Selectable fixed and rotational seat frame assembly for a vehicle frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446687-B2
Application number	US-201514608572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2015
Priority date	Jan 29, 2015
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A seat attachment system for a vehicle frame includes a vehicle frame having a lower seat-bracket receptacle defined within a frame base and an upper seat-bracket receptacle defined within an upper frame member, a seat frame attached to the vehicle frame at the lower and upper seat-bracket receptacles and a lower seat-bracket set comprising a rotation-free lower bracket and a rotational lower bracket, wherein the lower seat bracket receptacle receives one of the rotation-free lower bracket and the rotational lower bracket, wherein when the rotation-free lower bracket is attached to the lower seat-bracket receptacle and the seat frame is coupled with the rotation-free lower bracket, the seat frame is free of rotational movement, and wherein when the rotational lower bracket is attached to the lower seat-bracket receptacle and the seat frame is coupled with the rotational lower bracket, the seat frame is capable of rotational movement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicular seat attachment system comprising:
a lower bracket coupled to a base;
an upper bracket having a vertically-oriented slot and coupled to a vehicle frame; and
a seat frame affixed to the upper and lower brackets, the seat frame having an engagement protrusion that slidably engages the vertically-oriented slot to permanently define a rotation-free seat frame, the vertically-oriented slot being free of fasteners.

2. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the seat frame includes a fixed connection point for attaching the seat frame to the lower bracket, wherein engagement between the engagement protrusion and the vertically-oriented slot defines a positioning mechanism of the seat frame, and wherein the seat frame is bolted to the lower bracket to define a primary attachment mechanism of the seat frame, wherein the vertically-oriented slot provides only lateral support for the seat frame.

3. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 2 , wherein the base defines a lower connection surface adapted to receive the lower bracket.

4. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the upper bracket is attached to an upper connection surface defined within the vehicle frame.

5. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 1 , wherein a single-use retaining mechanism is disposed within the vertically-oriented slot, wherein the single-use retaining mechanism receives and permanently retains the engagement protrusion to define the rotation-free seat frame.

6. The vehicular seat attachment system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lower frame-rotating bracket that is alternatively and exclusively coupled to a lower connection surface of the base, in lieu of the lower bracket;
an upper frame-rotating bracket that is alternatively and exclusively coupled to an upper connection surface of the vehicle frame, in lieu of the upper bracket;
a rotational seat frame having a pivot point that rotationally engages the lower frame-rotating bracket to define a rotating vehicle seat that is rotatable about the pivot point between a variety of rotational positions; and
a striker disposed within the upper frame-rotating bracket that selectively engages an upper retaining mechanism of the rotational seat frame, wherein the upper retaining mechanism is selectively attached to the striker.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kamara Ishmael
• Kennedy Peter
• Kryzaniwskyj Michael
• Evans Dan

Classifications

• B62D65/14 Primary

  the sub-units or components being passenger compartment fittings, e.g. seats, linings, trim, instrument panels · CPC title

• B60N2/015 Primary

  Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis · CPC title

• B60N2/20

  the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access (B60N2/04, B60N2/22 {, B60N2/3002} take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/005 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles {, e.g. dismountable auxiliary seats}(B60N2/02 takes precedence {; for railway vehicles B61D1/04}) · CPC title

• B60N2/02 Primary

  the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable (adjustable arm-rests B60N2/75; adjustable head-rests B60N2/806) · CPC title