IP Library Granted Patent US 11,975,642
Granted Patent B2
US 11,975,642 · App. 17/600,177 · Granted May 7, 2024

Structural component, seat component and vehicle seat

Inventors: Thomas Frotz (Wermelskirchen, DE); Daniel Bahr (Kürten, DE); Rudolf Wilhelm Hemmelrath (Leverkusen, DE); Sven Oldach (Remscheid, DE)
Assignee: Adient US LLC
B60N2/646B60N2/34B60N2/643B60N2/686
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,975,642
App. No.
17/600,177
Granted
May 7, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A kinetic structural component may have a flexible structure having at least one degree of freedom. The flexible structure can be moved between a compressed position and an expanded position or vice versa. The flexible structure may have at least one substructure which is configured, when said flexible structure is in the expanded position, to expand to form a curve or an arc and/or linearly.

Claims (28)

1. A kinetic structural component, comprising:

a flexible structure having at least one degree of freedom, wherein

the flexible structure is movable between a compressed position and an expanded position or vice versa, the movement activated when a backrest of a seat having the structural component moves relative to a seat base, and

wherein the flexible structure comprises at least one substructure which is configured, in the expanded position of the flexible structure, to expand in a linear manner or expand to form a curve or an arc;

wherein the substructure is designed as a flexible grid having a plurality of lever elements which are articulated on at least one link by joints,

wherein the joints are designed as film hinges from polypropylene.

2. The structural component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substructure comprises a plurality of expansion elements which are coupled in an articulated manner to one another in a row and/or in parallel in order, in the at least one degree of freedom, to expand into the expanded position or to compress into the compressed position.

3. The structural component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flexible structure is designed as a monolithic flexible structure.

4. The structural component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one link is a moving link.

5. The structural component as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the moving link is designed to be narrow and/or flat.

6. The structural component as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the lever elements have different lengths, and therefore the lever elements, which are arranged in a row and/or parallel to one another, spread out in an arcuate or curved manner in the expanded state.

7. The structural component as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the lever elements have identical lengths, and therefore the lever elements, which are arranged in a row and/or parallel to one another, spread out linearly in the expanded state.

8. The structural component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flexible structure comprises at least one or more outer surface elements coupled in terms of movement to the substructure.

9. The structural component as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the substructure is coupled in terms of movement to the outer surface element(s) in such a manner that the substructure changes its shape and its volume, and it expands, or compresses, depending on a controlled force acting on the link or the links of the substructure.

10. The structural component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substructure is formed from a plurality of recurring mechanical expansion elements, including lever elements, which are connected by links to form a row.

11. The structural component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substructure is formed from multiple rows of expansion elements comprising individual rows of expansion elements arranged one above another and/or next to one another.

12. A seat component, including back rest or seat part, wherein the seat component comprises at least:

a supporting structure,

padding and/or a cover element and

a structural component as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least the substructure is coupled in terms of movement to the padding or to the cover element.

13. The seat component as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least one link is a moving link that is coupled in terms of movement to the padding and/or to the cover element.

14. The seat component as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the structural component is arranged between the supporting structure and the padding and/or the cover element.

15. A seat, comprising: a backrest adapted to support at least a lower back portion of an occupant, and a seat base adapted to support at least the buttocks of the occupant, wherein the backrest and the seat base are movable relative to one another and of which at least one of the backrest and seat base comprises a structural component comprising

a flexible structure having at least one degree of freedom, wherein

the flexible structure is movable between a compressed position and an expanded position or vice versa, and

wherein the flexible structure comprises at least one substructure which is configured, in the expanded position of the flexible structure, to expand in a linear manner or expand to form curve or an arc;

wherein the substructure is designed as a flexible grid having a plurality of lever elements which are articulated on at least one link by joints,

wherein the joints are designed as film hinges from polypropylene, wherein, when the backrest moves relative to the seat base, the flexible structure is movable into an expanded or a compressed position.

Assignments (4)
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2023
From: CNI ENTERPRISES, INC.; ADIENT US LLC
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063085/0391 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN IP Recorded Nov 17, 2022
From: ADIENT US LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061956/0301 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2022
From: ADIENT ENGINEERING AND IP GMBH
To: ADIENT US LLC
Reel/Frame 059086/0402 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2021
From: FROTZ, THOMAS; BAHR, DANIEL; HEMMELRATH, RUDOLF WILHELM; OLDACH, SVEN
To: ADIENT ENGINEERING AND IP GMBH
Reel/Frame 057653/0360 →
Priority Claims (4)
DE 10 2019 204 571.5 · Apr 1, 2019 · national
DE 10 2019 204 577.4 · Apr 1, 2019 · national
DE 10 2019 204 580.4 · Apr 1, 2019 · national
DE 10 2019 204 584.7 · Apr 1, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220144155A1 · May 12, 2022