Rotating and swiveling seat

• US 20060061122A1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Gallagher, Michael P., Ruppert, Adam M., Rekow, Craig J., Gilliland, Kevin A., Billger, Steven C., Kuck, Jay L., Pulskamp, Steven R., Wetterer, George R., Topp, Gary L., Kaiser, Eric J., Kluver, Leroy M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,121,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/65.70
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/38 specially constructed for use on tractors or like off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/797 for use as electrical control means, e.g. switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/26 Ultrasonic, e.g. sonar
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07545 Overhead guards
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0759 Details of operating station, e.g. seats, levers, operator platforms, cabin suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/20 Means for actuating or controlling masts, platforms, or forks power take-off from vehicle transmissions, combined with vehicle propulsion systems B60K

Abstract

An operator'"'"'s seat for a vehicle includes a base structure that allows the operator'"'"'s seat to be rotated with respect to a platform floor of an operator'"'"'s compartment within the vehicle. The operator'"'"'s seat may further include a swivel structure that allows an operator support to swivel independently of the rotation of the base structure. At least one presence sensing device may be provided to detect the presence of an operator. The presence sensing device(s), and rotational position of the operator support may provide input signals to a control module that controls the vehicle travel, load handling features, and/or other features of the vehicle that may be selectively enabled, limited or otherwise controlled.

Claims

1. An operator'"'"'s seat for a vehicle comprising:

an operator support having a seat bottom;

a base structure operatively configured to allow said operator'"'"'s seat to rotate relative to a platform floor of said vehicle;

a member that couples said operator support to said base structure; and

a swivel structure operatively configured to allow said operator support to swivel relative to said base structure.

2. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 1, wherein the swivel of said operator support and rotation of said operator'"'"'s seat are independently operable to reposition an operator in said operator'"'"'s seat.

3. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 1, wherein said swivel structure is biased to return said operator support to a default position when an operator releases a swivel force applied to swivel said operator support relative to said base structure.

4. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 1, wherein said swivel structure comprises a bearing that couples a mount to a mounting member.

5. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 1, wherein said swivel structure allows said operator support to swivel at least 10 degrees in at least a first direction relative to said base structure.

6. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 1, wherein said swivel structure comprises a swivel axis different from a rotation axis of said base structure.

7. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 1, wherein said swivel axis is generally in-line with an anticipated center of gravity of a vehicle operator seated in said operator'"'"'s seat.

8. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 1, wherein said base structure comprises a locking arrangement operatively configured to lock said operator'"'"'s seat from rotating relative to said platform floor.

9. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 8, wherein said operator support comprises an armrest having a control element, said control element operatively configured to release said locking arrangement for rotating said operator'"'"'s seat relative to said platform floor.

10. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 8, wherein said locking arrangement further comprises a rotate assembly and a release assembly, wherein said rotate assembly and release assembly cooperate to lock said operator'"'"'s seat in at least one position.

11. The materials operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 1, wherein said operator'"'"'s seat is so constructed and arranged such that said operator'"'"'s seat is generally centered in an operator'"'"'s compartment of said vehicle when said operator'"'"'s seat is in a forward facing position, and said operator'"'"'s seat is offset to one side of said operator'"'"'s compartment when said operator'"'"'s seat is in a side facing position.

12. An operator'"'"'s seat for a vehicle comprising:

an operator support having a seat bottom;

a base structure;

a member that couples said operator support to said base structure;

a swivel structure arranged to allow said operator support to swivel relative to said base structure, wherein said swivel structure has a swivel axis generally in-line with an anticipated center of gravity of a vehicle operator;

a base structure including a rotate assembly and a release assembly that allows said operator'"'"'s seat to rotate with respect to an operator'"'"'s compartment of said vehicle, wherein said base structure has an axis of rotation offset from said anticipated center of gravity of said vehicle operator;

said release assembly being operatively configured to lock said operator'"'"'s seat from rotating relative to said operator'"'"'s compartment and to release said operator'"'"'s seat for rotation by controllably engaging and disengaging said corresponding rotate assembly; and

a control element for controlling said release assembly.

13. An operator'"'"'s compartment for a vehicle comprising:

a platform floor;

an operator'"'"'s seat including;

a base structure; and

an operator support coupled to said base structure by a member such that said operator support may be rotated with respect to said platform floor;

at least one presence sensing device arranged to sense an operator'"'"'s presence in a predetermined location; and

a control module configured to control at least one operation of said vehicle based upon a rotational position of said operator'"'"'s seat and at least one presence sensing device.

14. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein said operator'"'"'s seat further comprises:

an armrest; and

a control element on a control handle of said armrest for selectively releasing said operator'"'"'s seat for rotation with respect to said platform floor.

15. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein at least one presence sensing device comprises a floor mounted switch and said operator support further comprises a seat bottom having a forward portion that is sloped downward relative to a rearward portion of said seat bottom sufficiently so that said operator may maintain foot contact with select ones of said presence sensing devices while seated at a relatively higher position than what could be achieved compared to a substantially flat seat bottom.

16. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein said at least one presence sensing device comprises at least three presence sensing devices, each mounted generally flush with said platform floor.

17. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein said presence sensing device comprise at least one ultrasonic sensor mounted so as to detect the presence of an operator'"'"'s legs.

18. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein said presence sensing device comprises at least one ultrasonic sensor mounted to said operator'"'"'s seat arranged such that said ultrasonic sensors rotate as said operator'"'"'s support is rotated relative to said platform floor.

19. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein said operator support comprises a seat bottom and a seat bottom sensor, said seat bottom sensor operatively configured to detect whether said operator is seated on said seat bottom.

20. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 17, wherein at least one operation of said vehicle is affected by the status of said seat bottom sensor.

21. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 17, wherein at least one operation of said vehicle is affected by the combination of said seat bottom sensor and at least one presence sensing device.

22. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein said operator'"'"'s seat further comprises:

a swivel structure arranged to allow said operator support to swivel relative to said base structure.

23. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 20, wherein said base structure defines an axis of rotation that is not coaxial with respect to a swivel axis of said swivel structure.

24. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein a function of at least one presence sensing device is dependent upon a rotated position of said operator'"'"'s seat.

25. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein at least one presence sensing device is configured to perform a first function when said operator'"'"'s seat is in a forward facing position and a second function when said operator'"'"'s seat is rotated towards a side facing position.

26. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein said operator'"'"'s seat may be rotated between a forward facing position and a side facing position, said operator'"'"'s seat further configured such that said operator'"'"'s seat is generally centered in said operator'"'"'s compartment when in said forward facing position, and said operator'"'"'s seat is offset to one side of said operator'"'"'s compartment when said operator'"'"'s seat is in said side facing position.

27. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein said at least one presence sensing device comprises first, second and third presence sensing devices, wherein said first presence sensing device is arranged to detect an operators first foot or leg when said operator'"'"'s seat is in a forward facing position, said third presence sensing device is arranged to detect an operators second foot or leg when said operator'"'"'s seat is in a side facing position, and said second presence sensing device is arranged to detect said operator'"'"'s second foot or leg when said operator'"'"'s seat is in said forward facing position, and said operators first foot or leg when said operator'"'"'s seat is in said side facing position.

28. The operator'"'"'s compartment according to claim 13, wherein at least one presence sensing device comprises a floor mounted switch.

29. An operator'"'"'s seat for a vehicle comprising:

an operator support having a seat bottom;

a base structure operatively configured to allow said operator'"'"'s seat to rotate relative to a platform floor of said vehicle;

a locking arrangement arranged to allow said operator'"'"'s seat to be selectively locked and unlocked for rotation;

at least one presence sensing device coupled to said operator'"'"'s seat so as to rotate with said operator'"'"'s seat; and

a swivel structure operatively configured to allow said operator support to swivel relative to said base structure.

30. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 29, wherein said at least one presence sensing device comprises first and second ultrasonic sensors, each arranged to sense the presence an operator seated in said operator'"'"'s seat.

31. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 30, wherein said operator'"'"'s seat further comprises an intermediate member that connects said base structure to said swivel structure, and said first and second ultrasonic sensors are coupled to said intermediate member so as to each detect the presence of an associated leg of said operator proximate to said operator'"'"'s seat.

32. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 29, wherein said locking arrangement allows said operator'"'"'s seat to be locked into any position within a predetermined range of rotation of said operator'"'"'s seat.

33. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 32, wherein said predetermined range of rotation comprises rotation of said operator'"'"'s seat at least from a forward facing position to a side facing position.

34. The operator'"'"'s seat according to claim 32, wherein said predetermined range of rotation comprises 360 degrees of rotation.