Foam seat with insert

• US 5,067,772 A
• Filed: 03/29/1990
• Issued: 11/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michigan Seat Company (Jason Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Michigan Seat Company (Jason Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koa, Chi H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US07/501,003
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452, 297/455, 297/DIG. 6, 297/457, 297/459, 297/DIG. 2, 297/219, 297/229, 297/DIG. 1, 24/306, 24/442, 248/205.2, 2/DIG. 6
• US Class Current: 297/452.55
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/185 with a stiff, rigid support
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7005 detachable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/02 Molded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/06 Hook and loop type fastener

Abstract

A seat using a foam cushion removably mounted upon a pan, the pan and cushion both being molded of a synthetic plastic material. Releasable fasteners of the hook and loop type maintain the cushion upon the pan and one of the fastener elements is molded into the pan material while the other element is affixed to a cushion insert. The synthetic plastic pan may include integral spring elements providing additional resiliency to the cushion.

Claims

1. A molded seat comprising, in combination, a pan formed of a molded synthetic plastic material, having a bottom portion and an integral back portion, said portions each including an inner surface, resilient foam bottom and back cushion portions mounted upon said pan bottom and back portions, respectively, said cushion portions each including an inner surface in opposed relationship to the associated pan portion inner surface, a plurality of fasteners interposed between said associated pan and cushion portions, each of said fasteners including a first element integrally molded into a pan portion and the material thereof and extending from the associated pan portion inner surface and a second element affixed to a cushion portion and extending from the associated cushion portion inner surface, one of said fasteners'"'"' elements including a plurality of loops and the other associated element including a plurality of deformable hooks releasably interconnecting with said loops whereby said fasteners releasably secure said cushion portions upon the associated pan portions, a substantially rigid cushion insert within said cushion portions, said inserts having a plurality of holes defined therein, said second fastener elements each including an elongated mounting stud having retaining means defined thereon, each stud being received within an insert hole to affix said second elements to said insert, said studs being formed of a synthetic plastic material and said retaining means defined on said studs comprising deformable barbs.

2. In a molded seat as in claim 1, said first element including a substantially rigid base, said base being molded into the material of the associated pan portion.

3. A foam seat assembly including a seat pan molded of a synthetic plastic material having a bottom panel having a central region having a general plane, an opening defined within the central region, a peripheral region including lateral sides, a foam cushion having an inner surface and a peripheral region superimposed over and supported upon the pan wherein the seat inner surface is disposed toward the pan central region, and fasteners maintaining the cushion upon the pan, the improvement comprising, at least three resilient spring members homogeneously formed on the central region of the pan bottom panel of the material of the pan extending upwardly from the general plane of the central region for weight bearing engagement with the cushion inner surface, each of said resilient spring members being of an elongated, linear, convex, upwardly bowed configuration having a length transverse to the pan lateral sides and extending across said opening, said spring members being spaced from one another by a gap of at least a width of one of said spring members and having end portions located in the pan central region general plane, said spring members bowed configuration including a plurality of sine waves having axes transverse to the length of the associated spring member, and a concave recess defined in the cushion inner surface, said spring members engaging said cushion recess.