Stowable cantilevered seat

• US 6,106,066 A
• Filed: 08/30/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Freedman Seating Company
• Original Assignee: Freedman Seating Company
• Inventors: Minbiole, Michael, Moffa, Michael Douglas, Reichenberger, Erin Renee
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US09/386,013
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.39, 297/14, 297/331, 297/334, 297/378.1, 297/335, 297/344.1, 297/314, 297/325, 297/326, 248/346.01, 248/240.01, 248/188.1, 248/188.6, 296/65.1
• US Class Current: 297/332
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3011 the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3043 about longitudinal axis

Abstract

A stowable seat for mounting to a support member of a vehicle and for use next to a preexisting obstruction wherein a space may be selectively provided for positioning a wheelchair article adjacent to the stowed seat which includes a frame attached to the support member (floor), a cantilevered seatbase and a seatback. The cantilevered seatbase has a free end, a linked end associated along a path generated arc with the frame for providing the seatbase with a range of motion that avoids the obstruction even when moved from a horizontally deployed position to a substantially vertical stowed position. For additional stability a diagonal support truss supports the seatbase in the deployed position with a movable end of the support truss sliding within a runner track and a fixed end journalled with the frame working in combination with said linked end defining the vertical and lateral motion of the seatbase. The seatback is rotatably associated with the seatbase and has a range of motion extending from an unfolded position to a folded where the seatback in the unfolded position can be adapted to be at a predetermined angle with respect to the seatbase in said deployed position to provide seating and the seatback in the folded position can be adapted to fold flat against the seatbase for stowing to provide the space for the wheelchair.

Claims

1. A stowable seat that can be used with a vehicle having a floor and walls, having a seatbase with a free end and a linked end that is pivotally mounted and is cantilevered and rotatable from a horizontally deployed position to a substantially vertical stowed position, the seat comprising:

a frame pivotally associated with the linked end of the seatbase, said frame mountable to the floor to support the seat in both the stowed position and deployed position without need of being secured by the walls of the vehicle, whereby the linked end of the seatbase can rotate downward without being impeded by any other support means for the seat, wherein the stowable seat has a releasable locking mechanism means to support the seat in each of the positions, said releasable locking mechanism means including releasable pin means with a pin and riding plate means with multiple positioning holes in the seatbase that cooperate with said releasable pin, means to anchor the seat by forcing said pin into said positioning holes in the seat base at either the deployed position of the seatbase or the stowed position of the seatbase, whereby the stowable seat can be rotated from a substantially vertical stowed position to a horizontal deployed position and automatically locked when said pin registers with said positioning holes in the seatbase of said riding plate means.

2. The stowable seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame is mounted to the floor of a vehicle right-next to a preexisting obstruction.

3. The stowable seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said links of path generating linkage system have cutouts.

4. A stowable seat as defined in claim 1, further including a seatback which is rotatably associated with the seatbase, being unfolded to provide seating when the seatbase is in the horizontal deployed position and folded substantially flat against the seatbase before moving the seatbase into the substantially vertical stowed position.

5. The stowable seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said releasable pin means is spring biased.

6. A stowable seat as defined in claim 1, further comprising an impinging cap that releasably fits with said frame by having a top that releasably locks with said impinging cap when the stowable seat is in its horizontal deployed position.

7. The stowable seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said seat base has two positioning holes to anchor the stowable seat.

8. A stowable seat as defined in claim 1, further defined by an actuating means to release the seat from the horizontally deployed position to a substantially vertical stowed position as well as from a substantially vertical stowed position to a horizontal deployed position.

9. A stowable seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said selected range of motion is a logarithmic path.

10. A stowable seat as defined in, claim 1, being further defined by biasing means attached between the seat base and said frame for providing a lifting force to assist in positioning and maintaining the stowable seat in the stowed position.

11. The stowable seat as defined in, claim 10, wherein said biasing means is defined as a pressurized cylinder.

12. A stowable seat as defined in claim 1, further including a path generating linkage system for insuring stowability and stability of the stowable seat, said path generating linkage system being mounted thereto and including multiple links for associating the seatbase with said frame in a path generated arc to provide a selectable range of motion to avoid obstructions when the stowable seat is moved between the horizontal deployed position and the substantially vertical stowed position.

13. The stowable seat as defined in claim 12, wherein said path generated linkage system has four links.

14. The stowable seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame includes first and second sides.

15. In a stowable seat as defined in claim 14, releasable cap means extending from a seat and impinging with the top of the frame on at least one of said frames first or second sides to further lock said seat in its horizontal deployed position.