Method for the quantitative determination of the dynamic seating comfort of a seat padding
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Abstract
A method for determining an evaluation number which is representative of the quality of the dynamic sitting comfort of upholstered seat elements of a vehicle seat. A flexible measuring mat is applied to the upholstered seat element in a defined position and a matrix, which covers the surface, of force measuring sensors which operate without hysteresis is integrated into said measuring mat. A test person or a test body which behaves anthropomorphically in terms of oscillation is positioned on the vehicle seat. In order to carry out a measurement, this body/seat system is excited so as to oscillate, for example by traveling over a bad stretch of road. The signals supplied by the force measuring sensors are added with the same phase to form a composite signal. The frequency response of the body/seat system is determined from this composite signal.
12 Citations
24 Claims
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1-11. -11. (canceled)
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12. A method for determining an evaluation number which is representative of a quality of the dynamic sitting comfort of upholstered elements of a vehicle seat, said method comprising the steps:
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applying a flexible measuring mat to the upholstered seat element of the vehicle seat in a defined position, said measuring mat being provided with a plurality of separate force measuring sensors which are integrated into the measuring mat, are distributed in the manner of a grid so as to cover a surface of the mat, are also each inherently flexible, are each operate virtually without hysteresis up to a frequency of approximately 25 Hz and are each provided with signal terminals which lead outwards to an evaluation device;
subsequently loading the vehicle seat with a seat loading body under conditions close to reality;
positioning said seat loading body in a defined position, centrally on the vehicle seat, wherein said seat loading body is one of a natural test person and a freely movable test body which is designed so as to be anthropomorphic with respect to the oscillatory behavior of the vehicle seat;
exciting a system formed by the seat and the body so as to oscillate at least within a frequency range of 0 to 30 Hz;
at least one of recording and analyzing signals which are present at signal terminals of the force measuring sensors during the excitation where the signals of all the force measuring sensors are added at least approximately with the same phase to form a composite signal;
determining the spectral distribution of the amplitudes of a response oscillation of the body/seat system from the time profile of said composite signal; and
determining a ratio of an area integral of said frequency response up to a specific limit frequency;
using a limit value of said ratio of the area integral being used at the limit frequency as said evaluation number of the dynamic sitting comfort of the upholstered element of the vehicle seat. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24)
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23. A system for determining relative quality of dynamic comfort of upholstered elements of a vehicle seat, said system comprising:
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a flexible measuring mat applied to an upholstered seat element in a defined position wherein said flexible measuring mat includes a plurality of forced measuring sensor distributed as a grid to cover a surface of the mat, wherein each of said sensors are flexible and operate without hysteresis to a frequency of approximately 25 Hz and wherein each of said sensors are provided with an output terminal;
an evaluation device connected to received output signals from each of said output of said measuring devices;
an excitation device for oscillating said seat and said measuring mat within a range of frequency between 0 and substantially 30 Hz;
a measuring system for measuring and analyzing outputs of said measuring sensors including means for adding at least approximately within the same phase a force measuring sensor output to form a composite signal and performing a spectral distribution of amplitudes of response oscillations of a system formed by said seat and said mat from the time profile of said composite signals;
means for determining a ratio of an area integral of said frequency response to a specific limit frequency when a limit value of said ratio of the area integral at the limit frequency provides an evaluation number indicating said quality.
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Specification