# US 2016/0250950 A1 · Method for assembling vehicle seat with cushion plate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0250950 A1 - Document ID: US20160250950A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/149,273 - Filed: 2016-05-09 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Earliest claimed: 2004-10-28 - Assignees: Ts Tech Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Ts Tech Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Misao Omori; Kenichi Niitsuma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160250950A1 ## CPC - B60N 2/427: Seats or parts thereof displaced during a crash - B60N 2/4228: {due to impact coming from the rear} - B60N 2/66: Lumbar supports - B60N 2/667: {having flexible support member bowed by applied forces} - B60N 2/6671: {with cable actuators} - B60N 2/68: Seat frames - B60N 2/865: providing a fore-and-aft movement with respect to the occupant's head - B60N 2/888: with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method of assembling a vehicle seat is provided, comprising: providing a seat back frame; forwardly movably connecting a headrest for supporting a head of a seat occupant to the seat back frame; mounting a rear-end collision detector to the seat back frame at a position behind the seat occupant, operatively connecting the rear-end collision detector to the headrest; disposing a link member at a position lateral to the rear-end collision detector; forming a front extending portion that inwardly extends in a right-to-left direction at a front end of a lateral face of the side frame; and forming a rear extending portion that inwardly extends in the right-to-left direction; wherein a protruding portion is formed from a portion of the lateral face of the side frame that faces at least the part of the bracket, the link support shaft being disposed at a same height as the protruding portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of assembling a vehicle seat, comprising: providing a seat back frame; forwardly movably connecting a headrest for supporting a head of a seat occupant to the seat back frame; mounting a rear-end collision detector to the seat back frame at a position behind the seat occupant, wherein the rear-end collision detector detects rearward movement of the seat occupant and is movable rearward; operatively connecting the rear-end collision detector to the headrest such that the rearward movement of the rear-end collision detector forwardly moves the headrest; disposing a link member at a position lateral to the rear-end collision detector; mounting a bracket to a side frame that constitutes a side portion of the seat back frame; mounting a link support shaft to the bracket, with the link member being mounted to the link support shaft; forming a front extending portion that inwardly extends in a right-to-left direction and is formed at a front end of a lateral face of the side frame; and forming a rear extending portion that inwardly extends in the right-to-left direction and is formed at a rear end of the lateral face of the side frame; wherein: at least a part of the bracket is disposed on the lateral face of the side frame and between the front extending portion and the rear extending portion; a protruding portion inwardly protruding is integrally formed from a portion of the lateral face of the side frame that faces at least the part of the bracket, the link support shaft being disposed at a same height as the protruding portion; and at least the part of the bracket is directly attached to the integrally formed protruding portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein: the link member is swingably connected to an end of the rear-end collision detector through a connecting shaft; and the connecting shaft is disposed at a position overlapping, in a right-to-left direction, with the protruding portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the connecting shaft is smaller in diameter than the link support shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing the bracket with a link shaft supporting face that extends from a side frame side towards an inner side of the seat; wherein: the link shaft supporting face is disposed at a position overlapping, in a right-to-left direction, with the protruding portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing a headrest support for supporting the headrest that extends in a horizontal direction; wherein: the part of the bracket that is attached to the protruding portion is disposed below the headrest support and above a lower end portion of each side of the rear-end collision detector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing a flexible plate member in front of the rear-end collision detector; and providing a seat back cushion in front of the flexible plate member; wherein: the flexible plate member pressure-adjusts the seat back cushion by protruding forward and pushing the seat back cushion to a front direction by an operation of the seat occupant; the flexible plate member is provided with a first plate portion disposed closer to a top of the seat than the rear-end collision detector; and a region of the first plate portion positioned generally at the same height as the bracket is smaller in width than a region of the maximum width of the flexible plate member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, further comprising: positioning a maximum forward portion of a curve of the flexible plate member formed when the flexible plate member protrudes forward closer to a bottom of the seat than the rear-end collision detector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing the protruding portion with a bracket attachment portion for attaching a part of the bracket; and forming an opening on the protruding portion at a different height than the bracket attachment portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing the protruding portion with a bracket attachment portion for attaching a part of the bracket; and forming an opening on the protruding portion above the bracket attachment portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion has a planar portion that abuts at least two surfaces of the side frame. ### Claim 11 A method of assembling a vehicle seat, comprising: providing a seat back frame; forwardly movably connecting a headrest for supporting a head of a seat occupant to the seat back frame; mounting a rear-end collision detector to the seat back frame at a position behind the seat occupant, wherein the rear-end collision detector detects rearward movement of the seat occupant and moves rearward; and operatively connecting the rear-end collision detector to the headrest such that the rearward movement of the rear-end collision detector forwardly moves the headrest; disposing a link member at a position lateral to the rear-end collision detector; mounting a bracket to a side frame that constitutes a side portion of the seat back frame; mounting a link support shaft to the bracket, with the link member being mounted to the link support shaft; forming a front extending portion that inwardly extends in a right-to-left direction and is formed at a front end of a lateral face of the side frame; and forming a rear extending portion that inwardly extends in the right-to-left direction and is formed at a rear end of the lateral face of the side frame; wherein: at least a part of the bracket is disposed on the lateral face of the side frame and between the front extending portion and the rear extending portion; a protruding portion inwardly protruding is formed at a portion of the lateral face of the side frame that faces at least the part of the bracket, the link support shaft being disposed at a same height as the protruding portion; at least the part of the bracket is attached to the protruding portion; the link member is disposed overlapping, in a right-to-left direction, with the protruding portion and extends downward from the link support shaft; a lower end portion of the link member is swingably connected to an end of the rear-end collision detector through a connecting shaft; the bracket comprises a link shaft supporting face that extends from a side frame side towards an inner side of the seat, and a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion for being attached to the side frame; and the second attachment portion is disposed closer to a bottom of the seat than the first attachment portion and extends downward from the link shaft supporting face along the protruding portion to be attached to the protruding portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the connecting shaft is disposed at a position overlapping, in a right-to-left direction, with the protruding portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the connecting shaft is smaller in diameter than the link support shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the link shaft supporting face is disposed at a position overlapping, in a right-to-left direction, with the protruding portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: providing a headrest support for supporting the headrest that extends in a horizontal direction; wherein: the second attachment portion of the bracket is disposed below the headrest support and above a lower end portion of each side of the rear-end collision detector. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: providing a flexible plate member in front of the rear-end collision detector; and providing a seat back cushion in front of the flexible plate member; wherein: the flexible plate member pressure-adjusts the seat back cushion by protruding forward and pushing the seat back cushion to a front direction by an operation of the seat occupant; the flexible plate member is provided with a first plate portion disposed closer to a top of the seat than the rear-end collision detector; and a region of the first plate portion positioned generally at the same height as the bracket is smaller in width than a region of the maximum width of the flexible plate member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising: positioning a maximum forward portion of a curve of the flexible plate member formed when the flexible plate member protrudes forward closer to a bottom of the seat than the rear-end collision detector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: forming an opening on the protruding portion at a different height than the second attachment portion of the bracket. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the connecting shaft and the link shaft supporting face are disposed at a position overlapping, in a right-to-left direction, with the protruding portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: providing a headrest support for supporting the headrest that extends in a horizontal direction; wherein: the second attachment portion of the bracket is disposed below the headrest support and above a lower end portion of each side of the rear-end collision detector; and the connecting shaft and the link shaft supporting face are disposed at a position overlapping, in a right-to-left direction, with the protruding portion.