotated 360 degrees. The single seat directly behind the driver seat can be extended sideways to form a double seat. The table in between the front seats and seat directly behind these seats is cantilevered from a wall cabinet located below the window, which is located in the exterior sidewall directly behind the driver seat. This table is removable at will for storage in a coat closet or lowered to serve as a base for a single or double bed. The two part hinged front leaf may be folded back over the main rear leaf to allow ample space for the driver seat to slide back and forth on tracks when in the forward driving position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Inventor: Jacobus N. Hanemaayer
  • Patent number: 5615848
    Abstract: A helicopter presenting a passenger compartment defined longitudinally by two transverse walls and laterally by two swing-up doors; the passenger compartment being equipped for administering first aid and the conveyance of casualties, and presenting a support, adjacent to one of the transverse walls, for a first stretcher;a main seat adjacent to the other transverse wall; a support, incorporated in the main seat, for a second stretcher; and two standby seats retractable inside the support of the first stretcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Agusta Eli S.r.l.
    Inventor: Mario Ceriani
  • Patent number: 5605368
    Abstract: A vehicle having a plurality of seats is generally provided with a plurality of seatbelt units and a seat sliding device for adjusting the positions of a first seat and a second seat located rearward of the first seat. The sliding device of the present invention comprises a pair of continuous rail members for guiding the first and second seats in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle. Each of the rails extends across the first and second seats. First and second sliders on the rails carry the first and second seats, respectively, so that both the first and second seats are movable substantially throughout the lengths of the rail members in the lengthwise direction. A first and second latch mechanisms are provided for positioning the first and second seats in place on the rail members, respectively. The first and second latch mechnisms are provided on the first and second sliders so as to be moved together with the corresponding sliders, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kohji Noma, Osamu Kishi, Minoru Toyota
  • Patent number: 5570931
    Abstract: A longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat, including a seat cushion and a seatback, is supported on a bi-level seat frame for movement from an occupant in-use position to a compact fold-flat stowed position. The bi-level seat frame includes a front lower portion slidably supported on front track assemblies and a rear elevated portion slidably supported on rear track assemblies. A pair of forward upright links each has a lower end pivoted on the seat frame front portion for rotation about a first transverse axis and upper ends pivoted to associated front underlying portions of the seat cushion for rotation about a second transverse axis. A pair of upstanding laterally spaced arms each has a lower end fixed to an aft end of the seat cushion and an upper end pivoted to an intermediate portion of the seatback for rotation about a third transverse axis. The seatback has its lower portion pivoted to a pair of pivot mounts on the seat frame elevated portion for rotation about a fourth transverse pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Elizabeth M. Kargilis, James P. Salva, Joseph M. Geraci, Carl Mather, Robert J. Janosko
  • Patent number: 5505513
    Abstract: A truck camper having a large, flat truck bed and a top cover or shell is provided with a unit of furniture which is manually convertible between bed form and seat form. It consists of three essentially-rectangular elongated platforms hinged at adjacent side edges and extending crosswise of the unit. Each platform has legs at its opposite ends, providing for gear storage beneath the raised unit. The platforms are manually movable in Z-folded fashion between a vertically-stacked condition in which they form a seat and a horizontally-extended condition in which they form a sleeping bed raised above the truck floor. A cushion is provided for each platform, two serving as a seat and the third forming the back of the seat when in seat form. When in the latter form, 4 foot by 8 foot building construction panels can be placed the full length of the truck bed beneath the seat and between its legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Inventor: Danny W. Carsner
  • Patent number: 5496080
    Abstract: The expanding and retracting ball- and broach-type lock comprises a striker plate (10), a catch bolt (20), a control device (30), an orientation device, a position detector, a safety device, a safety feature and, preferably, an ejector (80).The lock is mounted on a support (90) such as a seat subframe with a sole-plate (91) and a leg (92) which are articulated in order to rock relative to each other.Use for a removable of a "single-volume people-carrier type" vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: CESA-Compagne Europenne De Sieges Pour Automobiles
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Chabanne, Gerard Anglade, Jean-Marie Blanchard, Francois Fourrey