Inflatable support bladder assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10112513-B2
Application number	US-201615381272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 16, 2016
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle seat with an inflatable bladder having a rear surface and a support surface opposite the rear surface is provided. The subassembly includes a seat climate control system having an air duct. An air duct tunnel is formed in the inflatable bladder and extends from the rear surface to the support surface. The air duct tunnel cooperates with the air duct to supply climate control air to a seating surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
a seat frame;
an inflatable support system having at least one inflatable bladder controlled to inflate between first and second inflated positions, the inflatable support system mounted adjacent the seat frame at a rear surface of the at least one bladder;
a cushion positioned adjacent a support surface of the inflatable bladder that is spaced apart and opposite the rear surface;
a seat climate control system having an air duct; and
an air duct tunnel formed through the at least one inflatable bladder and extending from the rear surface to the support surface, the tunnel cooperating with the air duct to supply air to a cushion surface,
wherein the cushion covers an opening of the air duct tunnel.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the seat frame is further defined as a seat back frame, and the at least one inflatable bladder is oriented within a thoracic region of the seat back frame.

3. The seat assembly of claim 2 wherein the seat back is provided with a seating surface; and
wherein the at least one inflatable bladder defines the support surface that is reclined relative to the seating surface to provide support, and wedge-shaped so that during inflation the support system inflates in an upward and forward direction relative to the seating surface.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising an air duct bracket mounted to the seat frame and having an air passage opening, wherein the air duct extends from the air duct bracket through the tunnel.

5. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the cushion conducts air from the seat climate control system to a seating surface.

6. The seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the air duct has a length greater than a length of the tunnel so that the air duct extends beyond the support surface of the at least one inflatable bladder.

7. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising a distribution layer disposed between the cushion and the inflatable support system, the distribution layer in fluid communication with the air duct and a seating surface.

8. The seat assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least three inflatable bladders, wherein first and second bladders without tunnels are positioned on opposite sides of the one inflatable bladder having the tunnel.

9. A vehicle seat subassembly comprising:
an inflatable bladder having a rear surface and a support surface opposite the rear surface;
a seat climate control system having an air duct;
an air duct tunnel formed in the inflatable bladder and extending from the rear surface to the support surface; and
a cushion layer positioned along the support surface of the inflatable bladder and covering and opening of the air duct tunnel, wherein the air duct tunnel cooperates with the air duct to supply climate control air to a seating surface.

10. The vehicle seat subassembly of claim 9 further comprising a cushion, wherein a rear cushion surface is positioned adjacent the support surface of the inflatable bladder, wherein the air duct is in fluid communication with the cushion.

11. The vehicle seat subassembly of claim 9 wherein the tunnel has a generally rectangular shaped opening.

12. The vehicle seat subassembly of claim 9 further comprising at least three inflatable bladders, wherein first and second bladders without tunnels are positioned on opposite sides of the inflatable bladder having the tunnel.

13. An air bladder assembly for a seat comprising:
at least one air bladder having a support surface and a rear surface, the inflatable bladder controlled to be inflated between at least a first and second position to provide varying support along the support surface; and
a tunnel defined in the air bladder and sized to receive an air duct, the tunnel extending from the rear surface to the support surface, wherein the at least one air bladder comprises a central region and a pair of lateral regions extending from opposed sides of the central region wherein the pair of lateral regions are oriented at a non-zero angle to incline laterally,
wherein a lateral width of the tunnel is greater than a central region width.

14. The air bladder assembly of claim 13 wherein the tunnel is generally rectangular shaped.

15. The air bladder assembly of claim 14 wherein a width dimension of the rectangular shaped tunnel is greater than a length dimension of the bladder.

16. The air bladder assembly of claim 13 further comprising at least three air bladders, wherein first and second bladders without tunnels are positioned on opposite sides of the one air bladder having the tunnel.

17. A seat assembly comprising a seat back and an air bladder according to claim 13 oriented within a thoracic region of the seat back.

18. The air bladder assembly of claim 13 wherein the non-zero angle is further defined as an angle in a range of fifteen to forty-five degrees.

19. The air bladder assembly of claim 13 wherein the pair of lateral air bladder regions is also oriented at a second non-zero angle relative to the support surface of the central region to incline forward.

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Patrick Gerald
• Powell Michael R

Classifications

• B60N2/5621

  by air · CPC title

• B60N2/5657 Primary

  blown towards the seat surface · CPC title

• B60N2/914 Primary

  Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape · CPC title

• B60N2/665

  using inflatable bladders · CPC title

• B60N2/64 Primary

  Back-rests {or cushions (B60N2/2222 takes precedence)} · CPC title