One-piece seat bottom chassis

• US 8,919,886 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S..R.L.
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Saveski, Alexander, Zekavica, Ornela, Amodeo, Catherine M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brindley, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US13/499,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20120193965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.18, 297/452.22
• US Class Current: 297/452.18
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7058 Metallic springs

Abstract

A seat bottom chassis includes a pair of brackets configured to support a seat back chassis, and a cushion pan extending between the pair of brackets. The seat bottom chassis is formed from a single piece of material.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating system, comprising:

a seat back chassis; and

a seat bottom chassis comprising;

a pair of brackets each including a substantially vertical portion configured to support the seat back chassis, a substantially horizontal portion configured to mount the seat bottom chassis to a seating track, and a sidewall positioned laterally inward from the substantially vertical portion, wherein the substantially vertical portion, the substantially horizontal portion, and the sidewall form a channel within each bracket; and

a cushion pan extending between the pair of brackets at a front portion of the seat bottom chassis;

wherein the seat bottom chassis is formed from a single piece of material, each channel is positioned laterally outward from the cushion pan, each channel at least partially overlaps the cushion pan along a longitudinal direction, and each channel extends beyond a longitudinal extent of the cushion pan from the front portion of the seat bottom chassis to a rear portion of the seat bottom chassis.

2. The vehicle seating system of claim 1, wherein the seat bottom chassis comprises a cross member extending between the pair of brackets aft of the cushion pan.

3. The vehicle seating system of claim 2, comprising a cross tube extending between the pair of brackets.

4. The vehicle seating system of claim 3, comprising one or more cushion support springs extending between the cross member and the cross tube.

5. The vehicle seating system of claim 4, wherein the one or more cushion support springs are coupled to the cross member by tabs disposed within the cross member, and wherein the tabs are formed from the single piece of material.

6. The vehicle seating system of claim 1, wherein the cushion pan comprises a stiffening flange, and wherein the stiffening flange is formed from the single piece of material.

7. The vehicle seating system of claim 1, wherein each bracket comprises a stiffening flange, and wherein the stiffening flange is formed from the single piece of material.

8. The vehicle seating system of claim 1, wherein each bracket comprises a recess configured to stiffen the bracket, and wherein the recess is formed from the single piece of material.

9. The vehicle seating system of claim 2, wherein each channel extends rearwardly beyond a longitudinal position of the cross member.

10. A seat bottom chassis, comprising:

a pair of brackets each including a substantially vertical portion configured to support a seat back chassis, a substantially horizontal portion configured to mount the seat bottom chassis to a seating track, and a sidewall positioned laterally inward from the substantially vertical portion, wherein the substantially vertical portion, the substantially horizontal portion, and the sidewall form a channel within each bracket;

a cushion pan extending between the pair of brackets at a front portion of the seat bottom chassis; and

a cross member extending between the pair of brackets aft of the cushion pan;

wherein the seat bottom chassis is formed from a single piece of material, each channel is positioned laterally outward from the cushion pan, each channel at least partially overlaps the cushion pan along a longitudinal direction, and each channel extends beyond a longitudinal extent of the cushion pan from the front portion of the seat bottom chassis to a rear portion of the seat bottom chassis.

11. The seat bottom chassis of claim 10, wherein the cushion pan comprises a stiffening flange, and wherein the stiffening flange is formed from the single piece of material.

12. The seat bottom chassis of claim 10, comprising a cross tube extending between the pair of brackets.

13. The seat bottom chassis of claim 12, comprising one or more cushion support springs extending between the cross member and the cross tube.

14. The seat bottom chassis of claim 13, wherein the one or more cushion support springs are coupled to the cross member by tabs disposed within the cross member, and wherein the tabs are formed from the single piece of material.

15. A method of manufacturing a seat bottom chassis, comprising:

stamping the seat bottom chassis from a single piece of material, wherein the seat bottom chassis comprises;

a pair of brackets each including a substantially vertical portion configured to support a seat back chassis, a substantially horizontal portion configured to mount the seat bottom chassis to a seating track, and a sidewall positioned laterally inward from the substantially vertical portion, wherein the substantially vertical portion, the substantially horizontal portion, and the sidewall form a channel within each bracket;

a cushion pan extending between the pair of brackets at a front portion of the seat bottom chassis; and

a cross member extending between the pair of brackets aft of the cushion pan;

wherein each channel is positioned laterally outward from the cushion pan, each channel at least partially overlaps the cushion pan along a longitudinal direction, and each channel extends beyond a longitudinal extent of the cushion pan from the front portion of the seat bottom chassis to a rear portion of the seat bottom chassis.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein stamping the seat bottom chassis comprises forming a stiffening flange within the cushion pan.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein stamping the seat bottom chassis comprises forming a stiffening flange within each bracket.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein stamping the seat bottom chassis comprises forming one or more recesses within each bracket, wherein the one or more recesses are configured to stiffen the bracket.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising mounting a cross tube between the pair of brackets.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising mounting one or more cushion support springs between the cross member and the cross tube.