A fold-up seat mountable in mobile living quarters has a sidewall defining a storage space covered by a seat platform. The seat platform can be opened and closed about a hinge apparatus to provide access to the storage area when the seat platform is open and provides a place for sitting when the seat platform is closed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fold-up seat useable in mobile living quarters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In mobile living quarters such as recreational vehicles, space is always at a premium. Therefore it is often desirable for the various pieces of furniture within the mobile living quarters to have multiple uses. One such piece of multi-use furniture is a bench or seat that can also be used as a storage space, or storage seat. In this item the seat will usually have a storage space defined by four walls carried by the floor of the living quarters and a removable cover on top of the four walls on which a person may sit.

Up till now such a storage seat was generally accessible only by having a seat cover which was completely removable from the four support walls. This was usually accomplished by simply having a platform such as a piece of plywood with a seat cushion attached thereon placed loosely on top of the four walls. When it was desired to access the storage space beneath the cover, it was necessary to lift the cover off of the walls and usually place it someplace else while accessing the storage space. Although economical, this arrangement could also prove to be inconvenient because it required the user to find a place to put the cover while accessing the storage place beneath. Therefore it would be desirable to have a seat with a storage compartment underneath where the storage compartment may be readily accessed without having to completely remove the seat platform.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fold-up seat is presented which is useable in mobile living quarters. The cover and walls of the seat define a storage area that can be accessed by folding the cover up to an open position. When the cover is folded down in its closed position it may be used for sitting upon.

One object of the invention described herein is to provide a storage seat that allows simplified access from above to the storage area below the seating platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings,FIGS. 1 and 2depict a fold-up seat10installed in a mobile living quarters12. Seat10is positioned adjacent a wall14and side wall16of the mobile living quarters and rests upon floor18such that wall14may also act as a backrest. In the preferred embodiment a pair of fold-up seats10and20are located opposite each other and set against opposite walls14. A table top22detachably supported by side wall16and removable support leg23is positioned between fold-up seats10,20thereby defining a comfortable booth-like seating arrangement. Back cushion24is removably attached to rear wall14and seat cushion26is attached to cushion frame36to form the cover35.

As depicted inFIG. 2, fold-up seats10,20and tabletop22may be arranged to create a bed or sofa11. To do this, table top22is detached from side wall16and removable leg23is removed from underneath the table top. Table top22is then placed between fold-up seats10,20with its opposite edges resting on opposing ledges25, which are carried by opposing sidewalls29of the opposing fold-up seats10,20. Back cushions24are then removed from rear walls14and placed on top of table top22adjacent each other and with seat cushions26on either side, thereby forming a generally continuous sleeping surface. When it is desired to again use the space as a booth, back cushions24are reattached to rear walls14, table top22is reattached to side wall16, and leg23is repositioned under the table top for support thereof.

Focusing now on the fold-up seat10in isolation, as best shown inFIG. 3, the seat includes seat storage walls such as sidewalls28, front wall29, and rear wall14supported by floor18, which define a storage area30of generally rectangular shape. Rear wall14may either be one of the walls of the mobile living quarters or an independent wall. Rear wall14extends above seat storage walls28to define a backrest on which back cushion24may be attached. Preferably back cushion24is attached to rear wall14using a standard hook and loop connection31to facilitate easy attachment and removal.

Seat frame31, forming a part of the storage area30, is positioned within storage area30and includes legs34, which are carried by floor18and support a pair of opposing beams32. A pair of hinges33are carried one on each side of the seat by beams32and shiftably connect beams32with brackets42. Cushion frame36is attached to brackets42with fasteners43and carries seat cushion26. Legs34may be fastened to floor18with fasteners (not shown) inserted through tabs37. Seat frame31, hinge assembly33, brackets42, and cushion frame36are all preferably constructed of steel or aluminum, but may be made of any suitable material.

Turning now toFIGS. 4–6,FIG. 4shows hinges33in their closed position,FIG. 5shows hinges33in a partially open position, andFIG. 6shows the hinges33in their open position. Each hinge33includes a pair of linkages38,40pivotally connected to beam32at one of each of their ends by any well known connection such as a pin. At the other end of each linkage38,40, each linkage is pivotally connected to bracket42. Linkage38and linkage40each have different swing radii39that overlap each other. Pegs41protruding out from beams between linkages38,40act as stops for the hinges33. When hinge33is closed, linkage40abuts peg41, thereby preventing the hinge from shifting further in the closed direction. When hinge33is open, linkage38abuts peg41, thereby preventing the hinge from shifting further in the open direction. Peg41is located in order to allow cover35to rest slightly beyond vertical in the open position, which helps the cover to resist closing unintentionally. Preferably, cover35will rest approximately three degrees past vertical toward the rear of the frame31when completely opened.

Due to this dual radius linkage system, as hinge33is shifted from its closed position to its open position, the rear end43of the bracket translates forward while the forward end44of the bracket rotates upward, which provides an increased space45at the rear of frame28behind bracket42when seat cover35is folded up or open. Thereby, hinge33accommodates the thickness of cushions24,26to be adjacent and generally parallel to each other when cover35is open and allows seat cushion26to be underneath back cushion24when cover35is closed. Although such a space could be provided by a single axis hinge laterally spaced from the rear wall, such a hinge would cause at least part of the seat platform and/or seat cushion to rotate down into the storage area or else leave a gap between the rear wall and the rear end of the seat platform. With dual linkage hinges33however, the rear edge of the seat is maintained generally above the storage area30between the open and closed positions thereby not causing interference with usable storage space. Simultaneously, the rear-end of the seat platform rests adjacent the rear wall when the seat is folded down. A slot or hole in bracket42accommodates a fastener for fastening cushion frame36to bracket32in any ordinary manner. Seat cushion26or other well known seating platform is then fastened to cushion frame36to form a comfortable platform for sitting.

In order to use the fold-up seat10and its storage area30, cover35, which includes seat cushion26and cushion frame36, is lifted at its forward edge and rotated about hinges33from a closed position to an open position. Storage area30may then be accessed from above. When it is desired to either close storage area30or to sit on cover35, the cover is then shifted back to its closed position. In the closed position, cushion frame36rests on the tops of forward legs34to provide additional support for the cover. If back cushion24is too thick to accommodate complete opening of the fold-up seat10, it may be removed from rear wall14at its hook and loop fasteners and placed apart from the fold-up seat. Cover35may then be opened and closed, and back cushion24returned to its position on rear wall14when the cover is again closed. Furthermore, the storage area underneath the seat platform may be easily accessed whether the fold-up seats are arranged to be used as either seats or a bed.

The above description is only meant to exemplify the invention to enable others to reproduce it. The description is not intended to be a limitation from other minor and obvious variations on the embodiment described all of which variations are expressly included herein.