Shock and vibration isolation apparatus for motor vehicles seats

• US 6,719,258 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Activar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Activar Incorporated
• Inventors: Fortin, Philip T., Bryngelson, Duane R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sterling, Amy J.
• Application Number:
  US10/244,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20040051023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 248/630, 248/631, 248/618, 248/636, 248/419, 248/420
• US Class Current: 248/419
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/507 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/509 Seat guided by slides or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/525 using gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/544 Compression or tension springs B60N2/542 takes precedence

Abstract

A seat assembly for a motor vehicle includes an air spring suspension system for effectively isolating the occupant of the vehicle'"'"'s seat from shock, vibration and inertial forces directed along both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. A stationary base plate member is attached to the floor of the vehicle and it supports a pivot linkage assembly joining the stationary base member to a movable base member. An air spring is disposed between the stationary base member and the movable base member to displace the movable base member in a generally vertical direction to an extent allowed by the linkage assembly. Supported atop the movable base member is a seat slide assembly that permits fore and aft adjustment of seat position within the vehicle. A vehicle seat mount is affixed to the pair of slide members and includes shock absorbing springs that are disposed between the slide members and the vehicle seat mount for cushioning inertial forces due to acceleration and braking. Associated with the air bag is a control switch that operates to selectively inflate and deflate the air bag to offset vertically directed inertial forces acting on the seat assembly.

Claims

1. A shock and vibration isolation mount for a motor vehicle seat comprising, in combination:

(a) a stationary base member adapted to be affixed to the floor of a motor vehicle;

(b) a movable base member having linkages for pivotally coupling it to the stationary base member;

(c) means disposed between the stationary base member and the movable base member for displacing the movable base member along a path determined by said linkages;

(d) a pair of elongated slide members, each including first and second rollers journaled for rotation on said movable base member about spaced-apart parallel axes that extend transverse to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle and a pair of cylindrical rods supported on a periphery of the first and second rollers;

(e) a vehicle seat mount including a pair of side brackets held in parallel, spaced relation by front and rear cross members, said pair of side brackets connected at opposed ends thereof to opposed ends of the pair of cylindrical rods, and with shock absorbing springs disposed about said pair of cylindrical rods proximate the opposed ends and operatively disposed between the opposed ends of the pair of side brackets and the movable base member; and

(f) control means for the means for displacing the movable base member for adjusting the displacement of the movable base member relative to the stationary base member.

2. The shock and vibration isolation mount for a motor vehicle seat as in claim 1 where:

(a) said stationary base member is generally rectangular and has a planar bottom, a pair of side walls in parallel, spaced-apart relation extending upward from said bottom;

(b) said movable base member is generally rectangular and has a planar top and a pair of sidewalls in parallel, spaced-apart relation projecting downward from said top; and

(c) said linkage comprising first and second pairs of parallel arms having first and second ends, the first ends of the first pair of parallel arms being pivotally mounted to a first of the pair of the side walls of the stationary base member, the first ends of the second pair of parallel arms being pivotally mounted to a second of the pair of side walls of the stationary base member and the second ends of the respective first and second pairs of parallel arms being pivotally mounted to the pair of sidewalls of the movable base member.

3. The shock and vibration isolation mount for a motor vehicle seat as in claim 2 wherein the means for displacing the movable base member is an inflatable air bag.

4. The shock and vibration isolation mount for a motor vehicle seat as in claim 3 wherein the control means is a multi-position pneumatic valve adapted to couple the air bag to a source of pressurized air when the valve is in a first position and to the ambient when the valve is in a second position, the valve being closed when in a third position.

5. The shock and vibration isolation mount for a motor vehicle seat as in claim 2 and further including a hydraulic dampener operatively disposed between the bottom of the stationary base member and one of the first and second pairs of arms.