Vehicle seat

• US 8,820,830 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Lich, Thomas, Zimmermann, Marc, D'Addetta, Gian Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US12/998,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.6, 297/216.1, 297/216.3, 297/284.9, 297/216.13
• US Class Current: 297/216.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/026 varying hardness or support of upholstery, e.g. for tuning seat comfort when driving curved roads
• 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 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42727 involving substantially rigid displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/986 Side-rests B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable

Abstract

A vehicle seat arrangement includes a seat body that includes a seat and a seat back at a rear of the seat. The vehicle seat arrangement also includes displaceable seat components which produce a lateral bracing as a function of accelerations in the direction of a transverse vehicle axis. The displaceable seat components are at least partly extendable in a necessitating situation. In a retracted state, the displaceable seat component is situated entirely within the seat back. In an actuated state, the displaceable seat component extends forward from an interior of the seat back, thereby forming an interior sidewall of the seat.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat arrangement, comprising:

a seat body including a seat and a seat back at a rear of the seat; and

at least one displaceable seat component configured to be shifted in at least two degrees of freedom, from a refracted state to an actuated state in response to satisfaction of a condition regarding accelerations in a direction of a transverse vehicle axis;

wherein;

with respect to each of the at least one displaceable seat component;

in a retracted state, the respective displaceable seat component is situated entirely within the seat back; and

in an actuated state, the respective displaceable seat component is at least partly extended forward from an interior of the seat back, thereby forming a respective interior sidewall of the seat; and

a boundary of the seat body is defined by an opening of a recess into which the at least one displaceable seat component is retractable.

2. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein the condition regarding accelerations includes a crash situation, a comfort requirement, a requirement for retaining a child seat, and wherein the at least one displaceable seat component is configured to counteract a motion of at least one of a vehicle occupant and a child seat at least in the direction of the transverse vehicle axis.

3. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least on displaceable seat component includes a plurality of displaceable seat components that are displaceable mutually independently with the aid of at least one displacement device.

4. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 3, wherein the at least one displacement device is configured to be actuated at least one of electrically, mechanically, pyrotechnically, pneumatically and hydraulically.

5. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 3, wherein the actuation of the at least one displacement device is controllable by at least a control system of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 5, wherein the actuation of the at least one displacement device is additionally controllable by a user of the vehicle seat.

7. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 6, wherein displacement travel of the at least one displaceable seat component depends on at least one of (a) the accelerations in the direction of the transverse vehicle axis and (b) a magnitude of an acceleration to be braced against.

8. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one displaceable seat component, when extended, is when extended, are oriented substantially in the direction of a longitudinal vehicle axis.

9. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 8, wherein the at least one displaceable seat component is integrated into at least one of a seat cushion, a backrest, and a headrest of the seat body.

10. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one displaceable seat component is at least partly retractable into the interior of the seat body in response to at least one predetermined criterion.

11. The vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein the two degrees of freedom include rotation and translation.

12. An operating method for a vehicle seat arrangement including at least one displaceable seat component integrated into a seat body, the seat body including a seat and a seat back at a rear of the seat, the method comprising:

detecting accelerations in a direction of a transverse vehicle axis; and

responsive to the detected accelerations, shifting the at least one displaceable seat component in at least two degrees of freedom, from a retracted state to an actuated state;

wherein;

the shifting includes at least partly extending forward the at least one displaceable seat component from an interior of the seat back, by which extension each of the at least one displaceable seat component forms a respective interior sidewall of the seat;

with respect to each of the at least one displaceable seat component, in the retracted state of the respective displaceable seat component, the respective displaceable seat component is situated entirely within the seat back; and

a boundary of the seat back is defined by an opening of a recess into which the at least one displaceable seat component is retractable.

13. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat body;

displaceable seat components; and

guides;

wherein;

each of the displaceable seat components is;

integrated into an interior of the seat body;

at least partly extendable from the interior of the seat body to be in an extended state, the extension being by movement of the respective seat component relative to, and in a direction that is parallel to a direction of extension of, a respective one of the guides; and

configured to produce a lateral bracing as a function of accelerations in the direction of a transverse vehicle axis; and

at least one of;

the guides are curved and the extension of the displaceable seat components is in a curving direction along the curve of the guides; and

the displaceable seat components are rigid both when positioned in the interior of the seat body and when in their extended state.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 13, wherein, with respect to each of the displaceable seat components, the extension of the respective seat component is by movement of the respective seat component between different points along the respective guide.