Seat for self-propelled narrow-track vehicle

• US 5,857,535 A
• Filed: 01/29/1997
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verward Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Verward Pty Limited
• Inventors: Brooks, Robert Alden
• Primary Examiner(s): ELDRED, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US08/790,484
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 280/755, 280/226.1, 280/760, 180/41, 180/282, 180/290, 180/271
• US Class Current: 180/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/39 Seats tiltable to compensate for roll inclination of vehicles

Abstract

A low aspect self-propelled vehicle (1) operated by a driver (4) sitting on top of it, has its seat (7) supported from beneath by a flange (12) which is pivoted to tilt about a horizontal axis (15) in the mid-vertical plane of the vehicle. The spacing between the axis (15) and the seat (7) is sufficient to ensure that when the seat is tilted about the axis by operation of a tilt control mechanism (21), the center of seat also displaces a significant extent in the uphill direction of the slope. This reduces the downhill movement of the center-of-gravity (10) of the combination of vehicle plus driver, so that the risk of the vehicle toppling is reduced.

Claims

1. An assembly for installation in a self-propelled vehicle having a seat anchorage and a seat pan removably attached to the seat anchorage, said assembly comprising:

a base plate structure for attachment to the seat anchorage of the vehicle after removal of the seat pan from the seat anchorage,

a seat support means for receiving the seat pan at an upper side of the seat support means after removal of the seat pan from the seat anchorage, the seat support means having a lower side opposite its upper side,

an interconnect member fixed to the lower side of the seat support means and extending therefrom,

a pivot connecting a lower end of said interconnect member to the base plate structure and allowing angular movement of the seat support means relative to the base plate structure,

a mechanism effective between the base plate structure and the seat support means to change the angular position of the seat support means relative to the base plate structure about the pivot,

a tilt sensor which automatically provides an output signal in response to tilting of the seat support means from a horizontal position, and

processing circuitry responsive to said signal to operate said mechanism and restore the seat support means to a horizontal position,

whereby the assembly can be installed in the vehicle as a self-contained unit, independent of other mechanisms of the vehicle, by removing the seat pan, attaching the base plate structure to the seat anchorage and attaching the seat pan to the seat support means.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism includes a rack member attached at one end to the seat support means, a pinion engaged with the rack member and mounted to the base plate structure, and an electric motor for driving the pinion.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry includes an electrical circuit having first and second parallel branches, the tilt sensor includes a switch means having first and second contacts associated with the first and second parallel branches respectively of the electrical processing circuit, for providing an output signal having a first component in response to tilting of the seat support means from a horizontal position in a first direction and a second component in response to tilting of the seat support means from a horizontal position in a second direction, opposite the first direction.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the switch means comprises first and second mercury tilt switches on said seat means and associated with said first and second parallel branches respectively of the electrical processing circuit.

5. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the switch means includes a pendulum operated switch having first and second contacts associated with said first and second parallel branches respectively of the electrical processing circuit.

6. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein each branch includes an adjustable time delay unit allowing the respective signal component to pass through it if the signal component is sustained for longer than one second.

7. An assembly according to claim 3, including a first relay having a contact which operates to prevent the first branch from processing a signal component if the second branch is operating and a second relay having a contact which operates to prevent the second branch from processing a signal component if the first branch is operating.

8. An assembly according to claim 1, including limit switches between the base plate structure and the seat support means for preventing the processing circuitry from responding to said signal in the event that tilting of the seat support means relative to the base plate structure exceeds a predetermined angle.

9. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry includes a vibration suppression circuit.

10. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism includes an electric motor and the processing circuitry is an electrical circuit.

11. A self-propelled vehicle having a seat anchorage, a seat pan and a seat mounting assembly comprising:

a base plate structure removably attached to the seat anchorage of the vehicle,

a seat support means which detachably receives the seat pan at an upper side of the seat support means, the seat support means having a lower side opposite its upper side,

an interconnect member fixed to the lower side of the seat support means and extending therefrom,

a pivot connecting a lower end of said interconnect member to the base plate structure and allowing angular movement of the seat support means relative to the base plate structure,

a mechanism effective between the base plate structure and the seat support means to change the angular position of the seat support means relative to the base plate structure about the pivot,

a tilt sensor which automatically provides an output signal in response to tilting of the seat support means from a horizontal position, and

processing circuitry responsive to said signal to operate said mechanism and restore the seat support means to a horizontal position,

and wherein the seat mounting assembly can be removed from the vehicle as a self-contained unit, independent of other mechanisms of the vehicle, and the seat pan can be detached from the seat support means and attached to the seat anchorage in place of the base plate structure.

12. A vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the mechanism includes a rack member attached at one end to the seat support means, a pinion engaged with the rack member and mounted to the base plate structure, and an electric motor for driving the pinion.

13. A vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry includes an electrical circuit having first and second parallel branches, the tilt sensor includes a switch means having first and second contacts associated with the first and second parallel branches respectively of the electrical processing circuit, for providing an output signal having a first component in response to tilting of the seat support means from a horizontal position in a first direction and a second component in response to tilting of the seat support means from a horizontal position in a second direction, opposite the first direction.

14. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the switch means comprises first and second mercury tilt switches on said seat means and associated with said first and second parallel branches respectively of the electrical processing circuit.

15. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the switch means includes a pendulum operated switch having first and second contacts associated with said first and second parallel branches respectively of the electrical processing circuit.

16. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein each branch includes an adjustable time delay unit allowing the respective signal component to pass through it if the signal component is sustained for longer than one second.

17. A vehicle according to claim 13, including a first relay having a contact which operates to prevent the first branch from processing a signal component if the second branch is operating and a second relay having a contact which operates to prevent the second branch from processing a signal component if the first branch is operating.

18. A vehicle according to claim 11, including limit switches between the base plate structure and the seat support means for preventing the processing circuitry from responding to said signal in the event that tilting of the seat support means relative to the base plate structure exceeds a predetermined angle.

19. A vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry includes a vibration suppression circuit.

20. A vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the mechanism includes an electric motor and the processing circuitry is an electrical circuit.