Adjustable seat assembly

• US 10,384,565 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Dhaini, Wissam
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Application Number:
  US15/223,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20180029503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/285 with metal strips or webs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/30 with springs meandering in a flat plane
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/026 varying hardness or support of upholstery, e.g. for tuning seat comfort when driving curved roads
• 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 2/505 Adjustable suspension including height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/58 Seat coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/646 shape of the cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/665 using inflatable bladders
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7088 with valves B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable

Abstract

A seat assembly is provided having a seat bottom and a seat back mounted adjacent the seat bottom. A cushion is disposed on at least one of the seat bottom and seat back and defines a seating surface. The seating surface has a plurality of regions. A controller is in communication with the cushion and is programmed to independently vary a stiffness of each of the regions along the seating surface.

Claims

1. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom;

a seat back mounted adjacent the seat bottom;

a cushion disposed on at least one of the seat bottom and seat back and defining a seating surface, the seating surface having a plurality of regions;

a controller in communication with the cushion and programmed to independently vary a stiffness of each of the regions along the seating surface; and

a plurality of sensors operably connected to the cushion and in electrical communication with the controller to detect a seating position of an occupant,

wherein the controller is programmed to dynamically vary the stiffness of the cushion in response to a sensed change in the seating position of the occupant by the plurality of sensors.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of regions comprises a plurality of foam cells formed in the cushion, wherein the stiffness in each of the foam cells is variable independently based on an air pressure in each foam cell.

3. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a rigid pan having a plurality of pan cells, wherein the stiffness in each of the regions is variable independently when each of the pan cells is actuated.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein stiffness of the cushion in each of the regions is dynamically varied based on an external condition.

5. The seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the external condition is based on destination information.

6. The seat assembly of claim 5 wherein the destination information includes at least one of a travel distance, a travel time, a road condition and an external temperature.

7. The seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the external condition is based on occupant data.

8. The seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the occupant data includes at least one of an occupant age, gender, health condition, weight and psychological condition.

9. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the cushion includes at least one adjustable bolster portion, wherein the controller is programmed to dynamically adjust a position of the bolster portion.