Patent ID: 8016354

Claim:
A seat assembly for supporting an occupant above a floor in an automotive vehicle, said seat assembly comprising: a seat back pivotal between a first vertical position for supporting the occupant of said seat assembly and a second vertical position; a seat cushion adapted to be releasably coupled to the floor at a rearward end thereof and pivotable relative to the floor about a forward end of said seat cushion between a generally horizontal seating position for supporting the occupant of said seat assembly and a generally upright vertical position; a pair of hinge assemblies operatively coupling said seat back to said seat cushion, said pair of hinge assemblies defining a selectively pivotal connection directly connecting said seat back and said pair of hinge assemblies, and said pair of hinge assemblies enabling pivotal movement of said seat back between said first and second vertical positions as said seat assembly moves between a seating position and a stand-up position wherein said seat cushion and seat back are generally vertically aligned in said respective upright vertical position and second vertical position; and at least one drive link pivotally coupling said hinge assemblies relative to the floor, whereby said drive link controls said pivotal movement of said seat back between said first vertical position and said second vertical position in response to pivotal movement of said seat cushion between said horizontal seating position and said upright vertical position as said seat assembly moves between said seating and stand-up positions; wherein said seat back does not pivot at said selectively pivotal connection as said seat back moves between said first vertical position and said second vertical position.