Seat back frame for vehicle and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11318870-B2
Application number	US-201816764877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2018
Priority date	Nov 16, 2017
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A seat back frame for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a frame body consisting of a thermoplastic fiber reinforced composite material; a reinforcing agent joined to the inside of the frame body; and a cover sheet joined to the outside of the frame body. According to the present invention, the frame is lightweight while maintaining rigidity and strength like a steel frame, and a cover sheet is joined thereto, thereby enabling a board which is further joined to the seat back frame to be omitted, which leads to the achievement of a slimmed and fabric-integrated seat back frame for a vehicle. Also, a cover sheet is joined to a body frame by using a vacuum adsorption scheme, which leads to the achievement of a method for manufacturing a seat back frame for a vehicle having improved joining force and increased merchantability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seatback frame for a vehicle, the seatback frame comprising:
a frame body made of a thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composite material;
a reinforcing member coupled to an inner side of the frame body; and
a cover sheet coupled to an outer side of the frame body,
wherein the reinforcing member includes:
a first reinforcing part extending across the frame body horizontally;
a second reinforcing part disposed on each of both sides of the frame body, wherein the second reinforcing part is connected to the first reinforcing part;
a third reinforcing part extending the frame body vertically, wherein the third reinforcing part is connected to the first reinforcing part; and
a fourth reinforcing part formed on an outer periphery of the frame body, wherein the fourth reinforcing part is connected to the second reinforcing part and the third reinforcing part,
wherein the reinforcing member further include a headrest connector connected to the third reinforcing part,
wherein the headrest connector has a hole defined therein for receiving a headrest therein, and
wherein the cover sheet is formed of a stack structure in which a surface treatment layer, a primer layer, a sheet layer, and a back primer layer are stacked one on top of another, or wherein the cover sheet is formed of a stack structure in which a surface treatment layer, a primer layer, a sheet layer, and a polypropylene (PP) or a thermoplastic olefin (TPO) foam layer are stacked one on top of another.

2. The seatback frame of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composite material includes a continuous-fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin (CFT) or a composite resin containing a continuous-fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin (CFT).

3. The seatback frame of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing member is made of a long-fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin (LFT) or is made of a material containing a long-fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin (LFT).

4. A method for manufacturing a seatback frame for a vehicle, the method comprising:
a body frame forming step for forming a body frame made of a thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composite material;
a reinforcing member forming step for injection-molding a reinforcing member to an inner side of the body frame; and
a cover sheet coupling step for coupling a cover sheet to an outer side of the body frame,
wherein the reinforcing member includes:
a first reinforcing part extending across the frame body horizontally;
a second reinforcing part disposed on each of both sides of the frame body, wherein the second reinforcing part is connected to the first reinforcing part;
a third reinforcing part extending the frame body vertically, wherein the third reinforcing part is connected to the first reinforcing part; and
a fourth reinforcing part formed on an outer periphery of the frame body, wherein the fourth reinforcing part is connected to the second reinforcing part and the third reinforcing part,
wherein the reinforcing member further include a headrest connector connected to the third reinforcing part,
wherein the headrest connector has a hole defined therein for receiving a headrest therein, and
wherein the cover sheet is formed of a stack structure in which a surface treatment layer, a primer layer, a sheet layer, and a back primer layer are stacked one on top of another, or wherein the cover sheet is formed of a stack structure in which a surface treatment layer, a primer layer, a sheet layer, and a polypropylene (PP) or a thermoplastic olefin (TPO) foam layer are stacked one on top of another.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the cover sheet coupling step includes:
selectively preheating the cover sheet and the body frame; and
pressing the cover sheet against the body frame using an upper die while the body frame is seated on a lower die, such that the cover sheet is coupled to the body frame.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the cover sheet coupling step includes:
vacuum-suctioning the cover sheet through the lower die while the body frame is seated on the lower die, such that the cover sheet is in close contact with the body frame; and
pressing the cover sheet against the body frame using the upper die while the cover sheet is in close contact with the body frame.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a hole is formed in the body frame, and a suction hole corresponding to the hole is formed in the lower die, wherein the cover sheet is vacuum-suctioned through the suction hole.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composite material includes a continuous-fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin (CFT) or a composite resin containing a continuous-fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin (CFT).

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reinforcing member is made of a long-fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin (LFT) or is made of a material containing a long-fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin (LFT).

Assignees

• Lg Hausys Ltd

Inventors

• Moon Hyoung-Jun
• Park Sang-Hyeon
• Kil Yong-Kil
• Kim Dong-Gwan
• Kang Yong-Han
• Kim Hee-June
• Lee Eun-Guk

Classifications

• B60N2/686

  Panel like structures · CPC title

• B60N2/682 Primary

  Joining means · CPC title

• B29K2101/12

  Thermoplastic materials · CPC title

• B60N2205/35

  Seat, bench or back-rests being split laterally in two or more parts · CPC title

• B60N2/58

  Seat coverings · CPC title