Preshaped Cushioning Material Patents (Class 297/452.35)
  • Patent number: 9038252
    Abstract: A method of making a vehicle seat assembly comprising providing a cushion having an “A” surface, a “B” surface, a central portion, and two bolster areas, with each bolster area being adjacent the central portion, the cushion having a plurality of intrusions extending from the “A” surface towards the “B” surface to form a hardness gradient between at least one of the bolster areas and the central portion of between 8% to 25%, securing the cushion to a frame, and covering cushion with a trim member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Asad S. Ali, Ashford A. Galbreath
  • Patent number: 8714654
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a seatback frame forming a seatback of a vehicle seat that comprises a pair of side frame sections composed of pipe shaped members at least in part, separated from each other in a lateral direction, and extended in a vertical direction, and comprises an upper frame for interconnecting upper sides of the pair of side frame sections. Flat sections each deformed outward in the lateral direction to reduce the lateral thickness thereof are formed in portions of the pair of side frame sections where their respective pipe shaped members are opposed to each other. Thus, the distance between the pair of side frame sections can be increased without changing lateral dimensions of the seatback frame, allowing an occupant to more smoothly sink into the seatback from the backrest front surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Nitsuma
  • Publication number: 20100201178
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided. The vehicle seat includes: a planar elastic body that has a frame body provided in a periphery of the planar elastic body, the planar elastic body stretched to the frame body; a cushion member disposed around the planar elastic body; and a backbone member, wherein a supporting surface configured to support a seated person is formed by the planar elastic body and the cushion member, the planar elastic body is assembled to the seat by fixing the frame body to the backbone member, and the cushion member is disposed to be overlaid on the periphery of the planar elastic body at a supporting surface side, the cushion member is covered by a skin material that is attached on the planar elastic body at the supporting surface side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Mizobata
  • Patent number: 7661764
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly comprising a cushion having an “A” surface and a “B” surface, a central portion, and two bolster areas. Each bolster area is adjacent the central portion, with the cushion having a plurality of intrusions extending from the “A” surface towards the “B” surface to form a hardness gradient between at least one of the bolster areas and the central portion of between 8% to 25%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Asad S. Ali, Ashford A. Galbreath
  • Patent number: 7641281
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Markus Grimm
  • Patent number: 7472962
    Abstract: A seating structure includes a plurality of boss structures arranged in a pattern and a plurality of web structures joining adjacent boss structures within the pattern. At least some of the web structures are spaced apart such that they define openings therebetween. Adjacent rows of said web structures are spaced or staggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Herman Miller Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome Carmel Caruso, Steven Jerome Caruso, John Fredric Aldrich, Andrew Keith Hector, Thomas William Granzow, Dean Thomas Miller, Richard Thomas Peek, Benjamin Booth Edinger, Chad D. Aerts
  • Patent number: 7140681
    Abstract: An ergonomic support for an automobile seat includes a pivoting bolster on a mounting rod. Behind the bolster is a slide rod. A lever is disposed between the bolster and the slide rod. The lever is pivotally attached to a medial position of the bolster and the lever is slidingly engaged with the slide rod. A traction cable has a sleeve mounted to a bracket on the mounting rod and a wire attached to the lever. Traction on the traction cable moves the lever, which causes the bolster to extend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventor: Robert J. McMillen
  • Patent number: 7059682
    Abstract: A seating structure includes a plurality of boss structures arranged in a pattern and a plurality of web structures joining adjacent boss structures within the pattern. At least some of the web structures are non-planar and at least some adjacent web structures are spaced apart such that they define openings therebetween. In another aspect, the seating structure includes a plurality of boss structures arranged in a pattern and defining a support surface and a plurality of web structures joining adjacent boss structures within the pattern. At least some adjacent web structures are spaced apart and shaped such that they define substantially non-circular openings therebetween when viewed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome Carmel Caruso, Steven Jerome Caruso
  • Patent number: 6802563
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat back having a frame, and the frame has first and second bolster mounting portions. Each bolster mounting portion has first, second and third receptacles. The seat assembly also includes first and second bolsters selectively engageable with the first and second bolster mounting portions, respectively. Each bolster has first and second posts and is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the seat back between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position. When each bolster is in the first longitudinal position, the first and second posts of the first bolster are respectively engaged with the first and second receptacles of the first bolster mounting portion, and the first and second posts of the second bolster are respectively engaged with the first and second receptacles of the second bolster mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Todd A. Mysliwiec, Gregory S. Fraley, John R. Sims
  • Patent number: 6733083
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a cellular plastic layer adjacent to the body of a user. The cellular plastic layer is a layer of a substantially energy absorbing cellular plastic having a density of 30-110 kg/m3, an ILD at 65% indentation of 100-500 N, and a rebound of maximum 10%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Dan-Foam A/S
    Inventors: Dag Landvik, Aage Kristiansen
  • Patent number: 6726285
    Abstract: An improved method of constructing seating surfaces, provides greater comfort through superior surface adjustments for a variety of users. The seating structure provides greater airflow to contact areas of the occupant's body, and is more efficient and economical to produce. The seating surface construction is comprised of a plurality of support sections, or bosses/platforms and of a plurality of web connectors interconnecting the support sections. The support sections, or bosses/platforms are more rigid than their corresponding web connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome Carmel Caruso, Steven Jerome Caruso
  • Patent number: 6652034
    Abstract: The invention relates to an upholstery support for a seat, especially for utilization in an automobile. According to the invention, an especially lightweight of vehicle seat construction is achieved in that the upholstery support is built in the form of a sandwich. Essential elements in said sandwich-type construction are a shell mold allocated to a soft upholstery and a back wall element. A shaped foam part, preferably made of hard foam, is inserted between the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Christian Schramm, Heiko Petersdorff
  • Patent number: 6543844
    Abstract: A support cushion for children's furniture defines a seat cushion area and a back cushion area and has a seating surface that extends over those areas and is contoured to provide positional support and comfort for a child seated on the cushion. The cushion preferably is a one-piece closed cell foam moulding which is flexible to permit variation in the relative angular orientation between the seat cushion and the back cushion area. The seat includes a raised transverse barrier that is spaced forwardly of the rear of the seat for controlling rotation of the pelvis of a child. The cushion further includes a pair of side support pads that extend forwardly from respectively opposite sides of the back to locate against the trunk of a child and cushion against side-to-side movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Bloorview MacMillan Centre
    Inventors: Stephen Ryan, Gloria Leibel, Michael Doell, Alan Barber, Shone Stickel
  • Publication number: 20030006640
    Abstract: A seat provides a band-like support for the body sides of a user so as to reduce the supporting pressure on the user's lumbar and to hold the user's upper body stably. In this seat, the center of a load to be received in regions symmetrically divided to a vertical central line of the seat are positioned outside of a back region defined by left and right angulus inferior scapulae and by the upper ends of iliac bones. Moreover, the load ratios in the individual regions are not more than 25% in the region corresponding to a region extended downward from the back region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO
    Inventors: Eiichi Yasuda, Shunichi Doi, Kazukata Takei, Etsunori Fujita, Yumi Ogura, Seiji Kawasaki