Method and apparatus for controlling air cell in seat

• US 10,046,679 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Dymos Inc. (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Dymos Inc. (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Byun, Deuk Kyu, Lee, Chang Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US15/370,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20170166099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 701 49, 307 101, 307 106, 2972173, 2972841, 2972844, 2972843
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 Force or pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 using a database
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for controlling an air cell in a seat. It includes: an air cell provided in the seat; a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure in the air cell; an actuation switch configured to enable an operation of injecting or discharging air into or from the air cell; and a control unit input with the measured air cell pressure value.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an air cell in a seat, the apparatus comprising:

an air cell provided in the seat and supporting a body of a passenger who sits on the seat;

a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure in the air cell;

an actuation switch configured to enable an operation of injecting or discharging air into or from the air cell; and

a control unit input with the measured air cell pressure value, the control unit configured to;

store an intake time when the air is injected into the air cell, and an outtake time when the air is discharged from the air cell during the outtake operation of the actuation switch,

calculate a converted intake time from an air amount required for filling the air as full as a current air cell by using a function between the intake time and the outtake time,

store the air cell pressure value after a predetermined time elapsed from the time when the outtake time is stored, and

control the air cell to be expanded and restored by the stored air cell pressure value and the converted intake time when a vehicle is turned on after the vehicle is turned off.

2. A method for controlling an air cell provided in a seat, the method comprising:

an intake time storing step for storing an intake time when air is injected into the air cell in a control unit;

an outtake time storing step for storing an outtake time when the air is discharged from the air cell during an outtake operation of the actuation switch;

a calculating step for calculating, by the control unit, a converted intake time from an air amount required for filling the air as full as a current air cell by using a function between the intake time and the outtake time;

a restored outtake pressure storing step for storing the air cell pressure value after a predetermined time elapsed from the time when the outtake time is stored in the control unit; and

an expanding and restoring step for controlling, by the control unit, the air cell to be expanded and restored with a use of the stored air cell pressure value and the converted intake time when a vehicle is turned on after the vehicle is turned off.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

after the intake time storing step, a restored intake pressure storing step of storing the air cell pressure value after a predetermined time elapsed from the time when the intake time is stored.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the intake time in the intake time storing step is a motor actuation time when a motor is actuated to automatically expand and restore the air cell with the use of the stored air cell pressure value and the converted intake time when the vehicle is turned on.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the intake time in the intake time storing step is a motor actuation time when the motor is actuated in link with the actuation switch during an intake operation of the actuation switch when the vehicle is turned on.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the outtake time storing step comprises a preliminary restored pressure storing step for storing the air cell pressure value when the outtake operation of the actuation switch ends.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein in the calculating step, the converted intake time is calculated through addition and subtraction of the intake time and the outtake time and the outtake time used for the calculated converted intake time is calculated by adding a predetermined reference value to the outtake time.