Vehicle seat with system for facilitating relieving of fatigue of person sitting on the seat

• US 20050127728A1
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Shinji, Takei, Yasuchika, Kawashima, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 7,152,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/284.300
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0023 for detection of driver fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• 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 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2893 coupled to the seat sub-frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/665 using inflatable bladders
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat back, a seat cushion, and a system for facilitating relieving of fatigue of a person sitting on the vehicle seat for many hours. The system includes an angle sensor installed within the seat back for sensing variations in an angle of a pelvic region of the person sitting on the vehicle seat, an active device installed within the seat back for pressure-supporting the pelvic region of the person, an actuating device connected to the active device for actuating the active device and a sequential control unit electrically connected to the angle sensor and the actuating device for controlling the operation of the actuating device, the angle sensor being constructed so as to send the sequential control unit signals representing values of variations in the angle of the pelvic region of the person, the sequential control unit being constructed such that, when a value represented by a signal sent to the sequential control unit from the angle sensor is more than a predetermined value, the sequential control unit sends the actuating device a command to actuate the actuating device, whereby the active device is actuated, to thereby control supporting pressure that is applied to the pelvic region of the person.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising a seat back, a seat cushion, and a system for facilitating relieving of fatigue of a person sitting on the vehicle seat for many hours;

said system comprising;

an angle sensor installed within said seat back for sensing variations in an angle of a pelvic region of the person sitting on said vehicle seat;

active means installed within said seat back for pressure-supporting the pelvic region of the person;

actuating means connected to said active means for actuating said active means; and

sequential control means electrically connected to said angle sensor and said actuating means for controlling the operation of said actuating means;

said angle sensor being constructed so as to send said sequential control means signals representing values of variations in the angle of the pelvic region of the person;

said sequential control means being constructed such that, when a value represented by a signal sent to said sequential control means from said angle sensor is more than a predetermined value, said sequential control means sends said actuating means a command to actuate said actuating means, whereby said active means is actuated, to thereby control supporting pressure that is applied to the pelvic region of the person.

2. A vehicle seat according claim 1, wherein said system further includes second active means for pressure-supporting a lumbar vertebra region of the person, said second active means being installed within said seat back and connected to said actuating means.

3. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein said system further includes active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting hipbone knot regions of the person, second actuating means connected to said active means within said seat cushion for actuating said active means within said seat cushion, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

4. A vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said system further includes third active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting hipbone knot regions of the person, second actuating means connected to said third active means for actuating said third active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

5. A vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein said system further includes active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person, second actuating means connected to said active means within said seat cushion for actuating said active means within said seat cushion, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

6. A vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said system further includes active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person, second actuating means connected to said active means within said seat cushion for actuating said active means within said seat cushion, and control means for controlling the operation of said actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

7. A vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein said system further includes active means installed within said seat cushion and connected to said second actuating mean for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person.

8. A vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein said system further includes fourth active means installed within said seat cushion and connected to said second actuating means for pressing supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person.