Vehicle seat construction

• US 7,837,263 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Bruckbauer, Eric M., Kilmer, Jeffrey J., Demick, Robert L., Booth, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/762,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 297/218.1, 297/218.2, 297/218.3, 297/218.5
• US Class Current: 297/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/006 Use of three-dimensional fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/20 with reinforcement in the foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/58 Seat coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5825 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a foam cushion, a flexible cover at least partially defining the outer surface of the vehicle seat, and a spacer fabric. The spacer fabric includes a first fabric panel operatively connected to the flexible cover, a second fabric panel operatively connected to the foam cushion, and an interconnecting layer. The interconnecting layer resiliently interconnects the first and second fabric panels.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising:

a foam cushion defining a concavity;

a flexible cover at least partially defining the outer surface of the vehicle seat;

a three dimensional spacer fabric having a first fabric panel operatively connected to the flexible cover, a second fabric panel operatively connected to the foam cushion and extending across the concavity, and an interconnecting layer that operatively interconnects the first and second fabric panels and that resiliently biases the first and second panels away from one another; and

a first fastening element mounted with respect to the foam cushion and being at least partially disposed within the concavity;

said first fastening element operatively connecting the spacer fabric to the foam cushion;

wherein the foam cushion defines a cushion surface;

wherein the concavity is open at the cushion surface;

wherein the cover extends across the concavity; and

wherein the cover does not define a trench where the cover extends across the concavity.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the second fabric panel is adhesively bonded directly to the foam cushion.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 1, further comprising a second fastening element mounted with respect to the spacer fabric and engaged with the first fastening element.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 3, wherein the first and second fastening elements are hook and loop fastening elements.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 3, wherein one of the first and second fastening elements is a clip.

6. A vehicle seat comprising:

a lower seat portion;

a seatback portion operatively connected to the lower seat portion;

a foam cushion defining a cushion surface and a concavity that is open at the cushion surface;

a three dimensional spacer fabric having a first fabric panel, a second fabric panel operatively connected to the foam cushion and extending across the cavity, and a plurality of pile yarns resiliently biasing the first and second fabric panels from one another; and

a flexible cover having a surface that at least partially defines the outer surface of at least one of the lower seat portion and the seatback portion, said flexible cover being operatively connected to the first fabric layer; and

a first fastening element mounted with respect to the foam cushion and being at least partially disposed within the concavity;

said first fastening element operatively connecting the spacer fabric to the foam cushion;

wherein the cover extends across the concavity; and

wherein the cover does not define a trench where the cover extends across the concavity.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 6, wherein the second fabric panel is adhesively bonded directly to the foam cushion.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 6, further comprising a second fastening element mounted with respect to the spacer fabric and engaged with the first fastening element.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 8, wherein the first and second fastening elements are hook and loop fastening elements.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 8, wherein one of the first and second fastening elements is a clip.

11. The vehicle seat of claim 6, wherein the foam cushion, the spacer fabric, and the flexible cover are part of the seatback portion.

12. A vehicle seat comprising:

a lower seat portion;

a seatback portion operatively connected to the lower seat portion;

a foam cushion defining a concavity; and

a three dimensional spacer fabric having a first fabric panel, a second fabric panel operatively connected to the foam cushion and extending across the concavity, and a plurality of pile yarns resiliently biasing the first and second fabric panels from one another;

a first fastening element mounted with respect to the foam cushion and being at least partially disposed within the concavity;

said first fastening element operatively connecting the spacer fabric to the foam cushion; and

said first fabric panel defining at least part of the outer surface of at least one of the lower seat portion and the seatback portion;

wherein said first fabric panel does not define a trench where the three dimensional spacer fabric extends across the concavity.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 12, wherein the second fabric panel is adhesively bonded directly to the foam cushion.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 12, further comprising a second fastening element mounted with respect to the spacer fabric and engaged with the first fastening element.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 14, wherein the first and second fastening elements are hook and loop fastening elements.

16. The vehicle seat of claim 14, wherein one of the first and second fastening elements is a clip.