Vehicle seat with pneumatic adjustment

• US 6,402,245 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Recaro GmbH & Co.
• Original Assignee: Recaro GmbH & Co.
• Inventors: Frey, Achim, Newton, Gerrit
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US09/564,259
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.11, 297/DIG.3, 297/DIG.8, 297/452.41, 297/311, 297/312, 297/313, 297/328, 297/337, 297/338, 297/339
• US Class Current: 297/284.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/08 Inflatable bellows

Abstract

An adjustable vehicle seat comprises a structurally fixed part, at least one adjustable part mounted for moving relative to the structurally fixed part, and an inflatable cushion positioned between the adjustable part and the structurally fixed part. The inflatable cushion is operative for pneumatically adjusting the position of the adjustable part relative to the structurally fixed part. The pneumatic adjustment of parts of the vehicle seat has the advantage that the compressed air supply which is already available can be shared, making additional electric motors for adjustment purposes unnecessary.

Claims

1. An adjustable vehicle seat, comprising:

a structurally fixed part connected to a backrest frame;

a first side piece having a first angular element that reaches as far as a rear side of the structurally fixed part;

a first inflatable cushion positioned between the first angular element of the first side piece and the rear side of the structurally fixed part, and operative for pneumatically adjusting the position of the first side piece relative to the structurally fixed part, wherein the first side piece is mounted for pivoting relative to the backrest frame and the structurally fixed part in response to pneumatic operation of the first inflatable cushion;

a second side piece positioned on a side of the adjustable vehicle seat opposite from the first side piece and having a second angular element that reaches as far as the rear side of the structurally fixed part; and

a second inflatable cushion positioned between the second angular element of the second side piece and the rear side of the structurally fixed part, and operative for pneumatically adjusting the position of the second side piece relative to the structurally fixed part, wherein the second side piece is mounted for pivoting relative to the backrest frame and the structurally fixed part in response to pneumatic operation of the second inflatable cushion.

2. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a tension spring mounted for biasing toward one another portions of the angular elements that reach as far as the rear side of the structurally fixed part.

3. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a covering proximate sides of the angular elements which face away rearwardly from the rear side of the structurally fixed part.

4. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structurally fixed part comprises a lordosis support.

5. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a seat-shell rear part, an adjustable part, and a third inflatable cushion, wherein the adjustable part comprises a seat-shell front part, and wherein the third inflatable cushion is positioned and the seat-shell front part is mounted so that inclination of the seat-shell front part is adjusted relative to the seat-shell rear part in response to pneumatic operation of the third cushion.

6. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 5, wherein the seat-shell front part is mounted for displacing relative to the seat-shell rear part to adjust the seat-surface length of the adjustable vehicle seat.

7. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the adjustable vehicle seat further comprises a seat frame;

the adjustable part further comprises a carrier plate which is coupled to the seat frame; and

the seat-shell front part is guided displaceably on the carrier plate for adjusting the seat-surface length of the vehicle seat.

8. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein the seat-shell front part comprises a toothed segment, and the adjustable vehicle seat further comprises a locking bar mounted on the carrier plate for moving relative to the seat-shell front part between:

a locked configuration in which the locking bar interacts with the toothed segment to restrict movement of the seat-shell front part relative to the carrier plate, and

an unlocked configuration in which the locking bar is disengaged from the toothed segment to allow movement of the seat-shell front part relative to the carrier plate.

9. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein the carrier plate is pivotably coupled to the seat frame.

10. The adjustable vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a seat frame connected to the backrest frame;

a seat-shell front part mounted for moving relative to the seat frame; and

a third inflatable cushion positioned between the seat frame and the seat-shell front part, and operative for pneumatically adjusting the position of the seat-shell front part relative to the seat frame.

11. An adjustable vehicle seat, comprising:

a structurally fixed part connected to a backrest frame;

a first side piece;

an inflatable cushion positioned between the first side piece and the structurally fixed part, and operative for pneumatically adjusting the position of the first side piece relative to the structurally fixed part, wherein the first side piece is mounted for pivoting relative to the backrest frame and the structurally fixed part in response to pneumatic operation of the inflatable cushion;

a second side piece positioned on a side of the adjustable vehicle seat opposite from the first side piece and mounted for pivoting relative to the backrest frame and the structurally fixed part; and

a tension spring,

wherein each of the side pieces comprises an angular element that reaches as far as a rear side of the structurally fixed part, and the tension spring is mounted for biasing toward one another portions of the angular elements that reach as far as the rear side of the structurally fixed part.