Seat back frame for absorbing energy
First Claim
1. A seat assembly for absorbing energy from a crash involving a series of impacts by providing a seat back having greater rigidity in an aft direction than in a forward direction, comprising:
- a seat back frame having a first side member and a second side member, each of said side members having a hollow central region, said seat back frame structurally supporting said seat back; and
a first elongated member and a second elongated member, each of said elongated members being flexible and having a first end, a second end, and a middle region between said first and second end, each of said elongated members being able to support a tensile load and unable to support a compressive load, wherein each of said elongated members is displaced under a compressive load;
said first elongated member being disposed in said hollow central region of said first side member, said first end of said first elongated member being anchored to a front and lower portion of said first side member, said second end of said first elongated member being anchored to an aft and upper portion of said first side member such that said first elongated member is oriented substantially diagonally to a longitudinal axis of said first side member, said central region of said first elongated member being suspended;
said second elongated member being disposed in said hollow central region of said second side member, said first end of said second elongated member being anchored to a front and lower portion of said second side member, and said second end of said second elongated member being anchored to an aft and upper portion of said second side member such that said second elongated member is oriented substantially diagonally to a longitudinal axis of said second side member;
wherein an aft directed force on said seat back frame tensions said elongated members such that said elongated members support said seat back frame; and
wherein a forward directed force on said seat back frame compresses said elongated members such that said elongated members are displaced and provide little or no support to said seat back frame.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a seat assembly capable of absorbing energy during a crash involving a series of impacts by providing a seat back which is relatively flexible to forward directed forces and relatively inflexible to aft directed forces. The seat back includes a seat back frame having a first and second side member. A first and second elongated member are flexible and have a first end, a second end, and a middle region between the first and second end. The elongated members are able to support a tensile load but are unable to support a compressive load. The first elongated member is disposed on a forward face of the first side member, wherein the first end is attached to a lower portion of the forward face, the second end is attached to an upper portion of the forward face, and the middle region is suspended. The second elongated member is disposed on a forward face of the second side member in a similar fashion. An aft directed force on the seat back frame tensions the elongated members such that the elongated members support the seat back frame, and a forward directed force on the seat back frame compresses the elongated members such that the elongated members are displaced and provide little or no support to the seat back frame.
59 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A seat assembly for absorbing energy from a crash involving a series of impacts by providing a seat back having greater rigidity in an aft direction than in a forward direction, comprising:
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a seat back frame having a first side member and a second side member, each of said side members having a hollow central region, said seat back frame structurally supporting said seat back; and a first elongated member and a second elongated member, each of said elongated members being flexible and having a first end, a second end, and a middle region between said first and second end, each of said elongated members being able to support a tensile load and unable to support a compressive load, wherein each of said elongated members is displaced under a compressive load; said first elongated member being disposed in said hollow central region of said first side member, said first end of said first elongated member being anchored to a front and lower portion of said first side member, said second end of said first elongated member being anchored to an aft and upper portion of said first side member such that said first elongated member is oriented substantially diagonally to a longitudinal axis of said first side member, said central region of said first elongated member being suspended; said second elongated member being disposed in said hollow central region of said second side member, said first end of said second elongated member being anchored to a front and lower portion of said second side member, and said second end of said second elongated member being anchored to an aft and upper portion of said second side member such that said second elongated member is oriented substantially diagonally to a longitudinal axis of said second side member; wherein an aft directed force on said seat back frame tensions said elongated members such that said elongated members support said seat back frame; and wherein a forward directed force on said seat back frame compresses said elongated members such that said elongated members are displaced and provide little or no support to said seat back frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of absorbing energy resulting from a passenger striking the back side of a seat assembly by providing a seat back having greater rigidity to aft directed forces than to forward directed forces, comprising the steps of:
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providing the seat back with a first side member and a second side member, each of the side members having a hollow central region; providing a first elongated member and a second elongated, each of the elongated members having a first end and a second end, each of the first and second elongated members being able to support a tensile load and unable to support a compressive load, wherein each of the elongated members being displaced under a compressive load; positioning the first elongated member within the hollow central region of the first side member; anchoring the first end of the first elongated member to a front and lower portion of the first side member; anchoring the second end of the first elongated member to an aft and upper portion of the first side member; positioning the second elongated member within the hollow central region of the second arm; anchoring the first end of the second elongated member to a front and lower portion of the second side member; tensioning the first elongated member upwardly and diagonally; anchoring the second end of the second elongated member to an aft and upper portion of the second side member; whereby an aft directed force on the seat back tensions the elongated members such that the elongated members support the seat back; whereby a forward directed force resulting from a passenger striking the seat back during a crash compresses the elongated members such that the elongated members are displaced and provide little or no support to the seat back; and absorbing the impact energy from the passenger striking the seat back by allowing the seat back to flex forward; whereby the seat back flexes substantially more to forward directed forces of a particular magnitude than to aft directed forces of equal magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A seat assembly for absorbing energy from a crash involving a series of impacts by providing a seat back having greater rigidity in an aft direction than in a forward direction, comprising:
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a seat back frame having a first side member and a second side member, said seat back frame supporting said seat back; a first elongated member and a second elongated member, each of said elongated members being flexible and having a first end, a second end, and a middle region between said first end and said second end, each of said elongated members being able to support a tensile load and unable to support a compressive load, wherein said elongated members are displaced under a compressive load; said first elongated member disposed on a forward face of said first side member, said first end of said first elongated member attached to a lower portion of said forward face of said first side member, said second end attached to an upper portion of said forward face of said first side member, and said middle region of said first elongated member being suspended; said second elongated member disposed on a forward face of said second side member, said first end of said second elongated member attached to a lower portion of said forward face of said second side member, said second end of said second elongated member attached to an upper portion of said forward face of said second side member, and said middle region of said middle region of said second elongated member being suspended; wherein an aft directed force on said seat back frame tensions said first and second elongated member such that said first and second elongated members support said seat back frame; and wherein a forward directed force on said seat back frame compresses said elongated members such that said elongated members are displaced and provide little or no support to said seat back frame. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of absorbing energy resulting from a passenger striking the back side of a seat assembly by providing a seat back having greater rigidity to aft directed forces than to forward directed forces, comprising the steps of:
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providing the seat back with a first side member and a second side member; providing a first elongated member and a second elongated member, each of elongated members being flexible and having a first end, a second end, and a middle region between said first end and said second end, each of the elongated members being able to support a tensile load and unable to support a compressive load, wherein each of the elongated members is displaced under a compressive load; disposing the first elongated member on a forward face of the first side member, the first end of the first elongated member being attached to a lower portion of the forward face of the first side member, the second end being attached to an upper portion of the forward face of the first side member, and the middle region of the first elongated member being suspended; and disposing the second elongated member on a forward face of the second side member, the first end of the second elongated member being attached to a lower portion of the forward face of the second side member, the second end of the second elongated member being attached to an upper portion of the forward face of the second side member, and the middle region of the second elongated member being suspended; whereby an aft directed force on the seat back frame tensions the elongated members such that the elongated members support the seat back frame; and whereby a forward directed force on the seat back frame compresses the elongated members such that the elongated members are displaced and provide little or no support to the seat back frame. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification