Vehicle seat assembly

• US 8,398,166 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lindsay, Derek Shane, Ellison, Terrie
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US12/722,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20110221254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/284.11, 297/452.21, 297/452.26, 297/452.27
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/0461 by having different chemical compositions in different places, e.g. having different concentrations of foaming agent, feeding one composition after the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1214 Anchoring by foaming into a preformed part, e.g. by penetrating through holes anchoring by moulding in general B29C37/0078; outsert moulding B29C45/14344, B29C70/74
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1271 the preformed parts being partially covered
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/012 The seat support being a part of the vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/015 Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01508 using quick release attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4263 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/70 Upholstery springs ; Upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7017 characterised by the manufacturing process; manufacturing upholstery or upholstery springs not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat back and a seat base extending forward from a lower end of the seat back. The seat base is formed of a first foam member extending laterally across the seat base to absorb loads and a second foam member formed over the first member to form a seating surface of the seat base. The first foam member includes at least one channel for interlocking the first foam member and a second foam member.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

a seat back;

a seat base extending forward from a lower end of said seat back, said seat base formed of a first foam member extending laterally across said seat base to absorb loads and a second foam member formed over said first member to form a seating surface of said seat base, said first foam member including at least one channel for interlocking said first foam member and said second foam member, wherein said at least one channel includes a plurality of laterally spaced apart channels disposed on an underside of said first foam member, and wherein a lateral profile of said second foam member fully encapsulates a lateral profile of said first foam member at each of said at least one channel.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said second foam member is overmolded onto said first foam member and said at least one channel receives said second foam member to interlock said first foam member and said second foam member together.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said first foam member contacts a vehicle body component at locations between said channels and said second foam member contacts said vehicle body component at locations in registry with said plurality of channels.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said first foam member is formed of a relatively rigid material and said second foam member is formed of a relatively less rigid material.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 4 wherein said relatively rigid material is expanded polypropylene foam and said relatively less rigid material is urethane foam.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 further including:

at least one wire frame section secured to said first foam member and extending rearwardly therefrom to a rear of said seat base for mounting said seat base to an associated vehicle body, said at least one wire frame section transferring loads absorbed by said first foam member to the associated vehicle body.

7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 6 wherein said seat base has at least one B location and said at least one wire frame section is laterally disposed at said at least one B-location.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein said at least one wire frame section includes a first wire section and a second wire section, and wherein said at least one B location includes a first B location and a second B-location, said first wire section laterally disposed at said first B-location and said second wire section laterally disposed at said second B-location.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the second foam member is overmolded directly onto said at least one wire frame.

10. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said first foam member is substantially spaced apart from a rear of said seat base and is disposed only along a forward edge of said seat base.

11. A seat cushion for a seat assembly in a vehicle, comprising:

a first foam member having a longitudinal length extending laterally across the seat assembly;

a second foam member molded over said first foam portion and extending longitudinally rearward therefrom to form a seating surface;

a wire frame section connected to said first foam member and extending longitudinally therefrom toward a rear of said second foam member where said wire frame section is secured to a vehicle body component, said wire frame section having a rear end secured to said vehicle body component adjacent said rear of said second foam member; and

at least one channel formed in said first foam member for receiving said second foam member to interlock said first and second foam members together, wherein said second foam member surrounds said first foam member at said at least one channel.

12. The seat cushion of claim 11 wherein said first foam member is formed of a rigid foam and said second foam member is formed of a less rigid foam.

13. The seat cushion of claim 11 wherein said at least one channel is a plurality of laterally spaced apart channels disposed along said longitudinal length of said first foam member and along an underside of said first foam member.

14. A method of constructing a seat cushion for a vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

molding a first foam member having a longitudinal length and laterally spaced apart channels disposed along said longitudinal length, said laterally spaced apart channels formed on an underside of said first foam member; and

overmolding said first foam member with a second foam member, said second foam member filling said laterally spaced apart channels during overmolding to interlock said second foam member to said first foam member, and said second foam member forming a seating surface extending approximately orthogonally from a rearward end of said first foam member relative to said longitudinal length of said first foam member.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said molding of said first foam member includes overmolding at least one wire frame section extending approximately normal relative to said longitudinal length for transferring loads from said first foam member to a rear of the seat cushion, said at least one wire frame section extending to a rear of said second foam member for mounting to an associated vehicle body.

16. The method of claim 14 further including:

installing a trim cover over said first and second foam members.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said first foam member is an expanded polypropylene foam and said second foam member is a urethane foam.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said second foam member fully encases said first foam member at lateral locations corresponding to said laterally spaced apart channels.