Claims
- 1. A vehicle seat comprising:
a seat base; a seat back coupled to the seat base, with the seat back having a design position and a folded position; a recliner mechanism coupled to the seat base and seat back and configured to adjust the angular position of the seat back with respect to the seat base about a first axis and for folding the seat back on top of the seat base about a second axis; and a latch mechanism coupled to the recliner mechanism and configured to selectively prevent the seat back from being moved from the folded position to the design position.
- 2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the latch mechanism is activated by a handle.
- 3. The vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the handle is coupled to the latch mechanism with a link member.
- 4. The vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the recliner mechanism is activated by the handle.
- 5. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the latch mechanism is configured to automatically lock the seat back in the folded position.
- 6. The vehicle seat of claim 5, wherein the latch mechanism includes a locking pawl member biased, by biasing member, in a locking position.
- 7. A method for locking a seat back of a vehicle seat in a folded position, the vehicle seat including a seat base and seat back, with the seat back having a design position and a folded position, with a recliner mechanism coupled to the seat base and seat back and configured to adjust the angular position of the seat back with respect to the seat base about a first axis and for folding the seat back on top of the seat base about a second axis, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a latch mechanism, configured to selectively prevent the seat back from being moved from the folded position to the design position; coupling the latch mechanism to the recliner mechanism; and attaching a handle to the latch mechanism, wherein the handle activates the latch mechanism.
- 8. The method of claim 7, including the step of configuring the handle to activate each of the latch mechanism and the recliner mechanism.
- 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the latch mechanism includes a locking pawl member and is configured to automatically lock the seat back in the folded position.
- 10. The method of claim 9, including the step of biasing the locking pawl member in a locking position.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is an application claiming the benefit, under 35 USC 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application 60/465,446, filed Apr. 25, 2003, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60465446 |
Apr 2003 |
US |