PNEUMATIC DEVICE

• US 20190308537A1
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: STEINBERGER, Johann, THIEL, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 10,752,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/976 massaging systems

Abstract

A pneumatic device for varying a contour of a seat bearing surface includes a carrier foil TF composed of a first and a second foil ply which are arranged adjacent to one another. The pneumatic device has a first bladder for varying the contour of the seat bearing surface, including a bladder chamber which can be filled with pressure medium (DM). The pneumatic device furthermore has a first pressure medium line connected to the first bladder and which is formed by connection of the first and second foil plies along a line-side connection seam to create a pressure medium connection to the bladder chamber of the first bladder. One foil ply has, in the region of the first bladder, an opening in order to form a pressure medium channel to a further bladder, which can be filled with pressure medium and is connected to one of the foil plies.

Claims

1. A pneumatic device for varying a contour of a seat bearing surface of a vehicle seat, comprising:

a carrier foil composed of a first and a second foil ply which are arranged adjacent to one another;

a first bladder for varying the contour of the seat bearing surface, comprising a bladder chamber which can be filled with a pressure medium;

a first pressure medium line which is connected to the first bladder and which is formed by connection of the first and second foil plies along a first line-side connection seam in order to create a pressure medium connection to the bladder chamber of the first bladder, wherein one foil ply of the first and second foil plies has, in the region of the first bladder, an opening in order to form a pressure medium channel to a further bladder, which can be filled with the pressure medium and which is connected to one of the foil plies.

2. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, in which the first bladder is formed by connection of the first and second foil plies along a first bladder-side connection seam adjacent to the first line-side connection seam in order to create the pressure medium connection between the first pressure medium line and the first bladder.

3. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, which has at least one second pressure medium line which is formed by connection of the first and second foil plies along a respective second line-side connection seam.

4. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 3, which furthermore has at least one second bladder with a bladder chamber which is formed by connection of the first and second foil plies along an at least second bladder-side connection seam adjacent to a respective second line-side connection seam in order to create a pressure medium connection between the at least one second pressure medium line and an at least one second bladder assigned to said at least one second pressure medium line.

5. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 4, in which the first bladder and/or the at least one second bladder is assigned in each case one further pressure medium line which is formed in each case by connection of the first and second foil plies along a respective further line-side connection seam.

6. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, in which a diameter of a pressure medium line perpendicular to the plane of the carrier foil and/or in the plane of the carrier foil is smaller than a diameter of a bladder chamber connected to the respective pressure medium line.

7. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, in which the length of a pressure medium line is greater than the diameter of a pressure medium line.

8. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, in which one foil ply of the first and second foil plies is produced, by an injection molding process, with a structure such that the structure has at least one bladder which extends perpendicular to a foil plane and which can be filled with pressure medium.

9. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 8, in which the further bladder is formed with a single or multiple chamber.

10. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, in which a respective connection seam is a weld seam.

11. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, in which the carrier foil has the dimensions of the seat bearing surface or of a seat surface or backrest that forms said seat bearing surface.

12. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first bladder and the second bladder respectively is assigned an individual pressure medium line.

13. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat bearing surface for a user;

the pneumatic device as claimed in claim 1, which is arranged in the vehicle seat so as to vary the contour of the seat bearing surface.

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 13, in which the pneumatic device is arranged in the vehicle seat such that, in the region of the seat bearing surface, as lines for conducting pressure media, only the pressure medium lines of the pneumatic device are provided.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 13, which furthermore has a control unit which is connected to pressure medium lines of the pneumatic device in order to control a filling of the first and/or at least one second bladder with the pressure medium or an evacuation thereof.

18. The pneumatic device as claimed in claim 2, which has at least one second pressure medium line which is formed by connection of the first and second foil plies along a respective second line-side connection seam.

19. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 14, which furthermore has a control unit which is connected to pressure medium lines of the pneumatic device in order to control a filling of the first and/or at least one second bladder with pressure medium or an evacuation thereof.

16. A method for producing a pneumatic device for varying the contour of a seat bearing surface of a vehicle seat, comprising:

providing a carrier foil with at least one first and one second foil ply;

providing a first bladder for varying the contour of the seat bearing surface, comprising a bladder chamber which can be filled with pressure medium; and

connecting the first and the second foil ply along a first line-side connection seam in order to form a first pressure medium line in the carrier foil in order to produce a pressure medium connection to the first bladder.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, in which the provision of the first bladder comprises connection of the first and of the second foil ply along a first bladder-side connection seam adjacent to the first line-side connection seam in order to create the pressure medium connection between the first pressure medium line and the first bladder.