# US 8,540,308 B2 · Stowable vehicle seat

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- Number: US 8,540,308 B2
- Document ID: US8540308B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/918,221
- Filed: 2009-02-17
- Published: 2010-12-23
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2008-02-19
- Assignees: Ts Tech Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Kazuya Aoki; Tatsuo Sayama
- Inventors: Kazuya Aoki; Tatsuo Sayama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540308B2

## CPC

- B60N 2/2362: {rotatably movable}
- B60N 2/01583: {locking on transversal elements on the vehicle floor or rail, e.g. transversal rods}
- B60N 2/3011: {the back-rest being hinged on the cushion, e.g. "portefeuille movement"}
- B60N 2/305: {the cushion being hinged on the vehicle frame}
- B60N 2/3075: {stowed in recess (B60N2/3079 takes precedence)}
- B60N 2/3079: {in a recess}
- B60N 2/309: {rods}
- B60N 2/36: into a loading platform {(B60N2/065 takes precedence)}
- B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A stowable vehicle seat with improved operability is configured so that a stowing and restoring operation can be performed by rotating seat support parts and provided on the rear end part of a seat cushion in the front and rear direction around the rotating center. The seat support part is provided with a rotating shaft provided on the seat cushion side, a rotating shaft bracket pivotally supporting the rotating shaft on the vehicle body floor side, and spiral springs one end part side of which is always locked to the rotating shaft side and which urges in the restoration rotating direction. The other end part side of the spiral springs is locked to the vehicle body floor side at different predetermined angles of the seat cushion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A stowable vehicle seat comprising:
a first seat support for rotatably supporting one end part side of a seat cushion;
a seat back foldable over the seat cushion via a reclining assembly;
a second seat support provided on an other end part side of the seat cushion;
an engaging and disengaging elements that engage and disengage the second seat support with and from a vehicle body floor side; and
an urging element mounted to the first seat support that urge the seat cushion to an upright seat position, which is a restoration rotating direction,
wherein
the urging element comprises a plurality of urging springs, each of the urging springs having one end part always locked to the seat cushion side and an other end part engageable with and disengageable from the vehicle body floor side, and each of the urging springs having a same urging direction;
the other end part of each of the urging springs engages with the vehicle body floor side when a rotating angle of the seat cushion is at a predetermined angle, the predetermined angle for each of the urging springs being different; and
the urging force of the urging element is changed stepwise according to the rotating angle of the seat cushion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The stowable vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the urging element comprises:
a first urging spring, the other end part of which is engaged with the vehicle floor side at a first predetermined angle;
a second urging spring, the other end part of which is engaged with the vehicle floor side at a second predetermined angle; and
a third urging spring, the other end part of which is engaged with the vehicle floor side at a third predetermined angle,
the first predetermined angle being 0 degrees;
the second predetermined angle being in an angle range of 20 to 30 degrees, and
the third predetermined angle being in an angle range of 50 to 60 degrees.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The stowable vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the first seat support has one locking member, and the other end part of each of the plurality of urging springs is locked to the same one locking member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The stowable vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the locking member is provided on the vehicle body floor side in the first seat support.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The stowable vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the other end of each spring is a free end.