Vehicle seat bracket assembly

• US 9,073,468 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dixon, Shawn Anthony, Arefi, Majid, Sack, Robert J., Tung, David Beyhon
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US13/542,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20130119720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/452.18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42 the seat constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats for protecting children B60N2/26; arm-rests B60N2/75; head-rests B60N2/888
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5621 by air
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/682 Joining means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7094 Upholstery springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/72 Attachment or adjustment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/90 Details or parts not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0215 Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0012 Seats or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0288 Apparatus made of several modules independently mounted

Abstract

A recliner bracket for a vehicle includes a web defining a recliner heart receiving aperture. The recliner heart receiving apertures is operably connected with side supports of a seating assembly and include forward and rearward seat support connection tabs. A deformation notch is disposed on a rear portion of the web and is adapted to collapse under a predetermined loading from a rear collision event.

Claims

1. A recliner bracket assembly for a vehicle comprising:

first and second recliner brackets positioned on either side of a vehicle seat and including;

a recliner heart receiving aperture;

forward and rearward seat connection tabs; and

a deformation notch formed in an edge of a rear flange that extends orthogonally from each bracket; and

a deformation triangle defined by an H-point of a passenger, the deformation notch on the first recliner bracket and the deformation notch on the second recliner bracket.

2. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 1, wherein the planar extent of the rearward seat connection tab is offset from the planar extent of a web.

3. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 1, wherein the deformation notch on the first recliner bracket and the deformation notch on the second recliner bracket each include a mouth that opens inwardly to a center portion of the vehicle seat.

4. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 1, further comprising a recliner heart disposed in the recliner heart receiving aperture.

5. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second recliner brackets includes a deformation aperture positioned proximate the deformation notch and adapted to collapse under a predetermined loading from a rear collision event.

6. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 5, wherein the deformation aperture in the first and second recliner brackets are disposed in the web of the first and second recliner brackets.

7. A recliner bracket assembly for a vehicle comprising:

first and second recliner brackets positioned on either side of a vehicle seat, each of the first and second recliner brackets including;

a web having a deformation aperture;

a recliner heart receiving aperture; and

a rear flange having a deformation notch defined in an edge of a rear flange that extends orthogonally from the web, the deformation notch being positioned below the deformation aperture; and

a deformation triangle defined by an H-point of a passenger, the deformation notch on the first recliner bracket and the deformation notch on the second recliner bracket.

8. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 7, further comprising:

a forward seat connection tab and a rearward seat connection tab adapted to secure the seat to a support inside the vehicle.

9. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

an arcuate portion disposed between the forward seat connection tab and the rearward seat connection tab.

10. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 7, wherein the deformation notch on the first recliner bracket and the deformation notch on the second recliner bracket each include a mouth that opens inwardly to a center portion of the vehicle seat.

11. The recliner bracket assembly of claim 7, further comprising a recliner heart disposed in the recliner heart receiving aperture.

12. A recliner bracket for a vehicle comprising:

a web defining a recliner heart receiving aperture and operably connected with side supports of a seating assembly;

forward and rearward seat connection tabs extending from the web; and

a deformation notch defined in an edge of a rear flange that extends orthogonally from the web, the deformation notch adapted to collapse under a predetermined loading from a rear collision event.

13. The recliner bracket of claim 12, further comprising:

a deformation aperture positioned proximate the deformation notch and adapted to collapse under a predetermined loading from a rear collision event.

14. The recliner bracket of claim 12, further comprising:

a transition portion disposed between the web and the rearward seat connection tab that offsets the planar extent of the rearward seat connection tab relative to the web.

15. The recliner bracket of claim 12, further comprising:

a recliner stop disposed above the recliner heart receiving aperture.

16. The recliner bracket of claim 12, further comprising:

a recliner heart support disposed proximate a bottom portion of the recliner heart receiving aperture.

17. The recliner bracket of claim 16, wherein the recliner heart support includes downwardly turned hook members adapted to secure trim components.

18. The recliner bracket of claim 12, wherein the planar extent of the rearward seat support connection tab is offset from the planar extent of the web.