Patent ID: 7192088

Claim:
A stowable seat assembly for use with a vehicle having a floor and a recess formed therein, said assembly comprising: a seat; a pivot tube adapted to be secured to the vehicle floor, said pivot tube being stationary, said seat being operatively pivotable about said pivot tube between a first, collapsed position and a second, stowed position with said seat being at least partially stowed within the vehicle recess, said seat passing through a third, upright position intermediate said first and second positions as said seat is pivoted between said first and second positions; and a torsion rod mounted on said pivot tube, said torsion rod being free to twist and operatively coupled to said seat during pivoting of said seat toward and away from said third, upright position, said torsion rod providing a first biasing torque for assisting pivotal movement of said seat from said second, stowed position toward said third, upright position and a second biasing torque for assisting pivotal movement of said seat from said first, collapsed position toward said third, upright position.