U.S. patent application number 10/423467 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-28 for vehicle seat with internal anchors.
Invention is credited to Burns, Daniel, Gryp, Dennis, Morris, Ryan.
Application Number | 20040212242 10/423467 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32043461 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040212242 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gryp, Dennis ; et
al. |
October 28, 2004 |
Vehicle seat with internal anchors
Abstract
The present invention concerns a vehicle seat having an
opposingly located seat frame and located base. A dampener is
connected to and disposed between the seat frame and the base. The
invention includes at least one flexible anchor for coupling the
seat frame to a point on the seat which is lower than the seat
frame. In addition, a portion of said seat frame may be made of a
light weight material such as magnesium.
Inventors: |
Gryp, Dennis; (East Moline,
IL) ; Morris, Ryan; (Bettendorf, IA) ; Burns,
Daniel; (Muscatine, IA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Niro, Scavone, Haller & Niro
Suite 4600
181 W. Madison
Chicago
IL
60602
US
|
Family ID: |
32043461 |
Appl. No.: |
10/423467 |
Filed: |
April 24, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/452.18 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/43 20130101; B60N
2/508 20130101; B60N 2/502 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/452.18 |
International
Class: |
A47C 007/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vehicle seat comprising: opposingly located upper and lower
base sections and a dampener connected to and disposed between said
base sections; a seat pan; a back pan; and at least one flexible
coupler connecting said uppers base section to said lower base
section.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said back pan is made of
lighter weight material than said lower base section.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said back pan is made of
magnesium.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said seat pan is made of
magnesium.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said seat and back pan are made
of magnesium.
6. A vehicle seat comprising: a seat frame and opposingly located
base; a dampener connected to and disposed between said seat frame
and said base; and at least one flexible anchor for coupling said
seat frame to said base.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a portion of said seat frame is
made of a light weight material.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said seat frame includes a back
pan, said back pan is made of lighter weight material than said
base.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said back pan is made of
magnesium.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said seat frame includes a
seat pan, said seat pan is made of a lighter weight material than
said base.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said seat pan is made of
magnesium.
12. A vehicle seat comprising: a seat frame and base located below
said seat frame; at least one slider; a dampener connected to and
disposed between said seat frame and said base; and said seat frame
having a lightweight component which permits the seat to be used
without restraints.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a component of said seat
frame is made of magnesium.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said seat frame includes a
seat pan.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said seat pan is made of
magnesium.
16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said seat frame includes a
back pan.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said back pan is made of
magnesium.
18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said seat frame includes a
base.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said base is made of
magnesium.
20. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said seat frame includes a
base, seat pan, and a back pan.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said base, said seat pan and
said back pan are made of magnesium.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a novel vehicle seat. More
specifically, the present invention concerns a vehicle seat in
which restraints, tie-downs or anchors may be internally coupled to
seat components rather than to other portions of a vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In typical seating systems used in vehicles such as trucks
and tractors, straps or tie-downs are often used as an anchor or a
restraint to connect the seat to the vehicle floor so as to provide
an additional safety feature that holds the seat in place in the
event of an unforseen force. To insure that seats are properly
designed to withstand such unforeseen forces, pull tests are often
used which are well known to those of skill in the art. These tests
assist in the design of safer seats. However, when designing seats
that are capable of meeting existing standards, certain limitations
are often encountered. For example, most seat components, including
the seat pan and back pan are made of metal. The use of metal parts
results in the center of mass being located approximately at or
above sliders which are often used with the seat. This results in
the sliders of the seat needing to meet pull test standards. This
is not an economically feasible option since it would drastically
increase the cost of this component. Instead, one or more anchors
or tie-down straps are often used with one end of the strap affixed
to the vehicle and with the other end attached to the seat frame.
The use of a restraint in this manner avoids the need to construct
a slider which can withstand standard pull tests.
[0003] However, the solution of coupling the anchor to both the
seat and vehicle requires the additional manufacturing step of
affixing the anchor to the vehicle. This additional step often
increases the cost associated with the assembly of the vehicle.
[0004] The present invention eliminates the need to attach one end
of the strap to the vehicle floor by using a strap that is coupled
to the seat frame and a lower location on the vehicle seat such as
the base, riser, or dampener assembly.
[0005] The present invention accomplishes this by lowering the
center of mass of the seat assembly below the sliders through the
use of light weight components. This, in turn, results in the
ability to safely anchor the seat by coupling the components
together without the need to affix at least one end of the anchor
to a non-seat component. Applicants have found that by configuring
the seat in this manner permits the use of standard sliders since
the structure that resists the force generated during a pull test
is the suspension assembly rather than the sliders. Restraints are
still used however to prevent the suspension assembly from
hyper-extending during operation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] These and other features, objects and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following
description and drawings wherein like reference numerals represent
like elements in several views, and in which:
[0007] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a typical prior art
configuration.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the
present invention.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Set forth below is a description of what are currently
believed to be the preferred embodiments or best examples of the
invention claimed. Future and present alternatives and
modifications to the preferred embodiments are contemplated. Any
alternates or modifications in which insubstantial changes in
function, in purpose, in structure or in result are intended to be
covered by the claims of this patent.
[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a typical seat assembly 10
consists of a seat frame 11 which includes a back pan 12, seat pan
14, and an upper frame or base 16 and a pair of sliders 17A and
17B. A dampener such as a scissors assembly 18 and a lower base 20
are also provided. An anchor 22 is often affixed to the seat frame
11 and the floor 23 of a vehicle. To assist in meeting pull test
requirements, as mentioned above, strap or anchor 22 is coupled to
the seat and floor. This, of course often, adds additional steps
and costs to the manufacturing process.
[0013] The present invention provides an apparatus and method which
eliminates the need to anchor the seat assembly to the floor of a
vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, the present invention provides a seat
assembly 100 which includes a seat frame 111 that provides the
necessary structure to support the seat which holds a rider. Seat
frm 111 may include, among other things, sliders 117, a back pan
102, seat pan 103, a seat 104, and a first or upper section, frame,
base, or member 106. A lower base, section, or member 110 are also
provided. A dampening system such as a scissors assembly 108 is
disposed between sections 106 and 110.
[0014] Typically, the components of the seat suspension are made
from metal or steel. However, constructing the components in this
manner results in the center of gravity or mass being located above
section 106. To lower the center of gravity or mass down below
section 106, such as where indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow A, light
weight materials are used to construct all or a portion of the seat
frame. In one embodiment, components such as back pan 102, seat pan
103 and member 106 may be made of a lighter weight material than
the metal typically used in the construction of the seat. At a
minimum, back pan 102 should be constructed in this manner.
Materials that could be used in accordance with the above, include
but are not limited to plastic, aluminum, fiberglass, magnesium as
well as other strong, light-weight materials known to those of
ordinary skill in the art. A most preferred material is
magnesium.
[0015] Once the center of gravity or mass has been lowered, the
need to connect the anchor to the floor of a vehicle may be
eliminated. Instead, an end of the anchor may be attached to a
number of different locations on the vehicle seat, so long as the
point of attachment is below the attachment point on the seat
frame. The use of an anchor or restraints adds a further level of
safety. It prevents the seat assembly from hyper-extending which
may reduce operator excersion and also reduce potential damage to
the seat components.
[0016] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, straps 112 and 113 may be
connected to any point on seat frame 111, with a preferred located
being based 106, and lower base 110. In another embodiment, as
shown in FIG. 4, straps 150 are affixed to seat frame 141 at upper
base 144 and a portion of the dampener assembly 148. In yet another
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, straps 166 and 168 are connected to
base 160 of seat frame 161 and a portion of a riser 170 which may
be used with a seat assembly.
[0017] Common to all embodiments is the basic design criteria that
the anchor be affixed to a portion of the seat frame and to a point
a spaced distance apart from and lower than the seat frame and
sliders 117.
[0018] In addition, the tie downs, straps, or anchors described
above are preferably flexible in nature. During periods of use, the
distance between the base sections will vary due to the movement of
the seat. This necessitates the use of flexible couplers such as
straps or tie-downs so as to permit movement while still retaining
the ability to couple the components together. Materials found to
be suitable for the construction of the flexible coupler or
connector include, but are not limited to, nylon strapping, chain,
and cable.
[0019] By configuring the seat in this manner, Applicants have
found that the seat can withstand standard pull test known to those
of skill in the art, without the use of restraints. Applicants
believe that this is accomplished by the use of lighter weight
materials which lower the center of mass of the seat. This in turn,
it is believed, results in the structurally strong components, such
as the suspension assembly, providing the necessary resistance to
the pull test forces rather than the weaker slides.
[0020] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been illustrated and described, it will be understood by those
of ordinary skill in the art that changes and other modifications
can be made without departing from the invention in its broader
aspects. Various features of the present invention are set forth in
the following claims.
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