GB2510671A

GB2510671A - Inflatable vehicle seat with at least two separate layers

Info

Publication number: GB2510671A
Application number: GB1321177.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kalyan Cheruvu; Gopal Krishnan Chinnaswamy; Vidhu Khare
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2013-12-02
Filing date: 2013-12-02
Publication date: 2014-08-13
Also published as: GB201321177D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat 10, in particular for a passenger vehicle, the vehicle seat comprising at least one inflatable seat element 14, 16 for supporting an occupant of the vehicle seat, the seat element being inflatable with a gas, wherein the inflatable seat element comprises at least two layers 18, 20, 22 overlapping each other, the layers being inflatable with the gas and fluidically separated from each other. There may be three separate layers, and first (24, figure 2) and second (26) walls of each layer may be connected by means of connecting members (38). The connecting members may comprise chambers (44) which are fluidically separated from the layers. Pumps 60, operated by a user using controls 58, 62, may be provided so that each layer may be inflatable independently to different pressures. The seat element may form a seat surface or a backrest, and the seat may form part of a second row 48 behind a first row 46 of conventional seats.

Description

Vehicle seat, in Particular for a Passenger Vehicle The invention relates to a vehicle seat according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such a vehicle seat can be found in WO 2012/135894 Al. The vehicle seat comprises at least one inflatable seat element for supporting an occupant of the vehicle seat. The seat element is inflatable with a gas in the form of air by means of an air pump.

CN 202294347 U shows an inflatable automobile seat or automobile sofa which comprises a cushion, a back and a bracket.

Moreover, DE 10 2011 116449 shows a seat having a seat unit with a seat surface. The seat unit is divided in a transverse direction of the vehicle seat in seat unit elements. An air bellows is arranged between the two seat unit elements for moving the seat unit elements in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat. Moreover, the vehicle seat has an inflatable seat air chamber and an air pump for inflating the seat or chamber. The air bellows is inflated with the air pump in addition.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle seat of the previously mentioned kind, by means of which a particularly high seating comfort can be realized.

This object is solved by a vehicle seat having the features of patent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.

In order to provide a vehicle seat of the kind indicated in the preamble of patent claim 1, by means of which a particularly high seating comfort can be realized, according to the present invention the inflatable seat element comprises at least two layers overlapping each other. The layers are inflatable with a gas and fluidically separated from each other.

Thereby, the layers can be, for example, inflated with a gas independently from each other with different pressures. Thus, the stiffness or hardness of the inflatable seat element can be adjusted in a need-based manner by an occupant of the seat so that a very high seating comfort can be realized. In other words, the vehicle seat according to the present invention has a multi-layer structure by means of which the stiffness or hardness of the seat element can be adjusted. This means the stiffness or hardness of the seat element is variable. By adjusting the stiffness of the seat element, different comfort levels can be adjusted according to the needs and wishes of the occupant.

Moreover, the variable stiffness helps realize a particularly good NVH (Noise. Vibration, Harshness) quality and crash performance of the vehicle seat.

Furthermore, a particularly low weight of the vehicle seat can be realized since the seat element is inflatable and deflatable. For example, after deflating the seat element it can be rolled and/or folded so that the seat element needs particularly low packaging space.

Thereby, additional luggage space can be created very easily. The vehicle seat according to the present invention is particularly well suited for a second row or rows arranged behind a second row of seats of a passenger vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle.

Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of a preferred embodiment as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respective indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

The drawings show in: Fig. 1 a schematic and perspective view of a vehicle seat for a passenger vehicle, the vehicle seat comprising a first seat element in the form of a seat part and a second seat element in the form of a backrest, the seat part and the backrest being inflatable and having a multi-layer structure; Fig. 2 a schematic sectional view of the seat part along a cut line A-A shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 a schematic side view of a seat system of a passenger vehicle, the seat system comprising a first row and a second row having the vehicle seat according to Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a vehicle seat 10 for a seating system 12 (Fig. 3) of a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle. The vehicle seat 10 comprises a first inflatable seat element in the form of an inflatable seat part 14. The seat part 14 forms a seat cushion of the vehicle seat. Furthermore, the vehicle seat 10 comprises a second inflatable seat element in the form of an inflatable backrest 16. Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the seat part 14 along a cutline A-A shown in Fig. 1. In the following, embodiments and features of the seat part 14 are described. These embodiments and features are to be regarded as embodiments and features of the backrest 16. In other words, the features and embodiments described with respect to the seat pad 14 also apply to the backrest 16.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the seat part 14 (and the backrest 16) has a multi-layer structure comprising three layers 18, 20 and 22 overlapping each other, the layers 18, 20, 22 being inflatable with a gas and fluidically separated from each other. The first layer 18 comprises a top wall 24 and a first intermediate wall 26 bounding a first chamber 28 of the first layer 18. The second layer 20 comprises the first intermediate wall 26 and a second intermediate wall 30 bounding a chamber 32 of the second layer 20. The third layer 22 comprises a second intermediate wall 30 and a bottom wall 34 bounding a chamber 36 of the third layer 22. Hence, the first intermediate wall 26 is a pad of the first layer 18 and the second layer 20 as well since both the chamber 28 and the chamber 32 are bounded by the first intermediate wall 26. The second intermediate wall 30 is part of the second layer 20 and the third layer 22 as well since both the chamber 32 and the chamber 36 are bounded by the second intermediate wall 30.

The layers 18, 20 and 22 overlap each other and are inflatable with a gas in the form of air. By inflating the layers 18, 20, 22 with air the seat pad 14 is inflated. In order to inflate the respective layers 18, 20, 22 with air the respective chamber 28, 32, 36 are to be filled with air. Moreover, the layers 18, 20, 22, i.e. the chambers 28, 32, 26 are fluidically separated from each other by means of the intermediate walls 26, 30.

As can be seen in Fig. 2, the layers 18, 20, 22 each comprise connecting elements 38, 40, 42. By means of the connecting elements 38 the top wall 24 is connected to the first intermediate wall 26, the top wall 24 being arranged at a distance from the first intermediate wall 26. By means of the connecting elements 40, the first intermediate wall 26 is connected to the second intermediate wall 30, the first intermediate wall 26 being arranged at a distance from the second intermediate wall 30. Furthermore, by means of the connecting elements 42, the second intermediate wall 30 is connected to the bottom wall 34, the second intermediate wall 30 being arranged at a distance from the bottom wall 34. The connecting elements 38, 40, 42 provide a certain stiffness to the seat part 14.

In an embodiment of the seat part 14 it is possible that at least one of the chambers 28, 32, 36 is divided into respective sub-chambers by means of the respective connecting elements 38, 40 and/or 42, the respective sub-chambers of the respective layer 18. 20, 22 being fluidically separated from each other by means of the respective connecting elements 38, 40, 42. Alternatively the connecting elements 38, 40, 42 are open so that the respective sub-chambers of the respective layer 18, 20, 22 are fluidically connected to each other.

The respective connecting elements 38, 40, 42 can comprise at least one chamber 44 being arranged in the respective layer 18, 20, 22, the respective chamber 44 being fluidically separated from the layers 18, 20, 22, i.e. the chambers 28, 32, 36. This means the respective chamber 44 is completely closed. Alternatively, the respective chamber 44 can be partially open.

As can be seen in Fig. 3, the seat system 12 comprises a first row 46 and a second row 48. The second row 48 is arranged behind the first row 46 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The first row 46 comprises at least two seats from which one seat designated with reference sign 50 can be seen in Fig. 3. The second row 48 comprises at least the vehicle seat 10. The vehicle seat 10 comprises pressure sensors 52, 54, 56. By means of the pressure sensor 52 the pressure inside the first layer 18 can be detected. The pressure inside the second layer 20 can be detected by means of the pressure sensor 54.

The pressure inside the third layer 22 can be detected by means of the pressure sensor 56. The pressure sensors 52, 54, 56 are connected to a control unit 58 of the vehicle seat 10. The pressure sensors 52, 54, 56 each provide a signal characterizing the respective pressure inside the layers 18, 20, 22. The respective signal is transmitted to and received by the control unit 58.

The vehicle seat 10 also comprises air pumps 60 by means of which the layers 18, 20, 22 can be inflated with air. The air pumps 60 are connected to the control unit 58 so that the air pumps 60 can be controlled by the control unit 58 in dependency of the signals characterizing the respective pressure.

The vehicle seat 10 also comprises an operating element 62 having four buttons Ci, C2, C3, 04, the operating element 62 being connected to the control unit 58. By pushing one of the buttons 0, 02, 03, 04, an occupant of the vehicle seat 10 can adjust the pressures inside the layers 18, 20, 22 and, thus, the hardness or stiffness of the vehicle seat 10.

Thereby, a comfort level provided by the vehicle seat 10 can be adjusted in a need-based manner by the occupant. The higher the pressure in the respective layers 18, 20, 22 is the stiffer or harder is the vehicle seat 10.

Since the layers 18, 20, 22 are fluidically separated from each other, the layers 18, 20, 22 can be inflated independently from each other with different pressures by means of the air pumps 60. Moreover, the seat part 14 and the backrest 16 can be inflated independently from each other with air. This means the respective layers 18,20,22 of the backrest 16 can be inflated independently from each and independently from the layers 18, 20, 22 of the seat part 14.

The control unit 58 is used to adjust the desired stiffness and comfort level with help of the air pumps 60 and the pressure sensors 52, 54 and 56. Thereby, the layers 18, 20, 22 can be individually controlled so that different stiffness and comfort levels can be realized by varying the pressures in the layers 18, 20, 22, wherein the respective pressures in the layers 18, 20, 22 can be varied independently from each other.

By pushing one of the buttons C1, 02, 03, 04 the occupant can chose the desired comfort level. For example, a desired comfort level found by the occupant can be stored in a memory so that the desired comfort level can be restored very quickly.

List of reference signs vehicle seat 12 seat system 14 seat part 16 backrest 18 first layer second layer 22 third layer 24 top wall 26 first intermediate wall 28 chamber second intermediate wall 32 chamber 34 bottom wall 36 chamber 38 connecting element connecting element 42 connecting element 44 chamber 46 first row 48 second row vehicle seat 52 pressure sensor 54 pressure sensor 56 pressure sensor 58 control unit air pumps 62 operating element C1 button C2 button C3 button C4 button

Claims

Claims A vehicle seat (10), in particular for a passenger vehicle, the vehicle seat comprising at least one inflatable seat element (14) for supporting an occupant of the vehicle seat, the seat element (14) being inflatable with a gas, characterized in that the inflatable seat element (14) comprises at least two layers (18, 20) overlapping each other, the layers (18, 20) being inflatable with the gas and fluidically separated from each other.
2. The vehicle seat (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the layers (18, 20) comprise at least one connecting element (38) by means of which a first wall (24) of the at least one layer (18) is connected to a second wall (26) of the at least one layer (18), the walls (24. 26) overlapping each other and being arranged at a distance from each other.
3. The vehicle seat (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the connecting element (38) comprises at least one chamber (44) being arranged in the at least one layer (18), the chamber (44) being fluidically separated from the layers (18, 20).
4. The vehicle seat (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seat element (14) is designed as a seat part (14) providing a seating surface or as a backrest (16) providing a backrest surface for the occupant.
5. The vehicle seat (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle seat (10) comprises at least one pump device (60) by means of which the layers (18, 20) are inflatable independently from each other, in particular with different pressures.
6. A vehicle, in particular, a passenger vehicle, comprising at least one vehicle seat (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.