Motorcycle seat with adjustable backrest

A motorcycle seat comprising:

• a) a cushion having a seat occupant supporting surface;
• b) a seat pan underlving the cushion;
• c) a backrest angle adjustment assembly disposed underneath the seat occupant supporting surface comprising 1) a frame mounted to the seat pan, 2) a linear actuator carried by the frame, the linear actuator i) overlying the seat pan, ii) oriented longitudinally relative to the seat pan, and iii) having a housing and a rod movable relative to the housing that extends from the housing, 3) a bracket pivotally attached to the frame and pivotally attached to the linear actuator, and 4) wherein the linear actuator is constructed and arranged i) to be displaced relative to the frame to change the angular position of the bracket and ii) to be locked thereby preventing the angular position of the bracket from being changed;
• c) a backrest operably coupled to the bracket;
• and
• d) wherein changing the angular position of the bracket by displacing the linear actuator changes the angular position of the backrest.

A motorcycle seat comprising:

• a) a seat cushion having a seat occupant supporting surface;
• b) a backrest mounting bracket assembly comprising a frame disposed underneath the seat occupant supporting surface, a first bracket attached to the frame and disposed below the seat occupant supporting surface, a second bracket pivotally attached to the first bracket with the second bracket having 1) a backrest post retaining pocket and 2) being disposed below the seat occupant supporting surface, and a biasing element in operable cooperation with the first bracket and the second bracket that urges the second bracket toward the first bracket;
• c) a backrest having a post received and releasably retained in the backrest post retaining pocket of the second bracket;
• d) wherein the backrest can be manually pivoted toward the seat occupant supporting surface of the seat cushion when it is received in the backrest post retaining pocket causing the second bracket to pivot away from the first bracket and when the backrest is released, after being manually pivoted toward the seat occupant supporting surface, the backrest pivot away from the seat occupant supporting surface until the second bracket bears against the first bracket.

A motorcycle seat mounted to a motorcycle and having a front and rear comprising:

• a) a seat base;
• b) a seat cushion carried by the seat base;
• c) a backrest;
• d) a backrest angle adjustment assembly comprising 1) a prime mover in operable cooperation with the backrest and 2) an angular adjustment actuator operably connected to the prime mover for controlling operation of the prime mover so as to enable an angular position of the backrest to be adjusted;
• e) wherein the backrest angle adjustment assembly further comprises a pair of spaced apart and longitudinally extending tubular braces mounted to the seat base, a strut interconnecting the braces at or adjacent one end of the braces, a pivot pin interconnecting the braces at or adjacent an opposite end of the braces, and a pivot bracket pivotally carried by the pivot pin with the pivot bracket operably carrying the backrest;
• and
• f) wherein the prime mover comprises a linear actuator having a housing and a reciprocable piston that extends from the housing, wherein 1) the housing is mounted to one of the pivot bracket and the strut and 2) the piston is mounted to the other of the pivot bracket and the strut.

A motorcycle seat mounted to a motorcycle comprising:

• a) a seat frame;
• b) a seat cushion supported on the frame and having a seat occupant supporting surface;
• c) a backrest having a backrest cushion and a mounting post;
• d) a backrest angle adjustment assembly disposed between the seat frame and the seat occupant supporting surface, the backrest angle adjustment assembly constructed and arranged to permit angular adjustment of the backrest relative to the seat occupant supporting surface without using of any tool
• e) a backrest mounting bracket carried by the backrest angle adjustment assembly constructed and arranged to receive and retain the backrest post;
• f) a slide mounting the post to the backrest cushion and which is constructs and arranged to permit adjustment of the position of the cushion relative to the post without using any tool;
• and
• g) wherein the backrest angle adjustment assembly includes a linear actuator disposed between the seat cushion and the seat frame, the linear actuator being operable pivotally connected to the backrest mounting bracket.

A seat for a motorcycle having a front, a rear, and a seat occupant supporting surface comprising:

• a) a motorcycle frame to which the seat is mounted;
• b) a backrest angle adjustment frame that is carried by the motorcycle frame and which is disposed below and underneath the seat occupant supporting surface of the seat;
• c) an elongate linear actuator having a pair of spaced apart ends wherein the linear actuator 1) is disposed underneath the seat occupant supporting surface and between i) the front of the seat and ii) the rear of the seat, 2) extends parallel to a lengthwise direction of the seat, and 3) has one of its ends mounted to the backrest angle adjustment frame;
• d) a first bracket that is 1) pivotally mounted by a first pivot to the other of the ends of the linear actuator and 2) pivotally mounted by a second pivot to the backrest angle adjustment frame wherein the first pivot and second pivot are spaced apart and not coaxial;
• e) a second bracket pivotally mounted to the first bracket and having a retainer pocket;
• and
• f) a backrest having a post that has one end that is received in the retainer pocket of the second bracket.

A seat for a motorcycle having a front, a rear, and a seat occupant supporting surface comprising:

• a) a seat pan;
• b) a cushion carried by the seat pan and which has a length longer than its width;
• c) a motorcycle frame to which the seat pan is mounted;
• d) a backrest mounting frame, disposed below the seat occupant supporting surface and underneath at least a portion of the seat occupant supporting surface, the backrest mounting frame comprising at least one brace carried by the seat pan and oriented in a lengthwise direction relative to the seat cushion;
• e) a first mount disposed 1) below the seat occupant supporting surface, and 2) adjacent one end of the at least one brace wherein the first mount is attached to the at least one brace;
• f) a second mount disposed 1) below the seat occupant supporting surface, and 2) adjacent one end of the at least one brace wherein the second mount is attached to the at least one brace;
• g) a first bracket pivotally mounted to the second mount;
• h) a second bracket pivotally mounted to the first bracket and the second bracket having a pocket therein;
• i) a linear actuator, disposed underneath the seat occupant supporting surface, the linear actuator comprising a base having an end and a reciprocable piston extending therefrom having an end wherein 1) one of the end of the base and the end of the piston is pivotally mounted to the first mount and 2) the other one of the end of the base and the end of the piston is pivotally mounted to the first bracket such that the linear actuator is disposed adjacent the at least one brace and is oriented generally in a lengthwise direction relative to the seat cushion;
• j) an actuator accessible by an occupant of the seat that is operably connected to the linear actuator and which has 1) a first position permitting the piston to move axially relative to the base to change an angular backrest setting by changing the angle of the first bracket and 2) a second position preventing the piston from moving axially relative to the base preventing the angular backrest setting from being changed;
• k) a backrest having a post extending therefrom that is received in the pocket in the second bracket;
• l) a biasing element urging the second bracket toward the first bracket while permitting the second bracket to pivot forwardly relative to the first bracket toward the front of the seat when the backrest is urged forwardly toward the front of the seat;
• m) wherein the angular backrest setting can be changed when the actuator is disposed in the first position and the angular backrest setting cannot be changed when the actuator is disposed in the second position;
• and
• n) wherein changing the angular backrest setting changes the angle of the backrest relative to the seat occupant supporting surface when the second bracket is urged against the first bracket.