Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Seats with body modifications
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-26
2001-01-30
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Seats with body modifications
C296S065020, C296S065050, C296S065090, C296S065160, C297S312000, C297S313000, C297S335000, C297S337000, C297S378100, C297S468000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179362
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle seat and in particular to a utility seat for a motor vehicle which is designed not only to carry passengers within the vehicle but also to facilitate the carrying of cargo within the motor vehicle.
Motor vehicle manufacturers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to provide increased utility in motor vehicles. Part of this awareness involves a recognition that motor vehicles, such as passenger cars, are used not only to carry passengers but also to carry cargo. Studies have indicated that the rear seat area of a passenger car is used more often to carry cargo than it is used to carry passengers.
It is well know to provide vehicle seats in which the seat back of the rear vehicle seat can be rotated forward, from its upright use position, to a stowed position resting upon the seat cushion. This opens the rear seat area of the vehicle to the trunk area, allowing larger items to be placed in the trunk which extend forward into the passenger compartment and rest upon the rear surface of the stowed seat back. This is one example of a seat which is designed not only for passengers, but also for cargo.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle seat which offers increased utility, beyond a fold down seat back, to provide greater ease and convenience in carrying cargo or passengers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The seat of the present invention expands upon the utility offered by a fold down seat back by providing a seat bottom which rotates up to stowed position immediately in front of the upright seat back. This opens the entire rear seat area for carrying cargo which the vehicle user does not wish to carry in the trunk or which is not so large that it must be carried in the trunk. In addition, more room is available for cargo which a user does not want in the trunk or on the seat bottom such as milk jugs or potted plants which could soil the seat.
Additional utility is provided by a flat load floor below the seat cushion. The flat load floor is revealed when the seat bottom is rotated to the upright stowed position.
To maximize the cargo carrying capacity of the vehicle, the seat bottom and the seat back are made as thin as possible to reduce the volume occupied by the seat, thereby increasing the volume available for cargo. This is accomplished by forming the seat bottom and seat back out of thin panels of metal or plastic. This avoids the need for a metal frame, a suspension system and a separate foam pad supported thereon. The plastic or metal panels can also have thin pads attached thereto which form a part or all of the seating surface of the seat bottom and seat back for passenger comfort.
The volume occupied by the seat back and seat bottom when stowed is further minimized by providing seating surfaces for the seat back and the seat bottom which are complementary in shape to one another. This enables the seating surfaces to be in contact over substantially the entire seating surface rather than having a “high point” on the seat bottom engage a “high point” in the seat back with the remaining areas of the seating surfaces spaced from one another.
The volume occupied by the seat is further minimized by mounting the seat bottom and seat back to the vehicle body for rotation about a common pivot axis. This reduces the size of the mounting and pivoting mechanisms for the seat bottom and seat back.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Koester Daniel J.
Wisniewski Chester R.
Dayoan D. Glenn
Foley & Lardner
Johnson Controls Technology Company
Murray Mickki D.
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