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US 4,225,178 AGranted
Vehicle seat
OwnerJuichiro Takadainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle seat has a rigid seat support plate which is spring-mounted for vertical movement on the frame and becomes locked in the event of a collision by a pendulum actuated ratchet and pawl mechanism to prevent a "plunging" or "submarining" effect.
Claims7
A vehicle seat comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body;
- a substantially rigid seat support plate mounted on the frame for generally vertical movement of at least a portion thereof relative to the frame, the support plate having a supporting surface generally coextensive with the seat-supported part of a person seated on the vehicle seat;
- at least one spring means for resiliently supporting the support plate and a person seated thereon;
- a cooperating ratchet and pawl device associated with the seat frame and the support plate and selectively engageable to lock the support plate against downward movement relative to the frame;
- and pendulum means associated with the ratchet and pawl device and inertially responsive to an abrupt change in the velocity of the vehicle for engaging the ratchet and pawl.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.