Patent Publication Number: US-7900575-B2

Title: Deployable seating platform

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     This disclosure generally relates to seats, and more specifically relates to seats that may be attached to a swimming platform on a boat. 
     2. Background Art 
     Boating is enjoyed by millions across the world. Those who enjoy boating often enjoy swimming from their boat. Many modern boats include areas known as swimming platforms that provide a flat surface close to the water and a way to easily enter and exit the water. In many such boats, the swimming platform is at the stern, close to the engine. The boat may be stopped at a desired location, the engine is then turned off, and the occupants of the boat may then enjoy swimming from the swimming platform. 
     On days when the weather is hot, it is easy to stay comfortable and cool while in the water, but once the person leaves the water to get on the boat, the person may become uncomfortable due to the heat. Therefore on hot days people may be inclined to spend more time in the water. Swimming can become tiring, and is not particularly suitable when a person wants to rest or relax. More restful activities might include lying on a floating pad of some type. While floating on a pad may be restful, it also takes the person out of the water and subject to the heat. What is needed is a way for a person to remain mostly submerged in the water to stay cool while in a resting position. 
     Another activity that is common while boating, especially on hot days, is drinking cool beverages. Drinking a beverage while swimming or while floating on a pad is difficult because there is no good place to put the drink. Thus, if a person is swimming or floating and wants a drink, he or she must typically get out of the water, get a drink, then return to the water after finishing the drink. This once again subjects the person to the heat. It would be preferable to provide a way for a person to have a drink while mostly submerged in the water to allow the person to stay cool while having a drink. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     A deployable seating platform provides a place for a person to sit while in the water, thus allowing the person to be mostly submerged in the water while sitting. The deployable seating platform may be attached to a suitable surface, such as the swimming platform of a boat. When attached to a swimming platform, the swimming platform may serve as a place to rest a drink, thereby allowing a person to sit mostly submerged in the water while resting and while enjoying a drink at the same time. 
     The deployable seating platform is placed in a non-deployed position that is out of the water when not in use, but is easily moved to a deployed position that provides a seat in the water. The deployable seating platform provides an ideal way for a person to sit in the water mostly submerged next to the swimming platform of a boat, thereby keeping the person cool and allowing the person to enjoy a cool drink that may be placed on the swimming platform. Several such seats may be installed on a single swimming platform, allowing the swimming platform to become a floating bar for serving drinks when the seats are deployed. The result is a new and unique way to sit mostly submerged in the water and enjoy a drink at the same time. 
     The deployable seating platform preferably includes a base configured for attachment to a horizontal surface, such as the underside of a swimming platform on a boat. The base is coupled to a slide and pivot mechanism, which is coupled to a first end of an elongated member, with the second end of the elongated member coupled to a seat. The slide and pivot mechanism allows the elongated member to slide and pivot from a non-deployed position to a deployed position and allows the elongated member to slide and pivot from the deployed position to the non-deployed position. When in the non-deployed position, the deployable seating platform is out of the water and out of the way under the swimming platform. When in the deployed position, the seat of the deployable seating platform is in the water, providing a place for a person to sit in the water. 
     The foregoing and other features and advantages will be apparent from the following more particular description, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a deployable seating platform in a non-deployed position; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the deployable seating platform shown in  FIG. 1  when partially deployed; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the deployable seating platform shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  when fully deployed; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the deployable seating platform shown in  FIG. 2  showing the various components in one specific illustrative implementation; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of one of the side members shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the deployable seating platform in the non-deployed position; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the deployable seating platform in the deployed position; and 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the pivot stop shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The deployable seating platform preferably includes a base configured for attachment to a horizontal surface, such as the underside of a swimming platform on a boat. The base is coupled to a slide and pivot mechanism, which is coupled to a first end of an elongated member, with the second end of the elongated member coupled to a seat. The slide and pivot mechanism allows the elongated member to slide and pivot from a non-deployed position to a deployed position and allows the elongated member to slide and pivot from the deployed position to the non-deployed position. When in the non-deployed position, the deployable seating platform is out of the water and out of the way under the swimming platform. When in the deployed position, the seat of the deployable seating platform is in the water, providing a place for a person to sit in the water. 
     Referring to the figures, a deployable seating platform  100  includes a base  110 , a slide and pivot mechanism  120 , an elongated member  130 , and a seat  140 . The materials used for any or all of the components in the deployable seating platform  100  may be any suitable materials, including without limitation metal, wood, plastic, carbon composite materials, other synthetic materials, etc., or any suitable combination of these materials. In the most preferred implementation shown in the figures and discussed herein, the components are made of stainless steel, which provides the needed structural integrity while resisting corrosion. 
     The base  110  preferably is a substantially planar member with a plurality of mounting holes  112 . The plurality of mounting holes  112  allow the base  110  to be firmly attached to any suitable horizontal surface. In the most preferred implementation, bolts or screws are placed through the mounting holes  112  to attach the base  110  to the underside of a swimming platform on a boat. 
     The slide and pivot mechanism  120  is fixedly attached to the base  110 . In the preferred implementation using stainless steel, the slide and pivot mechanism  120  is welded to the base  110 . In the configuration shown in the figures, the base  110  includes slots  114  that receive upper portions of the slide and pivot mechanism  120  to enhance the strength of the attachment and to align the slide and pivot mechanism  120  to the proper position. The slide and pivot mechanism  120  includes two parallel side plates  122  and  124  that each include a cane-shaped slot. The term “cane-shaped” is meant herein to refer to the shape of a traditional walking cane, with an elongated straight portion and a curved U-shaped portion on the end (such as a candy cane). The cane-shaped slots have a sideways U-shaped portion on the rear end of the slide and pivot mechanism  120 . The non-deployed position for the deployable seating platform  100  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , while the deployed position is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 . 
     Note the seat  140  includes a first recessed portion  142  that aligns with recesses  127  and  129  in  FIG. 4  when the deployable seating platform  100  is in the non-deployed position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 . The seat  142  is fixedly attached to a pivot bracket  144 , which is attached to the elongated member  130  via a bolt  146  and nut  148 . In the most preferred implementation using stainless steel parts, the pivot bracket  144  is preferably welded to the seat  140 . Note the seat  140  also includes a second recessed portion  141  that is sized to receive the elongated member  130 . The elongated member  130  has a stop plate  150  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4  fixedly attached to its end. The stop plate  150  shown in the figures is one suitable implementation for a stop member that stops the pivoting of the seat  140  in a desired position. In the most preferred implementation, stop plate  150  is welded to the end of the elongated member  130 . The stop plate provides a stop to the pivoting of the seat and holds the seat in a desired orientation when the deployable seating platform is deployed. Note the second recess  141  is preferably in the middle of a front portion of the seat, resulting in the seat being balanced left to right when moved against the stop plate  150 . This allows a person who wants to sit on the seat to use the seat in two different ways. The first way is for the person to place the elongated member  130  between the legs as the person sits down, which allows the person to face the direction of the base  110  while sitting. This position is especially useful when the deployable seating platform  100  is attached to the lower surface of a swimming platform on a boat. The person, by sitting on the seat  140  with the elongated member  130  between the legs, essentially “bellys up” to the swimming platform as if the swimming platform is a bar. The person can then put a drink on the swimming platform, and enjoy a cool beverage while mostly submerged in the water due to sitting on the seat  140 . The second way for a person to use the deployable seating platform  100  is to sit on the seat  140  facing away from the base  100 . In this position, the person can recline back against the elongated member  130 , and may relax while sitting on the seat  140 . An optional pad could be wrapped around the elongated member  130  to provide a padded backrest. In the alternative, a rectangular pad could be clipped using plastic C-shaped clips to the elongated member  130 , thereby providing a more comfortable back rest. 
     The elongated member  130  is shown in the figures as a linear tubular member, which in the most preferred implementation is made of stainless steel. Note, however, the elongated member may be any arm or other member that is any suitable size, cross-section, shape, or configuration, as long as the elongated member  130  allows the deployable seating platform  100  to move from the non-deployed position to the deployed position, and back. 
       FIG. 4  shows additional pieces that are used to fabricate one specific implementation of the slide and pivot mechanism  120 . Note the slide and pivot mechanism  120  in the particular implementation shown in  FIG. 4  is a slide receiver with parallel members that have opposing slots that allow the elongated member  130  to slide with respect to the slide receiver. The slide receiver  120  in  FIG. 4  includes gussets  160  that are spacers that attach the two side plates  122  and  124  to each other. In the most preferred implementation using stainless steel parts, the gussets  160  are welded to the two side plates  122  and  124 . Also shown in  FIG. 4  are bushings  172  and  173  which have a full diameter portion and a reduced diameter portion. The reduced diameter portion is sized slightly smaller than the width of the slots  126  and  128  so the bushings  172  may slide within the slots. A bolt  174  passes through slot  126 , through the reduced diameter portion of bushing  172  and out the full diameter portion, through a hole in the elongated member  130 , through a full diameter portion of bushing  173  out the reduced diameter portion, through slot  128 , into a nut  176 . The spacing between the side plates  122  and  124  of the slide receiver shown in  FIG. 4  and the length of a threaded portion of the bolt  174  are such that the nut  176  may be tightened onto bolt  174 , which captivates a first end of the elongated member  130  between the bushings  172  and  173  while still allowing the bushings  172  and  173  to slide within the respective slots  126  and  128 . The bolt  174  thus serves as a pivot member that allows the elongated member  130  to pivot in a downward direction when the pivot member is in the front portion of the slots  126  and  128 . A pivot stop  180  is also shown in  FIG. 4 , and includes a cylindrical body  802  with reduced diameter portions  810  at each end, as shown in  FIG. 8 . The reduced diameter portions  810  are inserted into holes  182  and  184  ( FIG. 4 ) during assembly of the slide receiver, resulting in the pivot stop  180  being captivated between the side plates  122  and  124 . The pivot stop  180  is preferably fixedly attached to the side plates  122  and  124  (e.g., via a weld). The pivot stop  180  allows the elongated member  130  to pivot downward to a desired position when the elongated member  130  is slid so the bolt  184  is at the front end of the slots  126  and  128  (e.g., in the deployed position), but provides a stop so the pivoting motion of the elongated member  130  is restrained to a desired position even when a person sits on the seat  140 . In the preferred implementation shown in the figures, the pivot stop  180  holds the elongated member  130  at an obtuse angle A with respect to a line extending from the front of the base to the back of the base, as shown in  FIG. 7 . Referring again to  FIG. 8 , pivot stop  180  preferably includes a threaded portion  820  for receiving a bolt  830 . The bolt  830  allows adjustment of the pivot stop, thereby allowing a user of the deployable seating platform to adjust the angle A of the elongated member  130  with respect to the base  110 . Note that threaded portion  820  preferably provides a slight interference fit with the threads of bolt  830 , allowing the bolt  830  to remain in a desired position without allowing the bolt  830  to move in or out via vibrations. Pivot stop  180  is a stop member that stops the pivoting travel of the elongated member  130  in the downward direction. 
     A side view of the left side plate  122  is shown in  FIG. 5 . For the particular implementation shown in the figures, the right side plate  124  shown in  FIG. 4  is identical to the left side plate  122 . As discussed above, top portions  510  and  520  show by dotted lines in  FIG. 5  preferably slide into the slots  114  in the base  110  before welding to strengthen the joint between base  110  and side plate  122 . The cane-shaped slot  128  provides a path for the bolt  174  to slide. Because bolt  174  is coupled to the first end of the elongated member  130 , the elongated member can pivot about the bolt  174  and slide within the slide receiver between a non-deployed position and a deployed position. When the elongated member  130  and seat  140  are in a non-deployed position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the head of the bolt  174  is in the lower portion of the sideways U-shape in the slot  126 , as shown by the dotted circle  530  in  FIG. 5 . When the elongated member  130  is in a deployed position, as shown in  FIGS. 2-4  and  7 , the head of the bolt  174  is in the right end of the slot, as shown by the dotted circle  540  in  FIG. 5 . 
     The deployment of the deployable seating platform  100  is now described. We assume the seating platform is in a non-deployed position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , with a head of the bolt in position  530  shown in  FIG. 5 . In this position, the seating platform  100  is held in the non-deployed position. Any force on the deployable seating platform that might tend to deploy the platform, such as from water running under a boat, will not deploy the deployable seating platform because the bottom portion of the sideways U-shape does not allow the bolt to move in that direction. To deploy the deployable seating platform that is mounted on the underside of a swimming platform on a boat, a person who is preferably in the water places a hand on the stop plate  150 , pushes in to force the bolt to the bottom of the sideways U-shape of the slot (as shown at  550  in  FIG. 5 ), then pulls down on the stop plate  150  to push the bolt into the upper portion of the slot (as shown at  560  in  FIG. 5 ), then pulls out on the stop plate  150  to slide the bolt to position  540  in  FIG. 5 , which allows the elongated member  130  to pivot downwardly until the elongated member  130  contacts the pivot stop  180 . At this point, the seat is still in a non-deployed position, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The person then pivots the seat downwardly until the seat hits the stop plate  150 , resulting in the deployable seating platform  100  being in the deployed position shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 . When a person is done using the deployable seating platform, the person first pivots the seat from the deployed position shown in  FIG. 3  to the non-deployed position shown in  FIG. 2 . The person then lifts on the pivot plate  150  to pivot the elongated member  130  upward. While lifting, the person may also push in on the pivot plate  150 , resulting in the bolt sliding within the slots. Once the bolt reaches the bottom of the sideways U-shape in the slot as shown at  560  in  FIG. 5 , it falls by force of gravity to the lower portion of the sideways U-shape, as shown at  550  in  FIG. 5 . The person may then pull on the pivot plate  150  to make sure the bolt is in the non-deployed position shown at  530  in  FIG. 5 . From the description above, it is clear the stop plate  150  performs the dual role of stopping the pivot of the seat  140  as well as providing a handle that allows a person to easily move the deployable seating platform from a deployed to a non-deployed position, then back to the deployed position. 
     While  FIG. 4  shows many separate parts in the preferred implementation using stainless steel parts and using welding to fasten the parts together, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the slide and pivot mechanism  120  could be fabricated in a variety of different ways. For example, the base  110  and side plates  122  and  124  could be formed simultaneously via an extrusion process, such as from an aluminum extrusion. In addition, various components shown in  FIG. 4  could be molded together using natural or synthetic materials. The disclosure and claims herein expressly extend to any suitable way to manufacture a base coupled to a slide and pivot mechanism that attaches to a first end of an elongated member, with a second end of the elongated member attaching to a seat. 
     While the deployable seating platform is described herein as being attached to the swimming platform of a boat, many other uses are also within the scope of the disclosure and claims herein. For example, a portable trailer could include many deployable seating platforms mounted to the underside of a flat trailer deck, thereby providing a portable platform for feeding or providing drink to many people at the same time. In addition, the deployable seating platform could be used to provide bar stools that are attached to the underside of a bar. When the floor underneath the bar needs to be cleaned, the deployable seating platforms could be placed in their non-deployed positions, thus allowing easy cleaning of the floor without interference from traditional barstools. A boat or recreational vehicle (RV) could also include one or more deployable seating platforms to provide seating that is attached to the boat or RV. The deployable seating platform could also be attached to a dock, or to the tailgate of a pickup truck. In addition, while the specific configuration shown in the figures herein is for attaching to the underside of a flat platform, many other configurations are possible. For example, the base could be configured to attach to a vertical surface, or could be configured to attach to the top side of a horizontal surface. In addition, the slide and pivot mechanism could provide a slide in one direction and a pivot in a different direction. For example, the slide and pivot mechanism could allow the elongated arm to pivot in a first direction, such as to a sideways position, then slide in a second direction, or to slide in a first direction, then pivot. In summary, the disclosure and claims herein expressly extend to any suitable configuration for a deployable seating platform that includes a base, a slide and pivot mechanism coupled to the base, and an elongated member coupled at one end to the slide and pivot mechanism and at the other end to a seat. 
     The disclosure and claims here provide a deployable seating platform that may be stored in a collapsed configuration in a non-deployed position, but may be easily deployed to provide a seat for a person. When attached to the underside of a swimming platform on a boat, the deployable seating platform provides a seat in the water when in the deployed position where a person can sit mostly submerged in the water facing the swimming platform. The result is a seat that provides the feel of a barstool, with the swimming platform of the boat serving as a bar to hold a drink the person on the seat is drinking. 
     One skilled in the art will appreciate that many variations are possible within the scope of the claims. Thus, while the disclosure is particularly shown and described above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.