Abstract:
A seat assembly that is releasably secured to a floor, wherein the seat assembly is released from the floor by simply lifting the handle is provided. The seat assembly includes a latch assembly which releasably engages a platform such as a vehicle floor. The handle is configured to bear the load of the seat, and is also operable to actuate the latch so as to release the seat from the floor by simply lifting the seat by the handle. Thus only one motion is used to remove the seat from the floor. Further the operation of releasing the seat from the floor is inherent as it requires the user to merely lift the seat by the handle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a seat assembly which is removably secured to a floor. In particular, the seat assembly includes a handle operable to release the seat assembly from the floor by simply lifting the seat assembly by the handle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is well known to equip a seat assembly with a latching mechanism so as to removably secure the seat assembly to a floor or a platform. Such technology is often found in vehicles seat assemblies. For instance, it is known to configure seat assemblies to be releasably engaged to the vehicle floor, and to be removed therefrom by actuating a handle or a lever so as to allow the vehicle floor to be reconfigured for other uses, such as providing more floor space to create a larger storage capacity. 
         [0003]    For example, some vehicles are equipped with a folding seat assembly slidably mounted to a rail disposed on the vehicle floor. The removal of the foldable seat requires the operator to fold the seat, pivot the folded seat about the rail, and then slide the folded seat along the rail until the seat is disengaged from the rail. Thus two motions are required and the removal of the foldable seat is not necessarily inherent to a first time user. 
         [0004]    In another example, the seat assembly is equipped with a handle operable to release a latching mechanism from an engaging position with the floor. Though actuating the handle alone is sufficient to disengage the latch assembly from the vehicle floor, the user is still required to perform further motions to disengage the seat assembly from a stop. Furthermore, the handle is fixedly mounted to the seat assembly and thus requires the operator to manipulate the seat assembly to achieve a comfortable carrying position. 
         [0005]    Such seat assemblies require two hands or two different motions to remove the seat from the floor. In addition, such seat assemblies are configured such that the removal of the seat from the floor is not inherent to the user. Accordingly it is desirable to have a seat assembly which is inherently simple to remove and wherein the user can use one motion to both release the seat from the floor and carry the seat away. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A seat assembly with a handle that is operable to release the seat from a platform and by which the seat assembly may be carried is provided. The seat assembly includes a latch which releasably engages the vehicle floor. The handle is configured to bear the load of the seat, and is also operable to actuate the latch so as to release the seat from the floor by simply lifting the seat by the handle. Thus only one motion is used to remove the seat from the floor. Further the operation of releasing the seat from the floor is inherent as it requires the user to merely lift the seat by the handle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of the scat assembly mounted to a floor; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a view of  FIG. 1  wherein the seat is released from the floor by lifting the seat assembly by the handle; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a view of the latch assembly disposed on the base of the seat, the latch assembly is actuated by a cable which is pulled when the handle is lifted; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a view of the handle of the first preferred embodiment of the seat assembly, the handle is disposed within a recess of the base; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an illustrative view of another handle for use with the seat assembly; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is another illustrative view of a yet another handle for use with the seat assembly; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 7  is a view of the first preferred embodiment of the seat assembly, the handle is disposed within a recess of the base, and the seat cushion is pivotably attached to the base so as to move between a first position where the seat cushion lies flush against the base so as to hide the handle, and a second position where the seat cushion is pivoted away from the base so as to provide access to the handle, the seat cushion is shown in the first position 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a view of  FIG. 7  wherein the seat cushion is in the second position; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the subject seat assembly showing the center of gravity, indicated by the solid circle, of the seat assembly aligning itself with the handle when the seat assembly is carried. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The present invention discloses a seat assembly  10  having a load bearing handle  12  and a latch assembly  14 . The handle assembly  12  is configured to bear the load of the seat assembly  10 . The handle assembly  12  is operable to actuate the latch assembly  14  so as to release the seat assembly  10  from the floor  18 . Accordingly the seat assembly  10  is releasably disengaged from the floor  18  by using a single motion that is inherent to the operator, namely by lifting the seat assembly  10  by the handle assembly  12 . 
         [0017]    With reference now to  FIG. 1 , the seat assembly  10  includes a base  20 , a seat cushion  22  and a seat back  24 . The base  20  is mounted to the floor  18  and the latch assembly  14  is disposed on the base  20  so as to secure the base  20  to the floor  18 . The handle assembly  12  is pivotably attached to the seat assembly  10  and is operable to actuate the latch assembly  14  so as to release the base  20  from the floor  18  when the seat assembly  10  is lifted by the handle assembly  12 . Though the handle assembly  12  is shown mounted to the seat cushion  22 , it is anticipated that the handle assembly  12  may be mounted in other locations on the seat assembly  10  such as the base  20 , head rest  26 , or the seat back  24 . 
         [0018]    The latch assembly  14  is interconnected to the handle  12  by a cable  28 . Any latch assembly  14  known to those skilled in the art may be suitable for use in the seat assembly  10 , illustratively including the latch assembly  14  shown in the accompanying figures and described hereafter. 
         [0019]    With reference now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the latch assembly  14  includes a spring  30  (not shown) and a latch body  32 . The latch body  32  includes a slot  34 , and a finger  36 . The latch body  32  is fixedly mounted to the base  20 , and the slot  34  is configured to receive a bracket  38  fixedly mounted to the floor  18 . The finger  36  is pivotably mounted to the latch body  32 , and the spring  30  continuously urges the finger  36  to a closed position wherein the finger  36  encloses the slot  34 . Thus, when the slot  34  is registered to the bracket  38 , the load of the seat assembly  10  overcomes the biasing force of the spring  30  so as place a portion of the bracket  38  within the slot  34 . The bracket  38  is retained therein when the bracket  38  clears the finger  36  and the spring  30  urges the finger  36  back into the closed position. 
         [0020]    The latch assembly  14  further includes a lever  40  pivotally mounted to a portion of the latch assembly  14 . The cable  28  interconnects the lever  40  to the handle assembly  12 . The lever  40  is operable to urge the finger  36  so as to overcome the biasing force of the spring  30 . Specifically, when the handle assembly  12  is pulled, the cable  28  pivots the lever  40  so as to overcome the biasing force of the spring  30  and move the finger  36  free from the slot  34 . Thus, the seat assembly  10  is released from the vehicle floor  18 , and the user may simply lift the seat assembly  10  away. 
         [0021]    Handle assemblies  12  are commonly understood to be a device for which to carry an article by. Accordingly, the handle assembly  12  provides an inherent means of removing the seat assembly  10  from the vehicle floor  18 . Thus when the handle assembly  12  is lifted, the latch assembly  14  is disengaged from the floor  18  in the manner described above. Thus, the seat assembly  10  is free of the bracket  38  and may be carried away by the handle assembly  12  by simply lifting the handle assembly  12  upwardly along a generally vertical plane. 
         [0022]    Any handle  12  known to those skilled in the art may be suitable for use in the seat assembly  10 , illustratively including the handle assemblies  12  shown in the accompanying figures and described hereafter. With reference now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . A handle assembly  12  is shown pivotably mounted within a recess  42  of the base  20 . The cable  28  is fixedly connected to handle assembly  12  on one end and the latch assembly  14  on the other end. Thus, when the handle assembly  12  is pivoted from the recess  42 , the latch assembly  14  is released from a locking engagement with the floor  18 , and the seat assembly  10  is simply lifted away. 
         [0023]    With reference now to  FIG. 5 , a handle assembly  12  including a frame  44  with a pair of guides  46  disposed along opposite sides of the frame  44  is provided. The handle assembly  12  further includes a gripping member  48  slidably disposed within the guides  46 . The cable  28  is connects one end of the gripping member  48  to the latch assembly  14 . Thus, when the gripping member  48  is pulled upwardly along the frame  44 , the cable  28  actuates the latch assembly  14  so as to release the seat assembly  10  from a locking engagement with the floor  18  in the manner described above, and the seat assembly  10  is simply lifted away. 
         [0024]    With reference now to  FIG. 6 , a handle assembly  12  including a frame  144  and a gripping member  148  pivotably attached to the frame  144  is provided. One end of the gripping member  148  is disposed within the frame  144  and the other end of the gripping member  148  is disposed outside of the frame  144 . One end of the cable  28  is attached to the portion of the gripping member  48  disposed outside of the frame  44 , and the other end of the cable  28  is attached to the latch assembly  14 . Thus, when the gripping member  148  is pivoted towards the upper portion of the frame  144 , the cable  28  actuates the latch assembly  14  so as to release the seat assembly  10  from a locking engagement with the floor  18 , and the seat assembly  10  is simply lifted away. 
         [0025]    With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , and  8 , a first preferred embodiment of the seat assembly  10  is provided. Tile seat assembly  10  includes a seat cushion  22  pivotably mounted on the base  20 . The seat cushion  22  is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the seat cushion  22  is flush against the base  20  and in the second position the seat cushion  22  is spaced apart from the base  20  such that the handle assembly  12  is accessible. Thus, the handle assembly  12  remains hidden from the vehicle occupants when the seat cushion  22  is in the first position. 
         [0026]    With reference again to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  8 , the base  20  includes a recess  42  and the handle  12  is housed within the recess  42 . When the seat cushion  22  is placed in the second position, the handle assembly  12  is accessible. The seat assembly  10  is released from a locking engagement with the floor  18  by simply lifting the seat  16  along a generally vertical plane. Thus the seat assembly  10  may be easily disengaged from a locking engagement with the floor  18  in tie manner described above and may be carried away by using only one hand and performing a single inherent motion. 
         [0027]    The seat assembly  10  further includes a pair of cables  28 . Each of the pair of cables  28  interconnects the handle assembly  12  to two of the four latches  14 . Specifically, one cable is connected to one end of the handle assembly  12 . The cable  28  is split and one end of the cable  28  is shown attached to the front left latch  14  and the other end of the split cable is attached to the front rear latch  14 . Likewise, the other of the pair of cable  28  is attached to an opposite end of the handle assembly  12 , the cable  28  is split and one end of the split cable  28  is connected to the rear left latch  14  and the other of the split end is attached to the rear right latch  14 . Accordingly, the actuation of the handle assembly  12  releases all four latches  14  from the floor  18 . The seat assembly  10  is then free to pivot about the handle assembly  12  so as to align the center of gravity of the seat assembly  10  with the handle assembly  12 . 
         [0028]    With reference now to  FIG. 9 , the handle assembly  12  is pivotably attached to the base  20  such that the center of gravity of the seat assembly  10  (as indicated by the solid dot disposed on the base  20 ) is aligned with the handle assembly  12  (as shown by the broken line), thus making the seat assembly  10  easier to carry away. Accordingly, the handle assembly  12  may be disposed in other locations of the seat assembly  10 , and may be pivotably mounted to the seat assembly  10  using a bearing assembly, thus enabling the center of gravity of the seat  16  to align itself with the handle assembly  12  as shown in  FIG. 8 . For example, the handle assembly  12  may be disposed on the seat cushion  22 , head rest  26 , along any one of the sides of the seat cushion  22 , or the like. 
         [0029]    The seat assembly  10  may be mounted to the floor  18  in any manner known to those skilled in the art, illustratively including the use of a rail  50  as shown in  FIG. 7  and described hereafter. The rail  50  is mounted to the floor  18  and the base  20  is configured to slidingly attach to the rail  50  The rail  50  includes a plurality of teeth (not shown) and the latch assembly  14  is configured to engage any of the teeth so as to secure the seat assembly  10  in a desired position along the rail  50  As set forth above, the handle assembly  12  is interconnected to the latch assembly  14  by a cable  28  and the cable  28  is operable to bias the lever  40  against the finger  36  when the handle assembly  12  is lifted up thus disengaging the latch assembly  14  from the rail  50  and allowing the user to remove the seat assembly  10  by simply lifting the seat assembly  10  by the handle  12 . 
         [0030]    Obviously many modifications and variations of the seat assembly  10  disclosed are possible in light of the above description and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of the above described seat assembly  10 .