Air support adjusting apparatus for seat of vehicle

• US 4,833,614 A
• Filed: 04/07/1987
• Issued: 05/23/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Chikamasa, Saitoh, Masatsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/035,421
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.05, 364/425, 296/65 R, 297/346, 297/284, 297/DIG. 3, 248/550, 307/9, 307/10 R, 307/105 B
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0233 Touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/026 varying hardness or support of upholstery, e.g. for tuning seat comfort when driving curved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 Force or pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 using a database
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/03 Pneumatic

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling air pressure of an onboard air support system of a vehicle comprising a pump connected to the air support for supplying or discharging the air to or from the air support, a pressure sensor in association with the air support for detecting the pressure thereof, a memory for storing present pressure values for the air support, a controller for generating pump operation control data on the basis of data derived from the detection output of the pressure sensor and data of the preset pressure value stored in the memory means, and a timer for determining the period during which the pump is to be operated on the basis of control data available from the controller, and producing a control signal supplied to said pump. Upon adjustment of the air pressure of the air support, the air pressure information inputted and stored previously is compared with the current air pressure, wherein the time for which the pump is operated is set in accordance with a difference resulting from the comparison, followed by operation of the pump.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the air pressure of an air support, comprising:

a pump connected to said air support for supplying or discharging the air to or from said air support;

a pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure within said air support;

a memory means for storing a preset pressure value for said air support;

a controller for generating pump operation control data by calculating the time for which the pump is to be operated on the basis of data derived from the detected output of said pressure sensor and data derived from the preset pressure value stored in said memory means; and

a timer for counting the time during which said pump is to be operated on the basis of the control data available from said controller and providing a control signal to said pump indicative of said time.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said air support forms part of a lumbar support on a vehicle seat.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said air support forms part of a thigh support provided on a vehicle seat cushion.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further indicating data input means connected to said memory means which allows the preset pressure value to be rewritten as a user wishes.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, after the operation of said pump, the pressure data of said air support is again detected for comparison with the preset pressure data stored in said memory means.

6. In combination with a centrally located control system for a vehicle, comprising:

operation control means, such as a seat operation control means and a window open/close control means;

input/output means for outputting a predetermined signal in response to input information;

a controller means receiving a predetermined signal for selecting said operation control means for actuation and producing a display signal for indicating items for control together with corresponding control procedures for said selected operation control means; and

a display device for receiving said display signal outputted by said controller means for displaying said items and said corresponding procedures;

an air support pressure control apparatus for said seat operation control means, comprising;

a memory means in which a preset air pressure value for an air support is stored, a controller;

a timer;

a pump connected to said air support for supplying or discharging the air to or from said air support;

a pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure within said air support;

wherein said controller generates pump operation control data by calculating the time for which the pump is to be operated on the basis of the detection data of said pressure sensor and the preset pressure data stored in said memory means, while said timer counts the time for which said pump is operated on the basis of control data supplied from said controller and thereby provides a control signal to said pump.

7. A method for operating an air filled support device comprising the steps of:

storing in a memory a preset air pressure value for the air pressure within the support device;

detecting the actual air pressure within the air support device;

comparing the detected air pressure to the preset air pressure value stored in the memory means; and

on the basis of this comparison, generating a timing signal indicative of the period for which an air pump is to be operated to reach a predetermined air pressure; and

providing said generated timing signal to a pump, whereby air is either added to the air support device or removed therefrom.

8. The method of claim 7 further including the step of varying the preset pressure value.