Vehicle seat

• US 4,592,588 A
• Filed: 08/04/1983
• Issued: 06/03/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachikawa Spring Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachikawa Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: Isono, Hiroyuki, Kurosawa, Mutsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zugel, Francis K.
• Application Number:
  US06/520,445
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284, 297/DIG. 3, 297/458, 297/459, 297/460
• US Class Current: 297/284.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/029 of non-adjustable shape adapted to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/467 adjustable by fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2881 Upholstery, padded or cushioned members therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/03 Pneumatic

Abstract

A vehicle seat is disclosed in which an air bag is inserted into each of a plurality of support sections provided in a seat cushion and a seat bag respectively, and feed/exhaust operating devices provided collectively at one place are operated to adjust the amount of air within each of the air bags separately or simultaneously so as to expand and thus elevate the front part of the respective support sections by means of air pressure.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising:

(a) a seat cushion having a thigh support section defined therein and a pair of side support sections formed at respective lateral portions thereof;

(b) a seat back having a lumbar support section and a shoulder support section defined thereon, and having a pair of side support section formed at respective lateral portions thereof;

(c) a first inflatable air bag incorporated within said thigh support section of said seat cushion;

(d) a second inflatable air bag incorporated within one of said pair of side support sections of said seat cushion;

(e) a third inflatable air bag incorporated within the other of said pair of side support sections of said seat cushion;

(f) a fourth inflatable air bag incorporated within said lumbar support section of said seat back;

(g) a fifth inflatable air bag incorporated within said shoulder support section of said seat back;

(h) a sixth inflatable air bag incorporated within one of said side support sections of said seat back;

(i) a seventh inflatable air bag incorporated within the other of said side support sections of said seat back;

(j) air source means for providing a source of pressurized air;

(k) pipe system means for establishing fluid communication between said air source means and each of said first to seventh inflatable air bags, inclusive;

(l) plural valve means each connected between said pipe system means and a respective one of said first to seventh inflatable air bags for permitting feed and exhaustion of said pressurized air into and out of said first to seventh inflatable air bags, respectively; and

(m) control means for collectively controlling the operation of said plural valve means at a common location, said control means including;

a console board on which a diagram of the vehicle seat is illustrated, thereby providing a diagrammatic view of the cushion seat and seat back and diagrammatically showing the thigh support section, the lumbar support section, the shoulder support section and the left and right side support sections of each of said cushion seat and seat back; and

plural switch means arranged on said console board such that they are each respectively positioned at corresponding one of said support sections shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat, said plural switch means including;

first switch means arranged on said thigh support section shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat for causing one of said valve means corresponding thereto to operate so as to effect the inflation and deflation of said first inflatable air bag, thereby to inflate or deflate said thigh support section of said seat cushion;

second switch means arranged on said left side support section shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat for causing one of said valve means corresponding thereto to operate so as to effect the inflation and deflation of said second inflatable air bag, thereby to inflate or deflate said left side support section of said seat cushion;

third switch means arranged on said right side support section shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat for causing one of said valve means corresponding thereto to operate so as to effect the inflation and deflation of said third inflatable air bag, thereby to inflate or deflate said right side support section of said seat cushion;

fourth switch means arranged on said lumbar support section shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat for causing one of said valve means corresponding thereto to operate so as to effect the inflation and deflation of said forth inflatable air bag, thereby to inflate or deflate said lumbar support section of said seat back;

fifth switch means arranged on said shoulder support section shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat for causing one of said valve means corresponding thereto to operate so as to effect the inflation and deflation of said fifth inflatable air bag, thereby to inflate or deflate said shoulder support section of said seat back;

sixth switch means arranged on said left side support section shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat for causing one of said valve means corresponding thereto to operate so as to effect the inflation and deflation of said sixth inflatable air bag, thereby to inflate or deflate said left side support section of said seat back; and

seventh switch means arranged on said right side support section shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat for causing one of said valve means corresponding thereto to operate so as to effect the inflation and deflation of said seventh inflatable air bag, thereby to inflate or deflate said right side support section of said seat back.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein said control means further includes common switch means arranged on the central portion of said cushion seat shown in said diagram of the vehicle seat, said common switch means being adapted to cause all of said valve means to operate so as to effect the inflation and deflation of all said first to seventh inflatable air bags at the same time, thereby to inflate or deflate all said support sections of said cushion seat and seat back simultaneously.