Vehicle seat structure

• US 7,523,991 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Saiki, Hideshi, Mazzei, Anke, Thompson, Bryan Scot, Devers, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer; Laurie K
• Application Number:
  US11/668,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 297/188.01, 297/188.04, 297/188.05, 297/188.07, 297/188.2, 297/188.21, 2972191-229, 297/452.58, 297/452.61, 297/452.62, 297/452.38, 297/463.2, 248/205.2
• US Class Current: 297/452.62
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/58 Seat coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/043 mounted on or under a seat

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat assembly having an exposed non-seating surface that includes one of a hook material and a loop material. The seat assembly also includes at least one removable storage element having a surface portion covered with the other of the hook material and the loop material. The removable storage element further removably attaches to a portion of the exposed non-passenger supporting surface in any one of a plurality of orientations and positions.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat structure, comprising:

a seat assembly having a seat cushion portion configured to support hip portions of a passenger and a seat upright portion configured to support a passenger'"'"'s backside adjacent to the seat cushion portion, the seat cushion portion being covered with an outer covering material having a seating surface and a lateral outboard non-seating surface with an edge defined therebetween; and

a first reinforcing material section fixed to and covering a portion of the seating surface adjacent to the lateral outboard non-seating surface, extending over the edge and covering a portion of the lateral outboard non-seating surface for providing durability and resistance to wear.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein

the seat assembly has an exposed non-seating surface that includes one of a hook material and a loop material and at least one removable storage element having a surface portion covered with the other of the hook material and the loop material that removably attaches to a portion of the exposed non-passenger supporting surface in any one of a plurality of orientations and positions.

3. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 2, wherein

the seat upright portion includes a passenger back supporting surface and a second exposed non-passenger supporting surface covered with the one of the hook material and the loop material.

4. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 3, wherein

the seat assembly includes a headrest supported to the seat upright portion, the headrest having a third exposed non-passenger supporting surface covered with the one of the hook material and the loop material.

5. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 2, wherein

the seat upright portion includes a passenger supporting surface and the exposed non-passenger supporting surface.

6. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 5, wherein

the seat assembly includes a headrest supported to the seat upright portion, the headrest having a second exposed non-passenger supporting surface covered with the one of the hook material and the loop material.

7. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 2, wherein

the seat assembly includes a headrest having a passenger supporting surface and the exposed non-passenger supporting surface.

8. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 2, further comprising

a plurality of removable storage elements each having a surface portion covered with the other of the hook material and the loop material.

9. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 8, wherein

the plurality of removable storage elements are re-positionable on the exposed non-passenger supporting surface in any of a plurality of orientations and positions.

10. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein

the first reinforcing material section is a generally smooth leather-like material.

11. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein

the seat assembly has a forward upright surface extending downward from the seating surface with a front edge defined therebetween, the first reinforcing material section further extending part way along the front edge covering a portion of the forward upright surface adjacent to the lateral outboard non-seating surface.

12. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein

the first reinforcing material section is permanently fixed to the seat cushion portion by stitching.

13. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 1, wherein

the outer covering material covering the seat cushion portion is a textile material.

14. A vehicle seat structure comprising:

a seat assembly having a seat cushion portion covered with an outer covering material having a seating surface and a lateral outboard non-seating surface with an edge defined therebetween;

a first reinforcing material section fixed to and covering a portion of the seating surface adjacent to the lateral outboard non-seating surface;

the seat assembly includes a seat upright portion covered with an outer covering material extending upward from the seat cushion portion having a passenger supporting surface and a lateral outboard surface with a second edge defined therebetween; and

a second reinforcing material section covering a portion of the passenger supporting surface adjacent to the second edge and adjacent to the lateral outboard seating surface and an area of the lateral outboard surface proximate the second edge.

15. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 14, wherein

the second reinforcing material section is permanently fixed to the seat upright portion by stitching.

16. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 14, wherein

the outer covering material covering the seat upright portion is a textile material.

17. The vehicle seat structure according to claim 14, wherein

the second reinforcing material section is a generally smooth leather-like material.

18. A vehicle seat structure, comprising:

a seat assembly having a seat cushion portion configured to support hip portions of a passenger and a seat upright portion configured to support a passenger'"'"'s backside adjacent to the seat cushion portion, the seat assembly having a forward upright surface extending downward from the seating surface with a front edge defined therebetween, the seat cushion portion being covered with an outer covering material having a seating surface and a lateral outboard non-seating surface with an edge defined therebetween; and

a first reinforcing material section fixed to and covering a portion of the seating surface adjacent to the lateral outboard non-seating surface for providing durability and resistance to wear, the first reinforcing material section further extending part way along the front edge covering a portion of the forward upright surface adjacent to the lateral outboard non-seating surface.