Adjustable interface pressure device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9615669-B2
Application number	US-201514885026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2015
Priority date	Aug 20, 2015
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A method and system to provide an occupant support device includes a first inflatable tube, a second inflatable tube disposed parallel to the first inflatable tube, a third inflatable tube disposed at a relative angle to the first inflatable tube, above the first inflatable tube and below the second inflatable tube, a fourth inflatable tube disposed parallel to the third inflatable tube, below the first inflatable tube and above the second inflatable tube, and an inflation device to selectively provide a low pressure and a high pressure to at least one of the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube, and the fourth inflatable tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An occupant support device, comprising:
a first inflatable tube;
a second inflatable tube disposed parallel to the first inflatable tube;
a third inflatable tube disposed at a relative angle to the first inflatable tube, above the first inflatable tube and below the second inflatable tube;
a fourth inflatable tube disposed parallel to the third inflatable tube, below the first inflatable tube and above the second inflatable tube; and
an inflation device to selectively provide a low pressure and a high pressure to at least one of the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube, and the fourth inflatable tube.

2. The occupant support device of claim 1 , wherein the third inflatable tube is disposed perpendicular to the first inflatable tube.

3. The occupant support device of claim 1 , further comprising a foam cushion supported by the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube, and the fourth inflatable tube.

4. The occupant support device of claim 1 , wherein the inflation device continuously selectively provides the low pressure and the high pressure to the group consisting of at least one of the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube, and the fourth inflatable tube.

5. The occupant support device of claim 1 , wherein the inflation device selectively provides the low pressure and the high pressure at a predetermined interval to the group consisting of at least one of the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube, and the fourth inflatable tube.

6. A method to vary an interface pressure for an occupant support device, comprising:
providing a first inflatable tube;
providing a second inflatable tube disposed parallel to the first inflatable tube;
providing a third inflatable tube disposed at a relative angle to the first inflatable tube, above the first inflatable tube and below the second inflatable tube;
providing a fourth inflatable tube disposed parallel to the third inflatable tube, below the first inflatable tube and above the second inflatable tube; and
selectively providing a low pressure and a high pressure to at least one of the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube, and the fourth inflatable tube via an inflation device.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube, and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the third inflatable tube via the inflation device.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the first inflatable tube and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the third inflatable tube and the second inflatable tube via the inflation device.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the first inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube, the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the second inflatable tube via the inflation device.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the first inflatable tube and the third inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the second inflatable tube and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube and the third inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device.

13. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the second inflatable tube and the third inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the first inflatable tube and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device.

14. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the second inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the first inflatable tube via the inflation device.

15. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the second inflatable tube and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the first inflatable tube and the third inflatable tube via the inflation device.

16. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the low pressure to the second inflatable tube via the inflation device and providing the high pressure to the first inflatable tube, the third inflatable tube and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device.

17. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the high pressure to the first inflatable tube, the second inflatable tube the third inflatable tube and the fourth inflatable tube via the inflation device.

18. A seating device, comprising:
a first plurality of inflatable tubes;
a second plurality of inflatable tubes disposed parallel to the first plurality of inflatable tubes;
a third plurality of inflatable tubes disposed at a relative angle to the first plurality of inflatable tubes, above the first plurality of inflatable tubes and below the second plurality of inflatable tubes;
a fourth plurality of inflatable tubes disposed parallel to the third plurality of inflatable tubes, below the first plurality of inflatable tubes and above the second plurality of inflatable tubes; and
an inflation device to selectively provide a low pressure and a high pressure to at least one of the first plurality of inflatable tubes, the second plurality of inflatable tubes, the third plurality of inflatable tubes, and the fourth plurality of inflatable tubes.

19. The seating device of claim 18 , further comprising a foam cushion supported by the first plurality of inflatable tubes, the second plurality of inflatable tubes, the third plurality of inflatable tubes, and the fourth plurality of inflatable tubes.

20. The occupant support device of claim 18 , wherein the inflation device continuously selectively provides the low pressure and the high pressure to the group consisting of at least one of the first plurality of inflatable tubes, the second plurality of inflatable tubes, the third plurality of inflatable tubes, and the fourth plurality of inflatable tubes.

Assignees

• Goodrich Aerospace Services Private Ltd
• Ami Ind Inc

Inventors

• Marappan Bharath
• Kuppan Skandan Berikai

Classifications

• A47C7/18

  having foamed material included in cushioning part · CPC title

• B60N2/62 Primary

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

• A47C27/10 Primary

  with two or more independently-fillable chambers · CPC title

• A47C7/16 Primary

  Seats made of wooden, plastics, or metal sheet material; Panel seats · CPC title

• A47C27/083

  with pressure control, e.g. with pressure sensors · CPC title