Bladder support system for a vehicle seat assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10899262-B2
Application number	US-201916265479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2019
Priority date	Feb 1, 2019
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

One example of a vehicle seat assembly includes a seat back, a seat bottom coupled to the seat back, and a bladder support system coupled to at least one of the seat back and the seat bottom. The bladder support system includes air cells and a pump fluidly connected to the air cells to selectively inflate the air cells when the pump receives an activation signal. A valve system defining flow paths fluidly connected between the pump and the air cells. The valve system includes at least three control valves, with each control valve generating a control valve output when receiving the activation signal. The valve system also includes passive valves movable to an open position to inflate the corresponding air cell when receiving at least three control valve outputs. A controller is configured to send the activation signal to the control valves and the pump.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat assembly comprising:
a seat back;
a seat bottom coupled to said seat back; and
a bladder support system coupled to at least one of said seat back and said seat bottom, said bladder support system having:
a plurality of air cells mounted to at least one of said seat back and said seat bottom;
a pump fluidly connected to said plurality of air cells to selectively inflate said plurality of air cells when said pump receives an activation signal; and
a valve system defining a plurality of flow paths fluidly connected between said pump and said plurality of air cells, with said valve system further comprising:
at least three control valves, with each of said at least three control valves electrically controlled and movable to an open position to open a corresponding flow path and generate a control valve output when said control valve receives said activation signal;
a plurality of passive valves fluidly connected between each control valve and a corresponding air cell of the plurality of air cells and movable to an open position to open said corresponding flow path and generate a signal valve output to inflate the corresponding air cell, said plurality of passive valves configured to receive at least three of said control valve outputs from said at least three control valves; and
a controller configured to send said activation signal to said at least three control valves to open said corresponding flow path and said pump to generate a flow through said corresponding flow path to inflate said air cell.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said plurality of passive valves comprises:
a plurality of enable valves, with each of said enable valves movable to said open position when receiving said control valve outputs from two of said control valves to open said corresponding flow path and generate an enable valve output;
a plurality of signal valves, with each of said plurality of signal valves movable to an open position when receiving said control valve output from the other of said control valves and said enable valve output from said enable valve to open said corresponding flow path and inflate said corresponding air cell.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said plurality of passive valves comprises a plurality of 3-input valves, with each of said 3-input valves comprising:
a body:
a plurality of cavities;
a supply inlet port fluidly connecting one of said cavities to said pump;
a plurality of supply passages fluidly connecting said plurality of cavities in series to one another;
a plurality of actuation inlet ports fluidly connecting said plurality of cavities to said at least three control valves; and
an outlet port fluidly connected between one of said cavities and said corresponding air cell; and
a plurality of pistons movable within a corresponding one of said cavities to an open position to open a corresponding flow path to inflate said corresponding air cell when each of said actuation inlet ports receives said control valve output from said at least three control valves and said supply inlet port receives said flow from said pump.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said seat back comprises a lower lumbar region and an upper lumbar region above said lower lumbar region, with said plurality of air cells being spaced apart from one another and mounted to at least one of said upper lumbar region and said lower lumber region.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said seat back comprises a pair of side bolsters with said lower lumbar positioned between said side bolsters and said plurality of air cells mounted to said pair of side bolsters.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said seat back comprises a headrest connected to said upper lumbar region with said plurality of air cells mounted to said headrest.

7. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises a human machine interface and is configured to actuate said pump and actuate said plurality of control valves to sequentially inflate said plurality of air cells when said human machine interface is operated by a user.

8. A bladder support system for vehicle seat assembly, the bladder support system comprising:
a plurality of air cells mounted to the vehicle seat assembly;
a pump fluidly connected to said plurality of air cells to selectively inflate said plurality of air cells when said pump receives an activation signal; and
a valve system defining a plurality of flow paths fluidly connected between said pump and said plurality of air cells, with said valve system further comprising:
at least three control valves, with each of said at least three control valves electrically controlled and movable to an open position to open a corresponding flow path and generate a control valve output when said control valve receives said activation signal;
a plurality of passive valves fluidly connected between each control valve and a corresponding air cell of the plurality of air cells and movable to an open position to open said corresponding flow path and generate a signal valve output to inflate the corresponding air cell, said plurality of valves configured to receive at least three control valve outputs from said at least three control valves; and
a controller configured to send said activation signal to said at least three control valves to open said corresponding flow path and said pump to generate a flow through said corresponding flow path to inflate said air cell.

9. The bladder support system of claim 8 wherein said plurality of passive valves comprises:
a plurality of enable valves, with each of said enable valves movable to said open position when receiving said control valve outputs from two of said control valves to open said corresponding flow path and generate an enable valve output;
a plurality of signal valves, with each of said plurality of signal valves movable to an open position when receiving said control valve output from the other of said control valves and said enable valve output from said enable valve to open said corresponding flow path and inflate said corresponding air cell.

10. The bladder support system of claim 9 wherein said plurality of enable valves comprises a body, and for each of said enable valves, said body comprises:
a cavity;
a piston movable within said cavity between a closed position and an open position;
an actuation inlet port fluidly connected between said cavity and one of said control valves;
a supply inlet port fluidly connected between said cavity and another of said control valves;
an exhaust port fluidly connected between the atmosphere and said cavity when said piston is moved to said closed position; and
an outlet port fluidly connected between said signal valves and said supply inlet port when said piston is moved to said open position.

11. The bladder support system of claim 10 wherein each of said enable valves further comprises a spring configured to move said piston to said closed position.

12. The bladder support system of claim 10 further comprising a first seal carried by said piston and configured to block fluid communication between said outlet port and said two inlet ports when said piston is moved to said closed position.

13. The bladder support system of claim 12 further comprising a second seal carried by said piston and configured to block fluid communication between said outlet port and the other of said two inlet ports.

14. The bladder support system of claim 9 wherein said plurality of signal valves comprises a body comprising:
a plurality of cavities;

Assignees

• Ka Group Ag

Inventors

• Wheeler Douglas J

Classifications

• B60N2/0244

  with logic circuits · CPC title

• B60N2/914 Primary

  Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape · CPC title

• B60N2/99

  adjustable · CPC title

• B60N2/665

  using inflatable bladders · CPC title