# US 2014/0152071 A1 · Bent Tube With Foam Reinforcement And Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152071 A1 - Document ID: US20140152071A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/233,526 - Filed: 2012-07-19 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-19 - Assignees: Johnson Controls Technology Company - Applicants: Johnson Controls Technology Company - Inventors: Daniel J. Sakkinen; Michael J. Thomas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152071A1 ## CPC - B60N 2/68: Seat frames - B21D 7/16: Auxiliary equipment, e.g. for heating or cooling of bends - B21D 9/15: using filling material of indefinite shape, e.g. sand, plastic material (filling of tubes with such material B21D9/16) - B21D 53/88: other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards - B68G 15/00: Auxiliary devices and tools specially for upholstery - Y10T 29/48: Upholstered article making - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - B68G: METHODS, EQUIPMENT, OR MACHINES FOR USE IN UPHOLSTERING; UPHOLSTERY NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A foam reinforced and bent tube for use in a vehicle seat frame and a method of forming such a tube are provided. The tube has a cavity which extends along its length and at least one open end. The foam may be inserted into the cavity through any desirable process including, for example, injection. The bend is formed by heating a portion of the tubular element and bending it at the heated region. The insertion of the foam material into the cavity of the tubular element may precede, follow or be simultaneous with the heating and bending processes. The foam material may have a variable type and/or a variable density through the length of the cavity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle seat frame assembly, comprising: at least one elongated tubular element having a cavity, and wherein said at least one elongated tubular element extends between distal ends and has at least one bend between said distal ends; and a foam material disposed in said cavity of said elongated tubular element and completely filling the cross-sectional area of said cavity through at least a portion of the length of said elongated tubular element and wherein said foam material has at least one of a varying type and a varying density along said portion of the length of said cavity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A vehicle seat frame assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said foam material is disposed in less than the entire length of said cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A vehicle seat frame assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said foam material is disposed in at least two locations of said cavity and wherein said at least two locations with said foam material are spaced from one another by a portion of said cavity free of said foam material. ### Claim 4 A method of forming a vehicle seat frame, comprising the steps of: preparing at least one elongated tubular element having a cavity and extending lengthwise between opposite ends; inserting a foam material into at least a portion of the cavity of the elongated tubular element; heating at least a portion of the elongated tubular element; and bending the elongated portion of the elongated tubular element at the heated location. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 4 wherein said steps of heating and bending at least a portion of the elongated tubular element are further defined as heating and bending the tubular element through a line induced thermal strain forming process wherein precise heating and cooling of predetermined portions of the elongated tubular element cause the elongated tubular element to bend. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of inserting the foam material into at least a portion of the cavity of the elongated tubular element precedes said steps of heating and bending at least a portion of the elongated tubular element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of inserting the foam material into at least a portion of the cavity of the elongated tubular element follows said steps of heating and bending at least a portion of the elongated tubular element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 4 further including the step of welding the elongated tubular element after the step of inserting the foam material into the cavity of the elongated tubular element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of inserting the foam material into the cavity is further defined as injecting the foam material into the cavity with an injector having a radially outwardly extending flange and further including after the steps of: removing the injector from the cavity: inserting a spacer into the cavity spaced from the foam material previously injected into the cavity; re-inserting the injector with the radially outwardly extending flange into the cavity to a position spaced from the spacer; injecting a foam material with the injector into the cavity between the second spacer and the flange of the injector; and removing the injector from the cavity of the elongated tubular element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 9 wherein the foam materials injected into the different locations of the cavity are of different materials from one another. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 9 wherein the foam materials injected into the different locations of the cavity have different densities from one another. ### Claim 12 A method of forming a vehicle seat frame, comprising the steps of: preparing at least one elongated tubular element having a cavity and extending lengthwise between opposite ends with at least one of the opposite ends being open and with at least one spacer being disposed in said cavity between said opposite ends; inserting an injector having a radially outwardly extending flange into the cavity of the at least one elongated tubular element through said at least one open end to a position with the flange being spaced from the spacer; injecting a foam material into the cavity of the elongated tubular element between the spacer and the flange of the injector; removing the injector from the cavity of the elongated tubular element; heating at least a portion of the elongated tubular element; and bending the elongated tubular element at the heated portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 12 wherein the step of injecting the foam material into the cavity of the elongated tubular precedes the steps of heating and bending the elongated tubular element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 12 wherein the step of injecting the foam material into the cavity of the elongated tubular element is simultaneous with at least one of the steps of heating and bending the elongated tubular element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 12 wherein the step of injecting the foam material into the cavity of the elongated tubular element follows the steps of heating and bending the elongated tubular element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 12 further including after the step of removing the injector from the cavity the steps of: inserting a second spacer into the cavity spaced from the foam material previously injected into the cavity; re-inserting the injector with the radially outwardly extending flange into the cavity to a position spaced from the second spacer; injecting a foam material with the injector into the cavity between the second spacer and the flange of the injector; and removing the injector from the cavity of the elongated tubular element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 16 wherein the foam materials injected into the different locations of the cavity are of different materials from one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 16 wherein the foam materials injected into the different locations of the cavity have different densities from one another. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of forming a vehicle seat frame as set forth in claim 12 wherein said steps of heating and bending at least a portion of the elongated tubular element are further defined as heating and bending the tubular element through a line induced thermal strain forming process wherein precise heating and cooling of predetermined portions of the elongated tubular element cause the elongated tubular element to bend.