Movable seat, particularly a removable vehicle seat

• US 4,700,989 A
• Filed: 05/07/1986
• Issued: 10/20/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sable and Matra Automobile
• Original Assignee: Sable and Matra Automobile
• Inventors: Ercilla, Jose A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rendos, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US06/873,672
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 297/14, 297/334, 297/331, 297/379, 248/501, 296/65 R
• US Class Current: 297/331
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01583 locking on transversal elements on the vehicle floor or rail, e.g. transversal rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/10 tiltable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2875 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/206 to a position in which it can be used as a support for objects, e.g. as a tray
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3013 the back-rest being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/305 the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/36 into a loading platform B60N2/065 takes precedence

Abstract

A movable seat assembly, such as a removable vehicle seat, comprising a structure having front legs and rear legs, each of the legs including a fork member and arranged to co-operate with a fixed attachment rod of a frame. A movable lock member is provided on each leg and is used to lock the leg on the corresponding attachment rod. A return biasing means is provided for urging each of the lock members into its locked position, and manually operated means are provided for actuating each of the lock members into its unlocked position, against the return biasing means, in order to release the seat legs from the corresponding attachment rods.

Claims

1. A movable seat assembly suitable for use as a removable vehicle seat, said seat assembly comprising:

seat structure having front seat legs and rear seat legs, each of said legs including a fork member cooperable with a fixed attachment rod of a frame supporting the seat assembly, said frame having an upper surface;

a movable lock member on each said front seat leg and rear seat leg for locking said leg on the corresponding attachment rod;

return biasing means for urging each of said lock members into a locked position on the corresponding attachment rod;

manually operated means for actuating each of said lock members into an unlocked position, against said return biasing means in order to release the seat legs with respect to the corresponding attachment rod, said seat assembly being movable between a lowered position and an uptilted position, said manually operated means of the rear lock members being operable in any position of the seat assembly, said manually operated means of the front lock members being operable only when the seat assembly is in its said uptilted position, in order to prevent unlocking of said front seat legs when a passenger is seated on the seat assembly;

a control rod system movable with respect to said seat structure and said frame during motion of the seat assembly between said lowered and uptilted positions, said control rod system comprising a stop member for locking said manually operated means of the front lock members when the seat assembly is not in its uptilted position, and for releasing said manually operated means of the front lock members when the assembly in its uptilted position.

2. A seat assembly according to claim 1, and further including a pad member hinged onto the front leg and a bar bearing said stop member, said pad member having a front surface in sliding contact with said upper surface of said frame, to move said bar with respect to said manually operated means of the front lock members, thereby releasing said stop member from said manually operated means as said assembly moves to its uptilted position.

3. A seat assembly according to claim 2, wherein said front legs are fixed with respect to said seat structure, while said rear legs each comprise a hinged lever arranged on said seat structure for retracting along said structure when said seat assembly is brought into its uptilted position.

4. A seat assembly according to claim 3, wherein said hinged lever forming the rear leg is hinged onto said bar.

5. A seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein said front lock members are connected through a transverse control rod, said transverse control rod being reachable from underneath said seat structure.

6. A seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein said rear lock members are connected through a transverse control rod, and at least one of the rear legs bearing a handle for manual control of said rear lock members, said handle being reachable laterally of said rear lock members.

7. A seat assembly according to claim 6, wherein a strap is hooked onto said transverse control rod and extends rearwardly of the seat assembly, for controlling the rear lock members rearwardly of the seat.

8. A seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein said front lock members and rear lock members include engagement ramps for automatically retracting said lock members against their return biasing means when the seat assembly is brought into position on its attachment rods.

9. A seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein said seat comprises no removable part when moved to its uptilted position or when it is disengaged from said attachment rods.

10. A seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein said attachment rods are arranged within cavities provided below the level of said upper surface of said frame, thereby ensuring a flush upper surface on said frame when the seat assembly is removed.

11. A seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the front legs are connectable with the rear leg attachment rods and the rear legs are connectable with the front leg attachment rods, for mounting the seat assembly either facing forward or rearward in relation to the front of the vehicle.

12. A seat assembly according to claim 1, and further including a back portion structure hingedly mounted on said seat structure, said back portion structure including a lock member for maintaining said back portion structure in an appropriate resting position for a passenger, said back portion lock member bearing a control handle for releasing said back portion lock member, said handle operating against a return spring which normally urges said handle into a locked position.

13. A seat assembly according to claim 12, wherein said back portion lock member defines an upright position of said back portion structure and cooperates with a finger which is movable together with said back portion structure, said finger being provided with adjustment means for adjusting the position of said finger on said back portion structure, thereby adjusting said upright position of said back portion structure.

14. A seat assembly according to claim 13, wherein adjustable stop means are provided for defining a travel limit of said back portion structure when said back portion structure is folded down.

15. A seat assembly according to claim 14, wherein said adjustable stop means comprise an adjustable stop member cooperable with said finger at said travel limit when said back portion structure is folded down.

16. A seat assembly according to claim 15, wherein said adjustable stop member is fabricated from plastics material.