Quick-install seat switch
First Claim
1. A switch assembly for mounting to a seat pan having a non-circular seat pan cutout that extends through the seat pan comprising:
- a) a base that includes an outer wall having an upper wall portion defining a first set of radially outwardly extending members which fit through the non-circular seat pan cutout with the base in an insertion orientation, and engage an upper surface of the seat pan with the base rotated to an installed orientation, a lower wall portion having a second set of radially outwardly extending members which abut a bottom surface of the seat pan as the upper wall portion of said base is pushed through the seat pan cutout, and an intermediate wall portion between the upper and lower wall portions having an outer perimeter that allows the base to be rotated from said insertion orientation to the installed orientation with the upper wall portion above the seat pan and the lower wall portion below the seat pan and wherein neither the first nor the second set of radially outwardly extending members can be pushed through the non-circular cutout of the seat pan; and
b) a seat switch coupled to a surface of the base including actuation means which extends above the seat pan for actuation by an operator seated on the seat pan with the base is in the installed orientation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A safety switch assembly for de-activating a motor vehicle if a user is not positioned on a vehicle seat. The assembly includes a base for mounting a switch, a cover that moves in response to the presence of a vehicle operator on the seat, and an actuator that moves with the cover to open and close switch contacts inside a switch housing. The base is constructed to pass through a cutout in a vehicle seat pan and includes extensions that also pass through the cutout. The projections are inhibited from movement back through the cutout after the base is rotated from an orientation that allows the projections to be inserted through the cutout to an orientation in which the projections overlie the seat pan.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A switch assembly for mounting to a seat pan having a non-circular seat pan cutout that extends through the seat pan comprising:
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a) a base that includes an outer wall having an upper wall portion defining a first set of radially outwardly extending members which fit through the non-circular seat pan cutout with the base in an insertion orientation, and engage an upper surface of the seat pan with the base rotated to an installed orientation, a lower wall portion having a second set of radially outwardly extending members which abut a bottom surface of the seat pan as the upper wall portion of said base is pushed through the seat pan cutout, and an intermediate wall portion between the upper and lower wall portions having an outer perimeter that allows the base to be rotated from said insertion orientation to the installed orientation with the upper wall portion above the seat pan and the lower wall portion below the seat pan and wherein neither the first nor the second set of radially outwardly extending members can be pushed through the non-circular cutout of the seat pan; and b) a seat switch coupled to a surface of the base including actuation means which extends above the seat pan for actuation by an operator seated on the seat pan with the base is in the installed orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7)
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6. Apparatus for use with a vehicle comprising:
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a) a vehicle seat pan including a seat pan cutout extending through the seat pan;
said seat pan cutout having a generally uniform circumference disrupted at a plurality of locations by outwardly extending notches that also extend through the seat pan;b) a seat switch support mounted to .the vehicle seat pan including; i) a base including an outer wall having an outer circumference less than the uniform circumference of the seat pan cutout to allow said base to be pushed into the seat pan cutout; and ii) a first set of seat pan engaging members extending radially outward from an upper portion of the outer wall of said base, said engaging members adapted to be pushed through the notches and rotated such that the first set of pan engaging members in engagement with an upper surface of the seat pan; and iii) one or more movement limiting members extending radially outward from a lower portion of the outer wall of said base;
adapted to engage a bottom surface of the seat pan with the base pushed into the cutout; andc) a seat switch coupled to the base including actuation means extending above the upper surface of the seat pan for actuation by an operator seated on the seat pan.
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Specification