Vehicle seats

• US 9,321,373 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2013
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakata, Masaru, Hama, Mitsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harrison, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US14/082,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20140167465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.11, 297/452.41, 297/DIG.3, 297/284.6, 297/284.2, 297/284.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0284 Adjustable seat-cushion length B60N2/0224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/995 Lower-leg-rests, e.g. calf-rests

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention may include a vehicle seat having a seat cushion. The seat cushion may have a cushion frame, a cushion pad arranged on the cushion frame, and an airbag provided on a front portion of the seat cushion. The airbag preferably has a lower air chamber and an upper air chamber situated above the lower air chamber. The airbag is configured such that, when the upper and lower air chambers are at least partially filled with compressed air, the seat cushion is elongated while an upper portion of a peripheral wall of the lower air chamber supports a lower portion of a peripheral wall of the upper air chamber.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising:

a wire;

a take-up device connected to the wire; and

a seat cushion including;

a cushion frame having a front portion and an upper surface;

a cushion pad arranged on the upper surface of the cushion frame; and

an airbag provided on the front portion of the cushion frame, the airbag including;

a lower air chamber having a peripheral wall with upper and lower portions; and

an upper air chamber having a peripheral wall with upper and lower portions, the upper air chamber being situated above the lower air chamber, wherein

the lower and upper air chambers are respectively attached to the upper surface of the cushion frame,

the cushion frame supports the lower portion of the peripheral wall of the lower air chamber and the upper portion of the peripheral wall of the lower air chamber supports the lower portion of the peripheral wall of the upper air chamber such that when the upper and lower chambers are at least partially filled with compressed air, the seat cushion is elongated in a stable manner, and

the wire is connected to a front end of a skin member of the seat cushion and configured such that when the air bag is at least partially filled with compressed air, the wire is forwardly forced out of the take-up device and applies tension to the skin member at a predetermined magnitude to forwardly elongate the seat cushion in the stable manner.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the upper air chamber further comprises:

a front upper air chamber including a peripheral wall; and

a rear upper air chamber including a peripheral wall, the rear upper air chamber being situated behind the front upper air chamber wherein

a recess is provided between lower portions of the respective peripheral walls of the front and rear upper air chambers, and

the upper portion of the peripheral wall of the lower air chamber supports the lower portions of the respective peripheral walls of the front and rear upper air chambers from the recess below.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the airbag further comprises:

a first airbag having a first air chamber; and

a second airbag having a second air chamber.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the cushion frame further comprises a support member, wherein

the support member is configured to support the lower portion of the peripheral wall of the lower air chamber.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the airbag is configured such that the compressed air is individually supplied to the lower and upper air chambers.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 1, the airbag further comprising:

a front air chamber including a peripheral wall, the front air chamber being situated in front of the upper and lower air chambers, wherein

a recess is provided between the respective peripheral walls of the front and upper air chambers, and

the peripheral wall of the lower air chamber supports the respective peripheral walls of the front and upper air chambers from the recess below.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the cushion frame further comprises a support member, the upper and lower air chambers are attached to the support member, and the support member is detachably mounted to the front portion of the cushion frame.