Chrysler Corporation

Chrysler Motors Corporation

Thomas E Draplin

Matthew E Dukatz

Janice E Cote

Gordon E Segal

Eric G Clark

In a vehicle body including a floor having a seat riser attached thereto, a pivotal seat structure including a seat back connected to a seat cushion. The seat cushion is secured to a frame member which is pivotally mounted on the seat riser. A latch assembly is operably connected between the seat riser and the seat cushion frame member. A latch release rod is operably connected to the latch assembly. A gas spring is operably connected between the seat riser and the seat cushion frame member, the frame member, seat cushion and the seat back adapted to being pivoted forwardly off of the riser by the gas spring upon manual actuation of the latch release rod.

Vehicle pivotal seat structure

A hinge assembly for use in mounting an auxiliary seat on a vertical body wall of a vehicle such as a pickup truck extended cab. The hinge assembly comprises a seat-half banana hinge member and a body-half bracket hinge member for rotating the auxiliary seat between a first vertical stowed position and a second horizontal seating position. The bracket hinge has a pair of vertically extending side walls each formed with an oblique guide slot so as to movably support one end of a spring rod for reciprocal travel therein. A cam track having forward and rear notched detents is formed on each bracket hinge member side wall and is adapted for capturing a respective one of a pair of cam followers mounted adjacent each end of the spring rod. An overcenter tension spring urges the cam followers into rolling engagement with their associated jump motion cam track providing quick-return capture of the followers into their associated forward or rear notched detents.

Growing community of inventors

Southfield, MI, United States of America

Thomas E Draplin