Process for producing a supporting shell for a seat

• US 8,733,843 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Franz, Matthias, Durt, Alexander, Kilincsoy, Uemit, Vink, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNLAP, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/186,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20110272979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 738/626.25, 73862041-862046, 738/620.7, 738/623.81, 738/625.81, 738/626.21, 738/626.29, 738/626.32, 738/626.36, 738/626.37, 297/452.28
• US Class Current: 297/452.28
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/086 with fluid-like particles, e.g. filled with beads
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/12 with shell-shape seat and back-rest unit, e.g. having arm rests
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/006 Use of three-dimensional fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/643 shape of the back-rests B60N2/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/646 shape of the cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating

Abstract

A supporting shell for a seat is provided by carrying out in-seat measurements with a plurality of test subjects, wherein the test subjects sit down on a measuring mat placed on a neutral seat frame. The measuring mat has a readily displaceable filling and adapts to the contour of the body of the respective test subject. After the test subject has sat down on the measuring mat and before the test subject leaves the same, the filling inside the measuring mat is fixed in place by applying a negative pressure. The geometric data of the surface contour of the measuring mat are determined and stored for each test subject. The measured surface contours are then superimposed onto one another. This produces an average surface contour which can subsequently be further altered slightly for adaptation to large seat users, and therefore a modified surface contour is created as a basis for the production of the supporting shell of the seat.

Claims

1. A process for producing a supporting shell for a seat having at least one pad, which supporting shell forms a supporting substructure for at least one of a seating surface and a backrest of the seat, the process comprising the acts of:

a) providing a measuring mat on a seat frame comprising a planar, non-cushioned contact surface in a region of the seating surface and/or backrest, the measuring mat being flexible in space;

b) seating a test subject down on the measuring mat, and fixing in place a three-dimensional surface contour of the measuring mat produced by the act of sitting down;

c) determining geometric data of the three-dimensional surface contour of the measuring mat;

d) releasing the fixed three-dimensional surface contour of the measuring mat;

e) repeating the acts of seating, determining and releasing with different test subjects; and

f) superimposing the three-dimensional surface contours resulting from the measurements carried out with different test subjects onto each other, and deriving the three-dimensional surface contour of the supporting shell therefrom.

2. The process according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

for superimposing the measured three-dimensional surface contours onto each other, determining a defined section of the contact surface of the test subjects with the seat, in which the measured three-dimensional surface contours are to be aligned to each other; and

wherein the defined section is determined based on criterion of a least possible deviation of geometric shape and space coordinates of the measured three-dimensional surface contours from each other.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the defined section is one of a buttocks area and a lower back region.

4. The process according to claim 3, wherein the measured three-dimensional surface contours are superimposed onto each other in the defined section according to a best-fit process.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the deriving act further comprises the acts of:

determining an arithmetic average after the superimposition of the measured three-dimensional surface contours onto each other; and

deriving an average three-dimensional surface contour therefrom.

6. The process according to claim 5, wherein

the average three-dimensional surface contour is expanded to result in a modified three-dimensional surface contour.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the seating act further comprises the act of seating the test subjects down in a posture corresponding to a sitting posture in a motor vehicle.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the seating act further comprises the act of requiring the test subjects, when seated, to carry out movements corresponding to customary movements performed during operation of the motor vehicle.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the fixing in place of the three-dimensional surface contour of the measuring mat is performed by a delivery device that exerts and maintains a negative pressure within the measuring mat, the negative pressure maintaining the contoured shape of the test subject on the measuring mat after the test subject no longer contacts the measuring mat.

10. A process for producing a cushion support for a seat, which cushion support serves as a support on a supporting substructure for at least one of a seating surface and a backrest of the seat, the process comprising the acts of:

a) providing a measuring mat on a seat frame comprising a planar, non-cushioned contact surface in a region of the seating surface and/or backrest, the measuring mat being flexible in space;

b) seating a test subject down on the measuring mat, and fixing in place the three-dimensional surface contour of the measuring mat produced by the act of sitting down;

c) determining geometric data of the three-dimensional surface contour of the measuring mat;

d) releasing the fixed three-dimensional surface contour of the measuring mat;

e) repeating the acts of seating, determining and releasing with different test subjects; and

f) superimposing the three-dimensional surface contours resulting from the measurements carried out with different test subjects onto each other, and deriving the three-dimensional surface contour of the cushion support therefrom.

11. The process according to claim 10, further comprising the acts of:

for superimposing the measured three-dimensional surface contours onto each other, determining a defined section of the contact surface of the test subjects with the seat, in which the measured three-dimensional surface contours are to be aligned to each other; and

wherein the defined section is determined based on criterion of a least possible deviation of geometric shape and space coordinates of the measured three-dimensional surface contours from each other.

12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the defined section is one of a buttocks area and a lower back region.

13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the measured three-dimensional surface contours are superimposed onto each other in the defined section according to a best-fit process.

14. The process according to claim 10, wherein the deriving act further comprises the acts of:

determining an arithmetic average after the superimposition of the measured three-dimensional surface contours onto each other; and

deriving an average three-dimensional surface contour therefrom.

15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the average three-dimensional surface contour is expanded to result in a modified three-dimensional surface contour.

16. The process according to claim 10, wherein the seating act further comprises the act of seating the test subjects down in a posture corresponding to a sitting posture in a motor vehicle.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the seating act further comprises the act of requiring the test subjects, when seated, to carry out movements corresponding to customary movements performed during operation of the motor vehicle.

18. The process according to claim 10, wherein the fixing in place of the three-dimensional surface contour of the measuring mat is performed by a delivery device that exerts and maintains a negative pressure within the measuring mat, the negative pressure maintaining the contoured shape of the test subject on the measuring mat after the test subject no longer contacts the measuring mat.

19. A seat comprising:

a supporting shell having at least one pad, the supporting shell forming a supporting substructure for at least one of a seating surface and a backrest of the seat;

a seat frame comprising a planar, non-cushioned contact surface in a region of the seating surface and/or backrest;

a measuring mat disposed on the seat frame, the measuring mat being flexible in space such that substantially when a test subject sits down on the measuring mat, the measuring mat contours to a shape of the test subject that contacts the measuring map; and

a delivery device that is structurally configured to exert and maintain a negative pressure within the measuring mat, the negative pressure maintaining the contoured shape of the test subject on the measuring mat after the test subject no longer contacts the measuring mat;

wherein

the seat has the at least one pad arranged on a side of the supporting shell oriented toward a seat user, wherein the pad comprises cushioning properties.

20. The seat according to claim 19, wherein the pad comprises:

a spacer structure having layers of fabric arranged parallel to one another and joined together via spacer threads;

a fluid-tight jacket in which is arranged the spacer structure, the jacket substantially comprising two material webs extending in parallel to one another and joined together at lateral border areas thereof; and

at least one hose line coupled to the jacket, the hose line being operatively configured to control an amount of fluid inside the jacket.