Patent Application
20250143952
Seats may include lumbar/bolster valves and massage valves that are configured in a valve arrangement. The valves inflate or deflate associated fluid bladders in the seat. If bolsters share an air line, when one bladder is pressed during a cornering maneuver, the support in that bladder is lost as air will simply move to another bladder. Bolsters having separate air lines can maintain firm support when cornering; however, this results in increased cost for an associated pneumatic support system.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the various described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.
“One or more” includes a function being performed by one element, a function being performed by more than one element, e.g., in a distributed fashion, several functions being performed by one element, several functions being performed by several elements, or any combination of the above.
It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. are, in some instances, used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first contact could be termed a second contact, and, similarly, a second contact could be termed a first contact, without departing from the scope of the various described embodiments. The first contact and the second contact are both contacts, but they are not the same contact.
The terminology used in the description of the various described embodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various described embodiments and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
As used herein, the term “if” is, optionally, construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [a stated condition or event] is detected” is, optionally, construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [the stated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the stated condition or event],” depending on the context.
It should be understood that terms such as “about,” “substantially,” and “generally” are not intended to be boundaryless terms, and should be interpreted consistent with the way one skilled in the art would interpret those terms.
This disclosure relates to a pneumatic support system that uses one active valve to supply fluid to inflate multiple fluid bladders in combination with a plurality of one-way passive valves cooperating with each other to fill/hold a set inflation pressure within the bladders, and the multiple fluid bladders are then deflated via one common active vent valve.
The seat bottom 12 includes a central seating surface 18 and a pair of side bolster regions 20 laterally spaced about the central seating surface 18. The seat back 14 includes a pelvic/lumbar seating surface 22 with a pair of laterally spaced apart side bolster regions 24 on either side. A thoracic/shoulder seating surface 26 is provided above the pelvic/lumbar seating surface 22 and the seating surface of seat back side bolster regions 24. It should be understood that this is just one example of a seat configuration, and that other configurations could also be utilized.
The side bolster fluid bladder assemblies 30, 32 provide lateral support to a seated occupant when the vehicle experiences a turn or cornering. The fluid bladder assemblies 28 in the seat bottom 12 and in the seat back 14 can be used for lumbar or massage purposes.
The seat assembly 10 also includes an actuator assembly 44 for controlling inflation of the bladder assemblies 28, 30, 32. The actuator assembly 44 may include a compressor or pneumatic pump connected to a valve bank to provide a source of fluid to the fluid bladder assemblies 28, 30, 32. A seat control module is provided in the seat bottom 12 or seat back 14 and is identified generally as a controller 46. In one example, the controller 46 regulates compressed air into and out of the bladder assemblies 28, 30, 32 in the seat assembly 10. The controller 46 and actuator 44 may be installed in the seat back 14, as shown, or installed under the seat, or anywhere suitable in the vehicle. Further, the controller 46 and actuator 44 may be separate units or may be combined together as a single unit.
The controller 46 may include a processing unit and non-transitory memory for executing various control strategies. The processing unit can be a custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), or generally any device for executing software instructions. The memory can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements and/or nonvolatile memory elements. The processing unit can be programmed to execute one or more programs stored in the memory. The programs may be stored in the memory as software code, for example. The programs stored in the memory may include one or more additional or separate programs, each of which includes an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions associated with controlling the valve bank. While shown as a single controller, the controller 46 may be comprised of one or more controllers. The controller 46 may also be in communication with, and responsive to instructions from, another controller.
In one example, each pair of fluid bladders 52, 54 is associated with a common buffer bladder 58 to maintain the bladder pressure in each bladder of the pair of bladders at a desired pressure. As such, each pair of fluid bladders 52, 54 in the plurality of fluid bladders is associated with only one buffer bladder 58.
In one example, the buffer bladder 58 is smaller in size than each associated pair of fluid bladders. Thus, for example, the buffer bladder 58 shown in
The buffer bladder 58 is configured to have multiple inlets, e.g. one inlet for each associated fluid bladder, and a single outlet to the vent 62. Thus, as shown in
In one example, each fluid bladder of the pneumatic support system 50 includes a single one-way valve and each buffer bladder includes two one-way valves. As such, the plurality of one-way valves 60 includes at least a first one-way valve 60a associated with the first fluid bladder 52, a second one-way valve 60b associated with the second fluid bladder 54, a third one-way valve 60c associated with the buffer bladder 58, and a fourth one-way valve 60d associated with the buffer bladder 58. Each of the one-way valves 60a-d comprises a TPU valve or other similar passive valve that is at least partially received within a fluid chamber 78, 80 of the associated bladder 52, 54 and allows only one way flow through the valve 60a-d.
In the disclosed configuration, each fluid bladder has a single inlet associated with the one-way valve and a single outlet associated with one of the two one-way valves in the buffer bladder. For example, the first fluid bladder 52 has a single inlet 82 via the first one-way valve 60a for inflation of the first fluid bladder 52, and the second fluid bladder 54 has a single inlet 84 via the second one-way valve 60b for inflation of the second fluid bladder 54. The buffer bladder 58 has a first inlet 64 via the third one-way valve 60c and a second inlet 66 via the fourth one-way valve 60d. Thus, there is a single and uninterrupted flow communication path 68 from internal cavity 78 of the first fluid bladder 52 to the third one-way valve 60c of the buffer bladder, and a single and uninterrupted flow communication path 70 from internal cavity 80 of the second fluid bladder 54 to the fourth one-way valve 60d of the buffer bladder.
The inflate/deflate operation for the pneumatic support system 50 is accomplished by using one active inflate valve 56 per pair of bladders 52, 54, the plurality of one-way valves 60, the buffer bladder 58, and one active vent valve 62 per pair of bladders 52, 54. In one example, the actuator 56 comprises an active inflate valve 56 that is a two port valve associated with a controller 46 that selectively turns the flow on or off for inflation. In one example, the vent 62 comprises an active vent valve 62 that is a two port valve associated with a controller 46 that selectively turns the flow on or off for deflation. The active inflate valve 56 and the active vent valve 62 are selectively controlled by the controller 46 to provide a desired bolster pressure in the associated bladders.
In one example, an inflation state for the pneumatic support system 50 comprises the active inflate valve 56 being open, e.g. flow on for inflation, and the active vent valve 62 being closed, e.g. flow off, such that the first fluid bladder 52 and the second fluid bladder 54 are respectively filled through the first one-way valve 60a and the second one-way valve 60b. Flow from the first fluid bladder 52 enters the third one-way valve 60c in the buffer bladder 58 and flow from the second fluid bladder 54 enters the fourth one-way valve 60d to fill the buffer bladder 58 until the first fluid bladder 52, second fluid bladder 54, and buffer bladder 58 all reach a set inflation pressure, e.g. all bladders 52, 54, 58 achieve a common pressure. In accordance with a determination that the set inflation pressure is reached, the active inflate valve 56 is then closed. e.g. flow off condition.
In one example, a deflation state for the pneumatic support system 50 comprises the active inflate valve 56 being closed, e.g. flow off condition, and the active vent valve 62 is opened, e.g. flow out for deflation, such that all fluid flows out of the first fluid bladder 52, second fluid bladder 54, and buffer bladder 58 via the active vent valve 62, e.g., all bladders 52, 54, 58 are exhausted.
In one example, the actuator 56 comprises one single active inflation valve 56 that fills all bladders of the plurality of fluid bladders. Thus, while the active inflation valve 56 is shown as being fluidly coupled to two fluid bladders 52, 54 in
In one example, the vent 62 comprises one single vent active deflation valve 62 that deflates all bladders of the plurality of bladders. Thus, while the active deflation valve 62 is shown as being fluidly coupled to two fluid bladders 52, 54 in
In one example, the fluid bladders 52, 54 comprise lumbar and/or bolster bladders that are configured to maintain a set pressure within each fluid bladder. The fluid bladders are configured as individual inflatable air cells or pouches capable of holding an internal pressure that can be adjusted to provide various support settings. The fluid bladders are actively and selectively filled with fluid, such as air for example, until all fluid bladders reach a common pressure.
Another example of a valve arrangement is shown in
Also disclosed is a method of supplying fluid to inflate multiple fluid bladders via a common actuator, with a buffer bladder and a plurality of one-way passive valves cooperating with each other to fill/hold a set inflation pressure, and with subsequent deflation of the multiple fluid bladders via one common active vent valve. In one example, the method comprises providing a plurality of fluid bladders including at least a first fluid bladder and a second fluid bladder, fluidly connecting a buffer bladder with the first fluid bladder and the second fluid bladder via a plurality of one-way valves, selectively inflating the first fluid bladder and the second fluid bladder with a common actuator, and selectively deflating the first fluid bladder and the second fluid bladder with a common vent.
The method may include any of the following steps in any combination. The method may include associating each pair of fluid bladders in the plurality of fluid bladders with one buffer bladder.
The method may include forming the buffer bladder to have a smaller size than the first fluid bladder and the second fluid bladder.
The method may include providing the buffer bladder with a first inlet associated with the first fluid bladder and a second inlet associated with the second fluid bladder, and providing the buffer bladder with a single outlet to the vent. The method may include: associating at least a first one-way valve with the first fluid bladder; associating a second one-way valve with the second fluid bladder; associating a third one-way valve with the buffer bladder; and associating a fourth one-way valve with the buffer bladder.
The method may include inflating the first fluid bladder through a single inlet with the first one-way valve; inflating the second fluid bladder through a single inlet with the second one-way valve; inflating the buffer bladder through a first inlet with the third one-way valve; and inflating the buffer bladder through a second inlet with the fourth one-way valve.
The method may include providing the actuator as an active inflate valve and the vent as an active vent valve, and the method may further include: inflating the first fluid bladder and second fluid bladder by opening the active inflate valve and closing the active vent valve such that the first fluid bladder and the second fluid bladder are respectively filled through the first one-way valve and the second one-way valve; inflating the buffer bladder with flow from an outlet of the first fluid bladder that is directed into the third one-way valve and with flow from an outlet of the second fluid bladder that is directed into the fourth one-way valve until the first fluid bladder, second fluid bladder, and buffer bladder all reach a set inflation pressure; in accordance with a determination that the set inflation pressure is reached, closing the active inflate valve; and deflating the first fluid bladder, second fluid bladder, and buffer bladder by closing the active inflate valve and opening the active vent valve such that all fluid flows out of the first fluid bladder, second fluid bladder, and buffer bladder via the active vent valve.
The method may include providing the actuator as a single active inflation valve that fills all bladders of the plurality of fluid bladders, and the vent as a single vent valve that deflates all bladders of the plurality of fluid bladders.
The method may include providing the plurality of fluid bladders as lumbar or bolster bladders and including actively and selectively filling the plurality of fluid bladders with fluid until all fluid bladders reach a set inflation pressure.
The method may include locating each of the plurality of one-way valves of one of the first fluid bladder, second fluid bladder, and buffer bladder; and providing each one-way valve with two flaps that separate from each other within the fluid chamber during inflation until a set inflation pressure is reached.
Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples. In addition, the various figures accompanying this disclosure are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show certain details of a particular component or arrangement.
One of ordinary skill in this art would understand that the above-described embodiments are exemplary and non-limiting. That is, modifications of this disclosure would come within the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the following claims should be studied to determine their true scope and content.
