Patent Grant
7690732
The invention relates to seat assemblies, such as those typically found in auditoriums, theaters or the like, and more specifically to a seat assembly comprising flexible weaving within molded foam.
Auditorium seating typically includes a seat and a back mounted to a frame assembly, with the back being fixed and the seat being pivotable throughout a range of movement. The seating surfaces generally include a rigid frame, a padding layer over at least a portion of the frame, and a seat cover. Some of such seating surfaces also include metal springs or wire mesh connected to the frame beneath or within the padding. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,310,034 and 3,264,034 to Lawson.
A disadvantage of prior art seating assemblies is that they generally require welding and/or other fastening means to attach the springs or wire mesh. Springs are also relatively costly due to the materials required and the tooling to manufacture the springs and wire mesh. Further, springs and wire mesh can often be felt while sitting on the seat, particularly after the padding begins to wear from its contact with the springs or mesh. Springs, in particular, are often noisy as well. A further disadvantage is that metal springs and mesh are prone to rush and corrosion.
Some seats, particularly in the automobile industry, have incorporated load bearing webs or sheets in place of springs and wire mesh. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,907 to Witzke discloses a vehicle seat assembly including a frame having side rails and a load carrying pre-stretched web mounted on and extending between the side rails. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,522 to Vail et al. discloses a vehicle seating assembly including a frame and a fibrous matrix encapsulated in a foam body. Witzke and Vail, however, both disclose a seat in which a single continuous web is connected between two side rails. Furthermore, the web requires complicated mounting means such as the J-clip mounting members and flanges taught by Witzke.
What is desired, therefore, is an improved seat assembly to overcome the disadvantages in the prior art. What is also desired is an improved seat assembly for auditorium and theater applications.
According, it is an object of the present invention to provide a seat assembly including a frame and flexible woven supports within a molded seat cushion.
It is a further object to provide a seat assembly having a reduced thickness compared to prior art seat assemblies for additional space and ease of egress.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple and cost effective method to manufacture seat assemblies of any number of sizes and designs.
These and other objectives are achieved by providing a seat assembly including an assembly frame having at least two seat connection brackets, a seat frame, two or more connectors attached to the seat frame, the two or more connectors removably attached to the two or more seat connection brackets, two or more flexible supports extending across at least a portion of the seat frame, each support including a woven material, and a foam cushion including one or more holes, wherein the seat frame and the two or more flexible supports are molded within the foam cushion, and wherein the one or more connectors extend at least partially within the one or more holes.
Further provided is a seating surface including a seat frame circumscribing an opening, two or more flexible supports fixed to the seat frame and extending across the opening, at least two connectors attached to the seat frame, the connectors adaptable to connect the seat frame to an assembly frame, and a cushion including foam molded about the seat frame and the two or more flexible supports, wherein the cushion includes at least two holes, and wherein the at least two connectors extend at least partially within the at least two holes.
In other respects, the present invention is concerned with the provision of a method for manufacturing a seat assembly including the steps of a providing an assembly frame having at least two seat connection brackets, providing a seat frame having an opening and two or more connectors attached to the seat frame, attaching two or more flexible supports to the seat frame across the opening, and cold molding a foam cushion around the seat frame and the two or more flexible supports, the cushion including two or more holes, wherein the two or more connectors extend at least partially within the two or more holes.
In some embodiments, the method includes the step of removably attaching the two or more connectors to the two or more seat connection brackets. The method may further include the steps of providing a back frame having a second opening, attaching two or more flexible back supports to the back frame across the second opening, cold molding a second foam cushion around at least a portion of the back frame and the two or more flexible back supports, and attaching the back frame to the assembly frame.
Other objects, features and advantages according to the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of certain advantageous embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the same components are identified by the same reference numerals.
The seat portion 130 is attached to the assembly frame 110 via one or more connection mechanisms 140. The connection mechanism 140 may be any means to connect one (or multiple) seat portions 130 to a frame 110. For example, the connection mechanism 140 may employ one or more brackets (e.g., 142) attached to the assembly frame 110 and one or more associated connectors attached to the seat portion 130 or a frame thereof. In some embodiments, the connection mechanism 140 is a rotatable connection. See, for example, the seat connection mechanisms disclosed in the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,834 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,549, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The seat portion 130 further includes any number of flexible supports 210 extending across and/or around the seat frame 202. For example, the seat portion 130 may include supports 210a extending in a first direction and supports 210b extending in a second (e.g., crosswise) direction as shown in
Referring back to
As shown in
A cover 122 and/or 132 may then be applied to the seat portion, if desired (307). For example, a seat cover 132 which encloses the seat frame, the two or more flexible supports and the foam cushion, may be used. Preferably the seat cover is fitted to the cushion and includes a zipper for ease of assembly and removal. Further, the seat cover may include two or more cover holes 133 coinciding with the two or more holes of the foam cushion. As one of ordinary skill in the art will understand, the cover may comprise any material, such as a fabric, textile, leather, etc. Covers may also be replaced and interchanged as desired.
The method further includes a step of removeably attaching or engaging the two or more connectors of the seat to connection brackets or mechanisms on the assembly frame (309). The seat may be rotateably attached to an assembly frame (i.e., for rotation from a seated position to a stored position), or attached in a fixed seated position.
The method according to the present invention may also include steps of manufacturing and installing a back portion of the seat assembly. In some embodiments, the back portion is constructed using convention methods. However, in preferred embodiments, the back portion is manufactured by providing a back frame, attaching two or more flexible back supports across the back frame (and/or an opening of the back frame), and cold molding a second foam cushion around the back frame and its supports. Depending on the connection means employed, the cushion of the back portion may encompass the entire back frame and supports, or only a portion thereof.
Advantages of the present include the provision of a seat assembly that is light weight, comfortable, and cost effective. The present invention provides a seat assembly that may be thinner than prior art assemblies while providing better strength and support. The reduced size further provides for ease of egress and a smaller required envelope for rotation of the seat bottom. The disclosed seat assembly is also substantially more durable and has a longer lifecycle than prior art seats employing springs and/or wire mesh. The enclosed interior of the seat assembly according to the present invention is also not prone to condensation, and rust, as is a problem in the prior art. The present invention also enables the manufacture of any number of seat designs using the same or similar support material and within little or no new tooling.
Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080203790 A1 | Aug 2008 | US |
