Thin, double-wall molded seat frame system

Abstract

A seat frame for a vehicle or other seating comprises a seat back and a seat pan formed of molded double wall members having thin, substantially closed exterior walls and a substantially open interior. The exterior walls include front and back sections having a cavity therebetween, secured together to form a hollow, box beam type of structure. Integrally formed, spaced cup-shaped standoffs extend between the front and back sections between side walls thereof and provide internal reinforcement of the seat member between the side walls. The seat back includes a cavity for a seat back reinforcement member for either a restraint or non-restraint seat.

1 . In a seat frame comprising a seat back and a seat pan, the improvement wherein at least one seat member of the group consisting of the seat pan and seat back comprises a molded double wall member having a substantially closed exterior wall and a substantially open interior, with the exterior wall comprising opposed front and back sections having a cavity therebetween, the front and back sections fitting together and being secured together to form a hollow, box beam type of structure.  
   
   
       2 . A seat frame according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the front and back sections includes integrally formed, spaced cup-shaped standoffs extending between the front and back sections at positions between the side walls thereof, such that the standoffs provide internal reinforcement of the seat member between the side walls.  
   
   
       3 . A seat frame according to  claim 2  wherein the standoffs include individually formed, conical, cup-shaped energy absorbing cells.  
   
   
       4 . A seat frame according to  claim 3  wherein aligned standoffs are formed in the back and front sections, such that inner ends of aligned standoffs are adjacent each other when the front and back sections are interconnected.  
   
   
       5 . A seat frame according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one seat member comprises the seat pan, the seat pan being formed in a generally rectangular shape and having a hollow peripheral frame comprising a front member back member and side members, the frame having an open interior, the front, back, and side members being box beam members formed of the front and back sections, the front section being an upper section and the back section being a lower section, the frame including interior standoffs extending vertically between the upper and lower sections.  
   
   
       6 . A seat frame according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one seat member includes the seat back.  
   
   
       7 . A seat frame according to  claim 6  wherein the seat back includes a hollow cavity for a seat back reinforcement member.  
   
   
       8 . A seat frame according to  claim 7  wherein the cavity is formed along a vertical side of the seat back and is shaped to receive a seat back reinforcement tower formed of a material dissimilar from the seat back.  
   
   
       9 . A seat frame according to  claim 6  wherein the seat back comprises a generally rectangular frame having upper and lower frame members and side frame members, with each frame member having a box beam configuration with a substantially hollow interior, the frame having interior standoffs reinforcing front and back surfaces of the frame between frame side walls.  
   
   
       10 . A seat frame according to  claim 9  wherein the standoffs include spaced, cup-shaped energy absorbers mounted in at least one of the front and back members and extending in a direction between the members.  
   
   
       11 . A seat frame according to  claim 1  wherein a plurality of standoffs are formed on the interior of one of the front and back sections of the seat back, the other of the front and back sections of the seat back including standoffs that are aligned with the standoffs in the one section, outer ends of the aligned standoffs being substantially abutting each other, the standoffs comprising elongated, hollow projections.  
   
   
       12 . A seat frame according to  claim 9  wherein the frame has at least a partially open portion interior of the frame members, the frame members surrounding the open interior.  
   
   
       13 . A seat frame according to  claim 1  wherein the front section is contoured for serving as a support for the body of a person seated in the seat, while the back section is provided with a different surface contour that is designed to provide an acceptable configuration for attachment in a vehicle, the different surface contours not requiring substantial additional material in the seat member because of the hollow seat member construction.