Vehicle seating system and method for reducing fatigue

• US 7,566,096 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Biomechanical Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innovative Biomechanical Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Phipps, Paul B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARRETT, ERIKA P
• Application Number:
  US11/567,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.2, 297/330, 297/217.1, 297/217.3, 297/180.12, 297/284.1, 297/284.4, 248/425, 248/429, 248/418
• US Class Current: 297/217.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/976 massaging systems

Abstract

A vehicle seating system can be used within a variety of vehicles to reduce positional fatigue and other effects of long distance traveling. Such a system includes a typical vehicle seat mountable in a vehicle, at least two powered seat energizer members, including at least one thermal energizer, and an electrical controller. The energizer members are activated to alter the seating condition created by the seat, thereby impacting circulation and reducing fatigue experienced by a vehicle traveler.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating system, comprising:

a seat mountable in a vehicle and having a seat back;

at least two powered seat energizer members, each transitionable between a respective first status and a respective second status;

wherein at least one of said energizer members is a temperature-adjustment energizer for altering the seating temperature, and

wherein at least one of said energizer members is a position-adjustment seat back inclining actuator for altering the seating position formed by said seat to reduce positional fatigue by inclining said seat back; and

an electrical controller preprogrammed with at least one preprogrammed profile extending at least 10 minutes and defining at least two different collective seating conditions along said profile in which at least one of said seat energizer members are static, wherein said electrical controller is operable to automatically activate, as a function of time, said seat back inclining actuator and said temperature-adjustment energizer according to said preprogrammed profile, said electrical controller having a control period including at least one activation period and at least one hold period, said energizer members each being activated at least after said hold period.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said control period includes a first hold period at the beginning of said control period, wherein said electrical controller ceases activation of said energizer members during said hold period.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said temperature-adjustment energizer is a heating energizer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said temperature-adjustment energizer is a cooling energizer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said control period alternates between activation periods and hold periods, said activation periods including transition between at least two different seating conditions and returning to a first seating condition.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said control period includes at least two activation periods, each activation period including activation of one of said energizer members, wherein a first activation period includes activation of a first energizer member and a second activation period includes activation of a second energizer member.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein after a first hold period, said energizer members cycle through at least two different collective seating conditions including a first collective seating condition and a second collective seating condition, with a second hold period occurring when said controls return to said first collective seating condition.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said seat further includes a lumbar actuator and wherein said electrical controller automatically activates, as a function of time, in response to said preprogrammed profile, said lumbar actuator to alter lumbar movement of said back portion of said seat by slow movement.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said seat has a seat bottom, and comprising at least one actuator to tilt the seat bottom, wherein said electrical controller automatically activates, as a function of time, said seat bottom actuator to tilt the seat bottom in response to said preprogrammed profile.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said electrical controller automatically activates simultaneously, as a function of time, said seat back actuator to incline the seat back and said seat bottom actuator to tilt the seat bottom in response to said preprogrammed profile.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said seat further includes a lumbar actuator and wherein said electrical controller automatically activates, as a function of time, in response to said preprogrammed profile, said lumbar actuator to alter lumbar movement of said back portion of said seat by slow movement.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said position-adjustment seat back inclining actuator and said seat bottom tilting actuator each have alternating movement periods and stationary periods in which at least some of such stationary periods are of at least 5 minutes in duration.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said position-adjustment seat back inclining actuator and said seat bottom tilting actuator and said lumbar actuator each have alternating movement periods and stationary periods in which at least some of such stationary periods are of at least 5 minutes in duration.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said seat further includes a lumbar actuator and wherein said electrical controller automatically activates, as a function of time, in response to said preprogrammed profile, said lumbar actuator to alter lumbar movement of said back portion of said seat by slow movement.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said position-adjustment seat back inclining actuator has alternating movement periods and stationary periods in which at least some of such stationary periods are of at least 5 minutes in duration.