Wire harness for vehicle seat

• US 6,011,318 A
• Filed: 04/16/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Branch, Jeffrey A., Mayoras, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US09/061,404
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 361/826-828, 248/424, 248/429, 174/72 A, 297/311, 297/330, 297/341, 296/152, 180/326
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7094 Upholstery springs

Abstract

A wire harness for electrically connecting a vehicle seat generally comprises a plurality of wires encased in a continuous sheath. The sheath preferably has a serpentine or other shape of reduced length in its undeformed state. In this manner, when the vehicle seat is moved between a first position and a second position excess slack in the wire harness is taken up by the shape memory characteristic of the wire harness, thereby preventing damage to the wires.

Claims

1. A wire harness and vehicle seat comprising:

a vehicle seat moveable between a first position and a second position;

a wire harness comprising a plurality of wires encased in a continuous sheath, said sheath having an undeformed shape of a first length and being deformable to a second shape of a second length;

said wire harness connected to said vehicle seat, said wire harness having said undeformed shape when said vehicle is in said first position and said second length when said seat is in said second position.

2. The wire harness and vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein said vehicle seat is moveable on at least one seat track between said first position and said second position.

3. The wire harness and vehicle seat of claim 2 wherein said wire harness includes a first end connected to said vehicle seat and a second end which is generally fixed relative to said seat tracks.

4. The wire harness and vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein said sheath of said wire harness is a polymer.

5. The wire harness and vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein said sheath of said wire harness is a foam.

6. The wire harness and vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein said sheath is disposed around and among said plurality of wires.

7. The wire harness and vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said wire harness in said undeformed shape is serpentine.

8. The wire harness and vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said wire harness in said undeformed state is coiled.

9. The wire harness and vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein said wire harness includes a first electrical connector at a first end and a second electrical connector at a second end.

10. A wire harness for connecting to a vehicle seat comprising:

a plurality of wires;

a continuous sheath disposed around and among said plurality of wires, said sheath having an undeformed, first shape of a first length and being deformable to a second shape of a greater, second length;

a first electrical connector on a first end of said wire harness for connecting to a vehicle seat;

a second electrical connector on a second end of said wire harness for connecting to a vehicle.

11. The wire harness of claim 10 wherein said sheath of said wire harness is a polymer.

12. The wire harness of claim 10 wherein said sheath of said wire harness is a foam.

13. The wire harness of claim 10 wherein said sheath is disposed around and among said plurality of wires.

14. The wire harness of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of said wire harness in said undeformed shape is serpentine.

15. The wire harness of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of said wire harness in said undeformed state is coiled.

16. The wire harness of claim 10 wherein said wire harness includes a first electrical connector at a first end and a second electrical connector at a second end.

17. A method for routing wires to a vehicle seat including the steps of:

encasing a plurality of wires with a sheath having an undeformed first shape of a first length and deformable to a second shape of a second length greater than said first length;

connecting a first end of said plurality of wires to a vehicle seat;

connecting a second end of said wires to a vehicle;

moving said seat from a first position to a second position relative to said second end of said wires, thereby deforming said sheath from said first shape of said first length to a second shape of said second length.