Device for collapsing a backrest of a backseat of a car

• US 5,662,369 A
• Filed: 06/23/1995
• Issued: 09/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chuo Hatsujo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Chuo Hatsujo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Tsuge, Yoshikatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US08/494,112
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 296/65.1, 296/68, 296/66, 296/69, 297/378.12, 297/378.13, 297/378.14, 292/210, 292/225, 292/DIG. 25, 74/480 R
• US Class Current: 296/66
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/366 characterised by the locking device
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/35 Seat, bench or back-rests being split laterally in two or more parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/40 Dual or redundant actuating means, e.g. backrest tilting can be actuated alternatively by a lever at the backrest or a lever in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/25 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1057 Flexible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20213 Interconnected

Abstract

A device for collapsing a backrest of a backseat of a car for placing in communication a rear trunk with the passenger compartment of the car. The backrest is biased from an upright position to a collapsed position forwardly by a coiled biasing spring. A latch rod fixed to the backrest is received and held by a releasable latch of a backseat lock so that the backrest is releasably held in an upright position against the biasing force of the biasing spring. The lock is connected to a control cable operable manually from the vicinity of the front seat of the car or from the vicinity of the rear trunk to render the latch holding action ineffective and release the latch rod. The biasing spring will then collapse the backrest forwardly. The backrest is restored manually to an upright position and locked in readiness for collapsing by the biasing spring. The control cable has a flexible outer casing and an inner cable slidable longitudinally therein.

Claims

1. A device for collapsing a backrest of a backseat of a car comprising:

biasing means for biasing the backrest of said backseat to collapse forwardly;

lock means for holding the backrest in an upright position;

front seat side release means in the proximity of a front seat of the car and a trunk side release means in the proximity of a trunk space of the car for alternatively releasing the backrest from holding by said lock means thereby allowing said biasing means to effect collapsing forwardly of said backrest; and

means for connecting one to another the lock means, the front seat release means and the trunk side release means comprising a control cable having a flexible outer casing and an inner cable slidable longitudinally therein extending from each of the front and trunk side release means and a bell crank mechanism connecting said control cable and the lock means.

2. A device for collapsing a backrest of a backseat of a car according to claim 1, in which said lock means comprises a latch rod fixed to said backrest, a releasable latch receptive of said latch rod when said backrest is positioned upright and releasably holding the backrest upright against a biasing force of said biasing means;

and

lost-motion means in said lock means operable alternatively by said release means to render holding of the latch rod by said releasable latch ineffective and release said latch rod.