Vehicle seat with energy absorbing deformable structural material
First Claim
1. A vehicle seat, comprising a generally horizontal sitting portion connected to a generally vertical backrest, and an armrest connected to at least one of said sitting portion and said backrest, at least of one of said sitting portion, said backrest, and said armrest including a plastically deformable cellular structural material arranged therein, said cellular structural material including at least one hollow cell having an open top and bottom and generally vertical walls disposed generally perpendicular to the direction of a side-impact force applied to the vehicle seat during a vehicle collision, whereby said cellular structural material absorbs energy as it is permanently deformed during a collision.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle seat includes a generally horizontal sitting portion connected to a generally vertical backrest, and an armrest connected to the sitting portion or the armrest. At least one of the sitting portion, the backrest, or the armrest includes a plastically deformable cellular structural material arranged therein. Another embodiment is an armrest for a vehicle seat including an elastically deformable cushion material and a plastically deformable cellular structural material. A further embodiment is a vehicle seat including a sitting portion connected to a backrest, and an armrest connected to at least one of the sitting portion and the backrest. The armrest includes an elastically deformable cushion material and a plastically deformable cellular structural material. A variation of the armrest includes a barrier interposed between the cushion material and the cellular structural material. The sitting portion and the backrest each include plastically deformable cellular structural material arranged therein. For each embodiment, the cellular structural material includes at least one hollow cell having walls disposed normal to the direction a side impact force acts during a collision, whereby the cellular structural material absorbs energy as it is permanently deformed during a collision.
94 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A vehicle seat, comprising a generally horizontal sitting portion connected to a generally vertical backrest, and an armrest connected to at least one of said sitting portion and said backrest, at least of one of said sitting portion, said backrest, and said armrest including a plastically deformable cellular structural material arranged therein, said cellular structural material including at least one hollow cell having an open top and bottom and generally vertical walls disposed generally perpendicular to the direction of a side-impact force applied to the vehicle seat during a vehicle collision, whereby said cellular structural material absorbs energy as it is permanently deformed during a collision.
- 11. An arm rest for a vehicle seat, comprising an elastically deformable cushion material and a plastically deformable cellular structural material, said cellular structural material including at least one hollow cell having an open top and bottom and generally vertical walls disposed perpendicular to the direction of a side-impact force applied during a vehicle collision, whereby said walls deform within an open space formed by said hollow cell so as to absorb energy as said walls are deformed during a collision, said elastically deformed cushion material serving to further absorb energy, in addition to said cellular structal material, created from a side impact force cause by a collision.
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20. An armrest for a vehicle seat, comprising a plastically deformable cellular structural material, said cellular structural material including at least one hollow cell having an open top and bottom and generally vertical walls disposed perpendicular to a direction of a side-impact force applied during a vehicle collision, whereby said walls deform within an open space formed by said hollow cell so as to absorb energy during a collision;
- and a semi-rigid barrier positioned adjacent to said cellular structural material such that said cellular structural material is positioned on an outboard side of said barrier, wherein said barrier radiates the side-impact force of the collision across a plane of the said barrier to produce a more uniform deformation of said cellular material and to apply a less focused force to a seat occupant.
- View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
Specification