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Tumble seat with displaceable side handle release

  • US 5,671,965 A
  • Filed: 03/26/1996
  • Issued: 09/30/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A vehicle seat for use in a vehicle including floor means having a pair of front and rear wells disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and anchor members extending across said wells, said seat being constructed and arranged to be movable between an operative position for receiving a passenger thereon and forwardly tumbled, storage position, said vehicle seat comprising:

  • a pair of rigid support structures disposed on opposite sides of said vehicle seat,a cushioned seat structure on said pair of rigid support structures,front and rear legs mounted on each of said rigid support structures, each of said legs including a downwardly facing surface for engaging the anchor members, and associated front and rear hook members, each of said front and rear hook members being mounted for movement between (1) an operative position so as to enter the associated front and rear wells and engage in hooked relationship with the anchor members so as to detachably retain the rigid support structures in a fixed, operative position on the floor means with the anchor members and the downwardly facing surfaces in engagement and (2) an inoperative position removed from engagement with the anchor members,each of said rear legs being pivotally coupled to an associated rigid support structure so as to be movable between (1) an operative position extending generally downwardly with respect to an associated rigid support structure permitting said rear hook members to be disposed in the operative position thereof, and (2) a forwardly folded position disposed generally adjacent an associated rigid support structure, andan actuating mechanism operatively associated with said rear hook members and including manually movable handle structure associated with at least one of said rear legs in a position to be manually grasped and operated at a side of said vehicle seat, said handle structure being biased toward a use position by a spring system, said actuating mechanism being constructed and arranged with respect to said rear hook members so that manual movement of said handle structure from said use position moves said rear hook members from their operative position to their inoperative position thereby permitting said vehicle seat to be pivoted about said front anchor members, disposed in the operative position thereof, and moved to the forwardly tumbled, storage position thereof,said handle structure including a lost-motion connection constructed and arranged such that when said rear legs move toward their forwardly folded position causing a portion of said handle structure to contact a surface of an associated rigid support which would otherwise restrict movement of said rear legs, said lost-motion connection permits said handle structure to move against the bias thereon, enabling said rear legs to complete movement to their forwardly folded position thereof.

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