Vehicle seat assembly having layered seating system

• US 7,967,389 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: O'Bannon, Terry, Ali, Asad S., Galbreath, Ashford A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyjak; Lori L
• Application Number:
  US12/873,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20100327647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.48, 297/452.58, 297/452.59, 297/452.6, 297/452.61
• US Class Current: 297/452.48
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7035 Cushions
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/72 Attachment or adjustment thereof

Abstract

A vehicle seat cushion composite is provided with a structural layer adapted to be mounted within a vehicle to provide support to an occupant. The structural layer has at least two edge regions provided proximate two edges of the structural layer and an inner region at least partially bound within the at least two edge regions. The at least two edge regions have a plurality of concave channels. A cushion layer is adjacent to the structural layer and has a plurality of concave projections sized to be received within the plurality of concave channels of the structural layer for minimizing lateral movement of the cushion layer relative to the structural layer proximate the edge regions.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat cushion composite comprising:

a structural layer adapted to be mounted within a vehicle to provide support to an occupant, the structural layer having at least two edge regions abutting at least two edges of the structural layer and having an inner region provided between the at least two edge regions, the structural layer having at least one channel formed therein; and

a cushion layer provided adjacent to the structural layer, the cushion layer having at least one projection sized to be received within the at least one channel of the structural layer for minimizing lateral movement of the cushion layer relative to the structural layer proximate the edge regions.

2. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 1 wherein the at least one channel comprises a plurality of channels and the at least one projection comprises a plurality of projections;

and

wherein respective projections of the plurality of projections are each receivable within a respective channel of the plurality of channels.

3. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 1 wherein the inner region of the structural layer further comprises a plurality of receptors provided therein;

and

wherein the cushion layer further comprises a plurality of protuberances sized to nest within the plurality of receptors of the structural layer to minimize lateral movement of the cushion layer relative to the structural layer.

4. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 1 wherein the inner region of the structural layer further comprises a plurality of channels formed therein;

and

wherein the cushion layer further comprises a plurality of concave projections sized to be received within the plurality of concave channels of the inner region to minimize lateral movement of the cushion layer relative to the structural layer, wherein each of the edge regions has a width of 10 to 20 cm.

5. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 2 wherein the plurality of channels have a depth of at least ten millimeters and extend concavely proximate the inner region toward at least one of the edges of the structural layer.

6. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 2 wherein the structural layer has a density greater than a density of the cushion layer and the channels have a depth of 5 to 25 mm.

7. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 2 wherein the plurality of projections are retained within the plurality of channels with an interference fit and the channels have varying depths.

8. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 1 wherein the structural layer is made of expanded polyolefin.

9. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 8 wherein the cushion layer is made of foam.

10. A vehicle seat cushion composite comprising:

a structural layer adapted to be mounted within a vehicle to provide support to an occupant, the structural layer having an edge region, with the edge region abutting an edge of the structural layer, the structural layer having an inner region provided within the edge region;

a cushion layer provided adjacent to the structural layer, one of the edge region of the structural layer and the cushion layer having at least one recess formed therein, and the other of the edge region of the structural layer and the cushion layer having at least one projection sized to be received within the at least one recess for minimizing lateral movement of the cushion layer relative to the structural layer.

11. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 10 wherein one of the structural layer and the cushion layer further comprises anti-slip ridges and the other of the structural layer and the cushion layer comprises anti-slip protuberances sized to nest within the anti-slip ridges to minimize lateral movement of the cushion layer relative to the structural layer.

12. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 10 wherein the at least one recess is further defined as at least one aperture such that the at least one projection is received therethrough.

13. The vehicle seat cushion composite of claim 10 wherein the structural layer is made of expanded polyolefin and the cushion layer is made of foam.

14. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:

a floor pan adapted to be mounted within a vehicle; and

a seat body mounted on the floor pan to provide support to an occupant, one of the floor pan and the seat body having a plurality of receptors formed therein, and the other of the floor pan and the seat body having a plurality of protrusions formed therein and sized to be received within the plurality of receptors.

15. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 14 wherein the plurality of protrusions further comprises:

a first protrusion row having at least one protrusion; and

a second protrusion row having a plurality of protrusions such that the second protrusion row has a greater number of protrusions than the first protrusion row; and

wherein the plurality of receptors further comprises;

a first receptor row having at least one receptor and sized to receive the first protrusion row; and

a second receptor row having a plurality of receptors and sized to receive the second protrusion row.

16. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 15 wherein the plurality of protrusions further comprises a third protrusion row having a plurality of protrusions such that the third protrusion row has a greater number of protrusions than the second protrusion row and the plurality of receptors further comprises a third receptor row having a plurality of receptors and sized to receive the third protrusion row.

17. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 16 wherein the plurality of protrusions further comprises a fourth protrusion row having a plurality of protrusions such that the fourth protrusion row has a greater number of protrusions than the third protrusion row and the plurality of receptors further comprises a fourth receptor row having a plurality of receptors and sized to receive the fourth protrusion row.

18. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 14 wherein the plurality of protrusions have a saw tooth shape to nest within the plurality of receptors.

19. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 14 wherein the floor pan is made of metal and the seat body comprises a structural layer.

20. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 19 wherein the structural layer comprises expanded polyolefin.