Abstract:
A reclining seat for use in a material handling vehicle includes a seat back that is pivotally coupled to a wall of the operator compartment and to a seat pad. The seat pad is moveable toward a center of the operator compartment to provide the capability to recline, and is typically maintained in the upright position by a spring.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to material handling vehicles, and more particularly to a reclining seat for an operator compartment in a material handling vehicle. 
         [0004]    The operation of a forklift or other material handling vehicle requires the manipulation of an array of controls, levers, wheels, and switches for driving the vehicle forward and backward, steering the vehicle, and raising and lowering the forks, among other things. Furthermore, while a load is being lifted or lowered, it is desirable for the operator to be able to see the load as it is moved. Therefore, ergonomics play an important role in the design of such a material handling vehicle. 
         [0005]    To assure efficiency of use of the material handling vehicle, however, it is important that the controls and seating be arranged so that the operator can easily reach and activate the controls with a minimal amount of movement, and easily view the load as it is raised and lowered. An ergonomic arrangement is important to maintain the comfort of the operator. Maintaining operator comfort can, among other things, maximize use of the vehicle by reducing the need for rest period or breaks by the operator to rest his or her hands, feet, or back. Accordingly, by enhancing the comfort of the operator compartment, the operator can be more productive and the overall efficiency of the vehicle can be improved. 
         [0006]    In certain applications, a seat may enhance the comfort of the operator compartment. Typically, however, the seat provided for an operator in a lift truck is stationary. These types of seats, while functional, are not designed to allow the operator to view the load easily, and can cause the operator to stress his or her back and neck. There remains a need therefore, for enhancement to the operator compartment and seat for use in a material handling vehicle such as a forklift or reach truck design which maximizes operator comfort while minimizing potentially harmful muscle movements and allows the operator efficient vision to facilitate travel and to view the load. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In one aspect, the present invention provides an operator compartment for an industrial vehicle. The operator compartment includes an enclosure including an opening surrounded by a substantially vertically-extending wall and a substantially horizontally-extending platform for receiving a seat, and a seat for the operator. The seat includes a seat pad slidably received on the substantially horizontally-extending platform, and a seat back, pivotally coupled at a first end to the seat pad and pivotally coupled at a second end to the wall of the enclosure. The seat pad is adapted to be slid along the platform away from the wall, such that the seat back pivots away from the enclosure wall allowing the seat to be moved between an upright and a reclined position. 
         [0008]    In another aspect of the invention, a spring can be provided in the seat pad to force the seat pad to the upright position. The first end of the seat back can also be pivotally mounted to the seat pad through a first hinge and the second end of the seat back can be pivotally mounted to the seat pad through a second hinge. A rail system comprising a first rail coupled to the platform and a second rail coupled to the seat pad can also be provided to allow the seat pad to be moved to a reclined position. The seat back can be coupled to a mounting structure including a first plate slidable relative to a second plate, wherein the seat pad is moveable relative to the seat back to adjust the distance between the seat back and the seat pad when in the reclined position. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the invention, an industrial vehicle is provided comprising a fork, an operator station from which the operator drives the lift truck, a steering mechanism mounted for access on the enclosure, and an operator control mounted for access on the enclosure for selecting a direction of travel. The operator station is at least partially surrounded by an enclosure including a substantially vertically extending wall. A substantially horizontally-extending platform extends into the enclosure from the substantially vertically-extending wall, and a seat is provided on the substantially horizontally-extending platform. The seat includes a seat pad slidably coupled to the horizontally-extending platform for horizontal movement toward and away from the seat back, and a seat back pivotally coupled to the seat pad at a first end and pivotally coupled to the vertically-extending wall at a second end, such that the seat is movable between a first upright position in which the seat back is substantially perpendicular to the seat pad and a reclined position in which the seat back is angled at an angle other than perpendicular to the seat back. 
         [0010]    In yet another aspect, the present invention provides an operator compartment for an industrial vehicle including an enclosure and a seat. An opening in the enclosure is surrounded by a substantially vertically-extending wall and includes a substantially horizontally-extending platform that extends from the substantially vertically-extending wall and receives the seat. The seat includes a seat pad slidably received on the substantially horizontally-extending platform, a seat back, pivotally coupled at a first end to the seat pad and pivotally coupled at a second end to the wall of the enclosure, and a spring coupled between the seat pad and the substantially vertical wall of the enclosure. The seat pad is therefore adapted to be slid along the platform away from the wall, such that the seat back pivots away from the enclosure wall allowing the seat to be moved between an upright and a reclined position, and the spring normally forces the seat pad to the upright position. 
         [0011]    These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which there is shown preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention and reference is made therefore, to the claims herein for interpreting the scope of the invention. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a lift truck constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the operator compartment of the lift truck of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the seat of  FIG. 2  in an upright position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the seat of  FIG. 2  in reclined position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cutaway view taken along the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a cutaway view of the seat of  FIG. 2  taken along the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    Referring now to the Figures, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , a lift truck includes a tractor  10  supporting a vertical mast  12 . The tractor  10  includes a traction motor (not shown) which propels the truck, and a hoist motor (not shown) which lifts and lowers a set of forks  14  carried by the mast  12 . These motors and other electrically-powered devices on the lift truck: are powered by a lead-acid battery  16  housed in the tractor  10 . As shown here, the lift truck is a rider reach truck, having a side configuration in which the operator is seated sideways while operating the vehicle. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the operator compartment  18  comprises an enclosure including a substantially vertically extending wall  22  in which an opening  20  is defined for entry and exit by the operator. A horizontally extending platform  28  extends towards a center of the operator compartment  18  from the wall  22 , and the platform  28  and adjoining section of the wall  22  together form a mounting location sized and dimensioned to receive a seat  30 . A frame  33 , including a vertical mounting bracket  42  and a horizontal mounting plate  31  are arranged in the selected mounting location, and a vertically-extending seat back  32  and a horizontal seat pad  34  are coupled to a the mounting bracket  42  and mounting plate  31 , respectively. The mounting bracket  42  is coupled to the vertically extending wall  22  and the seat mounting plate  31  is coupled to the horizontally extending platform  28 . The mounting bracket  42  and seat mounting plate  31  are configured to allow the seat  30  to move between an upright (FIG.  3 )i and a reclined ( FIG. 4 ) position, as described below. In the upright position, the seat back  32  is substantially perpendicular to the seat pad  34 , while in the reclined position, the seat back  32  is pivoted away from the wall  22 , and is angled with respect to the seat pad  34 , as described below. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the mounting bracket  42  comprises a first plate  40  and a second plate  44  that is slidable relative to the first plate  40 , allowing the mounting bracket  42  to extend and retract as the seat  30  is moved between an upright and a reclined position. The first plate  40  of the mounting bracket  42  is coupled to the vertically extending wall  22  through a hinge  38 , and the seat mounting plate  31  is coupled to the mounting bracket  42  through a second hinge  46 . The seat mounting plate  31  and associated seat pad  34  are coupled to the vertically extending wall  22  through a spring  48  which forces the seat  30  to the upright position unless the seat  30  is forcibly reclined by the operator. When the seat  30  is in the upright position, the seat pad  34  and seat back  32  are substantially perpendicular. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 4  as the first plate  40  of the mounting bracket  42  is moveable relative to the second plate  44 , and the seat back  32  is pivotable about hinge  38  and hinge  46  to an angle greater than 90° from the seat pad  34 . As the first plate  40  moves with respect to the second plate  44 , the mounting bracket  42  expands, increasing the distance between the seat back  32  and the seat pad  34 . Although a number of possible mechanisms are available to movably couple the first and second plates  40  and  44 , in one embodiment the first plate  40  includes a slot receiving a projection formed in the second plate  44 . 
         [0022]    Referring now also to  FIG. 5 , the seat pad  34  and associated mounting plate  31  are coupled to a first rail  50  received in and moveable with respect to a second rail  52  coupled to the platform  28 , allowing the seat pad  34  to move along the substantially horizontally extending platform  28  toward the center of the operator compartment  18 . As seen in  FIG. 4 , when the seat pad  34  is moved toward the reclining position, the return spring  48  expands providing a rearwardly-directed force on the seat pad  34 . 
         [0023]    Referring still to  FIG. 5  and now also  FIG. 6 , the spring  48  is coupled at one end to the mounting plate  31  provided under the seat pad  34  and at the opposing end to the substantially vertically extending wall  22 , and is, as described above, moveable between a first and a second position in which the seat is either reclined or upright, respectively, when a force is applied to overcome the force of the spring  48 , the seat  34  is moved along the rails  50  and  52  and toward the vertical wall  22  to the upright position. 
         [0024]    Referring again to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in operation, the seat  30  is typically maintained in the upright position of  FIG. 3  by the force of the spring  48 . When desired, as, for example, to watch a load lifted up the mast  12  on forks  14  ( FIG. 1 ), the operator can force the seat pad  34  forward toward the center of the operator compartment  18  by overcoming the force of the spring  48 , and causing the rail  50  to move along rail  52  coupled to the seat mounting plate  31 . As the seat pad  34  moves toward the center of the operator compartment, the mounting bracket  42  expands, and the seat back  32  and mounting bracket  42  pivot around hinges  36  and  38 , such that the seat back  32  moves from a position substantially parallel to the wall  22  to a positioned angled with respect to the wall  22 , and the back  32  moves to an angle other than ninety degrees with respect to the seat pad  34 , such that the operator can sit in a reclined position. When the operator either stands up, or otherwise releases force on the seat, the seat pad  34  is forced by the spring  48  along the rail  52  back to the upright position, in which the seat pad is substantially perpendicular to the seat back as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0025]    Although preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that a number of modifications could be made to the method and apparatus described without departing from the scope of the invention. It should be understood, therefore, that the methods and apparatuses described above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of the invention, and that various modifications could be made by those skilled in the art that would fall within the scope of the invention.