Hydraulic suspension seat assembly
First Claim
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1. A seat assembly for mounting on a structure having a source of pressurized fluid and fluid reservoir means, comprising:
- seat means;
acutator means interconnecting the seat means and the structure responsive to a fluid connection to the source to move the seat means upwardly away from the structure and a fluid connection to the reservoir means to move the seat means downwardly towards the structure;
valving means secured relative to the structure and fluidly interconnecting the actuator means, the source and the reservoir means, said valving means having spool means therein movable from a center position wherein the source and the reservoir means are blocked from the actuator means to an upper position wherein the reservoir means is fluidly connected to the acutator means and to a lower position wherein the source is fluidly connected to the actuator means; and
rigid linkage means for maintaining a predetermined distance between the spool means and the seat means whereby the predetermined distance establishes a predetermined ride position of the seat means and movement of the seat means above the predetermined ride position moves the spool means to the upper position and movement of the seat means below the predetermined ride position moves the spool means to the lower position.
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Abstract
A vehicle seat assembly includes an actuator controlled by a three-position spool valve which is connected by an adjustable two-link linkage to the seat. The valve is directly responsive to the geometry of the linkage to urge the seat, regardless of the load on the seat, to a ride position established by the linkage.
30 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A seat assembly for mounting on a structure having a source of pressurized fluid and fluid reservoir means, comprising:
- seat means;
acutator means interconnecting the seat means and the structure responsive to a fluid connection to the source to move the seat means upwardly away from the structure and a fluid connection to the reservoir means to move the seat means downwardly towards the structure;
valving means secured relative to the structure and fluidly interconnecting the actuator means, the source and the reservoir means, said valving means having spool means therein movable from a center position wherein the source and the reservoir means are blocked from the actuator means to an upper position wherein the reservoir means is fluidly connected to the acutator means and to a lower position wherein the source is fluidly connected to the actuator means; and
rigid linkage means for maintaining a predetermined distance between the spool means and the seat means whereby the predetermined distance establishes a predetermined ride position of the seat means and movement of the seat means above the predetermined ride position moves the spool means to the upper position and movement of the seat means below the predetermined ride position moves the spool means to the lower position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- seat means;
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7. A seat assembly for mounting on a structure having a source of pressurized fluid and a fluid reservoir, comprising:
- seat means;
actuator means interconnecting the seat means and the structure responsive to a fluid connection to the source to move the seat means upwardly away from the structure and to a fluid connection to the reservoir means to move the seat means downwardly towards the structure;
a valve body having a vertical bore provided therein open to the top, a reservoir passage intersecting the bore at the bottom thereof fluidly connected to the reservoir, a source passage intersecting the bore between the top and bottom thereof fluidly connected to the source and an actuator passage intersecting the bore between the reservoir and source passages fluidly connected to the actuator means;
spool means slidably movable in the bore from a neutral position wherein the source and reservoir passages are blocked from the actuator passage to an upper position wherein the reservoir passage is fluidly connected to the actuator passage and to a lower position wherein the source passage is fluidly connected to the actuator passage; and
rigid linkage means operatively secured to the spool means and to the seat means for maintaining a predetermined distance between the spool means and the seat means whereby the predetermined distance estalishes a predetermined ride position of the seat means and movement of the seat means above the predetermined ride position moves the spool means to the upper position and movement of the seat means below the predetermined ride position moves the spool means to the lower position;
said rigid linkage means including adjusting means for increasing the predetermined distance whereby the predetermined ride position is raised and for decreasing the predetermined distance whereby the predetermined ride position is lowered. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- seat means;
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13. A seat assembly for mounting on a structure having a fluid source and a fluid reservoir, comprising:
- seat means;
actuator means interconnecting the seat means and the structure responsive to a fluid connection to the source to move the seat means upwardly away from the structure and to a fluid connection to the reservoir means to move the seat means downwardly towards the structure;
a valve body having a vertical bore provided therein open to the top, a reservoir passage provided therein fluidly connected to the reservoir and intersecting the bore at the bottom thereof, a source passage fluidly connected to the source and intersecting the bore between the top and bottom thereof, and an actuator passage fluidly connected to the actuator means and intersecting the bore between the reservoir and the source passages;
spool means including top and bottom lands slidable in the bore and separated by an annular groove provided therein, said bottom land slidable from a centered position wherein the actuator passage is blocked from the source and reservoir passages to an upper position wherein the actuator passage is fluidly connected to the reservoir passage and to a lower position wherein the actuator passage is fluidly connected to the source passage; and
rigid linkage means operatively secured to the spool means and to the seat means for maintaining a predetermined distance between the spool means and the seat means whereby the predetermined distance establishes a predetermined ride position of the seat means and movement of the seat means above the predetermined ride position moves the bottom land to the upper position and movement of the seat means below the predetermined ride position moves the bottom land to the lower position, said rigid linkage means including adjusting means for increasing the predetermined distance whereby the predetermined distance whereby the predetermined ride position is raised and for decreasing the predetermined distance whereby the predetermined ride position is lowered. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
- seat means;
Specification