U.S. patent number 3,884,522 [Application Number 05/410,347] was granted by the patent office on 1975-05-20 for convertible sleeper seats for pleasure boats.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Tempress, Inc.. Invention is credited to Juichi Arima, Delbert L. Brink.
United States Patent |
3,884,522 |
Arima , et al. |
May 20, 1975 |
Convertible sleeper seats for pleasure boats
Abstract
A back-to-back seat assembly for pleasure boats is disclosed,
the assembly including an integral seat unit of resilient material
including a pair of integrally connected seat bottom-seat back
pieces which, in raised position, form back-to-back seats and, in
lowered position, flatten out to form a bed. The seat bottoms and
seat backs include integral spring sections. The seat unit is
supported on a base on which it is adapted to slide from the raised
position to the lowered flattened position. Elongated guide rails
are secured to the underside of each of the seat bottoms of the
seat unit and extend rearwardly thereof, each rail having an
elongated slot therein. The seat units are secured to the base by a
rod extending through the slots in the guide rails and secured to
the side walls of the base. The seat unit is locked in a
predetermined position by a cam secured to one end of the rod
which, in locking position, presses the sidewalls of the base
against the guide rails and a sleeve surrounding the portion of the
rod extending between the guide rails.
Inventors: |
Arima; Juichi (Seattle, WA),
Brink; Delbert L. (Seattle, WA) |
Assignee: |
Tempress, Inc. (Seattle,
WA)
|
Family
ID: |
23624325 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/410,347 |
Filed: |
October 29, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/63;
114/363 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B
29/04 (20130101); A47C 17/175 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
17/00 (20060101); A47C 17/175 (20060101); B63B
29/04 (20060101); B63B 29/00 (20060101); B60n
001/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;9/7
;297/62,63,64,65,233,445,452,DIG.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Blix; Trygve M.
Assistant Examiner: Frankfort; Charles E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Seed, Berry, Vernon &
Baynham
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which a particular property or
privelege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A seat assembly which is convertible to a bed, comprising:
a seat unit having a pair of seat backs hinged together at their
upper edges and a pair of seat bottoms, each hinged at its rear
edge to the respective lower edges of the seat backs,
a base having a pair of laterally spaced, upended, parallel,
opposed sidewalls and end walls terminating in a common, planar
upper edge, the seat unit slidably supported on the upper edge of
the laterally spaced sidewalls for movement between a raised
position wherein the seat units form back-to-back seats and a
lowered position wherein the seat units flatten out to form a bed
supported on the upper edge of the laterally spaced walls,
securing means slidably securing the seat unit to the base, and
locking means frictionally clamping the sidewalls of the base to
the securing means to retain the seat unit in a predetermined
position.
2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the seat bottoms of the
integral seat unit include integral spring sections therein.
3. The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the integral spring
sections are integral narrow bands extending from a common center
to the outer periphery of the seat bottoms.
4. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the securing means includes
(1) a first pair of laterally spaced, slotted guide rails secured
to the underside of one of the seat bottoms near the side edges
thereof and extending rearwardly of the seat bottom within the
laterally spaced sidewalls of the base, (2) a second pair of
laterally spaced, slotted guide rails secured to the underside of
the other seat bottom near the side edges thereof extending
rearwardly of the seat bottom toward the first pair of guide rails
and intermeshing therewith in side-by-side relation, and (3) a rod
extending through the respective slots of both pairs of slotted
guide rails secured at one end to one of the laterally spaced
sidewalls of the base and extending through an opening in the
opposed, laterally spaced sidewall, the guide rails slidable along
the rod, and wherein the locking means is secured to the other end
of the rod and frictionally clamps the guide rails against one
another and against the sidewalls of the base to retain the seat
unit in a predetermined position.
5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the locking means includes one
or more sleeve sections surrounding the portion of the rod
extending between the first and second pairs of guide rails, and
cam means secured to one end of the rod, the cam means in one
position exerting pressure against the sidewalls of the base,
resulting in compression of the sidewalls of the base against the
guide rails and sleeve section, providing a frictional lock to lock
the guide rails and the seat unit associated therewith in a
predetermined position.
6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the base and seat unit are
fabricated from a resilient, synthetic plastic material.
7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the material is
polypropylene.
8. A back-to-back seat assembly convertible to a bed, the assembly
mountable in a pleasure boat, comprising:
a base having upended, parallel sidewalls and end walls terminating
in a common upper edge and having a hollow interior for
storage,
an integral seat unit of resilient plastic material including a
pair of integrally connected seat-bottom/seat-back pieces which, in
raised position, form back-to-back seats, and, in lowered position,
flatten out to form a bed,
integral spring sections formed in the seat bottoms and seat backs
of the seat unit,
a first pair of laterally spaced, slotted guide rails secured to
the underside of one seat bottom near the side edges thereof and
extending rearwardly of the seat bottom within the sidewalls of the
base,
a second pair of laterally spaced, slotted guide rails secured to
the underside of the other seat bottom near the side edges thereof,
the second pair of guide rails extending toward the first pair of
guide rails and intermeshing therewith in side-by-side
relation,
a rod extending through the slots in each of the guide rails
securing at one end to one of the sidewalls of the base at about
its midpoint and adjacent the upper edge thereof and extending
through an opening in the opposite sidewall, the guide rails
slidable along the rod,
a sleeve section over that portion of the rod extending between the
spaced-apart guide rails, and
cam means secured to the end of the rod extending through the
opening in the base for frictionally locking the guide rails and
the associated seat unit in a preset position, the cam means in one
position exerting pressure against the sidewalls to compress the
sidewalls of the base into frictional contact with the guide rails
and the guide rails into frictional contact with the sleeve section
to lock the guide rails and associated seat unit in a preset
position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a seat assembly for pleasure boats which
is convertible between a seating position and a sleeping
position.
2. Prior Art Relating to the Disclosure
Seat assemblies for pleasure boats which are convertible to a bed
are known. Generally the seat assemblies include separate
back-to-back seat units of plywood which are hinged together by
metal hinges. The seats have no cushioning other than the cushions
which are secured to the seat bottoms and seat backs. The seat
units are secured to a base unit, also generally of plywood
construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of this invention is to provide a seat assembly
for pleasure boats which includes only three parts: (1) a base; (2)
an integral, back-to-back seat unit which folds down to form a bed;
and (3) means securing the seat unit to the base and releasably
locking each of the seats of the unit in a predetermined position.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a seat assembly
for pleasure boats wherein the seats of the seat unit include
integrally formed spring sections therein. Another object of this
invention is to provide a seat assembly for pleasure boats wherein
the entire assembly is made of a resilient synthetic plastic,
providing a more comfortable ride for the person sitting in the
seat, even in rough water at relatively high speed. These and other
objects are accomplished by providing a seat assembly comprising a
base, a pair of integrally connected seat bottom-seat back pieces
which, in raised position, form back-to-back seats and, in lowered
position, form a bed, the seat unit mounted on the base to slide
from the raised position to the lowered position, and means
securing the seat unit to the base and releasably locking each of
the seat units in a predetermined position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat assembly in raised
position with cushions secured to the seat bottoms and seat
backs;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seat assembly without the
cushions, one of the seats raised for access to the storage area
beneath the seat;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the seat assembly without the
cushions in lowered position; and
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the seat assembly
illustrating the lock mechanism for the seats.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, the seat assembly comprises essentially
three parts: a base unit 10, a seat unit 20 and means securing the
seat unit to the base and releasably locking the seats of the seat
unit in a predetermined position. It is preferred to manufacture
the entire assembly of a resilient synthetic plastic, such as
polypropylene, to provide a more comfortable ride for the person in
a boat which incorporates the seat assembly. The seat assembly may
be manufactured of other suitable materials if desired.
The base 10 includes side walls 11 and 12 and end walls 13 and 14,
terminating in a common upper edge. The hollow interior of the base
provides storage space. The base is directly mountable to the
floorboard of a pleasure boat by any suitable means.
The seat unit 20 is formed as an integral, one-piece unit and
includes a pair of integrally connected seat bottom-seat back
pieces which, in raised position, form back-to-back seats and, in
lowered position, flatten out to form a bed as illustrated by FIG.
3. The seat bottoms 21 and seat backs 22 are integrally connected
to one another by integral hinges 23, 24 and 25. Each of the seat
bottoms includes an integrally formed spring section 26. The spring
section is formed of narrow integral bands extending from the outer
periphery of the seat bottom to the center thereof. This integral
spring section, combined with cushioning, as illustrated in FIG. 1,
provides a very comfortable ride, even at high speed in rough
water. Each of the seat backs also includes an integral spring
section 27 of narrow bands interconnecting a center portion with
the outer periphery of the seat back. The seat unit is fabricated
in a single piece by injection molding.
A pair of elongated guide rails 30 is secured to the underside of
each of the seat bottoms, the rails extending rearwardly of the
seat bottoms. Each of the rails is provided with an elongated slot
31 which extends from about the rear edge of the seat bottom to the
rear end of the rail. The rails may be adhesively bonded to the
undersides of the seat bottoms or include projections which snap
into corresponding openings in the seat bottoms. The rails secured
to one of the seat bottoms are placed inwardly of those secured to
the other seat bottom to avoid any overlap and interference, as
illustrated by FIG. 4.
The seat unit is supported on the upper edges of the base and is
designed to slide along the upper edges of the base from the raised
position to the lowered position. The seat unit is secured to the
base by a rod 32 extending through the slots in each of the guide
rails 30. The rod 32 extends between the side walls 11 and 12 of
the base at about the midpoint of the base and adjacent the upper
edge of the base. The rod is firmly secured to the side wall of the
base at one end and extends through an opening in the opposite side
wall so that it is free to slide therein. One or more sleeve
sections 33 are slidably mounted over the rod 32 and extend into
contact with the guide rails 30 as illustrated by FIG. 4. A cam
member 34 is secured to the end of the rod extending through the
opening in the side wall of the base. When the cam member is moved
to the position shown in FIG. 4 it presses against the side wall 12
and exerts tension on the rod 32 to pull side wall 11 of the base
into contact with the guide rails 30 and the guide rails into
contact with the sleeve sections 33 to frictionally lock the guide
rails and seat unit secured thereto firmly in place. When the cam
member 34 is moved to the release position the pressure against the
side walls 11 and 12 is relieved, allowing the seats to slide along
the top edge of the base. The seat unit may be locked in position
at any intermediate location between the raised and lowered
positions.
Cushions 35, of any desired construction, are secured to the seat
backs and seat bottoms of the seat assembly, as illustrated in FIG.
1. The cushions may be made of any desired construction, such as
vinyl covered, flexible foamed plastic.
Because the entire seat assembly is formed of a resilient plastic
material and the seat bottoms and seat backs incorporate integral
spring sections, the seat assembly provides a very comfortable
ride. Since there are no metal parts and no metal hinges associated
with the device other than rod 32, there is no corrosion problem.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the seat bottoms may be raised for access
to the storage area within the base of the assembly.
* * * * *