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Forward folding seat assemblyForward folding seat assembly description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070200409, Forward folding seat assembly. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATION [0001]This application claims priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/777,463 filed on Feb. 28, 2006. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002]This invention relates to improvements in seat assemblies, and more particularly to improvements in seat assemblies having a seat back which folds forward. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]Telescoping seat assemblies are commonly used in school gymnasiums, sporting arenas and other areas where it is desirable to be able to move the entire seating assembly between an extended position and a retracted position. Such seat assemblies are formed from rows of seating typically comprising bleacher seats, stadium seats, etc., movable between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position the rows of seating are telescoped into a reduced area for storage. Such rows of seating can comprise either a seat base with a seat back, or just the seat base alone. Seat assemblies with seat backs preferably fold from a full up position forward to a down position to help reduce the amount of space required for storage. Folding all of the seat backs forward can be labor intensive. Also, some type of hinge is normally required, and the relative movement of the seat back with respect to the seat base at the hinge can be a pinching hazard. [0004]U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,392 to Van Ryn et al discloses a telescoping seat assembly having a pivotable seat back and a pivotable seat base. The seat back is biased by a spring to an upright position, but folds down as the seat assembly is retracted, allowing for complete retraction. The pivot mechanism is rather elaborate. A coil spring and spring retainer are used to pivot the seat base, and a second spring is connected between a pair of brackets by an end bearing plate and a welded on clip. Each bracket is attached to a pivot wing which is in turn attached to the seat back. In additional to being relatively complex and difficult to assemble, it is not apparent that there is a stop for the spring, so there may be a pinch point when the seat back folds against the seat base. [0005]It would be desirable to provide a seat assembly where the seat back automatically returns to the full up position. It would also be desirable to provide a seat assembly with a protected hinge which helps reduce the likelihood of pinching, and which is of simple construction and low cost. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006]In accordance with a first aspect, a seat assembly comprises a seat back and a seat base. The seat back is pivotable on a pivot pin assembly with respect to the seat base between a full up position and a down position. A seat back bracket is connected to the seat back and a seat base bracket is connected to the seat base. The seat base bracket has a stop and the seat back bracket has a stop, and the stops engage one another to restrict rotation of the seat back bracket with respect to the seat base bracket at the full up position. In accordance with another aspect the seat back bracket and seat base bracket each have corresponding unitary projections which cooperate to define a bearing surface which directly receives the pivot pin end caps. [0007]From the foregoing disclosure and the following more detailed description of various preferred embodiments it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention provides a significant advance in the technology of forward folding seat assemblies. Particularly significant in this regard is the potential the invention affords for providing a high quality, low cost seat assembly with a reduced likelihood of pinching. Additional features and advantages of various preferred embodiments will be better understood in view of the detailed description provided below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008]FIG. 1 is a front side view of a row of seating for a telescoping seat assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment, showing seat backs and corresponding seat bases. [0009]FIG. 2 is a cross section view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1 where the telescoping seat assembly is retracted and the seat back is pivoted forward by another row of seating. [0010]FIG. 3 is a cross section view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1 where the telescoping seat assembly is extended and the seat back is pivoted to a full up position underneath another row of seating. [0011]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the seat back and the spring loaded hinge which urges the seat back towards the full up position. [0012]FIG. 5 is a close up perspective view of the seat back hinge bracket. [0013]FIG. 6 is a close up perspective view of the seat base hinge bracket. [0014]It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the seat assembly as disclosed here, including, for example, the specific dimensions of the hinges and springs, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. Certain features of the illustrated embodiments have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to improve visualization and clear understanding. In particular, thin features may be thickened, for example, for clarity of illustration. All references to direction and position, unless otherwise indicated, refer to the orientation illustrated in the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0015]It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, to those who have knowledge or experience in this area of technology, that many uses and design variations are possible for the forward folding seat assembly disclosed here. The following detailed discussion of various alternative and preferred features and embodiments will illustrate the general principles of the invention with reference to a forward folding seat assembly suitable for use telescoping seat assemblies, stadium seating, bleacher seating and the like. Other embodiments suitable for other applications will be apparent to those skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure. [0016]Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a seat assembly 10. Each seat 14 has a seat back 16 and a seat base 18. Typically the seats 14 are about 18'' in length. Preferably the seats 14 each have arms 20, and the seats 14 may be connected together to form a row of seating 12. The seat backs and seat bases may be wood, plastic, fabric, metal or a combination thereof. Several rows of seating 12 may be mounted together on a floorboard 33 (shown in FIG. 2) of a retractable mounting structure movable between an extended position and a retracted position. [0017]Preferably the seat back 16 is pivotable with respect to the seat base 18. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the seat assembly where the seat back is pivoted to a down position by the action of a row of seating positioned above the seat back so that the row engages the seat back as the rows of seating are retracted, and FIG. 3 shows a side view of the seat assembly where the seat back is in a full up position. Preferably a spring 34 biases the seat back toward the full up position. Retraction of the row of seating to the retracted position causes the seat back to contact a row of seating above the seat back, overcoming the force of the spring 34 and urging the seat back toward the down position. [0018]FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the seat assembly, with a hinge assembly comprising the seat back bracket 28, seat base bracket 30, spring 34 and related pivot pin assembly. The hinge assembly operatively connects the seat back and the seat base. Preferably the seat back bracket 28 is rigidly attached to the seat back 16 and the seat base bracket 30 is rigidly attached to the seat base 18 or to the floor board 33 or other part of the mounting structure such as to arms 20 which are in turn attached to the seat base. Preferably a pair of generally mirror image seat back brackets is provided, one on each side of the seat back. Each engage one of corresponding generally mirror image seat base brackets, as shown. The two engaging brackets 28, 30 are connected by a pivot pin assembly so that the seat back can pivot with respect to the seat base. As shown here the pivot pin assembly comprises a pair of end caps 24, 25 which engage a pivot pin 27. The pivot pin may be connected to the end caps in one of several ways. For example, the end caps may be internally threaded and the pin may have external threads which correspond to the internal threads of the end caps. Continue reading about Forward folding seat assembly... Full patent description for Forward folding seat assembly Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Forward folding seat assembly patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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