Seat with fatigue lessening device

• US 5,155,685 A
• Filed: 07/12/1990
• Issued: 10/13/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Akira, Kishi, Yoichi, Nagashima, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US07/551,386
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.05, 364/424.01, 318/466, 318/467, 296/65.1
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0149 Seat or chair
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape

Abstract

A seat having fatigue lessening device has a seat shape changer for changing an occupant holding portion of the seat. A physique judging device is employed for determining whether the occupant is overweight, middle sized or slim. The operation of the seat shape changer is controlled in accordance with information provided by the physique judging device.

Claims

1. A seat control system comprising:

a seat with an occupant holding portion;

first means for changing the shape of said occupant holding portion;

second means for controlling said first means to change the shape of said occupant holding portion for a given duration at given intervals;

third means for producing an information representative of the physique of an occupant; and

fourth means for changing said given intervals in accordance with said information from said third means.

2. A seat control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first means comprises:

an air pump;

a plurality of air-bags installed in given portions of the seat;

a plurality of pipes connecting the respective air-bags to an outlet of said air-pump; and

electromagnetic valves mounted to the respective pipes to selectively open and close the same.

3. A seat control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second and fourth means are incorporated with a computer.

4. A seat control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said third means comprises a pressure sensor which is installed in a seat cushion of the seat at the position where the hip portion of the occupant is placed.

5. A seat control system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said third means further comprises means for determining whether the occupant is overweight, middle-sized or slim in accordance with a pressure applied to said pressure sensor by the occupant.

6. A seat control system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said fourth means comprises a timer which starts a time measuring when said third means has determined the physique of the occupant.

7. A seat control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the time measured by said timer is determined in accordance with the physique of the occupant determined by said third means.

8. A seat control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said third means comprises a key board through which various factors of the physique of the occupant are fed to said computer.

9. A seat control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said factors include height and weight of the occupant.

10. A seat control system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said third means includes means which quantifies the inputted factors to an obesity index of the occupant.

11. A seat control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said third means quantifies the occupant as overweight, middle-sized or slim in accordance with the obesity index of the occupant.

12. A seat control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said fourth means comprises a timer which starts a time measuring when said third means has determined the physique of the occupant.

13. A seat control system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the time measured by said timer is determined in accordance with the physique of the occupant determined by said third means.

14. A seat control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the changing of said intervals by said physique of the occupant is carried out in an analogue manner.

15. A seat control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first means comprises an air-bag which is installed in a seatback of the seat at a position which supports a lumbar portion of the occupant.

16. A seat control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third means determines the physique of the occupant by information based on weight, figure, and height of the occupant.

17. A seat control system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the given intervals are controlled by the information of the third means which represents the weight, figure and height of the occupant.

18. A seat control system comprising:

a seat with an occupant holding portion;

first means for changing the shape of a first given part of said occupant holding portion for a given duration at a first given interval;

second means for changing the shape of a second given part of said seat occupant holding portion for a given duration at a second given interval;

third means for providing an information signal representative of the physique of an occupant; and

fourth means for changing said first and second given intervals in accordance with said information signal from said third means.

19. A seat control system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first and second means comprises:

an air pump;

a plurality of air-bags installed in the seat, wherein two of the air-bags are installed in said first and second given parts of said occupant holding portion;

a plurality of pipes connecting the respective air-bags to an outlet of said air-pump; and

electromagnetic valves mounted to the respective pipes to selectively open and close the same.

20. A seat control system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said fourth means is incorporated with a computer.

21. A seat control system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said third means comprises a pressure sensor which is installed in a seat cushion of the seat at the position where the hip portion of the occupant is placed.

22. A seat control system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said third means further comprises means for determining whether the occupant is overweight, middle-sized or slim in accordance with pressure applied to said pressure sensor by the occupant.

23. A seat control system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said fourth means comprises a timer which starts a time measuring when said third means has determined the physique of the occupant.

24. A seat control system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the time measured by said timer is determined in accordance with the physique of the occupant determined by said third means.

25. A seat control system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said third means comprises a key board through which various factors of the physique of the occupant are manually fed to said computer.

26. A seat control system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said factors include height and weight of the occupant.

27. A seat control system as claimed in claim 26, wherein said third means includes means which quantifies the inputted factors to an obesity index of the occupant.

28. A seat control system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said third means quantifies the occupant as overweight, middle-sized or slim in accordance with the obesity index of the occupant.

29. A seat control system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said fourth means comprises a timer which starts a time measuring when said third means has determined the physique of the occupant.

30. A seat control system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the time measured by said timer is determined in accordance with the physique of the occupant determined by said third means.

31. A seat control system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first given part is the part which supports a hip portion of the occupant and in which said fourth means shortens said second given interval when said third means provide an information signal which represents an overweight occupant.

32. A seat control system as claimed in claim 31, wherein said second given part is a part which supports a lumbar portion of the occupant and in which said fourth means shortens said second given interval when said third means provide and information signal which represents a slim occupant.