Source: http://patents.com/us-7641281.html
Timestamp: 2019-05-24 21:40:48
Document Index: 800509052

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 10', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 3']

US Patent # 7,641,281. Vehicle seat having backrest width adjustment and integrated seat airbag - Patents.com
United States Patent 7,641,281
Grimm January 5, 2010
A vehicle seat having a backrest, which has a backrest middle part and backrest side parts, which extend forward laterally from the backrest middle part and are provided for lateral body support is described. The backrest side parts each have an internal section connected to the backrest middle part and an external section connected thereto, which overlaps a forward area of the backrest side part. The backrest side parts are adjustable in relation to the backrest middle part so that the backrest width is changeable by fixing the backrest side parts. The internal section and the external section are produced in one piece from a foam material. A stiffening element is foamed into the internal section and into the external section in a transition area between the internal section and the external section, which is primarily provided to give the external section a certain rigidity.
Inventors: Grimm; Markus (Munich, DE)
Appl. No.: 11/940,676
PCT/EP2006/003070 Apr., 2006
May 31, 2005 [DE] 10 2005 024 774
Current U.S. Class: 297/216.13 ; 297/284.9; 297/452.33; 297/452.34; 297/452.35
Current International Class: B60N 2/42 (20060101); A47C 7/18 (20060101); A47C 7/46 (20060101); B60N 2/427 (20060101); B60R 21/00 (20060101); B60R 21/16 (20060101)
Field of Search: 297/284.9,452.33,452.34,452.35,216.13
5860673 January 1999 Hasegawa et al.
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6450528 September 2002 Suezawa et al.
6513828 February 2003 Aulbach
7216934 May 2007 Kobari
90 14 111.3 Jan., 1991 DE
100 10 024 Sep., 2001 DE
100 52 942 May., 2002 DE
100 56 961 Jun., 2002 DE
203 06 153 Sep., 2003 DE
103 45 834 Apr., 2005 DE
0 343 025 Nov., 1989 EP
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57-186534 Nov., 1982 JP
International Search Report dated Jun. 27, 2006 (Seven (7) Pages). cited by other .
German Search Report dated May 30, 2006 with English translation (Nine (9) Pages). cited by other.
This application is a continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2006/003070, filed Apr. 5, 2006, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 to German Patent Application No. 10 2005 024 774.1 filed May 31, 2005, the entire disclosures of which are herein expressly incorporated by reference.
1. A vehicle seat having a backrest comprising: a backrest middle part of the backrest; backrest side parts, which extend forward laterally from the backrest middle part and provide lateral upper body support; an internal section of each of the backrest side parts, connected to the backrest middle part and an external section of the backrest side parts connected thereto, which overlaps a forward area of the backrest side parts, the backrest side parts being situated to be adjustable in relation to the backrest middle part wherein a backrest width is changeable by fixing the backrest side parts; wherein the internal section and the external section are formed in one piece from a foam material, a stiffening element selected to give the external section a desired rigidity being foamed into the internal section and into the external section, the stiffening element extending at least across a transition area from the internal section to the external section, and having rigid first and second legs forming a hinge extending from the internal section.
2. A vehicle seat having a backrest comprising: a backrest middle part of the backrest; backrest side parts, which extend forward laterally from the backrest middle part and provide lateral upper body support; an internal section of each of the backrest side parts, connected to the backrest middle part and an external section of the backrest side parts connected thereto, which overlaps a forward area of the backrest side parts, the backrest side parts being situated to be adjustable in relation to the backrest middle part wherein a backrest width is changeable by fixing the backrest side parts; wherein the internal section and the external section are formed in one piece from a foam material, a stiffening element selected to give the external section a desired rigidity being foamed into the internal section and into the external section at least in a transition area between the internal section and the external section, and further comprising an airbag module disposed in a rear area of the backrest side part, an airbag thereof, in the event of airbag triggering, unfolding externally around the stiffening element and past the external section of the backrest side part to a forward seat area.
4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the seat-exterior side face extends forward at least sufficiently to overlap the airbag module from the outside.
11. A vehicle seat having a backrest comprising: a backrest middle part of the backrest; backrest side parts, extending forward laterally from the backrest middle part and providing lateral upper body support; an internal section of each of the backrest side parts, connected to the backrest middle part, and an external section of the backrest side parts connected thereto, overlapping a forward area of the backrest side parts, the backrest side parts being adjustable in relation to the backrest middle part to change a backrest width by adjusting the backrest side parts, wherein the internal section and the external section are formed in one piece from a foam material, and a stiffening element selected to give the external section a desired rigidity being foamed into the internal section and into the external section, at least in a transition area between the internal section and the external section, and wherein the backrest side parts are connected to a support structure via a sliding guide.
14. A vehicle seat having a seat cushion comprising: a cushion middle part of the seat cushions; cushion side parts which extend laterally upward from the cushion middle part and are provided for lateral thigh support; an internal section of each of the cushion side parts connected to the cushion middle part; an external section of each of the cushion side parts connected thereto, which overlaps an upper area of each cushion side part, the cushion side parts being positioned to be adjustable in relation to the cushion middle part in such a way that the seat width of the cushion part is changeable by adjusting the cushion side parts; wherein the internal section and the external section are formed in one piece from a foam material, a stiffening element provided to give the external section a desired rigidity being foamed into the internal section and into the external section, the stiffening element extending at least in a transition area from the internal section to the external section, and having rigid first and second legs forming a hinge extending from the internal section.
18. A vehicle seat having a seat cushion comprising: a cushion middle part of the seat cushions; cushion side parts which extend laterally upward from the cushion middle part and are provided for lateral thigh support; an internal section of each of the cushion side parts connected to the cushion middle part; an external section of each of the cushion side parts connected thereto, which overlaps an upper area of each cushion side part, the cushion side parts being positioned to be adjustable in relation to the cushion middle part in such a way that the seat width of the cushion part is changeable by adjusting the cushion side parts; wherein the internal section and the external section are formed in one piece from a foam material, a stiffening element provided to give the external section a desired rigidity being foamed into the internal section and into the external section, the stiffening element extending at least in a transition area from the internal section to the external section, and having rigid first and second legs forming a hinge extending from the internal section, further comprising an airbag module situated in a rear area of the seat-exterior cushion side part, an airbag thereof, in the event of airbag triggering, unfolding externally around the stiffening element and past the external section of the seat-exterior cushion side part toward an upper seat area.
19. The vehicle seat according to claim 18, further comprising a screen element for concealing the airbag module.
The present invention relates to a vehicle seat having a backrest middle and side parts which extend laterally from the middle part.
In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention may include a vehicle seat having a backrest which has a backrest middle part and two backrest side parts, which extend forward laterally from the backrest middle part and are provided for lateral body support. The backrest side parts each have an internal section connected to the backrest middle part and an external section connected thereto, which overlaps a forward area of the particular backrest side part. The internal section may be convexly curved. However an "indented," i.e., concavely curved internal section may also be used. The backrest side parts are situated so they are adjustable in relation to the backrest middle part in such a way that the backrest width of the vehicle seat is changeable by adjusting the backrest side parts.
An important aspect of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is that the internal section and the external section of at least one of the two backrest side parts are produced in one piece from a foam material, a stiffening element being "foamed in" in the internal section and the external section at least in a transition area between the internal section and the external section. When reference is made in the following description to "foamed in," the term "foamed in" is to be understood broadly in the meaning that "foamed on" and "glued on" are also included, even without the latter terms expressly being used. The stiffening element is provided for the purpose of giving the transition area between the internal section and the external section as well as the external section per se a certain rigidity. In regard to the possibility of adjusting the backrest width, the external section of the backrest side part is to have a certain flexibility. On the other hand, however, it is to be ensured that the external area of the backrest side part maintains its shape, i.e., remains taut, over the entire service life of the motor vehicle.
According to a refinement of the present exemplary embodiment, an airbag module may be situated in a rear area of the seat-exterior backrest side part. The term "seat-exterior backrest part" is to be understood as the backrest part which faces toward the vehicle exterior side or the vehicle door in the vehicle and faces away from the vehicle center. In the event of airbag triggering, the exemplary airbag exits from the backrest side part and unfolds past the external section of the seat-exterior backrest part in the direction toward a forward seat area.
The airbag module may be attached to a support structure or to a frame of the seat backrest. The support structure or the frame may be a welded or bent construction. The "support structure" may also be produced from sheet metal and pipes.
As described above, the backrest side parts in an exemplary embodiment may be situated so they are adjustable in relation to the backrest middle part. For design reasons, it may be ensured that the airbag module, the support structure of the seat backrest, and other seat components situated in the backrest are not visible from the outside, even when the backrest side parts are extended entirely "forward to the inside," i.e., when the seat backrest is set to its minimal backrest width. For this purpose, a screen element may be provided. The screen element may be implemented in such a way that it has a first leg-like section and a second leg-like section. For example, it may have an L-shaped cross-section. A first leg of the screen element may be situated in such a way that it at least partially overlaps a front side of the airbag module. A second leg of the screen element may extend in an area between the interior side of the external section of the exterior backrest side part and the support structure. It is ensured by a screen element of this type that even when the backrest side parts are entirely extended, the airbag module and the support structure of the seat backrest are not visible from the outside.
In the following, the present invention is explained in greater detail in connection with the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through the backrest 1 of a vehicle seat. The exemplary backrest 1 has a backrest middle part 2 and two backrest side parts, of which only a seat-exterior backrest side part 3 is shown here. The term "seat-exterior backrest side part 3" is to be understood as the side part which faces toward the vehicle exterior side and faces away from the vehicle center when the seat is installed in a vehicle.
The backrest middle part 2 and the backrest side part 3 may include a foam layer 5. The foam layer 5 may be divided into multiple sections connected to one another in one piece. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, one may differentiate a section 6 assigned to the backrest middle part 2, an internal section 7 which is convexly curved, and is provided for back or lateral body support, as well as an external section 8 connected to the internal section 7. The sections 7, 8 of the foam part may be interpreted as two "legs," similar to the legs of a "U."
As an alternative to a backrest width adjustment mechanism, backrest width adjustment hydraulics or backrest width adjustment pneumatics may be provided in different embodiments of the invention. For example, a "bubble" may be integrated in the backrest side part, which may be "inflated" by pumping in air or another gas or a liquid. A larger or smaller backrest width results depending on the fill level of the bubble.
When the exemplary backrest side part 3 is to be returned from the position shown in FIG. 2 to its starting position shown in FIG. 1, the tension spring 25 supports the "retraction movement."
It is to be expressly noted that the invention described in connection with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4 using the example of a seat backrest 1, is applicable not only to backrests, but rather also to width-adjustable "seat cushions," i.e., to width-adjustable "seat surfaces" of vehicle seats.
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