Patent ID: 8104834

Claim:
A seat assembly for supporting an occupant in a passenger compartment of a vehicle having a floor, said seat assembly comprising: a base frame mounted to the floor of the vehicle; a seat cushion pivotally coupled to said base frame for movement between a seated position, a raised stowed position, and an intermediate position between said seated position and said raised stowed position, said seat cushion having an outwardly extending retention member; and a locking mechanism having a latch pivotally mounted to said base frame, said latch having an elongated slot dimensioned to receive said retention member to lock said seat cushion in said seated position, and said elongated slot having an arcuate shape that cinches said retention member within said elongated slot to retain said seat cushion at said intermediate position such that movement of said seat cushion from said intermediate position towards said stowed position is prevented while movement of said seat cushion from said intermediate position towards said seated position is unimpeded.