Abstract:
A couch frame for vans and recreational vehicles provides for secure mounting of the couch, with pivoting forwardly enabled by a pair of pivots at the front of opposite sides of the legs and with a pair of spring loaded, channel shaped latches linked by a crossbar so that they can be simultaneously released with actuation of a single handle.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]    Priority is claimed based on application Ser. No. 60/179,966 filed Feb. 3, 2000. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    A couch frame is particularly adapted to vans and recreational vehicles and provides for secure mounting of the couch, with pivoting forwardly enabled by a pair of pivots at the front of opposite sides of the legs, with a pair of spring loaded, channel shaped latches linked by a crossbar so that they can be simultaneously released with actuation of a single handle.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0005]    Some prior art shows a plurality of latches, but used with a first one latch for a seat base and a second latch for a seat back. These do not teach the coacting latches transversely spaced on the base of a couch, as taught in this invention.  
           [0006]    Several patents disclose a variety of leg retraction mechanisms using complicated links and latches that are pulled directly or indirectly, as by cables, to disengage the leg retraction links or other leg connections, but do not teach the single handle actuation of a plurality of spaced latches, or latches of the advantageous configuration of the present latches.  
           [0007]    A variety of patents show latches that work by capturing a pin or rod between movable latch plates, one latch plate having a “V” or “C” shaped mouth or notch, while the other rotating relative thereto to effectively close the mouth or notch.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The invention enables the user or operator to simultaneously release both sides of a fairly heavy and cumbersome mechanism with one hand while lifting with the other hand. The mechanism uses a structurally strong support frame to support a vehicle couch, but enables the frame and couch to pivot to a full forward position to provide increased floor clearance, while the floor mounted rail, pivot and lock release mechanism lies substantially flat to the floor. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the couch base in its open condition.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the latch portion of the couch base in its locked condition.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the couch base in its locked condition.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the couch base in its open condition. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]    The embodiment uses a couch frame  10  having a pair of leg units  12 ,  14  each of which has a curved front leg  16  and straight rear leg  18  joined by a parallelogram shaped cross piece  20  having a web  22  formed into channels or flanges at the top  24  and bottom  26  for strength.  
         [0014]    Front legs  16  are curved having a downwardly dependent portion  30  and a lower forwardly curved portion  32  extending to a boss or cylindrical end  34  having a bore  36  that enables a pivoting connection.  
         [0015]    Rear leg  18  is generally straight at its lower end  38  being fitted with a L-shaped bracket having a bumper or foot  42  on the lower flange.  
         [0016]    Leg units  14 , and particularly pivot  34 , are mounted in floor channels  50 . While generally referred to as channels  50 , these, in fact, have a slightly modified “hat” section with outwardly turning flanges  52  and inwardly turning flanges  54 . Upstanding from the floor web  56  is an outer wall  58  and an inner wall  60  from which flanges  52 ,  54  extend. Latch mechanism  70  has a latch member  72  formed in a channel shape with its rear web  74  joining left and right flanges  76 ,  78 . Ends  80  are cut away to form slots  82  in hook ends  84  of each of the respective flanges  76 ,  78 . Accordingly, each release mechanism  70  is provided with a pair of hooks  84 . As each latch mechanism  70  is mounted on each rear leg  18 , a total of four (4) hooks  84  retain the couch in position. Slot  82  engages pin  88  that spans walls  58 ,  60 .  
         [0017]    Hooks  84  are maintained in engagement against pin  88  by being biased rearwardly by spring  90 .  
         [0018]    Leg units  12 ,  14  are interconnected by a front transverse member  100  and rear transverse member  102 . Floor channels are mechanically affixed to the floor of the vehicle. However, they are interconnected by a release control rod  104 . Rod  104  extends in the manner of an axle through the two floor channels from the outboard walls  58  through the inboard walls  60  to the opposed outboard wall  58 . Rod  104  rotates to engage a J-shaped pressure member  106  simultaneously with each of the webs  74  of the paired release members  70 . This is accomplished through the manual movement of handle  108 . Handle  108  is normally biased into a horizontal, floor contacting position by spring  110 . Thus, swinging handle  108  forward around rod or axle  104  forces J-shaped member  106  to contact web  74  pressing mechanism  70  against spring  90  such that end  84 , and particularly slot  82 , becomes disengaged from pin  88 . This permits the entire mechanism to pivot forwardly around boss  34 , which is itself pinned using front pin  112 .  
         [0019]    Front leg  16  is advantageously formed with the downwardly depending portion  30  and lower curved portion  32  that leads to the pivot boss or cylindrical portion  34  in that this enables significant clearance between the front transverse member  100  and the vehicle floor as shown in FIG. 4, enabling clearance for upholstery mounting atop the frame and for the resting of the couch in a position where the center of gravity of the couch is shifted forward of the pivot  34 , which assists in retaining the couch unit in its raised position.  
         [0020]    The term “forward” in the context of the orientation of the couch is relative to its preferred mounting, that is as a forward facing seat in a van or recreational vehicle. Similarly, the terms rear and transverse are also relative. However, the principles of the mechanism could be applied, where appropriate, to side or rear facing seats, in particular environments.  
         [0021]    While the present invention has been disclosed and described with reference to a single embodiment thereof, it will be apparent, as noted above that variations and modifications may be made therein. It is also noted that the present invention is independent of the machine being controlled, and is not limited to the control of couches. It is, thus, intended in the following claims to cover each variation and modification that falls within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.