Method and apparatus for assembly of a riding lawn mower seat

• US 6,010,194 A
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mtd Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mtd Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cykon, James
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, PETER R
• Application Number:
  US09/005,331
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.1, 297/440.22, 248/223.41, 248/424, 248/429, 296/63, 296/65.13
• US Class Current: 297/440.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/24 for particular purposes or particular vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/38 specially constructed for use on tractors or like off-road vehicles

Abstract

An adjustable seat assembly and method of assembly for a riding lawn mower having at least one channel in a seat bracket whereby the operator can manually adjust the position of the seat. Guideposts located on the lower surface of the seat slide within the channel and provide support against a rocking motion. A lever attached to a seat bracket locks the seat in a position comfortable for the operator. The method includes assembling the seat to the seat bracket without the use of tools.

Claims

1. An adjustable seat assembly which is attached to a riding lawn mower, the riding lawn mower having a frame, a steering wheel, said adjustable seat assembly comprising:

a seat having a lower surface and an upright backrest portion;

a first, second, third and fourth guidepost, each of said guideposts having a head, a base and a body, said head being located substantially in the middle of said body, said base being located at the end of said body, said head, said base, and said body all being integral, said guideposts being located equidistantly apart from one another;

a seat bracket, said seat bracket having connecting means for connecting said seat bracket to the frame of the lawn mower, said bracket having a cylindrical cavity for accepting a spring, a first and second channel, said first and second channels being located on opposite sides of said seat bracket, a first and second downturned end, a first and second downturned portion, a first and second extension, a first and second mounting means, a upper and lower surface, said first and second extensions each having a hole, said second downturned end having a first opening and a second opening, said first and said second channels having a width W1, said first channel having first and second ends, said second channel having first and second ends, said first opening coinciding with said second end of said first channel, said second opening coinciding with said second end of said second channel, said first channel able to accept said third and said fourth guideposts, said second channel able to accept said first and said second guideposts, said first and said second channels being parallel to one another, said body portion of said guideposts able to move within said channels, said head and said base of said guideposts being circular and having an outer periphery greater than said width W1 of said channels, said spring opening having a knob portion, said connecting means connecting said seat bracket to the frame of the lawn mower by said holes in said extensions;

said spring having a first and a second end, said knob portion of said cylindrical cavity for receiving said spring being within said second end of said spring, said first end connected to a lever;

said lever having a first end, a second end, an engaging portion, an edge, a spring engager, at least one slot, a first and second slanted portion, said spring engager being within said second end of said spring, said lever being attached to said seat bracket by second mounting means;

a seat position selector, said seat position selector being attached to said seat bracket by said third and said fourth guideposts, said seat position selector having a first and second end, a first and second hole, a first and second side, said first hole located at said first end and said second hole located at said second end, said second side having at least one slot, said slot able to accept said engaging portion of said lever, said seat position selector being attached to said lower surface of said seat; and

a stop, said stop being attached to said seat bracket beneath said second channel, said stop having a first and a second arm each having a center, a slanted portion, a downturned portion, and a flat end, said first and said second arms each having a hole within said center, said first mounting means mounting said arms to said lower surface of said seat bracket, said slanted portion extending into said downturned portion, said downturned portion extending into said flat end, said stop able to deflect to allow only said first guidepost to proceed past said stop.

2. An adjustable seat assembly which is attached to a riding lawn mower, the riding lawn mower having a frame, a steering wheel, said adjustable seat assembly comprising:

a seat having a lower surface and an upright backrest portion;

a seat bracket, said seat bracket having a upper and lower surface, and at least one channel, said channel having a first and second end, and a width W1, said seat bracket having a connecting means, said connecting means connecting said seat bracket to the frame of the lawn mower;

a stop, said stop attached to said seat bracket, said stop able to deflect upwardly;

at least one guidepost, said guidepost having a base and a body, wherein said guidepost deflects said stop upwardly; and

wherein said guidepost is inserted into said channel for movement therein.

3. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said seat bracket further comprises a downturned portion, said downturned portion having at least one opening, said opening coinciding with said second end of said channel, the adjustable seat assembly having the same number of said openings as said channels.

4. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said base of said guidepost further comprises a width W2, said width W2 of said base being equal to, or greater than, said width W1 of said channel.

5. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

a mounting means; and

a seat adjustment means, said seat adjustment means having a lever and a seat position selector, said lever having a first end, a second end, and an upturned portion, said seat position selector having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, said second side having slots, said slots able to accept said upturned portion of said lever, said mounting means mounting said seat position selector to said lower surface of said seat.

6. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 5 further comprising:

a spring, said spring having a first end and a second end, said first end of said spring engaged with said lever;

and wherein said seat bracket further comprises a spring opening accepting said spring.

7. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said adjustable seat assembly further comprises four substantially equidistant guideposts.

8. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said adjustable seat assembly further comprises two substantially parallel channels.

9. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said channels are parallel to one another.

10. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said stop further comprises a slanted portion and a downturned portion, said stop attached to said lower surface of said seat bracket.

11. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said opening has a width W3, said width W3 of said downturned portion is larger than said width W2 of said base of said guidepost.

12. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said base of said guidepost further comprises a width W2, said width W2 of said base being equal to, or greater than, said width W1 of said channel.

13. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

a mounting means; and

a seat adjustment means, said seat adjustment means having a lever and a seat position selector, said lever having a first end, a second end, and an upturned portion, said seat position selector having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, said second side having slots, said slots able to accept said upturned portion of said lever, said mounting means mounting said seat position selector to said lower surface of said seat.

14. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

a spring, said spring having a first end and a second end, said first end of said spring engaged with said lever;

and wherein said seat bracket further comprises a spring opening accepting said spring.

15. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said adjustable seat assembly further comprises four substantially equidistant guideposts.

16. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said adjustable seat assembly further comprises two substantially parallel channels.

17. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said channels are parallel to one another.

18. The adjustable seat assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said stop further comprises a slanted portion and a downturned portion, said stop attached to said lower surface of said seat bracket.

19. A method for assembling a seat to a lawn mower, the lawn mower having a seat bracket, the seat bracket having at least one channel, the channel having a first end, and a stop located within only one channel and being in an undeflected position U, the method comprising:

positioning a seat having at least one guidepost attached to its lower surface, said guidepost having a base, by placing said base through the first end of the channel;

sliding said seat along the channel;

deflecting the stop to a maximum deflection D by sliding said seat along the channel thereby engaging said guidepost with the stop;

sliding said seat to a point just passed the stop whereby the stop returns to its undeflected position U; and

,

engaging a lever, said lever being attached to the seat bracket, to lock said seat into an initial position thereby preventing said seat from moving.

20. A method for assembling a seat to a lawn mower, the lawn mower having a seat bracket attached, the seat bracket having at least one channel, the channel having a first end, and a stop located within only one channel and being in an undeflected position U, the method comprising:

positioning a seat having at least one guidepost attached to its lower surface, said guidepost having a base, by placing said base through the first end of the channel;

moving and holding a lever in a direction to compress a spring located within the seat bracket while simultaneously sliding said seat along the channel, said lever being attached to the seat bracket;

deflecting the stop to a maximum deflection D by sliding said seat along the channel thereby engaging said guidepost with the stop;

sliding said seat to a point just passed the stop whereby the stop returns to its undeflected position U; and

,

releasing the lever to lock said seat into an initial position thereby preventing said from moving.

21. A method for assembling a seat to a lawn mower, the lawn mower having a seat bracket attached, the seat bracket having at least one channel, a downturned portion having at least one opening, the channel having a first end, the number of channels and number of openings being equal, the opening of the downturned portion coinciding with the channel opening, and a stop located within only one channel and being in an undeflected position U, the method comprising:

positioning a seat having at least one guidepost attached to its lower surface, said guidepost having a base, by placing said base through the opening of the downturned portion of the seat bracket;

moving and holding a lever in a direction to compress a spring located within the seat bracket while simultaneously sliding said seat within and along the channel, said lever being attached to the seat bracket;

deflecting the stop to a maximum deflection D by sliding said seat along the channel thereby engaging said guidepost with the stop;

sliding said seat to a point just passed the stop whereby the stop returns to its undeflected position U; and

,

releasing said lever to lock said seat into an initial position thereby preventing said seat from moving.

22. A method for assembling a seat to a lawn mower, the lawn mower having a seat bracket attached, the seat bracket having at least one channel, a downturned portion having at least one opening, the channel having a first end, the number of channels and number of openings being equal, the opening of the downturned portion coinciding with the channel opening, and a stop located within only one channel and being in an undeflected position U, the method comprising:

positioning a seat having at least one guidepost attached to its lower surface, said guidepost having a base, by placing said base through the opening of the downturned portion of the seat bracket;

sliding said seat along the channel;

deflecting the stop to a maximum deflection D by sliding said seat along the channel thereby engaging said guidepost with the stop;

sliding said seat to a point just passed the stop whereby the stop returns to its undeflected position U; and

,

engaging a lever to lock said seat into an initial position thereby preventing said seat from moving, said lever being attached to the seat bracket.