Forward folding seat assembly

Abstract

A seat assembly comprises a seat back and a seat base. The seat back is pivotable on a pivot pin assembly with respect to the seat base between a full up position and a down position. A seat back bracket is connected to the seat back and a seat base bracket is connected to the seat base. The seat base bracket has a stop and the seat back bracket has a stop, and the stops engage one another to restrict rotation of the seat back bracket with respect to the seat base bracket at the full up position. In accordance with another aspect the seat back bracket and seat base bracket each have corresponding unitary projections which cooperate to define a bearing surface which directly receives the pivot pin end caps.

1 . A seat assembly comprises, in combination:
 a seat back and a seat base, with the seat back pivotable with respect to the seat base between a full up position and a down position;   a pivot pin assembly comprising a pair of end caps connected by a pivot pin; and   a seat back bracket operatively connected to the seat back and a seat base bracket operatively connected to the seat base, wherein the seat back bracket pivots about the pivot pin assembly with respect to the seat base bracket;   wherein the seat back bracket and seat base bracket each have corresponding unitary projections which cooperate to define a bearing surface which directly receives the pivot pin end caps.   
   
   
       2 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein both of the end caps are internally threaded and adapted to engage external threads on the pivot pin. 
   
   
       3 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the seat back bracket and seat base bracket cooperate to define a pocket, and a spring is positioned in the pocket and biases the seat back toward the full up position. 
   
   
       4 . The seat assembly of  claim 3  wherein the seat back bracket and seat base bracket each define a pocket, and a corresponding end of the spring is positioned in the pocket. 
   
   
       5 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the seat back bracket and seat base bracket are formed from one of cast aluminum and a plastic. 
   
   
       6 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the unitary projections further define openings which extends through the seat back bracket and the seat base bracket, respectively. 
   
   
       7 . The seat assembly of  claim 6  wherein one of the end caps extends into the opening of the seat back bracket and one of the end caps extends into the opening of the seat base bracket, and heads of the end caps are larger than the corresponding opening. 
   
   
       8 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the spring is a coil spring having a first end which engages the seat base bracket and a second end which engages the seat back bracket. 
   
   
       9 . A seat assembly comprises, in combination:
 a seat back and a seat base, with the seat back pivotable with respect to the seat base between a full up position and a down position; and   a seat back bracket operatively connected to the seat back and a seat base bracket operatively connected to the seat base, wherein the seat back bracket pivots about a pivot pin assembly with respect to the seat base bracket;   wherein the seat base bracket has a stop and the seat back bracket has a stop, and the stops engage one another to restrict rotation of the seat back bracket with respect to the seat base bracket at the full up position   
   
   
       10 . The seat assembly of  claim 9  wherein the stops are formed as unitary extensions of the corresponding bracket. 
   
   
       11 . The seat assembly of  claim 9  wherein the stops comprise radial projections extending into a pocket defined by the seat back bracket and seat base bracket. 
   
   
       12 . The seat assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a spring positioned around the pivot pin assembly urging the seat back towards the full up position. 
   
   
       13 . The seat assembly of  claim 9  wherein the stops cooperate with the seat back and seat base to define a travel range between the full up position and the down position. 
   
   
       14 . The seat assembly of  claim 9  wherein the seat back bracket and seat base bracket meet at a meeting surface, the seat back stop extends beyond the meeting surface towards the seat base bracket, and the seat base stop extends beyond the meeting surface towards the seat back bracket. 
   
   
       15 . The seat assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a second stop on the seat back bracket and a second stop on the seat base bracket.