Stowable seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9776544-B2
Application number	US-201514717499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A stowable seat system includes a seat base and a seat frame operationally engaged with the seat base. The seat base includes a vehicle engagement portion adapted for operational engagement with an associated vehicle, and a seat engagement portion movably engaged with the vehicle engagement portion at a first actuation region. The seat frame includes a bottom portion, and a back portion movably engaged with the bottom portion at a second actuation region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stowable seat system comprising:
a seat base comprising
a vehicle engagement portion adapted for operational engagement with an associated vehicle, and
a seat engagement portion movably engaged with the vehicle engagement portion at a first actuation region, the first actuation region comprising a first pivot defining a first axis of rotation that is substantially horizontal, the first actuation region being operationally engaged with a first selectably releasable lock; and

a seat frame operationally engaged with the seat base, the seat frame comprising
a bottom portion, and
a back portion movably engaged with the bottom portion at a second actuation region, the second actuation region comprising a second pivot defining a second axis of rotation, the second actuation region being operationally engaged with a second selectably releasable lock adapted to hold the back portion in a desired range of orientations with respect to the bottom portion;

wherein the second axis of rotation is offset from the first axis of rotation;
wherein the offset is defined by a first vector perpendicular to both the second axis of rotation and the first axis of rotation; and
wherein a projection of the second axis of rotation into a plane normal to the first vector is perpendicular to a projection of the first axis of rotation into the plane normal to the first vector.

2. The stowable seat system of claim 1 , the first selectably releasable lock being adapted to hold the seat engagement portion in a desired orientation with respect to the vehicle engagement portion.

3. The stowable seat system of claim 2 , wherein the first selectably releasable lock operationally engaged with the first actuation region and the second selectably releasable lock operationally engaged with the second actuation region are selectably releasable by a manual latch.

4. The stowable seat system of claim 3 , wherein the vehicle engagement portion is adapted for engagement with a floor of the associated vehicle.

5. The stowable seat system of claim 3 , wherein the vehicle engagement portion is adapted for engagement with a wall of the associated vehicle.

6. The stowable seat system of claim 3 , further comprising a combination of actuators and sensors adapted to switch the seat system from a deployed orientation to a stowed orientation.

7. The stowable seat system of claim 6 wherein the combination of actuators and sensors comprises
at least one actuator selected from the group consisting of a solenoid and motor, and any combination thereof; and
at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a proximity switch and a sensor adapted to detect the state of at least one selectably releasable lock.

8. A method of using a stowable seat system comprising:
providing a stowable seat system comprising,
a seat base comprising
a vehicle engagement portion adapted for operational engagement with an associated vehicle, and
a seat engagement portion movably engaged with the vehicle engagement portion at a first actuation region, the first actuation region comprising a first pivot defining a first axis of rotation that is substantially horizontal, the first actuation region being operationally engaged with a first selectably releasable lock, and

a seat frame operationally engaged with the seat base, the seat frame comprising
a bottom portion, and
a back portion movably engaged with the bottom portion at a second actuation region, the second actuation region comprising a second pivot defining a second axis of rotation, the second actuation region being operationally engaged with a second selectably releasable lock adapted to hold the back portion in a desired range of orientations with respect to the bottom portion;

wherein the second axis of rotation is offset from the first axis of rotation;
wherein the offset is defined by a first vector perpendicular to both the second axis of rotation and the first axis of rotation; and
wherein a projection of the second axis of rotation into a plane normal to the first vector is perpendicular to a projection of the first axis of rotation into the plane normal to the first vector;

rotating the back portion from a deployed orientation projecting away from the bottom portion to a stowing orientation lying flat against the bottom portion; and
rotating the seat engagement portion from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation.

9. The method of using a stowable seat system of claim 8 , the first selectably releasable lock being adapted to hold the seat engagement portion in a desired orientation with respect to the vehicle engagement portion.

10. The method of using a stowable seat system of claim 9 , wherein the first selectably releasable lock operationally engaged with the first actuation region and the second selectably releasable lock operationally engaged with the second actuation region are selectably releasable by a manual latch.

11. The method of using a stowable seat system of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle engagement portion is adapted for engagement with a floor of the associated vehicle.

12. The method of using a stowable seat system of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle engagement portion is adapted for engagement with a wall of the associated vehicle.

13. The method of using a stowable seat system of claim 10 , further comprising a combination of actuators and sensors adapted to switch the seat system from a deployed orientation to a stowed orientation.

14. The method of using a stowable seat system of claim 13 wherein the combination of actuators and sensors comprises
at least one actuator selected from the group consisting of a solenoid and motor, and any combination thereof; and
at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a proximity switch and a sensor adapted to detect the state of at least one selectably releasable lock.

15. A stowable seat system comprises:
a seat base comprising
a vehicle engagement portion adapted for operational engagement with the floor of an associated vehicle, and
a seat engagement portion movably engaged with the vehicle engagement portion at a first actuation region,
the first actuation region comprising a pivot defining a first axis of rotation that is substantially horizontal, and
wherein the first actuation region is operationally engaged with a selectably releasable first lock adapted to hold the seat engagement portion in a desired orientation with respect to the vehicle engagement portion, the first lock being selectably releasable by a manual latch;

a seat frame operationally engaged with the seat base, the seat frame comprising a bottom portion, and
a back portion movably engaged with the bottom portion at a second actuation region, the second actuation region comprising a pivot defining a second axis of rotation;
wherein the second axis of rotation is offset from the first axis of rotation;
wherein the offset is defined by a first vector perpendicular to both the second axis of rotation and the first axis of rotation;
wherein a projection of the second axis of rotation into a plane normal to the first vector is perpendicular to a projection of the first axis of rotation into the plane normal to the first vector;
wherein the second actuation region is operationally engaged with a selectably releasable second lock adapted to hold the back portion in a desired orientation with respect to the bottom portion, the second lock being selectably releasable by a manual latch; and
further comprising a combination of actuators and sensors adapted to switch the seat system from a deployed orientation t

Assignees

• Norco Ind Inc

Inventors

• Neterer Alan

Classifications

• B60N2/68 Primary

  Seat frames · CPC title

• B60N2/3011

  the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement" · CPC title

• B60N2/3043

  about longitudinal axis · CPC title

• B60N2/30

  Non-dismountable {or dismountable} seats storable in a non-use position, e.g. foldable spare seats · CPC title

• B60N2/3045

  about transversal axis · CPC title