Active material based conformable and reconfigurable seats

• US 20070246285A1
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Gao, Xiujie, Johnson, Nancy, Rodgers, William, Jones, Gary, Khoury, James, Browne, Alan, Glaser, Rainer, Ukpai, Ukpai, Ulicny, John, Zavattieri, Pablo, Cafeo, John, Perelli, Carol
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/273
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0226 User interfaces specially adapted for seat adjustment
• 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 2/0273 taking into account user data, e.g. knee height or physical state
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4263 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42709 involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42718 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42763 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/646 shape of the cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/885 provided with side-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/976 massaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/043 mounted on or under a seat

Abstract

A seat assembly includes an active material in operative communication with a seat surface configured to undergo a change in at least one property upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one property is effective to change at least one feature of the seat surface.

Claims

1. A seat assembly, comprising:

an active material in operative communication with a seat surface configured to undergo a change in at least one property upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one property is effective to change at least one feature of the seat surface.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises a shape memory alloy, a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy, a shape memory polymer, a magnetorheological elastomer, an electrorheological elastomer, an electroactive polymer, a piezoelectric material, a magnetorheological fluid, an electrorheological fluid, a shear thickening fluid, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing active materials.

3. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat surface includes at least a portion formed of the active material.

4. The seat assembly of claim 3, wherein the active material comprises fibers woven into the seat surface.

5. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the change in the at least one property comprises a change in a shape, a dimension, a phase, a shape orientation, a stiffness, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing properties.

6. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the change in at least one feature comprises a change in a shape, a stiffness, a configuration, a geometry, a compliance, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing features.

7. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the activation signal comprises a thermal activation signal, an electric activation signal, a magnetic activation signal, a chemical activation signal, a mechanical load, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing activation signals.

8. The seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising an activation device configured to provide the activation signal to the active material.

9. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises a plurality of shape memory alloy filaments disposed about a seat frame configured to undergo a contraction in a length dimension upon receipt of the activation signal, wherein the contraction in the length dimension is effective to change the tension of the shape memory alloy filaments disposed about the seat frame.

10. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat surface further comprises two or more wing portions extending from a lateral support section, wherein the change in at least one property of the active material is effective to selectively orient the wing portions relative to the lateral support section.

11. The seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bladder in operative communication with the seat surface, wherein the active material comprises a fluid disposed within the bladder, and wherein the change in at least one property is effective to change the resistance of the seat surface to deformation by inflating and/or deflating the bladder.

12. A method of conforming a seat to an occupant, the method comprising:

activating an active material with an activation signal, wherein the active material is in operative communication with a seat surface and is configured to undergo a change in at least one property upon receipt of the activation signal, wherein the change in a property is effective to change at least one feature of the seat surface.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising deactivating the active material to reverse the change in at least one property, wherein reversing the change in at least one property is effective to reverse the change in at least one feature of the seat surface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein activating the active material with the activation signal comprises continuously applying the activation signal to the active material and maintaining change in at least one feature of the seat surface.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the change in the at least one property comprises a change in a shape, a dimension, a phase, a shape orientation, a stiffness, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing properties.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the change in at least one feature comprises a change in a shape, a stiffness, a configuration, a geometry, a compliance, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing features.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein activating the active material with the activation signal comprises applying a selected one of a thermal activation signal, an electric activation signal, a magnetic activation signal, a chemical activation signal, and a mechanical load.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising locking the active material with the change in at least one property to hold the change after deactivating the active material.

19. A seat assembly, comprising:

a seat surface comprising a reversible curb; and

an active material in operative communication with the seat surface configured to undergo a change at least one property upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one property is effective to transition the reversible curb from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein in the stowed position the seat surface is suitable for seating an occupant and in the deployed position the reversible curve is configured to hold an item in place on the seat surface.

20. The seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the active material is a shape memory alloy spring in operative communication with a member configured to engage the seat surface, wherein the shape memory alloy spring is configured to undergo a change in a length dimension upon receipt of the activation signal, wherein the change in a length dimension is effective to engage the member with the seat surface thereby transitioning the reversible curb from the stowed position to the deployed position.

21. The seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the reversible curb further comprises a bladder in operative communication with the seat surface, wherein the change in at least one property of the active material is effective to inflate the bladder and transition the reversible curb from the stowed position to the deployed position.

22. The seat assembly of claim 19, wherein the reversible curb further comprises a hinge portion comprised of the active material, and wherein the change in at least one property of the active material is effective to rotatably translate the reversible curb from the stowed position to the deployed position.