School bus seat with energy absorber

• US 7,740,322 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Selwyn Arthur Burch
• Original Assignee: Selwyn Arthur Burch
• Inventors: Burch, Selwyn Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr.; Milton
• Application Number:
  US11/104,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,896 Days
• Field of Search: 297/248, 297/451.1, 297/440.23, 297/452.18, 297/450.1, 297/449.1, 297/445.1, 297/DIG.1, 297/DIG.2, 297/452.35, 297/452.19, 297/452.57, 297/452.61, 297/452.31, 297/452.37, 248/188.8
• US Class Current: 297/452.57
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1228 Joining preformed parts by the expanding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/146 Shaping the lining before foaming
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/015 Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/242 Bus seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42709 involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42745 of the back-rest B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/682 Joining means

Abstract

A school bus seat comprises a pin having a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. First and second brackets include an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. First and second supports include an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon. The apertures in the brackets and supports are formed in a fiber reinforced polymer such that the apertures are devoid of knit lines. The pins reside in the apertures of the supports and brackets inhibiting rotation of the brackets with respect to the supports. A seat back is secured to the brackets.

Claims

1. A school bus seat, comprising:

a seat back, support legs, a seat bottom and a one-piece integral envelope cushion completely residing over said seat back, said envelope cushion includes an integrally molded polyurethane foam having an elastomeric skin formed on the exterior thereof;

said seat back is a sandwich composite, and includes an aisle-side bracket interconnecting one of said support legs and a window-side bracket interconnecting the other of said support legs by pins selected from the group consisting of hollow pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal and octagonal pins;

wherein said sandwich composite seat back is adhesively secured to said brackets.

2. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 1 wherein a component of said school bus seat back is made by the following steps:

coating a mold with a spray elastomer;

inserting said component into said mold; and

,

injecting urethane foam into said mold, said urethane adhering to said component and said elastomer.

3. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 1 wherein said seat back includes a superstructure;

said seat back is made by the following steps;

coating a mold with a spray elastomer;

attaching the superstructure of said seat back to the seat back brackets;

inserting the seat back into the mold; and

,

injecting urethane foam into the mold, said urethane adhering to said superstructure of said seat back, said elastomer, and said brackets.

4. A school bus seat, comprising:

a seat back, support legs, a seat bottom and a one-piece integral envelope cushion completely residing over said seat back, said envelope cushion includes an integrally molded polyurethane foam having an elastomeric skin formed on the exterior thereof;

said seat back is a sandwich composite, and includes an aisle-side bracket interconnecting one of said support legs and a window-side bracket interconnecting the other of said support legs by pins selected from the group consisting of hollow pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal and octagonal pins;

wherein said sandwich composite seat back is ultrasonically welded to said brackets.

5. A school bus seat, comprising:

pins, said pins having a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon;

first and second brackets each including an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon;

first and second supports including an aperture selected correspondingly from the group consisting of a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon and an octagon;

said apertures in said brackets and said supports being formed in a fiber reinforced polymer, said apertures being devoid of knit lines; and

, said pins reside in said apertures of said supports and said apertures of said brackets inhibiting rotation of said brackets with respect to said supports.

6. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 5 wherein a component of said school bus seat back is made by the following steps:

coating a mold with a spray elastomer;

inserting said component into said mold; and

,

injecting urethane foam into said mold, said urethane adhering to said component and said elastomer.

7. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 5 wherein said seat back includes a superstructure;

said seat back is made by the following steps;

coating a mold with a spray elastomer;

attaching the superstructure of said seat back to the brackets;

inserting the seat back into the mold; and

,

injecting urethane foam into the mold, said urethane adhering to said superstructure of said seat back, said elastomer, and said brackets.

8. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a seat back secured to said brackets.

9. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 wherein said seat back is adhesively secured to said brackets.

10. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 wherein said seat back is ultrasonically welded to said brackets.

11. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 wherein said seat back is bolted to said brackets.

12. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 further comprising an elastomeric skinned cushion integrally molded to said seat back and said brackets.

13. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 wherein said seat back is a solid reinforced polymer.

14. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 13 further comprising an elastomeric skinned cushion integrally molded to said solid reinforced polymer seat back and said brackets.

15. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 8 wherein said seat back is a sandwich composite.

16. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 15 further comprising an elastomeric skinned cushion integrally molded to said sandwich composite seat back and said brackets.

17. A school bus seat, comprising:

a seat back, support legs, a seat bottom and a one-piece integral envelope cushion completely residing over said seat back, said envelope cushion includes an integrally molded polyurethane foam having an elastomeric skin formed on the exterior thereof;

said seat back is a sandwich composite, and includes an aisle-side bracket interconnecting one of said support legs and a window-side bracket interconnecting the other of said support legs by pins selected from the group consisting of hollow pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal and octagonal pins; and

said brackets are formed of a fiber reinforced polymer.

18. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 17 wherein said support legs are formed of a fiber reinforced polymer.

19. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 17 wherein said seat back includes a superstructure;

said seat back is made by the following steps;

coating a mold with a spray elastomer;

attaching seat superstructure of said seat back to the seat back brackets;

inserting the seat back into said mold; and

,

injecting urethane foam into said mold, said urethane adhering to said superstructure of said seat back, said elastomer, and said brackets.

20. A school bus seat as claimed in claim 17 wherein a component of said school bus seat back is made by the following steps:

coating a mold with a spray elastomer;

inserting said component into said mold; and

,

injecting urethane foam into said mold, said urethane adhering to said component and said elastomer.