The present invention relates to a replacement seat for utility vehicles configured to couple to the frame of the utility vehicle without modifications and/or additional parts.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/244,462 filed Jan. 10, 2019, published as US Patent Application Publication Number 2019/0210668, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates to all-terrain vehicles and utility vehicles.

Generally, all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) and utility vehicles (“UTVs”) are used to carry one or two passengers and a small amount of cargo over a variety of terrains. UTVs and ATVs include seating for one or multiple passengers with seating for multiple passengers typically being side-by-side. In various situations and for various reasons, a user of the ATVs or UTVs may desire to replace to original seat provided with the ATV or UTV (or original equipment manufacturer “OEM” seat) with an after-market seat. However, current after-market seats require various alterations and/or additional hardware to allow the after-market seat to couple with the frame of the UTV or ATV. As such, an after-market seat is desired that is capable of being coupled to the frame of the UTV or ATV without modifications and/or additional parts.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a replacement seat for a utility vehicle is provided. The replacement seat comprises a frame, and a seat base coupled to the frame, the seat base having a pair of seat coupling supports including an opening configured to receive pegs of a seat support coupled to a frame of the utility vehicle and a rod extending between the seat coupling supports and being configured to be received within openings of the seat support.

According to another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a replacement seat for a vehicle, the replacement seat comprising a seat base and a frame is provided. The method comprises coupling the seat base to the frame, the seat base having a pair of seat coupling supports including an opening configured to receive pegs of a seat support coupled to a frame of the vehicle and a rod extending between the pair of seat coupling supports and being configured to be received within openings in the seat support.

According to yet another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a seat for a utility vehicle is provided. The seat comprises a frame, and a seat base coupled to the frame, the seat base having a pair of seat coupling supports configured to be received by a seat support coupled to a frame of the utility vehicle, each of the seat coupling supports comprising first and second side walls, a bottom wall, a coupling member, and a top wall, wherein the top wall includes a plurality of openings, each opening configured to receive a portion of the coupling member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present invention.

The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. For example, while the following description refers primarily to UTVs, certain features described herein may be applied to other applications such as ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, etc.

With reference first toFIG. 1, the vehicle of the present disclosure will be described. The vehicle is shown generally at2and is commonly referred to as a utility vehicle (“UTV”). As shown, vehicle2generally comprises a frame20supported by ground engaging members4and6. As shown in this disclosure, ground engaging members4and6are comprised of wheels having rims8,14and tires10,16. Ground engaging members4and6support a vehicle frame20which supports a seating area22comprised of a driver's seat24and a passenger seat26. Driver's seat24and passenger seat26are the original seats provided with vehicle2, also known as the original equipment manufacturer or “OEM” seats. A cab frame28generally extends over the seating area22. Vehicle2further comprises a drive train (not shown) operatively connected to frame20and drivingly connected to one or more of the ground engaging members4,6.

With respect now toFIG. 2, vehicle frame20will be described in greater detail. Vehicle frame20generally includes a front frame section32, a mid-frame section34, and a rear frame section36. Mid-frame section34generally includes a seating support38including transverse frame tubes40and42, longitudinal frame tubes44, and longitudinal seat brackets46. Longitudinal frame tubes44and longitudinal seat brackets46extend between and couple transverse frame tubes40and42. Longitudinal frame tubes44support driver's seat24, while longitudinal seat brackets46support passenger seat26. In various embodiments, passenger seat26may be supported similarly to driver's seat24, while in other various embodiments, driver's seat24may be supported similarly to passenger seat26.

Referring now toFIGS. 3-5, a replacement driver's seat48generally includes a frame50and a seat base52coupled to a bottom section51of frame50. Frame50is configured to support seat cushions and a seat fabric configured to cover the seat cushions (not shown). Seat base52generally includes a pair of seat coupling supports56extending from a front55of seat frame50to a rear57of seat frame50, and a rod58coupling rear ends59(FIG. 5) of seat coupling supports56. In various embodiments, rod58extends beyond an outward facing surface54(FIG. 5) of both of seat coupling supports56.

With reference toFIG. 4, seat coupling supports56each include a first side wall80, a second side wall80′, a bottom wall82coupled to first and second side walls80and80′, a top wall83coupled to first and second side walls80and80′, and a coupling member84. In various embodiments, first side wall80, second side wall80′, and bottom wall82may be formed of a single, unitary piece, while in other various embodiments, walls80,80′ and82are formed as three separate pieces.

First and second side walls80and80′ generally include a front indentation85,85′, a first set of tongue and groove couplings86,86′ configured to couple with top wall83, a second set of tongue and groove couplings87,87′ configured to couple with bottom wall82, and an opening88,88′ configured to receive rod58. In various embodiments, first and second side walls80,80′ include an inclined portion81,81′ creating a larger space for opening88.

Top wall83generally includes a first portion90, a second portion91extending forward of first portion90, and a third portion92extending rearward of the first portion90. In various embodiments, second and third portions91and92extend upward at an angle relative to first portion90such that third portion92is configured to mate with inclined portion81,81′ of first and second side walls80,80′ and an upper surface of second portion91is coupled to front55of frame50and an upper surface of third portion92is coupled to rear57of frame50. First portion90generally includes a first opening93configured to receive a portion of coupling member84, and second and third portions91and92each include an opening94,94′, each configured to receive a separate portion of coupling member84. Top wall83further includes a first set of tongue and groove couplings89configured to couple with tongue and groove couplings86of first side wall80, and a second set of tongue and groove couplings89′ configured to couple with tongue and groove couplings86′ of second side wall80′. In various embodiments, tongue and groove couplings86,86′ extend along the edges of first portion90and third portion92alone.

Bottom wall82generally includes a first set of tongue and groove couplings95configured to couple with tongue and groove couplings87of first side wall80, a second set of tongue and groove couplings95′ configured to couple with tongue and groove couplings87′ of second side wall80′, and a plurality of openings96,96′, each configured to receive a portion of coupling member84.

Coupling member84generally includes a body97and two arms98extending from body97. In various embodiments, arms98extend from body97at a angle upward such that front end84aand rear end84bof coupling member84are coupled to seat frame50and body97is positioned below a lowermost portion of seat frame50. Coupling member84further includes an indentation98along a front portion97aof body97.

Still referring toFIG. 4, seat coupling supports56are formed by coupling tongue and groove couplings87,87′ of first and second side walls80,80′ are coupled with tongue and groove couplings95,95′ of bottom wall82, and tongue and groove couplings89,89′ of top wall83with tongue and groove couplings86,86′ of first and second side walls80,81. Prior to or after coupling top wall83to first and second side walls80,80′, body97of coupling member84is passed through first opening93of top wall83such that arms98are positioned above top wall83and body97is positioned within first opening and/or below top wall83. When walls80,80′,82, and83and coupling member84are coupled together, a first tab99aand a second tab99bof arms98of coupling member84are positioned within openings94,94′ of second and third portions91and92of top wall83, and a third tab99cand a fourth tab99dalong the bottom of body97of coupling member84are positioned within openings96,96′ of bottom wall82. Accordingly, when walls80,80′,82, and83and coupling member84are coupled together, walls80,80′,82, and83create an interior volume, and body97of coupling member84is positioned within the interior volume. In various embodiments, once walls80,80′,82, and83and coupling member84are coupled together, tabs99a-dare welded to their respective walls, and some or all of tongue and groove couplings86,86′,87,87′,89,89′,95,95′ which are coupled together are welded together. In addition, when walls80,80′,82, and83and coupling member84are coupled together, indentation98of coupling member84is configured to align with front indentations85,85′ of first and second side walls80,80′ to create an opening60(FIGS. 3 and 5) for coupling replacement seat48to vehicle2.

With reference now toFIG. 6, replacement seat48is shown coupled to longitudinal frame tubes44of seat support38via a seating adjustment mechanism62. Seating adjustment mechanism62couples seat48to seat support38, while allowing it to move in a fore-and-aft direction, as well as tilt. Longitudinal frame tubes44include a plurality of apertures64configured to interact with seating adjustment mechanism62to allow the position of the seat to be adjusted in the fore-and-aft direction. Additional details relating to the seating adjustment mechanism can be found in US Patent Application Publication 2019/0210668, filed on Jan. 10, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Referring now toFIGS. 6 and 7, seating adjustment mechanism62includes a pair of longitudinal seat brackets64for coupling to seat coupling supports56of seat base52. Longitudinal seat brackets64each include an outer wall66having a front end65and a rear end67, an inner wall68having a front end65′ and a rear end67′, a peg70coupling front ends65,65′ of outer and inner walls66and68, and a latch72pivotably coupled to an exterior surface of inner wall68. Outer and inner walls66and68of each longitudinal seat bracket64each include an indention74configured to receive rod58of seat48, while peg70is configured to receive opening60of seat coupling support56of seat base52, and latch72is configured to latch onto rod58of seat48to secure seat48to within indentions74of seating adjustment mechanism62. Longitudinal seat brackets64are configured to receive at least a portion of seat coupling support56of seat base52.

To replace seat24originally provided with vehicle2(i.e., the original equipment manufacturer “OEM” seat), latch72is pivoted such that the rod of seat24is released and the rear of seat24can be pivoted upward. After the rear of seat24is pivoted upward, the opening of the seat base of seat24is removed from pegs70of seating adjustment mechanism62such that seat24is removed from vehicle2. Once seat24is removed, a replacement seat, namely replacement seat48, can be coupled to seating adjustment mechanism62by placing openings60of seat base52onto pegs70of seating adjustment mechanism62, and then pushing rear57of seat frame50downward such that rod58of seat base52is received by openings74and latch72couples over rod58to hold replacement seat48in place. Accordingly, seat48is coupled to frame20of vehicle2without modifications or additional parts.