Knee action suspension seat

• US 5,651,585 A
• Filed: 02/25/1994
• Issued: 07/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seats, Inc. (Nordic Group of Cos. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Seats, Inc. (Nordic Group of Cos. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Van Duser, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allred, David E.
• Application Number:
  US08/202,106
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.15, 297/344.16, 297/325, 297/328, 248/585, 248/586, 248/588
• US Class Current: 297/344.16
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/505 Adjustable suspension including height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/507 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/525 using gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/544 Compression or tension springs B60N2/542 takes precedence

Abstract

A seat including a base; a housing vertically movable relative to the base; a pivot arm assembly pivotally movable relative to the housing between upwardly and downwardly pivoted positions; a seat cushion bracket movable relative to the housing in response to pivotal movement of the pivot arm assembly; and an air spring having a lower end fixed relative to the housing for movement therewith relative to the base, and the air spring having an upper end connected to the pivot arm assembly to bias the pivot arm assembly toward the upwardly pivoted position.

Claims

1. A seat comprising:

a base;

a height adjustment bracket pivotally movable relative to said base;

a housing vertically movable relative to said base and pivotally movable relative to said height adjustment bracket;

a pivot arm assembly pivotally movable relative to said housing between upwardly and downwardly pivoted positions;

a seat cushion bracket movable relative to said housing in response to pivotal movement of said pivot arm assembly;

an air spring having a lower end fixed relative to said housing for movement therewith relative to said base, and said air spring having an upper end connected to said pivot arm assembly to bias said pivot arm assembly toward the upwardly pivoted position; and

means for moving said housing upwardly relative to said base, said means for moving said housing including a spring which is operable to move said height adjustment bracket relative to said base.

2. A seat comprising:

a base;

a housing vertically movable relative to said base;

a pivot arm assembly pivotally movable relative to said housing between upwardly and downwardly pivoted positions;

a seat cushion bracket movable relative to said housing in response to pivotal movement of said pivot arm assembly;

an air spring having a lower end fixed relative to said housing for movement therewith relative to said base, and said air spring having an upper end connected to said pivot arm assembly to bias said pivot arm assembly toward the upwardly pivoted position;

a link pivotally movable relative to said base and relative to said housing; and

means for releasably locking said link relative to said housing to establish a static vertical position of said housing relative to said base, said means for releasably locking said link relative to said housing including a lever pivotally mounted on said housing.

3. A seat comprising:

a base;

a housing vertically movable relative to said base;

a pivot arm assembly pivotally movable relative to and connecting said housing and said base for movement between upwardly and downwardly pivoted positions;

a seat cushion bracket movable relative to said housing in response to pivotal movement of said pivot arm assembly;

an air spring having an upper end connected to said pivot arm assembly to bias said pivot arm assembly toward the upwardly pivoted position;

means separate from said air spring for moving said housing upwardly relative to said base;

said means for moving including a link of said arm assembly pivotally movable relative to said base and relative to said housing; and

means for releasably locking said link relative to said housing to establish a static vertical position of said housing relative to said base.

4. The seat as set forth in claim 3 and wherein said housing can be established in a plurality of static vertical positions relative to said base, wherein said link is movable relative to said housing between a plurality of link positions corresponding to said static vertical positions of said housing, and wherein said locking means selectively and releasably locks said link relative to said housing in any one of said link positions.

5. The seat forth in claim 3 and wherein said means for releasably locking said link relative to said housing includes a lever pivotally mounted on said housing.

6. A seat comprising:

a base;

a height adjustment bracket pivotally movable relative to said base;

a housing supported relative to said base such that said housing is vertically movable relative to said base and is pivotally movable relative to said height adjustment bracket;

a pivot arm assembly pivotally movable relative to said housing between upwardly and downwardly pivoted positions;

a seat cushion bracket movable relative to said housing in response to pivotal movement of said pivot arm assembly;

means for releasably locking said housing in a plurality of static vertical positions relative to said base;

said housing being supported relative to said base such that said housing moves upwardly relative to said base when said locking means is released; and

a spring which is operable to move said height adjustment bracket relative to said base for moving said housing upwardly relative to said base when said locking means is released.

8. The seat as set forth in claim 6 and wherein said seat further comprises an air spring having a lower end fixed relative to said housing for movement therewith relative to said base, and said air spring having an upper end connected to said pivot arm assembly to bias said pivot arm assembly toward the upwardly pivoted position.

7. A seat comprising:

a base;

a housing supported relative to said base such that said housing is vertically movable relative to said base;

a pivot arm assembly pivotally movable relative to said housing between upwardly and downwardly pivoted positions;

a seat cushion bracket movable relative to said housing in response to pivotal movement of said pivot arm assembly;

a link pivotally movable relative to said base and relative to said housing;

means for releasably locking said housing in a plurality of static vertical positions relative to said base, said means for releasably locking said housing including means for releasably locking said link relative to said housing, said means for releasably locking said link relative to said housing including a lever pivotally mounted on said housing; and

said housing being supported relative to said base such that said housing moves upwardly relative to said base when said means for releasably locking said housing is released.