Pivot bracket and convertible seat

• US 6,257,667 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayliner Marine Corporation (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bayliner Marine Corporation (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Boren, Kelly LaMarr, Canada, John Harley
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US09/345,578
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 297/353, 297/357, 297/354.1, 297/354.13, 297/376, 297/374, 248/291.1, 248/371, 248/133
• US Class Current: 297/353
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 29/04 Furniture peculiar to vessels floatable furniture B63C9/30

Abstract

A pivot bracket for a convertible boat lounge seat and a bracket in combination with a convertible boat lounge seat having connections for attaching to a pivot bracket beneath and spaced inward of the horizontal seat side edges of the horizontal seat, the bracket having a vertical slot, the bow of a back pivotally and slidably connected to the bracket within the slot for movement of the back into a forward facing position, a rearward facing position, and an upward facing lounge position, the bow pivoting in movement in a slot in the horizontal seat spaced inward from the side edge of the horizontal seat, and bow retaining members spaced forward and aft on the bracket to retain the bow in its forward and rearward facing positions.

Claims

1. A pivot bracket for a convertible boat seat for use on a seat having a horizontal seat with an upper surface and a movable back, the movable back being movable between forward facing, rear facing and upward facing positions with the back having a seating surface for facing upward when in said upward facing position and a back bow, the bracket comprising:

a back plate having upper and lower fastener plates, a set of horizontally spaced upright forward and rearward bow retaining members, and an elongated vertical slot having an upper end;

said back plate slot adapted to pivotally receive said seat back bow within said vertical slot to allow the back bow to pivot forward into engagement with said forward bow retaining member, rearward into engagement with said rearward bow retaining member, and to move vertically upward in said slot to be raised and pivoted at the upper end of said slot clear of the bow retaining members for laying the seat back in a horizontal position with said seating surface facing upward and in the same horizontal plane as the upper surface of the horizontal seat to make a lounge.

2. A pivot bracket for a convertible boat seat for use on a seat having a horizontal seat and a movable back, the movable back being movable between forward facing rear facing and upward facing positions the bracket comprising:

a back plate having per and lower fastener plates, a set of horizontally spaced upright forward and rearward bow retaining members, and an elongated vertical slot having an upper end;

said back plate slot adapted to pivotally receive a seat back bow within said vertical slot to allow the back bow to pivot forward into engagement with said forward bow retaining member, rearward into engagement with said rearward bow retaining member and to move vertically upward in said slot to be raised and pivoted at the upper end of said slot; and

said bow retaining members each including a bent curved flange bent out of said back plate.

3. A pivot bracket for a convertible boat seat for use on a seat having a horizontal seat and a movable back, the movable back being movable between forward facing, rear facing and upward facing positions, the bracket comprising:

a back plate having upper and lower fastener plates, a set of horizontally spaced upright forward and rearward bow retaining members and an elongated vertical slot having an upper end;

said back plate slot adapted to pivotally receive a seat back bow within said vertical slot to allow the back bow to pivot forward into engagement with said forward bow retaining member, rearward into engagement with said rearward bow retaining member and to move vertically upward in said slot to be raised and pivoted at the upper end of said slot, and

said upper fastener plates being horizontal flanges bent out of said back plate and extending outwardly from said back plate in the direction opposite said bow retaining members.

4. The bracket of claim 3, wherein said bow retaining members each including a bent curved flange bent out of said back plate.

5. A convertible lounge seat for a boat comprising:

a horizontal seat having an upper surface with a forward end and a rearward end, left and right side edges, said horizontal seat mounted on a support having opposite vertical sides;

a movable back;

said back having a forward surface and a rearward surface;

said back being movable so that the forward surface of the back is adjacent the forward end of the horizontal seat into a rearward facing position, movable so that the rearward surface of the back is adjacent the rear end of the horizontal seat into a forward facing position, and movable so that the forward surface of the back is facing upward and aligned horizontally with the upper surface of the horizontal seat into a lounge position;

the improvement comprising;

a set of transversely spaced pivot brackets mounted to said support under said horizontal seat;

said horizontal seat having a set of transversely spaced bow receiving slots spaced inwardly from said left and right side edges;

said back attached to an elongated U-shaped bow having opposite spaced legs, said legs passing through said bow receiving slots and pivotally connecting to said pivot brackets;

each said pivot bracket having an elongated vertical slot slidably and pivotally receiving said legs of said bow so that the seat back can pivot forward, rearward and the bow legs slide up in said elongated vertical slot so the back can be lifted upward and then swung rearward into said lounge position.

6. The lounge seat of claim 5, wherein said pivot bracket includes a back plate having upper and lower fastener plates and a set of horizontally spaced upright forward and rearward bow retaining members.

7. The lounge seat of claim 5, wherein said pivot bracket includes spaced bow retaining members each including a bent curved flange.

8. The lounge seat of claim 7, wherein said pivot bracket includes a back plate having upper and lower fastener plates and wherein said pivot bracket upper fastener plates are horizontal flanges bent out of said back plate and extending outwardly from said back plate in the direction opposite said bow retaining members.

9. A pivot bracket for a convertible boat seat for use on a seat having a horizontal seat with an upper horizontal surface and a movable back, the movable back being movable between an upright position and a lowered horizontal upward facing position with the back having a seating surface for facing upward when in said upward facing position and a back bow, the bracket comprising:

a back plate having fastening members for attaching the back plate to the seat, at least one bow bow retaining member, and an elongated vertical slot having an upper end;

said back plate vertical slot adapted to pivotally receive said back bow within said vertical slot to allow the back bow to pivot into engagement with said bow retaining member, and to move vertically upward in said slot to be raised and pivoted at the upper end of said slot clear of the bow retaining member for laying the back in a horizontal position with said seating surface facing upwardly and in the same horizontal plane as the upper horizontal surface of the horizontal seat to make a lounge.

10. The bracket of claim 9, further including a second bow retaining member spaced from said first bow retaining member to provide forward and rearward bow retaining members, said back plate vertical slot adapted to allow the back bow to pivot forward into engagement with said forward bow retaining member, rearward into engagement with said rearward bow retaining member as well as to move vertically in the slot clear of the bow retaining members when moving the back into the horizontal lounge position.