Seat back and adjustable platform assembly

An apparatus, comprising:

• a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position, wherein the seat back provides a seat back surface that is generally parallel to ground level when in the folded position;
• and
• a platform coupled to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position, wherein the plurality of use positions includes at least a stowed position, a table position, and an upright position, and wherein the platform includes at least a base portion and a flippable portion that pivots relative to the base portion, and wherein the plurality of use positions additionally includes at least a flip-up position where the flippable portion is pivoted upright relative to the base portion to provide a support stand, and wherein
• the platform is generally parallel to and fitted against the seat back surface when in the stowed position,
• the platform is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the seat back surface when in the table position, and
• the platform is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the seat back surface when in the upright position;
• and
• wherein the support mechanism includes at least one member that is selectively detached from the platform and moved to a member stowed position to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions, and wherein the at least one member is detached from the platform when in the upright position.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position, wherein the seat back provides a seat back surface that is generally parallel to ground level when in the folded position;
• a platform coupled to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position, wherein the plurality of use positions includes at least a stowed position, a table position, and an upright position, and wherein
• the platform is generally parallel to and fitted against the seat back surface when in the stowed position,
• the platform is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the seat back surface when in the table position, and
• the platform is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the seat back surface when in the upright position;
• wherein the support mechanism includes at least one member that is selectively detached from the platform and moved to a member stowed position to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions, wherein the at least one member is detached from the platform when in the upright position;
• and
• wherein the plurality of use positions additionally includes at least an extended storage position, wherein the at least one member is detached from the platform and the platform is pivoted beyond the upright position to the extended storage position.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position;
• a platform coupled to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position, and wherein the support mechanism includes at least one member that is selectively detached from the platform to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions;
• wherein the plurality of use positions includes at least a stowed position, a table position, and an upright position;
• wherein the at least one member is detached from the platform when in the upright position;
• wherein the seat back provides a seat back surface that is generally parallel to ground level when in the folded position, and wherein
• the platform is generally parallel to and fitted against the seat back surface when in the stowed position,
• the platform is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the seat back surface when in the table position, and
• the platform is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the seat back surface when in the upright position;
• and
• wherein the platform includes a first surface facing the seat back surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and including at least one latch member on the first surface that selectively couples the at least one member to the platform.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position;
• and
• a platform coupled to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position, and wherein the support mechanism includes at least one member that is selectively detached from the platform to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions;
• and
• wherein the support mechanism includes
• a first bar linkage that has one end pivotally connected to the seat back and an opposite end pivotally connected to the platform, and
• a second bar linkage that is separate from the first bar linkage, and has one end pivotally connected to the seat back and another end pivotally and detachably connected to the platform to comprise the at least one member that is detachable from the platform.

A method comprising:

• providing a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position;
• coupling a platform to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position;
• and
• selectively detaching at least one member of the support mechanism from the platform to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions;
• and
• wherein the support mechanism includes a first bar linkage and a second bar linkage that is separate from the first bar linkage, and including
• pivotally connecting one end of the first bar linkage to the seat back and pivotally connecting an opposite end of the first bar linkage to the platform, and
• pivotally connecting one end of the second bar linkage to the seat back and pivotally and detachably connecting an opposite end of the second bar linkage to the platform to comprise the at least one member that is detachable from the platform.

A method comprising:

• providing a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position, wherein the seat back provides a seat back surface that is generally parallel to ground level when in the folded position;
• coupling a platform to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position, wherein the plurality of use positions includes at least a stowed position, a table position, and an upright position, wherein the platform includes at least a base portion and a flippable portion that pivots relative to the base portion, and wherein the plurality of use positions additionally includes at least a flip-up position and/or an extended storage position;
• selectively detaching at least one member of the support mechanism from the platform and moving the at least one member to a member stowed position to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions;
• and including
• fitting the platform against the seat back surface when in the stowed position such that the platform is generally parallel to the seat back surface,
• raising the platform away from the seat back surface when in the folded position such that the platform is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the seat back surface when in the table position,
• pivoting the platform relative to the seat back surface and detaching the at least one member from the platform such that the platform is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the seat back surface when in the upright position,
• pivoting the flippable portion upright relative to the base portion to provide a support stand and achieve the flip-up position when in the stowed or table position, and/or
• detaching the at least one member from the platform and pivoting the platform beyond the upright position to the extended storage position.

A method comprising:

• providing a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position;
• coupling a platform to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position;
• and
• selectively detaching at least one member of the support mechanism from the platform to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions;
• and
• wherein the plurality of use positions includes at least a stowed position, a table position, and an upright position, and wherein the platform has a first surface that faces away from the seat back when in the stowed position and a second surface that faces opposite the first surface, and including
• directly attaching the at least one member to the second surface to provide the table position, and
• selectively detaching the at least one member from the platform and pivoting the platform in a forward direction to the upright position such that the second surface is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the seat back when the seat back is in the folded position.

A method comprising:

• providing a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position;
• coupling a platform to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position;
• and selectively detaching at least one member of the support mechanism from the platform to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions;
• and
• wherein the platform has a first surface that faces away from the seat back when in the stowed position and a second surface that faces opposite the first surface, and including providing at least one latch member on the second surface to which the at least one member is selectively attached, and including
• providing the at least one latch member as a resilient gripper having a least one arm extending away from the second surface to provide an opening between the at least one arm and the platform, and
• pressing the at least one member into the opening such that the at least one arm flexes outwardly of the second surface from an initial position and then returns to the initial position once the at least one member is fully received within the opening to securely hold the at least one member to the platform.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position;
• and
• a platform coupled to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position, and wherein the support mechanism includes at least one member that is selectively detached from the platform to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions;
• wherein the plurality of use positions includes at least a stowed position, a table position, and an upright position;
• and
• wherein the platform has a first surface that faces away from the seat back when in the stowed position and a second surface that faces opposite the first surface, and wherein the at least one member is directly attached to the second surface to provide the table position, and wherein the at least one member is selectively detachable from the platform such that the platform is pivoted in a forward direction to the upright position where the second surface is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the seat back when the seat back is in the folded position.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a seat back movable between an upright position and a folded position;
• a platform coupled to the seat back with a support mechanism such that the platform is movable between a plurality of use positions when the seat back is in the folded position, and wherein the support mechanism includes at least one member that is selectively detached from the platform and moved to a member stowed position to provide at least one of the plurality of use positions;
• and
• wherein the seat back includes a recessed area that receives the platform, the recessed area providing a seat back surface, and including a channel or groove provided within the seat back surface of the recessed area to receive the at least one member in the member stowed position such that the at least one member is generally flush with the seat back surface.