Pivoting seating system

Abstract

A seating system for use with a vehicle including a vehicle frame having a front, a rear, a first side and a second side and a front side door having a front portion pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame includes a rear side door having a rear portion pivotally coupled to the frame. The system further includes a seat pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame and at least one member having a first portion coupled to the seat and a second portion coupled to the rear side door, wherein pivotal movement of the rear side door rotates the seat between a passenger riding position in which the seat faces the front of the vehicle frame and a passenger loading position in which the seat faces an open space formed between the rear side door and the vehicle frame when the rear side door is ajar.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vehicle seating system for use with a vehicle including a vehicle frame having a front, a rear, a first side and a second side, the seating system comprising: 
 a first door adapted to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame;    a seat frame adapted to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame;    a slot formed in one of the first door and the seat;    an arm formed in the other of the first door and the seat, the arm having a portion slidably disposed within the slot, wherein pivotal movement of the first door rotates the seat between a passenger riding position in which the seat faces the front of the frame and a passenger loading position in which the seat faces an open space between the first door and the frame.    
     
     
         2 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the slot is formed in the first door and wherein the arm is coupled to the seat.  
     
     
         3 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the slot extends along an axis substantially parallel to the first door.  
     
     
         4 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first door has a front portion adapted to be located proximate the front of the vehicle frame and a rear portion adapted to be located proximate the rear of the vehicle frame and wherein the first door is adapted to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame proximate the rear portion of the first door.  
     
     
         5 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1  including a pivot support adapted to pivotally supporting the seat relative to the vehicle frame.  
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a front interior area and a rear interior area and wherein the seat is adapted to be in the rear interior area.  
     
     
         7 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1  including a latch mechanism coupled between the seat and the vehicle frame and configured to releasably secure the first door in the passenger riding position.  
     
     
         8 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat includes a child restraining unit.  
     
     
         9 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat is configured to mount a child restraining unit.  
     
     
         10 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the seat is configured to tilt towards the open space as the seat moves from the passenger riding position towards the passenger loading position.  
     
     
         11 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 10 , wherein the seat has a front portion and a rear portion and wherein the rear portion is elevated as the seat moves from the passenger riding position towards the passenger loading position.  
     
     
         12 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1  including a rotational actuator coupled to one of the first door and the seat, wherein the rotational actuator rotates the first door and the seat.  
     
     
         13 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 12  including: 
 a control circuit coupled to the rotational actuator; and  
 a main signal generation device adapted to be coupled to the vehicle frame, wherein the rotational actuator rotates the first door and the seat in response to signals generated by the main signal generation device.  
 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 12  including: 
 a control circuit coupled to the rotational actuator; and  
 a remote signal generation device, wherein the rotational actuator rotates the first door and the seat in response to signals generated by the remote signal generation device.  
 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a second door between the first door and the front of the vehicle frame, wherein the second door has a front portion pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame and wherein the first door has a rear portion adapted to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame.  
     
     
         16 . A vehicle seating system for use with a vehicle having a front, a rear, a first side, a second side, a vehicle frame, a seat and a door pivotally coupled proximate the seat, the system comprising: 
 a pivot support adapted to pivotally support the seat relative to the frame;    an elongate member adapted to be coupled to one of the door and the seat, the elongate member including an elongate slot; and    an arm adapted to be coupled to the other of the door and the seat, the arm having a portion slidably disposed within the slot, wherein pivotal movement of the door rotates the seat.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the elongate member is coupled to the door and the arm is coupled to the seat.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the slot is adapted to extend along an axis substantially parallel to the door.  
     
     
         19 . A vehicle seating system for use with a vehicle including a vehicle frame having a front, a rear, a first side and a second side, and a first side door having a front portion pivotally coupled to the frame, the seating system comprising: 
 a second side door having a rear portion adapted to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame between the first side door and the rear of the vehicle frame, a seat adapted to be pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame; and    at least one member having a first portion coupled to the seat and a second portion coupled to the second side door, wherein pivotal movement of the second side door rotates the seat between the passenger riding position in which the seat faces the front of the vehicle frame and a passenger loading position in which the seat faces an open space formed between the second side door and the vehicle frame when the second side door is ajar.    
     
     
         20 . The seating system of  claim 19  including a slot formed in one of the second side door and the seat, wherein the at least one member includes an arm coupled to the other of the second side door and the seat, the arm having a portion slidably disposed within the slot.  
     
     
         21 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 20 , wherein the slot is formed in the second side door and, wherein the arm is coupled to the seat.  
     
     
         22 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 20 , wherein the slot extends along an axis substantially parallel to the second side door.  
     
     
         23 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 19 , wherein the seat is configured to tilt towards the open space as the seat moves from the passenger riding position towards the passenger loading position.  
     
     
         24 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 23 , wherein the seat has a front portion and a rear portion and wherein the rear portion is elevated as the seat moves from the passenger riding position towards the passenger loading position.  
     
     
         25 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 19  including a latch mechanism coupled between the seat and the vehicle frame and configured to releasably secure the seat in the passenger riding position.  
     
     
         26 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 19 , wherein the seat includes a child restraining unit.  
     
     
         27 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 19 , wherein the seat is configured to mount a child restraining unit.  
     
     
         28 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 19  including a rotational actuator coupled to one of the second side door and the seat, wherein the rotational actuator rotates the second side door and the seat.  
     
     
         29 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 28  including; 
 a control circuit coupled to the rotational actuator; and  
 a main signal generation device adapted to be coupled to the vehicle frame, wherein the rotational actuator rotates the second side door and the seat in response to signals generated by the main signal generation device.  
 
     
     
         30 . The vehicle seating system of  claim 28  including: 
 a control circuit coupled to the rotational actuator; and  
 a remote signal generation device, wherein the rotational actuator rotates the second side door and the seat in response to signals generated by the remote signal generation device.