Vehicle seat having a fluid chamber unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11964601-B2
Application number	US-202117467699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2021
Priority date	Sep 8, 2020
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat having an upper seat part for receiving a person, which upper seat part comprises a seat plate part and a seat cushion part, the seat cushion part being arranged above the seat plate part in relation to a height axis of the vehicle seat and the seat plate part and the seat cushion part being arranged so as to at least partially overlap in relation to the height axis, forming an intermediate first overlap region, a fluid chamber unit having at least two fluid chambers being arranged at least partially within the first overlap region between the seat plate part and the seat cushion part, a control unit being provided, designed to introduce and to remove a fluid into/from the at least two fluid chambers so that an expansion in the height axis of the at least two fluid chambers can be controlled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat comprising:
an upper seat part for receiving a person, which upper seat part comprises a seat plate part and a seat cushion part, the seat cushion part being arranged above the seat plate part in relation to a height axis of the vehicle seat, and the seat plate part and the seat cushion part being arranged so as to at least partially overlap in relation to the height axis, forming an intermediate first overlap region,
wherein a fluid chamber unit having at least two fluid chambers is arranged at least partially within the first overlap region between the seat plate part and the seat cushion part, a control unit being provided, designed to introduce and to remove a fluid into/from the at least two fluid chambers so that an expansion in the height axis of the at least two fluid chambers can be controlled,
wherein the at least two fluid chambers are each designed to receive the fluid, and a fluid delivery device being provided, which is connected to the control unit at least for signalling purposes, which fluid delivery device is at least fluidically connected, independently, to each of the at least two fluid chambers, and being designed to transport the fluid into and/or from each of the at least two fluid chambers, it being possible for the fluid to be introduced individually into each of the at least two fluid chambers and to be removed individually from each of the at least two fluid chambers.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two fluid chambers are each designed to receive the fluid, and a fluid delivery device being provided, which is connected to the control unit at least for signalling purposes, which fluid delivery device is at least fluidically connected, independently, to each of the at least two fluid chambers, and being designed to transport the fluid into and/or from each of the at least two fluid chambers, it being possible for the fluid to be introduced individually into each of the at least two fluid chambers and to be removed individually from each of the at least two fluid chambers.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two fluid chambers are arranged adjacently in relation to a width axis or a length axis of the vehicle seat.

4. A vehicle seat, comprising:
an upper seat part for receiving a person, which upper seat part comprises a seat plate part and a seat cushion part, the seat cushion part being arranged above the seat plate part in relation to a height axis of the vehicle seat, and the seat plate part and the seat cushion part being arranged so as to at least partially overlap in relation to the height axis, forming an intermediate first overlap region,
wherein a fluid chamber unit having at least two fluid chambers is arranged at least partially within the first overlap region between the seat plate part and the seat cushion part, a control unit being provided, designed to introduce and to remove a fluid into/from the at least two fluid chambers so that an expansion in the height axis of the at least two fluid chambers can be controlled, and
wherein the fluid chamber unit is designed to be substantially plate-like, a cover element being arranged below the fluid chamber unit and between the seat plate part and the fluid chamber unit in relation to the height axis, and a plate element being arranged above the fluid chamber unit and between the seat cushion part and the fluid chamber unit in relation to the height axis, the fluid chamber unit being arranged between the cover element and the plate element in relation to the height axis.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 4 , wherein the cover element and the plate element are arranged so as to at least partially overlap in relation to the height axis, forming an intermediate second overlap region, the fluid chamber unit being at least partially arranged within the second overlap region between the cover element and the plate element, and the cover element and the plate element being arranged at least partially within the first overlap region between the seat plate part and the seat cushion part.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 4 , wherein the cover element is mechanically connected to the fluid chamber unit, the cover element consisting of a flexible material and the plate element being designed to be planar.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 4 , wherein the cover element and the plate element are arranged so as to at least partially overlap in relation to the height axis, forming an intermediate second overlap region, the fluid chamber unit being completely arranged within the second overlap region between the cover element and the plate element, and the cover element and the plate element being arranged completely within the first overlap region between the seat plate part and the seat cushion part.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 4 , wherein the cover element is mechanically connected to the fluid chamber unit, the cover element consisting of a textile material, and the plate element being designed to be planar and consisting of a flexible material.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 4 , wherein the cover element is mechanically connected to the fluid chamber unit, the cover element consisting of a textile material, and the plate element being designed to be planar and consisting of a plastics material.

10. A system, comprising:
vehicle seat, comprising:
an upper seat part for receiving a person, which upper seat part comprises a seat plate part and a seat cushion part, the seat cushion part being arranged above the seat plate part in relation to a height axis of the vehicle seat, and the seat plate part and the seat cushion part being arranged so as to at least partially overlap in relation to the height axis, forming an intermediate first overlap region;
wherein a fluid chamber unit having at least two fluid chambers is arranged at least partially within the first overlap region between the seat plate part and the seat cushion part, a control unit being provided, designed to introduce and to remove a fluid into/from the at least two fluid chambers so that an expansion in the height axis of the at least two fluid chambers can be controlled, and
an activation unit that is connected at least for signalling purposes to the control unit and which is designed to transmit an activation signal to the control unit to initiate an introduction and/or removal of a fluid into/from at least one fluid chamber of at least two fluid chambers of a fluid chamber unit.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the activation unit comprises a manually actuatable operating unit and/or a body function recognition unit, the body function recognition unit being designed to detect at least one body function of a person sitting on the vehicle seat, and having at least one first sensor.

12. A method for operating a system according to claim 10 , comprising the steps of:
a) receiving an activation signal from an activation unit by means of a control unit;
b) outputting a pulse-width-modulated control signal to a fluid delivery unit by means of the control unit; and
c) introducing a fluid into at least one fluid chamber of at least two fluid chambers of a fluid chamber unit.

13. A vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising the system according to claim 10 .

14. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the system is arranged in a vehicle.

Assignees

• Grammer Ag

Inventors

• Schneider Florian
• Frohriep Susanne
• Schustjew Sergej

Classifications

• B60N2/914 Primary

  Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape · CPC title

• B60N2/527

  using liquids · CPC title

• B60N2/976 Primary

  massaging systems · CPC title

• B60N2/72

  Attachment or adjustment thereof · CPC title

• B60N2/62

  Thigh-rests {(B60N2/914 takes precedence)} · CPC title