GB2174598A

GB2174598A - Motor vehicle seat

Info

Publication number: GB2174598A
Application number: GB08609559A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ralf Giese; Dr Valtentin Meuer
Original assignee: Ford Motor Co
Current assignee: Ford Motor Co
Priority date: 1985-04-20
Filing date: 1986-04-18
Publication date: 1986-11-12
Also published as: GB2174598B; FR2580562B1; DE3514396C2; DE3514396A1; FR2580562A1; GB8609559D0

Abstract

In a seat for a motor vehicle having a seat portion and a backrest frame which are joined pivotably to one another, the front of the backrest frame 1 is covered with a padded squab 4 and the rear of the backrest frame is covered by a rigid shell-like cover 7, which are bendably joined to one another along one edge prior to their being secured to the backrest. The squab 4 and cover 7 are mounted on the backrest frame 1 by being folded about the backrest frame 1 and by being held on the backrest frame by fastening means arranged at the opposite edge of the backrest frame 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Motor vehicle seat The present invention relates to a seat for a motor vehicle.

A seat is known from DE-OS 16 55 057, in which a seat frame and a backrest frame are joined to one another detachably and adjustably by way of a hinge mounting, the seat and back rest frames receiving springs and/or padding cushions. The rear of the backrest frame is covered by a shell-like cover which overlaps the rear edges of the frame.

In the case of this known motor vehicle seat the shell-like cover comprises a form pressed fibre plate component covered with a decorative sheet or covering material in a form similar to the interior lining of the vehicle. The cover is secured to or suspended on the backrest frame by hooks or clips and it is provided on its lower edge with a protective flap which is formed from the same sheet or of the same covering material and which overlaps the region of the articulated mounting and is secured to the seat frame.

In the case of the known motor vehicle seat with a frame cover, the manufacture of the shell-like cover and its fastening to the backrest frame or the seat frame is relatively expensive.

According to the present invention, there is provided a seat for a motor vehicle having a seat portion and a backrest frame which are joined pivotably to one another, wherein the front of the backrest frame is covered with a padded squab and the rear of the backrest frame is covered by a rigid shell-like cover, wherein the rigid shell-like cover and the backrest squab are bendably joined to one another along one edge prior to their being secured to the backrest frame and are mounted on the backrest frame by being folded about the backrest frame and by being held on the backrest frame by fastening means arranged at the opposite edge of the backrest frame.

Preferably, wherein the squab comprises a foam cushion bonded to a flexible cover and the shell-like cover comprises a moulded or pressed component bonded to a flexible cover, the flexible covers being joined to one another by sewing, bonding or welding.

Conveniently, the flexible join between the squab and the shell-like cover is arranged at the lower edge of the backrest near the hinge axis and the shell-like cover is secured to the backrest frame at the upper edge of the backrest frame by means of fastening means engaging in bores in the backrest frame.

It is aesthetically desirable that the shell-like cover is be to wrap around the sides of the backrest frame.

By virtue of the fact that in the preferred embodiment of the invention the backrest squab is produced together with its covering material and the shell-like cover is produced together with this covering and they are joined together before assembly at their lower edges in the region of the axis of the hinge mounting and they are locked together by being folded together while enclosing the frame component, the manufacture and in particular the assembly of the backrest squabs and the cover and their fastening to the backrest frame can be considerably simplified.

In this connection the padding cushion and the shell-like cover can be separately made from different materials and can be joined to one another at their lower edges by sewing, HF welding or ultrasonic welding before assembly.

The squab and the shell-like cover are conveniently produced by foaming vacuum-drawn covers and the covers of the squab and of the shell-like cover are joined to one another before the vacuum forming, both components being formed in one operation.

In the case of such a shell-like cover produced by foaming, the foaming in of a glassfibre mat so as to produce a reinforcement is advantageous.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a backrest frame and of a backrest squab joined to a rigid shell-like cover immediately before assembly, Figure 2 shows the assembled backrest before insertion of the fastenings, and Figures 3 and 4 show alternative seams for the connection between the backrest squab and the shell-like cover.

In Fig. 1, a backrest is constructed in the form of a frame, pressed from sheet-metal for example, the lower end of which receives a pin 2 of a hinge mounting. The hinges on the opposite sides of the backrest have lateral plates 3 for fastening to the frame of the seat portion of the vehicle seat, one of the two plates 3 being shown in Fig. 1.

A squab 4 to cover the front facing part of the frame 1 of the backrest comprises a cushion 5 of foam material which is covered by a covering material 6 on its outer side.

A shell-like rigid cover 7 to cover the rear of the backrest frame comprises a form pressed moulded component 8. The moulded component 8 can be produced from cardboard or wood fibre material or from plastics material. The component 8 is covered with a sheet covering 9, for example of a plastics material, for the purpose of enhancing its appearance.

The squab 4 and the shell-like cover 7 are bendably joined together at their lower edges, that is to say in the region within the circle Ill.

The details of this connection are shown to an enlarged scale with reference to two embodments in Figs. 3 and 4.

In Fig. 3, the squab 4 can consists of a cushion 5 of foam material with a coating of a weldable foam and a covering material 6, while the shell-like cover 7 is formed by the moulded component 8 with a covering 9, which is joined by HF welding with the interposition of an auxiliary 10 along one flange region 11.

In Fig. 4, the squab 4 consists of a cushion 5' of foam material with a weldable foam coating 6' and a covering material, and the shell-like cover 7' consists of the moulded component 8 with a covering 9' of a material with a weldable intermediate foam layer, as a result of which the lower edges of the two components 4 and 7 can be joined to one another directly overlapping (at 11') by means of HF welding.

The assembled backrest is shown in Fig. 2.

The squab 4 and the shell-like cover 7 have been brought together by being folded from below over the frame 1 so as to embrace the backrest frame 1. The edges of the shell-like cover 7 overlap the sides of the backrest, so as to achieve a closure of the backrest frame on its lateral edges which is more attractive from the point of view of styling.

On the upper edge of the backrest, the shell-like cover 7 can be provided in its edge area overlapping the backrest frame with openings 13 for fastening pins 14 which are introduced into bores in the backrest frame 1 and in this way secure both the squab 4 and the shell-like cover 7 to the backrest frame 1.

Where the seat includes a head rest, itt is preferred that the pins 14 used for securing the squab 4 and the cover 7 to the frame 1 should be the guide sleeves for the rods of the head rest of the vehicle seat.

It is possible to produce the backrest squab and the shell-like cover by foaming vacuumdrawn covers. In this case, the covers of the squab and of the shell-like cover are joined to one another before the vacuum forming, and both components are foamed in one operation. During the foaming of the shell-like cover, a glass fibre mat may be added for reinforcement purposes.

Although the invention has been described by reference to a backrest, it is clear that the manufacture and assembly of a padding cushion with a frame cover for the seat portion of a motor vehicle seat can also be carried out in an analogous manner, the only difference being that the shell-like cover is replaced by a frame-shaped cover to surround the seat portion.

In this way, the seat frame and the hinge components can be covered on the front and on the sides in an advantageous manner.

Claims

1. A seat for a motor vehicle having a seat portion and a backrest frame which are joined pivotably to one another, wherein the front of the backrest frame is covered with a padded squab and the rear of the backrest frame is covered by a rigid shell-like cover, wherein the rigid shell-like cover and the backrest squab are bendably joined to one another along one edge prior to their being secured to the backrest frame and are mounted on the backrest frame by being folded about the backrest frame and by being held on the backrest frame by fastening means arranged at the opposite edge of the backrest frame.

2. A seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the squab comprises a foam cushion bonded to a flexible cover and the shell-like cover comprises a moulded or pressed component bonded to a flexible cover, the flexible covers being joined to one another by sewing, bonding or welding.

3. A seat as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the flexible join between the squab and the shell-like cover is arranged at the lower edge of the backrest near the hinge axis and the shell-like cover is secured to the backrest frame at the upper edge of the backrest frame by means of fastening means engaging in bores in the backrest frame.

4. A seat as claimed in claim 3, wherein the shell-like cover is shaped to wrap around the sides of the backrest frame.

5. A seat as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the fastening means are constituted by sleeves for rods for guiding a head rest of the vehicle seat.

6. A seat for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 2 or any claim appended thereto, wherein the squab and the shell-like cover are produced by foaming vacuum-drawn covers and wherein the covers of the squab and of the shell-like cover are joined to one another before the vacuum forming, both components foamed in one operation.

7. A seat for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein during the foaming of the shell-like cover, a glass fibre mat is added for reinforcement purposes.

8. A seat for a motor vehicle constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.