Vehicle Seat Assembly

• US 20100253123A1
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E.V.S. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: E.V.S. Ltd.
• Inventors: Wells, Jeffry H., DeCraene, James E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,998,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/344.220
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/062 transversally slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/143 taking a position opposite to the original one
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/146 characterised by the locking device

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat, a pedestal, a swivel mechanism connected to the pedestal for permitting the seat to rotate about a vertical axis and a latch located external to the swivel mechanism for preventing rotation of the seat. The seat assembly may further include a bracket for mounting the seat to the swivel mechanism in any one of a plurality of positions. Another vehicle seat assembly includes a track, a seat having a seating portion and a seat back, a base connected to the seat and engaging the track so as to permit longitudinal movement of the seat along the track and a locking mechanism for retaining the seat in a desired position along the track. The locking mechanism includes a vertically extending pin located beneath the center of the seating portion of the seat.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly, including:

a seat;

a pedestal;

a swivel mechanism connected to the pedestal for permitting the seat to rotate about a vertical axis; and

a latch located external to the swivel mechanism for preventing rotation of the seat.

2. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1, further including a bracket for mounting the seat to the swivel mechanism in any one of a plurality of positions.

3. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the latch can retain the seat in at least two orientations about the vertical axis.

4. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the latch engages a portion of the swivel mechanism.

5. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 4, wherein the swivel mechanism includes a plurality of notches for receiving a portion of the latch.

6. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the latch is connected to the bracket.

7. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the latch rotates with the seat.

8. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 2, wherein the bracket rotates with the seat.

9. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 1, further including means connected to the seat for operating the latch.

10. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 9, wherein the means for operating the latch is a handle that rotates with the seat.

11. A vehicle seat assembly, including:

a seat;

a pedestal;

a swivel mechanism connected to the pedestal for permitting the seat to rotate about a vertical axis, the swivel mechanism including a bearing located adjacent the pedestal, a first collar located on the bearing and a second collar positioned over the bearing and at least a portion of the first collar; and

a bracket for mounting the seat to the swivel mechanism.

12. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 11, wherein the bracket mounts the seat to the first collar.

13. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 11, further including a latch for preventing rotation of the seat.

14. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 13, wherein the latch can retain the seat in at least two orientations about the vertical axis.

15. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 13 wherein the latch engages a portion of the swivel mechanism.

16. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 15, wherein the second collar includes a plurality of notches for receiving a portion of the latch.

17. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 15, wherein the swivel mechanism further includes a plate positioned adjacent the second collar and a portion of the latch is received between the second collar and the plate.

18. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 13, wherein the latch is connected to the bracket.

19. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 13, wherein the latch rotates with the seat.

20. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 15, wherein the portion of the latch that engages the swivel mechanism is located outside of the swivel mechanism.

21. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 13, further including means connected to the seat for operating the latch.

22. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 21, wherein the means for operating the latch is a handle that rotates with the seat.

23. A vehicle seat assembly, including:

a track connected;

a seat having a seating portion and a seat back;

a base connected to the seat, the base engaging the track so as to permit longitudinal movement of the seat along the track; and

a locking mechanism for retaining the seat in a desired position along the track, the locking mechanism including a vertically extending pin located beneath the center of the seating portion of the seat.

24. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 23, further including a swivel mechanism connected to the base for permitting the seat to rotate about a vertical axis.

25. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 24, further including means connected to the seat for operating the locking mechanism.

26. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 25, wherein the means for operating the locking mechanism is a handle that rotates with the seat.

27. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 24, further including a latch for preventing rotation of the seat.

28. The vehicle seat assembly according to claim 23, wherein the pin engages a portion of the track.