# US 10,766,388 B2 · Seat structure made of bio fiber composite material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,388 B2 - Document ID: US10766388B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/970,245 - Filed: 2018-05-03 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-04 - Assignees: Lear Corporation - Applicants: Lear Corporation - Inventors: Peter Festag; Klaus Raab - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766388B2 ## CPC - B60N 2/68: Seat frames - B27N 3/04: from fibres - B27N 5/00: Manufacture of non-flat articles - B29C 67/248: {Moulding mineral fibres or particles bonded with resin, e.g. for insulating or roofing board (articles from wood or lignocellulosic material with binding agents B27N; mineral aggregates bonded with resin B29C67/242; thermal insulation in general F16L59/00)} - B29C 70/222: {the structure being shaped to form a three dimensional configuration} - B29C 70/34: and shaping or impregnating by compression {, i.e. combined with compressing after the lay-up operation} - B29C 70/548: {using distribution constructions, e.g. channels incorporated in or associated with the mould} - B60N 2/686: {Panel like structures} - B29C 70/48: and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM] {, e.g. by vacuum} - B29K 2311/10: Natural fibres, e.g. wool or cotton - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B27N: MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL (containing cementitious material B28B; shaping of substances in a plastic state B29C; fibreboards made from fibrous suspensions D21J; drying F26B17/00) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract A vehicle seat frame includes a back panel and a load carrier component attached to the back panel. The back panel includes a first polymeric matrix and a first plurality of fibers disposed therein. The load carrier component includes a second polymer matrix and a second plurality of fibers disposed therein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle seat comprising: a back panel including a first polymeric matrix and a first plurality of bio fibers disposed therein; and a load carrier component attached to the back panel, the load carrier component including a second polymer matrix and a second plurality of bio fibers disposed therein, wherein the load carrier component includes a pair of curved or sigmoidal-shaped braided bio fiber tubes with bio fibers in each braided bio fiber tube being angled with respect to a longitudinal tube axis of the pair of curved or sigmoidal-shaped braided bio fiber tubes or wherein the load carrier component includes an open bio fiber shell embedded in the second polymer matrix, the open bio fiber shell including continuous biofibers that are substantially parallel to each other and to a longitudinal axis of the open bio fiber shell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the load carrier component includes the pair of curved or sigmoidal-shaped braided bio fiber tubes embedded in the second polymer-matrix. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle seat of claim 2 wherein the back panel is bonded to the load carrier component and the first plurality of bio fibers include isotropically oriented fibers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle seat of claim 3 wherein the load carrier component is formed by an over-braiding preforming process followed by resin transfer molding and wherein the back panel is formed from sheet molding compound. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The vehicle seat of claim 3 wherein the bio fibers in the back panel have a length greater than 0 to 50 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the load carrier component includes the open bio fiber shell embedded in the second polymer matrix. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle seat of claim 6 wherein the back panel is bonded to the load carrier component and the first plurality of bio fibers include continuous bio fibers that are substantially parallel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle seat of claim 7 wherein the load carrier component is formed by a tailored fiber stitching (TFP) preforming process followed by resin transfer molding and wherein the back panel is formed from resin transfer molding and/or wet compression molding. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle seat of claim 8 wherein a TFP inlay closes the open bio fiber shell and increases mechanical properties. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of bio fibers and the second plurality of bio fibers are each independently selected from the group consisting of Flax fibers, Hemp fibers, Kenaf fibers, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the first polymer matrix and the second polymer matrix are each independently a bioplastic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the first polymer matrix and the second polymer matrix are each independently selected from the group consisting of (Bio)-PET, (Bio)-PE, PLA, PHA, PHB, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 A vehicle seat comprising: a back panel including a first polymeric matrix and a first plurality of bio fibers disposed therein; and a load carrier component attached to the back panel, the load carrier component including a second polymer matrix and a second plurality of bio fibers disposed therein, wherein the load carrier component is integral with the back panel, the load carrier component including a pair of curved or sigmoid shaped 2-dimensional braided bio fiber shells embedded in the second polymer matrix with bio fibers in each bio fiber shell being continuous and substantially parallel to each other and optionally angled with respect to a longitudinal shell axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle seat of claim 13 wherein the first plurality of bio fibers includes continuous fibers that are quasi-isotropic to each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle seat of claim 14 wherein the load carrier component further includes a foam core. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The vehicle seat of claim 14 wherein the load carrier component is formed by a 2-D braid (“Litze”) preforming process followed by resin transfer molding. ### Claim 17 A vehicle seat comprising: a back panel including a first polymeric matrix and a first plurality of bio fibers disposed therein; and a load carrier component attached to the back panel, the load carrier component including a second polymer matrix and a second plurality of bio fibers disposed therein, wherein the load carrier component is integral with the back panel, the load carrier component including a pair of curved or sigmoid shaped bio fiber shell embedded in the second polymer matrix with continuous bio fibers in each bio fiber shell being substantially parallel to each other and optionally angled with respect to a longitudinal tube axis, the load carrier component including ribs disposed over a surface thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle seat of claim 17 wherein the ribs are made of PE/PA with or without fiber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle seat of claim 18 wherein the load carrier component is formed by a tape-laying preform process followed by compression molding and injection over-molding.