Patent ID: 7914074

Claim:
A rear seat assembly in combination with a vehicle, the vehicle including a support frame having a pair of spaced frame rails extending along the length of the vehicle and a vehicle body mounted on the support frame, the rear seat assembly comprising: a rear seat including a rear seat cushion, the rear seat defining a left seat section, a center seat section and a right seat section, the rear seat having a first end section supported on one of the frame rails and a second end section supported on the other frame rail; and a frame member mounted to the body, the frame member including a front wall, a pair of spaced side walls attached to the vehicle body and a top wall, the side walls being disposed beneath the left and right seat sections, the frame member being positioned generally beneath the center seat section of the rear seat, wherein the frame member is configured to provide additional support to the center seat section, the frame member at least partially elevating the rear seat cushion to raise an occupant of the center seat section and balancing a thickness of the rear seat cushion under an occupant of one of the left and right seat sections.