TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure, in general, relates to a vehicle seat with an equipped and reinforced structure.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] Nowadays, passenger safety occupies a prime spot in the automobile sector. Constantly, there is a high demand for a comprehensive vehicular in-built safety system. It is necessary to make the structural components of vehicle seats inclusive of safety mechanisms.
[0004] Automobile safety systems can be classified broadly into two segments, namely active safety systems and passive safety systems. The active safety systems are those that help to prevent or mitigate road crashes. The passive safety systems play a role in limiting or containing the damage or injuries caused to driver, passengers, and pedestrians in the event of a crash or accident. Usually, sensors are placed across the vehicle to sense impact and within a set time frame, airbags are deployed inside the cars to protect passengers. Thus, airbags form a part of the passive safety system of any automobile.
[0005] With the advent of technology, automobile manufacturers are regularly planning to modify the componential features of the vehicle seat structures. The prior art with US Patent No.US8919876B2 provides disclosure on a vehicle seat

capable of reducing the load that is applied to an occupant seated in the vehicle seat during a vehicle collision. This prior art, however, nowhere discloses an aspect wherein it provides for the effective working of the passive safety system deployed in the vehicle in relation to the interface between the position of the occupant in the vehicle seat and the airbag installed for a passive safety system during a frontal offset crash.
[0006] Further, another prior art US 9376044B2 provides a disclosure on a vehicle seat comprising of a seat cushion part and a seat back part, wherein the seat cushion part has a cushion frame unit. In this prior art, a back frame unit is used for supporting a cushion member for the seat cushion part and the seat back part. Supporting the cushion member for the seat back part, left and right side frames constituting the cushion frame unit are coupled to and supported by left and right sliders, respectively. Thus, constituting a seat slide device and each is constituted by one or a plurality of plate-shaped frames long in a forward and backward direction. This is formed of a thin material made of metal with a predetermined thickness or less, a plurality of beams are bridged across the left and right side frames of the cushion frame unit, and at least one of the left and right side frames is supported on the seat slide device via a truss support part receiving a force in the forward and backward direction, the truss support part being formed of a coupling support part with respect to the slider, the beams bridged across the left and right side frames, and an inter-node connecting part coupling the coupling support part and the beams in a direction substantially orthogonal to a disposition direction of the beams. However, this prior art does not disclose an aspect of automobile safety system wherein the system has an inbuilt mechanism to reduce the lateral deformation caused on the vehicle seat upon a sudden crash or during a sudden accident.
[0007] Another prior art US9027993B2 discloses a vehicle body side member that is attached to a vehicle body floor section includes a seat cushion comprising

a seat cushion frame which is disposed above the vehicle body side member and has left and right side frames that face each other along a seat left-right direction. The left and right front links are provided respectively between front end sides of the left and right side frames and the vehicle body side member, each of the left and right front links configure a portion of a lifter mechanism that moves the seat cushion up and down with respect to the vehicle body side member. One end side of each of the left and right front links is coupled to the vehicle body side member so as to be capable of rotating about an axis running along the seat left-right direction. A coupling member that couples together front end sides of the left and right side frames along the seat left-right direction is rotatable with respect to the left and right side frames about an axis running along the seat left-right direction is joined to other end side of each of the left and right front links, wherein the coupling member comprises a coupling pipe and at least one bracing member-oriented so as to form a non-right angle with respect to an axis of the coupling pipe and wherein the coupling pipe is directly coupled to the left and right front links, a vehicle seat capable of achieving a reduction in weight whilst still securing rigidity and strength to counter load input during a vehicle collision. This prior art only discloses an aspect wherein a vehicle seat is capable of achieving a reduction in weight whilst still securing rigidity and strength to counter load input during a vehicle collision.
[0008] In the view of the above-cited problems, there is a need for a reinforced seat structure which provides strength and rigidity to a vehicle seat during a frontal offset crash while ensuring that the occupant is restricted in the vehicle seat and doesn't move to a great extent in a lateral direction so as to make sure that the airbag, which is a part of the passive safety system of the vehicle, is effective and performs efficiently to prevent injury.

[0009] Accordingly, there is a need for system that can overcome one or more limitations stated above or any other limitation associated with the conventional prior arts.
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0010] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfy, are listed hereinbelow.
[0011] It is a general object of the present disclosure to ensure the effective operation of the passive safety system such as airbags to reduce occupant injuries in case of frontal offset crash.
[0012] It is another object of the present disclosure to ensure an effective overlap of the occupant with the airbag of a vehicle.
[0013] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide lateral rigidity and strength to the seat frame of the vehicle.
[0014] It is another object of the present disclosure to reduce the lateral deformation of the seat frame during a frontal offset crash.
[0015] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred form of the present invention is illustrated.
SUMMARY
[0016] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a reinforced seat structure provided to reduce occupant injury in case of frontal offset crash of a vehicle. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0017] In an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a reinforced seat structure for an automobile. The reinforced seat structure includes a first bracket connected with a left end of a front cross pipe and a front portion of a left riser panel along with a second bracket connected with a right end of the front cross pipe and a front portion of a right riser panel. Further, a third bracket is connected with a left end of a rear cross pipe and a rear portion of the left riser panel. Furthermore, a fourth bracket is connected at an inner side of the right riser panel behind the cross pipe of the reinforced seat structure. The first, second and third brackets have common base features and design concept with the main functionality of transferring the load from the riser panel to the cross pipe and thus reduce lateral deformation of the reinforced seat structure.
[0018] In an aspect, a front reinforcement cross pipe is connected across front ends of the left riser panel and the right riser panel.
[0019] In an aspect, the first and the second brackets are Z-shaped and consist of two vertical walls connected by a base flange which acts as a bridge between a riser panel and a cross pipe so as to transfer the load from riser panel to the cross pipe in the reinforced seat structure.
[0020] In an aspect, in the Z-shaped bracket, a bead is formed at a translating region between an upper portion of the base flange and a lower end of the first vertical wall and at a translating region between a lower portion of the base flange and an upper end of the second vertical wall.
[0021] In an aspect, a lower end of the second vertical wall of the Z-shaped bracket has a hemispherical cut for providing a compact fitting between the bracket and the cross pipe.
[0022] In an aspect, the third bracket is S-shaped and includes two translating regions between vertical walls and a base flange which has a curved orientation.

[0023] In an aspect, the third bracket is connected in such a way that an upper vertical wall of the third bracket is welded to the rear portion of the left riser panel and the lower vertical wall is welded to the rear cross pipe in a slant orientation towards the rear cross pipe.
[0024] In an aspect, the fourth bracket is rectangular in shape and includes a central base region along with flat surface edges with curved corners on all the four sides of the bracket.
[0025] In an aspect, the fourth bracket is placed in a longitudinal orientation parallel to the right riser panel, wherein the central base region of the bracket is welded to the inner surface of the right riser panel.
[0026] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.
[0027] It is to be understood that the aspects and embodiments of the disclosure described above may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the aspects and embodiments may be combined to form a further embodiment of the disclosure.
[0028] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the

description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates three-dimensional perspective views of the reinforced seat structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view with respect to the positioning of the brackets in the reinforced seat structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0032] FIG. 2A illustrates an enlarged view of the location of the first bracket in the reinforced seat structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0033] FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of the first or the second bracket of the reinforced seat structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0034] FIG. 2C illustrates a perspective view of the third bracket of the reinforced seat structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0035] FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of a fourth bracket, as seen from outside of the reinforced seat structure, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0036] FIG. 3B illustrates a perspective view of the fourth bracket, as seen from inside of the reinforced seat structure, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative systems embodying the principles of the present subject matter. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in a computer-readable medium and executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0039] It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0040] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a"," "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes" and/or "including," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers,

steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
[0041] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may, in fact, be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
[0043] Embodiments explained herein pertain to a reinforced seat structure of a vehicle in which the brackets with common base features and design concepts are connected to riser panels and cross-connection pipes to transfer the load from riser panel to the cross pipe and reduce lateral deformation of the vehicle seat structure which is occupied by an occupant. The present invention is directed towards reducing injury caused to the occupant in case of a frontal offset crash.
[0044] FIG. 1 illustrates the three-dimensional perspective views of the reinforced seat structure (100). Disclosed herein is the reinforced; seat structure (100) comprising of four brackets (101, 102, 103, 104) which are connected with the riser panels and the cross pipes.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the reinforced seat structure (100), comprises of a first bracket (101) which is connected with a left end of a front

cross pipe (105) and connected to a front portion of a left riser panel (106) of a reinforced seat structure (100). Further, a second bracket (102) is connected with a right end of the front cross pipe (105) and further connected to a front portion of a right riser panel (107) of the reinforced seat structure (100). Further, a third bracket (103) is connected with a left end of a rear cross pipe (108) and a rear portion of the left riser panel (106) of the reinforced seat structure (100). The reinforced seat structure (100) further comprises of a fourth bracket (104) connected at an inner side of the right riser panel (107) behind the front cross pipe (105) and a front reinforcement cross pipe (110) connected across frontal ends of the left riser panel (106) and the right riser panel (107) constituting the main features of the present disclosure. The front reinforcement cross pipe (105) provides additional strength to the reinforced seat structure (100).
[0046] FIG. 2A illustrates an enlarged view of the location of the first bracket (101) in the reinforced seat structure (100) wherein the first bracket (101) is a Z-shape bracket welded to the left riser panel (106) and connected to the front cross pipe (105). The second bracket (102) is also a Z-shape bracket and welded to the right riser panel (107) and connected to the front cross pipe (105).
[0047] Subsequently, FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of a Z-shaped first bracket (101) or a Z-shaped second bracket (102) of the reinforced seat structure (100). Since, the structure of both the first bracket (101) and the second bracket (102) are same, only one bracket is shown in FIG. 2B for clarity purpose and numerals for one bracket are same for the other bracket. The first bracket (101) and the second bracket (102) comprise of a first vertical wall (201b) having a surface which is attached in parallel to the right and left riser panels (106, 107) respectively and a second vertical wall (203b) having a lower end which is connected to the front cross pipe (105) in perpendicular direction. A base flange (202b) as shown in FIG. 2B extends from lower end of the first vertical wall (201b) up to the upper end of the second vertical wall (203b) so as to form a flat

bridge between the first vertical wall (201b) and the second vertical wall (203b) so that it can transfer the load from the right and left riser panels (106, 107) to the front cross pipes (105). Since, during the frontal offset crash, load from riser panel is transferred to the cross pipe, deformation takes place in vertical direction. As a result, lateral deformation of the seat structure is reduced which results in effective overlap of occupant with airbag of the vehicle.
[0048] The first bracket (101) and second bracket (102) of the reinforced seat structure (100), as illustrated in FIG. 2B, further includes a bead (204ba, 204bb) formed at a translating region between an upper portion of the base flange (202b) and a lower end of the first vertical wall (201b) and at a translating region between a lower portion of the base flange (202b) and an upper end of the second vertical wall (203b), respectively. The bead (204ba, 204bb) is included to provide strength and rigidity to the first bracket (101) and second bracket (102).
[0049] FIG. 2B further illustrates a hemispherical cut (205b) in the lower end of the second vertical wall (203b) of the Z-shape bracket (101, 102) for providing a compact fitting between the first and second brackets (101, 102) and the front cross pipe (105), respectively.
[0050] Further, with reference to FIG. 2C, the third bracket (103) is an S-shaped bracket comprising of translating regions (201c) between vertical walls (202c, 203c) and a base flange (204c) with a curved orientation in its structure. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2C, the third bracket (103) is connected in such a way that an upper vertical wall (202c) of the third bracket (103) is welded to the rear portion of the left riser panel (106) and the lower vertical wall (203c) is welded to the rear cross pipe (108) in a slant orientation towards the rear cross pipe (108).
[0051] FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of a rectangular shaped fourth bracket (104), as seen from outside of the reinforced seat structure (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Further, FIG. 3B

illustrates perspective view of the fourth bracket (104), as seen from inside of the reinforced seat structure (100). Disclosed herein is the fourth bracket (104) which comprises a center base region (301) along with side edges (303a, 303b) extending vertically from the center base region (301) and further comprises of a bead (302) which starts from the center base region (301) and extends up to the lower edge (303b) of the fourth bracket (104) as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B.
[0052] The fourth bracket (104) as illustrated in FIG. 2 is connected in a longitudinal orientation parallel to the right riser panel (107), wherein the center base region (301) of the fourth bracket (104) is welded to the inner surface of the right riser panel (107).
[0053] The brackets (101, 102, 103, 104) transfer the load from the riser panels (106, 107) to the cross pipes (105, 108) and thus reduce lateral deformation of the reinforced seat structure (100) so as to ensure effective overlap of the occupant with the airbag to reduce injury during a frontal offset crash of the vehicle.
[0054] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.
Equivalents:
[0055] A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the invention. When a

single device or article is described herein, it will be apparent that more than one device/article (whether or not they cooperate) may be used in place of a single device/article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein (whether or not they cooperate), it will be apparent that a single device/article may be used in place of the more than one device or article or a different number of devices/articles may be used instead of the shown number of devices or programs. The functionality and/or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly described as having such functionality/features. Thus, other embodiments of the invention need not include the device itself.
[0056] The specification has described a reinforced seat structure (100) in an automobile to ensure the effective operation of the passive safety system such as the airbag so as to reduce the occupant injuries in a case of frontal offset crash.
[0057] Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based here on. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
Referral numerals

Reference Number Description
100 Reinforced seat system
101 First bracket
102 Second bracket
103 Third bracket

104 Fourth bracket
110 Front reinforcement cross pipe
106 Left riser panel
107 Right riser panel
105 Front cross pipe
108 Rear cross pipe
201b First vertical wall of first/second bracket
202b Base flange of first/second bracket
203b Second vertical wall of first/second bracket
204ba Bead of first/second bracket
204bb Bead of first/second bracket
205b Hemispherical cut of first/second bracket
201c Translating region of third bracket
202c First vertical wall of third bracket
203c Second vertical wall of third bracket
204c Base flange of third bracket
205b Hemispherical cut of third bracket
301 Center base region of fourth bracket
302 Bead of fourth bracket
303a Side edges of fourth bracket
303b Upper and lower edges of fourth bracket

We Claim:
1. A reinforced seat structure (100), comprising:
a first bracket (101) connected with a left end of a front cross pipe (105) and a front portion of a left riser panel (106);
a second bracket (102) connected with a right end of the front cross pipe (105) and a front portion of a right riser panel (107); and
a third bracket (103) connected with a left end of a rear cross pipe (108) and a rear portion of the left riser panel (106).
2. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a fourth bracket (104) connected at an inner side of the right riser panel (107) behind the front cross pipe (105).
3. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a front reinforcement cross pipe (110) connected across frontal ends of the left riser panel (106) and the right riser panel (107).
4. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first bracket (101) and the second bracket (102) are Z-shaped brackets.
5. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first bracket (101) and the second bracket (102) comprising:
a first vertical wall (201b) having surface which is attached in parallel to the right and left riser panels (106, 107);
a second vertical wall (203b) having a lower end which is connected to the front cross pipes (105) in the perpendicular direction; and
a base flange (202b) extending from lower end of the first vertical wall (201b) up to the upper end of the second vertical wall (203b) so as to form

a flat bridge between the first vertical wall (101b) and the second vertical wall (203b) to transfer the load from the right and left riser panels (106, 107) to the front cross pipes (105).
6. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 5, comprising a bead (204ba, 204bb) formed at a translating region between an upper portion of the base flange (202b) and a lower end of the first vertical wall (201b) and at a translating region between a lower portion of the base flange (202b) and an upper end of the second vertical wall (203b), respectively.
7. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lower end of the second vertical wall (203b) has a hemispherical cut (205c) for providing a compact fitting between the first and second brackets (101, 102) and the front cross pipe (105).
8. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third bracket (103) is an S-shaped bracket, in which translating regions (201c) between vertical walls (202c, 203c) and a base flange (204c) have a curved orientation.
9. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the third bracket (103) is connected in such a way that an upper vertical wall (202c) of the third bracket (103) is welded to the rear portion of the left riser panel (106) and the lower vertical wall (203c) is welded to the rear cross pipe (108) in a slant orientation towards the rear cross pipe (108).
10. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fourth bracket (104) is rectangular in shape and having a center base region (301) along with edges (303a, 303b) extending vertical from the center base

region (301), and wherein the fourth bracket (104) is having a bead (302) starting from the center base region (301) and extending up to lower edge (303b).
11. The reinforced seat structure (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fourth bracket (104) is connected in a longitudinal orientation parallel to the right riser panel (107), and wherein the center base region (301) of the fourth bracket (104) is welded to the inner surface of the right riser panel (107).