BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of devices for locking seats in a collapsed condition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Passenger seats in vehicles, including boats and land vehicles, include a seat portion upon which the passenger sits and a back rest against which the passenger rests. In many cases, the back rest is hingedly and pivotally connected to the seat portion so that the back rest may be folded downward against the seat portion when not in use. Thus, space is saved and ready access is provided to the area behind the seat. It is desirable to provide a lockdown device or means for securing the back rest against the seat portion when folded downward. Disclosed is such a means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A foldable seat comprises a bottom portion upon which a person may sit and a back rest against which the person may rest. The back rest is movably mounted to the bottom portion and has an upright position whereat the back rest extends upwardly from the bottom portion and a downward position folded atop the bottom portion. A connector is mounted to the seat. A lockdown element is movably mounted to the seat and extends from a retracted position to an extended position to releasably connect to the connector whereat the element holds the bottom portion and the back rest together in the downward position. A spring is connected to the element. The spring has a normal state urging the element to a retracted position but yieldable to allow the element to extend out to the connector.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for holding a foldable seat in a collapsed position
A further object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive and easy to use device on a foldable seat for releasably holding the foldable portion in a storage position.
Related objects and advantageous of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a holder housing a compression spring urging a seat strap hold down device in a retracted position.
FIG. 2 is the same view as FIG. 1 only showing the strap in an extended position.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a holder housing an extension spring for urging a seat strap hold down device in a retracted position.
FIG. 4 is the same view as FIG. 3 only showing the strap in an extended position.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view of the holder and strap of FIG. 1 having a snap connector mounted to the distal end of the strap to engage a mating connector on the back rest.
FIG. 6 is the same view as FIG. 5 only showing a buckle mounted to the distal end of the strap.
FIG. 7 is the same view as FIG. 5 only showing a tongue mounted to the distal end of the strap.
FIG. 8 is the same view as FIG. 5 only showing a connector restraint coupling mounted to the distal end of the strap.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a seat in an erect position with the strap pulled outwardly therefrom.
FIG. 10 is the same view as FIG. 9 only showing the strap in a retracted position.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a seat in the collapsed position showing the strap holding the back rest atop and adjacent the seat bottom.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring to FIG. 11 there is shown a seat portion 30 atop of which the seat back rest 34 is folded downwardly. Seat portion 30 and back rest 34 are pivotally and hingedly connected together via a conventional manner. The seat may be mounted within a vehicle including a boat. A strap 17 extends outwardly from a slot in the seat portion and upwardly and partially around the seat back rest and is removably connected thereto. The seat includes means for retracting the strap when the strap is not in use. Likewise, once the free end of the strap is attached to the back rest, the strap is urged to not extend further outward thereby holding the seat portion and back rest together. It is desirable that the retraction of the strap be automatic once the free end is unattached from the back rest. The linear retractor seat tie down disclosed herein holds the back of the seat downwardly against the seat portion when the seat is unoccupied but retracts the strap when not in use.
FIGS. 1-2 disclose use of a compression spring positioned within a tube or frame and operable to withdraw a web or strap to allow the strap to be retracted. In FIG. 1, the strap is in a retracted condition and the compression spring is in a normal expanded condition. In FIG. 2, the strap is extended with the compression spring being in the compressed state.
A tube 10 houses compression spring 11. A flat plate or other member 13 is positioned atop or at one end of spring 11. Member 13 is connected by a line or cable 14 to strap 17 fixedly attached to one end 16 of cable 14. An internal wall 15 fixedly secured to tube 10 has a central aperture through which cable 14 freely extends with the other end of the compression spring resting atop and against wall 15. Thus, in the normal retracted condition 12, spring 11 is in the expanded position whereas when strap 17 is pulled in an outward direction from tube 10, the strap forces plate 13 downwardly thereby compressing spring 11.
In FIGS. 3-4, an extension spring is used in lieu of the compression spring of FIGS. 1 and 2. An internal wall or member 23 is fixedly mounted to end 26 of tube 10. Extension spring 21 has one end fastened to member 23 whereas the opposite end 24 of extension spring 21 is attached to a ring or other mount connected to an end of strap 17. When strap 17 is pulled from the retracted condition 22 to the extended condition 38, the extension spring 21 expands from its normal collapsed condition to its extended position. The extension spring is operable to normally urge the strap into the tube.
End 26 of tube 10 is closed whereas end 27 of tube 10 has a cap 28 fixedly mounted thereto. Cap 28 has a slot 29 through which strap 17 extends. End 26 may be closed either by forming tube 10 so the end is closed or by closing end 26 by a cap.
The tube 10 and spring along with the strap are mounted to the seat portion of the passenger seat. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, strap 17 extends outwardly therefrom. The strap extends outwardly from a cap or face plate 28 mounted to the seat portion 30 with the tube and spring being contained within the seat. The strap is in a retracted position in FIG. 10 whereas in FIG. 9 the strap is pulled outwardly to an extended position from the face plate and seat. Alternatively, the tube 10 and spring along with the strap may be mounted to the back rest 34.
The outer or free end of the strap 17 includes a connector 32 (FIG. 5) to mate with and removably connect to a snap connector 40 (FIG. 5) mounted to the back side of the back rest. Seat rest 34 is pivotally mounted to seat portion 30 and is movable from a downward collapsed position (FIG. 11) to an erect position (FIG. 10). Many different connectors may be used to secure the distal end of the strap as shown in FIGS. 5-8. In FIG. 5, a female snap connector 32 is fixedly mounted to the distal end of the strap with a male snap connector 40 in turn mounted to the back rest 34 of the seat. The strap may be pulled outwardly with connector 32 then mating and releasably locking with its companion connector 40. Likewise, a seat belt buckle 35 (FIG. 6) or a seat belt tongue 36 (FIG. 7) may be fixedly mounted to the distal end of the strap and engage a companion connector provided on the back rest of the seat. In the case of utilization of buckle 35, shown in FIG. 6, a tongue 41 is fixedly mounted to the back rest 34 of the seat whereas in the case of the design shown in FIG. 7, a seat belt buckle 42 is mounted to the back rest 34 of the seat and releasably engages tongue 36. In FIG. 8, a connector restraint coupling 37 has a mouth and a lever within the mouth to lockingly and releasably engage an anchor 43 affixed to the vehicle or the back rest 34 of the seat. Several versions of the restraint coupling are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,962,394; 6,820,310 and 6,017,087 which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The connector shown in FIG. 44 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,394 is particularly useful in this application.
Variations in the retractor over that shown in the drawings are included in the present invention. For example, the various connectors shown in FIGS. 5-8 may use the compression spring or the extension spring version shown in FIGS. 1-4. Further, the tube 10 with spring therein may be mounted in the back rest in lieu of the seat portion with connectors reversed in each FIG. 5-8. For example, the anchor 43 of FIG. 8 may be mounted on the seat portion with the connector 37 mounted on the back rest.
The system disclosed herein includes a tube containing an extension or compression spring. One end of flexible webbing is connected to the spring. The other end of the flexible webbing contains half of a latch system. The other half of the latch system is attached to the back rest of a seat. When the web is pulled out, the spring is loaded creating resistance. When the latch on the web and on the back rest are connected, the resistance in the spring holds the seat back rest down. When the latch is released the loaded spring causes the web to retract.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.