Laterally slidable seat

Claim 2

A passenger seat for use in a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having at least one door, said seat comprising; a substantially horizontal bottom secured to said vehicle, a first backrest section including a frame and a cushion mounted thereon, said first backrest section being mounted to said vehicle, a second backrest section including a frame and a cushion mounted thereon, said second backrest section being movably mounted on said vehicle adjacent the vehicle door for lateral movement away from said door, and one of said backrest sections having a compartment and a vertical opening registering with said compartment, said opening being adjacent one end of the other of said backrest sections for telescopically receiving said other backrest section, including the cushion and frame thereof, into said compartment upon lateral movement of said second backrest section away from said door.

Claim 3

A passenger seat as defined in claim 1 wherein said opening and said compartment are formed in said first backrest section and said second backrest section having a portion disposed at all times in said opening and said compartment.

Claim 4

A passenger seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second backrest sections form a substantially continuous backrest.

Claim 5

A passenger seat as defined in claim 1, and including means for biasing said second backrest section toward said vehicle door.

Claim 6

A passenger seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said second backrest section is slidably mounted on its lower edge to said bottom section.

Claim 7

A passenger seat as defined in claim 1, wherein said second backrest section is slidably mounted on a pair of arms extending from said first backrest section.

Claim 8

A passenger seat as defined in claim 1, and including an electric motor and actuating means associated with said motor operatively connected between Said second backrest section and said motor vehicle for moving said second backrest section away from said door.

Claim 9

A passenger seat as defined in claim 7, wherein said electric motor is secured to said second backrest section, and said actuating means includes a rotatably mounted threaded shaft extending from said electric motor for rotation thereby and a threaded member secured to said first backrest section threaded onto said shaft.

Claim 10

A passenger seat as defined in claim 1, and including an armrest movably mounted on said bottom section for movement between a first position wherein said arm rest projects above the seating surface of said bottom section and a second position wherein the top surface of said armrest is substantially flush with the seating surface of said bottom section.

Claim 11

A passenger seat as defined in claim 9, and including a resilient means operatively connected between said armrest and said bottom section for urging said armrest toward its first position.

Claim 12

A passenger seat as defined in claim 9, and in which said armrest is located adjacent said first backrest section.

Claim 13

A passenger seat as defined in claim 9, including means for moving said armrest between said positions and comprising an actuating mechanism operatively connected between said armrest section and said motor vehicle for moving said armrest between said positions.

Claim 14

A passenger seat as defined in claim 12, wherein said actuating mechanism includes a resilient means urging said armrest toward its first position.

Claim 15

A passenger seat as defined in claim 9 and including a first latching means for securing said armrest in its first position and a second latching means for securing said armrest in its second position.

Claim 16

A passenger seat as defined in claim 14 and including a manually operated lever mechanism for operating said first and second latching means.

Claim 17

A passenger seat as defined in claim 15, wherein said actuating mechanism includes a first cylindrical member having one end secured to said motor vehicle; a second cylindrical member having one end secured to said armrest section slidably mounted in said first cylindrical member; and resilient means disposed within said second cylindrical member for urging said armrest section toward its first position.

Claim 18

A passenger seat as defined in claim 16, and including: a third cylindrical member rotatably mounted around said first cylindrical member and having a first slot formed therein substantially parallel to the axis of elongation of said third member, said third member including second and third slots intersecting said first slot at opposite ends thereof and at substantially right angles thereto, said first cylindrical member including a slot formed therein registering with said first slot of said third member, and said second cylindrical member including a tab formed adjacent its free end extending through said slot formed in said first member and into the slots formed in said third member, said armrest being secured in its first position by the engagement of said tab in said second slot and secured in its second position by the engagement of said tab in said third slot.

Claim 19

A passenger seat for use in a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having a door on each side thereof, said seat comprising a substantially horizontal bottom section secured to said vehicle, a substantially vertical center backrest section secured to said vehicle, an end backrest section, including a frame and a cushion mounted thereon, at each end of said center backrest section and adjacent said doors, said center backrest section having a vertical compartment and an opening registering with said compartment at each end adjacent each of said end backrest sections, said end backrest sections being movably mounted for lateral movement toward and away from said doors and each of said end backrest sections, including the frames and cushions thereof, being telescopically received through said opening and into said compartment upon lateral movement of said end backrest sections away from said doors.

Claim 20

A passenger seat for use in a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having a door on each side thereof, said seat comprising a substantially horizontal bottom section secured to said vehicle, a substantially vertical center backrest section secured to said vehicle, an end backrest section, including a frame and a cushion mounted thereon, at each end of said center backrest section and adjacent said doors, said center backrest section having a vertical compartment and an opening registering with said compartment at each end adjacent each of said end backrest sections, said end backrest sections being movably mounted for lateral movement toward and away from said doors and each of said end backrest sections, including the frames and cushions thereof, being telescopically received through said opening and into said compartment upon lateral movement of said end backrest sections away from said doors.