Vehicle seat incorporating a seat back panel

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back including a frame connected to the seat bottom. The seat back includes a front surface configured to support an occupant and a rear surface. A seat back panel securable to the seat back frame includes an outer appearance surface and a retainer structure disposed on an inner surface. The retainer structure is releasably secured to the seat back frame such that the seat back panel at least partially covers an opening in the rear surface of the seat back.

1 . A vehicle seat comprising: 
 a seat bottom;    a seat back including a having a pair of side frame members connected to the seat bottom and a top frame member extending between the side frame members, a front surface configured to support an occupant and, a rear surface; and    a seat back panel securable to the seat back frame, the seat back panel including an outer appearance surface and a retainer structure on an inner surface, the retainer structure having more than one retainer clip releasably secured to the top and side frame members of the seat back frame such that the seat back panel at least partially covers an opening in the rear surface of the seat back.    
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . The vehicle seat of  claim 1 , and wherein the retainer structure of the seat back panel further comprises a mounting arm provided adjacent an upper portion of the seat back panel adapted to engage the top frame member of the seat back.  
   
   
       4 . The vehicle seat of  claim 1  wherein the retainer structure of the seat back panel further comprises a pair of retainer clips provided adjacent an upper portion of the seat back panel releasably engaging the seat back frame.  
   
   
       5 . The vehicle seat of  claim 1  wherein the retainer structure of the seat back panel further comprises an opposing pair of clips releasably engaging opposing side frame members of the seat back frame.  
   
   
       6 . The vehicle seat of  claim 1  wherein the seat back panel is formed from a polymeric material as a one-piece structure.  
   
   
       7 . The vehicle seat of  claim 6  wherein the retainer structure is integrally formed into the inner surface of the seat back panel.  
   
   
       8 . The vehicle seat of  claim 1  wherein the retainer structure is secured to the inner surface of the seat back panel.  
   
   
       9 . The vehicle seat of  claim 8  wherein the retainer structure is secured to the inner surface of the seat back panel by heat staking.  
   
   
       10 . The vehicle seat of  claim 1  wherein the seat back includes a cover placed over the seat back frame to support the occupant of the seat.  
   
   
       11 . The vehicle seat of  claim 10  wherein the cover comprises a polymeric membrane disposed over a padding layer.  
   
   
       12 . The vehicle seat of  claim 1  further comprising a head rest adjustably positioned relative to and secured to the seat back frame.  
   
   
       13 . A seat back panel releasably secured to a frame in a seat back of a vehicle seat, the seat back panel comprising: 
 an outer appearance surface having a storage area defined therein;    an inner surface; and    a retainer structure disposed on the inner surface of the seat back panel, the retainer structure including more than one retainer clip releasably engaging a seat back frame and a mounting arm provided adjacent an upper portion of the seat back panel adapted to engage the seat back frame such that the seat back panel is releasably secured to the seat back frame and at least partially covers an opening in the a surface of the seat back.    
   
   
       14 . The seat back panel of  claim 13  wherein the seat back frame includes a pair of side frame members connected to a seat bottom and a top frame member extending between the side frame members.  
   
   
       15 . The seat back panel of  claim 13  wherein the retainer structure further comprises a pair of retainer clips provided adjacent an upper portion of the seat back panel releasably engaging the seat back frame.  
   
   
       16 . The seat back panel of  claim 14  wherein the retainer structure further comprises an opposing pair of clips releasably engaging opposing side frame members of the seat back frame.  
   
   
       17 . The seat back panel of  claim 13  wherein the retainer structure is integrally formed into the inner surface of the seat back panel.  
   
   
       18 . The seat back panel of  claim 13  wherein the retainer structure is secured to the inner surface of the seat back panel.  
   
   
       19 . The seat back panel of  claim 18  wherein the retainer structure is secured to the inner surface of the seat back panel by heat staking.  
   
   
       20 . A method of assembling a seat back panel to a vehicle seat, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a seat back including a frame, a front surface configured to support an occupant and a rear surface having an opening;    providing a seat back panel having an outer appearance surface and a retaining structure on an inner surface, the retaining structure including at least one retaining clip;    positioning the inner surface of the seat back panel adjacent the opening in the rear surface of the seat back;    inserting the retaining structure into the opening in the rear surface of the seat back; and    securing the at least one retaining clip to the seat back frame such that the seat back panel at least partially covers the opening in the rear surface of the seat back panel.    
   
   
       21 . The seat back panel of  claim 13  wherein the seat back panel is formed from a polymeric material as a one-piece structure.  
   
   
       22 . A vehicle seat comprising: 
 a seat bottom;    a seat back including a frame having a pair of side frame members connected to the seat bottom and a top frame member extending between the side frame members, a front surface configured to support an occupant and, a rear surface; and    a seat back panel securable to the seat back frame, the seat back panel including an outer appearance surface and a retainer structure on an inner surface such that the seat back panel is releasably secured to the seat back frame and at least partially covers an opening in the rear surface of the seat back,    wherein the retainer structure includes a mounting arm provided adjacent an upper portion of the seat back panel adapted to engage the top frame member of the seat back, a pair of retainer clips provided adjacent an upper portion of the seat back panel releasably engaging the top frame member, and an opposing pair of clips releasably engaging the opposing side frame members of the seat back frame.