Rotatable automotive seat apparatus

• US 20070164592A1
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ruben Gerhardt
• Original Assignee: Ruben Gerhardt
• Inventors: Gerhardt, Ruben
• Application Number:
  US11/333,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20070164592A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/344.230
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence

Abstract

An automobile/vehicle passenger car seat configured for rotation about a pivot point, thereby allowing a seat occupant such as a child to be more easily buckled within the car seat by a parent, this car seat then configured for rotation back to a forward facing position. The purpose of this Abstract is to enable the public, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. This Abstract is neither intended to define the invention, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

Claims

1. A seat assembly for use in a vehicle having a floor portion, said seat configured for rotation from a forward facing position to a side facing loading position, said seat assembly comprising:

a seat portion, said seat portion having a body, said body having a lower portion adjacent to said vehicle floor portion, said lower portion for cooperating with a mechanical seat rotator, said seat body pivotally connected to said vehicle floor portion through use of a pivot portion, said lower portion comprising a geared track;

a pivot portion for interconnecting the seat portion with the vehicle'"'"'s floor portion; and

a mechanical seat rotator for mechanically rotating said seat at said pivot portion, said rotator is configured for rotating said seat from a forward facing position to a side facing loading position, said rotator powered by a motor;

wherein said motor is configured for selectively driving in a first direction whereby said geared track is advanced and said seat is rotated into its side facing loading position; and

wherein said motor is configured for selectively driving in a second direction whereby said geared track is withdrawn and said seat is rotated into its forward facing position.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein said rotator comprising a motor.

3. The seat assembly of claim 2, wherein motor is configured for driving at least one gear, said gear configured for cooperation with the seat portion'"'"'s geared track for advancing said track and thereby causing rotation of said seat portion.

4. The seat assembly of claim 3, wherein said lower portion comprises a geared track for cooperating with said mechanical seat rotator.

5. The seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising a control switch for controlling the operation of said motor.

6. The seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising a stop for stopping rotation of said seat portion at a predetermined degree of rotation.

7. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is prevented from moving when said seat portion is not in its forward facing position.

8. A seat assembly for use in a vehicle having a floor portion, said seat configured for rotation from a forward facing position to a side facing loading position, said seat assembly comprising:

a seat portion, said seat portion having a body, said body having a lower portion adjacent to said vehicle floor portion, said lower portion comprising a geared track for cooperating with a mechanical seat rotator, said seat body pivotally connected to said vehicle floor portion through use of a pivot portion;

a pivot portion for rotationally interconnecting said seat portion with the vehicle'"'"'s floor portion; and

a mechanical seat rotator for mechanically rotating said seat at said pivot portion, said rotator configured for rotating said seat from a forward facing position to a side facing loading position, said rotator comprising a motor, said motor configured for driving at least one gear, said gear configured for cooperation with the seat portion'"'"'s geared track for advancing said track and thereby causing rotation of said seat portion;

wherein said motor is configured for selectively driving in a first direction whereby said geared track is advanced and said seat is rotated into its side facing loading position; and

wherein said motor is configured for selectively driving in a second direction whereby said geared track is withdrawn and said seat is rotated into its forward facing position.

9. The seat assembly of claim 8, further comprising a control switch for controlling the operation of said motor.

10. The seat assembly of claim 10, further comprising a stop for stopping rotation of said seat portion at a predetermined degree of rotation.

11. The seat assembly of claim 10, wherein said vehicle is prevented from moving when said seat portion is not in its forward facing position.

12. A seat assembly for use in a vehicle having a floor portion, said seat assembly configured for rotation from a forward facing position to a side facing loading position, said seat assembly comprising:

a seat portion, said seat portion having a body, said body having a lower portion adjacent to said vehicle floor portion;

a seat rotation device for pivotally connecting said seat portion with said floor portion, said seat rotation device comprising a geared track for cooperating with a mechanical seat rotator;

a mechanical seat rotator for mechanically rotating said seat at said pivotal connection, said rotator configured for rotating said seat from a forward facing position to a side facing loading position, said rotator comprising a motor, said motor configured for driving at least one gear, said gear configured for cooperation with the seat portion'"'"'s geared track for advancing said track and thereby causing rotation of said seat portion; and

wherein said motor is configured for selectively driving in a first direction whereby said geared track is advanced and said seat is rotated into its side facing loading position; and

wherein said motor is configured for selectively driving in a second direction whereby said geared track is withdrawn and said seat is rotated into its forward facing position.

13. The seat assembly of claim 12, further comprising a control switch for controlling the operation of said motor.

14. The seat assembly of claim 12, further comprising a stop for stopping rotation of said seat portion at a predetermined degree of rotation.

15. The seat assembly of claim 12, wherein said vehicle is prevented from moving when said seat portion is not in its forward facing position.