Patent ID: 7036883

Claim:
A selectively rotatable vehicle seat assembly for assisting a user to readily enter and exit a vehicle, said assembly comprising: a vehicle seat having operably connected lower and back portions wherein said lower portion has a bottom surface provided with a longitudinal axis positionable medially of a pair of floor runner supports of the vehicle; a chair mount securely connected to said bottom surface and extending downwardly therefrom, said chair mount comprising a plurality of elongated and vertically spaced guide posts extending away from the vehicle seat, a central shaft medially disposed between said posts and extending downwardly beyond respective lengths thereof; power means for rotating the vehicle seat along linear and arcuate paths so that a user can more easily enter and exit the vehicle; a mobile support plate being slidably positionable along a substantially orthogonal path to the axis between extended and retracted positions, said support plate comprising a plurality of rollers selectively spaced along opposed edge portions thereof and positioned outwardly from said chair mount, said support plate being provided with a plurality of grooves extending along a partial length thereof for directing said posts and said shaft therealong and thereby allowing a user to selectively position the vehicle seat between the extended and retracted positions during operating conditions; and a base member comprising upper and lower portions for housing said support plate and said power means respectively, said upper portion including oppositely spaced channels extending substantially perpendicular to the axis for directing said rollers therealong; wherein said power means comprises a motor electrically coupled to an external power source and an annular gear including a serrated outer surface rotatable in clockwise and counterclockwise directions; and a toothed guide beam for cooperating with said gear and directing said chair mount along a linear direction of travel during operating conditions, said guide beam being positioned within said lower portion of said base member.