Convertible leaning post seating system for marine vessels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821887-B1
Application number	US-201615086677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A convertible seating system for a marine vessel includes a frame and a seat mounted on the frame and defining a first support surface. A backrest is configured for movement relative to the seat and the frame between a first position and a second position. In the second position, the backrest defines a second support surface lying generally parallel and vertically displaced relative to the first support surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seating system for a marine vessel, the seating system comprising:
a frame comprising a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs that extend downwardly from the seat;
a seat fixedly mounted on the frame and defining a first support surface having a pair of recesses extending from a rear edge of the support surface into the support surface;
a backrest configured for movement relative to the seat and the frame between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position the backrest defines a second support surface positioned beneath the first support surface and lying generally parallel to the first support surface,
wherein the first support surface defines a primary seating surface and the second support surface defines a supplementary seating surface, and wherein with the backrest in the second position, a portion of the seat defines a supplementary backrest, and
wherein the backrest in the first position defines a first seating configuration facing in a first direction and wherein the backrest in the second position defines a second seating configuration facing in a second direction that is opposite the first direction; and
a pair of pivot arms that pivotally attach the backrest to the frame, the backrest fixedly mounted on the pair of pivot arms, the pair of pivot arms being moved into and out of the pair of recesses in the seat upon movement of the backrest between the first position and the second position.

2. The seating system of claim 1 , wherein each of the pivot arms is provided with a retaining arrangement which is engagable with a positioning plate mounted inside the frame in the first position of the backrest, and which is disengagable and movable away from the positioning plate in the second position of the backrest.

3. The seating system of claim 1 , wherein a motion assistance arrangement is provided between each of the pivot arms and the frame to facilitate a controlled movement of the backrest between the first position and the second position.

4. The seating system of claim 2 , wherein an actuator is slidably mounted in the backrest, and operatively connected to the retaining arrangement on each of the pivot arms.

5. The seating system of claim 1 , wherein the frame is configured to provide a storage space beneath the seat.

6. The seating system of claim 1 , wherein the backrest is operatively held in the second position by support brackets provided on the frame.

7. A seating system for a marine vessel, the seating system comprising:
a frame comprising a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs that extend downwardly from the seat;
a seat fixedly mounted on the frame and defining a first support surface having a pair of recesses extending from a rear edge of the support surface into the support surface;
a backrest configured for movement relative to the seat and the frame between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position the backrest defines a second support surface positioned beneath the first support surface and lying generally parallel to the first support surface,
wherein the first support surface defines a primary seating surface and the second support surface defines a supplementary seating surface, and wherein with the backrest in the second position, a portion of the seat defines a supplementary backrest, and
wherein the backrest in the first position defines a first seating configuration facing in a first direction and wherein the backrest in the second position defines a second seating configuration facing in a second direction that is opposite the first direction; and
a pair of pivot arms that pivotally attach the backrest to the frame, the backrest fixedly mounted on the pair of pivot arms, wherein the backrest is operatively held in the second position by support brackets on opposing rear legs in the pair of rear legs, the support brackets supporting the pair of pivot arms when the backrest is moved into the second position.

8. The seating system of claim 7 , wherein a positioning plate is secured to an inside surface of the frame on opposed sides thereof, and is provided with at least one positional aperture.

9. The seating system of claim 7 , wherein each of the pivot arms is provided with a retaining arrangement which is engagable with the at least one positional aperture in the positioning plate in the at least one raised position of the backrest, and is disengagable from and movable out of the at least one positional aperture and away from the positioning plate in the lowered horizontal position of the backrest.

10. The seating system of claim 9 , wherein a release handle is mounted for sliding vertical movement within an upper medial portion of the backrest, and is operatively connected to the retaining arrangement on each of the pivot arms.

11. The seating system of claim 10 , wherein a trigger device is movably mounted on the upper medial portion of the backrest, and is configured for selective engagement and disengagement with the release handle to enable locking and unlocking thereof.

12. The seating system of claim 7 , wherein an extendable and retractable device is provided between each of the pivot arms and the positioning plate, and configured to facilitate controlled movement of the backrest between the at least one raised position and the lowered horizontal position.

13. A seating system for a marine vessel, the seating system comprising:
a frame having opposed side members each comprising a front leg and a rear leg;
a seat fixed on the frame and having a front surface, a rear surface and an upper surface defining a primary seating surface; and
a backrest pivotally attached within the frame by a pair of pivot arms configured for movement into and out of recesses in the rear surface of the seat, the backrest fixedly mounted to the pair of pivot arms, and the backrest being pivotable between at least one raised position extending above the seat, and a lowered position behind and beneath the seat to provide a plurality of selectable seat positions,
wherein, in the lowered position, the backrest defines a supplementary seating surface which is generally parallel to the primary seating surface, and the rear surface of the seat defines a supplementary backrest,
wherein the backrest is configured to convert the seating system between a forward-facing seat and an aft-facing seat,
wherein a positioning plate is secured to an inside surface of each of the opposed side members of the frame, and is configured with a curved portion provided with at least one positional aperture,
wherein each of the pivot arms is provided with a spring-biased retaining pin arrangement which is engagable with the at least one positional aperture in the positioning plate in the at least one raised position of the backrest and is disengagable from and movable out of the at least one positional aperture and away from the positioning plate in the lowered position, and
wherein a release handle is mounted for sliding vertical movement in an upper medial portion of the backrest, and is operatively connected by cables to the spring-biased retaining arrangement.

14. The seating system of claim 13 , wherein a gas strut has a base end pivotally connected to each positioning plate, and a rod end pivotally connected to each of the pivot arms.

Assignees

• Brunswick Corp

Inventors

• Wilson Jacob W
• Sherwood-Berndt Paul

Classifications

• B60N2/20

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

• B63B2029/043

  Seats; Arrangements thereof on vessels · CPC title

• B63B29/04 Primary

  Furniture peculiar to vessels (floatable furniture B63C9/30) · CPC title

• B60N2/203

  taking a position opposite to the original one · CPC title

• B60N2002/247

  to support passengers in a half-standing position · CPC title