Auxiliary seating system for light weight utility vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10081275-B2
Application number	US-201715406969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2017
Priority date	Jan 16, 2017
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

An auxiliary seating system for a light weight utility vehicle that comprises a seat support cage attachable to a rear portion of the vehicle, and a pair of seat assemblies mounted to the cage structure such that each seat assembly is oriented to be facing at least partially inward toward a longitudinal center line of the vehicle. Each seat assembly comprises a seat bottom that is pivotal between a down position and an up position. Each seat assembly can include a golf bag yoke disposed on an underside of the seat bottom, and a seat belt that retains a passenger within the seat assembly when the seat bottom is in the down position, and retains a golf bag within the respective golf bag yoke when the seat bottom is in the up position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An auxiliary seating system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
a seat support cage attachable to a rear portion of a vehicle; and
at least one seat assembly mounted to the seat support cage such that each of the at least one seat assembly is oriented to be facing at least partially inward toward a longitudinal center line of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each seat assembly comprises a seat bottom, wherein the seat bottom is movable between a passenger seating position and a stowed position.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein each seat assembly further comprises a seat position retention device structured and operable to retain the seat bottom in the stowed position.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one seat bottom comprises a golf bag yoke disposed on an underside of the respective seat bottom.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein at least one seat assembly further comprises a seat belt that is structured and operable to retain a passenger in the respective seat assembly when the seat bottom is in the passenger seating position, and to retain a golf bag within the respective golf bag yoke when the seat bottom is in the stowed position.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the seat support cage comprises a front wall, opposing sidewalls and a rear wall, wherein the rear wall includes a passenger ingress/egress opening.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein on opposing sides of the passenger ingress/egress opening the rear wall comprises a passenger retention structure.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising a passenger grab bar connected to the front wall.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising an arm rest connected to the front wall.

10. A vehicle, said vehicle comprising:
at least one primary seating structure that is structured and operable to provide a seat for at least a driver of the vehicle; and
an auxiliary seating system disposed on a rear portion of the vehicle behind the at least one primary seating structure, wherein the auxiliary seating system comprises:
a seat support cage attached to the rear portion of a vehicle behind the at least one primary seating structure; and
at least one seat assembly mounted to the seat support cage such that each of the at least one seat assembly is oriented to be facing at least partially inward toward a longitudinal center line of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein each seat assembly comprises a seat bottom, wherein the seat bottom is movable between a passenger seating position and a stowed position.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein each seat assembly further comprises a seat position retention device structured and operable to retain the seat bottom in the stowed position.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein at least one seat bottom comprises a golf bag yoke disposed on an underside of the respective seat bottom.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein at least one seat assembly further comprises a seat belt that is structured and operable to retain a passenger in the respective seat assembly when the seat bottom is in the passenger seating position, and to retain a golf bag within the respective golf bag yoke when the seat bottom is in the stowed position.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the seat support cage comprises a front wall, opposing sidewalls and a rear wall, wherein the rear wall includes a passenger ingress/egress opening.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein on opposing sides of the passenger ingress/egress opening the rear wall comprises a passenger retention structure.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 further comprising a passenger grab bar connected to the front wall.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising an arm rest connected to the front wall.

19. An auxiliary seating system for a golf cart, said system comprising:
a seat support cage attachable to a rear portion of a golf cart encompassing a golf bag bay of the golf cart; and
at least one seat assembly mounted to the seat support cage such that each of the at least one seat assembly is oriented to be facing at least partially inward toward a longitudinal center line of the golf cart, each seat assembly comprising:
a seat bottom that is movable between a passenger seating position suitable for supporting a vehicle passenger sitting on the seat bottom, and a stowed position suitable for retaining a golf bag within the golf bag bay;
a golf bag yoke disposed on an underside of the respective seat bottom; and
a seat belt structured and operable to retain a passenger in the respective seat assembly when the seat bottom is in the passenger seating position, and to retain a golf bag disposed within the golf bag bay within the respective golf bag yoke when the seat bottom is in the stowed position.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising at least one of a passenger grab bar and an arm rest connected to a front wall of the seat support cage.

Assignees

• Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Kluka Robert
• Hebert Mike

Classifications

• B60N2/3038

  Cushion movements · CPC title

• B60N2/3097 Primary

  Dismountable seats storable in a non-use position (B60N2/015, B60N2/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/24

  for particular purposes or particular vehicles · CPC title

• B60N2/75

  Arm-rests · CPC title

• B60N3/02

  of hand grips or straps · CPC title