Vehicle seat assembly and method of installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11845364-B2
Application number	US-202117538149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2021
Priority date	Nov 30, 2021
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat main frame including a seat back attached to the seat main frame. The vehicle seat assembly also includes left and right side members in which each side member defines an outboard seat back bolster and an armrest. The armrest has a forward attachment bracket for attachment to the seat main frame. The vehicle seat assembly also includes a seat base including a seat base frame attached to the seat main frame and left and right corner cover members separate from the respective left and right side members and the seat base. Each corner cover member is adapted to cover the forward attachment bracket of the corresponding side member. Further, the left and right corner cover members conceal the attachment of the left and right side members to the seat main frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
a seat main frame including a seat back attached to the seat main frame;
left and right side members, each side member defining an outboard seat back bolster and an armrest and including a cushion cover, the armrest having a forward attachment bracket for attachment to the seat main frame;
a seat base including a seat base frame attached to the seat main frame; and
left and right corner cover members separate from the respective left and right side members and the seat base, each corner cover member is provided beneath each respective cushion cover and is adapted to cover the forward attachment bracket of the corresponding side member, the left and right corner cover members concealing the attachment of the left and right side members to the seat main frame.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , including a cushion cover member positioned beneath the seat base for covering the attachment of the seat base frame and the seat main frame.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 2 , wherein each end portion of the cushion cover member is attached to the seat main frame, and each corner cover member is adapted to cover the attachment of the cushion cover member to the seat main frame.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 2 , wherein each corner cover member is shaped as both a lower extension of the armrest of the corresponding side member and a lateral extension of the cushion cover member.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 4 , wherein each corner cover member includes a recessed portion shaped to be complementarily fitted beneath a forward corner portion of the seat base.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 4 , wherein an outer surface of each corner cover member is substantially flush with both an outer forward facing surface of the armrest of the corresponding side member and an outer side surface of the cushion cover member.

7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the left and right side members is a unitary, one-piece component, the bolster integral with the armrest; and each of the left and right side members includes a single cushion cover covering both the bolster and the armrest.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , including a cushion cover member positioned beneath the seat base for covering the attachment of the seat base frame and the seat main frame, and each corner cover member is configured as an extension of the armrest of the corresponding side member for interconnecting each armrest and the cushion cover member.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , in combination with a vehicle body, the vehicle body including left and right side panel members, wherein the vehicle seat assembly is fitted between the left and right side panel members with the left side member and the left corner cover member in abutment with the left side panel member, and with the right side member and the right corner cover member in abutment with the right side panel member.

10. The combination of claim 9 , wherein an outer forward facing surface of the armrest of the left side member and an outer surface of the left corner cover member is shaped to mate with an inner surface of the left side panel member, and an outer forward facing surface of the armrest of the right side member and an outer surface of the right corner cover member is shaped to mate with an inner surface of the right side panel member.

11. The combination of claim 10 , wherein the armrest of each of the left and right side members, the left and right corner cover members and the cushion cover member are configured to together define a substantially continuous outer surface of the vehicle seat assembly that spans between the left and right side panel members of the vehicle body.

12. A method of assembling a seat within a vehicle body, the method comprising:
attaching a seat main frame to the vehicle body, the seat main frame including a seat back wherein left and right sides of the seat back including respective left and right recessed portions;
attaching a left side member to a left side of the seat main frame, the left side member defining a left outboard bolster positioned in the left recessed portion and a left armrest;
attaching a right side member to a right side of the seat main frame, the right side member defining a right outboard bolster positioned in the right recessed portion and a right armrest;
attaching a seat base frame to the seat main frame, the seat base frame including a seat base;
attaching a cushion cover member to the seat main frame beneath the seat base for covering the attachment of the seat base frame and the seat main frame;
attaching a left corner cover member to the left armrest and a left end portion of the cushion cover member; and
attaching a right corner cover member to the right armrest and a right end portion of the cushion cover member.

13. The method of claim 12 , including configuring the left and right corner cover members to conceal the attachment of the respective left and right side members to the seat main frame and to conceal the attachment of cushion cover member to the seat main frame.

14. The method of claim 13 , including configuring the left corner cover member as a continuous lower extension of the left armrest and a continuous left lateral extension of the cushion cover member, and configuring the right corner cover member as a continuous lower extension of the right armrest and a continuous right lateral extension of the cushion cover member.

15. The method of claim 12 , including attaching left and right side panel members to the vehicle body, and fitting the seat between the left and right side panel members with the left side member and the left corner cover member in abutment with the left side panel member, and with the right side member and the right corner cover member in abutment with the right side panel member.

16. The method of claim 15 , including configuring the left and right armrests, the left and right corner cover members and the cushion cover member to together define a substantially continuous outer surface of the seat that spans between the left and right side panel members of the vehicle body.

17. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
a seat main frame including a seat back attached to the seat main frame, left and right sides of the seat back include respective left and right recessed portions;
a left side member defined by a left outboard bolster and a left armrest, the left armrest having a left forward attachment bracket for attachment to the seat main frame, the left outboard bolster positioned in the left recessed portion;
a right side member defined by a right outboard bolster and a right armrest, the right armrest having a right forward attachment bracket for attachment to the seat main frame, the right outboard bolster positioned in the right recessed portion;
a seat base including a seat base frame attached to the seat main frame;
a cushion cover member positioned beneath the seat base for covering the attachment of the seat base frame and the seat main frame;
a left corner cover member separate from the left side member and adapted to cover the attachment of the left forward attachment bracket to the seat main frame; and
a right corner cover member separate from the right side member and adapted to cover the attachment of the right forward attachment bracket to the seat main frame.

18. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 17 , wherein left and right end portions of the cushion cover member is attached to the seat main

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Junichi
• Rosero Fernando M
• Daume Eric D

Classifications

• B60N2/0292 Primary

  Multiple configuration seats, e.g. for spacious vehicles or mini-buses · CPC title

• B60N2/62

  Thigh-rests {(B60N2/914 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N2/682

  Joining means · CPC title

• B60N2/686

  Panel like structures · CPC title

• B60N2/986

  Side-rests (B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence) · CPC title