Patent Application
20170065086
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of furniture pieces and, more particularly, to an improved seatback, a flexible panel for a seatback and a method of making a seatback.
Description of Related Art
Seating apparatus often include a seat with an upstanding seatback connected to the seat to provide added comfort. Seatbacks typically comprise a frame with vertical and/or horizontal supports. The structural elements are typically rigid and many are formed from steel. This means prior seatbacks can be heavy and uncomfortable. Foam and other materials that might add comfort add to product cost. Additionally, seats for vehicular and watercraft applications, for example, where weight influences design features, are labor intensive because most seatbacks have to be welded together or assembled to produce a sturdy regulatory compliant piece.
Besides slow manufacturing and assembly, current seatback structures tend to be heavy and non-deployable. Their elasticity also degrades through repeated stresses and load bearing. Some metal seatback frames rust and eventually break down as well. This is especially the case in marine and vehicular applications.
Thus, an improved seatback, a flexible panel for a seatback that is durable with load bearing versatility and a method of making such an improved seatback are highly desirable. Such a seatback design should have fewer metal parts for easy rapid manufacture, be lightweight and deployable, rigid with dynamic reinforcement, and possess longer useful life.
The invention provides a new seatback design with parts that may be assembled by hand. Besides taking less time to manufacture, the new seatback is lighter and more deployable because of its unique combination of structural and material elements. One embodiment of the seatback includes a seatback frame adapted to be connected to a seat. The seatback frame has a pair of opposite sides. A panel support extends between and connects at opposite ends, respectively, to the sides of the frame. At least one flexible panel with a fastener portion is provided for connecting the flexible panel to the panel support. And a stop member is connected to the frame for impeding movement of the flexible panel relative to the seatback frame.
In another embodiment of the invention, there is a method of making a seatback, which includes the steps of: (i) providing a rigid seatback frame with a panel support. The seatback frame is adapted to be connected to a seat; (ii) providing at least one flexible panel with a top fastener portion; (iii) connecting the fastener portion of the panel by hand to the panel support so the flexible panel may rotate freely from the support; and (iv) connecting a stop member to the frame to impede the rotation of the panel on the panel support.
The flexible panel is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, metal alloy or plastic.
In some embodiments, the panel is formed from a thermoplastic composite material.
In one embodiment, the panel has a tensile strength between about 37 and 38 N/mm2 and a flex modulus of about 600 ksi.
In some embodiments, the panel has an arcuate shape along its length.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved seatback. It is another object of the invention to provide a flexible panel for a seatback that is durable with load bearing versatility and a method of making such an improved seatback.
Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, specific embodiments have been described. It should nevertheless be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive in character, and that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described components, elements, processes, or devices, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein, are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Generally, the seatback 10 has a seatback frame 20 adapted to be connected to a seat 12, as shown in
Preferably, the seatback frame 20 is formed from tube steel, and a steel panel support 30 and stop member 40 are welded to the sides of the frame 20. Other rigid materials, including metals and alloys suitable for the application disclosed at the time of this writing and which are readily available to skilled artisans my be utilized to make the seatback frame 20, panel support 30 and stop member 40. In some embodiments, the stop member is integrated into the frame. In other embodiments, the stop member 40 does not extend the full distance between the sides 22, 24 of the frame 20.
With reference to
In some embodiments, the bottom 66 of the panel has a sloped portion 67, which rests against a stop member 40 connected to and extending between the sides 22, 24 of the frame 20. The panel 60 thus provides a slightly outwardly protruding flexible load bearing front side 80 for the seatback. Panel 60 is therefore rigid with dynamic reinforcement.
In one embodiment, the flexible panel 60 includes a front side or upper mold piece 80, a back side or lower mold piece 90, and a central reinforcing axial rib 92 formed on or in the back side 90. The flexible panel may be formed from stress treated wood, metal, such as rolled steel or the like, metal alloy or other material of a suitable thickness/gauge to yield the desired flexible properties. Applications employing wood include wood additives to increase life and flexibility of the wood. In some embodiments, the flexible panel 60 is formed from one of numerous known thermoplastic polymeric materials and methods. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), shape memory polymer composites and high strain composites are examples.
In the preferred embodiments, the panel 60 is molded from a commercially produced glass-filled Polypropylene copolymer composite material having a silica/ash content of between about 19-24 percent, a tensile strength between about 37 and 38 N/mm2 using Active Standard ASTM D638 and a flex modulus of about 600 ksi using test standard D790.
Since the panel(s) 60 of the invention covers most all of the load bearing seatback area, fewer metal supportive and fastening elements are necessary. And the improved seatback 10 is longer lasting, lighter in weight and more deployable as a result. Because during manufacture of the seatback flexible panel(s) 60 may be placed onto the panel support by hand, e.g., snap-fit, mating, and latching, the inventor has achieved especially rapid manufacturing times for the subject seats. No welding is required.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, specific embodiments have been described. It should nevertheless be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive in character, and that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described components, elements, processes, or devices, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein, are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
This application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 62/213,758, filed Sep. 3, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62213758 | Sep 2015 | US |
