VEHICLE SEAT AND METHOD FOR CUSHIONING TWO SPRING PARTS WHICH ARE MOVABLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER

• US 20140354030A1
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: KOLB, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 9,248,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/452.49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/501 actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/509 Seat guided by slides or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/52 using fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/522 characterised by dampening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/525 using gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/54 using mechanical springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/544 Compression or tension springs B60N2/542 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/0212 the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/0216 the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a transversal axis
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 13/002 comprising at least one fluid spring F16F13/005, F16F13/02, F16F13/04 take precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat having a seat part extending in the vehicle lengthwise direction (X) and in the vehicle width direction (Y) and having a backrest part and a seat substructure for cushioning and/or damping at least the seat part with respect to a body of a vehicle , in which the seat substructure comprises at least one horizontal spring device having a first spring part , another spring part which is movable relative thereto and a deformable fluid spring element for cushioning the seat part with respect to the body in the vehicle lengthwise direction (X) and/or in the vehicle width direction (Y), the deformable fluid spring element being arranged with a first connecting region to the first spring part and another connecting region to the other spring part , wherein the deformable fluid spring element is arranged between the two spring parts so as to be deformed solely by these two spring parts upon relative movement of the two spring parts relative to each other.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat having a seat part extending in the vehicle lengthwise direction (X) and in the vehicle width direction (Y) and having a backrest part and a seat substructure for cushioning and/or damping at least the seat part with respect to a body of a vehicle, in which the seat substructure comprises at least one horizontal spring device having a first spring part, another spring part which is movable relative thereto and a deformable fluid spring element for cushioning the seat part with respect to the body in the vehicle lengthwise direction (X) and/or in the vehicle width direction (Y), the deformable fluid spring element being arranged with a first connecting region to the first spring part and another connecting region to the other spring part, wherein the deformable fluid spring element is arranged between the two spring parts so as to be deformed solely by these two spring parts upon relative movement of the two spring parts relative to each other.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the two connecting regions of the deformable fluid spring element are the sole engagement regions by means of which the deformable fluid spring element is deformable upon relative movement of the two spring parts relative to each other.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the deformable fluid spring element is always held and guided solely by the two spring parts arranged with mutual spacing transversely to the main cushioning direction.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the deformable fluid spring element is arranged, at least in the main cushioning direction, so as to oscillate freely between the two spring parts.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the deformable fluid spring element has an oblong configuration and is fixed to the two spring parts by means of each of its most spaced-apart end regions.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the deformable fluid spring element is fixed to one of the two spring parts by means of a fixed bearing and to the other of the two spring parts by means of a floating bearing, in particular the floating bearing comprising a pivot joint.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the deformable fluid spring element has, at one of its ends, a length-compensating device which acts transversely to the main cushioning direction.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the length-compensating device comprises a lever element which is arranged hingedly on one of the two spring parts .

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the two connecting regions of the deformable fluid spring element are held on the two spring parts so as to be slidable in parallel with each other in the main cushioning direction.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the deformable fluid spring element comprises an oblong, tubular and resilient main body which has a closed cavity which can be filled with a volume of cushioning fluid according to a measured spring path .

11. A method for cushioning two spring parts which are movable relative to each other and belong to a horizontal spring device of a vehicle seat having a seat part and a backrest part , in which the two spring parts are cushioned relative to each other by means of a deformable fluid spring element , wherein an internal pressure within the deformable fluid spring element is actively varied from the exterior according to at least one of an intensity of an introduced oscillation and a measured spring path in order to adapt the spring characteristic to the current introduced oscillation.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the internal pressure is actively increased from the exterior either prior to or during a first cushioning movement in the main cushioning direction, whereas the internal pressure is actively reduced either prior to or during a restoring cushioning movement counter to the first cushioning movement in order to prevent a build-up of oscillations due to excessive restoring forces of the deformable fluid spring element .