Vehicle seat assembly

Details Vehicle seat assembly Vehicle seat assembly

2002-09-27

2004-03-23

Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Seats with body modifications

C296S065090

Reexamination Certificate

active

06709040

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to vehicle seats, and in particular to a vehicle seat arrangement in which a relatively flat horizontal support surface can be formed.
A typical four or more person passenger vehicle includes a pair of front seats and either a single relatively wide rear/second row seat or a pair of rear/second row seats. For larger vehicles such as vans and sport utility vehicles, a third row seat can be included. The third row seat is typically a single relative wide seat generally spanning the lateral width of the interior of the vehicle. The seat includes a seat back and a seat bottom.
In some vehicles, the seat backs of the second and third row of seats are pivotally connected to the seat bottom. The seat backs are movable between an upright position, for the seating of an occupant, and a collapsed position, wherein the seat back is pivoted forward to a position above the seat bottom. It is sometimes desirable to configure the seat back of the second row seat so that when the seat back is in its forward position a back surface of the seat back is generally horizontal. The back surface of the seat back can also be coplanar with the collapsed seat back of the third row seat. It is known to provide a panel which is manually movable to a position to bridge the gap of the second and third row seats so that a relatively flat horizontal support surface is formed.
It is also know to provide a third row seat which is pivotable to storage position within a recess formed in the vehicle floor for storing the third row seat. The seat bottom has a rear portion which is pivotally mounted on the vehicle floor. The seat bottom includes an upper surface and a lower surface. A seat back is pivotally mounted on the seat bottom, and is movable to a collapsed position onto the upper surface of the seat bottom. Once the seat back is moved to its collapsed position, the combination of the seat bottom and the seat back are pivotable about 180 degrees to their storage position within the recess formed in the floor of the vehicle.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a vehicle seat assembly movable to a stored position within a recess formed in the floor of the vehicle. The vehicle seat assembly mounts on the vehicle floor and includes a cross bar having ends adapted to be mounted on the vehicle floor. The vehicle seat assembly further includes a seat bottom having a rear portion pivotally mounted on the cross bar such that the seat bottom is structurally secured to the vehicle. The seat bottom defines an upper surface and a lower surface. The seat bottom is pivotable about the cross bar to a storage position within a recess formed in the floor of the vehicle.
In another aspect of the invention, a vehicle seat assembly for mounting on a vehicle floor includes first and second seats. The first seat includes a first seat bottom having a rear portion pivotally mounted relative to the vehicle floor about a first axis. The first seat bottom defines an upper surface and a lower surface. The first seat also includes a first seat back pivotally mounted relative to the seat bottom. The first seat back has a front surface and is movable relative to the first seat bottom to a collapsed position such that the front surface of the first seat back is adjacent the upper surface of the first seat bottom. The combination of the first seat bottom and the first seat back are pivotable about the first axis to a storage position within a recess formed in floor of the vehicle. The second seat is positionable lateral to the first seat and includes a second seat bottom and a second seat back. The second seat bottom has a rear portion pivotally mounted relative to the vehicle about the first axis. The second seat bottom has an upper surface and a lower surface. The second seat back is pivotally mounted relative to the second seat bottom,. The second seat back has a front surface and is movable relative to the second seat bottom to a collapsed position such that the front surface of the second seat back is adjacent the upper surface of the second seat bottom. The combination of the second seat bottom and the second seat back are pivotable about the first axis to a storage position within a second recess formed the floor of the vehicle. The first seat bottom and the second seat bottom are independently pivotable about the first axis such that only one of the first and second seats may be moved to the storage position while the other of the first and second seat remains in the seating position.


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