DEVICE FOR ATTACHING/FIRMLY HOLDING AN EXTERIOR COVERING AGAINST A LAYER OF FOAM FIXED TO A WALL OF THE STRUCTURE OF A SEAT BACKREST

• US 20150183349A1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase SA (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oberle, Jean-Marc, Viegas, Louis, Marechal, Thierry
• Granted Patent: US 9,463,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/24 Upholstered seats A47C7/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5816 attachments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5825 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/6018 attachments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/6027 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/309 Plastic type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44017 with specific mounting means for attaching to rigid or semirigid supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured

Abstract

A device for fixing/firmly holding an exterior covering against a seat backrest includes a backrest structure having a peripheral surround and a connector; padding covering the structure of the backrest; a covering attached to the peripheral surround of the structure of the backrest and covering the padding; an intermediate member of fastening stake type provided with an external head pressing against the covering and with a shank secured to said head and extending through the padding. A free end of the shank includes an end fitting which fixes into the connector in such a way that the member under-goes some excursion in the connector when pressure is applied to the covering and to the padding.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A device for holding an exterior covering against a backrest of a seat, comprising:

a backrest structure featuring a peripheral surround and a connector;

a padding covering at least a portion of the backrest structure;

a covering attached to the peripheral surround of the backrest structure and covering at least a portion of the padding;

a fastening stake having an exterior head pressing against the covering and a shank secured to the exterior head and extending through the padding, with the free end of the shank comprising an end fitting which fastens into the connector in such a way that the free end of the shank in the connector undergoes excursion when a pressure is applied to the covering and to the padding.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein:

the backrest structure comprises a wall;

the connector comprises an opening in the wall;

the padding comprises an elastic layer of foam defining a thickness, wherein the layer of foam is attached to the backrest structure, with the end fitting being clippable elastically in the opening of the wall to define a mechanical link between the stake and the structure, with the length between the head of the stake and the end fitting being provided so that the head presses the covering against the foam, with the mechanical link between the stake and the structure allowing an axial excursion of the stake of a range that is less than the thickness of the layer of foam.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein:

the axial excursion of the stake is delimited by first and second stops with the first stop being activated in the direction of insertion of the shank through the layer of foam and the backrest structure in such a way as to limit its insertion in the opening, with the second stop being activated in the direction of withdrawal of the shank so as to prevent it from exiting the opening.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein:

each stop comprises a movement-blocking face blocking the movement of the stake oriented perpendicularly to the direction of insertion of the stake in the opening and located opposite the wall of the backrest structure in which the opening is made, the movement-blocking face being capable of coming into contact with the wall of the backrest structure.

15. The holding device of claim 14, wherein:

the first stop comprises a shoulder which marks the limit between an intermediate portion of the shank and a thicker portion of the shank joining the head of the stake, and wherein the second stop marks the limit between said intermediate portion and the clipping end fitting of the shank.

16. A holding device according to claim 15, wherein:

the length of the thicker portion of the shank is less than or equal to the thickness of the foam layer under compression.

17. The holding device of claim 13 wherein:

a hollow space is provided in the backrest structure downstream from the opening in the direction of insertion of the shank, the hollow space having a depth corresponding at least to a distance separating the first stop from an end of the end fitting.

18. The holding device of claim 11, wherein:

the end fitting comprises a post tapering toward a free end of the post, the end fitting including peripheral fins capable of being deformed elastically toward an axis of the shank when the post is engaged in the opening.

19. The holding device of claim 11, wherein:

the stake includes two identical parallel shanks suitable for being inserted in two openings made in the wall of the structure,

20. The holding device of claim 11, wherein:

the foam layer has a shape generally corresponding to a curvature of a lumbar portion of a back of a user, the curvature having a concave portion extended by a convex portion together having a sinusoidal shape, wherein the stake is located at a junction between the concave portion and the convex portion and being capable of being displaced translationally along a predetermined axial excursion in relation to the wall of the backrest structure.