Seat cover attaching device

• US 9,463,726 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Oberle, Jean-Marc, Viegas, Louis, Marechal, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chi Q
• Application Number:
  US14/409,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20150183349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.32, 297/452.48, 297/218.2, 297/452.6, 297/452.26, 297/218.1, 297/218.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/24 Upholstered seats A47C7/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5816 attachments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5825 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/6018 attachments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/6027 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/309 Plastic type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44017 with specific mounting means for attaching to rigid or semirigid supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured

Abstract

A device for fixing/firmly holding an exterior covering against a seat backrest includes a backrest structure having a peripheral surround and a connector; padding covering the structure of the backrest; a covering attached to the peripheral surround of the structure of the backrest and covering the padding; an intermediate member of fastening stake type provided with an external head pressing against the covering and with a shank secured to said head and extending through the padding. A free end of the shank includes an end fitting which fixes into the connector in such a way that the member under-goes some excursion in the connector when pressure is applied to the covering and to the padding.

Claims

1. A backrest of a seat, comprising:

a backrest structure including a peripheral surround and a connector;

a padding covering at least a portion of the backrest structure;

a covering attached to the peripheral surround of the backrest structure and covering at least a portion of the padding, the covering having an inner surface facing the padding, and an outer surface facing away from the padding;

a fastening stake having an exterior head pressing against the outer surface of the covering and a shank having a free end, wherein the shank is secured to the exterior head and extends through the padding, with the free end of the shank comprising an end fitting which fastens into the connector in such a way that the free end of the shank in the connector undergoes excursion when a pressure is applied to the covering and to the padding.

2. The backrest of claim 1, wherein:

the backrest structure comprises a wall;

the connector comprises an opening in the wall;

the padding comprises an elastic layer of foam defining a thickness, wherein the layer of foam is attached to the backrest structure, with the end fitting being clippable elastically in the opening of the wall to define a mechanical link between the stake and the structure, with the length between the head of the stake and the end fitting being provided so that the head presses the covering against the foam, with the mechanical link between the stake and the structure allowing an axial excursion of the stake of a range that is less than the thickness of the layer of foam.

3. The backrest of claim 1, wherein:

the end fitting comprises a tapered post, the end fitting including peripheral fins capable of being deformed elastically toward an axis of the shank when the post is engaged in the opening.

4. The backrest of claim 1, wherein:

the stake includes two identical parallel shanks suitable for being inserted in two openings made in the wall of the structure.

5. The backrest of claim 1, wherein:

the foam layer has a shape generally corresponding to a curvature of a lumbar portion of a back of a user, the curvature having a concave portion extended by a convex portion together having a sinusoidal shape, wherein the stake is located at a junction between the concave portion and the convex portion and being capable of being displaced translationally along a predetermined axial excursion in relation to the wall of the backrest structure.

6. A backrest of a seat, comprising:

a backrest structure featuring a peripheral surround and a connector;

a padding covering at least a portion of the backrest structure;

a covering attached to the peripheral surround of the backrest structure and covering at least a portion of the padding;

a fastening stake having an exterior head pressing against the covering and a shank secured to the exterior head and extending through the padding, with the free end of the shank comprising an end fitting which fastens into the connector in such a way that the free end of the shank in the connector undergoes excursion when a pressure is applied to the covering and to the padding;

the backrest structure comprises a wall;

the connector comprises an opening in the wall;

the padding comprises an elastic layer of foam defining a thickness, wherein the layer of foam is attached to the backrest structure, with the end fitting being clippable elastically in the opening of the wall to define a mechanical link between the stake and the structure, with the length between the head of the stake and the end fitting being provided so that the head presses the covering against the foam, with the mechanical link between the stake and the structure allowing an axial excursion of the stake of a range that is less than the thickness of the layer of foam; and

the axial excursion of the stake is delimited by first and second stops with the first stop being activated in the direction of insertion of the shank through the layer of foam and the backrest structure in such a way as to limit insertion of the shank in the opening, with the second stop being activated in the direction of withdrawal of the shank so as to prevent the shank from exiting the opening.

7. The backrest of claim 6, wherein:

each stop comprises a movement-blocking face blocking the movement of the stake oriented perpendicularly to the direction of insertion of the stake in the opening and located opposite the wall of the backrest structure in which the opening is made, the movement-blocking face being capable of coming into contact with the wall of the backrest structure.

8. The backrest of claim 7, wherein:

the first stop comprises a shoulder which marks the limit between an intermediate portion of the shank and a thicker portion of the shank joining the head of the stake, and wherein the second stop marks the limit between said intermediate portion and the clipping end fitting of the shank.

9. The backrest of claim 8, wherein:

the length of the thicker portion of the shank is less than or equal to the thickness of the foam layer under compression.

10. The backrest of claim 6 wherein:

a hollow space is provided in the backrest structure downstream from the opening in the direction of insertion of the shank, the hollow space having a depth corresponding at least to a distance separating the first stop from an end of the end fitting.