Adjustable seat assembly

• US 9,987,961 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Zouzal, Winsen C., Galbreath, Ashford Allen, Patrick, Gerald, Henn, Karl, Krulek, Kim, Pereny, Michelle A., Hanlon, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Louie, Wae L
• Application Number:
  US14/575,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20150352990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 701 49, 297337, 29745241, 2972844, 3404255
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/54 Inflatable chairs connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/467 adjustable by fluid means
• 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 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• 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 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13004 Programming the plc
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair

Abstract

A seat assembly is provided with a seat cushion and a pivotal seat back. Sensors are connected to the seat cushion and/or the seat back to detect a seating position. An actuator is connected to the seat cushion and/or the seat back for adjustment. A controller is configured to receive data from the plurality sensors, compare the data to determine if the occupant is seated evenly, and adjust the actuator to balance the occupant posture seating position. The controller is in electrical communication with an inflation device to inflate a first air bladder assembly in a thoracic region of the seat back. A second air bladder assembly oriented in a lumbar region, a sacrum region, and/or a scapular region of the seat back is inflated after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly for sequential posture alignment.

Claims

1. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat cushion;

a seat back adapted to be pivotally 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; and

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

receive data from the plurality of sensors,

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

adjust the at least one actuator to balance a left-to-right occupant posture seating position.

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

at least one thoracic sensor; and

at least one lumbar sensor.

3. A seat assembly comprising:

a seat back;

a first air bladder assembly oriented in a thoracic region of the seat back;

a second air bladder assembly oriented in at least one of a lumbar region, a sacrum region, and a scapular region of the seat back;

an inflation device in fluid communication with the first and second inflatable air bladder assemblies; and

a controller in electrical communication with the inflation device and configured to;

operate the inflation device to inflate the first air bladder assembly; and

operate the inflation device to inflate the second air bladder assembly after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly.

4. The seat assembly of claim 3 wherein the first air bladder assembly comprises:

a scapular air bladder oriented in a high thoracic region of the seat back;

a mid thoracic bladder oriented in a mid thoracic region of the seat back below the scapular air bladder; and

a low thoracic air bladder oriented in a low thoracic region of the seat back below the mid thoracic air bladder.

5. The seat assembly of claim 4 wherein the second air bladder assembly comprises a lumbar air bladder oriented in the lumbar region of the seat back below the thoracic region of the seat back;

and

wherein the controller is programmed to operate the inflation device to inflate the scapular air bladder after initiating inflation of the lumbar air bladder for sequential posture alignment.

6. The seat assembly of claim 3 wherein the second air bladder assembly comprises an upper lumbar air bladder oriented in an upper lumbar region of the seat back below the thoracic region of the seat back;

and

a lower lumbar air bladder oriented in a lower lumbar region of the seat back below the upper lumbar air bladder; and

wherein the controller is further configured to operate the inflation device to inflate a lumbar air bladder zone after initiating inflation of the thoracic air bladder for sequential posture alignment.

7. The seat assembly of claim 3 wherein the second air bladder assembly is oriented in the lumbar region;

wherein the seat assembly further comprises a scapular air bladder oriented in the scapular region of the seat back above a mid thoracic region of the seat back; and

wherein the controller is further configured to operate the inflation device to inflate a scapular air bladder zone after initiating inflation of the second air bladder assembly for sequential posture alignment.

8. The seat assembly of claim 3 wherein the second air bladder assembly is oriented in the scapular region;

wherein the seat assembly further comprises a sacral air bladder oriented in the sacrum region of the seat back below the lumbar region of the seat back; and

wherein the controller is further configured to operate the inflation device to inflate the sacral air bladder after initiating inflation of the second air bladder assembly for sequential posture alignment.

9. The seat assembly of claim 3 wherein operation of the inflation device to inflate the second air bladder assembly after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly provides sequential posture alignment.

10. 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 input indicative of measured pressure values from a plurality of sensors in a plurality of left and right zones of a seat assembly;

comparing the input to determine if an occupant is seated evenly left-to-right; and

adjusting an actuator to balance a left-to-right occupant posture seating position.

11. The computer-program product of claim 10 further comprising instructions for repeating the instructions of claim 10 incrementally.

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

operating an inflation device to inflate a first air bladder assembly oriented in a thoracic region of a seat back; and

operating the inflation device to inflate a second air bladder assembly oriented in at least one of a lumbar region, a sacrum region, and a scapular region of the seat back, after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly.

13. The computer-program product of claim 12 further comprising instructions for:

operating the inflation device to inflate a lumbar air bladder oriented in the lumbar region of the seat back below the thoracic region of the seat back after initiating inflation of the thoracic air bladder assembly for sequential posture alignment.

14. The computer-program product of claim 12 further comprising instructions for:

operating the inflation device to inflate a scapular air bladder oriented in the scapular region of the seat back after initiating inflation of a lumbar air bladder for sequential posture alignment.

15. The computer-program product of claim 14 further comprising instructions for operating the inflation device to inflate a sacral air bladder oriented in the sacrum region of the seat back below the lumbar region of the seat back after initiating inflation of the scapular air bladder for sequential posture alignment.

16. The computer-program product of claim 12 wherein operating the inflation device to inflate the second air bladder assembly after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly provides sequential posture alignment.

17. A method for adjusting a seat assembly comprising steps of:

inflating a first air bladder assembly oriented in a thoracic region of a seat back; and

inflating a second air bladder assembly oriented in at least one of a lumbar region, a sacrum region, and a scapular region of the seat back, after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising steps of:

inflating a lumbar air bladder assembly oriented in the lumbar region of the seat back below the thoracic region of the seat back after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly for sequential posture alignment.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising steps of:

inflating a lumbar air bladder oriented in the lumbar region of the seat back below the thoracic region of the seat back; and

inflating a scapular air bladder oriented in a scapular region of the seat after initiating inflation of the lumbar air bladder for sequential posture alignment.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising a step of inflating a sacral air bladder oriented in the sacrum region of the seat back below the lumbar region of the seat back after initiating inflation of the scapular air bladder for sequential posture alignment.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein inflating the second air bladder assembly after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly provides sequential posture alignment.