Patent ID: 6554357
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
A system for removably associating a child seat to a stowable seat, which has a deployed position and stowed position, where the deployed position provides seating for an occupant or secures a child seat, and where removal of the occupant or child seat allows the seat to then be transferred to a stowed position for the purpose of providing space for storing a wheel chair or other object in the space formerly occupied by said stowable seat in the deployed position, comprising:said stowable seat having a seat base that is rotatably associated with a seatback, said seat base being in a substantially horizontal position while said stowable seat is in the deployed position, said seatback being in a substantially vertical position while said stowable seat is in the deployed position, said seatback being capable rotating from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, whereby it is compacted and substantially parallel and in close proximity with said seat base, thereafter the exertion of a lifting force on said seat base causes a support frame to transport said stowable seat in cantilevered fashion along a predetermined path from the deployed position to the stowed position, said support frame supporting said seatback and seat base while said stowable seat is in both the stowed position and deployed position said seat base having a seat base frame, said seat base frame being fixedly attached to an anchor system, said anchor system cooperating with a child seat in order to secure said child seat to said stowable seat, when not securing a child seat said anchor system being positioned whereby it will not interfere with an occupants use or with said stowable seat's ability to be moved from the deployed position to the stowed position, said anchor system having a first and second vertically oriented anchor and a horizontally oriented anchor; and said child seat having a first and second engagement means and a tether means extending therefrom, said tether means being releasably associated with said horizontally oriented anchor, whereas said first and second engagement means being releasably associated with said first and second vertically oriented anchors, respectively, thereafter said tether means can be made taut and first and second locking pins are inserted to prevent said first and second engagement means from prematurely disengaging from said first and second anchors, whereby said child seat is releasably secured and fixed to said stowable seat, and said child seat may be removed by removing the first and second engagement pins and disengaging the tether means from the horizontally oriented anchor, thereafter said stowable seat may be used to provide seating for an occupant or can be moved to the stowed position in order to provide space for storing an item.