Seat

• US 7,600,821 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Tooling Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Delta Tooling Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yasuda, Eiichi, Doi, Shunichi, Ogura, Yumi, Fujita, Etsunori, Kawasaki, Seiji, Takei, Kazukata
• Primary Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US10/187,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20030006640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,659 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.56, 297/452.29
• US Class Current: 297/452.29
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/02 Reclining or easy chairs supports for parts of body A47C7/36, A47C7/50, A47C7/54
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/40 for the back
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5891 characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing seat coverings not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/64 Back-rests or cushions B60N2/2222 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/70 Upholstery springs ; Upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7094 Upholstery springs

Abstract

A seat provides a band-like support for the body sides of a user so as to reduce the supporting pressure on the user'"'"'s lumbar and to hold the user'"'"'s upper body stably. In this seat, the center of a load to be received in regions symmetrically divided to a vertical central line of the seat are positioned outside of a back region defined by left and right angulus inferior scapulae and by the upper ends of iliac bones. Moreover, the load ratios in the individual regions are not more than 25% in the region corresponding to a region extended downward from the back region.

Claims

1. A seat comprising:

a seat cushion; and

a seat back including a seat back frame mounted on the seat cushion a backrest mounted on the seat back frame, and a flexible portion formed on the backrest,

wherein the backrest is substantially net-shaped, and the backrest is provided in a tensioned state on the seat back frame, such that a horizontal tension in the backrest is minimized at a portion corresponding to a horizontal line set through upper rear iliac spines of a seated position of the user and increased gradually from a portion of the minimized tension, or such that a horizontal looseness is maximized at the portion corresponding to a horizontal line set through the upper rear iliac spines of the seated position and decreased gradually from a portion of the maximized looseness,

wherein when a user is sitting on the seat, individual centers of a load situated at a plurality of regions, the regions presumed on left and right sides of a backrest surface symmetrically about a vertical central line of the seat back, are distributed outside a backrest area corresponding to a back region of the user, the backrest area defined by a straight line joining lower ends of left and right blade bones of the user, by a straight line joining upper ends of left and right iliac bones and by straight lines set above and along right and left lumbar iliocostal muscles.

2. The seat of claim 1, wherein centers of the load are distributed on an outer area of a lower region extending below the backrest area, the lower region including a width substantially equal to a width of the regions of the backrest.

3. The seat of claim 2, wherein a ratio of a load acting on the lower region to a total load is about 15%.

4. The seat of claim 2, further comprising:

first and second points on the seat back, respectively, located equidistant from a vertical central straight line on the seat back extending from a junction of the seat cushion with the seat back at a height about 377.2-456.9 mm, as measured from the junction of the seat cushion with the seat back, said first and second points located on right and left sides of said vertical central line, respectively, and wherein a total distance between said first and second points is about 161.2-194.7 mm,

third and fourth points on the seat back, respectively, located equidistant from said vertical central line, at a height of about 136.1-154.3 mm, as measured from the junction of the seat cushion with the seat back, said third and fourth points located on said right and left sides of said vertical central line, respectively, and wherein a total distance between said third and fourth points is about 161.2-194.7 mm,

fifth and sixth points at the junction of the seat cushion with the seat back, located equidistant from said vertical central line, said fifth and sixth points located on said right and left sides of said vertical central line, respectively, and wherein a total distance between said fifth and sixth points is about 161.2-194.7 mm,

wherein said backrest area and said lower region are defined as an area bounded by a line connecting said first and second points, a line connecting said second and sixth points, a line connecting said sixth and fifth points, and a line connecting said fourth and first points.

5. The seat of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a load acting on a lower region extending below the backrest area and including a width substantially equal to a width of the regions of the backrest is not more than 25% to a total load.

6. The seat of claim 5, wherein the total load is a supporting load of the backrest when the backrest is defined as a seat portion for supporting an upper body of the user above lower rear iliac spines of the user.

7. The seat of claim 5, further comprising:

first and second points on the seat back, respectively, located equidistant from a vertical central straight line on the seat back extending from a junction of the seat cushion with the seat back at a height about 377.2-456.9 mm, as measured from the junction of the seat cushion with the seat back, said first and second points located on right and left sides of said vertical central line, respectively, and wherein a total distance between said first and second points is about 161.2-194.7 mm,

third and fourth points on the seat back, respectively, located equidistant from said vertical central line, at a height of about 136.1-154.3 mm, as measured from the junction of the seat cushion with the seat back, said third and fourth points located on said right and left sides of said vertical central line, respectively, and wherein a total distance between said third and fourth points is about 161.2-194.7 mm,

fifth and sixth points at the junction of the seat cushion with the seat back, located equidistant from said vertical central line, said fifth and sixth points located on said right and left sides of said vertical central line, respectively, and wherein a total distance between said fifth and sixth points is about 161.2-194.7 mm,

wherein said backrest area and said lower region are defined as an area bounded by a line connecting said first and second points, a line connecting said second and sixth points, a line connecting said sixth and fifth points, and a line connecting said fourth and first points.

8. The seat of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a load on the regions of the backrest corresponding to an area between a straight line set through left and right upper rear iliac spines of the user and a straight line set through left and right lower rear iliac spines is not less than 5% to a total load.

9. The seat of claim 8, wherein a ratio of a load of the regions of the backrest corresponding to an area between a straight line set through the left and right upper rear iliac spines of the user and a straight line set through the left and right lower rear iliac spines is not less than 10% to a total load.

10. The seat of claim 1, wherein the substantially net-shaped backrest is formed of a three-dimensional stereo fabric by jointing a pair of ground fabrics spaced from each other, with joint yarns.

11. The seat of claim 10, wherein the three-dimensional stereo fabric includes at least one uneven surface to provide spring elements of generally arched sections at bulging portions of the uneven surface.

12. The seat of claim 1, wherein said horizontal line set through upper rear iliac spines is defined as a line at a height of about 136.1-154.3 mm, as measured from the junction of the seat cushion with the seat back.

13. A seat comprising:

a seat cushion; and

a seat back including a seat back frame mounted on the seat cushion a substantially net-shaped backrest provided in a tensioned state on the seat back frame, and a flexible portion formed on the backrest,

wherein the backrest is provided in a tensioned state on the seat back frame such that a horizontal tension in the backrest is minimized at a portion corresponding to a horizontal line set through upper rear iliac spines of a seated position of a user and increased gradually from a portion of the minimized tension, or such that a horizontal looseness of the backrest is maximized at the portion corresponding to the horizontal line set through the upper rear iliac spines of the seated position of the user and decreased gradually from a portion of the maximized looseness, in order to support another portion of the seat facing an area from the said user'"'"'s buttocks to said user'"'"'s lumbar to be subjected to the heavy load of a seat occupant with a device, said device arranged to integrate said backrest and said seat cushion, said device further arranged in a substantially concave manner relative to the seat occupant, such that said device functions in a direction to float said another portion.

14. The seat of claim 13, wherein the net-shaped backrest includes a three-dimensional stereo fabric by jointing a pair of ground fabrics spaced from each other, with joint yarns.

15. The seat of claim 13, wherein said horizontal line set through upper rear iliac spines is defined as a line at a height of about 136.1-154.3 mm, as measured from the junction of the seat cushion with the seat back.

16. A method for making a seat for a specific user, said method composing:

measuring the specific user to determine the dimensions of a backrest area, said backrest area defined by a straight line joining lower ends of left and right blade bones of the user, by a straight line joining upper ends of left and right iliac bones of the user, and by straight lines set above and along right and left lumbar iliocostal muscles of the user,

providing a seat having a seat cushion, a seat back including a seat back frame mounted on the seat cushion, a backrest mounted on the seat back frame, and a flexible portion formed on the backrest,

wherein the backrest is substantially net-shaped, and the backrest is provided in a tensioned state on the seat back frame, such that a horizontal tension in the backrest is minimized at a portion corresponding to a horizontal line set through upper rear iliac spines of a seated position of the user and increased gradually from a portion of the minimized tension, or such that a horizontal looseness is maximized at the portion corresponding to a horizontal line set through the upper rear iliac spines of the seated position and decreased gradually from a portion of the maximized looseness,

and wherein said seat cushion, seatback, and backrest are configured such that when the user is sitting on the seat, individual centers of a load situated at a plurality of regions, the regions presumed on left and right sides of a backrest surface symmetrically about a vertical central line of the seat back, are distributed outside the backrest area.

17. A seat made by the process of claim 16.

18. The seat of claim 17, wherein the substantially net-shaped backrest is formed of a three-dimensional stereo fabric by jointing a pair of ground fabrics spaced from each other, with joint yarns.

19. The seat of claim 18, wherein the three-dimensional stereo fabric includes at least one uneven surface to provide spring elements of generally arched sections at bulging portions of the uneven surface.

20. The seat of claim 17, wherein centers of the load are distributed on an outer area of a lower region extending below the backrest area, the lower region including a width substantially equal to a width of the regions of the backrest.

21. The seat of claim 20, wherein a ratio of a load acting on the lower region to a total load is about 15%.

22. The seat of claim 17, wherein a ratio of a load acting on a lower region extending below the backrest area and including a width substantially equal to a width of the regions of the backrest is not more than 25% to a total load.

23. The seat of claim 22, wherein the total load is a supporting load of the backrest when the backrest is defined as a seat portion for supporting an upper body of the user above lower rear iliac spines of the user.

24. The seat of claim 17, wherein a ratio of a load on the regions of the backrest corresponding to an area between a straight line set through left and right upper rear iliac spines of the user and a straight line set through left and right lower rear iliac spines is not less than 5% to a total load.

25. The seat of claim 24, wherein a ratio of a load of the regions of the backrest corresponding to an area between a straight line set through the left and right upper rear iliac spines of the user and a straight line set through the left and right lower rear iliac spines is not less than 10% to a total load.