VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20100231016A1
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Võlz, Reimer
• Application Number:
  US12/721,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231016A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/217.100
• 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 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/986 Side-rests B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable

Abstract

In a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle, that includes, but is not limited to a seat surface, a backrest, at least one space in the area of the lateral supports of the seat surface and/or the backrest for the formation of at least one lateral seat support cushion. The space is sealed fluid-tight and variable in volume, and has at least one closing unit, e.g., a valve, for the controlled introduction and release of air into and from the space so as to vary the volume of the space, a cost-effective variable level of lateral support for the vehicle seat is to be enabled at a low technical outlay. This object is achieved by having the space incorporates a flexible body.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a seat surface;

a backrest;

at least one space that is present in an area of lateral supports of the seat surface or the backrest to form at least one lateral seat support cushion, wherein the at least one space is substantially sealed fluid-tight and variable in a volume;

at least one closing unit adapted for a controlled introduction and release of air into and from the at least one space so as to vary the volume of the at least one space; and

a flexible body is arranged in the at least one space.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the at least one closing unit is adapted for control in such a way that when a required level of lateral support is higher than a prescribed level of lateral support, an at least reduced air per unit of time is adapted for release and introduction from the at least one space given a specific pressure difference between the at least one space and an environment than given at least required lateral support by comparison to the prescribed level of lateral support.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the at least one closing unit is adapted for control in such a way that when a required level of lateral support is higher than a prescribed level of lateral support, substantially no air per unit of time can be released and introduced from the at least one space, and when the required level of lateral support is lower than the prescribed level of lateral support, air can be introduced and released from the at least one space.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the at least one space is enveloped in a substantially fluid-tight manner by a membrane.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein given an elastic deformation and reduction of the volume of the flexible body and air can be released from the at least one space or introduced into the at least one space via a resilient recovery of shape and increase in the volume of the flexible body.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising a check valve adapted to introduce air exclusively into the at least one space.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the flexible body comprises foam.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising a compacting device that is adapted to introduced air into the at least one space if a level of required lateral support is higher than a prescribed level of lateral support.

16. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the flexible body further comprises at least one spring.

17. The vehicle seat according to claim 16, wherein the at least one spring is a spiral spring.

9. A motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one sensor adapted to acquire a level of required lateral support for a vehicle passenger;

an evaluator unit adapted to evaluate the level of required later support acquired by the at least one sensor; and

vehicle seat adapted to support the vehicle passenger, the vehicle seat comprising;

a seat surface;

a backrest;

at least one space that is present in an area of lateral support of the seat surface or the backrest to form at least one lateral seat support cushion, wherein the at least one space is substantially sealed fluid-tight and variable in a volume;

at least one closing unit adapted for a controlled introduction and release of air into and from the at least one space so as to vary the volume of the at least one space; and

a flexible body is arranged in the at least one space.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is a steer angle sensor.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein data acquired by the at least one sensor can be used by the evaluator unit to determine the level of required lateral support.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein a prescribed level of lateral support is selectable.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least one closing unit is adapted for control in such a manner given the level of required lateral support that is higher than a prescribed level of lateral support that when the higher a difference between the level of required lateral support and the prescribed level of lateral support, the lower a quantity of air that can be released from the at least one space and introduced per unit of time given a specific pressure difference between the at least one space and an environment.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle passenger can set a functional correlation between the difference between the level of required lateral support and the prescribed level of lateral support and the quantity of air that can be released from the at least one space per unit of time given the specific pressure difference between the at least one space and the environment

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein a compacting device is adapted to introduce air into the at least one space once the level of required lateral support is higher than a prescribed level of lateral support.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is a velocity sensor.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is an acceleration sensor.

20. The motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is a mass sensor for acquiring a mass of the vehicle passenger situated on the vehicle seat.