Locator brackets for fluid reservoirs, and seat assemblies and vehicle including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12552297-B2
Application number	US-202418583077-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2024
Priority date	Feb 21, 2024
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A locator bracket for attaching one or more fluid reservoirs to a seat assembly is disclosed. The locator bracket includes a connector member, a first receiving member provided at a first end of the connector bracket, and one or more clip holes formed in the connector bracket. The first receiving member includes a pressure gauge wall defining a pressure gauge receiving cavity, and a shaft wall extending from the pressure gauge wall and defining a shaft receiving indent. A pressure gauge of the one or more fluid reservoirs is received within the pressure gauge wall, and a shaft of the one or more fluid reservoirs is received within the shaft wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A locator bracket comprising:
a connector member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and one or more clip holes; and a first receiving member provided at the first end of the connector member, the first receiving member including:
a pressure gauge wall defining a pressure gauge receiving cavity; and
a shaft wall extending from the pressure gauge wall and defining a shaft receiving indent.

2 . The locator bracket of claim 1 , further comprising a second receiving member provided at the second end of the connector member, the second receiving member including:
a pressure gauge wall defining a pressure gauge receiving cavity; and a shaft wall extending from the pressure gauge wall and defining a shaft receiving indent.

3 . The locator bracket of claim 2 , wherein:
the one or more clip holes is a first clip hole and a second clip hole; the first clip hole is located closer to the first end of the connector member than the second end of the connector member; and the second clip hole is located closer to the second end of the connector member than the first end of the connector member.

4 . The locator bracket of claim 1 , wherein a pair of grooves are spaced apart from one another and formed in a rear surface of the connector member, the pair of grooves having an arcuate shape.

5 . The locator bracket of claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of ribs extending radially inwardly from the pressure gauge wall of each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member.

6 . The locator bracket of claim 4 , wherein:
a pair of cutouts are formed in the pressure gauge wall of each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member; and the plurality of ribs are provided between the pair of cutouts, and between the pair of cutouts and the shaft wall.

7 . The locator bracket of claim 1 , wherein the shaft wall of each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member includes a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, an inner wall, and a tapered wall extending from the inner wall to the front end, the inner wall defines the shaft receiving indent.

8 . The locator bracket of claim 7 , wherein:
the shaft wall defines a restriction feature formed at an intersection of the inner wall and the tapered wall; and the restriction feature has a width less than a diameter of the shaft receiving indent.

9 . The locator bracket of claim 1 , wherein:
a shaft axis extends coaxial to the shaft receiving indent of each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member; and an angle between an intersection of the shaft axis of the first receiving member and the shaft axis of the second receiving member is equal to or greater than 20 degrees and less or equal to 40 degrees.

10 . A seat assembly comprising:
a primary seat back frame; a locator bracket removably attached to the primary seat back frame; a first fluid reservoir; and a second fluid reservoir, each of the first fluid reservoir and the second fluid reservoir including:
a pressure gauge received within the locator bracket; and
a shaft received within the locator bracket.

11 . The seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the locator bracket comprises:
a first receiving member;
a second receiving member, each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member comprising:
a pressure gauge wall defining a pressure gauge receiving cavity; and
a shaft wall extending from the pressure gauge wall and defining a shaft receiving indent; and

a connector member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a clip hole, the first receiving member provided at the first end of the connector member, the second receiving member provided at the second end of the connector member,
wherein a clip is insertable through the clip hole to secure the locator bracket to the primary seat back frame.

12 . The seat assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the primary seat back frame includes an upper member to which the locator bracket is removably attached, a pair of protrusions are formed on the upper member; and a pair of grooves are spaced apart from one another and formed in a rear surface of the connector member, the pair of grooves receiving the pair of protrusions.

13 . The seat assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the shaft wall of each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member includes a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, an inner wall, and a tapered wall extending from the inner wall to the front end, the inner wall defines the shaft receiving indent; and the shaft of the first fluid reservoir and the second fluid reservoir is received within.

14 . The seat assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
the shaft wall defines a restriction feature formed at an intersection of the inner wall and the tapered wall; and the restriction feature has a width less than a diameter of the shaft receiving indent and a diameter of the shaft.

15 . The seat assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
a shaft axis extends coaxial to the shaft receiving indent of each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member; and an angle between an intersection of the shaft axis of the first receiving member and the shaft axis of the second receiving member is equal to or greater than 20 degrees and less or equal to 40 degrees.

16 . A vehicle comprising:
a passenger compartment; and a seat assembly within the passenger compartment, the seat assembly comprising:
a primary seat back frame;
a locator bracket removably attached to the primary seat back frame;
a first fluid reservoir; and
a second fluid reservoir,
each of the first fluid reservoir and the second fluid reservoir including:
a pressure gauge received within the locator bracket;
a shaft received within the locator bracket; and
a pressure valve extending from the shaft.

17 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the primary seat back frame further comprises:
a rear cover having a central rear cover portion defining a first receptacle for receiving the first fluid reservoir, and a second receptacle for receiving the second fluid reservoir, the first receptacle and the second receptacle each comprising:
a pressure gauge opening aligning a pressure gauge of a respective one of the first fluid reservoir and the second fluid reservoir; and
a pressure valve opening for receiving a pressure valve of a respective one of the first fluid reservoir and the second fluid reservoir.

18 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein:
the locator bracket comprises:
a first receiving member;
a second receiving member, each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member comprising:
a pressure gauge wall defining a pressure gauge receiving cavity; and
a shaft wall extending from the pressure gauge wall and defining a shaft receiving indent,

the shaft wall of each of the first receiving member and the second receiving member includes a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, an inner wall, and a tapered wall extending from the inner wall to the front end, the inner wall defines the shaft receiving indent.

19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein:
the shaft wall defines a restriction feature formed at an intersection of the inner wall and the tapered wall; and the restriction feature has a width less than a diameter of the shaft receiving indent and a diameter of the shaft.

20 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein:
a shaft

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hewitt Brian J
• Sarros Christopher A
• Schulte Andrew G
• Clark Stephen
• Patterson Charles P

Classifications

• B60N2/914

  Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape · CPC title

• B60N2/231 Primary

  by hydraulic actuators · CPC title