Wire attachment to a seat frame

Claim 2

A vehicle seat back assembly comprising: a frame having at least two spaced apart frame members; a lumbar support device disposed between said spaced apart frame members, said lumbar support device having a wire extending between said spaced apart frame members; and a barbed clip having a wire mounting portion with a bore with a portion of said wire extending through said bore and said clip further having an attaching portion for attaching said clip to one of said frame members by insertion of said attaching portion into an aperture in said one frame member to fix said bore in position relative to said aperture in said frame member whereby said wire is attached to said one frame member.

Claim 3

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 1 wherein said wire has a bend therein adjacent said clip to prevent longitudinal movement of said wire within said bore relative to said clip.

Claim 4

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 1 wherein said spaced apart frame members are generally upright frame members.

Claim 5

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 1 wherein said spaced apart frame members are generally horizontal cross members.

Claim 6

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 1 wherein said frame members are hollow tubes with an aperture therein for reception of said attaching portion of said clip to attach said clip to said frame.

Claim 7

The component of claim 1 wherein said frame members are hollow tubes having a flange fixed thereto with an aperture in said flange for reception of said attaching portion of said clip to attach said clip to said frame.

Claim 8

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 1 comprising two of said clips mounted to said frame with the longitudinal axis of the bores of the two clip wire mounting portions being oriented generally at right angles to one another.

Claim 9

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 1 comprising a pair of said clips for attaching said wire to said frame with one clip of said pair being attached to each of said spaced apart frame members.

Claim 10

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 8 wherein said wire has a bend therein adjacent each of said clips to prevent longitudinal movement of said wire within said bore relative to said clips.

Claim 11

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 1 wherein said attaching portion of said clip includes a pair of generally parallel legs extending from said mounting portion, said legs being resiliently flexible relative to one another, said legs having a reverse bend at distal ends thereof forming a barb extending back toward said mounting portion and away from the associated leg, said barbs being flexible relative to said associated leg whereby said barbs can flex toward said legs, said legs and barbs being inserted into the aperture in said frame member by movement of the barbs toward one another after which said barbs spread apart to a width larger than said aperture to prevent withdrawal of the barbs from the aperture whereby said clip is attached to said frame member.

Claim 12

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 10 wherein said clip is split between the legs from a distal end of said legs to said bore whereby the clip can be inserted onto the wire by pushing the wire between the legs to spread the legs and open the split therebetween allowing the wire to pass between the legs and into the bore.

Claim 13

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 11 wherein said legs have a chamfer at the distal end thereof to guide movement of said wire between said legs.

Claim 14

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 10 wherein said clip further comprises bias means adjacent said mounting portion for engaging a surface of said frame member adjacent said aperture and urging said legs in a direction to withdraw said legs from said aperture and draw said barbs into engagement with an opposite surface of said frame member adjacent said aperture therein.

Claim 15

The vehicle seat back assembly of claim 13 wherein said clip further comprises tabs extending from ends of said barbs into said aperture to prevent lateral movement of said barbs relative to said aperture.

Claim 16

A component assembly for a vehicle seat comprising: a frame having at least two spaced apart frame members; an elongated support wire extending between said spaced apart frame members and being attached thereto; at least one barbed clip attaching said wire to said frame, said clip having a wire mounting portion with a bore through which a portion of said wire extends and an attaching portion for attaching said clip to one of said frame members by insertion of said attaching portion of said clip into an aperture in said one frame member whereby said wire is attached to said one frame member; and a resilient pad at least partially supported upon said wire to mount said pad upon said frame.

Claim 17

A component assembly for a vehicle seat comprising: a frame having at least two spaced apart frame members; an elongated support wire extending between said spaced apart frame members and being attached thereto; at least one barbed clip attaching said wire to said frame, said clip having a wire mounting portion with a bore through which a portion of said wire extends and an attaching portion for attaching said clip to one of said frame members by insertion of said attaching portion of said clip into an aperture in said one frame member whereby said wire is attached to said one frame member; and a resilient pad at least partially supported upon said wire to mount said pad upon said frame.

Claim 18

An assembly comprising: a frame having at least two spaced apart frame members; an elongated support wire extending between said spaced apart frame members; and a clip having a wire mounting portion with a bore for receiving a portion of said wire therethrough and an attaching portion for attaching said clip to one of said frame members by insertion of said attaching portion into an aperture in said one frame member whereby said wire, with a portion thereof disposed within said bore is attached to said one frame member, said attaching portion of said clip including a pair of generally parallel legs extending from said mounting portion, said legs being resiliently flexible relative to one another, said legs each having a reverse bend at distal ends thereof forming a barb extending back toward said mounting portion and away from the associated leg, said barbs being flexible relative to said associated leg whereby said barbs can flex toward said legs, said legs and barbs being inserted into the aperture in said frame member by movement of the barbs toward the associated legs after which said barbs spread apart to a width larger than said aperture to prevent withdrawal of the legs and barbs from the aperture whereby said clip is attached to said frame member.

Claim 19

An assembly comprising: a frame having at least two spaced apart frame members; an elongated support wire extending between said spaced apart frame members; and a clip having a wire mounting portion with a bore for receiving a portion of said wire therethrough and an attaching portion for attaching said clip to one of said frame members by insertion of said attaching portion into an aperture in said one frame member whereby said wire, with a portion thereof disposed within said bore is attached to said one frame member, said attaching portion of said clip including a pair of generally parallel legs extending from said mounting portion, said legs being resiliently flexible relative to one another, said legs each having a reverse bend at distal ends thereof forming a barb extending back toward said mounting portion and away from the associated leg, said barbs being flexible relative to said associated leg whereby said barbs can flex toward said legs, said legs and barbs being inserted into the aperture in said frame member by movement of the barbs toward the associated legs after which said barbs spread apart to a width larger than said aperture to prevent withdrawal of the legs and barbs from the aperture whereby said clip is attached to said frame member.

Claim 20

The assembly of claim 16 wherein said clip is split between the legs from a distal end of said legs to said bore whereby the clip can be inserted onto the wire by pushing the wire between the legs to spread the legs and open the split therebetween allowing the wire to pass between the legs and into the bore.

Claim 21

The assembly of claim 17 wherein said legs have a chamfer at the distal end thereof to guide movement of said wire between said legs.

Claim 22

The assembly of claim 16 wherein said clip further comprises bias means adjacent said mounting portion for engaging a surface of said frame member adjacent said aperture and urging said legs in a direction to withdraw said legs from said aperture and draw said barbs into engagement with an opposite surface of said frame member adjacent said aperture therein.

Claim 23

The assembly of claim 19 wherein said clip further comprises tabs extending from ends of said barbs into said aperture to prevent lateral movement of said barbs relative to said aperture.