Patent ID: 8414081

Claim:
A vehicle seating apparatus comprising a seat assembly including a seat bottom, and a seat back movably arranged with respect to the seat assembly between a seating configuration and a non-seating configuration in which the seat back is folded onto the seat bottom; and a seat belt buckle assembly including a seat belt buckle bracket having a first end movably coupled to a lateral side of the seat bottom, and a buckle head coupled to a second end of the buckle bracket that is distal with respect to the first end of the buckle bracket, with the buckle head being movably arranged with respect to the seat assembly between a usage position and a stowed position, the buckle head being arranged with respect to the seat assembly such that the seat back does not contact the buckle head and the buckle head remains stationary in the stowed position relative to the seat bottom as the seat back moves from the seating configuration to the non-seating configuration, the lateral side of the seat bottom has a recessed section, which is recessed with respect to an outer perimeter of the lateral side of the seat bottom, and which is disposed adjacent the seat back, with the seat belt buckle assembly being mounted within the recessed section of the seat bottom, the seat back includes an upper section that protrudes laterally beyond the recessed section of the seat bottom to overhang above the recessed section of the seat bottom, and the seat assembly further includes a hinge connecting the lateral side of the seat bottom to a lateral side of the seat back, with the hinge having a first pivotal connection pivotally coupling the seat back about a first pivot axis and a second pivotal connection pivotally coupling the seat bottom about a second pivot axis that is offset from the first pivot axis.