Patent Publication Number: US-9896165-B2

Title: Boat seat with stowable seat back

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is related to and claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 62/274,894 filed Jan. 5, 2016 of the same inventor herein entitled BOAT SEAT WITH STOWABLE SEAT BACK. The disclosure of Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/274,894 is expressly incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to boat seats and lounges, and more particularly, to boat seats and lounges for use in performance and pleasure boats, and such boats and lounges having a stowable seat back. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A typical sun lounge and/or seat in a boat requires substantial movement of a seat cushion or support structure in order to switch between a seating configuration and a sunpad configuration which provides a flat surface on which to lay for sunbathing. The substantial movement is required, in part because the seat cushion or support structure must first be vertically lifted and then, in some cases, movement of the seat surface must occur to extend the seat surface into a larger horizontal surface flattening out what would normally have been the seat back. This is undesirable in many cases because it takes up greater amounts of space within the boat cockpit, space which may be required for quick movement within the boat cockpit. 
     One example of a seat with an adjustable seat back is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication 2007/0158986 in which an adjustable sun lounge converts from a seating configuration into a sunbathing configuration. A backrest can be in a substantially horizontal position after moving from an upright position via a single pivot hinge. It should be noted that for purposes of this disclosure, the terms “seat” and “lounge” are used interchangeably and generally refer to such seats or lounges which include a backrest. 
     Another example of convertible prior art seats and lounges is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,021,975 which describes a seating system for marine vessels including a chair having a backrest and a seat bottom. The seating system is convertible between a forward-facing seat configuration and an aft-facing lounge configuration. In the aft-facing lounge configuration an extension element and seat bottom are substantially parallel to one another. In the forward-facing configuration, the extension element is substantially upright and at an acute angle with respect to the seat bottom. As discussed with other prior art configurations, to remove or eliminate the seat back requires an extension of the seat in length taking up further space within the boat cockpit. 
     The problem of having a seat back that can be removed within the environment of a boat without requiring extension of the seat with which it is associated, is overcome in accordance with the seat and system of the invention as further described herein. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, there is provided a seat, having a seating surface support and a seating surface, for a boat cockpit. The seat has a stowable seat back. The seat is constructed to be mounted in contact with, secured to, or adjacent an inner wall of the hull of a boat. A seat back is mounted on the seat, typically through a pivoting mechanism, to be selectively deployed and stowed. 
     When deployed the seat back extends, typically substantially perpendicular to the inner wall of the hull of a boat with which the seat is in contact or adjacent for providing a support for a user&#39;s back. A vertically extending rod which comprises a rotatable pivot arm is mounted on the seat support at a location proximate the inner wall of the boat hull, and also secured within the seat back at a location proximate the inner wall for supporting the seat back. The vertically extending rod is rotatable about its axis to allow the seat back to be rotated between a deployed position, and a stowed position wherein the seat back is flush against the inner wall of the boat hull. A second rod which comprises a locking arm extends downwardly from the seat back to be locked to the seat support at a female locking member when the seat back is deployed for supporting the seat back in its deployed position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Having thus briefly described the invention, the same will become better understood from the following detailed description made with reference to the appended figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a boat having a seat or lounge in the cockpit thereof with a stowable seat back shown in a deployed position; 
         FIG. 2  is a view like that of  FIG. 1  but showing the stowable seat back in a stowed position; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view within a boat cockpit showing the seat back and its various components in a stowed position; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a locking arm extending from the seat back to be locked onto a seat assembly when the seat back is in a deployed position; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the seat back in accordance with the invention in movement between a stowed position and a deployed position; 
         FIG. 6  shows the seat back in accordance with the invention in a deployed position locked onto the seat assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 6  showing the seat back in a deployed position; 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 7 , but showing the seat back deployed and raised; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates how the seat back can be moved between a lower position to a higher position and showing the seat back in its higher position; 
         FIG. 10  shows the seat back in its lower position; 
         FIG. 11  shows the locking mechanism for locking the seat back to the seat assembly in its deployed position; 
         FIG. 12  is a view from the front of the seat back showing the seat back in a deployed position; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing a male stow-lock member for locking the seat back against the boat cockpit inner wall; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view showing a female stow-lock member which engages with the male stow-lock member for locking the seat back in a stowed position; 
         FIG. 15  is an enlarged view showing a female receiver lock with a slide catch for locking the seat back in a deployed position; 
         FIG. 16  is an enlarged view showing the locking arm with a male locking projection which is received within a female receiver lock when the seat back is deployed; and 
         FIG. 17  is an enlarged view showing in disassembled form the parts making up the male stow-lock member for securing the seat back when it is in a stowed position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Having generally described the invention and the figures, the invention will become more clearly evident from the following detailed discussion of embodiments thereof presented herein. 
     A boat seat  13  with a stowable seat back  15  is generally illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as assembled within the cockpit of a boat  11 . In  FIG. 1  a stowable seat back  15  is shown deployed for use, and in  FIG. 2  the stowable seat back  15  is shown in stowed position to make up part of a bolster system  17 . The seat  13  is an assembly of elements as described herein, and includes a seating surface  19  on a seating surface support (not numbered). 
       FIG. 3  illustrates in greater detail the seat  13  and stowable seat back  15  shown with the seating surface  19  removed to reveal a storage compartment  21  underneath where the seating surface  19  is normally located. In this embodiment the stowage compartment  21  makes up the seating surface support. The stowable seat back  15  is supported at a location proximate and in abutment with the inner wall of the hull of the boat  11  through a pivot arm  23 , which is rotatable about its axis. There is also shown a locking arm  25  with a male locking projection  27  which, when the seat back  15  is rotated into a deployed position, engages with female locking member  29  mounted on the seating surface support, e.g., stowage compartment  21  for locking the seat back  15  in a deployed position. 
       FIG. 3  also illustrates a recessed cutout  39  on a portion of the inner wall of the hull for receiving locking arm  25  allowing the seat back  15  to be stowed flush against the inner wall to form part of bolster system  17 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates in greater detail the locking mechanism in which the locking arm  25  can be moved to have the male locking projection  27  pass into a receiving aperture of female locking member  29  to deploy the seat back  15 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates in perspective view the stowable seat back  15  being moved from a stowed position into a deployed position. 
       FIG. 6  shows the seat back  15  moved completely into a deployed position with the locking arm  25  engaged with the female locking member  29  through entry of the male locking projection  27  into a recess in the female locking member  29 . 
       FIG. 7  is a view from the back of the seat back  15 , with the seat back  15  in a deployed position, and further illustrating a male stow-lock member  31  on the inner wall of the hull which is received within female stow-lock member  33  on the back of the seat back  15  when the seat back  15  is stowed. More specifically, the two members  31  and  33  lock with each other to prevent the seat back  15  from swinging freely away from the inner wall of the hull. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a paddle latch  35  which is connected to an internal mechanism within the seat back  15 , which allows the seat back  15  to be moved between an elevated position and a lowered position. As will be appreciated, the internal mechanism is conventional and allows the seat back  15  to slide up and down pivot arm  23  and locking arm  25 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates how the paddle latch  35  is engaged by a user to raise the seat back  15 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates how the paddle latch  35  can be used to move the seat back  15  into a lower position. 
       FIG. 11  is an enlarged view showing the locking arm  25  engaged with the female locking member  29 . The female locking member  29  includes a spring loaded slide catch  37  which, when the male locking projection  27  of the locking arm  25  is received within the aperture of the female locking member  29 , serves to engage the male locking projection  27  in a locked manner. 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view from the front of the seat assembly and shows the seat back  15  in a deployed position shown without the seating surface  19  on the seating surface support, e.g. stowage compartment  21 , and showing the storage compartment  21 , which is below the seating surface  19 . 
       FIG. 13  is an enlarged view of the male stow-lock member  31 , which is secured to the inner wall of the hull for locking the seat back  15  in a stowed position. The enlarged portion of the male stow-lock member  31  is typically made of an elastomeric material such as rubber, which can be press-fit into the female stow-lock member  33  which is attached to the back of the seat back  15  as more clearly shown in  FIG. 14 . 
       FIG. 15  illustrates in an enlarged view the female locking member  29  with a spring loaded slide catch  37  to engage the male locking projection  27  on the locking arm  25 . 
       FIG. 16  is an enlarged view of the locking arm  25  and female locking member  29  with a spring loaded slide catch  37 . The male locking projection  27  is shown enlarged in this figure, and includes a slot region which is engaged with the spring loaded slide catch  37  when the male locking projection  27  is received within the aperture of the female locking member  29 . 
       FIG. 17  illustrates in a disassembled view the male stow-lock member  31  which includes the enlarged elastomeric portion  41 , which is received within the female stow-lock member  33 , and includes a connection member  43  which when assembled allows the male stow-lock member  31 , to be secured to the inner wall of the hull of a boat  11 . 
     While this invention has been described as having exemplary designs, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principals. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known and customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.