Vehicle seat
First Claim
1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
- a lower generally horizontal seat part and a back rest extending generally upwardly from the seat part;
a frame having a generally horizontal base portion and a back portion extending generally upwardly from the frame base portion within the back rest and being rotatably mounted to the frame base portion for rotation about a transverse axis to adjust the angular position of the frame back portion relative to the frame base portion;
recliner means for adjustably locking the frame back portion in position relative to the frame base portion;
a shoulder belt operatively associated with the frame back portion above the transverse axis and extending forward therefrom whereby tension in the shoulder belt urges the frame back portion to rotate forward about the transverse axis;
a tensile load carrying member having a lower end adjacent to the frame base portion rearward of the transverse axis and an upper end adjacent the frame back portion above the transverse axis, one of the upper and lower ends of the tensile load carrying member being attached to the frame and the other of the upper and lower ends being detached from the frame; and
gripping means carried by the frame for gripping the detached end of the tensile load carrying member at least when the shoulder belt is loaded in tension above a predetermined quantity to attach the detached end of the tensile load carrying member to the frame whereby the load carrying member is loaded in tension and creates in combination with the frame a rigid triangular truss to resist forward rotation of the frame back portion and the gripping means detaching the detached end of the tensile load carrying member at least during angular adjustment of the frame back portion relative to the frame base portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle seat which carries a passenger restraint system, namely a lap belt and a shoulder belt, with a tension load carrying member being provided to resist forward rotation and bending of the backrest frame during a frontal vehicle collision when the shoulder belt is loaded in tension. The tension load carrying member forms a truss structure with the frame back portion and the frame base portion. However, during normal vehicle operation, the tension load carrying member is detached from the frame back portion eliminating the truss structure and the need for a more complex recliner mechanism for adjusting the position of the backrest. A grip mechanism is provided to attach the load carrying member in response to a high shoulder belt load to complete the truss. In an alternative embodiment, the load carrying member is released from the backrest only during adjustment of the backrest.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
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a lower generally horizontal seat part and a back rest extending generally upwardly from the seat part; a frame having a generally horizontal base portion and a back portion extending generally upwardly from the frame base portion within the back rest and being rotatably mounted to the frame base portion for rotation about a transverse axis to adjust the angular position of the frame back portion relative to the frame base portion; recliner means for adjustably locking the frame back portion in position relative to the frame base portion; a shoulder belt operatively associated with the frame back portion above the transverse axis and extending forward therefrom whereby tension in the shoulder belt urges the frame back portion to rotate forward about the transverse axis; a tensile load carrying member having a lower end adjacent to the frame base portion rearward of the transverse axis and an upper end adjacent the frame back portion above the transverse axis, one of the upper and lower ends of the tensile load carrying member being attached to the frame and the other of the upper and lower ends being detached from the frame; and gripping means carried by the frame for gripping the detached end of the tensile load carrying member at least when the shoulder belt is loaded in tension above a predetermined quantity to attach the detached end of the tensile load carrying member to the frame whereby the load carrying member is loaded in tension and creates in combination with the frame a rigid triangular truss to resist forward rotation of the frame back portion and the gripping means detaching the detached end of the tensile load carrying member at least during angular adjustment of the frame back portion relative to the frame base portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
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a lower generally horizontal seat part and a back rest extending generally upwardly from the seat part; a frame having a generally horizontal base portion and a back portion extending generally upwardly from the frame base portion within the back rest and being rotatably mounted to the frame base portion for rotation about a transverse axis to adjust the angular position of the frame back portion relative to the frame base portion; recliner means for adjustably locking the frame back portion in position relative to the frame base portion; a shoulder belt coupled to the frame back portion above the transverse axis and extending forward therefrom whereby tension in the shoulder belt urges the frame back portion to rotate forward about the transverse axis; a tensile load carrying member having a lower end adjacent to the frame base portion rearward of the transverse axis and an upper end adjacent the frame back portion above the transverse axis, one of the upper and lower end of the tensile load carrying member being attached to the frame and the other of the upper and lower ends being detached from the frame; releasable gripping means carried by the frame for gripping the detached end of the tensile load carrying member to attach the detached end of the tensile load carrying member to the frame whereby when the shoulder belt is loaded in tension, the load carrying member is also loaded in tension and creates, in combination with the frame, a rigid triangular truss to resist forward rotation of the frame back portion; and release means extending between the recliner means and the gripping means for to releasing the tensile load carrying member in response to release of the recliner means whereby the frame back portion is rotatable about the frame base portion. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
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a lower generally horizontal seat part and a back rest extending generally upwardly from the seat part and having a front surface for engagement by a seat occupant; a frame having a generally horizontal base portion and a back portion extending generally upwardly from the frame base portion within the back rest and being rotatably mounted to the frame base portion for rotation about a transverse axis to adjust the angular position of the frame back portion relative to the frame base portion; recliner means for adjustably locking the frame back portion in a fixed position relative to the frame base portion; a shoulder belt coupled to the frame back portion above the transverse axis and extending forward from the front surface of the back rest whereby tension in the shoulder belt urges the frame back portion to rotate forward relative to the frame base portion; a load carrying member having a lower end coupled to the frame base portion at a location rearward of the transverse axis and an upper end portion adjacent the frame back portion, the upper end portion being detached from the frame back portion; and gripping means operatively associated with the shoulder belt and carried by the frame back portion for gripping the upper end portion of the load carrying member in response to tension in the shoulder belt above a predetermined quantity to attach the upper end portion of the load carrying member to the frame back portion whereby the load carrying member is loaded in tension and resists forward rotation of the frame back portion. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification