Abstract:
An adjustable seat support ( 100, 200, 300 ) for a vehicle ( 10 ) having a frame ( 12 ), comprising a support member ( 102 ) adapted to support a seat ( 110 ), at least one support bracket ( 104   a,    104   b,    204   a,    204   b,    304   a,    304   b ) pivotally connecting the support member ( 102 ) to a first position of the frame ( 12 ) of the vehicle ( 10 ) and an actuator ( 109 ) pivotally connecting the at least one support bracket ( 104   a,    104   b,    204   a,    204   b,    304   a,    304   b ) to a second position of the frame ( 12 ) of the vehicle ( 10 ), wherein movement of the actuator ( 109 ) raises and lowers the support member ( 102 ).

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefits of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/344,786 filed on Oct. 5, 2010, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to an adjustable seat support. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an adjustable seat support for use with motorcycles, snowmobiles, watercrafts, three and four wheel off-road vehicles, etc. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Some models of motorcycles offer two different seat heights, which can be adjusted with tools at the dealership, i.e. the seat height is then fixed and tools are need to change it again. However, there is no mechanism currently available on a motorcycle, snowmobile, watercraft, three and four wheel off-road vehicle, etc., to change the seat position in real-time and allow the accommodation of several driving ergonomics and user body configurations, and thus reduce muscle fatigue that may result from the same driving position and adapt to the driving style of the rider. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for an adjustable seat support for use with motorcycles, snowmobiles, watercrafts, three and four wheel off-road vehicles, etc. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The present disclosure provides an adjustable seat support for a vehicle having a frame, comprising a support member adapted to support a seat, at least one support bracket pivotally connecting the support member to a first position of the frame of the vehicle and an actuator pivotally connecting the at least one support bracket to a second position of the frame of the vehicle, wherein movement of the actuator raises and lowers the support member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0006]    Embodiments of the disclosure will be described by way of examples only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the adjustable seat support in accordance with a first illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is side elevation view of the adjustable seat support of  FIG. 1  attached to a motorcycle in a pull configuration and in a raised position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is side elevation view of the adjustable seat support of  FIG. 1  attached to a motorcycle in a pull configuration and in a lowered position; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and  4 C are side views of the displacement of the adjustable seat support of  FIG. 1  in a pull configuration when going from a raised position to a lowered position; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C are side views of the displacement of the adjustable seat support of  FIG. 1  in a push configuration when going from a raised position to a lowered position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the adjustable seat support in accordance with a second illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are side views of the displacement of the adjustable seat support of  FIG. 6  in a push configuration in a raised and a lowered positions, respectively; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are side views of the displacement of the adjustable seat support of  FIG. 6  in a pull configuration in a raised and a lowered positions, respectively. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the adjustable seat support in accordance with a third illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0016]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  are side views of the displacement of the adjustable seat support of  FIG. 9  in a pull configuration in a raised and a lowered positions, respectively. 
       
    
    
       [0017]    Similar references used in different Figures denote similar components. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Generally stated, non-limitative illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure provide an adjustable seat support and more specifically an adjustable seat support for use with motorcycles, snowmobiles, watercrafts, three and four wheel off-road vehicles, etc., in order to reduce muscle fatigue that may result from having the same driving position for long periods of time and also optimize the position of the center of mass of the rider which results in completely different road manners. The adjustable seat support may be controlled electronically, pneumatically, hydraulically, mechanically, etc., so as to accommodate different driving ergonomics or user body configurations. The adjustment can be done at any time, while in motion or stationary. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an adjustable seat support  100  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The adjustable seat support  100  is generally composed of a support member  102  adapted to support a seat, a pair of front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets pivotally connecting the support member  102  to a vehicle frame via pivot members  103   a,    103   b  and  14   a,    14   b,  respectively, and an actuator link  106 , which pivotally connects the front support brackets  104   a  to the vehicle frame via pivot members  105  and  107 , respectively. 
         [0020]    It is to be understood that although the actuator link  106  is pivotally connected to the front support brackets  104   a  through pivot member  105 , which engages pivot receiving structure  16   a,  in an alternative embodiment the actuator link  106  may be pivotally connected to the back support brackets  104   b  by engaging the pivot member  105  with pivot receiving structure  16   b.    
         [0021]    In the illustrative embodiment, the front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets are advantageously disposed with respect to the support member  102  such that they may pass each other during the raising and lowering of the support member  102 , i.e. the spacing between each of the front support brackets  104   a  and the spacing between each of the rear support brackets  104   b  allow the front  104   a  or rear  104   b  support brackets to pass between the rear  104   b  or front  104   a  support brackets. However, the front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets may be disposed such that they may not pass each other during the raising and lowering of the support member  102 , thus limiting the range of movement of the support member  102 . It is to be understood that although the front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets are shown in the illustrative embodiment as being parallel, they may be disposed otherwise in an alternative embodiment in order to control and vary the seat angle. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there is shown the adjustable seat support  100  attached to a motorcycle  10  in a pull configuration and in a raised ( FIG. 2 ) or lowered ( FIG. 3 ) position. Front  14   a  and rear  14   a  bracket pivot members pivotally connect the front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets, respectively, to a first position on the frame  12  of the motorcycle  10  while actuator pivot member  107  pivotally connects the actuator link  106  to a second position on the frame  12  of the motorcycle  10 , the first and second positions being spaced apart. The actuator link  106  is further operatively connected to an actuation mechanism  108  forming actuator  109 , for example a linear actuator. It is to be understood that although the following disclosure refers to a motorcycle, same may be applied to other types of vehicles such as snowmobiles, watercrafts, three and four wheel off-road vehicles, etc. 
         [0023]    The height of the seat  110 , which is attached to the support member  102 , is controlled by activating the actuation mechanism  108  of the actuator  109 , which contracts ( FIG. 2 ) or expands ( FIG. 3 ) the actuator link  106  in order to pivot the front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets. The actuator  109  may be electronic, pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, etc., in nature and may be controlled by a user using a button, joystick or other user interface. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A to 4C , there is shown the displacement of the adjustable seat support  100  components in a pull configuration, going from a raised position ( FIG. 4A ) to a lowered position ( FIG. 4C ). In this configuration, the pivotal movements of the front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets move the support member  102  from a completely raised position to a completely lowered position as the actuator link  106  expands from a completely retracted position ( FIG. 4A ) to a completely expanded position ( FIG. 4C ). It is to be understood that, although not shown in  FIGS. 4A to 4C , pivot members  107 ,  14   a  and  14   b  are pivotally connected to the frame  12  of the motorcycle  10  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), pivot member  107  being pivotally connected to a position that is higher on the frame  12  then the position of pivot members  14   a  and  14   b,  and thus each remains in a fixed position. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 5A to 5C , there is shown the displacement of the adjustable seat support  100  components in a push configuration, going from a raised position ( FIG. 5A ) to a lowered position ( FIG. 5B ). In this configuration, the pivotal movements of the front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets move the support member  102  from a completely raised position to a completely lowered position as the actuator link  106  contracts from a completely expanded position ( FIG. 5A ) to a completely retracted position ( FIG. 5C ). It is to be understood that, although not shown in  FIGS. 5A to 5C , pivot members  107 ,  14   a  and  14   b  are pivotally connected to the frame  12  of the motorcycle  10  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), pivot member  107  being pivotally connected to a position that is lower on the frame  12  then the position of pivot members  14   a  and  14   b,  and thus each remains in a fixed position. 
         [0026]    It is to be understood that although the illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure includes a pair of front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets, their number may vary. Furthermore, in another alternative embodiment, the front  104   a  and rear  104   b  support brackets may be replaced by a single bracket in combination with a mechanism to adjust and maintain the inclination of the support member  102 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is shown an adjustable seat support  200  in accordance with a second illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The adjustable seat support  200  is generally composed of a support member  102  adapted to support a seat, a front  204   a  and a pair of rear  204   b  support brackets pivotally connecting the support member  102  to a vehicle frame via pivot members  203   a,    203   b,    214   a,    216  and base bracket  217 , and an actuator link  106 , which pivotally connects the rear support brackets  204   b  to the vehicle frame via pivot members  205  and  107 , respectively. The front support bracket  204   a  is pivotally and slidingly engaged to the support member  102  through slider guide  215   a  while the rear support brackets  204   b  are pivotally and slidingly engaged to the base bracket  217  through slider guide  215   b.  Pivot member  214   b,  combined with slider guides  215   a  and  215   b,  ensure proper raising and lowering of the support member  102 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , there is shown the displacement of the adjustable seat support  200  components in a push configuration, going from a raised position ( FIG. 7A ) to a lowered position ( FIG. 7B ). In this configuration, the pivotal movements of the front  204   a  and rear  204   b  support brackets move the support member  102  from a completely raised position to a completely lowered position as the actuator link  106  contracts from a completely expanded position ( FIG. 7A ) to a completely retracted position ( FIG. 7B ). It is to be understood that, although not shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , pivot members  107  and base bracket  217  are connected to the frame  12  of the motorcycle  10 , pivot member  107  being pivotally connected to a position which is front wise compared to the position of base bracket  217 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , there is shown the displacement of the adjustable seat support  200  components in a pull configuration, going from a raised position ( FIG. 7A ) to a lowered position ( FIG. 7B ). In this configuration, the pivotal movements of the front  204   a  and rear  204   b  support brackets move the support member  102  from a completely raised position to a completely lowered position as the actuator link  106  expands from a completely retracted position ( FIG. 8A ) to a completely expanded position ( FIG. 8B ). It is to be understood that, although not shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , pivot members  107  and base bracket  217  are connected to the frame  12  of the motorcycle  10 , pivot member  107  being pivotally connected to a position which is rear wise compared to the position of base bracket  217 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , there is shown an adjustable seat support  300  in accordance with a third illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The adjustable seat support  300  is generally composed of a support member  102  adapted to support a seat, a front  304   a  and a pair of rear  304   b  support brackets pivotally connecting the support member  102  to a vehicle frame via pivot members  303   a  (see  FIGS. 10A and 10B ),  303   b  and  314   a,    314   b,  respectively, and an actuator link  106 , which pivotally connects the rear support brackets  304   b  to the vehicle frame via pivot members  305  and  107 , respectively. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 10A and 10B , there is shown the displacement of the adjustable seat support  200  components in a pull configuration, going from a raised position ( FIG. 10A ) to a lowered position ( FIG. 10B ). In this configuration, the pivotal movements of the front  304   a  and rear  304   b  support brackets move the support member  102  from a completely raised position to a completely lowered position as the actuator link  106  expands from a completely retracted position ( FIG. 10A ) to a completely expanded position ( FIG. 10B ). It is to be understood that, although not shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , pivot members  107 ,  314   a  and  314   b  are pivotally connected to the frame  12  of the motorcycle  10 , pivot member  107  being pivotally connected to a position that is higher on the frame  12  then the position of pivot members  314   a  and  314   b,  and thus each remains in a fixed position. 
         [0032]    In another alternative embodiment, the front  104   a,    204   a,    304   a  and rear  104   b,    204   b,    304   b  support brackets may have different lengths in order to induce a desired inclination to the support member  102 , and thus to the seat  110 . In a further alternative embodiment, the length of the front  104   a,    204   a,    304   a  and rear  104   b,    204   b,    304   b  support brackets may be dynamically varied, for example using a length adjustment mechanism operatively connected to either or both of the front  104   a,    204   a,    304   a  and rear  104   b,    204   b,    304   b  support brackets, in order to control the inclination of the support member  102 , and thus of the seat  110 . 
         [0033]    It is to be understood that the maximum displacement of the support member  102  can be adjusted by the length of the front  104   a,    204   a,    304   a  and rear  104   b,    204   b,    304   b,  either statically or dynamically, or by the distance between link  105 ,  305  and pivots  14   a  (or  14   b ),  314   a,  respectively. 
         [0034]    It is further to be understood that the actuator  109  may be connected to the various support brackets  104   a,    104   b,    204   b,    304   b,  with any kind of linkage mechanism in order to change the motion ratio of the actuator link  106  compared to the movement of the support member  102 . 
         [0035]    Although the present disclosure has been described with a certain degree of particularity and by way of illustrative embodiments and examples thereof, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the disclosure as hereinafter claimed.