Seat back panel having stowable utility support member

Abstract

A seat assembly for supporting a seat occupant in an automotive vehicle comprising a seat cushion for supporting the seat occupant on the seat assembly and a seat back extending longitudinally between a lower portion operatively coupled to the seat cushion and an upper portion. The seat back includes a front support surface for supporting the seat occupant in an upright position and a rear surface facing opposite the front support surface. A seat back panel is mounted to the rear surface of the seat back. A utility support member is operatively coupled to the seat back panel and moveable between a stowed position recessed against the rear surface of the seat back and a use position extending outwardly and cantilevered from the seat back panel for supporting a utility device thereon wherein said utility support member is rotatable about an axis generally perpendicular to the rear surface of the seat back for providing a plurality of use position within the vehicle. The support member includes a cross bar secured to one end of a support bar forming a T-shaped support member and a mounting plate secured to the opposite end of the support bar for rotatably and slidably mounting the support member to the seat back panel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A seat assembly for supporting a seat occupant in an automotive vehicle comprising: 
 a seat cushion for supporting the seat occupant on said seat assembly;    a seat back extending longitudinally between a lower portion operatively coupled to said seat cushion and an upper portion, said seat back including a front support surface for supporting the seat occupant in an upright position and a rear surface facing opposite said front support surface; and    a utility support member operatively coupled to said seat back and moveable between a stowed position recessed against said rear surface of said seat back and a use position extending outwardly and cantilevered from said seat back for supporting a utility device thereon wherein said utility support member is rotatable about an axis generally perpendicular to said rear surface of said seat back for providing a plurality of use position within the vehicle.    
     
     
         2 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further including a seat back panel mounted to said rear surface of said seat back for slidably and rotatably supporting said utility support member between said stowed position and said plurality of use positions.  
     
     
         3 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said seat back panel includes an elongated slot therein extending at least partially between said lower portion and said upper portion of said seat back for slidably guiding said utility support member between said stowed position and said plurality of use positions.  
     
     
         4 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said utility support member includes an elongated support bar extending between first and second ends, a mounting plate secured to said first end and operatively coupled between said seat back panel and said rear surface of said seat back, and a cross bar mounted to said second end for supporting a utility device thereon.  
     
     
         5 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said mounting plate includes a generally disc-shaped plate and said support bar extending outwardly and generally perpendicular from said disc-shaped plate.  
     
     
         6 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said seat back panel includes a lower planar portion adjacent said lower portion of said seat back, an upper contoured portion adjacent said upper portion of said seat back, and a bulbous portion between said lower planar portion and said upper contoured portion defining a cavity between said seat back panel and said rear surface of said seat back.  
     
     
         7 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said elongated slot extends between an open end in said lower planer portion of said seat back panel adjacent said lower portion of said seat back and a closed end adjacent said bulbous portion.  
     
     
         8 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 7  further including a guide plate mounted between said rear surface of said seat back and said seat back panel, said guide plate spaced from said seat back panel to form a channel therebetween for slidably receiving and guiding said mounting plate of said support member between said first and second ends of said slot.  
     
     
         9 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said guide plate includes a first end adjacent said open end of said slot and a second end adjacent said closed end of said slot, said second end includes an inwardly projecting bend forming a cavity between said guide plate and said seat back panel disposed diagonally opposite said cavity formed by said bulbous portion of said seat back panel.  
     
     
         10 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said mounting plate of said utility support member is disposed within and between said cavity formed by said bend in said guide plate and said cavity formed by said bulbous portion of said seat back panel when said utility support member is in said stowed position.  
     
     
         11 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said support bar of said utility support member is disposed within said slot of said seat back panel and said cross bar is recessed against said lower portion of said seat back when said utility support member is in said stowed position.  
     
     
         12 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  further including a resilient pad mounted to said cross bar for supporting a utility device thereon.  
     
     
         13 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 12  further including an attachment device operatively coupled to said utility support member for removably securing a utility device on said utility support member.  
     
     
         14 . A seat assembly as set forth in  claim 13  further including a pull tab mounted to said cross bar for pivoting said utility support member between said stowed position and said plurality of use positions.