Patent ID: 6880482

Claim:
A boat seat assembly comprising: a seating platform including first and second seat bottoms and first and second seat backs with said seat backs being hinged together, said first seat bottom being hinged to said first seat back and extending to an outer edge, and said second seat bottom being hinged to said second seat back and extending to an outer edge; and a seat mechanism for supporting said seating platform and for moving said seating platform between a flat position with said seat backs aligned with said seat bottoms and a seating position with said seat backs extending upwardly from said seat bottoms and said seat bottoms moved closer together, said seat mechanism including a track and first and second sliders movably supported by said track, said first slider supporting said first seat bottom for rectilinear movement forward and away from said second seat bottom as said platform moves between said seating position and said flat position, and said second slider supporting said second seat bottom for rectilinear movement forward and away from said first seat bottom as said platform moves between said seating position and said flat position, said seat mechanism further including a positioning system for maintaining said seating platform in said seating position and for allowing said seating platform to move to said flat position, said positioning system including a rail secured to said first slider and releasably mounted to said second slider with said rail preventing rectilinear movement of one slider relative to the other slider when said seating platform is in said seating position and allowing relative movement of one slider relative to the other slider by rotating one of said first and second seat bottoms upwardly from said fiat position to release said rail from said second slider.