Air bladder assembly for seat bottoms of seat assemblies

• US 9,661,928 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Patrick, Gerald, Hanlon, Samuel, Zouzal, Winsen C., Pereny, Michelle A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US14/869,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20170086588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/029 of non-adjustable shape adapted to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/14 of adjustable shape; elastically mounted ; adaptable to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions movably-coupled seat and backrests with elastic adjustment means A47C1/03261; elastically-mounted back-rests or backrest-seat units in the base frame A47C7/44
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/142 by fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0647 Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features

Abstract

An air bladder system is provided with a pair of lateral spaced apart air bladder assemblies, each provided with a primary region received in a seat bottom of a seat assembly. The primary region is expandable in a height direction to support a pelvis of an occupant. A secondary region extends from the primary region and is expandable for angular adjustment relative to the primary region to support a femur of the occupant. A plurality of sensors detects a seating position of an occupant. A controller is in electrical communication with the sensors and the air bladder assemblies. The controller is configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors. The data is compared to determine if the occupant is seated evenly. At least one of the air bladder assemblies is adjusted to balance an uneven left-to-right occupant seating position.

Claims

1. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to the seat bottom to detect a seating position of an occupant;

at least two air bladder assemblies provided in the seat bottom and spaced apart laterally, each air bladder assembly comprising a region expandable to provide angular adjustment; and

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors and the at least two air bladder assemblies, the controller being configured to;

receive data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the data to determine if the occupant is seated evenly, and

adjust at least one of the at least two air bladder assemblies to balance an uneven left-to-right occupant seating position.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two air bladder assemblies further comprises:

a primary region expandable in a height direction to support a pelvis of an occupant; and

a secondary region extending from the primary region and expandable for angular adjustment relative to the primary region to support a femur of the occupant.

3. The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the secondary region of each of the at least two air bladder assemblies comprises a bellows chamber to permit greater expansion spaced apart from the primary region than expansion that is permitted adjacent to the primary region.

4. The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein each primary region of the at least two air bladder assemblies provides a support surface that is perpendicular to the height direction;

and

wherein each secondary region of the at least two air bladder assemblies provides a support surface that is generally inclined away from the primary region.

5. The seat assembly of claim 4 wherein an angle between each primary region support surface of the at least two air bladder assemblies and the corresponding secondary region support surface decreases during inflation.

6. The seat assembly of claim 5 wherein the angle between each primary region support surface of the at least two air bladder assemblies and the corresponding secondary region support surface defines an obtuse angle at maximum inflation.

7. The seat assembly of claim 5 wherein the angle between each primary region support surface of the at least two air bladder assemblies and the corresponding secondary region support surface defines an obtuse angle at minimum inflation.

8. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat bottom;

at least two air bladder assemblies provided in the seat bottom and spaced apart laterally, each air bladder assembly comprising a region expandable to provide angular adjustment;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to the seat bottom to detect a seating position of an occupant;

a media device with a graphical user interface; and

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors and the media device, the controller being configured to;

receive data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the data to determine if the occupant is seated evenly,

operate the media device to inform the occupant of an uneven left-to-right seating position,

receive input indicative of manual adjustment from the graphical user interface, and

adjust at least one of the at least two air bladder assemblies in response to the manual adjustment input.

9. The seat assembly of claim 8 wherein each of the at least two air bladder assemblies further comprises:

a primary region expandable in a height direction to support a pelvis of an occupant; and

a secondary region extending from the primary region and expandable for angular adjustment relative to the primary region to support a femur of the occupant.

10. The seat assembly of claim 9 wherein the secondary region of each of the at least two air bladder assemblies comprises a bellows chamber to permit greater expansion spaced apart from the primary region than expansion that is permitted adjacent to the primary region.

11. The seat assembly of claim 9 wherein each primary region of the at least two air bladder assemblies provides a support surface that is perpendicular to the height direction;

and

wherein each secondary region of the at least two air bladder assemblies provides a support surface that is generally inclined away from the primary region.

12. The seat assembly of claim 11 wherein an angle between each primary region support surface of the at least two air bladder assemblies and the corresponding secondary region support surface decreases during inflation.