Patent ID: 9434281
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: B60N

Claim Text:
1. A seat for supporting an occupant of a vehicle, said seat comprising: a seating frame member for providing a surface to support the occupant; a back frame member extending away from said seating frame member with said back frame member having a first side member and a second side member spaced from said first side member with each of said side members having a proximal end for coupling to said seating frame member and a distal end spaced from said proximate end; a first cross member extending horizontally between a first end coupled to said first side member at a first attachment location and a second end coupled to said second side member at a second attachment location with said first cross member spaced from said proximal end of said side members; a second cross member extending horizontally between a first end coupled to said first side member at a first attachment location and a second end coupled to said second side member at a second attachment location with said second cross member spaced vertically from said first cross member and said distal end of said side members and between said first cross member and said distal end of said side members, said first cross member and said second cross member being spaced vertically below a midpoint between said proximal end and said distal end of said side members; wherein each of said first and second cross members comprise a thermoplastic material; wherein said first and second cross members have a central region flanked on both sides by bent portions presenting a U-shaped configuration with said first and second cross members folded back upon themselves within said bent portions with said U-shaped configuration of said bent portions extending in a direction away from both said central region and said attachment locations such that said bent portions are configured to extend toward the occupant; and wherein said bent portions straighten out when a force above a predetermined value is applied to said first and second cross members and said central region plastically deforms once said bent portions straighten out thereby reducing an impact force transferred from said seat to the occupant caused by the force above the predetermined value.