Adjustable vehicle seat

• US 5,607,204 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sears Manufacturing Co.
• Original Assignee: Sears Manufacturing Co.
• Inventors: Gryp, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US08/482,615
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 297/337, 297/338, 297/339, 297/313, 297/311, 297/284.11, 297/DIG. 8
• US Class Current: 297/284.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0715 C or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0747 the opening of the cross section being oriented in a direction different from the vertical, e.g. transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0825 outside the rail
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0843 about a longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1839 pivoting about an axis located in an intermediate position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1878 Hydraulic or pneumatic actuation

Abstract

An adjustable seat bottom support assembly which allows the seat bottom to slide fore and aft relative to the seat backrest and which allows the front portion of the seat bottom to raise and lower vertically for greater comfort and thigh and leg support for a range of sizes of seat occupants.

Claims

1. An adjustable seat comprising:

a frame having a pair of tracks;

a backrest mounted to the frame;

a seat having a front and rear and mounted on a seat support plate, said support plate including a pair of depending rollers movably restrained within said tracks to permit fore and aft movement of said seat relative to said backrest;

an inflatable bag positioned below and engageable with said support plate for rotating said support plate relative to said frame and wherein said rollers act as the pivot point for said support plate to thereby adjust the vertical height of the front of said seat; and

a pressurized air supply and a conduit forming a pressurized air path between said air supply and said inflatable bag and having a manually actuatable valve to allow air into said bag and to vent air from said bag to modulate the height of the front of said seat.

2. The adjustable seat of claim 1 further comprising latch means operably attached to the support plate to allow and prevent said fore and aft movement.

3. The adjustable seat of claim 1 wherein the pair of tracks extends substantially the entire length of said frame.

4. The adjustable seat of claim 1 wherein the pair of depending rollers is located at substantially the rear of said seat.

5. The adjustable seat of claim 1 wherein the inflatable bag is secured to the support plate for lateral movement therewith.

6. The adjustable seat of claim 1 wherein the frame includes a support substantially at the front of the seat and carries the inflatable bag.

7. The adjustable seat of claim 1 wherein the manually actuatable valve is a rocker valve.

8. The adjustable seat of claim 7 wherein the rocker valve is positioned on said seat.