Composite seat back frame

Abstract

A seat back is provided having a composite body having a first end, a center section, and a second end that is thicker than the center section. The first end, the center section, and the second end comprise a plurality of layers of highly aligned fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The seat back also is provided with a member extending outwardly from the second end and a leg secured along at least a portion of the second end. The leg is positioned along the member to form a cavity defined by the second end, the member, and the leg, the cavity capable of receiving a connecting rod for connecting the seat back assembly to a seat.

1 . A seat back assembly comprising:
 a composite body comprising:
 a first end; 
 a center section; 
 a second end, said second end thicker than said center section; 
 wherein said first end, said center section, and said second end comprise a plurality of layers of highly aligned fibers in a thermoplastic matrix; 
   a member extending outwardly from said second end; and   a leg secured along at least a portion of said second end, said leg positioned along said member to form a cavity defined by said second end, said member, and said leg, said cavity capable of receiving a connecting rod for connecting said seat back to a seat.   
   
   
       2 . The seat back assembly of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of layers includes at least one layer having highly aligned fibers oriented at a different angle than said highly aligned fibers of another layer. 
   
   
       3 . The seat back assembly of  claim 2  wherein said first end includes six ply layers, said central section includes three ply layers, and said second end includes eight ply layers. 
   
   
       4 . The seat back assembly of  claim 3  wherein said first end has a thickness of about 0.045″ to about 0.057″, said central section has a thickness of about 0.023″ to about 0.033″, and said second end has a thickness of about 0.06″ to about 0.075″. 
   
   
       5 . The seat back assembly of  claim 1  wherein said member comprises a plurality of layers of highly aligned fibers in a thermoplastic matrix, said highly aligned fibers of at least one said layer oriented at a different angle than said highly aligned fibers of another said layer. 
   
   
       6 . The seat back assembly of  claim 5  wherein said member has a thickness of about 0.06″ to about 0.075″. 
   
   
       7 . The seat back assembly of  claim 1  wherein said leg comprises:
 a first portion, said first portion positionable along said member;   a second portion connected to said first portion; and   a foot extending from said second portion, said foot capable of being secured to said second end.   
   
   
       8 . The seat back assembly of  claim 7  wherein said first portion is connected to said second portion to form a substantially U-shape. 
   
   
       9 . The seat back assembly of  claim 7  wherein said leg is formed from a blank comprising a plurality of layers of highly aligned fibers in a thermoplastic matrix, said highly aligned fibers of at least one said layer oriented at a different angle than said highly aligned fibers of another said layer. 
   
   
       10 . The seat back assembly of  claim 9  wherein said leg has a thickness of about 0.08″ to about 0.10″. 
   
   
       11 . The seat back assembly of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic matrix includes a fiber volume fraction from about 0.5 to about 0.7. 
   
   
       12 . The seat back assembly of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic matrix includes polyphenylene sulfide. 
   
   
       13 . The seat back assembly of  claim 1  wherein said fibers have an average diameter from about 4 micrometers to about 12 micrometers. 
   
   
       14 . A seat back assembly comprising:
 a body comprising:
 a first end; 
 a second end; 
 a center section between said first end and said second end; 
 a top section adjacent said center section and between said first end and said second end; 
 a bottom section adjacent to said center section, opposite said top section and between said first end and said second end; 
   a first member extending outwardly from said first end;   a second member extending outwardly from said second end; and   a first leg secured to said first end, said leg positioned along said first member; and   a second leg secured to said second end, said leg positioned along said second member to define a cavity capable of receiving a connecting rod for connecting said seat back to a seat;   wherein each of said body, said first member, said second member, said first leg, and said second leg comprise a plurality of layers of highly aligned fibers in a thermoplastic matrix, and at least one layer having said highly aligned fibers oriented at a different angle than said highly aligned fibers of another layer.   
   
   
       15 . The seat back assembly of  claim 14  wherein said body, said first member, and said second member are formed from a substantially planar composite blank. 
   
   
       16 . The seat back assembly of  claim 15  wherein said composite blank comprises:
 a first portion capable of forming said central section and said bottom section;   a second portion capable of forming said first end and said first member;   a third portion capable of forming said second end and said second member; and   a fourth section capable of forming said top section.   
   
   
       17 . The seat back assembly of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a third member extending outwardly from said top section; and   a fourth member extending outwardly from said bottom section.   
   
   
       18 . The seat back assembly of  claim 17  wherein said third member is formed from said fourth portion of said blank, and said fourth member is formed from said first portion of said blank. 
   
   
       19 . The seat back assembly of  claim 14  wherein said first leg is formed from a second substantially planar composite blank and said second leg is formed from a third substantially planar composite blank. 
   
   
       20 . The seat back assembly of  claim 19  wherein said first leg comprises:
 a first portion, said first portion positionable along said first wall;   a second portion connected to said first portion; and   a foot extending from said second portion, said foot capable of being secured to said second end.   
   
   
       21 . The seat back assembly of  claim 14  wherein said each of said plurality of layers comprise highly aligned carbon fiber tape infused with a thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       22 . The seat back assembly of  claim 21  wherein said highly aligned carbon fibers are continuous carbon fibers. 
   
   
       23 . The seat back assembly of  claim 14  wherein said thermoplastic matrix includes a fiber volume fraction from about 0.5 to about 0.7. 
   
   
       24 . The seat back assembly of  claim 14  wherein said fibers have an average diameter from about 4 micrometers to about 12 micrometers. 
   
   
       25 . The seat back assembly of  claim 14  wherein said thermoplastic matrix includes polyphenylene sulfide. 
   
   
       26 . The seat back assembly of  claim 14  wherein said first end and said first member have a thickness of about 0.045″ to about 0.057″, said second end, said second member, and said top section have a thickness of about 0.06″ to about 0.075″, and said central section and said bottom section have a thickness of about 0.023″ to about 0.033″.