Vehicle seat configured to improve access

• US 9,663,000 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kolich, Michael, Hall, Amber LaVerne
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWANDROSKI, SARA J
• Application Number:
  US14/598,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20160207423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02 the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable adjustable arm-rests B60N2/75; adjustable head-rests B60N2/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0256 Arrangements for facilitating the occupant to get in or out of the vehicle, e.g. stowing a seat forward
• 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 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/16 height-adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1615 Parallelogram-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel

Abstract

The present invention includes a vehicle seat having a seat portion and a seatback. The vehicle seat further includes a plurality of air bladders disposed in the seat portion and a plurality of air bladders disposed in the seatback. The air bladders are configurable between fully inflated condition, fully deflated condition, and plurality of semi-inflated conditions. A controller is configured to control air bladder inflation, wherein the air bladders deflate to the fully deflated condition in response to an access signal received by the controller. The controller is further configured to control the seat position with regards to vertical and horizontal positions to provide greater access to the vehicle interior when entering or exiting the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a track assembly and a seat height adjustment mechanism coupled to the vehicle seat;

a plurality of air bladders disposed in the vehicle seat, the plurality of air bladders being operable between fully deflated and customized support conditions;

a controller configured to control inflation of the air bladders and a seat position; and

wherein the air bladders deflate to the fully deflated condition from the customized support condition and the vehicle seat moves to a rearward-most and lower-most position in response to a single access signal received by the controller, and further wherein the air bladders inflate to the customized support condition when the access signal is terminated.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the vehicle seat includes a seat portion coupled to the track assembly and the seat height adjustment mechanism.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the vehicle seat includes a seatback operably coupled to the seat portion.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 3, wherein the plurality of air bladders includes a plurality of air bladders disposed in the seat portion.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 4, wherein the plurality of air bladders further includes a plurality of air bladders disposed in the seatback.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 5, wherein each air bladder of the plurality of air bladders disposed in the seat portion and the plurality of air bladders disposed in the seatback are further configurable between a fully inflated condition and a plurality of semi-inflated conditions.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the vehicle seat is disposed in a motor vehicle having an ignition switch interfaced with the controller, and further wherein the access signal is received by the controller when the ignition switch is in an off condition.

8. A vehicle seat configuration system, comprising:

a vehicle seat operable between a support condition having a first vertical position and a first horizontal position, and an access condition having a second vertical position and a second horizontal position, wherein the second vertical position is spaced downwardly from the first vertical position, and further wherein the second horizontal position is spaced rearwardly from the first horizontal position;

a plurality of air bladders disposed in the vehicle seat, wherein the air bladders are configured to deflate to a fully deflated condition from a customized semi-filled condition when the vehicle seat is in the access condition; and

a controller configured to move the vehicle seat to the access condition from the support condition in response to a single access signal, and further wherein the controller is configured to inflate the air bladders to the customized semi-filled condition when the access signal is terminated.

9. The vehicle seat configuration system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle seat is disposed in a motor vehicle having an ignition switch interfaced with the controller, and further wherein the access signal is received by the controller when the ignition switch is in an off condition.

10. The vehicle seat configuration system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of air bladders is disposed in a seatback of the vehicle seat.

11. The vehicle seat configuration system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of air bladders is disposed in a seat portion of the vehicle seat.