Abstract:
A vehicle seat includes a back support and a main seating support. At least one of the back support and the main seating support have a removable portion. The removable portion includes a first major side covered with a first material and a second major side covered with a second material. The removable portion is therefore reversible to allow the vehicle user to choose which material is exposed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention generally relates to vehicle seats. More specifically, the invention relates to a vehicle seat including a removable seat portion, wherein first and second major sides of the removable seat portion are covered with different materials having different characteristics. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vehicle seats are commonly upholstered with cloth (woven from either natural or synthetic fibers), natural leather, simulated leather products, molded or non-woven, sheet-like synthetic materials (Vinyl) or various combinations thereof. A common problem with vehicle seats upholstered with natural leather, simulated leather products or synthetic materials is the tendency of such materials to become extremely hot when the vehicle is parked in the sun. Accordingly, drivers frequently are required to cover the seats of their vehicles with a towel or blanket to enable the driver to sit in the vehicle seat. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle seat that overcomes the problem described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a vehicle seat including a back support and a main seating support. At least one of the back support and the main seating support have a removable portion. The removable portion includes a first major side covered with a first material and a second major side covered with a second material. The removable portion is therefore reversible to allow the vehicle user to choose which material is exposed. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the removable portion is a central portion, the first material is at least one of a natural leather, a simulated leather, a molded synthetic material and a non-woven, sheet-like synthetic material, and the second material is a cloth. The removable portion is shaped to fit snugly into a corresponding cavity in the seat, thereby avoiding the necessity of a fastening mechanism. If desired, however, a fastening mechanism can be provided, including hook-and-loop fasteners, a mechanical latching mechanism and/or alignment pins. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof along with the accompanying figures, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a vehicle seat in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of a removable central portion of a back support of the vehicle seat illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a removable central portion of a main seating support of the vehicle seat illustrated in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the vehicle seat of FIG. 1 with the central portions of FIGS. 2 and 3 removed. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle seat in accordance with the invention. The vehicle seat includes a back support 10 and a main seating support 12. The back support 10 includes fixed side bolster portions 14, 16, a fixed top bolster portion 18, and a removable central portion 20. The exposed faces of the side bolster portions 14, 16 and the top bolster portion 18 are covered with a first material; for example, a natural leather. As shown in FIG. 2, the removable central portion 20 has a first major side 30 preferably covered with the same material as the side bolsters portions 14, 16 and the top bolster portion 18, and a second major side 32 opposite the first major side 30 covered with a second material; for example, a woven cloth material. Similarly, the main seating support 12 includes fixed side bolster portions 22, 24 and a removable central portion 26. The fixed side bolster portions 22, 24 are preferably covered with the same first material as the side bolster portions 14, 16 of the back support 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the removable central portion 26 includes a first major side 34 covered with the first material and a second major side 36, opposite the first major side 34, preferably covered with the same second material as the second major side 32 of the removable central portion 20 of the back support 10. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the above-described vehicle seat with the central portions 20 and 26 removed. A cavity 40 is formed in the back support 10 that substantially conforms and corresponds to the shape of the removable central portion 20. A cavity 42 also is formed in the main seating support 12 that substantially conforms and corresponds to the shape of the removable central portion 26. The central portions 20, 26 are preferably shaped to fit snugly into their respective cavities, 40, 42, thereby avoiding the necessity of a fastening mechanism. 
     If desired, however, various types of fastening mechanisms can be employed to help retain the central portions 20, 26 in the cavities 40, 42. For example, hook-and-loop fastener (VELCRO) strips 44 can be provided along one or more sides of the cavities 40, 42 and corresponding sides of the central portions 20, 26. Alternatively, a mechanical latching system 46, operated by a control mechanism 48 provided on a side of the seat, can be employed to engage a latching member 50 provided in the central portions 20, 26. In such a case, it might also be desirable to include alignment pins 52 (see FIG. 2) and alignment holes 54 in the seat frame 56 (as shown in FIG. 4) to facilitate the alignment of the central portion utilizing the latching member 48. Still further, the central portions 20, 26 may include flexible extended portions that engage recesses in the sides of the cavities 40, 42 or vice versa. 
     The removable central portions 20, 26 enable the vehicle user to alternate between which type of material will be exposed. On extremely hot days, for example, the vehicle user can flip, either individually or both, the central portions 20, 26 so that the second major sides covered with cloth are exposed. In the evening, to attend a formal occasion for example, the vehicle user can then reverse the central portions 20, 26 to expose the first major side covered with the natural leather. Any desired combination is possible. 
     The invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof. If will be understood, however, that modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, more than one removable portion can be provided on either the back support 10 or the main seating support 12. In addition, the removable portions need not be central portions. Further, a removable portion can be provided, if desired, on only one of the back support 10 and the main seating support 12. Still further, the invention is applicable to integrated child safety seats that fold out from a main seat, wherein a portion of the seat that folds out has a different material on the surface exposed when the safety seat is folded out as opposed to the material on the surface exposed when the safety seat is folded and stored. Still further modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.