Energy absorbing seat for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9434281-B2
Application number	US-201113823038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2011
Priority date	Sep 14, 2010
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A seat supports an occupant of a vehicle. The seat comprises a seating frame member for providing a surface to support the occupant and a back frame member extending away from the seating frame member. The back frame member has a first side member and a second side member. A first cross member and a second cross member extend horizontally between the first and second side members. Each of the first and second cross members have a central region flanked on both sides by bent portions with the first and second cross members folded back upon themselves within the bent portions. The bent portions straighten out when a force above a predetermined value is applied to the first and second cross members. The central region plastically deforms once the bent portions straighten out for reducing an impact force transferred from the seat to the occupant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat for supporting an occupant of a vehicle, said seat comprising:
a seating frame member for providing a surface to support the occupant;
a back frame member extending away from said seating frame member with said back frame member having a first side member and a second side member spaced from said first side member with each of said side members having a proximal end for coupling to said seating frame member and a distal end spaced from said proximate end;
a first cross member extending horizontally between a first end coupled to said first side member at a first attachment location and a second end coupled to said second side member at a second attachment location with said first cross member spaced from said proximal end of said side members;
a second cross member extending horizontally between a first end coupled to said first side member at a first attachment location and a second end coupled to said second side member at a second attachment location with said second cross member spaced vertically from said first cross member and said distal end of said side members and between said first cross member and said distal end of said side members, said first cross member and said second cross member being spaced vertically below a midpoint between said proximal end and said distal end of said side members;
wherein each of said first and second cross members comprise a thermoplastic material;
wherein said first and second cross members have a central region flanked on both sides by bent portions presenting a U-shaped configuration with said first and second cross members folded back upon themselves within said bent portions with said U-shaped configuration of said bent portions extending in a direction away from both said central region and said attachment locations such that said bent portions are configured to extend toward the occupant; and
wherein said bent portions straighten out when a force above a predetermined value is applied to said first and second cross members and said central region plastically deforms once said bent portions straighten out thereby reducing an impact force transferred from said seat to the occupant caused by the force above the predetermined value.

2. A seat as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a vertical member disposed between said first and second cross members for coupling said first and second cross members together.

3. A seat as set forth in claim 2 wherein said vertical member is a back shell, which spans a distance between said first and second side members.

4. A seat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first cross member is horizontally spaced from said second cross member such that the occupant contacts and plastically deforms said central region of said first cross member before contacting and plastically deforming said central region of said second cross member.

5. A seat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second cross member are horizontally aligned such that the occupant contacts and plastically deforms said central regions of said first and second cross member simultaneously.

6. A seat as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second side members have a base portion and two or more leg portions defining a U-shaped cavity.

7. A seat as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first and second side members and said first and second cross members comprise a polymeric material.

8. A seat as set forth in claim 7 wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group of nylon 6, nylon 6/6, and combinations thereof.

9. A seat as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first and second cross members are integral with said first and second side members.

10. A seat as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a reinforcing mat disposed about said base portion and said leg portions of said first and second side members with said reinforcing mat comprising a glass-fiber filled polymeric material for imparting strength to said back frame member.

11. A seat as set forth in claim 10 wherein said reinforcing mat and said first and second side members define a plurality of anchoring holes with a portion of said first and second cross members disposed through said anchoring holes and into said U-shaped cavity of said first and second side members.

12. A seat as set forth in claim 11 wherein said portion of said first and second cross members disposed within said U-shaped cavity has a thickness that is greater than a size of said anchoring holes such that said portion of said first and second cross members remains within said U-shaped cavity as said bent portions straighten out and said central regions plastically deform.

13. A seat as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second side members define a pair of anchoring holes for receiving said first and second cross members to couple said first and second cross members to said first and second side members.

14. A seat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second cross members have a rectangular cross-section.

15. A seat for supporting an occupant of a vehicle, said seat comprising:
a seating frame member for providing a surface to support the occupant;
a back frame member extending away from said seating frame member with said back frame member having a first side member and a second side member spaced from said first side member with each of said side members having a proximal end for coupling to said seating frame member and a distal end spaced from said proximate end;
a first cross member extending horizontally between said first side member and said second side member with said first cross member spaced from said proximal end of said side members;
a second cross member extending horizontally between said first side member and said second side member with said second cross member spaced vertically from said first cross member and said distal end of said side members and between said first cross member and said distal end of said side members, said first cross member and said second cross member being spaced vertically below a midpoint between said proximal end and said distal end of said side members;
a vertical member disposed between said first and second cross members for coupling said first and second cross members together;
wherein each of said first and second cross members comprise a thermoplastic material;
wherein said first and second cross members have a central region flanked on both sides by bent portions with said first and second cross members folded back upon themselves within said bent portions;
wherein said bent portions straighten out when a force above a predetermined value is applied to said first and second cross members and said central region plastically deforms once said bent portions straighten out thereby reducing an impact force transferred from said seat to the occupant caused by the force above the predetermined value; and
wherein said first cross member is horizontally spaced from said second cross member such that the occupant contacts and plastically deforms said central region of said first cross member before contacting and plastically deforming said central region of said second cross member.

Assignees

• Evans Jonathan
• Basf Se

Inventors

• Evans Jonathan

Classifications

• B60N2/682

  Joining means · CPC title

• B60N2/68

  Seat frames · CPC title

• B60N2/4228

  due to impact coming from the rear · CPC title

• B60N2/42745

  of the back-rest (B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888) · CPC title

• B60N2/42709 Primary

  involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure · CPC title