Seat having suspension system

• US 7,246,836 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seats, Inc. (Nordic Group of Cos. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Seats, Inc. (Nordic Group of Cos. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hahn, Douglas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder; Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US11/175,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20070007790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 296/65.02
• US Class Current: 296/65.02
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/505 Adjustable suspension including height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/507 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/525 using gas

Abstract

A suspension system for an “All Belts To Seat” or “ABTS” style seat is provided that includes a floor bracket, seat bracket, and an equalizing bracket. Means for allowing motion between the seat bracket and floor bracket is provided by a set of cams. The equalizing bracket connects the cams and ensures synchronized rotation. The height of the seat bracket is adjustable with respect to the floor bracket by means of an air spring, and motion between the two brackets is dampened by an interconnected shock absorber.

Claims

1. A suspension system for a seat adapted to be mounted to the floor of a vehicle, the suspension system comprising:

a seat frame adapted to be mounted to the bottom of the seat;

a floor frame adapted to be mounted to the vehicle floor;

a first forward suspension rod and a first rear suspension rod, both interconnected at opposite ends to the floor frame and oriented generally parallel to each other;

a second forward suspension rod and a second rear suspension rod, both interconnected at opposite ends to the seat frame and oriented generally parallel to each other and generally parallel to the forward and rear suspension rods;

a pair of forward cams, each of said forward cams being rotatably mounted to both the first forward suspension rod and the second forward suspension rod;

a pair of rear cams rotatably mounted to each of the first rear suspension rod and the second rear suspension rod;

an equalizing bracket interconnected to at least one of forward cams and to at least one of the rear cams;

a biasing member applying a biasing force between the seat frame and floor frame, and biasing the seat frame toward a default position with respect to the floor frame;

a shock absorber dampening movement of the seat frame with respect to the floor frame;

wherein movement of the seat frame from the default position against the biasing force of the biasing member causes rotation of the forward and rear cams, and wherein the interconnection of the equalizing bracket to the forward and rear cams synchronizes rotation of the forward and rear cams;

at least one shock cam pivotably interconnected to one of the first and second, forward and rear suspension rods;

wherein each of the forward and rear suspension rods includes a longitudinal axis;

wherein one end of the shock absorber is mounted to the seat frame and an opposite end of the shock absorber is affixed to the at least one shock cam at a point spaced from the longitudinal axis of the suspension rod to which the at least one shock cam is mounted.

2. The suspension system of claim 1, further comprising a suspension tube around and rotatable with respect to each of the first and second forward and rear suspension rods;

wherein each of the first forward and rear suspension rods is fixed against rotation with respect to the floor frame;

wherein each of the second forward and rear suspension rods is fixed against rotation with respect to the seat frame; and

wherein the forward and rear cams are mounted to the tubes.

3. The suspension system of claim 2, wherein the suspension tubes contain at least one nylon bushing between the outer surface of the suspension rod and the inner surface of the suspension tube.

4. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the shock absorber is interconnected between the seat frame and at least one cam, the shock absorber dampening movement of the seat frame with respect to the floor frame by dampening rotational movement of the at least one cam.

5. The suspension system of claim 1, further comprising range limiters that are contacted by the equalizing bracket to limit range of motion of suspension system.

7. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the biasing member includes an air bag, the suspension system further comprising means for inflating and deflating the air bag to adjust the stiffness of the overall suspension.

8. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein biasing member includes a coil spring.

6. A suspension system for a seat adapted to be mounted to the floor of a vehicle, the suspension system comprising:

a seat frame adapted to be mounted to the bottom of the seat;

a floor frame adapted to be mounted to the vehicle floor;

a first forward suspension rod and a first rear suspension rod, both interconnected at opposite ends to the floor frame and oriented generally parallel to each other;

a second forward suspension rod and a second rear suspension rod, both interconnected at opposite ends to the seat frame and oriented generally parallel to each other and generally parallel to the first forward and rear suspension rods;

a pair of forward cams, each of said forward cams being rotatably mounted to both the first forward suspension rod and the second forward suspension rod;

a pair of rear cams rotatably mounted to each of the first rear suspension rod and second rear suspension rod;

an equalizing bracket interconnected to at least one of forward cams and to at least one of the rear cams;

a biasing member applying a biasing force between the seat frame and floor frame, and biasing the seat frame toward a default position with respect to the floor frame;

a shock absorber dampening movement of the seat frame with respect to the floor frame;

wherein movement of the seat frame from the default position against the biasing force of the biasing member causes rotation of the forward and rear cams, and wherein the interconnection of the equalizing bracket to the forward and rear cams synchronizes rotation of the forward and rear cams;

forward and rear equalizing rods generally parallel to each other and generally parallel to the first forward and rear suspension rods, the forward equalizing rod interconnected at opposite ends to the forward cams and the rear equalizing rod interconnected at opposite ends to the rear cams;

wherein the equalizing bracket is interconnected to the forward and rear equalizing rods, making the suspension system more rigid and synchronizing rotation of the forward and rear cams.