Seat system for a vehicle

• US 10,046,677 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClearMotion Acquisition I LLC
• Original Assignee: ClearMotion Acquisition I LLC
• Inventors: Parker, Robert Preston, Knox, Lawrence D., Hein, Travis Lee, Brown, Steven N., Selden, Brian Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US13/868,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• Field of Search: 296 6505, 296 681, 296 6508, 29619005, 180 8915, 180 8914, 248371, 297314
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/38 specially constructed for use on tractors or like off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/39 Seats tiltable to compensate for roll inclination of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/0212 the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/0216 the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a transversal axis

Abstract

A seat system for a vehicle includes a seat having a seat bottom on which a person can sit. An intermediate support structure is secured to the seat and the vehicle which allows the seat to rotate relative to the vehicle. An actuator can interact with the seat to cause the seat to rotate relative to the vehicle. One or more sensors can each measure an aspect of motion. A processor can (i) receive input from each of the one or more sensors, (ii) determine from this input a measure of rotation of the vehicle away from a nominal, level horizontal orientation, and (iii) utilize the input to determine a desired rotation of the seat. An angle that the seat has been rotated away from a nominal, level orientation is more than insubstantially larger than an angle that the vehicle has rotated away from a nominal, level horizontal orientation.

Claims

1. A seat system for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat including a seat bottom on which a person can sit, wherein a first imaginary reference vertical centerline passes through a body of a person who is sitting in the seat when both the seat and the vehicle are in a nominal, level horizontal orientation;

an intermediate support structure is secured to the seat and the vehicle which allows the seat to move relative to the vehicle;

a first actuator that can interact with the seat to cause the seat to move relative to the vehicle;

one or more sensors which can each measure an aspect of motion; and

a processor that can (i) receive input from each of the one or more sensors, and (ii) utilize the input to determine a desired movement of the seat relative to the vehicle such that a combined motion of the seat relative to the vehicle and the vehicle relative to earth results in motion of the person about a virtual pivot point located substantially along the reference vertical centerline.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion of the vehicle relative to earth is a rotation of the vehicle about a first axis, and wherein the virtual pivot point is located above the first axis about which the vehicle is rotating.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual pivot point is located above a floor of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual pivot point is located above a level where relative motion of the seat with respect to the vehicle occurs.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor controls motion of the seat in order to minimize displacement of the virtual pivot point along the reference vertical centerline as the vehicle is rotated.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the virtual pivot point is located about 1-4 feet above a surface of the seat bottom on which the person can sit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the virtual pivot point is located about 2-3 feet above a surface of the seat bottom on which the person can sit.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the seat is pivotally connected to the vehicle at or near a floor of the vehicle, wherein the actuator causes the seat to rotate about a second axis in an opposite sense relative to the rotation of the vehicle about the first axis.

9. The seat system of claim 2, wherein the seat is able to rotate about a second axis which is non-intersecting with a horizontal plane.

10. The seat system of claim 9, wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

11. The seat system of claim 9, wherein the second axis is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

12. The seat system of claim 9, further including a second actuator, wherein the seat is able to rotate about a third axis which is non-intersecting with the horizontal plane, the first and second actuators being able to cause the seat to rotate about the second and third axes.

13. The seat system of claim 12, wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, and the third axis is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

14. The seat system of claim 12, wherein the second and third axes are substantially orthogonal to each other.

15. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the seat is able to translate substantially parallel to a second axis which is non-intersecting with a horizontal plane.

16. The seat system of claim 15, wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

17. The seat system of claim 15, wherein the second axis is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

18. The seat system of claim 15, further including a second actuator, wherein the seat is able to translate substantially parallel to a third axis which is non-intersecting with the horizontal plane, the first and second actuators being able to cause the seat to translate substantially parallel to the second and third axes.

19. The seat system of claim 18, wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, and the third axis is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

20. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a roll rate of the vehicle about the first axis which is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

21. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a roll rate of the seat about a second axis which is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

22. The seat system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a lateral acceleration in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line and non-intersecting with the horizontal plane.

23. The seat system of claim 22, wherein the lateral acceleration sensor detects the lateral acceleration of the seat.

24. The seat system of claim 22, wherein the lateral acceleration sensor detects the lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

44. The seat system of claim 12, wherein the one or more sensors includes (i) a sensor for detecting a roll rate of the vehicle about the first axis which is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, and (ii) a sensor for detecting a pitch rate of the vehicle about a fourth axis which is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

25. A method of controlling motion of a seat relative to a vehicle to which the seat is connected, comprising the steps of:

receiving input at a processor from one or more sensors which can each measure an aspect of motion;

utilizing the processor to determine from the input a desired motion of the seat about a first axis which is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line, such that if a person were sitting in the seat, a combined motion of the vehicle relative to earth and the seat relative to the vehicle will result in that person being rotated about a position associated with their head or higher to substantially reduce side-to-side movement of the person'"'"'s head; and

issuing a signal from the processor to cause an actuator to rotate the seat about the first axis to achieve the desired motion of the seat about the first axis.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back which is connected to the seat bottom.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a roll rate of the vehicle about a second axis which is substantially parallel with the first axis.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a roll rate of the seat about the first axis.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a lateral acceleration in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis and non-intersecting with a horizontal plane.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the lateral acceleration sensor detects the lateral acceleration of the seat.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the lateral acceleration sensor detects the lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the processor receives an input that is indicative of a position of the actuator which is correlated to a position of the seat about the first axis.

33. A method of controlling motion of a seat relative to a vehicle to which the seat is connected, comprising the steps of:

providing a seat including a seat bottom on which a person can sit, wherein a first imaginary reference vertical centerline passes through a head of a person who is sitting in the seat when both the seat and the vehicle are in a nominal, level horizontal orientation;

securing an intermediate support structure to the seat and the vehicle which allows the seat to move relative to the vehicle;

connecting a first actuator between the seat and the vehicle which can be operated to cause the seat to move relative to the vehicle;

measuring an aspect of motion with one or more sensors; and

operating a processor to (i) receive input from each of the one or more sensors, and (ii) utilize the input to determine a desired movement of the seat relative to the vehicle such that a combined motion of the seat relative to the vehicle and the vehicle relative to earth results in motion of the person about a virtual pivot point located substantially along the reference vertical centerline.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the motion of the vehicle relative to earth is a rotation of the vehicle about a first axis, and wherein the virtual pivot point is located above the first axis about which the vehicle is rotating.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the virtual pivot point is located above a floor of the vehicle.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the virtual pivot point is located above a level where relative motion of the seat with respect to the vehicle occurs.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the processor controls motion of the seat in order to minimize displacement of the virtual pivot point along the reference vertical centerline as the vehicle is rotated.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the seat is pivotally connected to the vehicle at or near a floor of the vehicle, wherein the actuator causes the seat to rotate about a second axis in an opposite sense relative to the rotation of the vehicle about the first axis.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the seat is able to rotate about a second axis which is non-intersecting with a horizontal plane.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a roll rate of the vehicle about the first axis which is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a roll rate of the seat about a second axis which is substantially parallel to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for detecting a lateral acceleration in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the vehicle is moving when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line and non-intersecting with the horizontal plane.

43. A seat system for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat which includes a seat bottom on which a person can sit;

an intermediate support structure secured to the seat and the vehicle which allows the seat to rotate relative to the vehicle;

an actuator that can interact with the seat to cause the seat to rotate relative to the vehicle;

one or more sensors which can each measure an aspect of motion; and

a processor that can (i) receive input from each of the one or more sensors, (ii) determine from this input a measure of rotation of the vehicle away from a nominal, level horizontal orientation, and (iii) utilize the input to determine a desired rotation of the seat, wherein an angle that the seat has been rotated away from a nominal, level orientation is more than insubstantially larger than an angle that the vehicle has rotated away from a nominal, level horizontal orientation.

45. A method of controlling motion of a person relative to a vehicle in which the person is located, wherein motion of the vehicle relative to earth is a rotation of the vehicle about an axis, comprising the steps of:

providing a seat including a seat bottom on which the person can sit, wherein a first imaginary reference vertical centerline passes through a body of the person who is sitting in the seat when both the seat and the vehicle are in a nominal, level horizontal orientation, the seat being secured to the vehicle;

measuring an aspect of motion with one or more sensors; and

operating a processor to (i) receive input from each of the one or more sensors, and (ii) utilize the input to determine a desired movement of a first portion of the vehicle relative to a second portion of the vehicle such that a combined motion of the second portion of the vehicle relative to the first portion of the vehicle and the first portion of the vehicle relative to earth results in motion of the person about a virtual pivot point located substantially along the reference vertical centerline.

46. The method of claim 45, further including securing an intermediate support structure to the seat and the second portion of vehicle which allows the seat to move relative to the second portion of the vehicle, and connecting a first actuator between the seat and the second portion of the vehicle which can be operated to cause the seat to move relative to the second portion of the vehicle.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the second portion of the vehicle includes a cab of the vehicle, the seat being able to be moved relative to the cab, and the cab being able to be moved relative to the first portion of the vehicle.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the second portion of the vehicle includes a cab of the vehicle.