Abstract:
Disclosed is a folding split seat which is easy to move from a seating position to a cargo position and back and which accomplishes this by moving the seat cushion forward and downward out of the way of the folded seat back without the need to fold or flip the seat cushion. Also disclosed is a embodiment of the folding split seat that also provides for a reclining seat back.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a split fold down rear vehicle seat. More particularly the present invention relates to a split fold down rear vehicle seat that also has a reclining seat back. The present invention also relates to a split fold down rear vehicle seat in which the seat cushion is displaced downward and forward into the foot area and the seat back folds down into the area occupied by the seat cushion when in an upright or seating position. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Folded seats and particularly split folded seats of the type common in vehicles having a rear cargo area either allow the vehicle to seat additional occupants or provide additional cargo space. Generally the seat is folded by the seat back pivoting at its lower edge and rotating the top edge forward and downward onto the seat cushion or into the area occupied by the seat cushion in its seating use position. Generally if the seat cushion does not move the folded seat back rests above the same plane as the cargo area. To overcome problem in the past the seat cushion either has generally be rotated forward in a manner similar to the seat back before or after the seat back has been rotated. This however requires additional operation by the operator to fold the seat such that the cargo area floor is in a single plane from front to back. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,763 issued Oct. 9, 1984 to Hamatani et al teaches a split seat where the seat back may be rotated forward and downward over the corresponding seat cushion or the seat cushion may first be rotated forward and upward and then the corresponding seat cushion may be rotated forward and downward into the space previously occupied by the seat cushion. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,541 issued Sep. 26, 1989 to Wainwright teaches a folding seat where the seat back is first rotated forward and downward onto the seat cushion top surface and then the seat unit is rotated forward and downward folding the complete folding seat into the foot space in front of the seat cushion. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,336 issued Dec. 28, 1993 to Schubring et al teaches a seat having a folding seat back that folds forward and downward onto the upper surface of the seat cushion. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,046 issued Apr. 21, 1998 to Leuchtmann et al teaches a folding seat back split seat having a hinge allowing the seat back pivoting position to be farther forward over the seat cushion. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,834 issued Feb. 19, 2002 to Couasnon teaches a folding seat where the seat back is lowered by having the seat cushion move forward and the seat back is rotated forward and downward while the seat back lower edge is moved backward. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,558 issued Apr. 16, 2002 to Couasnon teaches a folding seat back member where the seat assembly is mounted on a track allowing longitudinal motion of the seat assembly at predetermined times. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,084 issued Jun. 18, 2002 to de Campos et al and the corresponding U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0043815 published Apr. 18, 2002 teaches two rows of folding seats having a board on the rear most row to cover the forward row to provide a smooth cargo area floor. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0075946 published Apr. 24, 2003 to Neale et al teaches a folding seat where the seat back is first rotated forward and downward and then the folded seat back and seat cushion are simultaneously rotated on the seat cushion front edge forward and upward. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0080601 published May 1, 2003 to Charras et al teaches an articulating hinge for use with a folding seat to allow for the seat back to be locked in intermediate positions between fully upright and fully folded down. 
     Thus, there is still a need for a folding split seat in which the seat cushion and seat back are moved from a seating position to a storage position without the need of multiple folding operations. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides advantages and alternatives over the prior art by providing a folding split seat in which the seat cushion moves forward horizontally and downward simultaneously with the forward and downward rotation of the seat back top edge into the area occupied by the seat cushion in the seating position. With the appropriate vehicle floor configuration the present invention allows for a flat cargo area floor from front to rear. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is presented a split folding seat where the front edge of the seat cushion is mounted to legs pivotally mounted to the vehicle floor and the seat back bottom edge is mounted to a pair of longitudinal tracks as well as pivotally connected by a second pivot point to the rear edge of said seat cushion. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is presented a split folding seat where each side of said split folding seat independently slides, reclines and folds down to provide cargo floor area. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is presented a split folding seat is mounted on a vehicle floor panel configured to provide a flat load floor across the seat back and rear cargo areas when the present invention split folding seat is in a lowered or closed position. 
     According to a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a split folding seat assembly comprising a pair of passenger seats which may be independently folded from a seating position to a cargo position and back with a minimum of effort for use in a vehicle comprising in cooperative combination: a pair of seat cushion frames, each of said seat cushion frames being moveably mounted by their front edges to a pair of legs, and said pair of seat cushion frames rear edges moveably mounted to a corresponding pair of seat back frames by a pair of seat folding links and further each said seat cushion frame having a seat cushion mounted thereon; a pair of seat legs having one end of each of said pair of seat legs moveably mounted to the front edge of each of said seat cushion frames and the other end of each of said pair of seat legs moveably mounted to a vehicle floor; a pair of seat back frames, each of said seat back frames being moveably mounted on their bottom edges to the rear edge of the corresponding seat cushion frame by a pair of seat folding links, and further attached by their bottom edges by a pair of hinges to a pair of parallel seat tracks, and further each of said pair of seat back frames having a head restraint mounting member to which are attached a desired number of head restraints and each of said seat back frames having a seat back cushion mounted thereon; and a pair of parallel tracks, fixedly mounted to a vehicle floor, for each of said pair of passenger seats having a seat back frame mounted thereto by means of a hinge allowing the seat backs to be independently moved laterally along the pair of parallel tracks during the folding and unfolding of each of said passenger seats; thereby providing a split folding seat assembly in which the seat cushion is moved forward and downward into the passenger foot area and the seat back is moved forward and downward into the space previously occupied by the seat cushion providing a flat load floor over a cargo area and the seat back. 
     The present invention thus advantageously provides a split folding seat for use in a vehicle which is easy to move from a seating position to a cargo position and back with minimum effort. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective front view of the split folding seat of the present invention in an upright or seating position with the seat cushion and seat back cushion removed to show more clearly the seat folding mechanism. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective front view of the split folding seat of  FIG. 1  where one portion of the seat is partially lowered from a seating position to a cargo storage position. 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective front view of the split folding seat of  FIG. 1  where one portion of the seat is completely lowered to the cargo storage position and the other portion of the seat is partially lowered into a cargo storage position. 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective front view of the split folding seat of  FIG. 1  with the head restraints, seat cushions and seat hack cushions identified. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein to the extent possible like reference numerals are utilized to designate like components throughout the various views. Referring to  FIG. 1 , which presents a front perspective view of a split folding seat  10  of the present invention with the seat cushion and seat back cushion removed for clarity comprising a seat cushion frames  1  moveably mounted on their front edges to legs  6  and moveably mounted on their back edges to a seat back frames  2  by linkage arms  7 . Seat back frames  2  further having a head restraints  3  mounted on head restraint mounting members  4 . In addition the larger seat portion of the split seat has an additional head restraint support member  11  further supporting the horizontal portion of head restraint mounting member  4 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 1  seat back frames  2  are moveably mounted by hinges  5  to parallel track units  8 , said track units  8  also being permanently mounted to vehicle floor  9 . Track units  8  allow the lateral movement of the seat back frames  2 . Hinges  5  allow the forward and downward movement of the top edge of seat back frames  2 . 
     Also shown in  FIG. 1  are optional storage units  20  which may be mounted to the bottom surface of seat cushion frames  1 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a perspective view of the split folding seat  10  where one portion of the split folding seat  10  remains in an upright or seating position and the other portion of the split folding seat  10  has been partially folded toward the down or cargo position. At the point illustrated the partially folded seat portion has had the seat back frame  1  moved laterally forward to the front end of parallel track units  8  that are permanently mounted to the vehicle floor  9 . The top of the seat back frame  2  has been rotated forward and downward on hinges  5  causing the linkage arms  7  to push the seat cushion frame  1  to move forward and downward pivoting on legs  6  which are moveably mounted to both the seat cushion frame  1  and the vehicle floor  9 . Also shown are head restraints  3 , head restraint mounting members  4 , additional head restraint support member  11 , and storage units  20 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a perspective view of the split folding seat  10  where one portion of the split folding seat  10  is completely lowered into the down or cargo position and the other portion of the split folding seat  10  is partially folded toward the down or cargo position. At the point illustrated the partially folded seat portion of  FIG. 2  is now in the full down or cargo position with the seat back frame  2  substantially in a horizontal position and the seat cushion frame  1  of this portion of the split folding seat  10  is at the full extent of its travel forward and downward. The portion of the split folding seat  10  which was in the full upright or seating position is shown here in a partially folded toward the downward or cargo position. At the point illustrated the partially folded seat portion has had the seat back frame  1  moved laterally forward to the front end of parallel track units  8  that are permanently mounted to the vehicle floor  9 . The top of the seat back frame  2  has been rotated forward and downward on hinges  5  causing the linkage arms  7  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) to push the seat cushion frame  1  to move forward and downward pivoting on legs  6  which are moveably mounted to both the seat cushion frame  1  and the vehicle floor  9 . Also shown are storage units  20 . 
     Finally, turning to  FIG. 4  there is shown a perspective view of the split folding seat  10  in a fully open position ready for occupancy showing seat cushions  40  and seat back cushions  41  installed. Also shown are head restraints  42 , storage compartments  20 , and legs  6 . 
     For the preferred embodiments of the present invention having a reclining seat back the presently preferred seat back hinges  5  are produced by Keiper Recargo Gruppe under the brand name Fold 2000. 
     Presently preferred material for the constructing the frame and mounting members of the present invention is steel. 
     It is to be appreciated that while the present invention&#39;s particular embodiments disclosed herein are for a split seat, that the present invention will also be applicable to non-split seats or only one portion of a split seat. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been disclosed, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.