Air lumbar support device

• US 4,634,179 A
• Filed: 12/24/1985
• Issued: 01/06/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishio, Shigeru, Hashimoto, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/814,174
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284, 297/DIG. 3, 297/460
• US Class Current: 297/284.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/467 adjustable by fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0138 incorporated in furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/03 Pneumatic

Abstract

An air lumbar support device utilized in an automobile seat for adjusting the curvature of a seat back by selectively regulating air pressures of a plurality of air bags accommodated in the seat back. The support device includes a pressure sensor detecting the air pressures of the seat bags, an input circuit supplying an electric signal from the pressure sensor to a control circuit, an output circuit receiving electric signal from the control circuit and causing an air control valve to actuate to thereby control the air pressures of the air bags, and a memory circuit memorizing and reading the electric signal supplied from the input circuit to the control circuit.

Claims

1. An air lumbar support device in an automobile seat for adjusting the curvature of a seat back comprising:

a plurality of air bags accommodated in said seat back;

an electric-powered air pump supplying pressurized air to said air bags;

a solenoid activated air control valve connected to said air bags and controlling the air pressures of said air bags;

a pressure sensor detecting the air pressures of said air bags and supplying an electric signal indicative of said pressure;

an input circuit receiving said electric signals from said pressure sensor and supplying an output electric signal;

an output circuit for receiving an input electric signal and producing an output which causes said air control valve and said air pump to actuate;

a control circuit for receiving said output electric signal from said input circuit and supplying said input electric signal to said output circuit;

a memory circuit connected to said control signal for storing said output electric signals supplied from said input circuit to said control circuit;

a manually controlled operation panel provided with a mode changeover switch, a pressure valve memory select switch, and a manual air pump switch in connection to said control circuit;

wherein said control circuit is directed by said operation panel to store in said memory said electric signal from said input circuit when said mode changeover switch is in a first position;

to read from said memory a stored signal and compare said stored signal to said electric signal from said input circuit to supply said input electric signal to said output circuit when said mode changeover switch is in a second position; and

to permit manual control of said input electric signal to said output circuit when said mode change over switch is in a third position;

wherein the pressure in said air bags may be manually adjusted for the occupant'"'"'s comfort, said pressures stored in memory, and used to control said air bags to retain said pressures when called out of memory by the occupant.