EP0363330A1 - Sitz mit einer Mehrschichtenstruktur, insbesondere für Kraftfahrzeuge - Google Patents

Sitz mit einer Mehrschichtenstruktur, insbesondere für Kraftfahrzeuge Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0363330A1
EP0363330A1 EP89830387A EP89830387A EP0363330A1 EP 0363330 A1 EP0363330 A1 EP 0363330A1 EP 89830387 A EP89830387 A EP 89830387A EP 89830387 A EP89830387 A EP 89830387A EP 0363330 A1 EP0363330 A1 EP 0363330A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
layer
seat according
seat
degree
plastic memory
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP89830387A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0363330B1 (de
Inventor
Antonio Dal Monte
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fiat Auto SpA
Original Assignee
Fiat Auto SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fiat Auto SpA filed Critical Fiat Auto SpA
Publication of EP0363330A1 publication Critical patent/EP0363330A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0363330B1 publication Critical patent/EP0363330B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
    • A47C7/00—Parts, details, or accessories of chairs or stools
    • A47C7/02—Seat parts
    • A47C7/18—Seat parts having foamed material included in cushioning part

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to seats and has been developed with particular attention to its possible use in the manufacture of motor vehicle seats, particularly the rear (bench) seats of motor cars.
  • these seats are constituted essentially by a support framework (usually with associ­ated means for varying the relative positions of the squab and the backrest and/or the position of the seat as a whole) on which a sprung structure covered in turn by a mass of padding (upholstery) is mounted.
  • the squab is constituted by two layers of resilient synthetic material of different hardnesses, between which is an intermediate impregnation layer.
  • the surface of the squab is defined by a soft layer so that the seat adapts itself to motorists of different sizes.
  • the lower layer which is more compact, acts essentially as a support structure.
  • the upper soft layer is made thicker in the region on which the left femoral region of the driver rests in use, whilst the thickness of the lower layer is correspondingly reduced. The downward movement of the driver's femoral region is thus facilitated when he lowers the clutch pedal.
  • the object of the present invention is to produce a seat, preferably including a squab part and a backrest, in which, according to a known solution, the use of a layered structure is envisaged.
  • the main characteristic of the seat according to the invention is the fact that the layered structure, which may be used only for the squab, only for the backrest, or for both these elements, includes at least one relatively inelas­tic layer with some degree of plastic memory.
  • the invention is based on the recognition of the fact that, according to experiments carried out by the Applicant, the solution in which an upper or outer soft, resilient layer is simply combined with a lower or base support layer which is also resilient but slightly harder (as in the case of the combination of two polyurethane layers) is intrinsically unsuitable for providing an ergonomically-effective solution: in fact, with this solution, it is impossible to reconcile the need to ensure driving or travelling comfort with the need to prevent the layered squab unit from being compressed (becoming, so to speak, "compacted") in the presence of very high stresses, such as those resulting from travel­ling over rough ground, until its function of mechanical insulation from the underlying rigid structure (the framework of the seat) is cancelled out, creating a situation (so-called "bumping") which is very disagreable for the driver.
  • a very soft lower layer provides good driving and travelling comfort, but shows a marked tendency to become deformed in the presence of high stresses.
  • a harder lower layer avoids the risk of deformation or "compaction" of the layered structure in the presence of a high stress, but is generally rather hard and uncomfortable under normal travelling conditions.
  • the main element of the solution according to the inven­tion is the presence of a relatively inelastic layer which has some degree of plastic memory.
  • the term "relatively inelastic with some degree of plastic memory” is intended to define a layer of material which tends to retain its deformed shape to a certain extent following a mechanical stress and returns resil­iently to its original undeformed shape only after the stress has ceased for a certain period of time, for example several seconds.
  • this foam tends to return to its undeformed condition between about 0.1 and about 1 second after the deforming pressure has ceased, with preferred values around the upper end of this range.
  • a seat In the drawings, a seat, generally indicated 1, is intended to be fitted in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, such as a motor car (not illustrated as a whole). More precisely, this is concerned with a rear (bench) seat fitted on a raised portion of the floor P of the passenger compartment of the motor car, provided with stiffening ribs P1.
  • the seat 1 as a whole has a seat portion (or, in short, a "squab") 2 and a vertical portion or backrest 3 which extends upwards from the rear portion of the squab 2.
  • front and “rear” and “lower” and “upper” as used in this specification relate to the normal position of mounting of the seat 1 in the passen­ger compartment of the motor vehicle, with respect to the normal direction of travel of the latter.
  • Both the squab 2 and the backrest 3 (or possibly just one of them, preferably the squab 2) is constituted essen­tially by a structure or "body” 4 of rigid or semirigid material (for example, moulded plastics or metal) which is intended to rest on the floor P (or on a support structure projecting therefrom) and carries an applied mass of padding 5 with a layered structure.
  • body 4 of rigid or semirigid material (for example, moulded plastics or metal) which is intended to rest on the floor P (or on a support structure projecting therefrom) and carries an applied mass of padding 5 with a layered structure.
  • the layered mass 5 - a soft, resilient lower or base layer 6, - a relatively inelastic intermediate layer 7 with some degree of plastic memory, and - a soft upper or "outer” layer 8.
  • a material such as the expanded polyurethane foam sold under the trade name PURFOAM (produced by Padana Plastici) may be used for the production of the base layer 6.
  • This material has a generally elastoplastic behaviour which means that it tends to retain the deformed condi­tion assumed as a result of a stress and return to its original undeformed condition only after the stress has ceased for a certain period of time. In the embodiments which have proved most effective up to now, this period has a duration of from about 0.1 to about 1 second, preferably around the upper end of this range.
  • the selection of a thick­ness within the range of about 0.5 to about 1.5 cm has proved particularly effective, at least for the region supporting a person seated on a normal motor vehicle seat.
  • the soft upper layer 8 it is possible, for example, to use a material substantially identical to the material constituting the layer 6, preferably with a selected thickness of the order of from about 1 to about 1.5 cm which brings the overall thick­ness of the layered mass 5 to a value of the order of 6-10 cm.
  • the top or outer layer 8 may be covered by a protective layer 9 made, for example, from fabric (possibly padded), synthetic material (for example, vinyl leather or the like) or even from a layer of natural leather.
  • a protective layer 9 made, for example, from fabric (possibly padded), synthetic material (for example, vinyl leather or the like) or even from a layer of natural leather.
  • the protective layer 9 may be constituted by an upper portion of the layer 8 (which, as has been seen, is usually a foamed or sponge material) which has been subjected - according to known criteria - to a condensation treatment intended to provide it with a more compact structure suitable for carrying out the function of a protective layer.
  • FIG. 2 A comparison of Figures 2 and 3 shows that the upper or outer layer 8 is almost completely deformed by a person M occupying the seat, so that it lies on the intermediate layer 7.
  • the latter consequently assumes a general bowl shape which is adapted in a complementary manner to the anthropometric characteristics of the person M, so as to achieve the required restraint. This all occurs without causing the complete deformation of the base layer 6 which therefore retains its capacity for further deforma­tion as a result of incidental stresses such as those resulting from bumps, etc...
  • the above description of the squab 2 can supply equally well to the backrest 3, in which the base layer 6 and the outer layer 8 are situated behind and in front of the intermediate layer 7, respectively.
  • the intermediate layer 7 is flexed and the load is distributed over a larger surface than that represented by the body structures contacting the squab.
  • the fabric layer 10 is useful in obtaining a still larger surface, involving a larger portion of the squab in the springing action.
  • the insertion of the fabric layer 10 which is by itself substantially unextendible, ensures the following advantages: - a wider distribution of the load on the squab surface; - minimum weight increase; - reduced costs and, in any case, costs which are lower than possible alternatives; - synergism (i.e. mutual increase) of the desired effect, in contact between the plastic layer 7 and the fabric layer 10; and - no appreciable increase in thickness.

Landscapes

  • Seats For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
EP89830387A 1988-10-03 1989-09-12 Sitz mit einer Mehrschichtenstruktur, insbesondere für Kraftfahrzeuge Expired - Lifetime EP0363330B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT6788788 1988-10-03
IT8867887A IT1224463B (it) 1988-10-03 1988-10-03 Sedile a struttura strattificata particolarmente per autoveicoli

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0363330A1 true EP0363330A1 (de) 1990-04-11
EP0363330B1 EP0363330B1 (de) 1994-02-16

Family

ID=11306094

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89830387A Expired - Lifetime EP0363330B1 (de) 1988-10-03 1989-09-12 Sitz mit einer Mehrschichtenstruktur, insbesondere für Kraftfahrzeuge

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0363330B1 (de)
DE (1) DE68913122T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2049350T3 (de)
IT (1) IT1224463B (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0562453A1 (de) * 1992-03-24 1993-09-29 FIAT AUTO S.p.A. Sitzkissen, zum Beispiel für Kraftfahrzeugsitze
US5551756A (en) * 1994-03-16 1996-09-03 Custom Orthotics, Inc. Orthotic wheelchair positioning device and support system
FR2885614A1 (fr) * 2005-05-13 2006-11-17 Arconnerie Soc Par Actions Sim Arcon pour selle d'equitation, procede de fabrication d'une selle, moyen utilise et selle realisee

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10249871A1 (de) * 2002-10-25 2004-05-06 Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy Vorrichtung zur Erkennung einer Sitzbelegung
DE102008045859A1 (de) * 2007-09-07 2009-03-12 Volkswagen Ag Gestaltveränderbarer Fahrzeugsitz

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3047888A (en) * 1960-12-05 1962-08-07 George O Shecter Cushioning structure
US3118153A (en) * 1960-10-21 1964-01-21 Davidson Rubber Company Inc Upholstery corner construction
US3833259A (en) * 1972-05-30 1974-09-03 Deere & Co Vehicle seat comprising three foam layers

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3118153A (en) * 1960-10-21 1964-01-21 Davidson Rubber Company Inc Upholstery corner construction
US3047888A (en) * 1960-12-05 1962-08-07 George O Shecter Cushioning structure
US3833259A (en) * 1972-05-30 1974-09-03 Deere & Co Vehicle seat comprising three foam layers

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0562453A1 (de) * 1992-03-24 1993-09-29 FIAT AUTO S.p.A. Sitzkissen, zum Beispiel für Kraftfahrzeugsitze
US5551756A (en) * 1994-03-16 1996-09-03 Custom Orthotics, Inc. Orthotic wheelchair positioning device and support system
FR2885614A1 (fr) * 2005-05-13 2006-11-17 Arconnerie Soc Par Actions Sim Arcon pour selle d'equitation, procede de fabrication d'une selle, moyen utilise et selle realisee

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT8867887A0 (it) 1988-10-03
IT1224463B (it) 1990-10-04
DE68913122D1 (de) 1994-03-24
DE68913122T2 (de) 1994-05-26
ES2049350T3 (es) 1994-04-16
EP0363330B1 (de) 1994-02-16

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