Panel for a seat
A panel for a seat may have a retention portion with a recessed seat cover groove. The groove may have at least one tooth adapted to selectively retain a seat cover in the groove. The panel may also have a plurality of recessed air flow channels. The panel may also have a rear bolster. The rear bolster may have a leading wall, a connecting wall and a trailing wall. The leading wall may have a first clamp portion and the trailing wall may have a second clamp portion. The clamp portions may be adapted to selectively receive a frame connection member. A seat having a seat base panel and a seat back panel may have seat cover grooves and air flow channels.
1 . A panel for a seat, comprising:
a retention portion comprising a recessed seat cover groove, wherein said groove has at least one tooth adapted to selectively retain a seat cover in the groove;
a plurality of recessed air flow channels;
a rear bolster comprising a leading wall, a connecting wall and a trailing wall, wherein the leading wall has a first clamp portion and the trailing wall has a second clamp portion, the clamp portions adapted to selectively receive a frame connection member therein; and
an air flow opening connected to a recessed air flow channel of the plurality of recessed air flow channels;
wherein the air flow opening has an attachment feature for connection to a blower or fan.
2 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the retention portion, the air flow channels and the rear bolster are one-piece, unitary and integrally formed.
3 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the seat cover groove has a plurality of pairs of opposed teeth adapted to retain the seat cover in the seat cover groove, wherein the teeth are adapted to elastically flex in a first direction for an attachment member to be located between them and then the teeth are adapted to flex in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to selectively retain the attachment member within the seat cover groove.
4 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein a partial hemispherical rib extends inwardly from at least an inner surface of the connecting wall, said rib having at least a partially complementary shape to the frame connection member.
5 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion have at least partially complementary shapes to the frame connection member.
6 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the leading wall, the connecting wall and the trailing wall have a larger radius measured from said frame connection member than a radius between the frame connection member and the first and second clamp portions.
7 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein two apertures are defined between the leading wall and at least one rib, and two additional apertures are defined between the rib and the trailing wall.
8 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein said seat cover groove has a general U-shaped cross section, wherein a base of the seat cover groove is located below a lower surface of the panel.
9 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air flow channels are formed in part from walls extending downwardly from an upper surface of a main support portion of the panel, wherein the plurality of air flow channels comprise a lower surface and an open top opposite the lower surface; wherein the open top of the plurality of air flow channels is generally coplanar with the upper surface of the main support portion of the panel.
10 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air flow channels comprise a central portion from which at least one arm is in fluid communication.
11 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air flow channels comprise a first arm and a second arm recessed into a main support portion of the panel, wherein said arms define an obtuse angle between them.
12 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air flow channels comprise four arms that are symmetrical about a centerline of the panel.
13 . The panel of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid permeable cushioning material located over the panel, wherein the seat cover is located over the cushioning material, wherein the seat cover has selected gas permeable areas over the air flow channels and other areas of non-permeability.
14 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the seat cover groove has a plurality of pairs of opposed teeth adapted to retain the seat cover in the seat cover groove, wherein the teeth extend from a bottom of the groove, wherein the plurality of pairs of opposed teeth are integrally formed with the panel.
15 . The panel of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pairs of opposed teeth extend from the bottom of the seat cover groove.
16 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the panel is formed of a thermoplastic material.
17 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the air flow opening is configured for air flow into the recessed air flow channel of the plurality of recessed air flow channels.
18 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the air flow opening extends from an upper surface of the panel to a lower surface of the panel.