VEHICLE SEAT ASSEMBLY HAVING A HARDNESS GRADIENT VIA "A" SURFACE INTRUSIONS AND/OR PROTRUSIONS

• US 20080054702A1
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Ali, Asad S., Galbreath, Ashford A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,661,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/452.26
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/029 of non-adjustable shape adapted to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/58 Seat coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/646 shape of the cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/70 Upholstery springs ; Upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/986 Side-rests B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B68G 13/00 Upholstered panels making upholstery from plastics B29D99/0092; specially adapted for sound-absorption E04B, G10K , e.g. G10K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B68G 7/00 Making upholstery manufacturing upholstered panels B68G13/00 ; from plastics B29D99/0092; sewing-machines D05B
• CPC Class Codes: B68G 7/05 Covering or enveloping cores of pads in plastics material using a matching die B29C63/025
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/48 Upholstered article making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, the present invention provides a vehicle seat assembly comprising a cushion having an “A” surface and a “B” surface, a central portion, and two bolster areas, with each bolster area being adjacent the central portion, with the cushion having a plurality of intrusions extending from the “A” surface towards the “B” surface to form a hardness gradient between at least one of the bolster areas and the central portion of between 8% to 25%.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a cushion having an “

A”

surface and a “

B”

surface, a central portion, and two bolster areas, with each bolster area being adjacent the central portion, the cushion having a plurality of intrusions extending from the “

A”

surface towards the “

B”

surface to form a hardness gradient between at least one of the bolster areas and the central portion of between 8% to 25%.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one bolster areas has a hardness that is at least 8% to 25% greater than the hardness of the central portion.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the central portion has holes formed in the “

A”

surface of the central portion to provide a reduced hardness relative to the at least one of the bolster areas.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 3 wherein the holes have a diameter of 0.2 to 5.0 cm. and a length of 0.1 to 5 cm.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the cushion comprises a molded foam cushion and the holes are formed during the molding of the cushion.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the holes are formed on a sub cushion assembly that is attached to a main cushion assembly.

7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 3 wherein the “

A”

surface has protrusions formed therein.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the protrusions extend from the “

A”

surface, away from the “

B”

surface, a distance of 0.1 to 5.0 cm.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the cushion comprises a seat bottom cushion, with the central portion having a front half having a lower hardness than the rear half.

10. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a cushion having an “

A”

surface and a “

B”

surface, a central portion, two side bolster area adjacent the central portion, and a front bolster area extending between and connecting the side bolster areas, wherein the central portion of the cushion has a first plurality of intrusions extending from the “

A”

surface towards the “

B”

surface to form a hardness gradient between at least one of the side bolster area and the central portion of between 8% to 25%, and the front bolster area has a second plurality of intrusions, less than the first plurality of intrusions, extending from the “

A”

surface towards the “

B”

surface to form a hardness gradient between the front bolster area and the central portion of 5% to 20%.

11. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 10 wherein the central portion comprises a front half adjacent the front bolster area and a rear half spaced from the front bolster area and adjacent the front half, the front half having a hardness gradient relative to at least one of the side bolster areas of between 8% to 15% and the rear half having a hardness gradient relative to at least one of the side bolster areas of between 12% to 25%.

12. A method of making a vehicle seat assembly, the method comprising:

providing a cushion having an “

A”

surface and a “

B”

surface, a central portion, and two bolster areas, with each bolster area being adjacent the central portion, the cushion having a plurality of intrusions extending from the “

A”

surface towards the “

B”

surface to form a hardness gradient between at least one of the bolster areas and the central portion of between 8% to 25%;

securing the cushion to a frame; and

covering the cushion with a trim member.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one bolster areas has a hardness that is at least 8% to 25% greater than the hardness of the central portion.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the providing step comprises molding a polymeric material to form a foam cushion.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the central portion has holes formed in the “

A”

surface of the center area to provide a reduced hardness relative to the at least one bolster area.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the holes have a diameter of 0.2 to 5.0 cm. and a length of 0.1 to 5 cm.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the holes are formed during the molding of the cushion.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the location, shape and/or size of the holes are based upon occupant pressure modeling.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein an area of the central portion determined to be subjected to a relatively high occupant pressure has less and/or smaller holes than an area of the central portion determined to be subjected to a relatively low occupant pressure.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the holes are formed on a sub cushion assembly that is attached to a main cushion assembly.