VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20070118259A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: CHERNOFF, ADRIAN, MORRIS, STEVEN, LAWALL, JENNIFER
• Application Number:
  US11/535,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20070118259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• 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 2/026 varying hardness or support of upholstery, e.g. for tuning seat comfort when driving curved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape

Abstract

A seat adjustment system for a vehicle includes a seat, a controller, and an occupant sensing system. The controller adjusts a pressure distribution of the seat in response to signals from the occupant sensing system to facilitate entry and/or egress from the vehicle.

Claims

1. A seat adjustment system for use within a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle seat; and

a controller;

wherein said controller is operative to automatically adjust an expandable volume in said seat in anticipation of entry or egress with respect to said vehicle seat to ease entry or egress.

2. The seat adjustment system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle seat includes at least one air-filled bladder operative as said expandable volume, and wherein said controller adjusts the amount of air within said at least one air-filled bladder, thereby adjusting said air pressure distribution.

3. The seat adjustment system of claim 1, further comprising an occupant sensing system including at least one sensor disposed with respect to said vehicle seat and configured to detect the presence or absence of an occupant on the vehicle seat, said at least one sensor operable to transmit a signal to said controller.

4. The seat adjustment system of claim 3, wherein said at least one sensor detects a pressure profile of an occupant on the vehicle seat and transmits said signal to said controller dependent upon said pressure profile of said occupant.

5. The seat adjustment system of claim 1 further comprising a vehicle door configured to transmit a signal to said controller indicating one of said vehicle door being opened or closed, and wherein said controller adjusts said expandable volume based upon said vehicle door being opened or closed in order to facilitate ingress or egress.

6. The seat adjustment system of claim 1 further comprising a remote device configured to transmit a signal to said controller when activated, wherein said controller adjusts said expandable volume when said remote device is activated.

7. The seat adjustment system of claim 1 further comprising an input device configured to transmit a signal to said controller when activated, wherein said controller adjusts said expandable volume when said input device is activated.

8. A vehicle seat comprising:

at least one outer bolster; and

a seat cushion;

wherein said at least one outer bolster is configured to decrease in height and said seat cushion is configured to increase in height in response to transmission of a signal to facilitate at least one of entry and egress with respect to said vehicle seat.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 8 further comprising a vehicle door, wherein said signal is transmitted when said vehicle door is opened.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 8, further including:

a controller;

a first air-filled bladder disposed with respect to said at least one outer bolster; and

a second air-filled bladder disposed with respect to said seat cushion;

wherein said controller adjusts the amount of air within said first and second air-filled bladders to decrease the height of said least one outer bolster and increase the height of said seat cushion for entry or egress.

11. A vehicle seat comprising:

a vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat cushion;

a controller; and

wherein said controller is operative to automatically adjust an air pressure distribution in said seat back and said seat cushion in anticipation of entry or egress with respect to said vehicle seat to ease entry or egress

12. The vehicle seat of claim 11, wherein said seat back and said seat cushion each includes at least one air-filled bladder, and wherein said controller adjusts the amount of air within said at least one air-filled bladder, thereby adjusting said pressure distribution.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 11 further comprising a vehicle door configured to transmit a signal to said controller indicating one of said vehicle door being opened or closed, and wherein said controller adjusts said pressure distribution based upon said vehicle door being opened or closed in order to facilitate ingress or egress.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 11 further comprising a remote device configured to transmit a signal to said controller when activated, wherein said controller adjusts said pressure distribution when said remote device is activated.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 14, wherein said remote device is a key-less entry device.

16. The vehicle seat of claim 11 further comprising an input device configured to transmit a signal to said controller when activated, wherein said controller adjusts said pressure distribution when said input device is activated.

17. The vehicle seat of claim 16, wherein said input device may be activated when said occupant is present within said vehicle seat.

18. A method of adjusting a vehicle seat based upon a condition indicative of ingress or egress of an occupant within a vehicle, comprising:

determining said condition indicative of ingress or egress of said occupant with respect to said seat;

transmitting at least one signal to a controller based upon said condition; and

altering an air pressure distribution of at least one air bladder within said vehicle seat based upon said signal in order to facilitate ingress or egress.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said vehicle seat further includes at least one outer bolster and a seat cushion, wherein said altering said pressure distribution includes the steps of decreasing the height of said at least one outer bolster and increasing the height of said seat cushion in response to said signal.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said condition indicative of ingress or egress includes one of activating an input device, activating a remote device, opening or closing a vehicle door, and putting said vehicle in park.