Patent Publication Number: US-6981744-B2

Title: Fold and tumble floor-mounted vehicle seat

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a folding seat for a vehicle, pivotally mounted for folding from a use to a storage position. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a simple latching mechanism that automatically engages or disengages as the seat is folded or extended. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Folding automobile seats are becoming increasingly prevalent in modern vehicle, particularly larger multipurpose vehicles that are expected to the serve as people haulers and be convertible to a cargo carrying function. Folding seats generally require more complex securing mechanisms than are required by permanently mounted or fixed seating. This added complexity increases the cost and weight of the seating, and the operation of the folding mechanism can sometimes be counterintuitive, with a requirement to manually operate multiple latches in an exacting sequence. 
     It would be advantageous to develop a folding automobile seat that is securely fixed within the automobile while in use, but is operable for folding by a mechanism having reduced weight and complexity. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A folding and mounting system for a vehicle seat. The seat comprises a seat back pivotally mounted to a seat base, adapted for mounting within a vehicle in a use position wherein the seat back is upright and the seat base is horizontal, and adapted to transition to a storage position wherein the seat back and seat base are parallel. The folding and mounting system comprises the seat base being pivotally mounted to a floor of the vehicle at a seat base edge opposite the seat back, a catch attached to the vehicle proximate the seat base and seat back, and a pin attached to the vehicle proximate an upper portion of the seat back. The seat back includes a hook proximate the seat base for engaging the catch, and a latch mechanism for engaging the pin, whereby the seat back is secured in an upright position by the latch mechanism and pin and, upon disengagement, the seat back is adapted to pivot toward the seat base. The hook disengages the catch, enabling the seat back and seat base to pivot together about the seat base edge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a fold and tumble floor-mounted seat assembly according to the invention in an upright use position. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the seat assembly of  FIG. 1  in a folded position. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the seat assembly of  FIGS. 1–2  in a storage position. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged side view of the seat assembly hook mechanism of  FIGS. 1–3  in an upright position. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged side view of the seat assembly hook mechanism of  FIGS. 1–4  in the folded position. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged side view of a further embodiment of a seat assembly hook mechanism according to the invention in an upright position. 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged side view of the seat assembly hook mechanism of  FIG. 6  in the folded position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1–3 , a fold and tumble seat assembly  10  according to the invention includes a seat base  30  and a seat back  50 . Seat base  30  includes an upper surface  32 , a forward edge  34  and a rearward edge  36 , and is shown pivotally mounted to a vehicle interior  100  at forward pivot  38 . 
     Seat back  50  includes an upper extent  52  and a lower extent  56 . A headrest  54  is connected to upper extent  52  of seat back  50 . Seat back  50  is pivotally mounted to seat base  30  by rear pivot bracket  57  at seat back pivot  58  positioned proximate rearward edge  36  of seat base  30  and lower extent  56  of seat back  50 . Seat back  50  further includes a latching mechanism  64  positioned proximate upper extent  52  and aligned with a pin (not shown) mounted in vehicle  100 . Latch mechanism  64  is adapted to releasably connect with the pin (not shown). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , seat back  50  includes a hook  60  protruding from lower extent  56 . The hook  60  is adapted to connect with a bar strap  62  mounted in vehicle  100  proximate the rearward edge  36  of seat base  30  and lower extent  56  of seat back  50 . 
       FIGS. 1 and 4  depict the fold and tumble seat assembly  10  in an upright, use position, wherein seat base  30  is substantially horizontal and seat back  50  is substantially vertical, the seat assembly  10  being ready to receive an occupant (not shown). In this upright, use position, hook  60  is engaged with bar strap  62 , and latch mechanism  64  is engaged with the pin (not shown) mounted in vehicle  100 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 5  depict a next step in a sequence of folding the fold and tumble seat assembly  10 , wherein seat back  50  has been rotated forward about seat back pivot  58  over seat base upper surface  32 . In order for seat back  50  to rotate forward over seat base  30 , latch mechanism  64  must first be actuated to release the pin mounted in vehicle  100 . Once latch mechanism  64  has released the pin, seat back  50  can rotate forward. As seat back  50  rotates forward about seat back pivot  58 , hook  60  disengages bar strap  62 . 
     In the upright position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , seat base  30  is secured from rotating about forward pivot  38  by hook  60  engaged with bar strap  62 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , fold and tumble seat assembly  10  is rotated forward about forward pivot  38 . In sequence, seat back  50  is first folded over seat base  30  (see  FIGS. 2 and 5 ). This step causes hook  60  to disengage from bar strap  62 . The folded assembly  10  can then be rotated about forward pivot  38  to the storage position of  FIG. 3 . The assembly  10  can be returned to the use position in the reverse sequence. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6–7 , a further embodiment of the seat assembly  110  includes a hook  160  mounted to seat back  50  at seat back pivot  58 . Hook  160  is mounted to seat back  50  so as to rotate with seat back  50  as it pivots about seat back pivot  58 . Hook  160  includes an arcuate slot  166  having a center of curvature coinciding with seat back pivot  58 . 
     Seat back  50  is pivotally mounted to rear pivot bracket  157  at seat back pivot  58 . Rear pivot bracket  157  includes a rearwardly directed slot  159 . Slot  159  can be arcuate, having a center of curvature coincident with forward pivot  38 . 
     With the seat assembly  110  in the use position shown in  FIG. 6 , it can be seen that a pin  162  is trapped between hook  160  and rear pivot bracket  157 , in slots  166 ,  159  respectively. Pin  162  is fixed to a vehicle sidewall (not shown). In combination with the latch mechanism  64  (as shown in  FIGS. 1–3 ), seat assembly  110  is secured within vehicle  100 . 
     As seat back  50  rotates forward, as shown in  FIG. 7 , hook  160  pivots about seat back pivot  58 , causing slot  166  to rotate off of pin  162 . Slot  166  is configured to traverse an arc of approximately ninety degrees or more, as appropriate, to prevent release of pin  162  until seat back  50  is in the desired folded position. With seat back  50  in the folded position shown in  FIG. 7 , seat assembly  110  is free to pivot forward about front pivot  38  as pin  162  is free to pass through slot  159  of rear pivot bracket  157 . If slot  159  is not arcuate, it must be made sufficiently wide to allow pin  162  to slide clear as seat assembly  110  is pivoted forward. 
     While the invention has been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.