Padding for seats, in particular vehicle seats

• US 6,851,755 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Guenther, Ewald, Schrader, Juergen, Dinkel, Emil
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Rodney B.
• Application Number:
  US10/243,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20030071500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.48, 297/452.41, 297/284.2, 297/284.3, 297/284.6, 297/DIG.3, 297/452.58, 297/452.59, 297/218.2, 297/291.58, 297/297.59
• US Class Current: 297/452.48
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/081 of pneumatic type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/10 with two or more independently-fillable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/18 in combination with inflatable bodies
• 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: A47C 7/467 adjustable by fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7035 Cushions
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/707 with rubber blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/03 Pneumatic

Abstract

Padding for seats, in particular vehicle seats, has a padded body predetermining the contour of the padded surface, which can be changed. In order to adjust the padded surface contour to support the body of a seated person in an individual and orthopaedically correct manner, avoiding hardening of the padded surface which has an adverse effect on the seat comfort, the padded body is composed, at least in subregions, of a plurality of individual padded segments which are arranged next to one another and can be displaced relative to one another in the direction of the normal of the padded surface. Adjusting elements can displace the padded elements individually.

Claims

1. Padding for a seat, in particular a vehicle seat, comprising:

a padded surface,

a padded body predetermining a contour of the padded surface, and

means for changing the padded surface contour,

wherein the padded body is composed, at least in subregions, of a plurality of individual padded segments which are arranged next to one another and can be displaced relative to one another in a direction of the normal of the padded surface,

wherein the means for changing the padded surface contour have adjusting elements which displace the padded segments individually,

wherein a stiff base is arranged on an underside of each displaceable padded segment,

wherein the adjusting elements engage in each case on the base,

wherein each padded segment has a plurality of shaped pieces of padding material arranged next to one another, and

wherein the stiff base is formed by a box which is open on its side facing the padded surface and in which the shaped pieces are inserted in such a manner that they protrude over an edge of the box.

2. Padding according to claim 1, wherein the shaped pieces are solid or hollow cylinders which are inserted into the box with cylinder axes orientated at right angles to a base of the box.

3. Padding according to claim 2, wherein the padding material is a foam or rubberized hair.

4. Padding according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting elements are flexible bellows which are filled with a fluid or gaseous medium, are supported in each case between a padded segment and a padding support holding the padded body, and are connected to a control device in order to change their filling volumes.

5. Padding according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting elements are formed by controllable electric servomotors.

6. Padding according to claim 2, wherein the padded body is covered by an upper padded layer of padding material, the upper padded layer is covered by a padding covering, and the upper padded layer is stitched loosely onto the padded body.

7. Padding according to claim 6, wherein the upper padded layer is sewn onto the padding covering and the padding covering is clamped elastically to a padding support.

8. Padding according to claim 7, wherein the padding covering has at least one peripheral edge zone of flexible material.

9. Padding according to claim 1, wherein the padding material is a foam or rubberized hair.

10. Padding according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting elements are formed by controllable electric servomotors.

11. Padding according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting elements are flexible bellows which are filled with a fluid or gaseous medium, are supported in each case between a padded segment and a padding support holding the padded body, and are connected to a control device in order to change their filling volumes.

12. Padding according to claim 1, wherein the padded body is covered by an upper padded layer of padding material, the upper padded layer is covered by a padding covering, and the upper padded layer is stitched loosely onto the padded body.

13. Padding according to claims 12, wherein the upper padded layer is sewn onto the padding covering and the padding covering is clamped elastically to a padding support.

14. Padding according to claim 13, wherein the padding covering has at least one peripheral edge zone of flexible material.