Integrated seat back support member for seat assemblies

A seat assembly is provided with a seat back support member with a primary substrate received upon an upper cross member and a pair of side members of a seat back frame to support a back of an occupant. A pair of receptacles is formed through the primary substrate to receive a pair of posts that extend from the upper cross member of the seat back frame. A secondary substrate extends from the primary substrate to support a head of the occupant. A method of assembling a seat assembly determines whether the seat assembly comprises one of an adjustable head restraint assembly and an integrated head restraint. The adjustable head restraint assembly is assembled upon the pair of posts in response or a seat back support member with a pair of apertures formed therethrough is assembled upon the upper cross member with the pair of posts received in the pair of apertures.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) to DE 10 2016 215 048.0, filed Aug. 12, 2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The various embodiments relate to seat assemblies and seat back support members for seat assemblies.

BACKGROUND

SUMMARY

According to at least one embodiment, a seat back support member is provided with a primary substrate sized to be received upon an upper cross member and a pair of side members of a seat back frame to support a back of an occupant. A pair of receptacles is formed through the primary substrate to receive a pair of posts that extend from the upper cross member of the seat back frame. A secondary substrate extends from the primary substrate to support a head of the occupant.

According to at least another embodiment, a seat assembly is provided with a seat back frame. A seat back support member comprises a primary substrate sized to be received upon an upper cross member and a pair of side members of the seat back frame to support a back of an occupant. A pair of receptacles is formed through the primary substrate to receive a pair of posts that extend from the upper cross member of the seat back frame. A secondary substrate extends from the primary substrate to support a head of the occupant.

According to at least another embodiment, a seat assembly is provided with a seat back frame with a pair of side members and an upper cross member. A seat back support member is disposed upon the upper cross member and the pair of side members to support a back of an occupant, with a pair of apertures formed therethrough oriented proximate to the upper cross member of the seat back frame. A pair of posts is affixed to the upper cross member. The pair of posts is sized to receive a head restraint assembly upon the posts for translation upon the pair of posts. The pair of posts extends through the pair of apertures in the seat back support member.

According to at least another embodiment, a method of assembling a seat assembly provides a seat back frame with a pair of posts affixed to an upper cross member of the seat back frame. A determination is made whether the seat assembly comprises one of an adjustable head restraint assembly and an integrated head restraint. The adjustable head restraint assembly is assembled upon the pair of posts in response to determining that the seat assembly comprises the adjustable head restraint assembly. A seat back support member with a pair of apertures formed therethrough is assembled upon the upper cross member with the pair of posts received in the pair of apertures, in response to determining that the seat assembly comprises the integrated head restraint.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a seat assembly10according to an embodiment. The seat assembly10is illustrated without a seat back cover and without seat back cushioning to reveal underlying components. The seat assembly10is depicted as a vehicle seat assembly for automobile seating, or aircraft seating. However, the seat assembly10may be embodied in various seating applications, such as an office chair, a comfort chair or the like.

The seat assembly10includes a seat bottom12with brackets14to be mounted to a vehicle body, such as an automobile body. A seat back frame16is pivotally mounted to the seat bottom12to extend upright from the seat bottom12. The seat back frame16is pivotally adjustable relative to the seat bottom12for user selection of various recline positions of the seat back frame16. Alternatively, the seat back frame16may be pivotally support by the vehicle body to extend adjacent to the seat bottom12.

The seat back frame16is formed from stamped metal components that are welded or otherwise fastened or adhered together. The seat back frame16includes a pair of side members18,20and an upper cross member22.

A wire mat suspension24is supported upon the seat back frame16as is known in the art. The wire mat suspension24is illustrated disassembled from the seat assembly10inFIG. 2. Referring again toFIG. 1, an air bladder assembly26is supported upon the wire mat suspension24to provide various support and comfort features to the occupant, such as adjustable support and massage functions. Valves, controls and wiring associated with the air bladder assembly26or other seating components may be supported upon the wire mat suspension24, or supported upon the seat back frame16.

A pair of polymeric side supports28,30are each provided on one of the side members18,20of the seat back frame16. The side supports28,30are illustrated removed from the seat assembly10inFIG. 3. Referring again toFIG. 1, the side supports28,30receive a pair of side bolster air bladders32,34, which are provided in the seat assembly10to provide comfort, support and massage functions as prescribed in a particular application.

A pair of posts36,38is mounted to the upper cross member22of the seat back frame16. A head restraint40is supported upon the pair of posts36,38. According to one embodiment, the pair of posts36,38is affixed to the upper cross member22; and the head restraint40is adjustable along a length of the pair of posts36,38as is known in the art. According to another embodiment, the head restraint40is affixed to the pair of posts36,38; and the pair of posts36,38is adjustable relative to the upper cross member22.

The seat assembly10is depicted as a standard or conventional style seat assembly10.FIG. 4illustrates another seat assembly42according to an embodiment. The seat assembly42is illustrated without a seat back cover and without seat back cushioning to reveal underlying components. Some seating applications utilize an integrated or sport seat assembly, such as the seat assembly42. Sport seat assemblies of the prior art are often costly due to limited volume and specialized design. In order to minimize such costs, the integrated seat assembly42employs various common components with the conventional seat assembly10ofFIG. 1.

Similar to the prior embodiment, the integrated seat assembly42is depicted as a vehicle seat assembly for automobile seating, or aircraft seating. However, the seat assembly42may be embodied in various seating applications, such as an office chair, a comfort chair or the like.

The integrated seat assembly42includes a seat bottom44. The seat bottom44may be common with the seat bottom12of the conventional seat assembly10, or may be specific for the integrated seat assembly42. Other common features are assigned the same reference numerals. The seat bottom44includes brackets14to be mounted to a vehicle body, such as an automobile body.

A seat back frame16is pivotally mounted to the seat bottom44to extend upright from the seat bottom44. The seat back frame16includes a pair of side members18,20and an upper cross member22, which are concealed inFIG. 4. A pair of posts36,38is mounted to the upper cross member22of the seat back frame16. The seat back frame16, and posts36,38are common to both styles of seat assemblies10,42for standardization and modularity.

The integrated seat assembly42includes a function carrier such as a seat back support member46. The seat back support member46is a unitary molded shell, which is illustrated disassembled from the seat assembly42inFIG. 5. With reference toFIGS. 4 & 5, the seat back support member includes a primary substrate48that is generally concave and sized to be received upon the seat back frame16. The primary substrate48includes a panel50spanning the seat back frame16and sized to receive and support a back of an occupant. The panel50spans laterally to a pair of spaced apart side bolster support members52,54. The pair of side bolster support members are each supported upon one of the side members18,20of the seat back frame16.

The panel50of the primary substrate48of the seat back support member46extends upward against a forward surface of the upper cross member22of the seat back frame16. A brace56is formed integral with the seat back support member46. The brace56extends in an aft direction from the panel50to mount upon the upper cross member22of the seat back frame16. A pair of apertures58,60is formed through the brace56, aligned with the posts36,38of the seat back frame16. The apertures58,60may be slotted transversely as depicted inFIG. 5to accommodate various post alignments and tolerances. Referring again toFIG. 4, a pair of guide receptacles62,64is received in the pair of apertures58,60. The guide receptacles62,64receive the pair of posts36,38that extend through the brace56for alignment and attachment of the seat back support member46upon the seat back frame16.

The seat back support member46also includes an integral secondary substrate66that extends upward from the brace56. The secondary substrate66is also concave and sized to support a head of the occupant. A pair of brackets68,70extends forward from the secondary substrate66, which are also formed integral with the seat back support member46. An aperture or receptacle72,74(FIG. 5) is formed in each of the pair of brackets68,70to each receive one of the posts36,38. The receptacles72,74provide additional alignment to the seat back support member46upon the seat back frame16. The cooperation of the brackets68,70with the posts36,38provide additional structural support to the secondary substrate66by structurally supporting the secondary substrate66by the seat back frame16. After assembly, cushioning (not shown) and a cover (not shown) are provided on the secondary substrate66as an integral head restraint.

With continued reference toFIG. 4, an air bladder assembly26is supported on the primary substrate48. A pair of side bolster air bladders32,34is mounted upon the side bolster support members52,54. Valves, controls, and wiring associated with the air bladder assembly26and the pair of side bolster air bladders32,34may be supported upon the seat back support member46, or supported upon the seat back frame16. The air bladder assembly26and the pair of side bolster support members52,54provide comfort, support and massage features.

The integrated seat assembly42provides increased comfort with a contoured seat with improved contact to a seated occupant by equalizing occupant load. The seat back support member46permits a standardized seat back frame16for interchangeability of the seat back support member46with the head restraint40, the wire suspension24, and the side supports28,30of the conventional seat assembly10. Thus, these four components,24,28,30,40are omitted in the integrated seat assembly42. The integrated seat assembly42incorporates the functional features in the seat back16,46, as the seat back16of the conventional seat assembly10while providing enhanced load distribution.