Abstract:
A seat structure having an elastomeric fabric connected to spaced apart support members which are pivotally secured to a support plate to allow one or both of said spaced apart support members to be pivoted away from the other to provide a desired tension in the elastomeric fabric.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    This invention relates to an inexpensive and readily replaceable seat and/or seat fabric for use in trucks, tractors, cars, furniture, etc. that can be installed and/or replaced in situ without complicated procedures and/or hand tools.  
           [0002]    Prior to this invention seats and seat elements using elastomeric fabrics for comfort and adjustability had to be prestretched during manufacture or upon installation in the desired environment such as in a chair and/or a vehicle using special stretching machine or tools. Such stretching of the elastomeric fabric was complicated, time consuming and expensive that required skilled operators and special tools.  
           [0003]    It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a seat using an elastomeric fabric for support which can be readily instaled and/or replaced using simple tools such as allen wrenches, etc. to provide the required rigidity, positioning and/or comfort for the user of the seat. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent as the specification proceedes to describe the invention with reference to the accompnying drawings in which:  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a seat using an elastomeric fabric for body support;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view looking at the front of the seat shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the installation and stretching of the elastomeric body support fabric;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the seat of FIGS.  1 - 3  showing the interconnection of the elements thereofl;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing an alternative interconnection arrangement;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative seat arrangement; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the exploded interconnections for the seat of FIG. 6. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]    Referring now to FIGS.  1 - 4 , the preferred occupant support  10  of the invention generally comprises a supporting structure  12  to which the frame members  14  and  16  are connected thereto, and a web  11  mounted between the frame members  14  and  16  to support the body of an individual occupant thereon.  
         [0013]    The web  11  can be a textile, such as a woven, unit, and/or non-woven material. The web  11  is preferably an elastomeric fabric, and can be a fancy or leno woven 100% polyester fabric. It is understood that such a fabric is only preferred and other elastic fabrics, knitted or nonwoven, could be employed, if desired. It is also contemplated that the web  11  could be a plastic-like film so long as it has the characteristics of the desired elasticity and recovery. One preferred fabric is a 100% polyester leno weave fabric with a 1000 denier monofilament warp yarn with 42 ends/inch and a combined fill yarn of 35.6 picks/inch of a 3/150/34 yarn and a 8.40 picks/inch 400 denier yarn. All of the yarns are polyester with the stet having a greige weight of 13.95 ounces/yard and a finished pick and end count of 42.  
         [0014]    The web  11  can be molded or otherwise secured to the frame member  14  and  16 . In one embodiment of the invention, the frame members  14  and  16  have a lower support section  14   a  and  16   a , and a corresponding upper or back support section  14   b  and  16   b . In this manner, the frame members  14  and  16  can form a lower support area  12  and a back suport area  13  of the web  11 . The frame members  14  and  16  also have threaded members  18  for securing to the supporting structure  12 .  
         [0015]    The supporting structure  12  generally comprises two supporting members  17  and a support plate  28 . The support members  17  have frame attachment apertures  21  on a flange or upper portion  19  for receipt of the threaded attachment members  18  from the frame members  14  and  16 . Nuts  20  secure the threaded members  18  from the frame members  14  and  16  to their corresponding support members  17 . In one embodiment, the support members  14  and  16  include upright support sections  29  securing the corresponding upper support sections  14   b  and  16   b  to the associated support members  17 .  
         [0016]    As illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 5 , the support members  17  also have a plurality of tabs  22  extending from an inner bottom edge  24  of the support members  17 . Support member securing apertures  23  are located on a lower aft portion  25  of the support members  17 .  
         [0017]    The support plate  28  has opposing sets of tab apertures  26   a ,  26   b ,  26   c , and corresponding sets of support securing apertures  27   a ,  27   b ,  27   c . Each set of tab apertures  26   a ,  26   b ,  26   c , are postioned for receipt of the tabs  22  from the support members  17  in various positions on the support base  28 . The corresponding support apertures  27   a ,  27   b ,  27   c , are positioned for aligning with the corresponding securing apertures  23  in the support members  17 . In this manner, the tabs  22  of the support members  17  can engage the selected set of tab apertures  26   a ,  26   b , and  26   c , of the support plate  28  in a pivotal manner. Once the tabs  22  have pivotatilty engaged the support plate  26 , the support members  17  can be pivoted until the support member securing apertures  23  align with the appropriate set of support base apertures  27   a ,  27   b , or  27   c , and the support member  17  can be secured to the support base  28  by bolts  34  and nuts  36 , or other similar means, through the support member securing apertures  23  and the support base apertures  27   a ,  27   b , or  27   c.    
         [0018]    In the present inevention, it is comtemplated that the web  11  secured to the frame members  14  and  16  will be secured to the support members  17  prior to the support members  17  being secured to the support base  28 . In this manner, the outward pivotal action of one or both of the support members  17 , due to the tabs  22  engaging the tab apertures  26   a - c  in the support base  28 , will create tensioning of the web  11  to reduce any slack and apply tension in the web  11 . By selecting the appropriate set of tab apertures  26   a - c , the appropriate amount of tension can be applied to the web  11  for the appropriate width of the web  11 . The seat  10  can then be secured to a base plate  38  by suitable means  40  for attachment to the desired end product, such as a vehicle or furniture or can be attached directly to the desired end product by any suitable means, not shown.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a variation of the form of the invention shown in that each set of the tab apertures  26   a - c  is off-set from the adjacent set of tab apertures  26   a - c  to provide for selective front and back positioning of the web  11  on the support base  28 . This allows the manufacturer, distributor and/or the user of the seat  10  to provide for selective front or back positioning of the supporting elastomeric fabric  11 .  
         [0020]    Looking now to FIGS. 6 and 7 there is shown a modified arrangement of attaching the supporting structure  12  to the support base  28 . Rather than using the tab apertures  26   a - c  and the cooperating tabs  22 , a pair of Z-shaped bars  42  and  44  are welded or otherwise secured to the support plate  28  centrally thereof to provide a stop for a leading edge  46  of the support members  17 . The Z-shaped bars  42  and  44  also form a channel for the receipt of the leading edge  46 . To provide for lateral movement of the support members  17 , elliptical slots or apertures  23  are provided in the base thereof to accommodate the bolts  34  and nuts  36 . Also, the frame attachement apertures  21  in the upper flange portion  19  of the support member  17  are also elliptical shaped to provide for lateral adjustment of the frame members  14  and  16  thereto. As with the basic embodiment of FIGS.  1 - 4 , shown specifically in FIG. 3, one or both of the support members  17  can be pivoted outward to provide the desired tension in the elastomeric fabric  11  prior to securing in place by tightening the bolts  34 . A further advantage of this embodiment is that the triangular side portions  54  of the triangular member  17  can be lengthened to provide extra rigidity to the assembled seat  10 .  
         [0021]    As described heretofore a seat using an elastomeric fabric as the body support member is pre-stretched with specially designed machines at the factory either in the initial production of or to repair same after use, if necessary. These factory application methods preclude field replacement of an elastomeric fabric member which obviously can be accomplished by the herein described invention. Furthermore the herein described support design provides a simple construction which is easy and inexpensive to produce and/or repair using simple tools and little expertise. The occupant support  10  of the present invention can be used as a seat, bed, or other similar support system.  
         [0022]    While our invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that other variations in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of our invention. For example, only one of the support members may have the pivotal engagement with the support base, and tensioning of the fabric is accomplished by the rotation of that single support member. Also, the pivotal engagement can be accomplished by hinges, pins, or the like.