US-12617321-B2 - Vehicle seat support element suspension membrane

US12617321B2US 12617321 B2US12617321 B2US 12617321B2US-12617321-B2

Abstract

A suspension membrane of a vehicle seat support element includes a fabric made of plastic material extending between a first face and a second face and having at least a first layer made of plastic material that has an outer face forming the first face and an inner face opposite the outer face, and a second layer made of plastic material that has an outer face forming the second face and an inner face opposite the outer face, the inner faces of the first layer and of the second layer being applied against one another. The suspension membrane further includes at least one electrical circuit having at least one electrical component and a power lead to the component, extending between a part of the inner faces of the first layer and of the second layer.

Inventors

Robert Fitzpatrick
Didier DURIEZ
Claude Duboulet

Assignees

Faurecia Sièges d'Automobile

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20231027
Priority Date: 20221028

Claims (10)

1 . A vehicle seat support element comprising: an armature defining a frame; a suspension membrane attached to opposite sides of the frame and extending into the frame; and a padding extending over the frame and the suspension membrane, said padding being applied against said suspension membrane, the suspension membrane comprising a sheet made of plastic material extending between a first face and a second face and comprising at least a first layer made of plastic material, the first layer comprising an outer face forming the first face and an inner face opposite the outer face, and a second layer made of plastic material, the second layer comprising an outer face forming the second face and an inner face opposite the outer face, the inner faces of the first layer and of the second layer being applied against one another, and at least one electrical circuit comprising at least one electrical component and a power lead to said component, the power lead extending between a part of the inner faces of the first layer and of the second layer, wherein the suspension membrane is taut between said opposite sides of the frame such that the suspension membrane is flexible and resiliently deformable to provide support and shock absorption relative to the frame when a user presses against a bearing surface of the padding.
2 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit is printed on the inner face of the first layer.
3 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 2 , wherein the first layer and the electrical circuit form a flexible printed circuit board.
4 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit is made of a conductive metal material.
5 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit comprises at least one connection terminal electrically connected to the power lead, said connection terminal emerging outside the sheet made of plastic material.
6 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet made of plastic material extends between at least two rigid mounting elements attached to opposite edges of the sheet made of plastic material, said sheet being taut between said mounting members.
7 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 6 , wherein the mounting elements each comprise at least one attachment element for attaching the suspension membrane to the armature.
8 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical circuit is a plurality of electrical circuits extending between different parts of the inner faces of the first layer and second layer, each electrical circuit comprising at least one electrical component and at least one power lead to said component.
9 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical component is selected from a heating element, a light source, a vibrating element, a sensor, a device for controlling an airbag, and an element for connecting an external electrical component.
10 . The vehicle seat support element according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet extends between at least two rigid mounting elements attached to opposite edges of the sheet, and wherein the electrical circuit comprises at least one connection terminal electrically connected to the power lead and attached to one of the mounting elements.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a suspension membrane of a vehicle seat support element. The invention also relates to a seat support element comprising such a suspension membrane. BACKGROUND It is known to provide a suspension membrane in a vehicle seat support element, such as the seat backrest, against which the padding of the support element is applied in order to improve the comfort of an occupant of the seat. Such a suspension membrane is generally formed of a plurality of tensioned metal rods in the armature of the backrest. In addition, it is known to provide a plurality of electrical circuits in the support element in order to implement various functions in or on the support element. Thus, the support element may for example comprise a heating or vibrating element to improve the comfort of an occupant of the seat, a device for controlling an airbag, various sensors and light indicators, etc. However, the assembly of such a support element is complex, requiring the assembly of the various constituent elements of the support element one after another. To simplify this assembly, it is known to overmold certain components with the padding, but such a method remains complex and is not suitable for all the components of the seat. Furthermore, the suspension membrane must always be assembled on the reinforcement independently of the rest of the support element. SUMMARY One of the aims of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages by proposing a support layer with a simplified structure and which is able to integrate other functions of a vehicle seat support element. To this end, embodiments of the invention relate to a suspension membrane of a vehicle seat support element, comprising a fabric made of plastic material extending between a first face and a second face and comprising at least a first layer made of plastic material, comprising an outer face forming the first face and an inner face opposite the outer face, and a second layer made of plastic material comprising an outer face forming the second face and an inner face opposite the outer face, the inner faces of the first layer and of the second layer being applied against one another, and at least one electrical circuit, comprising at least one electrical component and a power lead to said component, extending between a part of the inner faces of the first layer and of the second layer. Thus, the suspension membrane, instead of being formed by a plurality of independent rods, is formed by joined layers made of plastic material, which makes it possible to mount the single-piece suspension membrane onto the armature and to integrate electrical components into the suspension membrane in order to further simplify the mounting of the support element in which the suspension membrane is provided. The suspension membrane may further comprise one or more of the following features, considered alone or according to any technically conceivable combination: the electrical circuit is printed on the inner face of the first layer;the first layer and the electrical circuit form a flexible printed circuit board;the electrical circuit is made of a conductive metallic material;the electrical circuit comprises at least one connection terminal electrically connected to the power lead, said connection terminal emerging outside the fabric made of plastic material;the fabric made of plastic material extends between at least two rigid mounting elements attached to opposite edges of the fabric made of plastic material, said fabric being taut between said mounting elements when the suspension membrane is mounted in a seat support element;the mounting elements each comprise at least one attachment element for attaching the suspension membrane to an armature of a seat support element;a plurality of electrical circuits extend between some of the inner faces of the first layer and of the second layer, each electrical circuit comprising at least one electrical component and at least one power lead to said component;the electrical component is selected from a heating element, a light source, a vibrating element, a sensor, a device for controlling an airbag, and an element for connecting an external electrical component. According to another aspect, embodiments of the invention also relate to a vehicle seat support element comprising an armature defining a frame, a suspension membrane as described above attached to the frame and extending therein, and a padding extending over the armature and the suspension membrane, said padding being applied against said suspension membrane. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other aspects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of part of a seat support element, comprising a suspension membrane according to an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic pe