SEATING ARRANGEMENTS IN A VEHICLE

• US 20190023161A1
• Filed: 07/21/2017
• Published: 01/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Richard M., Prokhorov, Danil V., Williams, Paxton S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,549,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0235 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/10 tiltable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2875 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/161 Rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/164 Linear actuator, e.g. screw mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/181 Rods
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1846 pivoting about a distant axis, e.g. virtual
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1853 Linear actuator, e.g. screw mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/501 actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/404 Electro-magnetic actuators, e.g. with an electromagnet not rotating for moving a clutching member

Abstract

Various seating arrangements for a vehicle are described. Generally, the vehicle includes an electromagnetic array featured on a floor of the vehicle. The chair includes base having a plurality of magnets featured thereon. The vehicle generates signals for the electromagnetic array to generate a wave and impart a force on the chair in a determined direction via the plurality of magnets.

Claims

1. A seating system in a vehicle, comprising:

a floor featuring an electromagnetic array configured to output a magnetic field having a first polarity;

a chair including a base adjacent to the floor, the base featuring one or more magnets configured to have a shared second polarity that is opposite the first polarity;

a processor operatively connected to the electromagnetic array; and

memory operatively connected to the processor, the memory storing;

an array control module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to i) determine where to direct a wave in the magnetic field to impart a force on the chair in a determined direction, and ii) generate one or more control signals for the electromagnetic array to produce a wave in the magnetic field that moves across the electromagnetic array in the determined direction and thereby imparts the force on the chair via the one or more magnets in the determined direction.

2. The seating system of claim 1, wherein the chair further includes a seat and a suspension system operatively connected to the seat.

3. The seating system of claim 2, wherein the memory further stores:

a seat control module including instructs that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate one or more control signals for the suspension system to tilt the seat according to an acceleration of the vehicle.

4. The seating system of claim 3, wherein the seat is tilted towards the acceleration of the vehicle.

5. The seating system of claim 1, wherein the array control module further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate one or more additional control signals for at least some electromagnets in the electromagnetic array located underneath the chair to switch from the first polarity to the second polarity and thereby magnetically attach the chair via the one or more magnets to the floor.

6. The seating system of claim 5, wherein the at least some electromagnets located underneath the chair switch from the first polarity to the second polarity in response to a detected impending collision.

7. The seating system of claim 5, wherein the array control module further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate one or more additional control signals for at least some electromagnets in the electromagnetic array located around the chair to maintain the first polarity.

8. The seating system of claim 1, wherein the array control module further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine where to direct the wave to impart the force on the chair in the determined direction based on input from an occupant of the chair.

9. The seating system of claim 1, wherein the array control module further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine where to direct the wave to impart the force on the chair in the determined direction based on one or more accelerations of the vehicle.

10. The seating system of claim 1, wherein the array control module further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine where to direct the wave to impart the force on the chair in the determined direction based on a detected impending collision.

11. The seating system of claim 1, wherein the array control module further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate one or more additional control signals for the electromagnetic array to produce a counter wave in the magnetic field that moves across the electromagnetic array in the determined direction along an opposite side of the base as the wave and thereby imparts a force on the chair via the one or more magnets causing the chair to slow down.

12. The seating system of claim 1, wherein the wave has a varying magnetic field strength across the wave and thereby imparts a rotating force on the chair via the one or more magnets according to the varying magnetic field strength.

13. The seating system of claim 1, wherein the array control module includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to produce successive waves in the magnetic field that move across the electromagnetic array in the determined direction and thereby imparts successive forces on the chair via the one or more magnets in the determined direction.

14. A method of controlling a chair in a vehicle, the method comprising:

in a vehicle including a chair and a floor featuring an electromagnetic array, levitating the chair above the electromagnetic array using a magnetic field output by the electromagnetic array;

identifying a target destination for the chair within the vehicle; and

generating one or more waves in the magnetic field, the one or more waves moving towards the target destination, thereby imparting a force on the chair causing the chair to be located at the target destination.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the target destination comprises receiving one or more inputs from an occupant of the chair.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

in response to the chair being located at the target destination, detecting one or more changes from the target destination.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more waves include one or more waves moving opposite the detected one or more changes from the target destination, thereby causing the chair to be re-located at the target destination.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting an impending collision.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the target destination is a safe destination with respect to the impending collision.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

in response to detecting the impending collision, switching a polarity of a portion of the magnetic field positioned beneath the chair to thereby magnetically attach the chair to the floor.