Steven Olin Townsend

US Patent:

62835289, Sep 4, 2001

Filed:

Mar 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

9/525838

Inventors:

Steven J. Townsend - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

B60N 200

US Classification:

296 6501

Abstract:

A folding seat for assisting persons who use wheelchairs and other persons with physical limitations to enter and exit motor vehicles. The seat includes an adjustable width frame which fits adjacent a vehicle seat at a doorway of the vehicle and which attaches to the existing bracketry holding the vehicle seat to the vehicle body. A transfer seat is pivotally connected longitudinal of the vehicle and vertically slidably connected at an edge thereof to respective slots in a pair of spaced apart upright posts of the frame. The seat is supported in a horizontal deployed position with the pivotal connection thereof at the top of the respective slots by means of an upper cross member of the frame and by a folding brace member which extends from the underside of the seat to the lower doorway portion of the vehicle body. The seat includes a stowed position wherein the seat is tilted to a vertical position and lowered such that the pivotal connections are at the lower end of the respective slots, the seat being retained laterally between the upper cross member and the side of the vehicle seat.

US Patent:

61294039, Oct 10, 2000

Filed:

Jul 21, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/358441

Inventors:

Steven J. Townsend - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

B60N 200

US Classification:

296 6501

Abstract:

A folding seat for assisting persons who use wheelchairs and other persons with physical limitations to enter and exit motor vehicles. The seat includes a frame which fits adjacent a vehicle seat at a doorway of the vehicle and which attaches to the existing bracketry holding the vehicle seat to the vehicle body. A transfer seat is pivotally connected longitudinal of the vehicle and vertically slidably connected at an edge thereof to respective slots in a pair of spaced apart upright posts of the frame. The seat is supported in a horizontal deployed position with the pivotal connection thereof at the top of the respective slots by means of an upper cross member of the frame and by a folding brace member which extends from the underside of the seat to the lower doorway portion of the vehicle body. The seat includes a stowed position wherein the seat is tilted to a vertical position and lowered such that the pivotal connections are at the lower end of the respective slots, the seat being retained laterally between the upper cross member and the side of the vehicle seat. When stowed, the seat plate extends no higher than the height of the upright posts, the top of which posts are approximately at the height of the top surface of the vehicle seat.