Seating assembly for wheelchairs and strollers

Abstract

A seating assembly includes a seating shell base having a forward end and a rearward end, and a back support member mounted at the rearward end of the seating shell base for substantially vertical movement with respect to the seating shell base. An inner seat tray is positioned within the seating shell base and mounted for forward and rearward sliding movement with respect to the seating shell base, the inner seat tray having opposed pivot points. A seat back is pivotally mounted at the pivot points, the seat back being connected to the back support member. Downward movement of the back support member vertically with respect to the seating shell base causes the seat back to pivot at the pivot points, thereby reclining the seat back, and thereby causing the inner seat tray to slide forward with respect to the seating shell base.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A seating assembly comprising: 
 a seating shell base having a forward end and a rearward end;    a back support member mounted at the rearward end of the seating shell base for substantially vertical movement with respect to the seating shell base;    an inner seat tray positioned within the seating shell base and mounted for forward and rearward sliding movement with respect to the seating shell base, the inner seat tray having opposed pivot points; and    a seat back pivotally mounted at the pivot points, the seat back being connected to the back support member, wherein downward movement of the back support member vertically with respect to the seating shell base causes the seat back to pivot at the pivot points, thereby reclining the seat back, and thereby causing the inner seat tray to slide forward with respect to the seating shell base.    
     
     
         2 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  in which the rearward end of the seating shell base includes opposed substantially vertical slots, and in which the back support member is a back support bar having ends extending through the substantially vertical slots, the back support bar being mounted for vertical movement with respect to the seating shell base.  
     
     
         3 . The seating assembly of  claim 2  including a locking mechanism at each end of the back support bar to lock the back support bar at any vertical location along the substantially vertical slots in the seating shell base.  
     
     
         4 . The seating assembly of  claim 2  in which the substantially vertical slots are oriented at an angle to the vertical, with the angle being within the range of from about 5 degrees to about 20 degrees.  
     
     
         5 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  in which the connection between the seat back and the back support member is a releasable connection, wherein the release of the seat back from the seat back support member enables the seat back to be folded by pivoting the seat back about the pivot points.  
     
     
         6 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  in which the inner seat tray has upwardly extending arms that include the pivot points.  
     
     
         7 . The seating assembly of  claim 6  in which the seat back is comprised of a back plate seat back pivot arms that are pivotally attached to the upwardly extending seat tray arms at the pivot points.  
     
     
         8 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  including a seat tray extension mounted on the inner seat tray in an alterable manner that enables the seat tray extension to be adjusted in the forward and rearward directions with respect to the inner seat tray.  
     
     
         9 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  in which the seat back includes a release block that connects the seat back to the back support member, the release block being movable with respect to the seat back to release the seat back from the back support member.  
     
     
         10 . The seating assembly of  claim 9  in which the release block is slidable with respect to the seat back.  
     
     
         11 . The seating assembly of  claim 10  in which the release block includes a handle.  
     
     
         12 . The seating assembly of  claim 9  in which the support member is a support bar, and in which the release block has a concave component adapted to mate with the support bar to lock the seat back in an unfolded position.  
     
     
         13 . The seating assembly of  claim 12  in which the release block is slidable with respect to the seat back, and in which the release block includes a handle.  
     
     
         14 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  including slots in the inner seat tray that enable the inner seat tray to be mounted to the seating shell base while allowing the inner seat tray to slide in forward and rearward directions with respect to the seating shell base.  
     
     
         15 . A seating assembly comprising: 
 a seating shell base;    an inner seat tray positioned within the seating shell base;    a folding seat back having a back plate and pivot arms that are pivotally attached to the inner seat tray, wherein the pivotable attachment enables the seat back to be pivoted to a folded position;    a back support member mounted for selective vertical positioning with respect to the seating shell base; and    a seat engaging mechanism capable of being selectively actuated to engage the folding seat back with the back support member, wherein when the seat engaging mechanism is engaged, the seat back is prevented from folding forward.    
     
     
         16 . The seating assembly of  claim 15  in which the seat engaging mechanism is a release block that connects the seat back to the back support member, the release block being movable with respect to the seat back to release the seat back from the back support member, the seat back including a handle grip that can be grasped to fold the seat back forward, and the release block including a release block handle, with the handle grip and the release block handle being positioned to enable the handle grip and the release block handle to be grasped with one hand for simultaneously releasing the release block from the back support member and folding the seat back forward.  
     
     
         17 . The seating assembly of  claim 16  in which the release block is slidable with respect to the seat back.  
     
     
         18 . The seating assembly of  claim 16  in which the back support member is a support bar, and in which the release block has a concave component adapted to mate with the support bar to lock the seat back in an unfolded position.  
     
     
         19 . The seating assembly of  claim 16  in which the release block is slidable with respect to the seat back, and in which the release block includes a handle.  
     
     
         20 . A seating assembly comprising: 
 a seating shell base having a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end of the seating shell base including opposed substantially vertical slots;    a back support bar mounted at the rearward end of the seating shell base for substantially vertical movement with respect to the seating shell base, the back support bar having ends extending through the substantially vertical slots, and the back support bar including a locking mechanism at each end of the back support bar to lock the back support bar at any vertical location along the substantially vertical slots in the seating shell base;    an inner seat tray positioned within the seating shell base and mounted for forward and rearward sliding movement with respect to the seating shell base, the inner seat tray having opposed pivot points; and    a seat back pivotally mounted at the pivot points, the seat back being connected to the back support member, wherein downward movement of the back support bar vertically with respect to the seating shell base causes the seat back to pivot at the pivot points, thereby reclining the seat back, and thereby causing the inner seat tray to slide forward with respect to the seating shell base, and wherein the connection between the seat back and the back support member is a releasable connection, wherein the release of the seat back from the seat back support member enables the seat back to be folded by pivoting the seat back about the pivot points.    
     
     
         21 . The seating assembly of  claim 20  in which the inner seat tray has upwardly extending arms that include the pivot points, and the seat back is comprised of a back plate seat back pivot arms that are pivotally attached to the upwardly extending seat tray arms at the pivot points.  
     
     
         22 . The seating assembly of  claim 20  including a release block that connects the seat back to the back support member, the release block being movable with respect to the seat back to release the seat back from the back support member, the seat back including a handle grip that can be grasped to fold the seat back forward, and the release block including a release block handle, with the handle grip and the release block handle being positioned to enable the handle grip and the release block handle to be grasped with one hand for simultaneously releasing the release block from the back support member and folding the seat back forward.  
     
     
         23 . The seating assembly of  claim 20  in which the release block is slidable with respect to the seat back, and in which the release block has a concave component adapted to mate with the support bar to lock the seat back in an unfolded position.