Vehicle seating cushion with snap-fit fasteners to interconnect with snap-fit receivers on a structural support

• US 10,704,585 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2019
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Line, Johnathan Andrew, Hosbach, Christian J., Johnston, Corbin Shea, Hoernke, Spencer Robert, Mozurkewich, Kevin, Matusko, Andrew, Thiel, Brian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ference, James M
• Application Number:
  US16/577,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20200018341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/64 Back-rests or cushions B60N2/2222 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/682 Joining means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/70 Upholstery springs ; Upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/22 of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material F16B2/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/088 the stud, pin or spigot being integrally formed with the component to be fastened, e.g. forming part of the sheet, plate or strip

Abstract

A seating assembly for a vehicle comprises: a cushion comprising an outer edge and a plurality of snap-fit-fasteners; and a carrier comprising an outer edge surface and a plurality of snap-fit receivers near the outer edge surface of the carrier arranged to receive the plurality of snap-fit fasteners; wherein the plurality of snap-fit receivers have received and are retaining the plurality of snap-fit fasteners such that the cushion is interconnected with the carrier; and wherein the plurality of snap-fit fasteners and plurality of receivers are arranged to prevent the edge of the cushion from rolling up. The cushion further comprises a lip having an inward facing surface; wherein the cushion at least partially surrounds the carrier with at least a portion of the inward facing surface of the lip facing the outer edge surface of the carrier.

Claims

1. A cushion for a seating assembly of a vehicle comprising:

an occupant facing surface;

a carrier facing surface, the carrier facing surface and the occupant facing surface facing in generally opposite directions;

an outer edge;

a lip disposed along the outer edge of the cushion and extending from the carrier facing surface in a direction that the occupant facing surface faces; and

a plurality of snap-fit fasteners arranged adjacent to the lip at the occupant facing surface and extending in the direction the occupant facing surface faces;

each snap-fit fastener of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners including a first cantilever, a second cantilever, and a receiver channel disposed between the first cantilever and the second cantilever;

both the first cantilever and the second cantilever including a catch flange extending therefrom, the catch flange of the first cantilever extending toward the second cantilever, and the catch flange of the second cantilever extending toward the first cantilever;

the first cantilever including a receiver facing surface that faces the receiver channel; and

each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners are oriented differently such that the receiver facing surface of the first cantilever of each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners face in a different direction.

2. The cushion of claim 1,

the lip adjacent to at least some of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners extends further away from the carrier facing surface than the snap-fit fastener adjacent to the lip.

3. The cushion of claim 1 further comprising:

molded foam.

4. The cushion of claim 1 further comprising:

a recess into the carrier facing surface that runs parallel to the lip.

5. The cushion of claim 1,

at least three of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners are disposed to each side of a midline extending through the cushion at least approximately orthogonally to both the occupant facing surface and the carrier facing surface thus conceptually dividing the cushion into two at least approximately symmetrical halves, and one of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners is disposed at the midline.

6. The cushion of claim 1,

at least some of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners have a base, and

at least a portion of the base is disposed beneath the carrier facing surface.

7. The cushion of claim 1 further comprising:

molded foam;

wherein, at least some of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners have a base, and a portion of the base is disposed beneath the carrier facing surface within the molded foam.

8. The cushion of claim 1,

the receiver facing surface of the first cantilever of each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners is generally parallel to the outer edge of the cushion to which the receiver facing surface is closest.

9. The cushion of claim 1,

each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners comprising a base, the base comprising a first wing portion and a second wing portion that are both disposed beneath the carrier facing surface.

10. The cushion of claim 1,

each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners further comprising a base that is perpendicular to and supports the first cantilever and the second cantilever.

11. A cushion for a seating assembly of a vehicle comprising:

an outer edge;

an occupant facing surface;

a carrier facing surface, the occupant facing surface and the carrier facing surface facing in generally opposite directions;

a plurality of snap-fit fasteners disposed at the carrier facing surface, each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners comprising a first cantilever and a catch flange extending from the first cantilever;

a lip along the outer edge that extends in the general direction that the occupant facing surface faces; and

a recess into the carrier facing surface adjacent and parallel to the lip;

wherein, an equal number of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners are disposed to each side of a midline extending through the cushion at least approximately orthogonally to both the occupant facing surface and the carrier facing surface thus conceptually dividing the cushion into two at least approximately symmetrical halves, and one of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners is disposed at the midline; and

wherein, the lip extends contiguously parallel to the midline on each side of the midline and across the midline adjacent to the snap-fit fastener disposed at the midline.

12. The cushion of claim 11,

a portion of each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners is disposed beneath the carrier facing surface of the cushion.

13. The cushion of claim 11,

at least some of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners are arranged within the recess.

14. The cushion of claim 11,

each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners further including a second cantilever parallel to the first cantilever, and a base perpendicular to the first cantilever and the second cantilever;

the second cantilever including a catch flange extending toward the first cantilever;

the base, the first cantilever, and the second cantilever forming a receiver channel; and

the catch flange of the first cantilever extends toward the second cantilever.

15. The cushion of claim 14,

the base of each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners further comprising a first wing portion and a second wing portion opposite the first wing portion, at least a portion of both the first wing portion and the second wing portion being disposed beneath the carrier facing surface.

16. A cushion for a seatback of a seating assembly of a vehicle comprising:

an occupant facing surface that faces generally forward and is configured to support an occupant;

a carrier facing surface that faces generally rearward;

an outer edge;

a lip along the outer edge that extends generally rearward away from the occupant facing surface;

a recess in the carrier facing surface that runs parallel to the lip; and

a plurality of snap-fit fasteners disposed within the recess adjacent to the lip, the plurality of snap-fit fasteners extending generally rearward and available for interconnection from the carrier facing surface;

wherein, the lip adjacent to any particular of the snap-fit fasteners extends further rearward than the particular snap-fit fastener.

17. The cushion of claim 16,

each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners are oriented differently.

18. The cushion of claim 16,

each snap-fit fastener of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners includes a first cantilever, a second cantilever, and a receiver channel disposed between the first cantilever and the second cantilever;

the first cantilever includes a receiver facing surface facing the receiver channel; and

the receiver facing surface of the first cantilever of each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners is generally parallel to a portion of the outer edge of the cushion to which the receiver facing surface is closest.

19. The cushion of claim 18,

each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners further comprising a base from which the first cantilever and the second cantilever extend;

and

at least a portion of the base is disposed beneath the carrier facing surface.

20. The cushion of claim 16 further comprising:

molded foam;

wherein, each of the plurality of snap-fit fasteners have a base, and at least a portion of the base is disposed beneath the carrier facing surface within the molded foam.