Patent ID: 8096616

Claim:
A seat assembly adapted to be coupled to the floor of an automotive vehicle, said seat assembly comprising: a pair of spaced apart risers for mounting the seat assembly to the floor; a seat cushion coupled between said risers, said seat cushion extended between a forward end and a rearward end; a seat back extending between an upper end and a lower end; a recliner mechanism pivotally coupled between each of said risers and said lower end of said seat back for supporting said seat back through pivotal movement between an upright position and a fold flat position overlying said seat cushion; a pair of front cushion support links coupled between said forward end of said seat cushion and said risers for pivotally supporting and guiding said seat cushion; a pair of rear cushion support links coupled between said rearward end of said seat cushion and said risers for pivotally supporting and guiding said seat cushion; and a fold flat mechanism operatively coupled between said rear cushion support links and said lower end of said seat back, said fold flat mechanism including a transfer link extending between a first and pivotally connected to said rear cushion support link and a second end operatively coupled to said lower end of said seat back for transferring pivotal movement of said seat back through said transfer link to each of said front and rear cushion support links to automatically move said seat assembly between a seating position, wherein said seat back is in said upright position and said seat cushion is spaced above the floor and a stowed position, wherein said seat back is pivoted to said fold flat position and said seat cushion is lying flat against the floor, and wherein said second end of said transfer link includes an arcuate elongated slot extending between opposite front and back ends and a connecting bracket fixedly secured to said lower end of said seat back including a guide pin extending into said arcuate slot for sliding movement therein between said front and back ends to provide a lost motion connection between said seat cushion and said seat back during said pivotal movement of said seat back.