Backing strap secured to a concave seatback with tie-down straps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12179647-B2
Application number	US-202318152811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2023
Priority date	Apr 8, 2022
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle seat having a seat cover including an outer cover, a padding layer, and a backing element that are joined together with stitches or a lamination joint. A seat cover retention apparatus is operatively connected to the backing element wherein a plurality of straps secure the backing element to the vehicle seat structure. Lateral side straps are secured to the backing element and extend through openings defined by the foam bun and are secured to the frame and/or the foam bun. A center strap is secured to the backing element and extends through a center opening to be secured to a back side of the foam bun and/or frame. The backing element may be an elastic strap or a layer of non-woven fleece material with slits for the straps. The straps may be elastic material or non-woven material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat comprising:
a frame including a plurality of connected wires;
a foam bun supported by the frame, the foam bun defining a plurality of openings;
a seat cover including an outer cover and a padding layer;
a backing element joined to a back surface of the outer cover and padding layer; and
a plurality of straps securing the backing element to the frame and the foam bun at spaced locations.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the plurality of straps further comprise:
a right side strap secured to the backing element adjacent a right side opening defined by the foam bun and a left side strap secured to the backing strap adjacent a left side opening defined by the foam bun, wherein the right side strap extends through the right side opening and is secured to the frame, and wherein the left side strap extends through the left side opening and is secured to the frame; and
a center strap secured to the backing strap adjacent the center opening and extends through the center opening and is secured to a back side of the foam bun that faces the frame.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 2 wherein the right side strap and the left side strap include loops that are looped around the backing strap, and wherein the center strap includes a center loop that is looped around the backing strap.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 3 wherein the right side strap is attached to a right side hook that is hooked over a wire of the frame, and the left side strap is attached to a left side hook that is hooked over a wire of the frame.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 3 wherein the center strap is attached to an adhesive pad that secures the center strap to the back side of the foam bun.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the backing element is an elastic strap, and wherein the elastic strap is joined to the outer cover and padding layer with spaced apart stitches.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the backing element is a non-woven fleece material that is joined to the outer cover and padding layer, and wherein the non-woven fleece material defines a plurality of slits that the plurality of straps are received in to secure the non-woven fleece material to the frame and foam bun.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 1 further comprising:
an actuator secured to the foam bun that is adapted to push and pull the seat cover in fore and aft directions to provide a massage function to a person seated in the vehicle seat.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the backing element joined to the outer cover and padding layer as a lamination.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the foam bun defines a concave seating surface.

11. A vehicle seat comprising:
a frame including a plurality of connected wires;
a foam bun having a concave front surface and including a back surface supported by the frame, the foam bun defining a plurality of right side openings, a plurality of left side openings, and a plurality of center openings, wherein each of the respective openings are vertically spaced;
a seat cover including an outer cover and a padding layer joined together;
at least one backing element extending across a back surface of the seat cover and being joined to the padding layer;
a plurality of right side straps secured to the at least one backing element adjacent one of the right side openings and a plurality of left side straps secured to the at least one backing element adjacent the one of the left side openings, wherein the right side straps each extend through one of the right side openings and is secured to the frame or foam bun, and wherein the left side straps each extend through one of the left side openings and is secured to the frame or foam bun; and
a plurality of center straps secured to one of the backing straps adjacent one of the center openings and extend through one of the center openings and are secured to a back side of the foam bun that faces the frame or the frame.

12. The vehicle seat of claim 11 wherein the backing element is an elastic strap, and wherein the elastic strap is joined to the outer cover and padding layer with spaced apart quilting stitches.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 11 wherein the backing element is a non-woven fleece material that is joined to the outer cover and padding layer, and wherein the non-woven fleece material defines a plurality of slits that the plurality side straps and center straps are received in to secure the non-woven fleece material to the frame and foam bun.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 13 wherein the right side straps are each attached to a right side hook that is hooked over a wire of the frame, and the left side straps are each attached to a left side hook that is hooked over a wire of the frame.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 14 wherein the center straps are each is attached to an adhesive pad that secures the center straps to the back side of the foam bun.

16. The vehicle seat of claim 11 further comprising:
a plurality of actuators secured to the foam bun that are adapted to push and pull the seat cover in fore and aft directions to provide a massage function to a person seated in the vehicle seat.

17. The vehicle seat of claim 11 wherein the backing element joined to the outer cover and padding layer as a lamination.

18. A method on manufacturing a vehicle seat comprising:
providing a seat back shell and a frame that support a foam bun that defines a concave seating surface;
joining a padding layer and a backing element to a seat cover, wherein the backing element extends across a back surface of the padding layer;
assembling a right side strap to the backing element, through a right side opening defined by the foam bun, and attaching the right side strap loop to the frame;
assembling a left side strap to the backing element, through a left side opening defined by the foam bun, and attaching the left side strap loop to the frame; and
assembling a center strap to the backing element, through a center opening defined by the foam bun, and attaching the center strap loop to a backside surface of the foam bun.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of joining a padding layer, and a backing element to a seat cover is performed by sewing the backing element that is made of an elastic material to the padding layer and the seat cover with spaced apart quilting stitches.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of joining a padding layer, and a backing element to a seat cover is performed by laminating the backing element that is made of a non-woven material to the padding layer and the seat cover.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Wang Qichao
• Yang Yong
• He Peng
• Gu Fengcheng
• Simha Chandrashekar
• Bao Lizhen
• Li Jiajun

Classifications

• B60N2/5825

  by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like · CPC title

• B60N2/643

  shape of the back-rests (B60N2/66 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/976

  massaging systems · CPC title

• B60N2/646

  shape of the cushion · CPC title

• B60N2/5883

  by sewing, stitching or threading · CPC title