Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of hinges, and specifically, to seat hinges of the type used for foldable boat seats. A hinge including two seat cushion supporting members and a back plate is taught. One supporting member has a peripheral recess facing outwardly relative to a pivot pin and forms a generally u-shaped area. Laterally spaced-apart abutment surfaces extend angularly from the u-shaped area. The other supporting member is provided with an upstanding protuberance which cooperates with the abutments to limit the hinge between its fully closed and fully opened positions.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of hinges and, specifically, to seat hinges of the type used for foldable boat seats. This type of seat has a back that is foldable over the seat. 
     A number of hinges are known in prior art. One commonly known hinge is comprised of a pair of metal angles fastened together with a large rivet. One angle is bolted to the seat bottom and the other to the seat back such that the rivet serves as a pivot for the hinge. A hinge of this type can pinch the fingers of the user if the user puts a hand between the part of the hinge while the seat is being positioned. 
     Another commonly used hinge is made of two molded heat resistant material pieces. Each piece has a hinge guide portion surrounding its pivot point. The hinge guide portion has the form of an arc drawn about the pivot point. The two arcs fit closely with one another and do not separate, regardless of the orientation of the seat back. This hinge configuration always results in the two hinge guide portions overlapping one another without any gap. This prevents finger pinch during repositioning of the seat back. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,076, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, discloses a hinge of this type in which the hinge pivot has a generally circular outer pivot wall on one section of the hinge, and a circular inner pivot wall on the other section of the hinge. The inner wall is provided with ears that project at right angles to the top of the inner wall and the outer wall is provided with relieved sections that allow the ears to pass through the outer wall in only one orientation. 
     Another prior art seat is made out of two sections coupled by means of a fastener and two plastic pins. Both sections have one planar, circular end, each one parallel to the other. The planar, circular end of one section has a first aperture and two arcuate channels formed therein. The parallel end of the second section includes three apertures disposed to be aligned with the first aperture and two arcuate channels in the first section. The hinge further comprises a planar, circular intermediate plate that is parallel to and adjacently coupled to the planar, circular end of each section. The intermediate plate is provided with three apertures disposed to be aligned with the apertures and channels. The hinge is further provided with a planar, circular back plate, parallel and adjacently coupled to the first section end, opposite the intermediate plate. 
     The present invention represents a substantial improvement of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/075,021, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. This invention reduces the number of parts needed for production while maintaining total product quality. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a seat hinge of the type used on boat seats, especially foldable boat seats. Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a hinge comprising two sections securely coupled together and provided with integral stopping means to prevent fingers or other objects from being pinched therebetween when the seat is put in a folded configuration. 
     The first section of the hinge is L-shaped and includes an integrally formed supporting leg portion and a connecting leg portion. The connecting leg portion is substantially planar and has a pivot aperture formed therein. The second section of the hinge includes a connecting portion and a laterally extending support portion. The connecting portion of the second section is substantially planar and adjacently coupled to the connecting leg portion of the L-shaped section by way of a coupling pivot pin extending normal to the plane of the second section and through the pivot aperture. The connecting portion of the second section is further provided with a protuberance which is radially spaced from the coupling pivot pin. This protuberance is preferably in the form of an upstanding pin, however it is to be understood that the protuberance could be in any other form, such as an integrally formed raised area, or an upstruck flange area. 
     The connecting leg portion of the L-shaped section further includes a peripheral recess. The peripheral recess faces radially outward relative to the pivot pin and is configured to form a generally U-shaped area. Laterally spaced-apart abutment surfaces extend angularly from the U-shaped area. The abutment surfaces cooperate with the protuberance to stop relative rotative motion of the two hinge sections. The protuberance will travel from one abutment surface to the other. Therefore, the hinge may be moved from a position in which the hinge sections form the greatest angle with respect to one another to a position in which the angle formed is minimal. 
     The hinge further comprises a circular substantially planar back plate, parallel to the connecting leg portion of the L-shaped section and the connecting portion of the second section and adjacently coupled to the connecting leg portion of the L-shaped portion. The back plate further comprises at least one back plate aperture, axially disposed to be aligned with the pivot pin aperture in the connecting leg portion of the L-shaped section. In the preferred embodiment the back plate is further provided with an aperture axially disposed to be aligned with the preferred protuberance, upstanding pin, but in alternate embodiments using other types of protuberances, the aperture is not necessary. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat hinge attached to a foldable boat seat. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seat hinge. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the seat hinge in a partially exploded condition. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the seat hinge in an exploded condition. 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the seat hinge, showing the relationship of the two sections of the seat hinge, with upright position shown in phantom. 
     FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the seat hinge. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the seat hinge with the L-shaped section in phantom. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the seat hinge is generally shown as  10 . FIG. 1 shows the way the hinge  10  attaches to the seat bottom  11  and the seat back  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the hinge  10  comprises an L-shaped section  20 , a second section  30 , and a back plate  40  coupled together using pivot pin  36 . L-shaped section  20  includes an integrally formed supporting leg portion  22  and a connecting leg portion  24 . Supporting leg portion  22  includes an outwardly extending flange portion  14 . Flange portion  14  has a plurality of elongated apertures  60  and attaches to the seat bottom  11  as shown in FIG.  1 . The connecting leg portion  24  is substantially planar and has a pivot aperture  26  formed therein. The second section  30  includes a laterally extending support portion  32  and a connecting portion  34 . Laterally extending support portion  32  further includes an outwardly extending flange portion  16  having a plurality of apertures  62  and attaches to seat back  12  as shown in FIG. 1. A pivot pin  36 , such as a semi-tubular rivet, extends normal to the plane of second section  30  and through pivot aperture  26  in connecting leg portion  24 , and aperture  37  in connecting portion  34 , thereby coupling the connecting leg portion  24  of L-shaped section  20  to the connecting portion  34  of second section  30 . The connecting portion  34  of second section  30  is further provided with a protuberance, radially spaced from the pivot pin  36 . As seen in FIGS. 3-7, the protuberance is preferably in the form of an upstanding pin  50 . In the preferred embodiment, a step-rivet having a shoulder portion is utilized. The protuberance may take the form of alternate embodiments such as an upstanding flange or bumped and drawn area on connecting portion  34 . 
     As seen in FIGS. 3-5, the connecting leg portion  24  of L-shaped section  20  is further provided with a peripheral recess  28 . The peripheral recess  28  faces radially outward relative to the pivot pin  36 . As best viewed in FIG. 4, the peripheral recess  28  is preferably U-shaped and has laterally spaced-apart abutment surfaces  29   a,    29   b  extending from the peripheral recess  28 . Abutment surfaces  29   a,    29   b  cooperate with the protruding upstanding pin  50  to stop relative rotative motion of hinge sections  20  and  30 . FIG. 5 illustrates the relative motion of hinge sections  20  and  30 , and shows second section  30  in a position forming a minimal angle, while second section  30  at its most extended state is shown in phantom. 
     Referring also to FIGS. 3 and 4, a back plate  40  is provided. The back plate  40  is substantially planar and circular, and is adjacently coupled and substantially parallel to the connecting leg portion  24  of L-shaped section  20  so as to be situated opposite the connecting portion  34  of second section  30 . In the preferred embodiment, back plate  40  includes a back plate pivot aperture  42  and a back plate protuberance aperture  44  radially spaced from the pivot aperture  42 . Back plate pivot aperture  42  has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the pivot pin  36  and is dimensioned to house the pivot pin  36 . Back plate aperture  42  is disposed to allow it to correspond with pivot aperture  26 . The back plate  40  is preferably made out of steel. 
     As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the hinge  10  is further provided with washers  52   a,    52   b.  Washers  52   a,    52   b  are substantially planar and circular. Washer  52   a  is adjacently coupled and substantially parallel to back plate  50  and connecting leg portion  24 , and washer  52   b  is adjacently coupled and substantially parallel to connecting leg portion  24  and connecting portion  34 . Washers  52   a,    52   b  are each provided with an aperture  54  for receiving the pivot pin  36 . While the washers may be fabricated from any desirable material, compressed graphite 7075 is the preferred material. The graphite is capable of withstanding the heat of a paint drying oven while still providing a smooth, non-binding folding action of the assembled hinge. 
     In order to provide better shock resistance and minimizing the possibility of failure, the pivot pin  36  is also preferably made out of steel. The pivot pin  36  has at least one end  38  with an end diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the back plate aperture  42 . If desired, the pivot pin  36  may extend through the back plate aperture  42 , pivot aperture  26  and a corresponding aperture in connecting portion  34 . The end  38  of pivot pin  36  is deformed or swaged after assembly of the hinge  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2  and  5 , once the two sections  20  and  30  are assembled by fastening the corresponding connecting portions  22  and  34  and the back plate  40 , the seat bottom  11  is bolted to the flange portion  14  of connecting portion  22  and the seat back  12  is bolted to the flange portion  16  of connecting portion  32 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the assembled hinge  10  may be rotated about its pivot point having an axis defined by the pivot pin  36 , the pivot pin aperture  26  in connecting leg portion  24 , the back plate aperture  42 , and the pivot pin aperture  37  in connecting portion  34 . Referring now to FIG. 5, the protuberance  50  will only travel between abutment surfaces  29   a,    29   b  of peripheral recess  28 . Therefore, the hinge  10  may be moved from a position in which the hinge sections  20  and  30  form the greatest angle to one another to a position where the angle formed is minimal. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8