Vehicle seat

• US 5,272,633 A
• Filed: 05/13/1991
• Issued: 12/21/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GEBR Isringhausen
• Original Assignee: GEBR Isringhausen
• Inventors: Pietsch, Helge
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US07/690,963
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.05, 318/652, 318/663, 318/467, 296/65.1
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/501 actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/505 Adjustable suspension including height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/508 Scissors-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/525 using gas

Abstract

The invention concerns a pneumatic spring-mounted vehicle seat with an electronic control, which controls at least the air valves of the pneumatic spring as a function of the swing strokes of the rocker system. It is proposed that an accurate analogous-path and time-equal electrical pattern be produced with only one swing stroke sensor for the swing strokes, and this sensor is applied continually to the input of a microprocessor, and thus this pattern can be compared, during the operational state of the seat and in constant recurring program sequences, with preset and, as the case may be, changeable event theoretical values.

Claims

1. An air suspension seat for a vehicle comprising:

a mechanical suspension system for controlling vertical movements of said seat, said suspension system including an air spring having a predetermined volume, and air valve means for selectively inflating and deflating said air spring; and

an electronic control system for controlling said air valve means comprising sensor means for sensing vertical movements of said mechanical suspension system, said sensor means outputting an uninterrupted stream of electrical output signals during movement of said suspension system, said stream of signals representing an exact position/time image of the movements of said suspension system, and

micro-processor means for selectively controlling said air valve means to inflate and deflate said air spring according to movements of said suspension system, said micro-processor means including a memory which is programmed with one or more pre-set desired values, said micro-processor means receiving said stream of signals from said sensor means and being programmed to compare by continuous recurrent program flows said stream of signals to said desired values, said micro-processor means selectively generating one or more output signals when a deviation exists between said stream of signals and said desired values, wherein said output signals are used to selectively control said air valve means.

2. In the air suspension seat of claim 1, said sensor means outputting an analog signal.

3. In the air suspension seat of claim 2, said sensor means comprising a potentiometer.

4. In the air suspension seat of claim 1, said sensor means outputting a digital signal.

5. In the air suspension seat of claim 1, said pre-established event theoretical values being modifiable.

6. In the air suspension seat of claim 1, said micro-processor comprising a memory-programmable micro-processor.

7. In the air suspension seat of claim 1, said air spring further having a supplemental air capacity for increasing the volume of said air spring and a valve for selectively connecting said supplemental air capacity to said air spring,

said micro-processor means comparing said stream of signals with at least two pre-set values by means of a logical relation and generating one or more output signals when a deviation exists, wherein said output signals are used for selectively controlling said air valve means for selectively inflating or deflating said air spring and for selectively controlling said valve for connecting said supplemental air capacity to said air spring.

8. The air suspension seat of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable shock absorber mounted to said mechanical suspension system,

said micro-processor memory being programmed with a pre-set desired velocity valve of said mechanical suspension system, said micro-processor means differentiating once against time at least two actual values of said stream of signals and comparing said once differentiated signal values with said velocity value, said micro-processor means generating one or more output signals when a deviation exists, wherein said output signals are proportional to said deviation and are used to selectively control said adjustable shock absorber.

9. The air suspension seat of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable shock absorber mounted to said mechanical suspension system, said air spring further having a supplemental air capacity for increasing the volume of said air spring, and a valve for selectively connecting said supplemental air capacity to said air spring,

said micro-processor memory being programmed with a pre-set desired acceleration value of said mechanical suspension system, said micro-processor means differentiating twice against time at least two actual values of said stream of signals and comparing said twice differentiated signal values with said acceleration value, said micro-processor means generating one or more output signals when a deviation exists, wherein said output signals are proportional to said deviation, and are used for selectively controlling said valve for connecting said supplemental air capacity to said air spring and for selectively controlling said adjustable shock absorber.