Patent Application
20050280299
The present invention relates generally to various designs for mounting adaptors for seat assemblies and seat assemblies using particular mounting adaptor designs. The adaptors may be used with any manner of seats and supports, such as seat back or base supports, or lumbar supports, and the like.
Seats such as vehicle seats may be constructed using a rigid internal frame having a support extending across portions of the frame. The supports may comprise metal members such as rods, coils, bars, straps, or the like. Examples of seat support configurations are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,880,271; 5,911,477; 6,152,531; 6,595,585; and Application No. U.S. 2003/0227203. Padding is placed over the supports and frames for comfort. The supports include back and bottom supports, as well as lumbar supports, which may be adjustable.
The devices disclosed in the above patent publications suffer from various drawbacks. Often, supports and frames are both made of metal, at least at the points of contact. For example, metal support hooks may extend into openings in or tabs extending from the frame. Such metal-to-metal contact between supports and framework can cause “BSR” issues (noise comprising buzz, squeak, and/or rattle). Also the ends of supports may come loose if they traverse too far in an outward direction, thereby detaching the seat supports. Connecting the supports and frames more securely adds complicated steps to assembly and/or additional parts.
Other designs have been proposed, for example where a plastic “omega-shaped” mounting element is attached to a frame, with the loop of the omega pointing inward. Such plastic element therefore can replace a somewhat similarly shaped tab (such as Tab 5A shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,531) to provide a quieter assembly. However, the omega-shaped element still suffers the drawback of allowing the ends of supports to be moved laterally outward of the loop. Further, this design loads the loop in tension, which can in some circumstances cause failure in plastic elements.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide various adaptor designs, and related seat assembly designs, along with related methods of assembly, all of which will provide simple structure, reliable use, and ease of assembly, overcoming one or more of the above or other drawbacks found in conventional devices.
According to certain aspects of the invention, a disclosed seat assembly includes a frame having a first side member and a second side member, a support attached to and extending substantially across the frame between the first and second side members, the support including at least one attachment portion, and an adaptor configured for attachment to the frame. The attachment portion of the support is securable to the adaptor thereby attaching the support to the frame, the attachment portion and adaptor configured so that loading of the support causes the attachment portion to load the adaptor substantially in compression. Various options and modifications are possible.
For example, the frame and attachment portion may be made of metal and the adaptor made of a non-metal. The non-metal may be one of a plastic, a silicone, or an elastomer. If desired, the attachment portion may be formed as a hook, and the adaptor may include a base for receiving the hook. The adaptor may also include a passageway adjacent the base for guiding the attachment portion to the base, or the adaptor may include a hood adjacent the base for precluding movement of the hook in an outward direction relative to the frame. The hook may include a bending distal end, the adaptor configured so that the bending distal end is disposed substantially outside the frame.
If desired, the attachment portion and adaptor may be configured so as to substantially limit translational sliding of the attachment portion relative to the adaptor. Also, the attachment portion and adaptor may be configured so that an extending area of contact exists between the adaptor and the attachment portion. The adaptor may be configured for receiving the attachment portion so that the attachment portion may travel substantially in only one plane relative to the adaptor. The adaptor and frame may be configured so that the adaptor snaps into place within the frame, and the adaptor may include at least one flange for seating against an outer portion of the frame.
If desired, the support may be a lumbar support. If so, an adjustment mechanism may be mounted to the frame for moving the lumbar support relative to the frame. The lumbar support may include at least one spring member, the attachment portion extending from an end of the spring member. Alternatively, the support may be one of a seat back or bottom having a plurality of the attachment portions, and a plurality of the adaptors are provided, each adaptor for securing one of the attachment portions to the frame.
According to other aspects of the invention, a lumbar support seat assembly includes a frame having a first side member and a second side member, a lumbar support assembly attached to and extending substantially across the frame between the first and second side members, the lumbar support assembly including two attachment portions, and two adaptors configured for attachment to the frame. One adaptor is attached to the first side member and the other adaptor being attached to the second side member. Each attachment portion of the lumbar support assembly is securable to a respective one of the adaptors thereby attaching the lumbar support assembly to the frame, the attachment portion and adaptors configured so that loading of the lumbar support assembly causes the attachment portion to load the adaptors substantially in compression. As above, various options and modifications are possible.
According to other aspects of the invention, an adaptor for a seat assembly is disclosed, the adaptor for mounting a support extending substantially across a frame between first and second side members, the adaptor attachable to an opening in the frame, the support including a hook having a bending distal end. The adaptor includes a non-metal body including a mounting structure configured for attaching the body to the opening in the frame, a passageway extending through the body for receiving the hook, a base within the body for securing the bending distal end of the hook to the adaptor, and the mounting structure configured so that when the support is loaded the adaptor is loaded by the hook substantially in compression. As above, various options and modifications are possible.
According to still other aspects of the invention, a seat assembly includes a frame having a first side member and a second side member, a support attached to and extending substantially across the frame between the first and second side members, the support including at least one hook-shaped attachment portion having a distal end, and an adaptor configured for attachment to the frame. The attachment portion of the support is securable to the adaptor thereby attaching the support to the frame, the adaptor defining a passageway for receiving the attachment portion, a base for seating the distal end, and a hood for precluding movement of the attachment portion in an outward direction relative to the frame. Again, various modifications and options are possible.
According to other aspects of the invention, a lumbar support seat assembly includes a frame having a first side member and a second side member, a lumbar support assembly attached to and extending substantially across the frame between the first and second side members, the lumbar support assembly including two hook-shaped attachment portions each having a distal end, and two adaptors configured for attachment to the frame. One adaptor is attached to the first side member and the other adaptor being attached to the second side member, each attachment portion of the lumbar support assembly being securable to a respective one of the adaptors thereby attaching the lumbar support assembly to the frame, the adaptors each defining a passageway for receiving a respective attachment portion, and a base for seating a respective distal end. A hood precludes the movement of the respective attachment portion in an outward direction relative to the frame. As above, various options and modifications are possible.
According to still other aspects of the invention, an adaptor is disclosed for a seat assembly, the adaptor for mounting a support extending substantially across a frame between first and second side members, the adaptor attachable to an opening in the frame, the support including a hook having a bending distal end. The adaptor includes a body including a mounting structure configured for attaching the body to the opening in the frame, a passageway extending through the body for receiving the hook, a base within the body for securing the bending distal end of the hook to the adaptor, and a hood for precluding movement of the distal end in an outward direction relative to the frame. As above, various options and modifications are also possible within the scope of the invention.
The above and other aspects and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the detailed description below and in combination with the drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the figures. Each embodiment is presented for purposes of explaining the invention, and not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to yield still a different embodiment. It is intended that the invention include these and other modifications and variations as come within the scope and spirit of the invention.
As shown, supports 18 comprise vertical support members of a seat back support. Supports 18 include spring portions 18a, as shown. Support 20 comprises a bar extending across the seat back portion without any spring portion. Supports 22 comprise bars, similar to supports 18 having spring portions 22a and extending across a seat back portion. Supports 24 comprise spring members such as sinuous members extending across the entire frame. Supports 26 and 28 comprise bars extending across seat bottom portion 10b, and include spring portions 26a and 28a.
Support 30 comprises a lumbar support assembly. As broadly shown herein, the lumbar support assembly includes a conventional support plate 32, an adjustment mechanism 34, a cable such as a Bowden cable 36 connecting the adjustment mechanism with other portions of the lumbar support assembly, such as springs 38. As is known, rotation of the adjustment assembly causes the adjustment cable to move in a way to move lumbar support plate 32 back and forth within the seat to improve comfort of the user of the seat.
Adaptors 16 are shown as used with each of the ends of all of the supports shown in
Typically, frame 12 is comprised substantially of metal members, and supports 18-30 also comprise a number of metal members as well. Particularly, the ends of supports 18-30 where the supports attach to portions of frame 12 are typically metal, having bending distal ends in the form of a hook or the like. It should be understood that, as shown below, such attachment portion shapes do provide certain benefits, but such shapes are not required for practice of all aspects of the present invention.
As shown in
As shown in
Adaptor 16 may also include additional structure for improving the mounting and retaining of attachment portion 42 of support 40 within adaptor 16. For example, a passageway 58 may be defined through adaptor 16 for guiding attachment portion 42 to base 56. The passageway may be generally in the form of an open trough or a tunnel, as desired. Also, a hood 60 may be provided at an outer portion of adaptor 16 so as to prevent movement of attachment portion 42 in an outward direction relative to frame 12 once assembled.
Use of passageway 58 and/or hood 60 improves the security of the attachment between parts without requiring more complex metal work, crimping, clips, etc. Thus, once assembled, attachment portion 42 and adaptor 16 are so configured so as to substantially limit translational sliding of the attachment portion relative to the adaptor in any direction. That is, hood 60 prevents attachment portion 42 from moving outward, base 56 prevents the attachment portion from moving inward or downward (as shown in
As shown in
As stated above, various options are possible with the adaptor, seat assembly, including a lumbar support assembly, shown herein. For example, it would be possible to reverse mounting flange 50 and arms 48 so that adaptor 16 would snap in from the inside, rather than the outside. Also, it would be possible to change the arrangement of base 56 relative to frame 12 such that base 56 would be loaded in tension, rather than compression.
It should also be understood that other types of support attachment portions could be utilized while still obtaining certain benefits of the invention. Thus, if desired, any of the supports shown in
Accordingly, it should be understood that the above disclosure is an exemplary disclosure of various options, and should not be considered limiting as to the full scope of the invention. It is possible to mix and match different features from the different figures to achieve new or revised embodiments. The true scope and spirit of the present invention is set forth in the appending claims and their equivalents.
