Seat Construction

Abstract

A seat construction comprising a frame and a spring assembly resiliently mounted on the base. The spring assembly comprises a pair of longitudinally extending wires and a plurality of transversely extending spaced spring wires having portions wound around the longitudinally extending wires to define an intermediate portion extending between the spaced longitudinally extending wires and connected thereto and free ends extending beyond the longitudinally extending wires at an acute angle to the intermediate portion. An additional longitudinally extending wire connects the free ends of said transversely extending spring wires along each said firstmentioned longitudinally extending wire. Means for supporting the spring assembly on a seat frame comprise strips of spring material each of which includes a base portion and a plurality of integral finger portions extending from said base, the finger portions being integrally connected to said base at one end and having a portion at the other end engaging one of said longitudinally extending wires.

Description

This invention relates to seat construction and particularly to spring seat construction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,002, issued Feb. 1, 1972, there is disclosed and claimed a seat construction comprising a frame including a base and a back. Each of the base and back have a frame with spaced siderails and a spring assembly mounted on the frame. Each spring assembly comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending wires, a plurality of transversely spaced wires having intermediate portions extending between the spaced wires and free ends extending beyond the longitudinally extending wires at an acute angle to the intermediate portion. Each spring assembly further comprises a longitudinal wire along each side edge connecting the free ends of said transversely spaced wires.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a novel seat construction utilizing novel means for supporting the spring assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,002; a novel combination of a spring assembly and seat support means; a novel seat construction which can be manufactured at low cost; a novel combination of a spring assembly and support means which can be transported to the site and assembled to a seat frame at the site of assembly of the seat thereby facilitating handling of parts; and a construction which produces a seat that has the desired support and resiliency with a minimum number of parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, the seat construction comprises a frame, a spring assembly and novel means for resiliently mounting the spring assembly on the frame. The spring assembly comprises a pair of longitudinally extending wires and a plurality of transversely extending spaced spring wires having portions wound around said longitudinally extending wires to define an intermediate portion extending between the spaced longitudinally extending wires and connected thereto and free ends extending beyond the longitudinally extending wires at an acute angle to the intermediate portion. An additional longitudinally extending wire connects the free ends of said transversely extending spring wires along each said first-mentioned longitudinally extending wire. Novel means are provided for supporting the spring assembly on a seat frame and comprise strips of spring material each of which includes a base portion and a plurality of integral finger portions extending from said base, said finter portions being integrally connected to said base at one end and having a portion at the other end engaging one of said longitudinally extending wires.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a part sectional plan view of a seat embodying the invention, parts being broken away.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the seat shown in FIG. 1, parts being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a seat support member prior to final formation.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the portion shown in FIG. 4 after formation.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a part of the seat shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the part shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a part sectional plan view of a modified form of seat embodying the invention, parts being broken away.

FIG. 9 is a view taken along the line 9--9 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 10--10 in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 11--11 in FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the seat embodying the invention comprises a frame 11 including spaced side-rails 13. The seat 10 further comprises a spring assembly 14 that is resiliently mounted on the rails 13 by resilient support members or leaf spring 15, as presently described.

Spring assembly 14 comprises spaced longitudinally extending wires 16 of spring steel having a paper wrapping 17 and spaced transversely extending wires 18 of steel. Wires 18 include intermediate portions 19, the ends of which are wound around the wires 16 (FIG. 3) and extend in a free manner as at 20 at an acute angle to the general plane of the intermediate portions 19 (FIG. 3). The free ends of portions 20 are attached by a single loop about additional longitudinally spaced wires 21 which comprise paper covered wire.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, each of the support members 15 is made of spring material from a single blank shown in FIG. 4 which comprises a base portion 25 and finger portions 26 extending integrally from the base portion 25. A typical material comprises spring steel. Each of the finger portions 26 is bent to define an intermediate curve portion 27 and a hook 28, the free end 29 of which extends upwardly and outwardly. In addition, the base portion is bent intermediate its edges to define a slot 30 for receiving the flange 31 of the seat frame. Border wires 31 may be provided to connect the ends of the wires 21 (FIG. 1).

A body B of foam plastic substantially embeds the entire spring assembly and a portion of the support members 15.

Referring to FIGS. 8-11, the invention is shown as applied to a rear seat utilizing a spring assembly 14' substantially similar to the spring assembly 14, except that the longitudinally extending wires 16a, 16b extending parallel to the forward edge of the seat. In this form of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the rear longitudinally extending wire 16a is supported on the seat frame 11' made of bent wire by support members 35, each of which comprises a base portion 36 and fingers 37 extending integrally from the base portion and having a hook 38 with a free end 39 extending downwardly and inwardly. The base is curved as at 40 and received in a channel 41 to support the rear of the seat. The front longitudinally extending wire 16b is supported by a support member 45 that has a base portion 46 fixed to the seat frame and integral fingers 47 formed into a hook for receiving the longitudinally extending wire 16b. In this instance, the fingers 47 do not have an intermediate, resilient or spring portion. Border wire 48 is clipped to wires 21a, 21b.

In use, in either form of the invention, the spring assembly defines a resilient support and the intermediate portions of the support members where used further support the spring assembly resiliently on the seat frame. The construction uses a minimum number of parts. The subassembly of the spring assembly 14, body 30 and support members 15 or the spring assembly 14' and support mbembers 35, 45 can be handled and shipped as a unit for application to a frame at the place of applying a cover to the seat.

Either form of the invention provides the desired support and resiliency with a minimum number of parts.

Claims

We claim:

1. In a seat construction, a spring assembly comprising

a pair of longitudinally extending wires,

a plurality of transversely extending spaced spring wires,

portions of said transversely extending spaced spring wires being wound around said longitudinally extending wires to define an intermediate portion extending between the spaced longitudinally extending wires and connected thereto and free ends extending beyond the longitudinally extending wires at an acute angle to the intermediate portion,

an additional longitudinally extending wire connecting the free ends of said transversely extending spring wires along each said first-mentioned longitudinally extending wire,

and means for supporting said spring assembly on a seat frame comprising

a support member comprising a strip of spring material including a base portion and a plurality of integral finger portions extending from said base,

said finger portions being integrally connected to said base at one end and having a portion at the other end engaging one of said longitudinally extending wires.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said one end of each said finger portion cooperates with said base portion to form a portion for engaging the seat frame.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein a part of said finger portion intermediate the ends is curved to define a resilient spring.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said portion at said other end of each said finger portion comprises a hook engaging said one longitudinally extending wire.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein each said hook is curved outwardly and downwardly.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein each said hook is curved upwardly and inwardly.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said base and said finger portion cooperate to define a slot for receiving a portion of said seat frame.

8. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a body of foam plastic material in which said spring assembly and a portion of said strip is embedded.

9. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a second support member comprising a strip having a base portion and integral finger portion,

said finger portions of said last mentioned support member having the ends thereof engaging the other of said longitudinally extending wires.

10. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a resilient covering on said longitudinally extending wires.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said covering comprises paper.

12. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a border wire connecting said second-mentioned longitudinally extending wires.

13. In a seat construction, a spring assembly comprising

a pair of longitudinally extending wires,

a plurality of transversely extending spaced spring wires,

portions of said transversely extending spaced spring wires being wound around said longitudinally extending wires to define an intermediate portion extending between the spaced longitudinally extending wires and connected thereto and free ends extending beyond the longitudinally extending wires at an acute angle to the intermediate portion,

an additional longitudinally extending wire connecting the free ends of said transversely extending spring wires along each said first-mentioned longitudinally extending wire,

a seat frame,

and means for supporting said spring assembly on said seat frame comprising

a support member comprising a strip of spring material including a base portion and a plurality of integral finger portions extending from said base,

said finger portions being integrally connected to said base at one end and having a portion at the other end engaging one of said longitudinally extending wires.

14. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said one end of each said finger portion cooperates with said base portion to form a portion engaging the seat frame.

15. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein a part of each said finger portion intermediate the ends is curved to define a resilient spring.

16. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said portion at said other end of each said finger portion comprises a hook engaging said one longitudinally extending wire.

17. The combination set forth in claim 16 wherein each said hook is curved outwardly and downwardly.

18. The combination set forth in claim 16 wherein each said hook is curved upwardly and inwardly.

19. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said base and said finger portion cooperate to define a slot into which a portion of said seat frame extends.

20. The combination set forth in claim 13 including a body of foam plastic material in which said spring assembly and a portion of said strip is embedded.

21. The combination set forth in claim 13 including a second support member comprising a strip having a base portion and integral finger portions,

said finger portions of said last mentioned support member having the ends thereof engaging the other of said longitudinally extending wires.

22. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said spring assembly forms a part of a front seat,

said pair of longitudinally extending wires extending transversely to the forward edge of said seat.

23. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said spring assembly forms a portion of a rear seat,

said longitudinally extending wires extending generally parallel to the forward edge of said seat.

24. In a seat construction, a spring assembly comprising

a pair of longitudinally extending wires,

a plurality of transversely extending spaced spring wires,

portions of said transversely extending spaced spring wires being wound around said longitudinally extending wires to define an intermediate portion extending between the spaced longitudinally extending wires and connected thereto and free ends extending beyond the longitudinally extending wires at an acute angle to the intermediate portion,

an additional longitudinally extending wire connecting the free ends of said transversely extending spring wires along each said first-mentioned longitudinally extending wire,

and means for supporting said spring assembly on a seat frame comprising

a support member comprising a strip of spring material including a base portion and a plurality of integral finger portions extending from said base,

said finger portions being integrally connected to said base at one end and having a portion at the other end engaging one of said longitudinally extending wires,

a body of foam plastic material in which said spring assembly and the major portion of said strip is embedded.

25. The combination set forth in claim 24 wherein said one end of each said finger cooperates with said base portion to form a portion for engaging the seat frame.

26. The combination set forth in claim 24 wherein a part of each said finger intermediate the ends is curved to define a resilient spring.

27. The combination set forth in claim 24 wherein said portion at said other end of each said finger comprises a hook engaging said one longitudinally extending wire.

28. The combination set forth in claim 27 wherein each said hook is curved outwardly and downwardly.

29. The combination set forth in claim 27 wherein each said hook is curved upwardly and inwardly.

30. The combination set forth in claim 24 wherein said base and said finger portion cooperate to define a slot for receiving a portion of said seat frame.

31. The combination set forth in claim 24 including a second strip partially embedded in said body and having a base portion and integral finger portions,

said finger portions of said last mentioned support member having the ends thereof engaging the other of said longitudinally extending wires.