US3685780A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Seat suspension system
Assignee: Case LLC
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Filing: 1969-10-30
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Granted: 1972-08-22
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Expires: 1989-10-30
Abstract
Abstract A seat suspension system for a vehicle and including a seat attached to a seat support. The seat support is supported for movement through links on a frame attached to the vehicle. The seat suspension system includes stabilizing means in the form of a pair of coil springs having one end attached to the frame and the other end attached to the seat support with the ends of the springs limited for rotational movement only so that the effective spring force per increment of seat displacement increases non-linearly relative to the displacement of the seat support. The stabilizing means further includes a pair of shock absorbers which are positioned between the frame and the seat support and are attached in a manner that the shock absorbers will be substantially fully retracted in the normal ride position of an operator. The seat suspension system further includes interconnecting mechanism between the seat and seat support which accommodate movement in four directions from a central position.
Inventors
- 👤 Clifford E Stannebein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 05:02
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/50; B60N2/502; A; A47; A47C; A47C3/00; A47C3/20; A47C3/22; A47C7/00; A47C7/02; A47C7/14; B60N2/505; B60N2/506; B60N2/507; B60N2/54; B60N2/544; B60N2/548
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
263 words
In combination with a vehicle seat supported on a seat attachment structure in a substantially horizontal plane, a vehicle seat suspension comprising a frame; linkage means suspending said attachment structure on said frame; and stabilizing means tending to maintain said attachment structure in a rest position, said stabilizing means comprising a coil spring having an axis extending substantially parallel to said horizontal plane; first means connecting one end of said coil spring to said frame; and second means connecting an opposite end of said coil spring to said attachment structure in a manner to rotate said opposite end about said axis as a function of the movement of said attachment structure from the rest position to a ride position, said second means including a rigid arm connected to said opposite end of said spring and extending transversely of the axis of said spring, and a rigid elongate link pivotally connected at one end to said attachment structure and pivotally connected at its opposite end to said arm, said arm being located above the axis of said spring and the included angle between said arm and said link being at least 90* when said attachment structure is in the rest position, and said arm being located below the axis of said spring and the included angle between said arm and said link being less than 90* in the ride position so that displacement of said attachment structure beyond the ride position will cause said spring to produce a force which is nonlinear and which increases substantially exponentially to the displacement of said opposite end.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
263 words
In combination with a vehicle seat supported on a seat attachment structure in a substantially horizontal plane, a vehicle seat suspension comprising a frame; linkage means suspending said attachment structure on said frame; and stabilizing means tending to maintain said attachment structure in a rest position, said stabilizing means comprising a coil spring having an axis extending substantially parallel to said horizontal plane; first means connecting one end of said coil spring to said frame; and second means connecting an opposite end of said coil spring to said attachment structure in a manner to rotate said opposite end about said axis as a function of the movement of said attachment structure from the rest position to a ride position, said second means including a rigid arm connected to said opposite end of said spring and extending transversely of the axis of said spring, and a rigid elongate link pivotally connected at one end to said attachment structure and pivotally connected at its opposite end to said arm, said arm being located above the axis of said spring and the included angle between said arm and said link being at least 90* when said attachment structure is in the rest position, and said arm being located below the axis of said spring and the included angle between said arm and said link being less than 90* in the ride position so that displacement of said attachment structure beyond the ride position will cause said spring to produce a force which is nonlinear and which increases substantially exponentially to the displacement of said opposite end.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The combination as defined in claim 1, including the further improvement of mechanism for attaching said seat to said attachment structure, said mechanism accommodating movement of said seat in opposite directions from a central position, said movement being along substantially perpendicular axes in said horizontal plane, said mechanism including resilient means tending to maintain said seat in said central position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The combination as defined in claim 2, in which said mechanism further includes first and second rails extending perpendicular to each other, said rails each including first and second rail elements, said first element of said first rail being connected to said seat and said second element of said second rail being attached to said attachment structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination as defined in claim 3, including the further improvement of antifriction means interposed between each of said first and second rail elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination as defined in claim 1, in which said first means includes an element rotatable on said frame about the axis of said spring, said one end of said spring having a connection to said element at a point spaced from said axis, and means for rotating said element to adjust the prestress condition for said spring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination as defined in claim 1, in which said second means comprises a member mounted for rotation only on said frame with said opposite end of said spring and said arm connected to said member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
The combination as defined in claim 1, including the further improvement of a shock absorber having first and second extensible and retractable elements, one of said elements connected to said frame and the other of said elements connected to said attachment structure, said shock absorber being positioned to have said elements in a retracted position when said seat attachment structure is in a ride position for an operator whereby said shock absorber elements must be extended relative to each other when the seat attachment structure is moved in either direction from said ride position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
210 words
In combination, a seat support, a seat mounted on said seat support in a substantially horizontal plane and facing in a direction of travel; a frame; linkage means suspending said seat support for vertical movement relative to said frame; stabilizing means for said seat and seat support cOmprising biasing means interposed between said seat support and said frame; and a pair of shock absorbers having first and second extensible and retractable elements respectively pivotally connected to said frame and said seat support, said shock absorbers being positioned on opposite sides of the centerline of said seat support and extending transversely with respect to said direction of travel of said seat, said shock absorbers being upwardly inclined between said frame and seat support in the rest position; and means defining a plurality of connection positions for one element of each shock absorber so that the elements may be connected at selected positions, depending upon the weight of the occupant of the seat, to locate the elements of each shock absorber in a substantially fully retracted, substantially horizontal position when said seat support and said seat are in a normal ride position whereby said elements must be extended when said seat support is moved in either direction from the normal ride position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
210 words
In combination, a seat support, a seat mounted on said seat support in a substantially horizontal plane and facing in a direction of travel; a frame; linkage means suspending said seat support for vertical movement relative to said frame; stabilizing means for said seat and seat support cOmprising biasing means interposed between said seat support and said frame; and a pair of shock absorbers having first and second extensible and retractable elements respectively pivotally connected to said frame and said seat support, said shock absorbers being positioned on opposite sides of the centerline of said seat support and extending transversely with respect to said direction of travel of said seat, said shock absorbers being upwardly inclined between said frame and seat support in the rest position; and means defining a plurality of connection positions for one element of each shock absorber so that the elements may be connected at selected positions, depending upon the weight of the occupant of the seat, to locate the elements of each shock absorber in a substantially fully retracted, substantially horizontal position when said seat support and said seat are in a normal ride position whereby said elements must be extended when said seat support is moved in either direction from the normal ride position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
243 words
In a vehicle seat suspension having a seat support; a seat; and means mounting said seat on said seat support, the improvement of said means comprising first longitudinal rail means extending generally fore and aft of said seat; second longitudinal rail means extending generally transversely of said seat, each of said rail means having a pair of rail elements, one rail element of each rail means being respectively connected to said seat and said seat support, the second rail elements being interconnected; and resilient means for maintaining said seat in a centered position on each of said rail means, said resilient means including first and second spring means each having one end connected to said seat and an opposite end connected to said seat support, said first and second spring means converging upwardly from the point of connection to the seat support to the point of connection to the seat, said resilient means further including third and fourth spring means each having one end connected to said seat and an opposite end connected to said seat support, said third and fourth spring means conveying upwardly from the point of connection to the seat support to the point of connection to the seat, said rail means guiding said seat for movement in opposite directions from said centered position with said resilient means accommodating said movement in response to sudden movement of said seat support whereby to partially isolate said seat from said seat support.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
243 words
In a vehicle seat suspension having a seat support; a seat; and means mounting said seat on said seat support, the improvement of said means comprising first longitudinal rail means extending generally fore and aft of said seat; second longitudinal rail means extending generally transversely of said seat, each of said rail means having a pair of rail elements, one rail element of each rail means being respectively connected to said seat and said seat support, the second rail elements being interconnected; and resilient means for maintaining said seat in a centered position on each of said rail means, said resilient means including first and second spring means each having one end connected to said seat and an opposite end connected to said seat support, said first and second spring means converging upwardly from the point of connection to the seat support to the point of connection to the seat, said resilient means further including third and fourth spring means each having one end connected to said seat and an opposite end connected to said seat support, said third and fourth spring means conveying upwardly from the point of connection to the seat support to the point of connection to the seat, said rail means guiding said seat for movement in opposite directions from said centered position with said resilient means accommodating said movement in response to sudden movement of said seat support whereby to partially isolate said seat from said seat support.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
120 words
A vehicle seat suspension as defined in claim 9, including the further improvement of a frame adapted to be supported on a vehicle; linkage means supporting said seat support for movement relative to said frame; and stabilizing means for said seat support; said stabilizing means including a coil spring having one end secured to said frame and the opposite end connected to said seat support; and means for maintaining the opposite ends of said coil spring in planes extending transversely of the axis of said spring whereby the opposite end of said spring is limited to rotation about said axis and arranged to produce a non-linear force on said seat support when said seat is moved from a first position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
A vehicle seat suspension as defined in claim 10, including the further improvement of said stabilizing means including a shock absorber having a first element connected to said frame and a second element connected to said seat support, said shock absorbers being positioned to have said elements in a fully retracted position when said seat is in a ride position of an operator supported thereon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
266 words
In combination with a frame having a seat support with a seat attached thereto and linkage means including first and second vertically spaced pairs of links each having one end pivotally connected to the frame and the opposite end pivotally connected to said seat support; stabilizing means for said seat and seat support comprising: first and second coil springs located end-to-end with the axes of said spriNgs extending transversely of said links; first means connecting the adjacent ends of said springs to said frame; and second means connecting the remote ends of said springs to said seat support, said second means including a radially extending rigid arm connected to the remote end of each of said springs and interconnecting means cooperating with said arms for rotating said arms as a function of seat support displacement, said interconnecting means each being defined by a rigid elongate link pivotally connected at one end to said seat support and pivotally connected at its opposite end to one of said arms, said arms being located above the axes of said springs and the included angle between said arms and said links being at least 90* when the seat is in a first position, and said arms being located below the axes of said springs and the included angle between said arms and said links being less than 90* so that displacement of the seat support beyond the ride position will cause said springs to produce a force which is non-linear and which increases substantially exponentially to the displacement of said remote ends when said seat is in a ride position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
266 words
In combination with a frame having a seat support with a seat attached thereto and linkage means including first and second vertically spaced pairs of links each having one end pivotally connected to the frame and the opposite end pivotally connected to said seat support; stabilizing means for said seat and seat support comprising: first and second coil springs located end-to-end with the axes of said spriNgs extending transversely of said links; first means connecting the adjacent ends of said springs to said frame; and second means connecting the remote ends of said springs to said seat support, said second means including a radially extending rigid arm connected to the remote end of each of said springs and interconnecting means cooperating with said arms for rotating said arms as a function of seat support displacement, said interconnecting means each being defined by a rigid elongate link pivotally connected at one end to said seat support and pivotally connected at its opposite end to one of said arms, said arms being located above the axes of said springs and the included angle between said arms and said links being at least 90* when the seat is in a first position, and said arms being located below the axes of said springs and the included angle between said arms and said links being less than 90* so that displacement of the seat support beyond the ride position will cause said springs to produce a force which is non-linear and which increases substantially exponentially to the displacement of said remote ends when said seat is in a ride position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
The combination as defined in claim 12, in which said first means includes a lug extending from said frame and disposed between said adjacent ends of said springs and a plate rotatable on said lug about the axes of said springs with said adjacent ends connected to said plate; and said second means includes first and second members rotatable about said axes with said arms connected to said members.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
The combination as defined in claim 12, in which said stabilizing means further includes first and second shock absorbers each having extensible and retractable elements respectively attached to said frame and said seat support, said shock absorbers being in fully retracted condition when said seat support and seat are in a normal ride position for an operator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
131 words
The combination as defined in claim 12, including the further improvement of means accommodating relative movement between said seat and seat support and comprising first and second pairs of parallel rails each having first and second rail elements, said first rail elements of said first rails being connected to said seat and said second rail elements of said second rails being connected to said seat support, said first and second pairs of rails extending substantially perpendicular to each other; roller means between said first and second rail elements; and biasing means normally maintaining said seat in a central position relative to said seat support, said biasing means accommodating movement of said seat in any one of four directions from said central position in response to sudden movement of said seat support.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-22 | 1976-02-21 | 1976-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-22 | 1980-02-21 | 1980-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-22 | 1984-02-21 | 1984-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |