Method of forming a seating system

• US 7,250,091 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trinseo Europe Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Vikas, Koelman, Hein J., Kurtycz, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Crispino; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Musser; Barbara J.
• Application Number:
  US10/755,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20040194877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 156/242
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24537 Parallel ribs and/or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24545 Containing metal or metal compound
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24711 Plural corrugated components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249946 Glass fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249951 Including a free metal or alloy constituent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal

Abstract

The present invention discloses a seating system that includes a seat back (20) with one or more plastic panels (22) that extend across a lateral distance of the seat back (20). The seat back (20) preferably includes one or more reinforcements (30) attached to the plastic panels (22).

Claims

1. A method of forming an automotive seatback system, comprising:

providing a first panel having a main wall;

providing a reinforcement positioned upon the first panel wherein;

i) the first panel is formed of a plastic material, the first panel having at least one corresponding surface; and

ii) the reinforcement is formed of a secondary material, the secondary material being a metal, the reinforcement having at least one corresponding surface;

adhering the corresponding surface of the reinforcement to the corresponding surface of the first panel with an adhesive; and

locating the first panel within an automotive vehicle as part of a seat back;

wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from side to side along and across the main wall; and

wherein the seat back is adjustable within the vehicle.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the corresponding surface of the reinforcement and the corresponding surface of the first panel is a low energy surface and wherein the adhesive is capable of bonding to a low energy surface and wherein the low energy surface is a plastic having a surface energy of less than 45 mJ/m².

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising applying the adhesive directly to the corresponding surface of the panel without treatment or priming of the said corresponding surface of the panel.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises an organoborane/amine complex and one or more of monomers, oligomers or polymers having olefinic unsaturation which is capable of polymerization by free radical polymerization.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the corresponding surface of the reinforcement defines one or more contours corresponding to one or more contours defined by the corresponding surface of the panel.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cycle time for formation of the seatback system is less than 40 seconds.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from top to bottom along and across the main wall.

8. A method of forming an automotive seatback system, comprising:

providing a first panel having a main wall;

providing a reinforcement positioned upon the first panel wherein;

i) the first panel is formed of a plastic material in which the plastic material includes a filler selected from glass fibre or natural fibre and in which the plastic material comprises a polymer selected from a polyolefin, a polystyrene, a polyamide, a polybutylene terephthalate, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, a polycarbonate or a combination thereof, the first panel having at least one corresponding surface; and

ii) the reinforcement is formed of a secondary material, the secondary material being a metal, the reinforcement having at least one corresponding surface;

adhering the corresponding surface of the reinforcement to the corresponding surface of the first panel with an adhesive; and

locating the first panel within an automotive vehicle as part of a seat back;

wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from side to side along and across the main wall.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein at least one of the corresponding surface of the reinforcement and the corresponding surface of the first panel is a low energy surface and wherein the adhesive is capable of bonding to a low energy surface and wherein the low energy surface is a plastic having a surface energy of less than 45 mJ/m².

10. A method according to claims 8 in which the plastics material is selected from short glass fibre filled polypropylene, long glass fibre filled polypropylene, glass filled polyamide and glass filled polyamide alloys.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the reinforcement and its corresponding surface is made of a metal selected from steel, aluminum or a combination thereof.

12. A method according to claim 8 further comprising applying the adhesive directly to the corresponding surface of the panel without treatment or priming of the said corresponding surface of the panel.

13. A method according to claim 8 wherein the panel and the corresponding surface of the panel is formed of polypropylene or polyamide.

14. A method according to claim 8 wherein the adhesive comprises an organoborane/amine complex and one or more of monomers, oligomers or polymers having olefinic unsaturation which is capable of polymerization by free radical polymerization.

15. A method according to claim 14 in which:

the polymerizable composition further comprises a compound which causes the complex to disassociate so as to release the organoborane to initiate polymerization of one or more of monomers, oligomers or polymers having olefinic unsaturation;

or

the amine part of the organoborane/amine complex is selected from the group of amines having an amidine structural component;

aliphatic heterocycles having at least one nitrogen in the heterocyclic ring;

primary amines which in addition have one or more hydrogen bond accepting groups wherein there are at least two carbon atoms between the primary amine and the hydrogen bond accepting group; and

conjugated imines;

or

the amine is selected from dimethylaminopropyl amine, methoxypropyl amine, dimethylaminoethylamine, dimethylaminobutylamine, methoxybutyl amine, methoxyethyl amine, ethoxypropylamine, propoxypropylamine, amine terminated polyalkylene ethers (such as trimethylolpropane tris(poly(propyleneglycol), amine terminated)ether), aminopropylmorpholine, isophoronediamine, and aminopropylpropanediamine;

or

the organoborane part of the organoborane/amine complex is selected from a trialkyl borane and an alkyl cycloalkyl borane.

16. A method according to claim 8 wherein the corresponding surface of the reinforcement defines one or more contours corresponding to one or more contours defined by the corresponding surface of the panel.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the one or more contours of the reinforcement are at least partially defined by ribs or cavities and the one or more contours of the of the panel are defined by ribs or cavities.

18. A method according to claim 8 wherein the panel is formed by a process selected from compression molding, injection molding or blow molding.

19. A method according to claim 8 wherein the cycle time for formation of the seatback system is less than 40 seconds.

26. A method according to claim 8 wherein the seat back is adjustable within the vehicle.

27. A method according to claim 8 wherein the seat system includes multiple panels spanning a lateral distance of the system with the automotive vehicle.

30. The method according to claim 8 wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from top to bottom along and across the main wall.

31. The method according to claim 8 wherein the first panel including the main wall spans across a lateral distance of the seatback system and wherein the reinforcement is positioned to be generally perpendicular to a torsional bending diagonal plane of the seatback.

20. A method of forming an automotive seatback system, comprising:

providing a first panel having a main wall;

providing a reinforcement positioned upon the first panel wherein;

i) the first panel is formed of a plastic material selected from a polyamide or a polypropylene and in which the plastics material includes fibre, the first panel having at least one corresponding surface; and

ii) the reinforcement is formed of a metal material, the reinforcement having at least one corresponding surface;

iii) the corresponding surface of the first panel is a low energy surface of less than 45 mJ/m²; and

iv) the adhesive is capable of bonding to the corresponding surface of the first panel;

adhering the corresponding surface of the reinforcement to the corresponding surface of the first panel with an adhesive;

locating the first panel within an automotive vehicle as part of a seat back;

wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from side to side along and across the main wall.

21. A method according to claim 20 in which the fibre is selected from short glass fibre, long glass fibre, short natural fibre or long natural fibre.

22. A method according to claims 20 in which the plastics material is selected from short glass fibre filled polypropylene, long glass fibre filled polypropylene, glass filled polyamide and glass filled polyamide alloys.

23. A method according to claim 20 wherein the reinforcement and it corresponding surface is made of a metal selected from steel, aluminium or a combination thereof.

24. A method according to claim 20 wherein the corresponding surface of the reinforcement defines one or more contours corresponding to one or more contours defined by the corresponding surface of the panel.

25. A method according to claim 20 wherein the cycle time for formation of the seatback system is less than 40 seconds.

28. A method according to claim 20 wherein the adhesive comprises an organoborane/amine complex and one or more of monomers, oligomers or polymers having olefinic unsaturation which is capable of polymerization by free radical polymerization.

32. The method according to claim 20 wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from top to bottom along and across the main wall.

29. A method of forming an automotive seatback system, comprising:

providing a first panel having a main wall;

providing a reinforcement positioned upon the first panel wherein;

i) the first panel is formed of a plastic material selected from a polyamide or a polypropylene, the first panel having at least one corresponding surface formed of the plastic material, the first panel defining a rib extending along the main wall; and

ii) the reinforcement is formed of a metal material selected from aluminum or steel, the reinforcement having at least one corresponding surface formed of the metal material, the reinforcement defining a cavity that receives the rib of the first panel;

iii) the corresponding surface of the first panel is a low energy surface of less than 45 mJ/m²; and

iv) the adhesive is capable of bonding to the corresponding surface of the first panel;

adhering the corresponding surface of the reinforcement to the corresponding surface of the first panel with an adhesive;

locating the first panel within an automotive vehicle as part of a seat back;

wherein the reinforcement extends horizontally, vertically or both substantially along and across the wall.

33. The method according to claim 29 wherein the rib is co-extensive with the reinforcement and extends substantially from side to side and from top to bottom along and across the main wall and wherein the main wall extends substantially continuously between an entire periphery of panel and wherein the panel includes only one main wall.

34. A method of forming an automotive seatback system, comprising:

providing a first panel having a main wall;

providing a reinforcement positioned upon the first panel wherein;

i) the first panel is formed of a plastic material in which the plastics material is selected from short glass fibre filled polypropylene, long glass fibre filled polypropylene, glass filled polyamide and glass filled polyamide alloys, the first panel having at least one corresponding surface; and

ii) the reinforcement is formed of a secondary material, the secondary material being a metal, the reinforcement having at least one corresponding surface;

adhering the corresponding surface of the reinforcement to the corresponding surface of the first panel with an adhesive; and

locating the first panel within an automotive vehicle as part of a seat back;

wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from side to side along and across the main wall.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein at least one of the corresponding surface of the reinforcement and the corresponding surface of the first panel is a low energy surface and wherein the adhesive is capable of bonding to a low energy surface and wherein the low energy surface is a plastic having a surface energy of less than 45 mJ/m².

36. A method according to claim 34 further comprising applying the adhesive directly to the corresponding surface of the panel without treatment or priming of the said corresponding surface of the panel.

37. A method according to claim 34 wherein the adhesive comprises an organoborane/amine complex and one or more of monomers, oligomers or polymers having olefinic unsaturation which is capable of polymerization by free radical polymerization.

38. A method according to claim 34 wherein the corresponding surface of the reinforcement defines one or more contours corresponding to one or more contours defined by the corresponding surface of the panel.

39. A method according to claim 34 wherein the cycle time for formation of the seatback system is less than 40 seconds.

40. The method according to claim 34 wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from top to bottom along and across the main wall.

41. A method of forming an automotive seatback system, comprising:

providing a first panel having a main wall;

providing a reinforcement positioned upon the first panel wherein;

i) the first panel is formed of a plastic material, the first panel having at least one corresponding surface; and

ii) the reinforcement is formed of a secondary material, the secondary material being a metal, the reinforcement having at least one corresponding surface;

adhering the corresponding surface of the reinforcement to the corresponding surface of the first panel with an adhesive; and

locating the first panel within an automotive vehicle as part of a seat back;

wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from side to side along and across the main wall;

wherein the corresponding surface of the reinforcement defines one or more contours corresponding to one or more contours defined by the corresponding surface of the panel; and

wherein the one or more contours of the reinforcement are at least partially defined by ribs or cavities and the one or more contours of the of the panel are defined by ribs or cavities.

42. A method according to claim 41 wherein at least one of the corresponding surface of the reinforcement and the corresponding surface of the first panel is a low energy surface and wherein the adhesive is capable of bonding to a low energy surface and wherein the low energy surface is a plastic having a surface energy of less than 45 mJ/m².

43. A method according to claim 41 further comprising applying the adhesive directly to the corresponding surface of the panel without treatment or priming of the said corresponding surface of the panel.

44. A method according to claim 41 wherein the adhesive comprises an organoborane/amine complex and one or more of monomers, oligomers or polymers having olefinic unsaturation which is capable of polymerization by free radical polymerization.

45. A method according to claim 41 wherein the corresponding surface of the reinforcement defines one or more contours corresponding to one or more contours defined by the corresponding surface of the panel.

46. A method according to claim 41 wherein the cycle time for formation of the seatback system is less than 40 seconds.

47. The method according to claim 41 wherein the reinforcement extends substantially from top to bottom along and across the main wall.