Conformable and reconfigurable occupant support structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019106030-A1
Application number	US-201715727757-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 9, 2017
Priority date	Oct 9, 2017
Publication date	Apr 11, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An occupant support structure and a method of customizing an occupant support structure. The occupant support structure may comprise a base and a reconfigurable cushion carried by the base. The reconfigurable cushion may include an occupant support surface and a bladder. The bladder may include an outer wall that defines an inner cavity underlying the occupant support surface and two or more overlapping material layers disposed within the cavity. The overlapping material layers may be adapted to selectively transition from a compliant state to a rigid state and vice versa by selective control of a pressure condition across the outer wall of the bladder to reconfigure or conform the occupant support surface of the cushion to a contour of a portion of an occupant supported by the cushion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An occupant support structure comprising:
a base; and a reconfigurable cushion carried by the base and adapted to support a portion of an occupant, the reconfigurable cushion including an occupant support surface and a bladder including an outer wall that defines an inner cavity underlying the occupant support surface and two or more overlapping material layers disposed within the cavity, wherein the overlapping material layers are adapted to selectively transition from a compliant state to a rigid state and vice versa by selective control of a pressure condition across the outer wall of the bladder to reconfigure or conform the occupant support surface of the cushion to a contour of a portion of an occupant supported by the cushion, wherein, when an equal pressure condition is established across the outer wall of the bladder, the overlapping material layers are adapted to exhibit a compliant state and to deform in response to an external load applied by an occupant on the occupant support surface of the cushion, and wherein, when a negative pressure condition is established across the outer wall of the bladder, the overlapping material layers are adapted to exhibit a rigid state and to prevent deformation of the occupant support surface in response to application or removal of an external load on the occupant support surface of the cushion.

2 . The support structure of claim 1 wherein the overlapping material layers are positioned within the cavity such that confronting surfaces of adjacent material layers are in direct contact with each other, and wherein the overlapping material layers are configured such that, when a negative pressure condition is established across the outer wall of the bladder, friction is generated between the confronting surfaces of the layers such that shearing of the layers is prevented.

3 . The support structure of claim 1 wherein at least one of the overlapping material layers comprises a composite material including a network of rigid regions physically interconnected to one another by one or more compliant regions, and wherein the compliant regions are configured to bias the rigid regions toward one another and to resist relative movement of the rigid regions in response to an applied external load.

4 . The support structure of claim 3 wherein the rigid regions are physically separated from one another by voids.

5 . The support structure of claim 3 wherein at least one of the overlapping material layers comprises a continuous layer of a physically and chemically homogenous material.

6 . The support structure of claim 1 wherein the overlapping material layers comprise alternating first and second layers, and wherein the first layers have a different material composition or configuration than the second layers.

7 . The support structure of claim 6 wherein the first layers comprise a rigid material and the second layers comprise a compliant material.

8 . The support structure of claim 1 including one or more biasing members located between the base and the reconfigurable cushion, wherein the one or more biasing members are configured to bias the cushion away from the base and to resist movement of the cushion toward the base in response to an external load applied by an occupant on the occupant support surface of the cushion.

9 . The support structure of claim 1 wherein the bladder includes an opening through which fluid may be evacuated from or introduced into the cavity to establish an intended pressure condition within the cavity.

10 . The support structure of claim 1 including a vacuum pump and evacuation system for selectively establishing a subatmospheric pressure condition within the cavity.

11 . The support structure of claim 1 wherein the reconfigurable cushion includes an elastomeric pad overlying the bladder and a cover overlying the elastomeric pad, and wherein the occupant support surface is defined by the cover.

12 . The support structure of claim 1 wherein the reconfigurable cushion includes a first bladder and a second bladder, wherein each of the first and second bladders include an outer wall defining an inner cavity underlying the occupant support surface and two or more overlapping material layers disposed within the cavity, and wherein the first and second bladders are adapted to individually or collectively transition from a compliant state to a rigid state and vice versa by selective control of a pressure condition across the outer walls of the first and second bladders to respectively reconfigure or conform first and second zones of the occupant support surface of the cushion to a contour of a portion of an occupant supported by the cushion.

13 . The support structure of claim 1 wherein the reconfigurable cushion comprises a seat back, a seat bottom, an armrest, a footrest, or a headrest for an occupant of a vehicle.

14 . A seat for an occupant of a vehicle including the occupant support structure of claim 1 , wherein the seat comprises a driver's seat, a passenger seat, a child seat, or a booster seat.

15 . A method of customizing an occupant support structure that comprises a reconfigurable cushion including an occupant support surface and a bladder underlying the occupant support surface that includes an outer wall defining an inner cavity and two or more overlapping material layers disposed within the cavity, the method comprising the following steps:
(a) establishing a first pressure condition across the outer wall of the bladder such that the cushion exhibits an initial configuration; (b) positioning a first occupant in contact with the occupant support surface of the cushion such that a portion of the first occupant presses against the occupant support surface and conforms the occupant support surface to a contour of the portion of the first occupant; (c) establishing a second pressure condition across the outer wall of the bladder while the first occupant is in contact with the occupant support surface to frictionally engage the overlapping material layers and to impart a predetermined rigidity to the cushion; and (d) maintaining the second pressure condition across the outer wall of the bladder such that the occupant support surface retains the contour of the portion of the first occupant.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the first pressure condition is established across the outer wall of the bladder by equalizing the pressure across the outer wall of the bladder.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the second pressure condition is established across the outer wall of the bladder by establishing a subatmospheric pressure condition within the cavity.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the portion of the occupant comprises a head, back, shoulder, lumbar, buttocks, leg, arm, or foot of the occupant.

19 . The method of claim 15 including:
after step (d), returning the bladder to the first pressure condition to return the cushion to its initial configuration;
positioning a second occupant in contact with the occupant support surface of the cushion such that a portion of the second occupant presses against the occupant support surface and conforms the occupant support surface to a contour of the portion of the second occupant;
establishing a second pressure condition across the outer wall of the bladder while the second occupant is in contact with the occupant support surface to frictionally engage the overlapping material layers and to impart a predetermined rigidity to the cushion; and
maintaining the

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Kim Wonhee M
• Haselhuhn Amberlee S
• Skurkis Richard J
• Walker Michael J
• Sutherland Ian J
• Alexander Paul W
• Mankame Nilesh D

Classifications

• B60N3/063

  with adjustment systems · CPC title

• B60N2/62 Primary

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

• B60N2/665

  using inflatable bladders · CPC title

• B60N2/64

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

• B60N2/914 Primary

  Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape · CPC title