Abstract:
A seat frame structure having frame components that are symmetrical about a longitudinal center line is provided. The seat frame components can be symmetrical about a longitudinal center line and thereby enable the component to be rotated about the center line so it may be used on a right side or a left side of the seat with all structural and/or functionality preserved. Some structural and/or functional features of the seat component that are carried over from a right side to a left side, and vise versa, when the seat component is symmetrical include but are not limited to recliner attachment holes, cable attachment holes, crossbar attachment holes, an airbag slot, flanges, and backboard attachment holes, etc.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to a seat, and in particular to a motor vehicle seat having a symmetric back post. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Automotive seats are known to be constructed using manufacturing methods that supply an underlying frame structure which supports a seat suspension, cushions, fabric, and the like. This underlying frame structure is often made of metal component parts which are bolted, welded, or otherwise attached together using methods known to those skilled in the art. The frame structure can be that of a traditional seat or it can be that of a 60/40 split seat wherein one seat, such as the driver&#39;s seat, is a traditional seat and another seat, such as the passenger seat, includes a seating portion and a center portion. 
     It is appreciated that the frame structure is made of many different frame component parts. These component parts are often specially designed depending on such variables as which side of the seat the component is to be installed on, which variant of the seat is to be used, and the such. In addition, this high number of different components increases the cost of manufacturing a seat for an automobile. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the number of different parts in a seat frame structure to help reduce the overall cost of manufacturing the automotive seat. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A seat frame structure of the present invention includes frame components that are symmetrical about a longitudinal center line. Being symmetrical about a longitudinal center line enables the seat frame component to be rotated about said center line so it may be used on a right side or a left side of the seat with all structural and/or functionality preserved. Some structural and/or functional features of the seat component that are carried over from a right side to a left side, and vise versa, when the seat component is symmetrical include but are not limited to recliner attachment holes, cable attachment holes, crossbar attachment holes, an airbag slot, flanges, and backboard attachment holes, etc. The seat frame component which is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis can be used in a traditional seat, in a 60/40 split type seat, or in other seating configurations known to those skilled in the art 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a seat frame containing an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an outer side member; 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of an outer side member symmetrical about a center line; 
         FIG. 4  shows an alternate side view of an outer side member; 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of an outer side member symmetrical about a center line; 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of an outer side member with an airbag attachment in a top position; 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of an outer side member with an airbag attachment in a bottom position; and 
         FIG. 8  shows a seat frame section of a 60/40 split style seat. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention involves a side member for a seat frame. The side member, and some if not all its features can be symmetrical about a longitudinal centerline of the side member. The possible features include, but are not limited to crossbar attachment holes, recliner attachment holes, backboard attachment holes, an airbag attachment slot, etc. A symmetrical side member enables the same side member to be used on either a right side or a left side of the seat frame. This reduces the number of different parts on the seat frame, thereby reducing production costs, simplifying manufacture of a seat and the like. 
       FIG. 1  shows a seat frame  20  of the preferred embodiment. The seat frame has a sitting portion  24  and a back portion  22 . The sitting portion  24  is attached to the back portion  22  at a recliner  50 . The recliner  50  joins a bottom member  26  on the sitting portion  24  to an outer side member  30  on the back portion  22 . 
     It is appreciated from  FIG. 1  that there can be a pair of outer side members  30 . The shown outer side members  30  are symmetrical about a longitudinal center line C and can be used on either the right side or the left side of the seat frame  20  without losing any structural and/or functional features, the right side defined as the right hand side of seat frame  20  when viewing  FIG. 1  and the left side defined as the left hand side of seat frame  20  when viewing  FIG. 1 . The outer side members  30 , located on a left and right side of seat frame  20 , can be joined by a crossbar  70  and by an upper pipe  28 . 
     The details and features of the outer side member  30  of the preferred embodiment can be better seen in  FIGS. 2-5  with the outer side member  30  symmetrical about a longitudinal centerline C. It is appreciated from the figures that the functional features of the outer side member  30  are mirrored about the centerline C, and as such, enable the outer side member  30  to be used on either the right side or the left side of the seat frame by translating the outer side member  30  from one side to the other, and rotating the outer side member  30  180 degrees about the longitudinal centerline C. 
     The outer side member  30  of the preferred embodiment can include a pair of crossbar attachment holes  100  located on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline C. The crossbar  70  is installed into one of the crossbar attachment holes  100  leaving the other hole unused. The attachment of the crossbar  70  to the outer side member  30  can be performed by welding, threaded fasteners, or any other method known to those skilled in the art. In addition, the crossbar attachment holes  100  are offset from the centerline C so that the cross bar  70  may be attached to or at a rear crossbar attachment hole  100  and thereby allowing space in front of the crossbar  70  for the seat suspension, padding, etc. Furthermore, the unused crossbar attachment hole  100  can be used when the outer side member  30  is translated and rotated to be used on the other or opposite side of seat frame  20 . It is appreciated that the crossbar attachment holes  100  can be symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline C of the outer side member  30 . 
     The outer side member  30  can also include a plurality of recliner attachment holes  80  for attaching the recliner  50 . The plurality of recliner attachment holes  80  includes a center hole  80   c  and multiple radial holes  80   r  spaced apart from the center hole  80   c . The crossbar attachment holes  100  are located further from the center hole  80   c  than the radial holes  80   r . In addition, the recliner attachment holes  80  can be symmetrical about the centerline C so as to enable the outer side member  30  to be functional with the recliner  50  attached on the right side or the left side of seat frame  20 . As exemplified by the preferred embodiment, the plurality of recliner attachment holes  80  for attaching the recliner  50  can be non-circular, i.e.: any shape that will facilitate attachment of the recliner  50  so long as the plurality of recliner attachment holes  80  are symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline C of the outer side member  30 . 
     The outer side member  30  can also include a plurality of cable attachment holes  90 . The cable attachment holes  90  allow routing of control cables (not shown) for control of the recliner  50 . It is appreciated that the cable attachment holes  90  can be symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline C of the outer side member  30 . 
     The outer side member  30  can further include a pair of flanges  120  which extend generally perpendicular to, along, or from the edges of the outer side member  30 . The flanges  120  add rigidity and support to the outer side member  30 , thereby helping to protect an occupant in a crash, as well as increasing the overall strength and durability of the seat frame  20 . The flanges  120  may also include a plurality of backboard attachment holes  130  to allow for the attachment of a backboard (not shown) on the rear of the seat frame  20 . The backboard can be made of plastic, wood, cardboard or any other material known to those skilled in the art. The flanges  120  and the backboard attachment holes  130  can be symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline C of the outer side member  30 . 
     The top of the outer side member  30  can have an upper pipe attachment portion  140  designed to receive the upper pipe  28  as shown in  FIG. 1 . It is appreciated that by using various designs of upper pipe  28 , such as different lengths of a vertical portion  38 , different heights of the back portion  22  on the seat frame  20  can be achieved while utilizing the same outer side member  30 . The upper pipe  28  can be made with a length of the vertical portion  38  long enough to accommodate the tallest back portion  22  required, the vertical portion  38  then being cut to a shorter length for shorter back portions  22 . In the alternative, the vertical portion  38  can be located at different positions within the attachment portion  140  in order to provide different heights for the back portion  22 . The attachment portion  140  can have a complimentary, similar and/or generally identical contour to the adjoining surface on the vertical portion  38  of the upper pipe  28 . In the shown preferred embodiment, both the attachment portion  140  and the vertical portion  38  are arcuate in shape, e.g. circular. The outer side member  30  can be attached to the upper pipe  28 , using any attachment means known to those skilled in the art, e.g. welding, threaded fasteners, etc. In addition, the attachment portion  140  can be symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline C of the outer side member  30 . 
     Turning now to the  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the outer side member  30  can further include an airbag attachment slot  110  that facilitates the attachment of a side airbag. For example, the airbag attachment bracket can be located in a top position  112 , in a bottom position  114 , or any location in between. As such, the airbag attachment slot  110  allows the outer side member  30  to be used in multiple automotive models, locations, etc. by enabling varied positioning of the side airbags without the need for a seat frame component manufactured and designed to accommodate a specific airbag attachment location. It is appreciated that the airbag attachment slot  110  can be symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline C of the outer side member  30 . 
     The outer side member  30  can be used in a traditional seat as shown in the  FIG. 1 , and can also be used in a 60/40 split style seat as shown in  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  shows the back portion  22  of a 60/40 split style seat attached to a plurality of bottom members  26 . A 60/40 spilt style seat includes a narrow portion  40  and a wide portion  60 . The narrow portion  40  is similar to the traditional seat frame  20  as shown in  FIG. 1  while the wide portion  60  includes a side seat portion  64  and a center seat portion  62 . In a 60/40 split style seat, the outer side member  30  can be used on the narrow portion  40 , and on the side seat portion  64  of the wide portion  60 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the outer side member  30  is made of steel and manufactured using a metal stamping process. The various holes and features can be preformed, punched, drilled, milled, or otherwise machined using various methods known to those skilled in the art. In addition, it is understood and appreciated that the outer side member  30  can be made of various materials and methods known by those skilled in the art without deviating from the spirit of the invention. As such, the foregoing drawings, discussion and description are illustrative of specific embodiments of the present invention, but they are not meant to be limitations upon the practice thereof. Numerous modifications and variations of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the teaching presented herein. It is the claims, including all equivalents, which define the scope of the invention.