Seat assembly having a cross member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8979205-B2
Application number	US-201113502615-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2011
Priority date	Jan 18, 2010
Publication date	Mar 17, 2015
Grant date	Mar 17, 2015

Abstract

A seat assembly having a seat back that includes a side frame member and a cross member. The cross member may have first and second support post openings for receiving a headrest support post. First and second sets of arcuate ribs may be disposed between the first and second support post openings. Members of the first set may be concave with respect to the first support post opening. Members of the second set may be concave with respect to the second support post opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat assembly comprising:
a seat back having:
a side frame member;
a plastic cross member mounted to the side frame member, the cross member having first and second support post openings for receiving a headrest support post; and
first and second sets of arcuate ribs disposed between the first and second support post openings, wherein members of the first set are concave with respect to the first support post opening, and members of the second set are concave with respect to the second support post opening.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the cross member further comprises a mounting portion received in the side frame member.

3. The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the mounting portion includes a through hole and a cavity disposed proximate a center of the mounting portion, wherein a fastener extends through the through hole to the cavity.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the cross member includes a top surface and a collar that is disposed around the first support post opening and that extends above the top surface, the collar having first and second slots; and
a spacer band disposed in the first support post opening and the first and second slots for engaging the headrest support post.

5. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the cross member includes a top surface, a first surface that extends from the top surface, and a second surface that extends from the top surface and that is disposed opposite the first surface, wherein each member of the first set intersects at least one member of the second set at a location that is disposed between and spaced apart from the first and second surfaces.

6. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein each member of the first set is spaced apart from all other members of the first set and each member of the second set is spaced apart from all other members of the second set.

7. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the cross member includes a top surface, a first surface that extends from the top surface, and a second surface that extends from the top surface and that is disposed opposite the first surface, and wherein the first and second sets of arcuate ribs are arcuate in a direction that extends from the first surface toward the second surface.

8. A seat assembly comprising:
a headrest support post; and
a seat back having:
a side frame member;
a cross member that is disposed proximate the side frame member, the cross member having a support post opening that receives the headrest support post, and a latch slot disposed proximate the support post opening; and
a latch wire that is moveably disposed within the latch slot, the latch wire being moveable between a first position in which the latch wire engages the headrest support post and a second position in which the latch wire is spaced apart from the headrest support post, wherein the latch wire includes a contact portion and first and second engagement portions that extend from the contact portion, wherein the first and second engagement portions move away from each other when the contact portion is actuated toward the headrest support post.

9. The seat assembly of claim 8 wherein the cross member includes a first surface having a latch slot opening, a second surface disposed opposite the first surface, a base wall that defines a portion of the latch slot, a side wall that extends from the base wall and extends from the first surface toward the second surface, and a wedge wall that extends at an angle from the side wall toward the support post opening.

10. The seat assembly of claim 9 wherein the latch wire slides along the wedge wall when the latch wire moves between the first position and the second position.

11. The seat assembly of claim 8 wherein the latch wire protrudes out of the latch slot opening when in the first position.

12. The seat assembly of claim 9 further comprising a protrusion that extends from the side wall, wherein an end of the latch wire engages the protrusion to retain the latch wire in the latch slot when the latch wire is in the first position.

13. The seat assembly of claim 8 wherein the cross member includes a first surface having a latch slot opening and first and second protrusions that are disposed between the latch slot opening and the headrest support post, wherein the latch wire further comprises a first retaining portion that extends from an end of the first engagement portion and a second retaining portion that extends from an end of the second engagement portion, wherein the first and second retaining portions engage the first and second protrusions, respectively, when the latch wire is in the first position.

14. A seat assembly comprising:
a headrest support post; and
a seat back having:
a side frame member;
a cross member disposed proximate the side frame member, the cross member having a support post opening that receives the headrest support post, a latch slot disposed proximate the support post opening, and a first surface having a latch slot opening; and
a latch wire that is moveably disposed within the latch slot, the latch wire being moveable between a first position in which the latch wire engages the headrest support post and a second position in which the latch wire is spaced apart from the headrest support post, wherein the latch wire includes a contact portion, first and second engagement portions that extend from the contact portion, wherein the first and second engagement portions move away from each other when the contact portion is actuated toward the headrest support post, a first retaining portion that extends from an end of the first engagement portion, and a second retaining portion that extends from an end of the second engagement portion, wherein the first and second retaining portions extend toward the latch slot opening and the first and second engagement portions extend away from the latch slot opening.

15. The seat assembly of claim 14 wherein the first and second retaining portions move away from the support post opening when the latch wire is actuated from the first position toward the second position.

16. The seat assembly of claim 13 wherein the first and second retaining portions engage the first and second protrusions, respectively, when the latch wire is in the second position.

17. The seat assembly of claim 13 wherein the first and second engagement portions move away from the headrest support post and toward the first and second protrusions, respectively, when the latch wire moves from the first position to the second position.

18. The seat assembly of claim 13 wherein the cross member includes a second surface disposed opposite the first surface, a base wall that defines a portion of the latch slot, a first side wall that extends from the base wall and extends from the first surface toward the second surface, and a first wedge wall that extends at an angle from the side wall toward the support post opening, wherein the first retaining portion slides along the first wedge wall away from the support post opening when the latch wire is actuated from the first position toward the second position.

19. The seat assembly of claim 13 wherein the cross member includes a second wedge wall that extends at an angle from a second side wall toward the support post opening, wherein the second retaining portion slides along the second wedge wall away from the support post opening and the first retaining portion when the latch wire is actuated from the first position toward the second position.

20. The seat assemb

Assignees

• Zimmermann Matthias
• Mueller Karsten
• Schroeder Timo
• Eberhardt Inko
• Tonge Vaibhav
• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Zimmermann Matthias
• Mueller Karsten
• Schroeder Timo
• Eberhardt Inko
• Tonge Vaibhav

Classifications

• B60N2/682 Primary

  Joining means · CPC title

• B60N2/4817

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2002/4894

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2002/4897

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60N2/4802

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic