Vehicle seat having an adjustable back

Claim 2

A seat assembly for a vehicle including a seat frame and a back frame, the latter of which is supported for selective pivotal movement relative to the seat frame about first and second transverse axes which lie in an inclined plane passing through the seat frame and intersect at a point located adjacent to the longitudinal center axis of the vehicle, a first hinge arm rigidly secured to the inboard side of said back frame for pivotally connecting the latter to the seat frame at the point of intersection of said first and second transverse axes, a second hinge arm rigidly secured to the outboard side of said back frame and having an elongated slot formed therein, a third hinge arm located on the back frame between said first and second hinge arms for pivotally connecting the rear of the back frame to the seat frame along said second transverse axis, hand-operated positioning means including a rotatable shaft located in said slot for connecting the second hinge arm to the outboard side of said seat frame along said first transverse axis and for adjustably positioning the second hinge arm about said second transverse axis whereby the back frame is movable about the latter axis to a predetermined position, and means supporting the third hinge arm an the back frame whereby said third hinge arm normally locks to a portion of the seat frame so as to define said second transverse axis and is movable relative to the back frame so as to be unlocked from the seat frame to permit movement of the back frame about said first transverse axis.

Claim 3

A seat assembly for a vehicle including a seat frame and a back frame, the latter of which is supported for selective pivotal movement relative to the seat frame about first and second transverse axes which lie in an inclined plane passing through the seat frame and intersect at a point located adjacent to the longitudinal center axis of the vehicle, a first hinge arm for pivotally connecting the inboard side of said back frame to the seat frame at said point of intersection of said first and second transverse axes, a second hinge arm carried by the outboard side of said back frame and having an elongated slot formed therein for pivotally connecting the back frame to said seat frame along said first transverse axis, a third hinge arm carried by the back frame for pivotally connecting the rear of the back frame to the seat frame along said second transverse axis, a hand-operated positioning device connecting the second hinge arm to said seat frame for adjustably positioning the second hinge arm about said second transverse axis whereby the back frame is movable about the latter axis to a predetermined position, said hand-operated positioning device comprising a pivot member rotatably mounted on said seat frame and having a laterally extending threaded stud formed therewith and located in said slot for carrying the second hinge arm and for guiding adjustable movement thereof about the second transverse axis, a knob threadably received by said stud and adapted to frictionally engage said second hinge arm to hold the latter in a fixed position relative to the stud after the second hinge arm is located in a predetermined position relative to the stud, and means supporting the third hinge arm on the back frame whereby said third hinge arm normally latches onto a portion of the seat frame so as to define said second transverse axis and is manually movable relative to the back frame so as to be unlatched from the seat frame to permit movement of the back frame about said first transverse axis.

Claim 4

A seat assembly for a vehicle including a seat frame and a back frame, the latter of which is supported for selective pivotal movement relative to the seat frame about first and second transverse axes which lie in an inclined plane passing through the seat frame and intersect at a point located adjacent to the longitudinal center axis of the vehicle, a first hinge arm for pivotally connecting the inboard side of said back frame to the seat frame at said point of intersection of said first and second transverse axes, a second hinge arm carried by the outboard side of said back frame and having an elongated slot formed therein for pivotally connecting the back frame to said seat frame along said first transverse axis, a third hinge arm carried by the back frame for pivotally connecting the rear of the back frame to the seat frame along said second transverse axis, a hand-operated positioning device connecting the second hinge arm to said seat frame for adjustably positioning the second hinge arm about said second transverse axis whereby the back frame is movable about the latter axis to a predetermined position, said hand-operated positioning device comprising a pivot member rotatably mounted on said seat frame and having a laterally extending threaded stud formed therewith and located in said slot for carrying the second hinge arm and for guiding adjustable movement thereof about the second transverse axis, a knob threadably received by said stud and adapted to frictionally engage said second hinge arm to hold the latter in a fixed position relative to the stud after the second hinge arm is located in a predetermined position relative to the stud, and means supporting the third hinge arm on the back frame whereby said third hinge arm normally latches onto a portion of the seat frame so as to define said second transverse axis and is manually movable relative to the back frame so as to be unlatched from the seat frame to permit movement of the back frame about said first transverse axis.

Claim 5

The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein said second hinge arm has a plurality of locating surfaces that are conical in form and located along said slot for accommodating a portion of said knob when the latter is tightened against the second hinge arm.

Claim 6

The seat assembly of claim 3 wherein said portion of said knob is formed with a tapered surface which is adapted to seat within said locating surfaces.

Claim 7

A seat assembly mounted on a vehicle floor and including a seat frame and a back frame, the latter of which is supported for selective pivoTal movement relative to the seat frame about first and second transverse axes which lie in an inclined plane passing through the seat frame and intersect at a point located adjacent to the longitudinal center axis of the vehicle, a first hinge arm for pivotally connecting the inboard side of said back frame to the seat frame at said point of intersection of said first and second transverse axes, a second hinge arm carried by the outboard side of said back frame for pivotally connecting the back frame to said seat frame along said first transverse axis, a third hinge arm carried by the back frame for pivotally connecting the rear of the back frame to the seat frame along said second transverse axis, a hand-operated positioning device connecting the second hinge arm to said seat frame for adjustably positioning the second hinge arm about said second transverse axis whereby the back frame is movable about the latter axis to a predetermined position, said hand-operated positioning device comprising a knob rigidly secured to a transverse shaft, means carried by said seat frame for supporting said shaft for axial movement along the longitudinal axis of the shaft and rotational movement about said latter-mentioned axis, a cam member eccentrically carried by said shaft, an elongated slot formed in said second hinge arm, said cam member located in said slot and engaging a portion of said hinge arm for moving the latter about said second transverse axis upon rotation of said knob, and means supporting the third hinge arm on the back frame whereby said third hinge arm normally latches onto a portion of the seat frame so as to define said second transverse axis and is manually movable relative to the back frame so as to be unlatched from the seat frame to permit movement of the back frame about said first transverse axis.

Claim 8

A seat assembly mounted on a vehicle floor and including a seat frame and a back frame, the latter of which is supported for selective pivoTal movement relative to the seat frame about first and second transverse axes which lie in an inclined plane passing through the seat frame and intersect at a point located adjacent to the longitudinal center axis of the vehicle, a first hinge arm for pivotally connecting the inboard side of said back frame to the seat frame at said point of intersection of said first and second transverse axes, a second hinge arm carried by the outboard side of said back frame for pivotally connecting the back frame to said seat frame along said first transverse axis, a third hinge arm carried by the back frame for pivotally connecting the rear of the back frame to the seat frame along said second transverse axis, a hand-operated positioning device connecting the second hinge arm to said seat frame for adjustably positioning the second hinge arm about said second transverse axis whereby the back frame is movable about the latter axis to a predetermined position, said hand-operated positioning device comprising a knob rigidly secured to a transverse shaft, means carried by said seat frame for supporting said shaft for axial movement along the longitudinal axis of the shaft and rotational movement about said latter-mentioned axis, a cam member eccentrically carried by said shaft, an elongated slot formed in said second hinge arm, said cam member located in said slot and engaging a portion of said hinge arm for moving the latter about said second transverse axis upon rotation of said knob, and means supporting the third hinge arm on the back frame whereby said third hinge arm normally latches onto a portion of the seat frame so as to define said second transverse axis and is manually movable relative to the back frame so as to be unlatched from the seat frame to permit movement of the back frame about said first transverse axis.

Claim 9

The seat assembly of claim 5 wherein the longitudinal axis of said slot is substantially parallel to said vehicle floor.

Claim 10

The seat assembly of claim 6 wherein said shaft includes a locking member for normally holding the knob from rotational movement.