School bus seat with energy absorber

• US 20060076819A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Selwyn Arthur Burch
• Original Assignee: Selwyn Arthur Burch
• Inventors: Burch, Selwyn Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/452.180
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1228 Joining preformed parts by the expanding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/146 Shaping the lining before foaming
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/015 Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/242 Bus seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42709 involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42745 of the back-rest B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/682 Joining means

Abstract

A school bus seat comprises a pin having a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. First and second brackets include an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. First and second supports include an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. The apertures in the brackets and supports are formed in a fiber reinforced polymer such that the apertures are devoid of knit lines. The pins reside in the apertures of the supports and brackets inhibiting rotation of the brackets with respect to the supports. A seat back is secured to the brackets.

Claims

1. A school bus seat comprising a seat back, support legs, a seat bottom and an envelope cushion residing over said seat back, said envelope cushion comprising an integrally molded polyurethane foam having an elastomeric skin formed on the exterior thereof.

3. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 1 wherein said seat back is a sandwich composite, and further comprising an aisle-side bracket interconnecting one of said support legs and a window-side bracket interconnecting the other of said support legs by pins selected from the group consisting of hollow pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal or octagonal pins.

5. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 3 wherein said pins are hollow.

6. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 3 wherein said brackets are formed of a fiber reinforced polymer.

7. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 6 wherein said supports are formed of a fiber reinforced polymer.

8. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 3 wherein said sandwich composite seat back is secured to said brackets.

9. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sandwich composite seat back is adhesively secured to said brackets.

10. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sandwich composite seat back is ultrasonically welded to said brackets.

11. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sandwich composite seat back is bolted to said brackets.

2. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 2 wherein said seat back is solid and is interconnected with said support legs by pins selected from the group consisting of hollow pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal or octagonal pins.

4. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pins are hollow.

12. A school bus seat, comprising:

a pin, said pin having a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon;

first and second brackets each including an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon;

first and second supports including an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon;

said apertures in said brackets and said supports being formed in a fiber reinforced polymer, said apertures being devoid of knit lines; and

, said selected pins residing in said apertures of said supports and said brackets inhibiting rotation of said brackets with respect to said support.

13. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a seat back secured to said brackets.

14. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 13 wherein said seat back is adhesively secured to said brackets.

15. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 13 wherein said seat back is ultrasonically welded to said brackets.

16. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 15 wherein said seat back is bolted to said brackets.

17. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 13 wherein said seat back is a solid reinforced polymer.

18. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 13 wherein said seat back is a sandwich composite.

19. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 13 further comprising an elastomeric skinned cushion integrally molded to said seat back and said brackets.

20. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 17 further comprising an elastomeric skinned cushion integrally molded to said solid reinforced polymer seat back and said brackets.

21. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 18 further comprising an elastomeric skinned cushion integrally molded to said sandwich composite seat back and said brackets.

22. A school bus seat comprising a substrate and an elastomeric skinned polyurethane cushion integrally molded to said substrate.

23. A school bus seat back as claimed in claim 22 wherein said substrate is a solid reinforced polymer.

24. A school bus seat back as claimed in claim 22 wherein said substrate is a sandwich composite.

25. A school bus seat back as claimed in claim 24 wherein said substrate includes polyurethane composite surfaces separated by and affixed to a low density core.

26. A school bus seat comprising a one-piece twin bucket seat with inelastically deformable brackets supporting both sides of the seat.

27. A school bus seat comprising a superstructure having vertical left and right side supports for supporting a seat back, each of said side supports includes a fuse, and, said fuses being inelastically deformable upon the application of sufficient force to said superstructure.

28. A school bus seat comprising a one-piece twin bucket seat having left and right sides thereof, said bucket seats include a seat bottom portion and a seat back portion, said seat bottom and back portions being isotropic glass, and, said seat further comprising a first strip of directionalized glass and a second stip of directionalized glass, said first and second strips of directionalized glass being embedded within the seats proximate the left and right sides thereof and extending from the seat bottom portion to the seat back portion.

29. A method of manufacturing a seat back to be used in a school bus seat comprising the steps of:

coating a mold with a spray elastomer;

attaching the superstructure of the seat back to the seat back brackets;

inserting the seat back into the mold; and

,

injecting urethane foam into the mold, said urethane adhering to said superstructure of said seat back, said elastomer and said brackets.

30. A method of manufacturing a seat back for use in a school bus seat as claimed in claim 29 wherein said superstructure of the seat back comprises polyurethane composite surfaces separated by and affixed to a low density core.

31. A method of manufacturing a seat back for use in a school bus seat as claimed in claim 29 wherein said superstructure of the seat back comprises a solid reinforced polymer.

32. A method of manufacturing a component of a school bus seat comprising the steps of:

coating a mold with a spray elastomer;

inserting the component into the mold; and

,

injecting urethane foam into the mold, said urethane adhering to said component and said elastomer.