Storable seat assembly

Claim 2

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom having a front portion and a rear portion; a seat back coupled to said rear portion of said seat bottom; wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position in the stored position; a guide member associated with said seat bottom and attachable to the vehicle; and a leg link pivotally attached to said seat bottom and pivotally attachable to the vehicle at a leg link mount; wherein said leg link and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position; such that said seat bottom is displaced in a rearward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position and said leg link mount is constrained from rearward displacement during the transition from the stored position to the in-use position.

Claim 3

The seat assembly of claim 1, such that said seat bottom is also displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 4

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom defining first and second attachment points; a seat back defining first, second, and third attachment points; wherein said second attachment point of said seat back is pivotally attached to said second attachment point of said seat bottom; a guide member attachable to the vehicle for engaging said third attachment point of said seat back and allowing a forward and rearward displacement relative to the vehicle; a leg link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of said seat bottom; an arm link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of seat back; and a belt webbing operatively associated with said seat back above said third attachment point and extending in a forward direction whereby tension in said belt webbing biases said seat back to rotate about said third attachment point and to move in a downward direction; wherein said arm link, said seat back, and said guide member cooperate to form a triangular truss to resist said bias; wherein said leg link, said arm link, and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position and to guide said seat back from the in-use position to the stored position; and wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the stored position.

Claim 5

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom defining first and second attachment points; a seat back defining first, second, and third attachment points; wherein said second attachment point of said seat back is pivotally attached to said second attachment point of said seat bottom; a guide member attachable to the vehicle for engaging said third attachment point of said seat back and allowing a forward and rearward displacement relative to the vehicle; a leg link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of said seat bottom; an arm link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of seat back; and a belt webbing operatively associated with said seat back above said third attachment point and extending in a forward direction whereby tension in said belt webbing biases said seat back to rotate about said third attachment point and to move in a downward direction; wherein said arm link, said seat back, and said guide member cooperate to form a triangular truss to resist said bias; wherein said leg link, said arm link, and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position and to guide said seat back from the in-use position to the stored position; and wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the stored position.

Claim 6

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom defining first and second attachment points; a seat back defining first, second, and third attachment points; wherein said second attachment point of said seat back is pivotally attached to said second attachment point of said seat bottom; a guide member attachable to the vehicle for engaging said third attachment point of said seat back and allowing a forward and rearward displacement relative to the vehicle; a leg link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of said seat bottom; and an arm link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of seat back; wherein said leg link, said arm link, and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position and to guide said seat back from the in-use position to the stored position; wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the stored position; and wherein said seat back is rotated about said third attachment point in the stored position relative to the in-use position, and said third attachment point is displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 7

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom defining first and second attachment points; a seat back defining first, second, and third attachment points; wherein said second attachment point of said seat back is pivotally attached to said second attachment point of said seat bottom; a guide member attachable to the vehicle for engaging said third attachment point of said seat back and allowing a forward and rearward displacement relative to the vehicle; a leg link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of said seat bottom; and an arm link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of seat back; wherein said leg link, said arm link, and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position and to guide said seat back from the in-use position to the stored position; wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the stored position; and wherein said seat back is rotated about said third attachment point in the stored position relative to the in-use position, and said third attachment point is displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 8

The seat assembly of claim 4, wherein said arm link is pivotally attachable to the vehicle at an arm link mount; and wherein said third attachment point is rotated about said arm link mount in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 9

The seat assembly of claim 5, wherein said seat bottom is displaced in a rearward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 10

The seat assembly of claim 6, wherein said seat bottom is also displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 11

The seat assembly of claim 4, wherein said seat bottom is displaced in a rearward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 12

The seat assembly of claim 8, wherein said seat bottom is also displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 13

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom defining first and second attachment points; a seat back defining first, second, and third attachment points; wherein said second attachment point of said seat back is pivotally attached to said second attachment point of said seat bottom; a guide member attachable to the vehicle for engaging said third attachment point of said seat back and allowing a forward and rearward displacement relative to the vehicle; a leg link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of said seat bottom; and an arm link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of said seat back; wherein said leg link, said arm link, and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position and to guide said seat back from the in-use position to the stored position; wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the stored position; and wherein said seat bottom is displaced in a rearward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 14

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom defining first and second attachment points; a seat back defining first, second, and third attachment points; wherein said second attachment point of said seat back is pivotally attached to said second attachment point of said seat bottom; a guide member attachable to the vehicle for engaging said third attachment point of said seat back and allowing a forward and rearward displacement relative to the vehicle; a leg link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of said seat bottom; and an arm link pivotally attached to said first attachment point of said seat back; wherein said leg link, said arm link, and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position and to guide said seat back from the in-use position to the stored position; wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position from said second attachment point of said seat bottom in the stored position; and wherein said seat bottom is displaced in a rearward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 15

The seat assembly of claim 10, wherein said seat bottom is also displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 16

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom having a front portion and a rear portion; a seat back having a first transverse axis; wherein said seat back is coupled to said rear portion of said seat bottom; and wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position in the stored position; a guide member coupled to said seat back and attachable to the vehicle; and an arm link pivotally attached to said seat back at said first transverse axis and pivotally attachable to the vehicle at a second transverse axis; wherein said arm link and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat back from the in-use position to the stored position; such that said seat back is rotated about said first transverse axis in the stored position relative to the in-use position, and said first transverse axis is displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 17

A seat assembly for a vehicle, movable from an in-use position to a stored position, comprising: a seat bottom having a front portion and a rear portion; a seat back having a first transverse axis; wherein said seat back is coupled to said rear portion of said seat bottom; and wherein said seat back extends in a generally upward direction from said seat bottom in the in-use position and said seat back extends in a generally forward position in the stored position; a guide member coupled to said seat back and attachable to the vehicle; and an arm link pivotally attached to said seat back at said first transverse axis and pivotally attachable to the vehicle at a second transverse axis; wherein said arm link and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat back from the in-use position to the stored position; such that said seat back is rotated about said first transverse axis in the stored position relative to the in-use position, and said first transverse axis is displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 18

The seat assembly of claim 12, wherein said first transverse axis is rotated about said second transverse axis in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 19

The seat assembly of claim 13, wherein said seat bottom is displaced in a rearward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 20

The seat assembly of claim 14, further comprising a leg link pivotally attached to said seat bottom and pivotally attachable to the vehicle; wherein said leg link and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position.

Claim 21

The seat assembly of claim 15, wherein said seat bottom is also displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 22

The seat assembly of claim 16, further comprising a leg link pivotally attached to said seat bottom and pivotally attachable to the vehicle; wherein said leg link and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position.

Claim 23

The seat assembly of claim 12, wherein said seat bottom is displaced in a rearward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 24

The seat assembly of claim 18, further comprising a leg link pivotally attached to said seat bottom and pivotally attachable to the vehicle; wherein said leg link and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position.

Claim 25

The seat assembly of claim 18, wherein said seat bottom is also displaced in a downward direction in the stored position relative to the in-use position.

Claim 26

The seat assembly of claim 20, further comprising a leg link pivotally attached to said seat bottom and pivotally attachable to the vehicle; wherein said leg link and said guide member cooperate to guide said seat bottom from the in-use position to the stored position.