FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to folding seats. More particularly, this invention relates to a folding bench seat that is particularly suitable for installation on a boat.  
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY  
       [0002]     Folding seats are often utilized for space efficiency. For example, in boats, space is limited and folding seats are utilized to enable more efficient use of deck space. While various folding seats exist, improvement is desired.  
         [0003]     In this regard, the invention relates to a folding support that is particularly useful to provide a folding seat. In a preferred embodiment, the folding support includes a seat; a pair of guide followers extending from opposite sides of the seat; a pair of guides mountable to the mounting surface and configured for receiving the guide followers; a substantially U-shaped frame member having opposite ends pivotally mounted adjacent the guide plates; and a pair of bias struts, each having a first end pivotally mounted adjacent one of the guide plates and a second end pivotally mounted to the seat. In a stowed position, the seat, the frame and the bias struts are all folded together and oriented substantially vertically adjacent to a vertical mounting surface. In a use position, the support (seat) is substantially horizontal and the frame is disposed in an inclined position below and supporting the seat, while the strut is in an inclined position urging the seat up and away from the vertical mounting surface.  
         [0004]     As used herein, the term “adjacent” is used in its broad sense to include touching and non-touching relationships. In other words “adjacent” objects could be touching or spaced apart, but near. In addition, terms like “pivotally mounted to” are used broadly to include both touching and non-touching relationships. Objects that are “pivotally mounted to” each other could be touching, or they could be non-touching, separated by a pivotal mounting system and/or other structure.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     Further features of preferred embodiments of the invention will become apparent by reference to the detailed description of preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale, wherein like reference numbers, indicate like elements through the several views, and wherein,  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a folding seat according to the invention installed on a bulkhead of a boat and oriented for being sat upon.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  shows the seat of  FIG. 1  in a stowed or folded orientation.  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the seat of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a partial side view of the seat of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side view showing a securement feature of the seat which engages when the seat is sat upon.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]     With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the invention relates to a folding system  10  that is particularly useful for providing a folding bench seat on a boat. However, it will be understood that the system may also be configured for use in other vehicles and structures and may also be configured to provide a support other than a seat, such as a table or a bed.  
         [0012]     The system  10  is preferably mounted onto a surface of the boat such as a transom or a bulkhead  12  or other upright surface of a boat, with a cushion or back support  14  also preferably mounted to the bulkhead  12 . The system  10  preferably includes, as major components, a support  20 , a pair of guide plates  21  and  22 , a pair of guide followers  21   a  and  22   a , a leg frame  24 , and a pair of bias struts  26  and  27 .  
         [0013]     The support  20  is substantially planar and preferably configured as a bench seat and includes a cushioned seat surface  30  overlying and fixedly mounted to a rigid planar substrate  32 , preferably of substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners and of molded plastic or fiberglass construction. The planar substrate  32  preferably includes a lower surface  33  configured to define a handle recess  34 , a shoulder  35  for abutting the leg frame  24 , and strut recesses  36  and  37  for mounting of the struts  26  and  27 .  
         [0014]     With additional reference to  FIG. 4 , each of the guide plates  21  and  22  are preferably of welded stainless steel construction and each includes a mounting flange  40  and a main plate  42  extending outwardly from the mounting flange  40 . The mounting flange  40  is preferably configured to be positioned flat against the bulkhead  12  and may include apertures or the like for passage of fasteners, such as screws or the like, for securing the guide plate  21  to the bulkhead  12 .  
         [0015]     The main plate  42  defines a guide slot  44  for guidably receiving the guide  21   a . The guide slot  44  is preferably an elongate and generally linear slot defined through the main plate  42 , with a bulbous upper end  46  that is laterally offset from the length axis of the slot  44 . As explained in more detail below in connection with  FIG. 5 , the configuration of the upper end  46  of the slot  44  helps to maintain the support  20  in position when sat upon and to prevent the support  20  from inadvertently returning to a stowed or folded orientation during use. The guide plate  22  is preferably substantially identical to the guide plate  21 , except configured for mounting on the opposite side of the support  20 . A plastic cover or the like may preferably be positioned to overlie the exterior of the guide plates  21  and  22  for aesthetics and to avoid exposure of moving parts.  
         [0016]     The guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  are preferably provided as portions of steel rods which extend from the rearward sides of the support  20 , alternatively, the guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  may preferably be provided as by the opposite ends of a rod that extends through a rear portion of the support  20  and the guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  slide in the guide slots  44  of the guide plates  21  and  22 .  
         [0017]     The leg frame  24  is preferably provided as by a U-shaped portion of stainless steel tubing. The opposite free ends of the leg frame  24  may be pivotally mounted to the guide plates  21  and  22  as by bolts  48  and  50 , respectively, passed through corresponding apertures defined through the ends of the leg frame  24  and the guide plates  21  and  22 , and secured as by nuts threaded onto the bolts. The central portion of the leg frame  24  is preferably retained against the abutment  35  by metal straps  52  secured to the lower surface  33  of the support  20  as by screws or other fasteners. This orientation advantageously positions the leg frame  24  underneath the support  20  when the support  20  is oriented for use ( FIG. 1 ), and compactly locates the leg frame  24  against the surface  33  when the system is stowed ( FIG. 2 ).  
         [0018]     The bias strut  26  is preferably a pneumatic or hydraulic strut, such as a standard gas shock absorber, nitrogen cylinder or the like, having opposing ends  54  and  55 . The end  54  is pivotally mounted to the bolt  48  by a ball stud  56 . The end  55  is pivotally mounted by a ball stud  57  to a bracket  58  secured to the surface  33 , as by screws, within the recess  36 . The bias strut  27  is preferably substantially identical to the bias strut  26  and mounted in a similar manner.  
         [0019]     The bias struts  26  and  27  assist in positioning of the support  20  from the folded or stowed orientation of  FIG. 2  to the unfolded or use orientation as shown in  FIG. 1 . For example, the bias struts  26  and  27  are of compressed length when the support  20  is stowed, and are of extended length when the support  20  is in the use position. Thus, to deploy the support for use, a user may grasp the frame  24  by use of the handle recess  34  and exert an upward force to start upward movement of the guides in the guide slots, at which point the bias struts  26  and  27  will elongate and force the guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  upwardly along the slots  44  to the position shown in  FIG. 5 . The bias struts  26  and  27  urges the support  20  up and away from the bulkhead  12  and thus tends to hold the guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  in the bulbous upper end  46 .  
         [0020]     The bias struts  26  and  27  also help to inhibit rattling of the support  20 , such as when a boat is moving through the water with the support  20  deployed but not being sat in. For example, and with reference to  FIG. 5 , the guide  21   a  is shown bearing against an upper lobe  46   a  of the bulbous upper end  46  of the slot  44  with the upwardly oriented bias of the bias strut  26  maintaining this relationship of the guide  21   a  relative to the bulbous upper end  46 . In this orientation, it has been observed that the components of the system tend not to rattle when the boat is in use.  
         [0021]     With continuing reference to  FIG. 5 , the support  20  is shown (in phantom) in a lower orientation when subjected to a force F, such as when a user sits on the support  20 . In this circumstance, the force F, e.g., the weight of the user, is sufficient to overcome the upward bias of the bias struts  26  and  27  so that the guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  become oriented in a lower lobe  46   b  of the bulbous upper end  46 . It has been observed that this orientation inhibits the ability of the support  20  to be returned to the folded or stowed orientation such that accidental return of the system to a folded or stowed orientation when a user is seated is avoided. However, when the user is no longer seated, the bias struts  26  and  27  again urge the guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  into the upper lobes, such as lobe  46   a , and the system may be folded or stowed by pressing downwardly on the support  20  sufficiently to position the guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  at the mouth of the upper end  46  and then pushing downwardly to fold the support  20  down and slide the guide followers  21   a  and  22   a  down the slots  44  and  46 . If desired, a strap or the like may be utilized to help maintain the system in the stowed orientation.  
         [0022]     In the stowed orientation ( FIG. 2 ) the system is advantageously compact and configured so as to not impede toe room of the user relative to the bulkhead  12 . For example, during fishing a user may want to stand next to the bulkhead. As will be appreciated, no structure of the system is mounted to the floor and the stowed orientation leaves sufficient clearance so that a user may stand with the toes of the foot of the user against the bulkhead. The cushioned seat surface  30  is also pressed against the bulkhead  12  when the system is in the stowed orientation to help avoid opportunities for damage to the cushioned seat surface  30 .  
         [0023]     The foregoing description of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for purposes of illustration only, and it is understood that numerous modifications or alterations may be made in and to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
A folding boat seat system mountable to a vertical mounting surface such as a bulkhead of the boat. The system includes a seat; a pair of guide followers extending from opposite sides of the seat; a pair of guides mountable to the mounting surface and configured for receiving the guide followers; a substantially U-shaped frame member having opposite ends pivotally mounted adjacent the guide followers; and a pair of bias struts, each having a first end pivotally mounted adjacent one of the guides and a second end pivotally mounted to support the seat.