Layered seating system with attachments

• US 10,676,000 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Galbreath, Ashford A., Hicks, Thomas S., Miotto, Ronald L., Ali, Asad S., Folkert, Mark A., Paruszkiewicz, William, Severinski, Paul, Clauser, James B., Welch, Sr., Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barfield, Anthony D
• Application Number:
  US15/399,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20170113586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 29744022, 29745226, 29745227, 2974526
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0272 Boxes, bags, cages, baskets, harnesses especially adapted for transport in or on automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2866 booster cushions, e.g. to lift a child to allow proper use of the conventional safety belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2887 Fixation to a transversal anchorage bar, e.g. isofix
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5825 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/30 Seat or seat parts characterised by comprising plural parts or pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/00 Arrangements or adaptations of other passenger fittings, not otherwise provided for of radio sets, television sets, telephones, stowing or holding appliances , safety belts or the like B60R

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly is provided with a structural member adapted to be mounted within a vehicle to provide support to an occupant. The structural member has at least one channel formed therein. A cushion member is provided adjacent to the structural layer. The cushion member has at least one channel formed therethrough. A trim member is secured over the cushion member to form a seating surface. At least one attachment member is mounted to the trim member extending through the at least one channel of the cushion member. The at least one attachment member extends into the at least one channel of the structural member such that at least one of the trim material and the cushion layer is retained on the structural member.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a structural member adapted to be mounted within a vehicle to provide support to an occupant, the structural member having at least one channel formed therein;

an insert member adapted to be mounted to the structural member; and

a locking system provided within the at least one channel of the structural member and mounted on the insert member to mount the insert member to the structural member, wherein the locking system comprises;

at least one retention member provided on the structural member;

at least one retaining member provided on the insert member to engage the retention member and lock the insert member to the structural member, wherein the at least one retention member is formed as a recess on a peripheral edge of the structural member and the retaining member is positively retained in the recess.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the insert member further comprises a non-seat feature member adapted to be mounted to the insert member.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the insert member further comprises a cushion layer and a trim layer.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the locking system further comprises a locking member mounted to the insert member and a retaining member provided within the at least one channel of the structural member.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the channel has an end opening along a forward edge of the structural member so that a protrusion slides into the channel from the end opening.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the locking system comprises a fastener connected to an inner end wall of the channel opposite the end opening, and wherein the protrusion includes a mating fastener to engage the fastener and lock the insert member to the structural member.

7. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seat frame;

a structural member formed of foam and mounted to the seat frame to provide support to an occupant, the structural member having at least one channel formed along an upper surface and having at least one retention member connected to a peripheral surface;

a feature support member formed of foam having an upper surface to mount a feature member and a lower surface with a protrusion shaped to engage the channel, the feature support member having a retaining member to engage the retention member and lock the feature support member to the structural member;

wherein the retaining member snaps over the retention member to lock the feature support member onto the structural member.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the feature support member and the structural member are formed of expanded polyolefin (EPO) foam.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the feature support member has an alternate feature member mounted along the upper surface, the alternate feature member comprising at least one of a child booster seat, a child safety seat, a pet seat, a console and a bin.

10. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 9 wherein the alternate feature member has trim mounted to a portion thereof.

11. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the channel has an end opening along a forward edge of the structural member so that the protrusion slides into the channel from the end opening.

12. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 further comprising:

two channels formed along the upper surface of the structural member; and

two protrusions shaped to engage the two channels, wherein one protrusion engages one of the two channels.

13. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 12 further comprising a handle disposed on the feature support member between the two protrusions.

14. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the feature support member has a cushion disposed along the upper surface, wherein the cushion is covered with a trim layer to form a seating surface.

15. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a seat frame;

a structural member formed of foam and adapted to be mounted to the seat frame to provide support to an occupant, the structural member having at least one channel formed along an upper surface, wherein the channel has an end opening along a forward edge of the structural member so that a protrusion slides into the channel from the end opening;

a feature support member formed of foam having an upper surface to mount a feature member and a lower surface with a protrusion shaped to engage the channel;

a locking system provided to releasably lock the feature support member to the structural member,

wherein the locking system comprises a fastener connected to an inner end wall of the channel opposite the end opening, and wherein the protrusion includes a mating fastener to engage the channel fastener and lock the feature support member to the structural member.

16. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 15 wherein the locking system comprises:

at least one retention member provided on the structural member;

at least one retaining member provided on the feature support member to engage the retention member and lock the feature support member to the structural member.

17. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 16 wherein the at least one retention member is formed as a recess on a peripheral edge of the structural member and the retaining member is positively retained in the recess.

18. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 16 wherein the at least one retention member forms a recessed channel that extends perpendicular to the channel on the structural member and the retaining member is positively retained in the recessed channel.

19. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 15 wherein the at least one protrusion comprises two protrusions, wherein the locking system comprises a latch attached to the feature support member between the two protrusions, the latch engaging a lip disposed on the structural member to lock the feature support member to the structural support member.

20. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 15 further comprising:

two channels formed along the upper surface of the structural member; and

two protrusions shaped to engage the two channels, wherein one protrusion engages one of the two channels.