Air suspended seat having auxiliary air supplies for comfort, dimensional adjustment, and personalized comfort DNA

• US 9,776,537 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dry, Alan George
• Primary Examiner(s): STEPHAN, BETH A
• Application Number:
  US14/861,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20170080834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/56 Heating or ventilating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/643 shape of the back-rests B60N2/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7082 with air or fluid cushions B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape

Abstract

A vehicle seating assembly includes a cushion assembly having a plurality of closed base cells disposed on a seat frame. A plurality of trim cells are disposed on the base cells. An adjustable seatback support panel is disposed behind the base cells. A static base is disposed behind the support panel. Side pivot cells are disposed between the seatback support panel and the base cells that allow for lateral flexibility of a seatback surface relative to the support panel.

Claims

1. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:

a frame;

a seat and a seatback disposed on the frame;

a seating cushion assembly disposed on at least one of the seat and the seatback and comprising;

a plurality of closed base cells disposed on the frame, each base cell having a fixed volume of fluid disposed therein;

a plurality of trim cells disposed on the base cells and having a variable volume of fluid disposed therein, the trim cells being in communication with a fluid pump; and

an adjustable seatback support panel disposed behind the base cells and pivotally coupled to the frame;

a static base disposed behind the support panel;

an actuation member disposed between the support panel and the static base, the actuation member being adjustable between an expanded condition that pivots the support panel forward and a retracted condition that pivots the support panel rearward, thereby altering a reclination angle of the seatback relative to the seat; and

side pivot cells disposed between the seatback support panel and the base cells that allow for lateral flexibility of a seatback surface relative to the support panel, such that trim cells proximate a first side of the seatback move closer to the trim cells proximate a second side of the seatback.

2. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the side pivot cells include a first side pivot cell, a second side pivot cell, and a middle pivot cell.

3. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the side pivot cells include elastically deformable walls that stretch under application of positive air pressure.

4. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the side pivot cells are disposed at a top portion of the seatback.

5. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation member is an inflatable reclination cell.

6. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 5, wherein the reclination cell is disposed between an upper portion of the adjustable seatback support panel and a lower portion of the adjustable seatback support panel.

7. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

apertures in communication with elongate channels that extend through the plurality of trim cells.

8. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 7, further comprising:

surface grooves disposed on a top surface of the plurality of trim cells, the surface grooves being in communication with the apertures.

9. A vehicle seating assembly comprising:

a cushion assembly comprising;

a plurality of closed base cells; and

a plurality of trim cells disposed on the base cells;

an adjustable seatback support panel proximate the base cells;

a static base proximate the support panel; and

side pivot cells disposed between the seatback support panel and the base cells that allow for lateral flexibility of a seatback surface relative to the support panel.

10. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 9, wherein the side pivot cells include a first side pivot cell, a second side pivot cell, and a middle pivot cell.

11. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 9, wherein the side pivot cells include elastically deformable walls that stretch under application of positive air pressure.

12. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 9, wherein the side pivot cells are disposed at a top portion of a seatback.

13. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

apertures that are in communication with elongate channels that extend through the plurality of trim cells.

14. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 13, further comprising:

surface grooves disposed on a top surface of the plurality of trim cells, the surface grooves being in communication with the apertures.

15. The vehicle seating assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of trim cells are also in communication with one another.

16. A seatback cushion assembly comprising:

a seating surface;

a plurality of base cells behind the seating surface and having a fixed inner volume of fluid;

a plurality of trim cells of varying volume disposed between the base cells and the seating surface; and

side pivot cells disposed between a seatback support and the base cells that allow for lateral flexibility of a seatback surface relative to the seatback support.

17. The seatback cushion assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of apertures disposed in the plurality of trim cells.

18. The seatback cushion assembly of claim 17, wherein the plurality of apertures are in communication with elongate channels that extend through the plurality of trim cells and connect with a climate control system.

19. The seatback cushion assembly of claim 17, further comprising:

surface grooves disposed on a top surface of the plurality of trim cells, the surface grooves being in communication with the plurality of apertures.

20. The seatback cushion assembly of claim 16, wherein the plurality of trim cells are also in communication with one another.