GB2436702A

GB2436702A - Seat with tilt adjustment apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2436702A
Application number: GB0705459A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Klaus Boes; Karsten Mueller; Hans-Peter Mischer; Christian Ruthmann; Tobias Bokelmann; Joerg Sternberg
Original assignee: Lear Corp
Current assignee: Lear Corp
Priority date: 2006-03-31
Filing date: 2007-03-22
Publication date: 2007-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-22
Also published as: GB0705459D0; DE102006015080A1; GB2436702B

Abstract

A seat 10 comprises a seat base 14, a backrest 12 pivoted relative to the seat base by a selectively locked pivot connector (28, Fig. 1) and a front linkage 16 which supports a front portion 18 of the seat in a design position (Fig. 5) and at least one raised position (Fig. 9). The front linkage is actuated by a trip lever 60 which is pivoted by a forward link (88, 90, Fig. 2) to place the seat base in a raised position. A support 22 is secured to a back portion of the seat base and to a vehicle floor. The trip lever may also be pivoted by a rearward link 42 which is actuated when a backrest release lever (76 Fig. 1) is actuated, to allow the seat to be moved into a stowed position when the backrest is moved to a substantially horizontal position (Fig. 8). The front linkage may comprise a ratchet 52 and pawl 50 which are engaged in one or more positions corresponding to the one or more raised positions of the seat.

Description

REAR SEAT TILT ADJUSTMENT APPARATUS

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat positioning apparatus that is used to adjust the position of the seat for occupant comfort and for storing the seat to provide a relatively flat load floor.

Vehicle seats for sport utility vehicles, vans and other multi-purpose vehicles are a key to maximizing vehicle utility. Vehicle seats, first and foremost, must be comfortable for a person sitting in the seat. Part of the comfort provided by a seat involves the tilt, or angular orientation, of the seat base relative to the vehicle floor. It is generally preferred to provide a vehicle seat that has a seat base that is inclined with the front edge of the seat being higher than the rear edge of the seat base. The backrest is also generally rearwardly inclined for comfort and to maximize head room. Vehicle seats frequently may be repositioned with the seat back being folded over the seat base to provide access to the space behind the seat and to convert the seat to a cargo carrying position.

Converting a vehicle to a cargo carrying configuration may involve removal of vehicle seats. However, removing a vehicle seat from a vehicle is difficult for some vehicle users due to the weight of the seat. Further, when a vehicle seat is removed from a vehicle, it must be stored until it can be reinstalled in the vehicle. Problems with removable vehicle seats are addressed by "fold flat" vehicle seats that are arranged to provide a load floor when the seats are folded into their storage position. The term "fold flat" as applied to many prior art vehicle seats is an objective that is not always fully achieved by the design of the prior art seats. Some vehicles may provide sub-floor compartments for receiving either a vehicle backrest or a seat base. However, many vehicles do not have space for providing sub-floor compartments. In some vehicles, it is necessary to fold the backrest over the seat base to provide a load floor formed, in part, by the back surface of the backrest. The back surface of a backrest, when folded over a seat base, generally tends to present an uneven load floor with the backrest sloping downwardly from front to rear due to the size, shape, and orientation of seat cushions. If the seat base is inclined with a front edge higher than a rear edge when the backrest is folded over the seat base, a problem is created as a result of the unevenness of the floor.

There is a need for a rear seat tilt adjustment mechanism that allows the seat to be positioned in a comfortable tilt orientation. There is also a need for the seat tilt adjustment mechanism that permits the seat base to be lowered at its front end to the maximum extent whenever the backrest is folded over the seat base.

Tilting the seat base to lower the front portion into its storage position may facilitate providing a vehicle load floor that approaches a true "fold flat" position when the seats are folded into their load floor configuration.

It is therefore desirable to provide an improved seat arrangement which addresses the above described problems and/or which more generally offers improvements or an alternative to existing arrangements.

According to the present invention there is therefore provided a seat as described in the accompanying claims.

In an embodiment of one aspect of the invention there is provided a seat having a tilt adjustment apparatus is provided for a vehicle. The seat comprises a seat base having a front portion and a back portion. A backrest may be secured to the back portion of the seat base or to another part of the vehicle by a selectively locked pivot connector. A front linkage supports the front portion of the seat in a design position. The seat may also be placed in one or more positions by the front linkage in which the front portion of the seat is moved relative to the design position. The front linkage may be actuated by a trip lever that is controlled by a first forward link to adjust the linkage and place the seat base in one of the raised, or comfort, positions. The link may be a cable or a rigid link depending upon design constraints. In addition to the front linkage, a support is secured to the seat base at a location that is spaced rearwardly from the front linkage and is also secured to the vehicle.

The front linkage may also be used to shift the seat to a stowed position below the design position. The trip lever may also be controlled by a rearward link, or cable, to shift the seat to the stowed position. The rearward link, if a cable, may be secured to an eccentric cam around which the cable is tightened when the seat back is pivoted.

The cable may be secured near a rear latch handle that actuates the selectively locked pivot connector of the seat back.

The front linkage may further comprise a release lever that is operatively connected to a ratchet and a pawl. The ratchet and pawl are engaged between the front portion of the seat base and the vehicle floor. The ratchet and pawl may engage each other in a plurality of orientations that change the effective height of the front linkage and thereby permit positioning of the seat base in either the design position, the stowed position, or one of the raised positions. The forward link may be secured to the trip lever and a front handle that is attached to the front portion of the seat. The forward link may be used to position the seat base in the design position or in one of the raised positions. The rearward link is secured to the trip lever and near a rear latch handle that actuates the selectively locked pivot connector of the seat back. The rearward link may be used to position the seat base in the stowed position.

According to other aspects of an embodiment of the invention when used with a bench seat, the front linkage supports the front portion of the seat in a design position. The front linkage, if disposed on the right side of the seat, may be referred to as a right front linkage.

The tilt adjustment apparatus may further comprise a left front linkage that also supports the front portion of the seat in the design position and in the raised position in which the front portion of the seat is raised relative to the design position. The left front linkage may be actuated by a left side trip lever that is controlled by a left side forward link to adjust the linkage to place the seat base in one of the raised positions. The left side trip lever may also be controlled by a left side rearward link to shift the seat to the stowed position. The left front linkage is also adjustable to shift the seat to the stowed position below the design position. A right side handle and a left side handle may be provided and interconnected by a pivot shaft to permit operation of the linkages from either side of the vehicle.

According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle seat is provided that has a tilt adjustment apparatus. The seat comprises a seat base having a front portion and a back portion. A backrest is pivoted on the vehicle relative to the seat base by a selectively locked pivot connector. A front linkage supports the front portion of the seat in a design position. The front linkage has a ratchet and a pawl that are engaged in one of a plurality of comfort positions.

The front linkage further includes a trip lever assembly that is pivotally secured to the bracket and is controlled by a first forward cable. The trip lever assembly is pivoted by the first forward cable to adjust the pawl relative to the ratchet for placing the seat base in one of the comfort positions. The trip lever assembly may also be controlled by a rearward cable to shift the seat base to the stowed position below the design position. A support is secured to the back portion of the seat base at a location that is spaced rearwardly from the front linkage and is secured to the vehicle.

The first forward cable may be operated by a forward handle disposed near the front portion of the seat base.

The forward handle is used to pull the first forward cable to disengage the pawl from the ratchet. The forward handle may also pull a second forward cable that disengages a stop lever allowing the front portion of the seat base to be raised by pivoting, rocking, or sliding the seat base on the support.

According to other aspects of an embodiment of the invention relating to moving the seat base in and out of the stowed position, the pawl may be disengaged from the ratchet by pulling the rearward cable to permit the front linkage to shift the seat base to the stowed position. A spring may act upon the front linkage to bias the front linkage to return from the stowed position to the design position. A stop lever, or pawl, prevents the front linkage from moving past the design position when the spring moves the seat base from the stowed position to the design position.

The rearward cable may be operated by a latch lever of the pivot connector of the backrest. After the latch releases the pivot connector, the backrest may pivot to a position over the seat base. Pivoting the backrest causes the rearward cable to be tightened around an eccentric cam, or plate, that pulls the trip lever. The rearward cable disengages the pawl from the ratchet thereby permitting the front linkage to shift the seat base to the stowed position. A spring biases the front linkage to return the seat to the design position. The weight of the vehicle seat holds the seat in the stowed position until the backrest is manually lifted and the spring lifts the seat base back to the design position. The pawl may re-engage the ratchet to block the spring from moving the seat from the stowed position to the design position. A stop lever may be provided that stops the seat base from moving past the design position when the spring moves the seat base to the design position. The backrest may be blocked in the stowed position to prevent the spring from moving the seat base from the stowed position to the design position.

These and other aspects of the present invention will be better understood in view of the attached drawings and the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiments of the invention.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following figures in which: FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle seat having a front linkage that supports a front portion of a seat base; FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the front linkage; FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of a vehicle seat with its backrest folded over the seat base with the seat base in the design position; FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation view similar to Figure 3 with the seat base in the stowed position and the backrest in a substantially horizontal orientation; FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view showing a portion of a front linkage in the design position; FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a vehicle seat with the backrest beginning to pivot over the seat base; FIGURE 7 is a side elevation view of a vehicle seat with the backrest disposed over the seat base that is being moved from the design position; FIGURE 8 is a side elevation view of a vehicle seat with the backrest disposed over the seat base that is in the stowed position; FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a vehicle seat with the front handle raised to reposition the seat base in a first comfort position; FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a vehicle seat showing the seat base being moved from the first comfort position; FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a vehicle seat made in accordance with the present invention with the seat base in the second comfort position; and FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a alternative embodiment of a vehicle seat made in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the vehicle seat 10 is shown to include a backrest 12 that is shown in a generally vertically extending and rearwardly inclined orientation relative to a seat base 14. The seat base 14 is supported by front linkage 16 that is attached to a front portion 18 of the seat base 14. A support bracket 20 supports the front portion 18 of the seat base 14. The support bracket forms part of the front linkage 16. A seat support 22 is secured to a back portion 24 of the seat base 14 in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1. The support bracket 22 is spaced rearwardly from the front linkage 16. A lever 26 is operatively connected to a pivot connector 28 that connects the backrest 12 to either the seat base 14 or another mounting structure provided on the vehicle (not shown) . Lever 26 is used to release a pivot connector 28 so that the backrest 12 may be positioned as shown in Figure 1 or may be folded over the seat base 14. A control cable assembly 30, that may also be referred to as a rearward cable, extends from the lever 26 to the front linkage 16. The control cable assembly 30 is connected to a trip lever assembly 32 of the front linkage 16. The control cable assembly may alternatively be a rigid bar or other type of link.

A cable guide plate 36 (not shown in Figure 1, but shown in Figures 6-8) is provided as part of the pivot connector 28. The cable guide plate 36 pivots with the backrest 12 and can be used to actuate the trip lever assembly 32 as the backrest 12 is folded over the seat base 14 as will be more specifically described with reference to Figures 6-8 below.

Referring to Figure 2, the control cable assembly 30 includes a sheath 40 and a cable 42. The sheath 40 is secured by a cable anchor 44 in a fixed position relative to the front linkage 16. The cable 42 can be moved coaxially within the sheath 40. Movement of the backrest 12 can be communicated by the cable 42 to trip lever assembly 32.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the vehicle seat 10 is shown with the backrest 12 folded over the seat base 14.

In Figure 3 the seat base 14 is oriented in its design position in a back panel 48 of the backrest 12 is shown inclined in the forward direction with the front or top of the backrest 12 being elevated relative to the lower portion of the backrest 12. The back panel 48 as shown in Figure 3 is oriented at an angle of approximately 11 relative to horizontal. In Figure 4, the seat base 14 is shown in a lowered or stowed position. The back panel 48 of the backrest 12 may be oriented substantially horizontal or within 4 of horizontal. The angular orientationof the back panel 48 may be oriented in a different angular orientation than is shown in Figures 3 and 4 depending upon the arrangement, shape and general configuration of the vehicle seat. Figures 3 and 4 are provided to illustrate the improvement in an example of a fold flat floor design that may be achieved by the present invention.

Referring to Figure 5, the vehicle seat 10 is shown with the seat base 14 in the design position and backrest 12 shown in its upright position. A pawl 50 of the front linkage 16 is shown in engagement with a ratchet 52 that is used for adjusting the height of the front portion 18 of the seat base 14. The ratchet 52 is connected to a front seat support 54 that extends vertically up to the front portion 18 of the seat base 14. The front seat support 54 is connected to a handle bracket 56 to which a front handle 58 is secured. When the seat base 14 is in the design position the pawl 50 engages the ratchet 52 as shown in Figure 5. In Figure 5, a T-shaped trip lever 60 that forms part of the trip lever assembly 32 is shown in its non-actuated position. The T-shaped lever 60 has an upper arm 62 to which cable 42 is attached. T-shaped lever 60 also includes a lower arm 64 and a projection 66.

Projection 66 is received in a notch 68 formed in the pawl 50. Movement of the projection 66 within the notch 68 causes the pawl 50 to move relative to the ratchet 52. The pawl 50 includes a tooth 70 that is received in a toothed segment 72 of the ratchet 52.

The ratchet 52 has an eccentric lobe 76 that is connected by a pivot connector 78 to the front seat support 54. The ratchet 52 rotates the eccentric lobe 76 to raise and lower the front seat support 54 depending upon the direction of rotation of the ratchet 52.

Referring to Figures 1 and 1-9, a design position stop linkage 80 is shown to include a cam plate 82 that is secured by rivets 84, or other fasteners, to the ratchet 52. A pawl 86, or stop lever, engages the cam plate 82 to stop movement of the seat base 14 as it is moved from a stowed position or a lowered position to the design position.

As best shown in Figure 2, first and second forward cables 88 and 90 are connected to the handle 58 and extend from the handle to a forward cable anchors 92 and 94 that retain cable sheaths for relative movement of the wires previously described with regard to cable anchor 44 in relation to cable 42.

Referring to Figures 2 and 5, a spring 96 is secured to the pivot pin 97 of the ratchet 52 and includes a spring arm 98 that engages a pin 100. The pin 100 is secured to the eccentric lobe 76 of the ratchet 52 and biases the pin upwardly as shown in Figure 5.

An arcuate slot 104 is formed in the support bracket and receives a guide pin 106 that is also connected to the lower arm 64 of the T-shaped lever 60. The arcuate slot 104 limits the extent of rotation of the T-shaped lever 60. As shown in Figure 5, tooth 70 of pawl 50 is received in the tooth segment 72 of the ratchet 52 in the position that is referred to as a design position. The guide pin 106 is at the rear most end of the arcuate slot 104 and the projection 66 is shown engagement with the notch 68 to hold the tooth 70 in the tooth segment 72.

Referring to Figure 6, the vehicle seat 10 is shown with the backrest 12 released following actuation of the lever 26. The backrest 12 is rotated forwardly and the cable 42 is shown pulling the upper arm 62 of the T-shaped lever 60 in a rearward direction that causes the guide pin 106 to move forwardly in the arcuate slot 104. In this position, the projection 66 is rotated into the notch 68 and begins to rotate the pawl 50 to disengage the tooth 70 from the toothed segment 72 of the ratchet 52.

Referring to Figure 7, the vehicle seat 10 is shown with a backrest 12 folded over the seat base 14. The cable 42 in this position has caused the T-shaped lever 60 to rotate further rearwardly to a point where the tooth 70 is disengaged from the toothed segment 72 of the ratchet 52 and the second pawl is disengaged from the cam plate 82.

The second pawl is secured by rivets to the pawl 50. The guide pin 106 is moved by the lower arm 64 of the T-shaped lever 60 to a point near the forward end of the arcuate slot 104. At this point, the weight of the backrest 12 is applied to the seat base 14 causing the seat base 14 to move downwardly rotating the ratchet 52 against the biasing force of the spring 96. This causes the eccentric lobe 76 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 7.

Referring to Figure 8, the vehicle seat 10 is shown with the backrest 12 folded over the seat base 14 in the stowed position. The pawl 50 is shown with the tooth 70 disengaged from the ratchet 52. The cable 42 is shown having pulled the upper arm 62 of the T-shaped lever 60 to its rearward most position. The guide pin 106 is in the forward end of the arcuate slot 104. The ratchet 52 is fully rotated with the spring arm 98 being deflected downwardly. The front seat support 54 is moved to allow the seat base 14 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about the rear seat support 22. In this position, the back panel 48 is in a substantially horizontal position. While the back panel 48 may not be strictly horizontal, it is more horizontal in Figure 8 than as illustrated in Figure 7 wherein the backrest 12 is disposed over the seat base 14 but the seat base 14 has not yet been lowered by the linkage 16 to its stowed position.

Referring to Figures 9-li, the use of the front linkage 16 to provide comfort positions in which the front portion 18 of the seat base 14 is raised relative to the design position will be explained in detail. In Figure 9, the backrest 12 is shown in its vertical position and the seat base 14 is shown in its design position. The handle 58 is shown partially lifted beginning the process of raising the seat base 14 from the design position to a first raised position. The handle 58 acts on the first and second forward cable 88 and 90. The pulling force exerted by the handle 58 on the first forward cable 90 pulls a lower arm 64 of the T-shaped lever 60 forward. This causes the T-shaped lever 60 to pivot and the guide pin 106 is moved forward by the lower arm 64 driving the guide pin 106 forwardly in the arcuate slot 104. This causes the pawl 50 to move the tooth 70 out of engagement with the tooth segment 72 of the ratchet 52. The second forward cable 88 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 is connected to the pawl 86 to disengage the pawl 86 from the cam plate 82 that allows the front portion 18 of the seat base 14 to move upwardly.

Referring to Figure 9, the seat base 14 is shown as the tooth 70 is transitioning from the design position tooth space 126 to the first raised position tooth space 128. The handle 58 is still being held in a raised position causing the projection 66 of the T-shaped lever 60 to urge the pawl 50 in a counterclockwise direction. This allows the ratchet 52 to rotate in a clockwise direction.

Rotation of the ratchet 52 causes the eccentric lobe 76 to shift the pivot connector 78 upwardly moving the seat base 14 into its first raised position.

Referring to Figure 10, the seat base 14 is shown as it is transitioned from the first raised position to the second raised position. The tooth 70 is shown as it moves from the first raised position tooth space 128 to the second raised tooth space 130 as a result of the action of the projection 66 further engaging notch 68 of pawl 50.

The first forward cable 90 is shown pulling lower arm 64 of the T-shaped lever 60 in the forward direction.

Referring to Figure 11, the seat base 14 is shown in its second raised position with tooth 70 engaged in the second raised position tooth space 130. The handle 58 is shown after being released in a lowered position as compared to the position shown in Figures 9 and 10 and first forward cable 90 is shown with the lower arm 64 of the T-shaped lever 60 having been released to move rearwardly. The guide pin 106 is shown in the rearward end of the arcuate slot 104. The projection 66 engages the notch 68 causing the pawl 50 to rotate in a clockwise direction causing the tooth 70 to be received in the second raised position tooth space 130. In this position, the tooth 70 is engaged and holds seat base 14 in this position.

Referring to Figure 12, an alternative embodiment of a vehicle seat 140 is illustrated. In alternative embodiment 140, the same reference numerals are used to describe the portions of the vehicle seat as were used and referenced in the embodiment shown in Figures 1-11. The seat base 14 is shown being supported by a slide support 142. The slide support 142 is engaged by a seat base reinforcement 144 that may be part of the seat pan. The seat base reinforcement 144 supports the seat base 14 on the slide support 142. In the alternative embodiment, seat 140 is moved from a design position (shown in short dashed lines) upwardly in two increments to a first raised position (shown in long dashed lines) and a second raised position (shown in solid lines) . A ratchet 146 is engaged by a pawl 148. The pawl 148 has spaced fingers 150 that engage one of the teeth 152 formed on the ratchet 146. A spring 154 is connected to T-shaped lever 60 to bias the T-shaped lever 60 for movement in the counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 12. A cable 40 extends rearwardly from the front linkage 16 to lever 26. Lever 26 functions to release the backrest 12 as previously described. In addition, cable 40 acts on the upper arm 62 of T-shaped lever 60 to rotate the T-shaped lever in a clockwise direction against the force of the spring 154.

When the lever 26 is actuated, the projection 66 of the T-shaped lever 60 rotates the pawl 148 in a clockwise direction so that the projection 66 engages the notch 68 to rotate the pawl 148 in a counterclockwise direction. The pawl 148 disengages the ratchet 146 to permit the front portion 18 of the seat base 14 may be lifted to one of the raised positions or returned to the design position.

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CL1A I MS 1. A seat having a tilt adjustment apparatus for a vehicle

having a floor, the seat comprising: a seat base having a front portion and a back portion; a backrest pivoted relative to the back portion of seat base by a selectively locked pivot connector; a front linkage supports the front portion of the seat in a design position, the front linkage also supports the front portion of the seat in at least one raised position that is raised relative to the design position, the front linkage is actuated by a trip lever assembly that is controlled by a forward link, the trip lever assembly being pivoted by the forward link to adjust the linkage to place the seat base in one of the raised positions; and a support secured to the back portion of the seat base at a location that is spaced rearwardly from the front linkage and to the vehicle floor.

2. The seat of claim 1 wherein the front linkage is adjustable to shift the seat to a stowed position below the design position, and wherein the trip lever assembly is controlled by a rearward link to shift the seat to the stowed position.

3. The seat of claim 1 or 2 wherein the forward link is secured to a front handle attached to the front portion of the seat and the rearward link is secured to a rear handle that actuates the selectively locked pivot connector that secures the backrest to the back portion of seat base.

4. The seat of any preceding claim wherein the front linkage further comprises a release lever that is -17--operatively connected to a ratchet and a pawl, the ratchet and pawl are engaged between the front portion of the seat base and the vehicle floor, the ratchet and pawl may engage each other in a plurality of orientations that change the effective height of the front linkage and thereby position the seat base in one of the positions corresponding to the design position, the stowed position, and the at least one raised position.

5. The seat of claim 4 wherein the first link is secured to the release lever and a front handle attached to the front portion of the seat, and wherein the second link is secured to the release lever and a rear handle that actuates the selectively locked pivot connector that secures the backrest to the back portion of seat base, the first link being operable to position the seat base in the design position and the at least one raised position, and the second link being operable to position the seat base in the stowed position and the design position.

6. The seat of any preceding claim wherein the front linkage that supports the front portion of the seat in a design position is disposed on a right side of the seat and is a right front linkage; and further comprising a left front linkage that operates like the right front linkage and also supports the front portion of the seat in the design position, and in the at least one position in which the front portion of the seat is raised relative to the design position, the left front linkage is adjustable to shift the seat to the stowed position below the design position.

7. A seat having a tilt adjustment apparatus for a vehicle having a floor, the seat comprising: a seat base having a front portion and a back portion; a backrest pivoted on the vehicle relative to the back portion of seat base by a selectively locked pivot connector; a front linkage supports the front portion of the seat in a design position, the front linkage has a ratchet and a pawl that are engaged in one of a plurality of raised positions to raise the front portion of the seat, the front linkage further includes a trip lever assembly that is pivotally secured to a bracket, wherein the trip lever assembly is controlled by a forward cable, the trip lever assembly being pivoted by the forward cable to adjust the pawl relative to the ratchet for placing the seat base in one of the raised positions, the ratchet and the pawl are disengaged to permit the front linkage to shift the seat to a stowed position below the design position, and wherein the trip lever assembly is controlled by a rearward cable to disengage the ratchet and pawl; and a support secured to the back portion of the seat base at a location that is spaced rearwardly from the front linkage and is secured to the vehicle floor.

B. The seat of claim 7 wherein the forward cable is operated by a forward handle disposed near the front portion of the seat that pulls the forward cable to disengage the pawl from the ratchet allowing the seat base to be raised at the front portion by rocking the seat base on the support, and wherein the support is a pivot support.

9. The seat of claim 8 wherein the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet to permit the front linkage to shift the seat base to the stowed position, wherein a spring acts upon the front linkage to bias the seat base to return to the design position, and wherein the front handle also pulls a stop lever cable that controls a stop lever that prevents the seat base from moving past the design position when the spring moves the seat base toward the design position.

10. The seat of any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the rearward cable is operated in conjunction with a latch associated with the backrest release, wherein the backrest release is actuated to allow the backrest to pivot on the pivot connector, wherein the rearward cable is pulled by an eccentric to disengage the pawl from the ratchet to permit the front linkage to lower the front portion of the seat base to the stowed position.

11. The seat of any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein when the seat base is in the stowed position, a spring acts upon the front linkage to bias the seat base to return to the design position, and wherein the weight of the seat retains the seat base in the stowed position and prevents the spring from moving the front linkage to the design position until the backrest is lifted.

12. The seat of claim 11 further comprising a stop lever that prevents the seat base from moving past the design position when the spring moves the seat base to the design position.

13. The seat of any one of claims 7 to 12 wherein the support is a piyot support secured to a bottom surface of the seat base and the vehicle floor.

14. The seat of any one of claims 7 to 13 wherein the support is a pivot support secured to a rearwardly facing portion of the back portion of the seat base and the vehicle floor.

15. The seat of any one of claims 7 to 14 wherein the ratchet has a plurality of teeth, each of the teeth may be engaged by the pawl to position the seat base in a raised position, a first one of the teeth is engaged when the seat base is in the design position, a second one of the teeth is engaged when the seat base is in a first raised position that is raised relative to the design position, and a third one of the teeth is engaged when the seat base is in a second raised position that is raised relative to the first raised position.

16. The seat of any one of claims 7 to 15 wherein a back surface of the backrest is oriented in a plane disposed at angle of less than 4 degrees relative to horizontal when the backrest is folded over the seat base and the seat base is in the stowed position.

17. A seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as shown in any one or more of figures 1 to 12.