Chairs and seats – Bottom or back – Rigid or semirigid hollow shell
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-12
2004-05-25
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Bottom or back
Rigid or semirigid hollow shell
C297S378120, C297S378130, C297S232000, C297S233000, C297S452180
Reexamination Certificate
active
06739673
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an improved seating system, and more particularly to an improved system for automotive vehicle seating. The present invention also relates to improved automotive vehicle interior systems.
BACKGROUND
There is an ever-growing need for improved seating systems in automotive vehicles. The surge in popularity of hatchbacks, sport utility vehicles and minivans, has posed unique design challenges, in view of the need for seating to be adjustable and in many instances to restrain cargo carried toward the rear of the vehicle. In light of the increased consumer usage of these vehicles for stowage and transport of cargo along with passengers (particularly passengers in rear seats), manufacturers have turned their attention to improving the ability of the seating systems to withstand large loads.
One approach has been to develop improved systems for transmitting loads to the seat tracks of vehicle seating assemblies. A growing number of applications, however, employ attachment of seating components directly to the vehicle body in white for load distribution to the body in white. For the improved seat track technology to be viable in the latter applications, it would require substantial modification, which is believed would unduly complicate the manufacturing procedures, require the development of expensive new processing techniques, or add substantial weight to the vehicles. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved, readily manufactured seating system that is capable of meeting vehicle manufacturer design criteria and government standards for vehicles, and which can be efficiently and conveniently adapted for use in a variety of applications including those involving seat track load distribution, body in white load distribution or both.
In addition to having load bearing characteristics, it may be desirable for seating systems to include one or more additional functional features, ordinarily packaged elsewhere (e.g., in other locations of a vehicle). Examples of such features include ducts, vents, motors, electronic devices, entertainment devices, communications devices, other comfort, convenience or utilitarian features and the like. Accommodation of these features in conventional seats often poses difficulties given the limited packaging space available. Thus, there is also a need for a seating system that can integrate one or more comfort, convenience or other utilitarian features.
Examples of advantageous improved systems for seating are disclosed in commonly-owned and co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/766,792 (filed Jan. 22, 2001), and No. 60/312,874 (filed Aug. 15, 2001), and No. 60/335,430 (filed Oct. 31, 2001), the teachings of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The needs in the art are met by the automotive vehicle seating system of the present invention, which includes a plastic seat back having a first panel portion and an opposing second panel portion, optionally made separately from the first panel portion, and secured (e.g, with attachments such as welds, adhesives, mechanical joints, fasteners, tack-offs or the like) to the the first panel portion. In a preferred embodiment, one or both of the first and second panels portions include one or more integrated reinforcement structures for providing strength to the seat back when assembled. Optionally, the invention also includes an assembly for receiving the seat back and securing it to the vehicle body in white. Advantageously, the seating system displays no fragmentation upon rapid acceleration up to about 20 to about 30 g, with at least a 36 kg mass placed behind the seat back. The system is easy to manufacture and will not add substantial weight to the vehicle as compared with other commercial seating systems.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3171691 (1965-03-01), Buehrig
patent: 3638997 (1972-02-01), Shapiro et al.
patent: 3669496 (1972-06-01), Chisholm
patent: 3712614 (1973-01-01), Sherman
patent: 4065182 (1977-12-01), Braniff et al.
patent: 4088367 (1978-05-01), Atkinson et al.
patent: 4133579 (1979-01-01), Springfield
patent: 4142757 (1979-03-01), Fogle, Jr. et al.
patent: 4246734 (1981-01-01), Fogle, Jr. et al.
patent: 4350390 (1982-09-01), Ogawa
patent: 4478899 (1984-10-01), Mayumi et al.
patent: 4530541 (1985-07-01), Resag et al.
patent: 4595238 (1986-06-01), Goldner
patent: 4711493 (1987-12-01), Schrom et al.
patent: 4986600 (1991-01-01), Leblanc et al.
patent: 5029942 (1991-07-01), Rink
patent: 5100204 (1992-03-01), Makihara et al.
patent: 5133588 (1992-07-01), Hutchinson et al.
patent: 5224756 (1993-07-01), Dukatz et al.
patent: 5253924 (1993-10-01), Glance
patent: 5280995 (1994-01-01), Elton
patent: 5282667 (1994-02-01), Elton et al.
patent: 5298587 (1994-03-01), Hu et al.
patent: 5320875 (1994-06-01), Hu et al.
patent: 5433786 (1995-07-01), Hu et al.
patent: 5494712 (1996-02-01), Hu et al.
patent: 5540479 (1996-07-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5575533 (1996-11-01), Glance
patent: 5597205 (1997-01-01), Glance et al.
patent: 5601334 (1997-02-01), Marks
patent: 5603550 (1997-02-01), Holdampf et al.
patent: 5658408 (1997-08-01), Frantz et al.
patent: 5700054 (1997-12-01), Lang
patent: 5704685 (1998-01-01), Handa et al.
patent: 5713634 (1998-02-01), Koike
patent: 5722732 (1998-03-01), Haldenwanger
patent: 5743593 (1998-04-01), Vogt
patent: 5837958 (1998-11-01), Fornsel
patent: 5846377 (1998-12-01), Frantz et al.
patent: 5855706 (1999-01-01), Grewell
patent: 5895096 (1999-04-01), Massara
patent: 5951110 (1999-09-01), Conner et al.
patent: 5968431 (1999-10-01), Ang et al.
patent: 5984419 (1999-11-01), Partington et al.
patent: 6027171 (2000-02-01), Partington et al.
patent: 6079781 (2000-06-01), Tilley
patent: 6168239 (2001-01-01), Conner et al.
patent: 6250680 (2001-06-01), Moker
patent: 6328386 (2001-12-01), Good
patent: 6491346 (2002-12-01), Gupta et al.
patent: 6536844 (2003-03-01), Huse
patent: 6679558 (2004-01-01), Adams et al.
patent: 2002/0144808 (2002-10-01), Jones
patent: 2002/0148427 (2002-10-01), Jones et al.
patent: 4208150 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 197 28 052 (1999-01-01), None
patent: 2420424 (1979-10-01), None
patent: WO 01/92051 (2001-12-01), None
Search Report dated Oct. 23, 2002 (1062-010WO).
Search Report dated Oct. 29, 2001 (1062-002WO).
Co-pending application Ser. No. 09/766,792, filed Jan. 22, 2001 (1062-002).
Co-pending application Ser. No. 09/466,321, filed Dec. 17, 1999 (Dow Ref. No. 60043).
“The Scene”, GE Plastics, Issue 9, Summer 2000.
Nuss, Rudolf; and Litjens, Frank, “Design and Development of a New Rear Seat Back Made From Glass Mat Thermoplastic Materials,” GE Plastics, p. 1-2.
Gupta Vikas
Koelman Hein J.
Kurtycz Eric
Ramanathan Ravi
Rogers Steve J.
Cuomo Peter M.
Dobrusin & Thennisch PC
Dow Global Technologies Inc.
White Rodney B.
LandOfFree
Seating system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Seating system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Seating system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3198504