ADJUSTABLE SEAT ASSEMBLY

• US 20150352979A1
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: O'BANNON, Terry, PERENY, Michelle A., HANLON, Samuel R., GALBREATH, Ashford Allen, PATRICK, Gerald, HENN, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 10,328,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/0022 for sensing anthropometric parameters, e.g. heart rate or body temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/003 characterised by the sensor mounting location in or on the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• 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 2/0273 taking into account user data, e.g. knee height or physical state
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/16 height-adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/806 movable or adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/44 using fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 using a database
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm

Abstract

A seat assembly is provided with a translatable seat cushion, a pivotal seat back, and a head restraint adapted to be mounted for translation adjacent the seat back. An actuator is operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly. A controller is in electrical communication with the actuator and is configured to receive input indicative of occupant anthropometry data, current physical condition and/or activity level, compare the input with predetermined data ranges, and adjust at least one of the plurality of settings of the actuator to a predetermined setting based on the predetermined range. A computer-program product is programmed for automatically adjusting a seat assembly. A method for adjusting a seat assembly receives anthropometry data for an occupant.

Claims

1. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion adapted to be mounted for translation;

a seat back adapted to be pivotally mounted adjacent the seat cushion;

at least one actuator operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly; and

a controller in electrical communication with the at least one actuator and configured to;

receive input indicative of at least one of occupant anthropometry data, current physical condition and activity level,

compare the input with predetermined data ranges, and

adjust at least one of the plurality of settings of the at least one actuator to a predetermined setting based on the predetermined data range.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive input indicative of occupant anthropometry data; and

adjust at least one of the plurality of settings of the at least one actuator to the predetermined setting based on the predetermined data range associated with the occupant anthropometry data.

3. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive input indicative of current physical condition; and

adjust at least one of the plurality of settings of the at least one actuator to the predetermined setting based on the predetermined data range associated with the current physical condition.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive input indicative of activity level; and

adjust at least one of the plurality of settings of the at least one actuator to the predetermined setting based on the predetermined data range associated with the activity level.

5. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the predetermined data ranges comprises biomechanically optimized data.

6. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the predetermined data ranges comprises a table of anthropometry data ranges collected from a plurality of surveyed persons.

7. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator comprises:

a compressor in electrical communication with the controller;

a plurality of valves in electrical communication with the controller and in fluid communication with the compressor; and

a plurality of air bladders in fluid communication with the plurality of valves.

8. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator comprises a motor-driven height adjustment mechanism.

9. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator comprises a motor-driven fore-aft adjustment mechanism.

10. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator comprises a motor-driven head restraint adjustment mechanism.

11. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator comprises:

a compressor in electrical communication with the controller;

a plurality of valves in electrical communication with the controller and in fluid communication with the compressor;

a plurality of air bladders in fluid communication with the plurality of valves;

a motor-driven height adjustment mechanism;

a motor-driven fore-aft adjustment mechanism; and

a motor-driven head restraint adjustment mechanism.

12. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion, the seat back, and a head restraint to detect a seating position of an occupant.

13. The seat assembly of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sensors comprise:

at least one left side sensor; and

at least one right side sensor.

14. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to:

output a questionnaire to a media device; and

receive input indicative of the occupant anthropometry data from the media device in response to the questionnaire.

15. The seat assembly of claim 14 wherein the at least one actuator is manually adjustable;

and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

receive input indicative of a manual adjustment,

compare the manual adjustment to biomechanically optimized data, and

adjust the at least one actuator to a setting corresponding to a predetermined range of biomechanically optimized data associated with the occupant anthropometry data.

16. A computer-program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that is programmed for automatically adjusting a seat assembly, the computer-program product comprising instructions for:

receiving input indicative of at least one of occupant anthropometry data, current physical condition and activity level;

comparing the input with predetermined data ranges; and

adjusting an actuator to a predetermined setting based on the predetermined range.

17. The computer-program product of claim 16 further comprising instructions for:

receiving input indicative of occupant anthropometry data; and

adjusting the actuator to the predetermined setting based on the predetermined range associated with the anthropometry data.

18. The computer-program product of claim 16 further comprising instructions for:

outputting a questionnaire to a media device; and

receiving input indicative of the occupant anthropometry data from the media device in response to the questionnaire.

19. The computer-program product of claim 18 further comprising instructions for:

receiving input indicative of a manual adjustment;

comparing the manual adjustment to biomechanically optimal data; and

adjusting the actuator to a predetermined setting based on the biomechanically optimal data associated with the occupant anthropometry data.

20. A method for adjusting a seat assembly comprising steps of:

receiving anthropometry data for an occupant;

comparing the anthropometry data of the occupant to predetermined ranges of anthropometry data; and

adjusting the seat assembly to a preferred seating adjustment for the associated range of anthropometry data.