Swivel apparatus for securing a seat in a vehicle

Abstract

A swivel apparatus (16) on which a seat (10) is mounted in a vehicle to provide for rotation from a first position to a second position. The swivel apparatus (16) includes a support assembly (20) having a base member (22) with a plurality of legs (24, 24'. . . 24.sup.n) fixed to the vehicle. The base member (22) has a horizontal lower side (26) and a parallel horizontally upper side (28) with a central opening (30) that extends from the lower side (26) to the upper side (28). A collar (34) has a flange (36) which extends through the central opening (30) of the base member (22) to position a first bearing (37) between the collar (34) and the lower side (26) of the base member (22) while the flange (36) aligns a second bearing (38) on the upper side (28) of the base member (22). A mounting member (40) to which the seat (10) is connected is located a top of the second bearing (38) and attached to the flange (36) by a plurality of fastener (46, 46'. . . 46.sup.n) to define a unitary structure. The seat (10) on being subjected to any inertia forces directs an overturning moment into the mounting member (40). The unitary structure efficiently distributes the overturning moment into the support assembly (20) and in turn into the floor of the vehicle while substantially retaining the seat (10) in a horizontal plane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.