Compact mechanical lumbar vehicle seating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975460-B2
Application number	US-201615208594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2016
Priority date	Jul 12, 2016
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A mechanical lumbar system for vehicle seating. The lumbar system may be compact in size so as to require a smaller space within vehicle seating. The lumbar system may be adjustable in 4-ways. The lumbar system may be adjustable in an in and out fashion so as to decrease and increase, respectively, the amount of lumbar support. The lumbar system may be adjustable vertically so as to allow the vertical position of the lumbar support to be moved to accommodate the occupant. The lumbar system may utilize a U-shaped lower bridge member that allows the motors to be positioned vertically higher in the seat back while also allowing the lumbar support to be positioned below the motors. The legs of the lower bridge may extend below the lower frame cross member in the vehicle seat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:
a seat bottom;
a seat back operatively coupled to the seat bottom;
a lumbar support system disposed in the seat back, the lumbar support system including:
a frame having a pair of extending members;
an upper bridge member operatively coupled to the extending members and movable there along;
a lower bridge member operatively coupled to the extending members below the upper bridge member and movable there along, the lower bridge member having a central portion and a pair of legs extending downwardly from the central potion; and
a pair of lumbar bands, a top end portion of each lumbar band being operatively coupled to the upper bridge member and a lower end portion of each lumbar band being operatively coupled to a leg of the lower bridge member,

wherein the upper and lower bridge members may move along the extending members in unison to adjust a vertical position of the lumbar bands and may move along the extending members relative to one another to adjust a level of support provided by the lumbar bands.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the seat back has an internal frame including a lower cross member extending between a pair of vertically extending side rails and wherein the legs of the lower bridge member extend below the lower cross member when the lower bridge member is in a lowermost position.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , wherein the central portion of the lower bridge member is disposed above the lower cross member when the lower bridge member is in the lowermost position.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 3 , wherein the lumbar system includes a pair of motors, a first one of the motors operable to move the upper and lower bridge members in unison along the extending members, and a second one of the motors operable to move the upper and lower bridge members relative to one another along the extending members.

5. The vehicle seat of claim 4 , wherein the pair of motors is operatively coupled to the central portion of the lower bridge member and remain above the lower cross member regardless of a position of the lower bridge member as it moves along the extending members.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 4 , wherein the pair of motors is disposed between the extending members.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 2 , wherein the lower end portions of the lumbar bands are operatively attached to a lower end portion of the legs and the lower end portions extend below the lower cross member when the lower bridge member is in the lowermost position.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 7 , wherein the upper bridge member includes a pair of upwardly extending legs and the upper end portions of the lumbar bands are operatively coupled to the legs of the upper bridge member.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 8 , wherein the upper bridge member is generally U-shaped and the lower bridge member is generally shaped as an inverted U.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the lower bridge member is generally shaped as an inverted U.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a door;
an interior operable to accommodate one or more occupants;
a vehicle seat operable to support an occupant, the seat including:
a seat bottom;
a seat back operatively coupled to the seat bottom;
a lumbar support system disposed in the seat back, the lumbar support system including:
a frame having a pair of extending members;
an upper bridge member operatively coupled to the extending members and movable there along;
a lower bridge member operatively coupled to the extending members below the upper bridge member and movable there along, the lower bridge member being generally shaped as an inverted U and having a central portion and a pair of legs extending downwardly from the central potion; and
a pair of lumbar bands, a top end portion of each lumbar band being operatively coupled to the upper bridge member and a lower end portion of each lumbar band being operatively coupled to a leg of the lower bridge member,

wherein the upper and lower bridge members may move along the extending members in unison to adjust a vertical position of the lumbar bands and may move along the extending members relative to one another to adjust a level of support provided by the lumbar bands.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the seat back has an internal frame including a lower cross member extending between a pair of vertically extending side rails and wherein the legs of the lower bridge member extend below the lower cross member when the lower bridge member is in a lowermost position.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the central portion of the lower bridge member is disposed above the lower cross member when the lower bridge member is in the lowermost position.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the lumbar system includes a pair of motors, a first one of the motors operable to move the upper and lower bridge members in unison along the extending members, and a second one of the motors operable to move the upper and lower bridge members relative to one another along the extending members, the pair of motors is operatively coupled to the central portion of the lower bridge member and remain above the lower cross member regardless of a position of the lower bridge member as it moves along the extending members.

15. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the lower end portions of the lumbar bands are operatively attached to a lower end portion of the legs and the lower end portions extend below the lower cross member when the lower bridge member is in the lowermost position.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the upper bridge member is generally U-shaped and includes a central portion and a pair of legs extending upwardly from the central portion and the upper end portions of the lumbar bands are operatively coupled to the legs of the upper bridge member.

17. A vehicle seat, comprising:
a seat bottom;
a seat back operatively coupled to the seat bottom, the seat back having an internal frame including upper and lower cross members extending between a pair of vertically extending side rails;
a lumbar support system disposed in the seat back, the lumbar support system including:
a frame having a pair of extending members;
an upper bridge member operatively coupled to the extending members and movable there along;
a lower bridge member operatively coupled to the extending members below the upper bridge member and movable there along, the lower bridge member having a central portion and a pair of legs extending downwardly from the central potion; and
a pair of lumbar bands, a top end portion of each lumbar band being operatively coupled to the upper bridge member and a lower end portion of each lumbar band being operatively coupled to a leg of the lower bridge member, the legs of the lower bridge member extending below the lower cross member when the lower bridge member is in a lowermost position,

wherein the upper and lower bridge members may move along the extending members in unison to adjust a vertical position of the lumbar bands and may move along the extending members relative to one another to adjust a level of support provided by the lumbar bands.

18. The vehicle seat of claim 17 , wherein the central portion of the lower bridge member is disposed above the lower cross member when the lower bridge member is in the lowermost position.

19. The vehicle seat of claim 18 , wherein the lower end portions of the lumbar bands are operatively attached to a lower end portion of the legs and the lower end portions extend below the lowe

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Bhatia Vikas
• Fahim Masroor
• Moegling Peter J
• Vick Brandon J

Classifications

• B60N2/666

  vertically adjustable · CPC title

• B60N2/6673 Primary

  with motor driven adjustments · CPC title

• B60N2/753

  movable to an inoperative position · CPC title

• B60N2/06

  slidable (B60N2/12 {, B60N2/2209} take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/22

  the back-rest being adjustable {(B60N2/2878 takes precedence)} · CPC title