Vehicle seat with system for facilitating relieving of fatigue of person sitting on the seat

• US 7,152,920 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Shinji, Takei, Yasuchika, Kawashima, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Rodney B.
• Application Number:
  US10/970,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.6
• US Class Current: 297/284.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0023 for detection of driver fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2893 coupled to the seat sub-frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/665 using inflatable bladders
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat back, a seat cushion, and a system for facilitating relieving of fatigue of a person sitting on the vehicle seat for many hours. The system includes an angle sensor installed within the seat back for sensing variations in an angle of a pelvic region of the person sitting on the vehicle seat, an active device installed within the seat back for pressure-supporting the pelvic region of the person, an actuating device connected to the active device for actuating the active device and a sequential control unit electrically connected to the angle sensor and the actuating device for controlling the operation of the actuating device, the angle sensor being constructed so as to send the sequential control unit signals representing values of variations in the angle of the pelvic region of the person, the sequential control unit being constructed such that, when a value represented by a signal sent to the sequential control unit from the angle sensor is more than a predetermined value, the sequential control unit sends the actuating device a command to actuate the actuating device, whereby the active device is actuated, to thereby control supporting pressure that is applied to the pelvic region of the person.

Claims

1. A seat for a vehicle, comprising a seat back, a seat cushion, and a system for facilitating relieving of fatigue of a person driving said vehicle while grasping a handle of said vehicle and sitting on the vehicle seat for many hours;

said system comprising;

a first sensor installed within said seat back for sensing variations in angle of a pelvic region of the person sitting on said vehicle seat;

first active means installed within said seat back for pressure-supporting the pelvic region of the person, said first active means comprising a first air-bag having a plurality of first air-passages which are arranged together so as to take the form of a checkerboard pattern;

first actuating means connected to said first active means for actuating said first active means;

a second sensor installed in said handle of said vehicle for sensing perspiration of the person; and

sequential control means electrically connected to said first and second sensors and said first actuating means for controlling the operation of said first actuating means;

said first sensor being constructed so as to send said sequential control means a first signal representing a value that corresponds to a variation in the angle of the pelvic region of the person;

said second sensor being constructed such that it sends said sequential control means a second signal representing the perspiration of the person when said second sensor senses the perspiration of the person;

said sequential control means being constructed such that, when the value represented by the first signal sent to said sequential control means from said first sensor is more than a predetermined value, said sequential control means sends said first actuating means a first command to actuate said first actuating means and, when said second sensor senses the perspiration of the person and sends said sequential control means the second signal representing the perspiration of the person, said sequential control means sends said first actuating means a second command to actuate said first actuating means; and

said first actuating means being constructed so as to supply air or suction to said first air-bag according to the first and second commands from said sequential control means, thereby causing said first air-bag to be inflated or deflated, so that supporting pressure that is applied to the pelvic region of the person by said first active means can be controlled.

2. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said system further includes second active means for pressure-supporting a lumbar vertebra region of the person, said second active means being installed within said seat back and connected to said first actuating means, said second active means comprising a second air-bag, said second air-bag having a plurality of second air-passages which are arranged together so as to take the form of a checkerboard pattern, and said first actuating means being constructed so as to supply air or suction to said second air-bag according to the first and second commands from said sequential control means, thereby causing said second air-bag to be inflated or deflated, so that supporting pressure that is applied to the lumbar vertebra region of the person by said second active means can be controlled.

3. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said system further includes third active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting hipbone knot regions of the person, said third active means comprising a third air-bag, said third air-bag having a plurality of third air-passages which are arranged together so as to take the form of a checkerboard pattern, second actuating means connected to said third active means for actuating said third active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

4. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said system further includes fourth active means installed within said seat cushion and connected to said second actuating means for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person, said fourth active means comprising a fourth air-bag, said fourth air-bag having a plurality of fourth air-passages which are arranged together so as to take the form of a checkerboard pattern.

5. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said system further includes third active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person, said third active means comprising a third air-bag, said third air-bag having a plurality of third air-passages which are arranged together so as to take the form of a checkerboard pattern, second actuating means connected to said third active means for actuating said third active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

6. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said system further includes second active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting hipbone knot regions of the person, said second active means comprising a second air-bag, said second air-bag having a plurality of second air-passages which are arranged together so as to take the form of a checkerboard pattern, second actuating means connected to said second active means for actuating said second active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

7. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said system further includes third active means installed within said seat cushion and connected to said second actuating means for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person, said third active means comprising a third air-bag, said third air-bag having a plurality of third air-passages which are arranged together so as to take the form of a checkerboard pattern.

8. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said system further includes second active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person, said second active means comprising a second air-bag, said second air-bag having a plurality of second air-passages which arranged together so as to take the form of a checkerboard pattern, second actuating means connected to said second active means for actuating said second active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

9. A seat for a vehicle, comprising a seat back, a seat cushion, and a system for facilitating relieving of fatigue of a person driving the vehicle while grasping a handle of said vehicle and sitting on the vehicle seat for many hours;

said system comprising;

a first sensor installed within said seat back for sensing variations in an angle of a pelvic region of the person sitting on said vehicle seat;

first active means installed within said seat back for pressure-supporting the pelvic region of the person;

first actuating means connected to said first active means for actuating said first active means;

a second sensor installed in said handle of said vehicle for sensing perspiration of the person; and

sequential control means electrically connected to said first and second sensors and said first actuating means for controlling the operation of said first actuating means;

said first sensor being constructed so as to send said sequential control means a first signal representing a value that corresponds to a variation in the angle of the pelvic region of the person;

said second sensor being constructed such that it sends said sequential control means a second signal representing the perspiration of the person when said second sensor senses the perspiration of the person;

said sequential control means being constructed such that, when the value represented by the first signal sent to said sequential control means from said first sensor is more than a predetermined value, said sequential control means sends said first actuating means a first command to actuate said first actuating means and, when said second sensor senses the perspiration of the person and sends said sequential control means the second signal representing the perspiration of the person, said sequential control means sends said first actuating means a second command to actuate said first actuating means; and

said first actuating means being constructed so as to actuate said first active means according to the first and second commands from said sequential control means, so that supporting pressure that is applied to the pelvic region of the person by said first active means can be controlled.

10. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said system further includes second active means for pressure-supporting a lumbar vertebra region of the person, said second active means being installed within said seat back and connected to said first actuating means, and said first actuating means being constructed so as to actuate said second active means according to the first and second commands from said sequential control means, so that supporting pressure that is applied to the lumbar vertebra region of the person by said second active means can be controlled.

11. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said system further includes third active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting hipbone knot regions of the person, second actuating means connected to said third active means for actuating said third active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

12. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said system further includes fourth active means installed within said seat cushion and connected to said second actuating means for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person.

13. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said system further includes third active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person, second actuating means connected to said third active means for actuating said third active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

14. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said system further includes second active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting hipbone knot regions of the person, second actuating means connected to said second active means for actuating said second active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.

15. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said system further includes third active means installed within said seat cushion and connected to said second actuating means for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person.

16. A seat for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said system further includes second active means installed within said seat cushion for pressure-supporting lower parts of femoral regions of the person, second actuating means connected to said second active means for actuating said second active means, and control means for controlling the operation of said second actuating means, said control means being electrically connected to said second actuating means.