Seat back of automotive seat

• US 7,040,707 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakahara, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US10/822,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20050225155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 297/231.13, 297/396, 297/216.13, 297/452.2, 297/452.27, 297/452.23, 297/DIG.1
• US Class Current: 297/452.27
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5621 by air
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/565 sucked from the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/643 shape of the back-rests B60N2/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/30 Seat or seat parts characterised by comprising plural parts or pieces

Abstract

A seat back of automotive seat, which comprises an upper seat back portion and a lower seat back portion. A foam padding of the upper seat back portion is greater in hardness than that of the lower seat back portion. A vent element is provided in each of the two seat back portions. The vent element may include a through-hole or a recessed portion, and/or a netted element provided on the lower seat back portion. The upper seat back portion is fixedly connected with the lower seat back portion in an integral manner by means of a connecting element disposed within both of those two seat back portions.

Claims

1. A seat back of automotive seat comprising:

a lower seat back portion including a foam padding provided therein, said lower seat back portion having a forward surface facing to a side forwardly of said automotive seat and a backward side facing to a side backwardly of the automotive seat;

an upper seat back portion firmly connected with an upper area of said lower seat back portion, wherein said upper seat back portion includes a foam padding provided therein and has a forward surface facing to a side forwardly of said automotive seat and a backward side facing to a side backwardly of the automotive seat;

said foam padding of said upper seat back portion being greater in hardness than said foam padding of said lower seat back portion; and

a vent means allowing air to flow at said lower and upper seat back portions, said vent means comprising;

a first vent hole means defined in said lower seat back portion,

said first vent hole means comprising a first through-hole formed through said lower seat back portion so as to open in both said forward and backward surfaces of said lower seat back portion; and

a second vent hole means defined between said upper and lower seat back portions, said second vent hole means comprising a second through-hole formed through and between said upper and lower seat back portions so as to open in both said forward and backward surfaces of said upper and lower seat back portions.

2. The back seat according to claim 1, wherein said lower seat back portion is so formed to have:

a top portion;

a main back support region defined centrally thereof; and

a pair of side bolster support regions defined on opposite sides of said main back support region, wherein said upper seat back portion is formed in a generally “

inverted U”

shape comprising;

a headrest region defined in the upper area thereof;

a pair of shoulder support regions defined in the lower area thereof; and

a lower end portion, such that a pair of said shoulder support regions are defined continuously from said headrest region so as to extend downwardly therefrom, wherein said pair of side bolster support regions each have an outer lateral surface, wherein each of said pair of side shoulder support regions is fixedly and integrally attached to said outer lateral surface of each of said pair of side bolster support regions, and said second through-hole is defined between said top portion of said lower seat back portion and said lower end portion of said lower seat back portion.

3. The back seat according to claim 1, wherein said vent means further comprises a netted element provided on said forward surface of said lower seat back portion.

4. The seat back according to claim 3, wherein said netted element overlies said second hole means.

5. The seat back as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper seat back portion is fixedly connected with said lower seat back portion by a connecting means, and wherein said connecting means is disposed within both said upper and lower seat back portions.

6. A seat back of automotive seat, comprising:

a lower seat back portion including foam padding provided therein, said lower seat back portion having a forward surface facing to a side forwardly of said automotive seat and a backward side facing to a side backwardly of the automotive seat;

an upper seat back portion firmly connected with an upper area of said lower seat back portion, wherein said upper seat back portion includes a foam padding provided therein and has a forward surface facing to a side forwardly of said automotive seat and a backward side facing to a side backwardly of the automotive seat;

said foam padding of said upper seat back portion being greater in hardness than said foam padding of said lower seat back portion;

a vent means allowing air to flow at said lower and upper seat back portions, said vent means comprising a recessed portion defined in said forward surface of said lower seat back portion said vent means further comprises a netted element provided on said forward surface of said lower seat back portion; and

wherein said netted element is of a three-dimensional net structure.

7. A seat back of automotive seat comprising:

a lower seat back portion including a foam padding provided therein, said lower seat back portion having a forward surface facing to a side forwardly of said automotive seat and a backward side facing to a side backwardly of the automotive seat;

an upper seat back portion firmly connected with an upper area of said lower seat back portion, wherein said upper seat back portion includes a foam padding provided therein and has a forward surface facing to a side forwardly of said automotive seat and a backward side facing to a side backwardly of the automotive seat;

said foam padding of said upper seat back portion being greater in hardness than said foam padding of said lower seat back portion;

a connecting means for fixedly connecting said lower and upper seat back portions, said connecting means including;

a securing frame means provided in each of said lower and upper seat back portions; and

securing bolts and nuts, wherein said securing bolts and nuts are securely connected with said securing frame means, thereby fixedly connecting said lower and upper seat back portions;

a vent means allowing air to flow at said lower and upper seat back portions, said vent means comprising;

a first vent hole means defined in said lower seat back portion; and

a second vent hole means defined between said upper and lower seat back portions; and

a slit formed in said foam padding of said lower seat back portion, said slit extending between said securing frame means and said second vent hole means to allow said securing bolts and nuts to be inserted through said slit in a direction from said second vent hole means to said securing frame means.