Automobile seat assembly

• US 5,176,424 A
• Filed: 06/11/1992
• Issued: 01/05/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Yoshiaki, Kawamura, Ken, Fujise, Kazuki, Tobita, Koji, Hirota, Kouzou, Takagi, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US07/898,399
• Time in Patent Office: 208 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284, 297/452, 297/458, 297/459, 297/DIG. 1, 297/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 297/284.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/082 with non-manual inflation, e.g. with electric pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/083 with pressure control, e.g. with pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/085 of liquid type, e.g. filled with water or gel
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/086 with fluid-like particles, e.g. filled with beads
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/54 Inflatable chairs connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0033 mounted on or in the foam cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5657 blown towards the seat surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7041 Fixation of covers and springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/30 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/44 using fluids
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/01 Foam

Abstract

An automobile seat assembly includes a seat cushion subassembly and a seat back subassembly coupled with the seat cushion subassembly to represent a generally L-shaped configuration. A holding device is installed in the seat cushion subassembly and is deformable in response to the sitting of a seat occupant on a sitting area of the seat cushion subassembly and holds the sitting area in a deformed shape resulting from the seat occupant sitting on the sitting area. An actuating device installed in the seat cushion subassembly actuates the holding device. A detecting device detects the actual sitting position of the seat occupant on the sitting area. A control device is operable to operate the actuating device a predetermined time after the detecting device has detected the actual sitting position of the seat occupant on the sitting area.

Claims

1. A seat cushion subassembly comprising:

a cushioning layer defining a sitting area on which a seat occupant is to sit, said cushioning layer being deformable in response to the seat occupant sitting on said sitting area;

means for maintaining said cushioning layer in a deformed shape, resulting from the seat occupant sitting on said sitting area, after the seat occupant leaves said sitting area;

an outer layer separate from and positioned over said cushioning layer and deformable therewith in response to the seat occupant sitting on said sitting area; and

a plurality of spring means, operatively positioned with respect to said outer layer and said cushioning layer, for restoring said outer layer away from said cushioning layer to an original shape of said outer layer upon the seat occupant leaving said seat area while said cushioning layer remains in said deformed shape.

2. A seat cushion subassembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring means comprises a plurality of wire springs connected to said subassembly.

3. A seat cushion subassembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wire springs extend in a widthwise direction of said seat cushion.

4. A seat cushion subassembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wire springs are mounted on a layer surface of said outer layer.

5. A seat cushion subassembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wire springs have a wave configuration.

6. A seat cushion subassembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring means comprise a plurality of leaf springs connected to said subassembly.

7. A seat cushion subassembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said leaf springs extend in a widthwise direction of said seat cushion.

8. A seat cushion subassembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said leaf springs are mounted on a lower surface of said outer layer.