Seat element, in particular for an automobile vehicle

• US 4,834,451 A
• Filed: 08/04/1988
• Issued: 05/30/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cesa--Compagnie Europeenne de Sieges Pour Automobiles
• Original Assignee: ECIA - Equipements et Composants Pour L'Industrie Automobile
• Inventors: Meunier, Claude, Coussemacq, J-Marc, Fourrey, Francois
• Primary Examiner(s): Zugel, Francis K.
• Application Number:
  US07/228,096
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452, 297/DIG. 1, 297/DIG. 2, 297/218, 297/219
• US Class Current: 297/218.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/185 with a stiff, rigid support
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/70 Upholstery springs ; Upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/01 Foam

Abstract

Seat element for an automobile vehicle affording a particularly easy mounting and fixing of the covering. It comprises a tubular reinforcement (3) forming a closed frame supporting hooking rods (5, 7) and upholstery (9) covered with a covering (11) fixed to the hooking rods. A detachable element (22) for putting the covering under tension and maintaining this tension, is fittable on the reinforcement frame and constitutes the back or bottom of the seat element.

Claims

1. A seat element in particular for an automobile vehicle, comprising a reinforcement constituting a closed frame, hooking rods carried by said frame, upholstery, a covering covering the upholstery, means for fixing the covering to the hooking rods, and a detachable element for maintaining the covering and putting the covering under tension, fittable on said frame and constituting the back or the bottom of the seat element depending on the orientation of the seat element.

2. A seat element acording to claim 1, wherein said detachable element is constituted by a plate having on substantially the whole of its periphery lateral portions which project from one of the sides of the plate and fit on said frame.

3. A seat element according to claim 2, wherein said lateral portions have a first portion in the shape of a portion of a cylinder which is open toward the exterior of the plate and puts the covering under tension, and a second portion extending said first portion beyond the plate for maintaining the covering.

4. A seat element according to claim 2, wherein the lateral portions include notches for facilitating an elastic deformation of the lateral portions.

5. A seat element according to claim 2, wherein said detachable element comprises stiffening ribs in a central part thereof.

6. A seat element according to claim 1, wherein said fixing means comprise shape-producing thread-like members fixed to the covering and having hooks for engagement on the hooking rods.

7. A seat element according to claim 6, wherein said fixing means further comprise elastic tensioning elements having hooks located at ends of the covering and connected to the covering.

10. A device according to claim 7, wherein the jig is in at least two separable parts located on each side of at least one median plane of separation for facilitating the withdrawal of the seat element from the jig.

8. A device for assembling a seat element comprising a reinforcement constituting a closed frame, hooking rods carried by said frame, upholstery, a covering covering the upholstery, means for fixing the covering to the hooking rods, and a detachable element for maintaining the covering and putting the covering under tension, fittable on said frame and constituting the back or the bottom of the seat element depending on the orientation of the seat element,

said device comprising a hollow jig for receiving a previously-upholstered seat element, said jig having a bottom whose shape is complementary to the shape of the upholstered seat element and defining grooves substantially throughout an inner periphery of the jig, and inwardly projecting strips which extend in said grooves substantially throughout the inner periphery of the jig, are capable of being urged back for putting under tension and maintaining the tension of the covering and are composed of an elastic material.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the jig comprises peripheral recesses for receiving the strips which are urged back by the seat element when the seat element enters the jig, the strips tending elastically to resume their normal projecting position as soon as the reinforcement reaches the level of said recesses so as to maintain the tension of the covering.