U.S. patent application number 17/601988 was filed with the patent office on 2022-07-07 for vehicular seat.
The applicant listed for this patent is PROPRIETECT L.P.. Invention is credited to Joseph F. Landis, Mark R. Tate.
Application Number | 20220212579 17/601988 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220212579 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tate; Mark R. ; et
al. |
July 7, 2022 |
VEHICULAR SEAT
Abstract
There is described a vehicular seat comprising a back element.
The back element comprises: (a) a rigid support element having
coupled thereto an anchor element, the anchor element configured to
be detachably coupled to an article; and (b) a resilient foam
element secured with respect to the rigid support element, the
resilient foam element configured to be in contact with the back of
an occupant of the vehicular seat. In a preferred embodiment, the
article is one or more of an occupant restraint element, a cargo
element and an automotive accessory. Advantageously, this
combination of elements results in a vehicular seat which is of
light weight construction and passes the FMVSS 225 test
requirement.
Inventors: |
Tate; Mark R.; (Toronto,
CA) ; Landis; Joseph F.; (Macomb, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
PROPRIETECT L.P. |
Toronto |
|
CA |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/601988 |
Filed: |
April 16, 2020 |
PCT Filed: |
April 16, 2020 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CA2020/050508 |
371 Date: |
October 7, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62835283 |
Apr 17, 2019 |
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International
Class: |
B60N 2/68 20060101
B60N002/68; B60N 2/64 20060101 B60N002/64; B60R 22/26 20060101
B60R022/26 |
Claims
1. A vehicular seat comprising a back element, the back element
comprising: (a) a rigid support element having coupled thereto an
anchor element, the anchor element configured to be detachably
coupled to an article; and (b) a resilient foam element secured
with respect to the rigid support element, the resilient foam
element configured to be in contact with a back of an occupant of
the vehicular seat.
2. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the article is
one or more of an occupant restraint element, a cargo element and
an automotive accessory.
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the rigid support
element has a density in the range of from 1,000 grams per square
meter to about 5,000 per square meter
9. (canceled)
10. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the rigid
support element has a thickness in the range of from about 5 mm to
about 25 mm.
11. (canceled)
12. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein at least a
portion of the anchor element is molded into the rigid support
element.
13. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor
element is coupled to the rigid support element with an
adhesive.
14. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor
element is mechanically coupled to the rigid support element.
15. (canceled)
16. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, further comprising at a
plurality of fastener elements, each fastener element configured to
mechanically couple the anchor element to the rigid support
element.
17. (canceled)
18. (canceled)
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
21. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor
element comprises at least one first flange portion configured to
have a first flange major portion aligned substantially
perpendicular with respect to a major surface of the rigid support
element.
22. (canceled)
23. (canceled)
24. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor
element comprises at least one second flange portion configured to
have a second flange major portion aligned substantially parallel
with a rigid support element major surface.
25. (canceled)
26. (canceled)
27. (canceled)
28. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor
element has a substantially U-shaped configuration.
29. (canceled)
30. (canceled)
31. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the anchor
element comprises an attachment portion for coupling to the
article.
32. (canceled)
33. (canceled)
34. (canceled)
35. (canceled)
36. (canceled)
37. The vehicular seat defined in claim 31, wherein the attachment
portion is constructed from a ductile material.
38. (canceled)
39. (canceled)
40. (canceled)
41. (canceled)
42. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the rigid
support element is free of a metal frame element.
43. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the rigid
support element comprises a rigid foam element.
44. (canceled)
45. (canceled)
46. (canceled)
47. The vehicular seat defined in claim 43, wherein the rigid foam
element has an indentation force deflection at 25% deflection of
from about 500 pounds to about 2,500 pounds when measured pursuant
to ASTM 3574-B1.
48. (canceled)
49. (canceled)
50. (canceled)
51. (canceled)
52. The vehicular seat defined in claim 43, wherein the rigid foam
element is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane foam,
expanded polypropylene, expanded polyethylene and expanded
polystyrene.
53. (canceled)
54. (canceled)
55. (canceled)
56. The vehicular seat defined in claim 43, wherein the rigid foam
element further comprises a pair of opposed reinforcing layers,
each reinforcing layer coupled to a major surface of the rigid foam
element.
57. The vehicular seat defined in claim 1, wherein the rigid
support element is a laminate comprising a core layer interposed
between a pair of opposed reinforcing layers, each reinforcing
layer coupled to a major surface.
58. The vehicular seat defined in claim 57, wherein the core layer
is a non-foam core layer.
59. The vehicular seat defined in claim 57, wherein the core layer
is a non-foam core layer has a substantially honeycomb
configuration.
60. (canceled)
61. (canceled)
62. The vehicular seat defined in claim 56, wherein each
reinforcing layer comprises a fibrous reinforcing layer.
63. (canceled)
64. (canceled)
65. (canceled)
66. (canceled)
67. (canceled)
68. (canceled)
69. (canceled)
70. (canceled)
71. (canceled)
72. (canceled)
73. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn. 119(e) of provisional patent application Ser. No.
62/835,283, filed Apr. 17, 2019, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a vehicular seat. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicular seat
comprising a back element comprising a rigid foam element.
Description of the Prior Art
[0003] Passenger seats in vehicles, such as automobiles, are
typically fabricated from a foam (usually polyurethane) material
which is molded into the desired shape and covered with an
appropriate trim cover. The foamed material is selected to provide
passenger comfort by providing a resilient seat and the trim cover
is selected to provide the desired aesthetic properties.
[0004] It is known in the art that, while the resiliency of the
foamed material in the seat provides passenger comfort, it does not
provide the necessary structural strength for the seat. This
necessitates additional reinforcement of the seat to provide the
degree of structural strength required to ensure proper mounting of
the seat within the vehicle and proper support of anti-submarine
elements. Accordingly, prior art vehicular seats typically include
a perimeter frame of metal which strengthens the seat. Further,
support rails are typically mounted across the metal frame to
stiffen the frame and to provide a suitable attachment point for
the means used to anchor the seat to the vehicle. Conventionally,
the metal frame and/or support rails are substantially completely
embedded in the foam material when the seat is molded. In many
cases, the metal frame will further comprise a plurality of
apertures or other means for attaching a trim cover to the
seat.
[0005] Of course, the requirement for such a perimeter metal frame
and for support rails adds to the cost of manufacturing the seat
and, more importantly, adds to the weight of the seat and the
overall weight of the vehicle in which it is installed. This added
weight increases both the cost of shipping the seat to the vehicle
manufacturer and the eventual lifetime operating expense for the
vehicle. Finally, the presence of metal frame and support rails or
other components in the seat hampers the eventual recycling of the
seat materials which is becoming increasingly important in today's
environmentally concerned marketplace.
[0006] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,400,490 and 5,542,747 [collectively the
Burchi patents], issued Mar. 28, 1995 and Aug. 6, 1996,
respectively, describe a passenger seat comprising a frame element
molded from relatively high density, rigid foam; vehicle anchorage
means connected to the frame element; and a seat body comprising a
resilient material fixed with respect to the frame element. The
provision of a frame element molded from relatively high density,
rigid foam obviates the need for a conventional metal frame. The
'490 and '747 patents also teach application of a trim cover to
passenger seat. The trim cover may be attached using push pins or a
combination of bottom flaps (see FIGS. 3 and 9 in the '490 and '747
patents) with conventional mechanical attachment means (e.g.,
Velcro.TM., J-retainers or push pins).
[0007] While the invention taught in the Burchi patents represented
a significant advance in the art, there is still room for
improvement.
[0008] In recent years, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and
hatchback style automobiles have become very popular. These
vehicles typically do not a conventional trunk and therefore the
back of the rear seats of the vehicles are exposed to the cargo
area.
[0009] These conventional rear seat backs typically include a metal
frame which is secured with respect to resilient foam body which
contacts the occupant of the rear seat. The metal frame is coupled
the body of the vehicle and/or to the seat bottom portion of the
vehicular seat. It is conventional for all vehicles to place child
seats in the rear seats and tether those child seats to the exposed
seatback in SUVs or hatchback vehicles (e.g., via a clip or other
mechanical arrangement). The tether of the child seat is clipped
into a (that is connected to the steel frame of the seatback).
[0010] Applying the approach in the above-mentioned Burchi patents
to SUVs or hatchback vehicles is problematic since elimination of
the metal frame from conventional seatbacks results in elimination
of the attachment point to the tether of a child seat.
[0011] Thus, it would be desirable to be able to implement the
so-called "frameless" (i.e., no metal frame in seat back) approach
taught in the Burchi patents to a vehicular seatbacks such as the
one used in SUVs or hatchback vehicles while eliminating the metal
frame from the seatback and having the resultant seatback pass
current safety requirements such as the FMVSS 225 test--i.e., to
withstand failure of the connection between the child seat and the
vehicular seat (the seat back in the case).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] It is an object of the present invention to obviate or
mitigate at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the
prior art.
[0013] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
novel vehicular seat.
[0014] Accordingly, in one of its aspects, the present invention
provides a vehicular seat comprising a back element, the back
element comprising:
[0015] a rigid support element having coupled thereto an anchor
element, the anchor element configured to be detachably coupled to
an article; and
[0016] a resilient foam element secured with respect to the rigid
support element, the resilient foam element configured to be in
contact with the back of an occupant of the vehicular seat.
[0017] Thus, the present inventor has discovered a combination of
elements which allows for implementation of the "frameless" seat
approach in the above-mentioned Burchi patents without the need of
using a metal frame element of the one hand while providing an
anchor portion for detachable coupling to an article.
Advantageously, this combination of elements results in a vehicular
seat which is of light weight construction and, when the article is
a child vehicular seat, passes the FMVSS 225 test requirement.
Other advantages would be apparent to those of skill in the art
upon review of the present specification.
[0018] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described
below with reference to the situation when the article is a child
vehicular seat. However, it would be appreciated that the invention
can be applied to other situations where it is desired to
detachable couple an article to the vehicular seat. The article can
be selected from an occupant restraint element, a cargo element and
an automotive accessory. Non-limiting examples of an automotive
accessory include a vehicular jack; a cargo mesh element; an audio
system; a child vehicular seat; a child vehicular seat booster and
the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference
numerals denote like parts, and in which:
[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a portion
of the present vehicular seat;
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of a preferred embodiment of
the anchor portion used in the present vehicular seat;
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the anchor portion
illustrated in FIG. 3;
[0023] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate isometric views of the anchor
portion illustrated in FIG. 3;
[0024] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate testing of a preferred embodiment
of the back element of the present vehicular seat; and
[0025] FIG. 9 illustrates the forces applied to the back element in
the testing done with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] The present invention relates to a vehicular seat comprising
a back element, the back element comprising: a rigid support
element having coupled thereto an anchor element, the anchor
element configured to be detachably coupled to an article; and a
resilient foam element secured with respect to the rigid support
element, the resilient foam element configured to be in contact
with the back of an occupant of the vehicular seat. Preferred
embodiments of this vehicular seat may include any one or a
combination of any two or more of any of the following features:
[0027] the article is one or more of an occupant restraint element,
a cargo element and an automotive accessory; [0028] automotive
accessory is a vehicular jack; [0029] the automotive accessory is a
cargo mesh element [0030] automotive accessory is an audio system;
[0031] the automotive accessory is a child vehicular seat; [0032]
the automotive accessory is a child vehicular seat booster; [0033]
the rigid support element has a density in the range of from about
1000 grams per square meter to about 5000 per square meter; [0034]
the rigid support element has a density in the range of from about
1500 per square meter to about 3500 per square meter; [0035] the
rigid support element has a thickness in the range of from about 5
mm to about 25 mm; [0036] the rigid support element has a thickness
in the range of from about 10 mm to about 18 mm; [0037] at least a
portion of the anchor element is molded into the rigid support
element; [0038] the anchor element is coupled to the rigid support
element with an adhesive; [0039] the anchor element is mechanically
coupled to the rigid support element; [0040] the vehicular seat
further comprises at least one fastener element configured to
mechanically couple the anchor element to the rigid support
element; [0041] the vehicular seat further comprises at a plurality
of fastener elements, each fastener element configured to
mechanically couple the anchor element to the rigid support
element; [0042] the fastener element comprises a push pin; [0043]
the fastener element comprises a rivet; [0044] the fastener element
comprises a rivet nut; [0045] the fastener element comprises a
screw; [0046] the anchor element comprises at least one first
flange portion configured to have a first flange major portion
aligned substantially perpendicular with respect to the rigid
support element major surface; [0047] the at least one first flange
portion is configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the
rigid support element; [0048] the anchor element comprises a
plurality of first flange portions; [0049] the anchor element
comprises at least one second flange portion configured to have a
second flange major portion aligned substantially parallel with a
rigid support element major surface; [0050] anchor element
comprises a plurality of second flange portions, each second flange
portion configured to have a second flange major portion aligned
parallel with a rigid support element major surface; [0051] second
flange major portion is configured to be in contact with an outer
surface of the rigid support element; [0052] the anchor element
comprises a plurality of second flange portions; [0053] the anchor
element has a substantially U-shaped configuration; [0054] the
U-shaped configuration comprises a cross member interconnect to
side members; [0055] the cross member comprises a major axis
substantially parallel to a top edge of the rigid support element;
[0056] wherein the anchor member comprises an attachment portion
for coupling to the article; [0057] the anchor member comprises an
attachment portion for coupling to a tether element of a child
vehicular seat; [0058] the attachment portion comprises a cross bar
element; [0059] the attachment portion comprises a loop element;
[0060] the attachment portion comprises a buckle element [0061] the
attachment portion comprises a clip element; [0062] the attachment
portion is constructed from a ductile material; [0063] the
attachment portion is constructed from a metal material; [0064] the
anchor element is a unitary element; [0065] the anchor element
comprises a first anchor portion and a second anchor portion
coupled to each other the first anchor portion and the second
anchor portion contact opposed major surfaces of the rigid support
element; [0066] the rigid support element is free of a metal frame
element; [0067] the rigid support element comprises a rigid foam
element; [0068] the rigid foam element has a density in the range
from about 1.5 to about 24 pcf; [0069] the rigid foam element has a
density in the range from about 2.5 to about 12 pcf; [0070] the
rigid foam element has an indentation force deflection at 25%
deflection of from about 200 pounds to about 4,000 pounds when
measured pursuant to ASTM 3574-B1; [0071] the rigid foam element
has an indentation force deflection at 25% deflection of from about
500 pounds to about 2,500 pounds when measured pursuant to ASTM
3574-B1; [0072] the rigid foam element has an indentation force
deflection at 25% deflection of from about 900 pounds to about
2,000 pounds when measured pursuant to ASTM 3574-B1, [0073] the
rigid foam element has a specific gravity of less than about 0.40;
[0074] the rigid foam element has a specific gravity in the range
of from about 0.10 to about 0.25; [0075] the rigid foam element
comprises an iscyanate-based polymer foam; [0076] the rigid foam
element comprises polyurethane foam; [0077] the rigid foam element
comprises expanded polypropylene; [0078] the rigid foam element
comprises expanded polyethylene; [0079] the rigid foam element
comprises expanded polystyrene; [0080] the rigid foam element
further comprises a pair of opposed reinforcing layers, each
reinforcing layer coupled to a major surface of the rigid foam
element; [0081] the rigid support element is a laminate comprising
a core layer interposed between a pair of opposed reinforcing
layers, each reinforcing layer coupled to a major surface; [0082]
the core layer is a non-foam core layer; [0083] the core layer is a
non-foam core layer has a substantially honeycomb configuration;
[0084] the core layer is a non-foam core layer has a substantially
honeycomb configuration such that walls in the honeycomb
configuration are oriented transverse to the pair of opposed
reinforcing layer; [0085] core layer is a non-foam core layer has a
substantially honeycomb configuration such that walls in the
honeycomb configuration are oriented orthogonal to the pair of
opposed reinforcing layer; [0086] each reinforcing layer comprises
a fibrous reinforcing layer; [0087] each reinforcing layer
comprises a fiberglass reinforcing layer; [0088] the resilient foam
element comprises an isocyanate-based foam; [0089] the resilient
foam element comprises a polyurethane foam; [0090] the resilient
foam element has a density in the range of from about 1.5 pcf to
about 4.5 pcf; [0091] the resilient foam element has an indentation
force deflection at 25% deflection of from about 15 pounds to about
175 pounds when measured pursuant to ASTM 3574-B1, [0092] the rigid
support element and the resilient secured to one another by an
adhesive; [0093] the rigid support element and the resilient
secured to one another by a mechanical faster; [0094] the vehicular
seat further comprises a trim cover; [0095] the trim cover is
configured to substantially all cover exposed surfaces of the
resilient foam element; [0096] the trim cover is configured to
secure the resilient foam element to the rigid support element;
and/or [0097] the trim cover fastened to the rigid support element
thereby to secure the resilient foam element to the rigid support
element.
[0098] The present vehicular seat comprises a back element. The
back element comprises a rigid support element having coupled
thereto an anchor portion.
[0099] In one preferred embodiment, the rigid support element is an
engineered board comprising rigid foam core such as a polyurethane
foam. Non-limiting and preferred examples of suitable polyurethane
foams for use in producing the rigid foam element are available
from Woodbridge Foam Corporation under the tradename Stratas.TM..
In a highly preferred embodiment the rigid foam core is interposed
between a pair of fibrous reinforcing layers secured to major
surfaces of the foam core.
[0100] Generally, the polyurethane foam suitable for use in
producing the rigid foam element and having the requisite
characteristics may be produced from the following general
non-limiting formulation (all parts are parts by weight):
TABLE-US-00001 Component Amount Polymer polyol 100-0 parts Polyol
0-100 parts Crosslinker 0-30 parts/100 parts polyol Catalyst
0.05-3.5 parts/100 parts polyol Silicone surfactants 0-1.5
parts/100 parts polyol Water 0.5-3.5 parts/100 parts polyol
Isocyanate Adequate quantity for an index of from about 0.60 to
about 1.30 ratio of NCO equivalents of NCO reactive sites
[0101] Suitable polymer polyols, polyols and isocyanates are
described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,304,273, 3,383,351, 3,523,093,
3,939,106 and 4,134,610, Belgian patent 788,115, Canadian Patent
785,835 and "Polymer/Polyols, a New Class of Polyurethane
Intermediate", Kuryla, W. C. et al., J. Cellular Plastics, March
(1966). Suitable crosslinkers, catalysts and silicone surfactants
are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,107,106 and 4,190,712.
[0102] The preferred foam suitable for use in producing the rigid
foam element may produced from the following formulation:
TABLE-US-00002 Component Amount Polymer polyol 100-20 parts Polyol
0-80 parts Crosslinker 5-15 parts/100 parts polyol Catalyst 0.5-1.2
parts/100 parts polyol Silicone surfactants 0.3-1.1 parts/100 parts
polyol Water 1.75-2.75 parts/100 parts polyol Isocyanate Adequate
quantity for an index of from about 0.80 to about 1.10 ratio of NCO
equivalents of NCO reactive sites.
[0103] In another preferred embodiment, the rigid support element
comprises a composite laminate structure which need not necessarily
comprise a foam core. An example of such a composite laminate
structure is commercially available Covestro under the tradename
Baypreg.TM..
[0104] The present vehicular seat also comprises a resilient foam
element secured with respect to the rigid foam element, the
resilient foam element configured to be in contact with the back of
an occupant of the vehicular seat. Preferably, the resilient foam
element is a polyurethane foam, more preferably as so-called high
resilience (HR) polyurethane foam.
[0105] Preferably, the foamable polymeric composition comprises a
polyurethane derived from a to diphenylmethane diisocyanate
(MDI)-based system of low index and of a high molecular weight
conventional polyol. Such a system is typically completely "water
blown" using highly-catalysed odourless amines and a cell
regulator. Typically, this system cures at room temperature in
about 3 minutes or less. Alternatively, the polyurethane is a
tolylene diisocyanate (TDI)-based system of low index and of a high
molecular weight conventional polyol. When such a TDI-based system
is used, the cells of the foam in the finished padded element must
be substantially open. Opening of such foam cells is within the
purview of a person skilled in the art and can be accomplished by
any convenient means such as crushing, kneading, roll pressing,
chemical treatment and the like of the padded element while
ensuring that the trim cover is not damaged during this step. It
will be appreciated that the liquid foamable polymeric composition
may comprise a mixture of MDI-based and TDI-based systems.
[0106] A preferred combination of the rigid foam element and the
resilient foam element is commercially available from Woodbridge
Foam Corporation under the tradename StructureLite.TM..
[0107] The back element of the present vehicular seat further
comprises an anchor portion that is configured to be coupled to an
articule such as a tether element of a child vehicular seat.
Preferred features of the anchor portion have been described above.
The following description of anchor portion is a preferred
embodiment in the context of testing done by the inventor.
[0108] With reference to FIGS. 1-2, there is illustrated a rigid
foam element 10. An anchor portion 20 is coupled to rigid foam
element 10 in a central portion of the latter. FIG. 2 illustrates
an enlarged view from the opposite side of rigid foam element 10
shown in FIG. 1. As can be seen, anchor portion 20 comprises a
crossbar 25. Crossbar 25 is configured to be coupled to a tether
portion of a child vehicular seat (not shown for clarity).
[0109] Anchor portion 20 is secured to rigid foam element 10 by a
series of push pins 30.
[0110] FIGS. 3-6 illustrate various views of anchor portion 20
wherein crossbar 25 has been omitted for clarity.
[0111] Thus, anchor portion 20 comprises a body portion 35 for
contact with rigid foam element 10. Anchor portion 20 further
comprises a pair of opposed flange portions 40,45 which are
configured to contact the side of an aperture in rigid foam element
10 that is configured to receive anchor portion 20.
[0112] Anchor portion 20 further comprises a top flange portion 50
also configured to contact an aperture in rigid foam element 10
configured to receive anchor portion 20.
[0113] Anchor portion 20 further comprises apertures 55 which are
configured to receive pushpins 30 to secure anchor portion 20 to
rigid foam element 10.
[0114] FIGS. 7-8 illustrate a test rig used for testing the
embodiment used in FIGS. 1-2 for compliance with (FMVSS 225)
regulatory testing). As shown, a testing rig mimics the forces
applied to the seatback during a frontal crash. The purpose of the
test to assess whether a particular combination of rigid foam
element and anchor portion can withstand vertically applied load of
17.5 kN for 2 seconds (30 seconds ramp up) where the 17.5 kN load
is distributed between 3 anchor points. The force applied to the
seatback can be seen schematically in FIG. 9 with reference to
arrows A.
[0115] The result of the test was that anchor portion 20 remained
secured to rigid foam element 10 at the conclusion of the test.
There was no failure observed in the test.
[0116] Based on these test results, the inventors have a reasonable
basis to predict that similar results would be seen for different
rigid foam elements and different designs of the anchor portion.
Further, it is believed similar results would be seen once rigid
foam element 10 is coupled to a resilient foam element in a
vehicular seat where the anchor portion is coupled to the rigid
foam element.
[0117] While this invention has been described with reference to
illustrative embodiments and examples, the description is not
intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Thus, various
modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other
embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled
in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore
contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such
modifications or embodiments.
[0118] All publications, patents and patent applications referred
to herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the
same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent
application was specifically and individually indicated to be
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
* * * * *