Patent Application
20180361977
The present disclosure generally relates to a back panel for a vehicle, and more particularly to a stab proof back panel for a law enforcement vehicle.
Special accommodations are generally provided in vehicles of law enforcement agents. Oftentimes, the interior and exterior of the vehicles are strengthened to accommodate the aggressive behavior of some occupants, and also to protect the law enforcement agent. One such area of a vehicle that is made more robust may be the seatbacks of the front seats. The seatbacks may be strengthened or otherwise thickened to minimize the likelihood that an incarcerated individual in the back seat could stab or otherwise cause harm to a law enforcement agent in the front seat.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a seating assembly includes a seat and a seatback. The seatback is operably coupled with the seat. A back panel is disposed on a backside of the seat and includes a metal insert. An injection molded polymeric panel is formed around the metal insert. The metal insert is retained by the polymeric panel by a ribbon style mechanical lock. Peripheral attachment features are disposed about an outer perimeter of the back panel for securing the back panel with a frame of the seatback.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a seatback for a seating assembly includes a cushion and a back panel. The back panel includes a stab proof insert. An injection molded polymeric panel is formed around the stab proof insert. The stab proof insert is retained by the polymeric panel by a ribbon style mechanical lock. Peripheral attachment features are disposed about an outer perimeter of the back panel for securing the back panel with a frame of the seatback.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle seating assembly includes a seatback. A back panel is disposed on a backside of a seat and includes a stab proof insert. An injection molded polymeric panel is formed around the stab proof insert. The stab proof insert is retained by the polymeric panel by a ribbon style mechanical lock. Peripheral attachment features are disposed about an outer perimeter of the back panel for securing the back panel with a frame of the seatback. A recess is defined in an external surface of the back panel. The stab proof insert includes an indent that is complementary in size and shape to the recess.
Embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, and the third aspect of the present disclosure, as set forth in the preceding paragraphs, can include any one or a combination of the following features:
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present disclosure will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In the drawings:
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in
In this document, relational terms, such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like, are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
Referring to the embodiment generally illustrated in
With reference again to
As illustrated in
With reference again to
The internal surface 72 of the back panel 16 also includes a plurality of inner attachment features 80, 82. The upper inner attachment features 80 are disposed within a periphery of the recess 56 and are configured to engage a portion of the frame 30 or connecting features disposed on a carrier positioned on the frame 30. The lower inner attachment features 82 are configured to engage a lower portion of the frame 30 or a portion of the carrier. The back panel 16 generally conceals the inner framework and inner working components of the seatback 14. The back panel 16 is generally constructed the same for civilian use and law enforcement use, but with some robust modifications for law enforcement use. Thus, the back panel 16 can be made with the same processes for each application. It will be understood that the mechanical lock ribbons 68 that generally define the plurality of formed windows 70 may be of a variety of thicknesses and lengths, resulting in different sized windows. In addition, it will be generally understood that because the stab proof insert 20 is stamped and then overmolded to define the back panel 16, a wide variety of shapes and constructions may be considered that are otherwise not available when the stab proof inserts 20 are sewn into the back panel 16 constructions.
With reference now to
With reference to
It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the described disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or moveable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.
It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.
It is also to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structures and methods without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
