Motor vehicle seat

• US 5,975,633 A
• Filed: 04/06/1998
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Walk, Hansjorg, Groche, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US09/011,967
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.1, 297/452.4, 297/284.3, 297/284.9
• US Class Current: 297/284.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42727 involving substantially rigid displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42754 of the cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest

Abstract

A motor vehicle seat with mutually movable side supports of seat components adjustable by an adjusting device. As the state of movement of the vehicle can be detected by a detecting device, allowing the adjuster to control at least one side support via an actuator in such a way that, during lateral acceleration during travel the seat user is automatically relieved of stress, a motor vehicle seat is provided which effects a dynamic seat adjustement for the user dependently upon the prevailing state of movement and thus makes him/her more comfortable.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, comprising side supports movable relative to one another and adjustable by an adjusting device, wherein a state of motion of the motor vehicle is detectable by a detection device which causes the adjusting device to control, via at least one actuator, a selected side support such that a load on a seat user is alleviated when transverse acceleration occurs during driving, wherein said actuator comprises a servo-motor.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein control of the selected side support is a function of acceleration of the motor vehicle.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein control of the selected side support is a function of a turning angle of a steering wheel.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein control of the selected side support is a function of the speed of the motor vehicle.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting device returns the selected side support to an initial position.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein a spring storage device returns the selected side support to an initial position.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the selected side support is a portion of a seat.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the selected side support is a portion of a headrest.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the detection device includes an acceleration sensor.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the detection device includes a sensor to detect a turning angle of a steering wheel.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a servo-working cylinder.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a mechanical adjusting member.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises coupled gears.

14. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises cam and eccentric drives.

15. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a spring system with adjustable spring stiffness.

16. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein when a transverse movement in a curve direction occurs, the adjusting device controls a selected side support.

17. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the parameters of the movement of the selected side support may be adjusted individually by the seat user.

18. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting device may be manually operated.

19. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the selected side support is a portion of a backrest.

20. The vehicle seat according to claim 19 wherein the backrest includes two side supports and an upper portion of the side support has a shoulder contour adapted to the shoulder contour of the seat user and a lower portion of the side support follows synchronously the movement of the upper portion, and in that the ratio of the largest to the smallest effective width of the side support assumes a value of at least 1 to 1.5.

21. The vehicle seat according to claim 20 wherein associated with each side support of the backrest there is provided a drive unit which controls the lower portion and the upper portion of each side support via a drive mechanism.

22. A vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, comprising side supports movable relative to one another and adjustable by an adjusting device, wherein a state of motion of the motor vehicle is detectable by a detection device which causes the adjusting device to control, via at least one actuator, a selected side support such that a load on a seat user is alleviated when transverse acceleration occurs during driving;

wherein the actuator comprises a servo-working cylinder.

23. A vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, comprising side supports movable relative to one another and adjustable by an adjusting device, wherein a state of motion of the motor vehicle is detectable by a detection device which causes the adjusting device to control, via at least one actuator, a selected side support such that a load on a seat user is alleviated when transverse acceleration occurs during driving;

wherein the actuator comprises cam and eccentric drives.