Seating system and method of forming same

• US 20050040690A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trinseo Europe Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Katakkar, Laxman P., Gupta, Vikas, Kurtycz, Eric R., Bowser, Charles W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,128,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/452.310
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures

Abstract

The present invention discloses a seating system that includes a seat back (20) with one or more plastic panels (22, 24) that extend across a lateral distance (D₂) of the seat back (20). The seat back (20) preferably includes one or more channel forming ribs (50, 54, 58). Optionally the seat back (20) will be anchored to a body of an automotive vehicle with an improved attachment system (100).

Claims

1. An automotive seatback system, comprising:

a first panel having a main wall;

a plurality of primary planar ribs positioned upon the first panel; and

a plurality of channel forming ribs extending along the main wall of the first panel.

2. An automotive seatback system as in claim 1 wherein the first panel, the primary planar ribs and the plurality of channel forming ribs are integrally molded together of a plastic material.

3. An automotive seatback system as in claim 2 wherein the plastic material includes a plastic selected from the group of styrene, polyamide, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyester, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate/acrylonitrile/butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide/polystyrene, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene ether, syndiotactic polystyrene, ethylene alpha olefin, polybutylene terephthalate/polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene and mixtures thereof.

4. An automotive seatback system as in claim 2 wherein each of the channel forming ribs is formed by gas assist injection molding.

5. An automotive seatback system as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of attachment locations defined upon the first panel, each of the attachment locations including a plurality of secondary planar ribs.

6. An automotive seatback system as in claim 1 further comprising an attachment system rotatably attaching the the first panel to an automotive vehicle, the attachment system including:

i) a plurality of attachment locations, each of the attachment location including at least one looped fastener; and

ii) a rod extending at least partially through the at least one looped fastener of each of the plurality of attachment locations; and

iii) a pair of brackets attached to the vehicle and the rod.

7. An automotive seatback system as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the primary planar ribs extends about the periphery of the first panel.

8. An automotive seatback system as in claim 1 wherein at least two of the primary planar ribs extend across the main wall in a criss-cross pattern.

9. An automotive seatback system as in claim 5 wherein one or more of the plurality of channel forming ribs extend between at least two of the plurality of attachment locations.

10. An automotive seatback system as in claim 6 wherein one or more of the plurality of channel forming ribs extend between at least two of the plurality of attachment locations.

11. An automotive seatback system as in claim 1 wherein the plurality of channel forming ribs are arc-shaped in cross-section.

12. An automotive seatback system, comprising:

a first panel having a main wall;

a plurality of primary planar ribs positioned upon the first panel wherein;

i) at least one of the primary planar ribs extends about the periphery of the first panel;

ii) at least two of the primary planar ribs extend across the main wall in a criss-cross pattern; and

iii) the primary planar ribs are integrally formed with the main wall of the same material;

a plurality of attachment locations defined upon the first panel, each of the attachment locations including a plurality of secondary planar ribs;

a plurality of channel forming ribs extending along the main wall of the first panel, at least one of the plurality of channel forming ribs extending at least partially between two of the plurality of attachment locations.

13. An automotive seatback system as in claim 12 wherein the first panel, the primary planar ribs and the plurality of channel forming ribs are integrally molded together of a plastic material.

14. An automotive seatback system as in claim 13 wherein the plastic material includes a plastic selected from the group of styrene, polyamide, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyester, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate/acrylonitrile/butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide/polystyrene, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene ether, syndiotactic polystyrene, ethylene alpha olefin, polybutylene terephthalate/polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene and mixtures thereof.

15. An automotive seatback system as in claim 12 wherein each of the channel forming ribs is formed by gas assist injection molding.

16. An automotive seatback system as in claim 12 wherein the plurality of channel forming ribs are arc-shaped in cross-section.

21. An automotive seatback system as in claim 12 wherein each of the channel forming ribs is arc-shaped in cross-section.

17. An automotive seatback system, comprising:

a first panel having a main wall;

a plurality of primary planar ribs positioned upon the first panel wherein;

i) at least one of the primary planar ribs extends about the periphery of the first panel;

ii) at least two of the primary planar ribs extend across the main wall in a criss-cross pattern; and

iii) the primary planar ribs are integrally formed with the main wall of the same material;

a plurality of attachment locations defined upon the first panel, each of the attachment locations including a plurality of secondary planar ribs;

a plurality of channel forming ribs extending along the main wall of the first panel, at least one of the plurality of channel forming ribs extending at least partially between two of the plurality of attachment locations;

a second panel having a main wall, the second panel laterally adjacent to the first panel for spanning a lateral distance of the seat back system; and

a plurality of channel forming ribs extending along the main wall of the second panel.

18. An automotive seatback system as in claim 17 wherein the second panel and the plurality of channel forming ribs of the second panel are integrally molded together of a plastic material.

19. An automotive seatback system as in claim 18 wherein the plastic material includes a plastic selected from the group of styrene, polyamide, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyester, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate/acrylonitrile/butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide/polystyrene, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene ether, syndiotactic polystyrene, ethylene alpha olefin, polybutylene terephthalate/polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene and mixtures thereof.

20. An automotive seatback system as in claim 19 wherein each of the channel forming ribs is formed by gas assist injection molding.