Supports – Resilient support – Including additional energy absorbing means – e.g. – fluid or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-12
2001-08-21
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Resilient support
Including additional energy absorbing means, e.g., fluid or...
C248S560000, C114S363000, C297S195120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276653
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to suspension systems for vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a seat suspension for a seat of the type usually straddled by the driver such as on a snowmobile or jet-driven watercraft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Snowmobiles and jet-driven watercraft usually have a seat that is straddled by the driver. The seat on such vehicles is usually secured directly to the chassis of the vehicle. On a snowmobile, there may be a suspension arrangement that connects to the drive track and the skis on the front of the snowmobile to absorb some of the shocks and bumps experienced by the snowmobile in use. However, the seat of the snowmobile is usually secured directly to the chassis or frame of the snowmobile and it is only the padding of the seat that prevents the effects of bumps and other shocks from being transferred from the snowmobile frame to the rider position on the seat. There have been some attempts to provide suspension devices between the frame of the snowmobile and the seat on the snowmobile as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,570. These prior art suspension systems for a snowmobile seat have proved less than satisfactory. A vehicle, such as a snowmobile, can encounter extremely irregular terrain and frequently the changes in the terrain are not clearly visible through the snow. This can result in a wide range of bumps and shocks that must be accommodated by the suspension system for the seat. The bumps can range from relatively minor to very severe such as when the snowmobile lands after being airborne. The prior art suspension systems for seats of the snowmobile have not adequately dealt with the wide range of conditions that are experienced by the snowmobile during use. If the spring means of the seat suspension are designed to accommodate the large bumps and shocks that are experienced by the snowmobile, the springs are so stiff that they do not provide any meaningful suspension when the snowmobile encounters smaller bumps or irregularities. Accordingly, the seat suspension is not functioning to provide any meaningful suspension activity over these smaller bumps or shocks. If the springs are sized to accommodate the smaller bumps or irregularities that the snowmobile encounters, the springs are not adequate to handle the large bumps or irregularities encountered during the operation of the snowmobile. With springs that are not adequate for the larger bumps, the seat will bottom out or strike the chassis of the snowmobile when the large bumps are encountered and this significantly negates any advantage provided by the seat suspension. In fact, if the seat bottoms out against the frame or chassis of the snowmobile, this may create a very unsettling condition for the operator of the snowmobile and makes the snowmobile more difficult to operate for the driver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the invention to provide an improved snowmobile seat suspension system. In accordance with the invention, there is a yieldable support member that operatively connects between the seat and the frame of the snowmobile which controls movement of the seat relative to the frame of the snowmobile. There is also provided an air cushion between the seat and the frame of the snowmobile that also acts to control the movement of the seat relative to the frame of the snowmobile. The yieldable support member and the air cushion are designed to allow the suspension system for the snowmobile seat to effectively accommodate small bumps or shocks experienced by the snowmobile while also providing an effective suspension for the seat when large bumps or shocks are encountered by the snowmobile.
Briefly, the invention provides a seat suspension for a vehicle such as a snowmobile. The vehicle has a generally U-shaped structural tunnel having a top and opposed sides that are connected to the top extending along a portion of the vehicle. The tunnel has a first end and a second end. A seat support member that has a first end and a second end is positioned over the tunnel. The first end of the seat support member is pivotally connected to the first end of the tunnel. The seat support member has a base and opposed side walls that extend from the base. The base is positioned in spaced apart relationship over at least a portion of the top of the tunnel. The opposed side walls of the seat support member extend in immediate spaced apart relationship over at least a portion of the sides of the tunnel. A flange is positioned to extend from each side of the seat support member. A yieldable support member is operatively connected to each flange and to the tunnel. The yieldable support member acts to control the movement of the seat support member in a direction towards and away from the top of the tunnel. A flexible flap is connected to the second end of the seat support member and the flap extends in immediate spaced apart relationship over the second end of the tunnel. The flexible flap in the side walls of the seat support member act to contain a volume of air between the base of the seat support member and the top of the tunnel whereby the volume of air acts to resist any sudden movement of such seat support member in a direction towards the top of the tunnel.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, the accompanying drawings and the claims.
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Chan Korie H.
Emch, Schaffer, Schaub & Porcello & Co., L.P.A.
Ramirez Ramon O.
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