Patent Publication Number: US-2007114819-A1

Title: Folding seat assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to folding seats and more particularly to a folding seat for a boat or aircraft with easy access to equipment in a storage space behind the seat.  
      In many situations where space is limited due to size and weight limitations, particularly in boats and aircraft, every available space must be used to store things, including the space behind seats. Thus, often batteries and items of equipment are located behind seats of boats and aircraft. Unfortunately, due to such a location access to batteries and other items of equipment behind the seats is limited, thereby making maintenance and service difficult. In many cases the seat cushions must be removed from a seat and even then a person has only limited access to the battery equipment through the opening and seat support.  
      Thus a need exists for a seat assembly that allows for easy access to a storage location beneath the seat.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary object of the present invention is to provide a seat that allows for the storage of items behind it.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provid a seat that allows easy access to the items stored behind it.  
      Even another object of the present invention is to provide a seat that folds out of the way to provide full access to the items stored behind the seat.  
      An additional object of the present invention is to provide a seat that can be secured in a folded up position to prevent it from falling onto a person.  
      The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing a seat having a frame with a front rail, back rail, and two side rails, which folds into a box. The seat is connected to upright elongated track rails on each side by a rotary pin which moves within an aperture from a top seat-open position to a bottom seat-closed position. The seat frame may have side support arms connecting each side rail to the seat box. A locking means may be provided on the seat to hold the seat in the folded and closed position. At least one upper handle may be provided to assist in pulling down the seat frame from a folded position. A lower handle allows the entire seat box to be lifted upward and supported by lifters when access to storage behind the seat is desired.  
      The above and other objects, features-and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of the seat of the present invention in a closed and locked position;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the seat of the present invention and open seated position;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the complete seat assembly of the present invention in a fully opened position;  
       FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the complete assembly with the seat in the opened position; and  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the track rail of the seat of the present invention.  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminology used in reference to the numbered components in the drawings is as follows: 
       1 . seat box      2 . seat box frame      3 . seat support arms      4 . seat cushion bottom      5 . seat top rail      6 . angle support bar      7 . seat box pivot hinge      8 . head cushion      9 . upper handle      10 . lower handle      11 . lock      12 . seat side rail      13 . seat center rail      14 . seat side rail      15 . boat floor      16 . seat cushion screws      17 . seat bottom rail      18 . seat cushion top      19 . pivot nut      20 . back cushion rest      21 . lifters      22 . seat lifter attachment brackets      23 . boat lifter attachment      24 . equipment/storage compartment      25 . track rail      26 . pivot pin track aperture      27 . seat pivot pin      28 . lower rail pivot pin      29 . upper rail pivot pin      30 . seat-open track rest notch      31 . bottom seat-closed position of track aperture      32 . seat      33 . head cushion plate    

       FIG. 1 , shows a seat assembly of the present invention as it would appear in a closed and locked position when the seat is not in use. In the unused position the seat  32  is folded completely into the seat box  1  which provides maximum availability of the space on the boat floor  15 . The seat  32  is held securely in the seat box  1  by a lock  11  to prevent inadvertent opening. The seat box  1  is mounted within a frame  2  in the boat as shown. The bottom of the seat  32  has top rail  5 , bottom rail  17 , two side rails  12  and  14  and middle rail  13  to which seat cushions  4  are securely attached by screws  16  in the rails  12 ,  13 , and  14 . Above the seat box is a head cushion  8  which may be attached to a plate on a seat box pivot hinge  7 . When the seat  32  is closed the seat support bar  3  and angle support bar  6  are also folded into the box  1 . On the bottom of the seat  32  is an upper handle  9  and a lower handle  10  mounted in line with the central rail  13 . The upper handle  9  is used for pulling the seat outward and downward to open the seat as shown in  FIG. 2 . The lower handle  10  is used to open the seat  32  by pulling upward so as to provide access to equipment behind the seat box  1 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , the seat  32  is shown in an opened seating position. In this position the seat  32  is supported by the seat support arms  3  which extend from a pivot nut  19  to a lower point of attachment on the seat side rails  12  and  14 . The seat cushion top  18  and a back cushion  20  are also shown.  
      In  FIG. 3  the entire seat  32  is folded into the seat box  1 . The latter is accomplished by pulling the lower handle  10  upward so as to provide access to equipment  24  behind the seat  32  for service and maintenance. The seat box  1  is supported at the top by the seat box pivot hinge  7  and maintained in an elevated position by lifters  21 , which may be hydraulic or pneumatic, and which are attached to an upper end of the seat box  22  at attachment brackets  23  behind the seat assembly and to a lower end at attachment brackets  23  on the boat.  
       FIG. 4  shows in a side plan view a track rail  25  on the inside portion of the each side of the seat box  1 . The track rail  25 , which is shown in further detail in  FIG. 5 , is vertically elongated and has a bottom seat-closed position  31  and an upper seat-open track rest notch  30  where at the pivot pin  27  rests when the seat is opened. Seat support arm  3  may be attached to the side rails  12  by a lower rail pivot pin  28  and inside the seat box  1  by an upper pivot pin  19 .  
       FIG. 5  shows the track rails  25  with the aperture  26  within which the seat pivot pin  27  moves. The aperture  26  has a bottom seat-closed position  31  and an upper seat-open notch  30  to lock the seat  32  in the open position. Near the top of the track rails  25  are pivot pin holes  19  for the seat support arms  3 .  
      Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein above, all improvements and modifications to this invention within the scope or equivalents of the claims are included as part of this invention.