Abstract:
A cavity and channel system within a seat back is adapted to provide design flexibility in locating isofix attachment rods. The system includes a rear cavity for receiving the isofix rod and a channel which extends through the seat back. A plate is designed to substantially close the rear of the cavity to prevent wind and noise issues, and a tunnel is attached to the front of the plate to provide the appearance of a smooth seam when a child seat is not in use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to vehicle seating and more particularly to vehicle seats which include anchorage rods for infant and toddler car seat attachment hooks. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to a trim closeout system which allows the rods to be located at locations along a seat which otherwise would interfere with seat aesthetics and design. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of wire rods at specified locations in vehicle seating has been mandated in some countries for several years and is required on vehicles to be produced in the United States in coming years. Standards require that the rods be placed at specific locations and be separated by specific distances. In most cases, the rods extend through the bite line of a vehicle seating set comprised of a seat cushion and a seat back. In other designs, however, it may be desirable to have the rods extend through the seat back, and the design of such systems becomes more complicated from a structural and aesthetic standpoint. 
     Generally, systems with which the present invention may be used include some type of bar or tube which extends along and beneath the seat and which is anchored to the vehicle or frame. The isofix rods themselves are typically welded to the bar or tube at the desired locations. Alternately, and as illustrated in an application co-pending with this application and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the isofix rods may be mechanically attached to the bar or tube or to a mounting bracket, and welds are used only to ensure proper location. In the latter design, forces are transferred to the support directly, rather than through welds which may have a greater tendency to fracture or otherwise fail under impact conditions. 
     A design for an automotive trim system which would conceal isofix rods extending through a seat back and which would overcome the above-noted disadvantages would represent a significant advance in this art. 
     FEATURES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary feature of the present invention is to provide a cavity and channel system for isofix rods used for the attachment of child seats. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a tunnel to create the appearance of a smooth seam when the child seat is not in use. 
     A different feature of the present invention is to provide a cavity for the isofix rod in a seat back and to eliminate any wind and noise sound. 
     A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a cavity and channel system which places the channel opening in the correct orientation to permit access to the isofix rod. 
     Yet a further feature of the present invention is to provide a cavity and channel system for providing access to an isofix rod which is readily adaptable to a wide variety of seat configurations. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a trim system which is combined with a cavity and channel system to provide an acceptable aesthetic appearance and prevent wind and noise movement through the resultant seat opening. 
     How these and further features of the present invention are accomplished will be described in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the FIGURES. Generally, however, the features are provided by a seat back which includes a first larger cavity on its rear surface and a channel extending from the cavity through the front of the seat back. An isofix rod is adapted to fit within the cavity and crosswise of the channel, so that the rod is accessible for attachment of a child seat. A pair of wires are provided for attachment of a plate to cover the rear cavity opening, which in turn prevents wind and noise problems. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, trim forms a tunnel, closed on three sides and open at the front and the rear and along the bottom. The rear is attached to the plate, the front opening is attached at a seam or elsewhere on the vehicle interior, and a bottom flap is used to insure that the isofix rod may be easily inserted in the cavity. Other ways in which the features of the present invention are accomplished will become apparent to those skilled in the art after they have had an opportunity to read the present specification, and such other ways are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention if they fall within the scope of the scope of the claims which follow. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rear of a seat back illustrating the attachment wires, the seat back cavity, and the connection channel; 
     FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG.  1  and illustrating the isofix rod and a square, tubular support therefor; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic view, similar to FIG. 2, and illustrating a closure plate attached to the attachment wires; and 
     FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the closure plate and trim tunnel used with the cavity and channel system shown in earlier FIGURES. 
    
    
     In the various FIGURES, like reference numerals are used to indicate like components. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before proceeding to the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, several general comments can be made about the applicability and the scope thereof. 
     First, the size and depth of the cavity and channel described in connection with the illustrated embodiment can be varied depending upon the seat design, the seat structural components and the like. Accordingly, the dimensions should be taken as illustrative rather than limiting. 
     Second, the plate used to close the rear of the cavity in the illustrated embodiment is attached to a pair of wires located on the rear of the seat or within the seat components. The attachment may be made in a variety of other ways, including adhering the plate to the back of the seat by stitching a fabric plate to the seat, using snaps or other fasteners to attach the plate to the rear of the seat, e.g. zippers, snap fasteners, Velcro® or the like, or using adhesives. Accordingly, the illustrated two-wire attachment system is also provided for purposes of illustration rather than limitation. 
     Third, the tunnel may be made from a large variety of materials, including the material used for the exterior trim of the seat back which is visible when the child seat is not in use. The material may be selected from those commonly employed in vehicle seats including fabric, vinyl, leather, and combinations of the foregoing. The front of the tunnel may be sewn or otherwise connected to the remainder of the seat interior trim in any desired manner to form an acceptable aesthetic appearance. 
     Fourth, the particular isofix rod and bar support are illustrative only, and tubes, rods or brackets of other size and shape may be employed. Also, as indicated above, the isofix rod may be mechanically attached to the support, rather than attached primarily by welding. With mechanical attachment, the loads imparted to the rod in an impact situation are transferred directly to the support, rather than to welds. 
     Fifth, the attachment system may be used with first, second, or third row seating in automobiles, SUVs, minivans and the like, and the rear closure may be selevcted to provide acceptable aesthetics depending on whether passengers are located rearwardly of the back of the seat in which the invention is employed. Hence, the plate may be covered by an exterior trim component, so that it is hidden or is less prominent than would otherwise be the case. 
     Proceeding now to a description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a seat back  12  having a generally square cavity  13  formed in the back  14  thereof. The cavity  13  is open at the bottom and closed on the sides and the top. A generally race track shaped channel  15  extends from the forward most portion of the cavity  13  and is open at the front of the seat back as illustrated by the reference numeral  17 . 
     Two additional components of the preferred embodiment are shown in FIG.  1 . The first is a wire  20  which is mounted above cavity  13  and includes first end  21  and second end  22  embedded within a recess  23 . Wire  20 , as indicated above, can be of any suitable diameter and since the wire will not play a role in the isofix protection system at impact and does not support significant loads, it may be embedded in the normal seat trim components, such as the back support frame or even in foam components. A second wire  30  passes beneath seat back  13 , and preferably it is arranged to be parallel to and generally coplanar with wire  20 . It may be attached to any suitable structure of the vehicle, the vehicle seat cushion, or the vehicle seat back, depending upon the ultimate design of the seat with which the present invention will be used. 
     Proceeding now to the description of FIG. 2, the isofix components will now be illustrated. They include a support bar  35 , which in the illustrated embodiment, is a rectangular bar, and the isofix rod  37  which is secured to bar  35 . The isofix rod  37  includes a portion  38  which extends toward the forward portion of cavity  13  and is accessed through cavity  15  from the front  16  of the seat back  12 . The particular construction of the isofix bar may be varied in accordance with seat design criteria and regulatory requirements. 
     The final components of the isofix portion of the preferred embodiment are illustrated in FIG. 3, namely a closure plate  40  having a pair of openings  41  and  43  located generally adjacent the top and the bottom thereof. A pair of rings  44  and  45  are also shown in this FIGURE. Ring  44  joins opening  41  and wire  20 , while ring  45  joins wire  30  and opening  43 . It will be appreciated from the description thus far that the plate  40  closes off the rear of cavity  13  and will prevent noise and sound from passing between the area behind seat  12  and that forwardly thereof. The plate  40  will be designed, attached and prepared using materials described in the foregoing portions of this specification. 
     The tunnel components of the present invention are illustrated in FIG. 4, where plate  40  and opening  41  are again shown. Attached to the face of plate  40  opposite that shown in FIG. 3 is a liner or tunnel structure  50  prepared in the illustrated embodiment from two tunnel halves  51  and  52  joined to each other by stitching illustrated generally at  53 . Flanges, such as  54  and  55 , are provided around the periphery of the tunnel  50  where it is attached to plate  40  and at  57  where the two halves  51  and  52  of the tunnel are joined to each other. At the forward portion of tunnel  50 , a pair of flaps  58  are illustrated. These are attached to the forward portion of the seat back trim components in any suitable way to provide the desired aesthetics, while providing an opening  60  to allow access by the user to the portion  38  of the isofix rod  37 . 
     FIG. 4 also illustrates a bottom set of flaps  65  and  66  which are sewn to each other by stitching  64 . These are attached to seat frame or padding elements to insure that the bottom of the tunnel remains open to facilitate insertion of rod  37 . 
     To construct the isofix closeout system of the present invention, the seat back is prepared as illustrated in FIG.  1  and the wires  20  and  30  are located in a position to provide a connection between the closeout plate  40  and the front  16  of the seat back. The plate itself is constructed to include the tunnel to allow access to the isofix rod  37  which would extend up through the bottom of tunnel  50  and be adjacent the rear portion of channel  15 . The hook connector from a child seat would be inserted through opening  60  when a car seat is being installed. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with a single preferred embodiment, the invention may be variously embodied as indicated in the specification, and the invention is not to be limited to the particular illustrations, sizes, shapes or particular materials but is to be limited solely by the scope of the claims which follow.