US3887229A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Convertible seat
Assignee: PLUME ROBERT W
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Filing: 1974-02-11
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Granted: 1975-06-03
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Expires: 1994-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A convertible seat arrangement and mechanism, especially adapted for use in mobile homes or van type camper vehicles, are disclosed for converting between seat and bed orientation. A pair of seats are arranged in fore and aft alignment and, for the seat orientation, the seat backs are in an erect position while the seat bottoms are provided with a desired rake for seating comfort. Each may be converted to bed orientation in which the seat is pushed forwardly and the seat back is folded to a prone position. The seat back and seat bottom are mounted on a carrier which in turn is supported on the seat base by linkage which, during the forward motion elevates the rear of the seat bottom and eliminates the rake. The seat back is pivotably mounted on the carrier by a hinge pivot which is disposed below the support for the seat bottom cushion so that no mechanism protrudes into the cushion region when in the bed orientation. With this low hinge pivot, mechanism is provided to cause the cushion of the seat back to move toward the hinge pivot during the folding of the seat back toward the prone position whereby the cushions are brought together without a gap therebetween in the bed orientation. When both front and back seats are in the bed orientation the back of the front seat and the bottom of the back seat are closely adjacent and in alignment with each other so that a flat full sized bed is formed by the combination.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W Plume
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:34
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C17/00; A47C17/04; A47C17/16; A47C17/17; A47C17/175; A47C17/1753; B; B60; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/24; B60N2/32; B60N2/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A convertible seat comprising a base member, a seat bottom support member mounted on the base member, a seat bottom cushion holder mounted on the seat bottom support member and adapted to receive a seat cushion, a seat back support member, a seat back cushion holder mounted on the seat back support member and adapted to receive a seat back cushion, said seat back support member being mounted on the seat base member for pivotal motion in the fore and aft direction relative to the seat bottom support member by a pivot element disposed below the level of the upper surface of the seat bottom cushion, one of said cushion holders being movably mounted on the respective said support member for movement toward and away from said pivot element, said seat back support member being disposed in an erect position to make a seat and being pivotally movable in the aft direction to a prone position to make a bed, and means connected with said one of the said holders for moving it relative to its support member toward the pivot element when the seat back support member is pivoted downwardly to convert the seat to a bed whereby said cushions on said holders may be positioned edge to edge without a gap therebetween in the bed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A convertible seat comprising a base member, a seat bottom support member mounted on the base member, a seat bottom cushion holder mounted on the seat bottom support member and adapted to receive a seat cushion, a seat back support member, a seat back cushion holder mounted on the seat back support member and adapted to receive a seat back cushion, said seat back support member being mounted on the seat base member for pivotal motion in the fore and aft direction relative to the seat bottom support member by a pivot element disposed below the level of the upper surface of the seat bottom cushion, one of said cushion holders being movably mounted on the respective said support member for movement toward and away from said pivot element, said seat back support member being disposed in an erect position to make a seat and being pivotally movable in the aft direction to a prone position to make a bed, and means connected with said one of the said holders for moving it relative to its support member toward the pivot element when the seat back support member is pivoted downwardly to convert the seat to a bed whereby said cushions on said holders may be positioned edge to edge without a gap therebetween in the bed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
217 words
A convertible seat comprising a base member, a seat bottom support member mounted on the base member, a seat bottom cushion holder mounted on the seat bottom support member and adapted to receive a seat cushion, a seat back support member, a seat back cushion holder mounted on the seat back support member and adapted to receive a seat back cushion, said seat back support member being mounted on the seat base member for pivotal motion in the fore and aft direction relative to the seat bottom support member by a pivot element disposed below the level of the upper surface of the seat bottom cushion, one of said cushion holders being movably mounted on the respective said support member for movement toward and away from said pivot element, said seat back support member being disposed in an erect position to make a seat and being pivotally movable in the aft direction to a prone position to make a bed, and means connected with said one of the said holders for moving it relative to its support member toward the pivot element when the seat back support member is pivoted downwardly to convert the seat to a bed whereby said cushions on said holders may be positioned edge to edge without a gap therebetween in the bed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
217 words
A convertible seat comprising a base member, a seat bottom support member mounted on the base member, a seat bottom cushion holder mounted on the seat bottom support member and adapted to receive a seat cushion, a seat back support member, a seat back cushion holder mounted on the seat back support member and adapted to receive a seat back cushion, said seat back support member being mounted on the seat base member for pivotal motion in the fore and aft direction relative to the seat bottom support member by a pivot element disposed below the level of the upper surface of the seat bottom cushion, one of said cushion holders being movably mounted on the respective said support member for movement toward and away from said pivot element, said seat back support member being disposed in an erect position to make a seat and being pivotally movable in the aft direction to a prone position to make a bed, and means connected with said one of the said holders for moving it relative to its support member toward the pivot element when the seat back support member is pivoted downwardly to convert the seat to a bed whereby said cushions on said holders may be positioned edge to edge without a gap therebetween in the bed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said means is connected with the seat back cushion holder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises a crank member connected with the seat back support member for a movement therewith and linkage means connected between said crank member and the seat back cushion holder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said crank member is a plate rigidly mounted on the seat back support member and said linkage means comprises a push link and a drag link being pivotally connected with each other with the push link pivotally connected to the plate and the drag link pivotally connected to the seat back cushion holder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention as defined in claim 4 including stop means to limit the forward pivotal motion of the seat back support member and to retain it in the erect position for making a seat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
The invention as defined in claim 4 including stop means on the base member disposed in the path of movement of said crank member to limit the forward rotation of the seat back support member and a latch lever movable into the path of movement of the crank member to retain the seat back support member in the erect position for making a seat.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention as defined in claim 3 including a counterbalance spring operatively connected with said linkage means and urging said seat back support member toward its erect position when it is in its prone position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said seat back support member comprises a frame including a tubular element extending substantially normal to the direction of the axis of said pivotal motion, a compression spring disposed inside said tubular element and engaging abutment means thereon at one end and operatively connected with said linkage means at the other end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
268 words
A convertible seat comprising a base member, a seat support mmember, a seat back support member pivotally connected with the seat bottom support member and being pivotally movable between an erect position to make a seat and a prone position to make a bed, a ramp means and a ramp follower means in engagement and being relatively movable in the fore and aft direction of the seat, said Ramp means being connected with said base member and said ramp follower means being connected with the seat bottom support member, a pivot link being pivotable in said fore and aft direction and having one end pivotally connected with said base member and having the other end pivotally connected with the seat bottom support member, said seat bottom support member forming part of the seat and having a rake when it is positioned in the fore and aft direction with said ramp follower means near the rearward end of the ramp means, said seat bottom support member forming part of a bed and having no rake when it is positioned in said fore and aft direction with said ramp follower means near the forward end of the ramp means, a latch element fixedly mounted on the base member, a latch arm pivotally mounted on the seat bottom support member and having a hook portion adapted to engage the latch element when the seat bottom support member is in the rearward position, and an abutment fixedly mounted on the base member, said latch arm being adapted to engage the abutment and hold the seat bottom support member in its forward position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
268 words
A convertible seat comprising a base member, a seat support mmember, a seat back support member pivotally connected with the seat bottom support member and being pivotally movable between an erect position to make a seat and a prone position to make a bed, a ramp means and a ramp follower means in engagement and being relatively movable in the fore and aft direction of the seat, said Ramp means being connected with said base member and said ramp follower means being connected with the seat bottom support member, a pivot link being pivotable in said fore and aft direction and having one end pivotally connected with said base member and having the other end pivotally connected with the seat bottom support member, said seat bottom support member forming part of the seat and having a rake when it is positioned in the fore and aft direction with said ramp follower means near the rearward end of the ramp means, said seat bottom support member forming part of a bed and having no rake when it is positioned in said fore and aft direction with said ramp follower means near the forward end of the ramp means, a latch element fixedly mounted on the base member, a latch arm pivotally mounted on the seat bottom support member and having a hook portion adapted to engage the latch element when the seat bottom support member is in the rearward position, and an abutment fixedly mounted on the base member, said latch arm being adapted to engage the abutment and hold the seat bottom support member in its forward position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
190 words
In a convertible seat of the type comprising a base member, a seat bottom support member, a seat back support member having a pivotal connection with the seat bottom support member, said seat bottom support member being movably mounted on said base member by a translation linkage for fore and aft movement, said seat bottom support member being movable to a rearward position to make a seat and being movable to a forward position to make a bed, said translation linkage including means for tilting the seat bottom support member to provide a rake in the rearward position and to tilt the seat bottom support member to eliminate said rake in the forward position, said seat back support member being disposed in an upper position to make a seat and being pivotally movable in the aft direction to make a bed, the improvement comprising means operatively connected with the seat back for drawing said seat back and said seat bottom together when the seat back is pivoted in the aft direction to make a bed, said pivotal connection including pivot means located below the upper surface of the seat bottom.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
190 words
In a convertible seat of the type comprising a base member, a seat bottom support member, a seat back support member having a pivotal connection with the seat bottom support member, said seat bottom support member being movably mounted on said base member by a translation linkage for fore and aft movement, said seat bottom support member being movable to a rearward position to make a seat and being movable to a forward position to make a bed, said translation linkage including means for tilting the seat bottom support member to provide a rake in the rearward position and to tilt the seat bottom support member to eliminate said rake in the forward position, said seat back support member being disposed in an upper position to make a seat and being pivotally movable in the aft direction to make a bed, the improvement comprising means operatively connected with the seat back for drawing said seat back and said seat bottom together when the seat back is pivoted in the aft direction to make a bed, said pivotal connection including pivot means located below the upper surface of the seat bottom.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
70 words
A pair of convertible seats as defined in claim 10, said convertible seats being disposed in fore and aft alignment with spacing between corresponding points on the base members equal to the sum of the fore and aft dimension of the seat bottom of the back seat and the fore and aft dimension of the seat back of the front seat when both convertible seats are made into a bed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
The invention as defined in claim 10 including travel latch means operatively connected between the base member and the seat bottom for latching the seat bottom selectively in its aft position and in its forward position, and fold latch means operatively connected between the seat back and the seat bottom for latching the seat back in its erect position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
156 words
The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said travel latch means includes a rear latch element and a forward latch element on the base member, a latch lever pivotally mounted on the seat bottom, bias means urging said latch lever into engagement with the rear latch element and the forward latch element when the seat is in the aft and forward positions respectively, said fold latch means including a fold latch lever pivotally mounted on said seat bottom, second bias means urging said fold latch lever into the path of the portion of said seat back when said seat back is in its erect position, and a latch operating member operatively connected with said travel latch lever to oppose said first bias means on rotation of the member in one direction and operatively connected with said fold latch lever to oppose said second bias means upon rotation of said operating member in the other direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-02 | 1978-12-02 | 1979-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-02 | 1982-12-02 | 1983-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-02 | 1986-12-02 | 1987-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |