High comfort endurance haptic cushion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025051016-A1
Application number	US-202418924845-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2024
Priority date	Aug 31, 2022
Publication date	Feb 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system is disclosed herein, including a cushion including a plurality of tactors and a plurality of air bladders disposed adjacent the plurality of tactors, a pump assembly operably connected to the plurality of bladders, a processor, and a memory operatively coupled to the processor. The memory includes instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine an inflation sequence for the plurality of air bladders, determine a deflation sequence for the plurality of air bladders, output commands to the pump assembly corresponding to the inflation sequence and the deflation sequence, and output vibrate commands to the plurality of tactors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
determining, by a processor, an inflation sequence for a plurality of air bladders; determining, by the processor, a deflation sequence for the plurality of air bladders; determining, by the processor, a vibration sequence for a plurality of tactors disposed adjacent the plurality of air bladders; outputting, by the processor, commands to a pump assembly corresponding to the inflation sequence and the deflation sequence; and outputting, by the processor, vibrate commands to the plurality of tactors corresponding to the vibration sequence.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vibration sequence includes a duty cycle and a vibration frequency for each of the plurality of tactors, the vibration frequency being an anti-fatigue vibration frequency.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processor, a signal from an aircraft controller; determining, by the processor, a second vibration sequence based on the signal received from the aircraft controller; and outputting, by the processor, alert vibrate commands corresponding to the second vibration sequence to a subset of the plurality of tactors.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
outputting, by the processor, stop vibrate commands to the plurality of tactors before outputting the alert vibrate commands to the subset of the plurality of tactors.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processor, a signal indicating an emergency; and outputting, by the processor, emergency deflate commands to the pump assembly to deflate the plurality of air bladders.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting, by the processor, the commands to the pump assembly for a first period of time; and outputting, by the processor, the vibrate commands to the plurality of tactors for a second period of time that does not overlap the first period of time.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vibration sequence includes a duty cycle and a vibration frequency for each of the plurality of tactors.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inflation sequence and the deflation sequence include a duty cycle for inflating and deflating each of the plurality of air bladders.

9 . An ejection seat, comprising:
a seatback including a seatback cushion; a seat bucket coupled to the seatback, the seat bucket including a seat cushion; a plurality of seatback tactors located in the seatback cushion; a plurality of seatback air bladders located in the seatback cushion; a plurality of seat tactors located in the seat cushion; a plurality of seat air bladders located in the seat cushion; and a controller operably coupled to the plurality of seatback tactors, the plurality of seatback air bladders, the plurality of seat tactors, and the plurality of seat air bladders, the controller being configured to send vibration commands to the plurality of seatback tactors and the plurality of seat tactors, and the controller being configured to send inflation commands to the plurality of the seatback air bladders and the plurality of seat air bladders.

10 . The ejection seat of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to control a frequency of vibration of the plurality of seatback tactors and the plurality of seat tactors.

11 . The ejection seat of claim 10 , wherein the frequency of vibration is either an alert frequency or an anti-fatigue frequency.

12 . The ejection seat of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a signal from an aircraft controller and determine a vibration sequence based on the signal received from the aircraft controller.

13 . The ejection seat of claim 12 , wherein the signal is an emergency signal, and the controller is further configured to send deflate commands to the plurality of seatback air bladders and the plurality of seat air bladders in response to the emergency signal.

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Carson Kassidy L
• Hampton John L
• Shaw Glen
• Tribble Daniel R
• Parker Larry
• Borchelt Donald
• Skola John R
• Womack James Donald

Classifications

• B64D45/00

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60N2002/981

  Warning systems, e.g. the seat or seat parts vibrates to warn the passenger when facing a danger · CPC title

• A61H2201/0149

  Seat or chair · CPC title

• B64D11/0689

  specially adapted for pilots · CPC title

• B64D11/0616

  with ejection means · CPC title