Adjustable seat assembly

• US 9,884,570 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2015
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Hanlon, Samuel R., Henn, Karl, Pereny, Michelle A., Patrick, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Luo, David S
• Application Number:
  US14/716,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20160339802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 318 3, 318 34, 318558
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0228 Hand-activated mechanical switches B60N2/0229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• 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 2/665 using inflatable bladders
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/402 characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45022 Auto seat, dentist chair, roll wheel chair

Abstract

A seat assembly is provided with a seat cushion, and a seat back. Sensors are operably connected to the seat cushion and the seat back to detect a seating position of an occupant. An actuator is operably connected to the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly. An interactive user interface permits manual adjustment of the actuator. A controller is in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the at least one actuator, and the user interface. The controller is configured to receive seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position. Detection data is received from the plurality of sensors, and compared to the manually selected seating position to determine if the occupant is seated evenly. The at least one actuator adjusts an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position.

Claims

1. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion;

a seat back adapted to be mounted adjacent the seat cushion;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back to detect a seating position of an occupant;

at least one actuator operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly;

an interactive user interface for manual adjustment of the at least one actuator; and

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the at least one actuator, and the user interface, the controller being configured to;

receive seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position,

receive detection data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the detection data to the manually selected seating position to determine if the occupant is seated evenly,

adjust the at least one actuator to adjust an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position,

determine if the occupant is seated in a lean position, and

adjust the at least one actuator on a lateral side of the seat to adjust the occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator comprises:

a compressor in electrical communication with the controller;

a plurality of valves in electrical communication with the controller and in fluid communication with the compressor; and

a plurality of air bladders in fluid communication with the plurality of valves.

3. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors comprise:

at least one left side sensor; and

at least one right side sensor.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a media device in electrical communication with the controller, wherein the media device comprises the interactive user interface with a display;

and

wherein the controller is configured to incrementally update the display to provide a visual feedback of a detected seating position.

5. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a media device in electrical communication with the controller, wherein the media device comprises the interactive user interface with a display;

and

wherein the controller is configured to provide a message upon the display in response to determining that the occupant is not seated in the manually selected seating position.

6. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to:

compare the seating position data to a plurality of predetermined data ranges with corresponding preset seating positions; and

assign the manually selected seating position to one of the preset seating positions.

7. The seat assembly of claim 6 wherein the controller is further configured to receive a mode selection input indicative of a selected seat positioning mode.

8. The seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the mode selection input is indicative of a comfort mode;

and

wherein the controller is configured to adjust the at least one actuator to adjust the occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position in the comfort mode.

9. The seat assembly of claim 7 wherein the mode selection input is indicative of a wellness seating mode;

and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

receive an occupant data input indicative of occupant anthropometry data,

compare the occupant data input with predetermined wellness positioning ranges preselected for posture alignment of ranges of occupant anthropometry data for the selected seat positioning mode, and

adjust at least one of the plurality of settings of the at least one actuator to a predetermined setting for a prescribed seating position based on a predetermined wellness positioning range preselected for posture alignment of ranges of occupant anthropometry data.

10. The seat assembly of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare the detection data to determine if the occupant is seated according to the prescribed seating position in the wellness seating mode; and

adjust the at least one actuator to modify the occupant seating position to the prescribed seating position.

11. The seat assembly of claim 10 further comprising an interactive user interface in electrical communication with the controller, the interactive user interface being configured to receive the mode selection input from the occupant.

12. The seat assembly of claim 11 further comprising a media device in electrical communication with the controller, wherein the media device provides the interactive user interface.

13. The seat assembly of claim 12 wherein the interactive user interface is configured to:

provide a questionnaire to receive the occupant anthropometry data from the occupant; and

provide a mode selector to receive the selected seat positioning mode from the occupant.

14. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion;

a seat back adapted to be mounted adjacent the seat cushion;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back to detect a seating position of an occupant;

at least one actuator operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly;

an interactive user interface for manual adjustment of the at least one actuator; and

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the at least one actuator, and the user interface, the controller being configured to;

receive seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position,

receive detection data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the detection data to the manually selected seating position to determine if the occupant is seated evenly,

adjust the at least one actuator to adjust an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position,

determine if the occupant is seated in a slouch position, and

adjust the at least one actuator to inflate the seat back to adjust the occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position.

15. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion;

a seat back adapted to be mounted adjacent the seat cushion;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back to detect a seating position of an occupant at least one actuator operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly;

an interactive user interface for manual adjustment of the at least one actuator; and

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the at least one actuator, and the user interface, the controller being configured to;

receive seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position,

receive detection data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the detection data to the manually selected seating position to determine if the occupant is seated evenly,

adjust the at least one actuator to adjust an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position,

determine if the occupant is seated in a hunch position, and

adjust the at least one actuator to deflate the seat back to adjust the occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position.

16. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion;

a seat back adapted to be mounted adjacent the seat cushion;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back to detect a seating position of an occupant;

at least one actuator operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly;

an interactive user interface for manual adjustment of the at least one actuator; and

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the at least one actuator, and the user interface, the controller being configured to;

receive seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position,

receive detection data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the detection data to the manually selected seating position to determine if the occupant is seated evenly,

adjust the at least one actuator to adjust an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position, and

wait a predetermined period of time after adjusting the at least one actuator before receiving updated occupant position data from the plurality of sensors.

17. A computer-program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that is programmed for automatically adjusting a seat assembly, the computer-program product comprising instructions for:

receiving seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position;

receiving detection data from a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of a seat cushion and a seat back;

comparing the detection data to the manually selected seating position to determine if an occupant is seated evenly;

adjusting at least one actuator of the seat assembly to adjust an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position;

comparing the seating position data to a plurality of predetermined data ranges with corresponding preset seating positions; and

assigning the manually selected seating position to one of the preset seating positions.

18. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion;

a seat back adapted to be mounted adjacent the seat cushion;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back to detect a seating position of an occupant;

at least one actuator operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly;

an interactive user interface for manual adjustment of the at least one actuator;

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the at least one actuator, and the user interface, the controller being configured to;

receive seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position,

receive detection data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the detection data to the manually selected seating position to determine if the occupant is seated evenly, and

adjust the at least one actuator to adjust an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position; and

wherein the at least one actuator comprises;

a compressor in electrical communication with the controller,

a plurality of valves in electrical communication with the controller and in fluid communication with the compressor, and

a plurality of air bladders in fluid communication with the plurality of valves.

19. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion;

a seat back adapted to be mounted adjacent the seat cushion;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back to detect a seating position of an occupant;

at least one actuator operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly;

an interactive user interface for manual adjustment of the at least one actuator;

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the at least one actuator, and the user interface, the controller being configured to;

receive seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position,

receive detection data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the detection data to the manually selected seating position to determine if the occupant is seated evenly, and

adjust the at least one actuator to adjust an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position; and

a media device in electrical communication with the controller, wherein the media device comprises the interactive user interface with a display; and

wherein the controller is configured to incrementally update the display to provide a visual feedback of a detected seating position.

20. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion;

a seat back adapted to be mounted adjacent the seat cushion;

a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back to detect a seating position of an occupant;

at least one actuator operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly;

an interactive user interface for manual adjustment of the at least one actuator;

a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors, the at least one actuator, and the user interface, the controller being configured to;

receive seating position data input indicative of a manually selected seating position,

receive detection data from the plurality of sensors,

compare the detection data to the manually selected seating position to determine if the occupant is seated evenly, and

adjust the at least one actuator to adjust an occupant seating position to the manually selected seating position; and

a media device in electrical communication with the controller, wherein the media device comprises the interactive user interface with a display; and

wherein the controller is configured to provide a message upon the display in response to determining that the occupant is not seated in the manually selected seating position.