CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2010/002073, filed Mar. 31, 2010, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Â§119 from German Patent Application No. DE 10 2009 016 050.7, filed Apr. 2, 2009, the entire disclosures of which are herein expressly incorporated by reference.

This application contains subject matter related to U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled â€œProcess for Producing a Supporting Shell for a Seat,â€ filed on even date herewith, the disclosure of which is herein expressly incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cushion for a seat.

Known seats, for example in motor vehicles, consist of a bearing structure and upholstered cushions, possibly with other components mounted between them. In order to improve ergonomics and comfort, e.g., in vehicle seats, usually adjusting possibilities are provided in order to change, for example, the inclination of the seat surface and/or the backrest, the width of the backrest, etc. Besides that, additional devices like a lumbar support or a massage apparatus may be provided.

The adjusting possibilities will ensure the best possible adaptation of the seat to the individual physiological form of the spinal column and the lower extremities of the person using the seat to ensure the best possible seat comfort. Maximum comfort is achieved if the seat surface and the backrest correlate as congruently and homogeneously as possible with the physiological shape of the person.

For this purpose, placement on a bearing structure of a cushion that has loose filling material or a fluid that can be redistributed with the use of magnetic or electrical fields by application of electrical current, by heating, or by hydraulic excitation, is known, e.g., from DE 10 2006 032 891 A1, in order in this way to adapt the shape of the seat surface and the backrest to the physiological form of the seat user. In addition, DE 695 05 131 T2 describes a cushion for a seat, which as a so-called â€œvacuum seatâ€ is provided with a bulk material that flows, wherein the cushion can adapt to the body shape of the seat user in that a multi-layer system is moved toward the seat user by application of compressed air.

What is disadvantageous with the known systems is their considerable construction volume and weight.

The object of the invention is to provide a cushion for a seat, especially a seat for a motor vehicle, that is characterized by a simple structure and a low weight with low installation space requirements.

This and other objects are achieved by a cushion according to the invention, as well as a seat with the cushion and methods for adapting the contour of such a seat.

In one aspect of the invention, a known spacer structure with layers arranged parallel to each other that are connected to each other by spacer threads is brought into a casing that is fluid-tight. The casing has a hose line or a connection for a hose line in order to be able to influence the quantity of the liquid inside the casing.

Preferably, the layers arranged parallel to each other are designed as layers of knitted material. However, the spacer structure can naturally have any other type of suitable material instead of the knitted layers, for example fabric layers.

Spacer structures, as described above, are known, e.g., from DE 90 16 062 U1, EP 0 529 671 B1 and DE 10 2006 023 357 A1. Textile spacer structures such as these are distinguished by their elastic upholstery properties under a pressure loading on the surface of the knitted fabric. They are used in mattresses made up of multiple layers, in upholstery covers, etc.

Because of the integration according to the invention of the known spacer structures in a fluid-tight casing with a connection for a hose line, the possibility is produced of â€œfreezingâ€ the form of the spacer structure that results under the load of a seat user, in that after loading of the cushion, the hose line is blocked and/or a vacuum is applied to the inside of the casing. Thus, with cushions that have a relatively thin design, an exact contour adaptation to the body shape of a user can be achieved, which results automatically from the user sitting down and is then fixed. If a different seat user sits down on the seat, the fixing of the cushion is eliminated and a new contour adaptation to the body shape of the following seat user occurs.

On its outside, the cushion has a cover layer that corresponds to the cover layer of known cushions, that is consisting of a textile material, of leather, or the like. To increase the seat comfort, below the cushion a back padding of yielding material, e.g., a foam layer, can be provided to increase the seat comfort.

In a preferred application of the invention, the cushion is used on a non-upholstered bearing structure of a seat, especially on a bearing structure as is described in co-pending application serial number entitled â€œProcess for Producing a Supporting Shell for a Seat,â€ filed on even date herewith, the disclosure of which is herein expressly incorporated by reference.

Because of the bearing structure, a body-contoured seat is provided that makes possible very good seat comfort. In an especially advantageous manner, the great seat comfort already results in the cushion according to the invention with only little thickness, i.e., little distance of the two knitted layers of the spacer structure, because the contouring of the bearing structure already achieves an adaptation to the body shape of the seat user in question.

The cushion covers, completely or at least almost completely, the entire area of the seat surface and/or the backrest of the bearing structure and thus forms the direct support surface for the seat user. To increase the seat comfort, preferably several cushions are provided, which together cover the area of the seat surface and the backrest.

In one embodiment of the invention, the seat surface area is divided into two, and preferably into three, cushions arranged one after the other. In an analogous manner, the backrest area is divided into three cushions, arranged one above the other. In principle, a higher or a lower number of cushions can also be selected.

The cushions can be divided over the width extension of the seat surface and/or the backrest so that a right/left division results, whereby an individual seat adjustment can occur for the two halves of the body. Naturally, a finer division can also be selected for optimizing the contour adaptation, while weighing the costs connected with the finer division.

In a simplified embodiment of the invention, only one single cushion can be provided per body half in the area of the seat surface and/or the backrest.

Fixing the contour created by a seat user of a cushion according to the invention can occur in that a blocking device is activated in the hose line of the cushion as soon as the seat user compresses the spacer structure and the air has been at least partially displaced from the fluid-tight casing. Because of the reduced air volume in the inside of the fluid-tight sleeve, during unloading, the spacer frame cannot return to its original shape as a result of the retracted casing so the contour of the spacer frame is fixed.

In another embodiment of the invention, a pumping device can be connected to one or more cushions, with which the fluid can be drawn out of the inside of the cushion(s) (suction pump).

Because of the lower pressure on the inside of the cushion(s), an improved contour adaptation of the cushion(s) is achieved when the seat user sits down. Also with lower pressure applied, the contour of the cushion(s) is maintained better after the person leaves the seat than in the casing without a pumping device. In addition, the firmness of the cushion(s) can be regulated by the magnitude of the low pressure when the seat is occupied. In this way, for example, a configuration of the seat firmness in the gradation â€œcomfortâ€ â€”â€œnormalâ€ â€”â€œsportâ€ can be implemented. In principle, a lower pressure is connected with greater firmness of the cushion(s) since the low pressure draws the casing of the cushion(s) together more strongly, by which the elastic spacer frame is compressed.

On the other hand, by use of a pumping device, a fluid can be pumped into the inside of the cushion(s) (positive displacement pump). In this way, a faster and more complete return of the cushion(s) to its/their original uncontoured form is achieved when the seat is unoccupied than is achieved during a self-resetting of the cushion(s) after the end of the loading by the seat user. In addition, with a positive displacement pump operating as a pumping device, an excess pressure can be created in the cushion and/or in the cushions in order to partially firm the cushion surface and/or to create an adjusting motion in the direction of the seat user. Because of this body support function a lumbar support, for example, can be created. Also, with the use of a more complex control of one or more pumping devices in connection with a number of cushions, massage and mobilizing effects can be created.

The fluid is preferably air. However, the cushion and/or cushions can also be filled with a fluid other than air, e.g., with a mixture of water and ethylene glycol or with an oil-like liquid with low viscosity.

The fluid, especially a fluid medium, can be tempered such that with the use of the warmed and/or cooled fluid an increase in comfort for the seat user can be achieved, at least during the sitting phase.

In another embodiment of the invention, a pressure sensor can be provided in at least one hose line of a cushion in order, in connection with a control or regulating device, for the fluid pressure on the inside of the casing to be controlled and/or regulated. In this way, the contour adaptation of the cushion to the seat user can be further improved. In addition, the body support, massage and/or mobilizing functions already mentioned can be implemented in this way. For massaging devices, different functional patterns, e.g., a massage wave running in a longitudinal or height direction of the seat can be implemented with the use of a control or regulation unit. Preferably, the functional pattern is repeated periodically.

If a pumping device is provided, it preferably acts on all or at least a majority of the cushions. The cushions are connected to the pumping device by way of hose lines and possibly valves.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary cushion according to the invention in a schematic cross section representation;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an unoccupied seat with cushions according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows the seat from FIG. 2 under load by a seat user; and

FIG. 4 shows the seat from FIG. 2 in a schematic perspective representation together with control circuits.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cushion 2 having an exemplary structure according to the invention. The cushion 2 is for a seat that is designated overall as 30 (see FIG. 2). The cushion 2 is made up of a spacer structure 10 and a casing 20. The spacer structure 10, as is known, has an upper and a lower layer 12 (in each casing designed as a knitted layer), between which spacer threads 14 are arranged.

Spacer structures 10 of this type can be obtained as commercial products, e.g., from MÃ¼ller Textil GmbH. For explaining the invention, the concrete design of the spacer structure 10 is not important.

The spacer structure 10 is arranged in a fluid-tight casing (overall designated 20), so that a type of â€œballoonâ€ structure with a reinforcing insert is formed. The casing 20 is composed of an upper material web 22 and a lower material web 22 arranged parallel to it. The two material webs 22 are welded together all around on their edge areas (weld seam 24), and thus the spacer structure 10 is air-tight on the inside of the casing 20. The casing 20 has a connection 26 for a hose line 28.

FIGS. 2 to 4 show a seat 30 that is provided with a number of cushions 2. The seat 30 is divided into one area for the seat surface 32 and one area for the backrest 34. The bearing structure of the seat 30 is formed by a one-part bearing structure 40 that connects the two areas 32 and 34 without transitions. The bearing structure 40 is three-dimensionally contoured. In the areas of the seat surface 32 and the backrest 34, several cushions 2 are provided so that the contour in the various sections, in which the body of a seat user S contacts the seat 30, can be adapted individually. In principle the right half R and the left half L of the seat 30 are structured symmetrically.

Referring to FIG. 4, both the area of the seat surface 32 and the area of the backrest 34 are divided horizontally and vertically into three areas each so that, in total, a division into twelve cushions 2 results. The seat surface 32 is hereby divided into a front area V, a center area M and a rear area H. Correspondingly, there is a division of the backrest 34 into a lower area U, a center area M and an upper area O. Optionally, cushions 2 in the lateral side bolster areas W are possible, both in the area of the seat surface 32 and in the area of the backrest 34, as shown with dotted lines.

FIG. 2 shows the cushions 2 in an unloaded initial state with connection 26 being open so that in the inside of the cushions 2 ambient pressure is present. The upper material webs 22 of the cushions 2 facing away from the bearing structure 40 of the seat 30 run approximately parallel to the contour of the bearing structure 40.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, during loading by a seat user S, the cushions 2, including the spacer structure 10 lying inside them, are compressed, each to a different extent, depending on the contact pressure applied by the seat user S. In this case, the volume of the casing 20 is decreased and a part of the air located on the inside of the casing 20 is displaced out of the casing 20 through the connection 26 and the hose line 28. This condition of the compressed cushion 20 can be fixed by closing a blocking device 50 (see FIG. 4), wherein because of the reduced air quantity in the inside of the casing 20, when the seat 30 is left by the seat user S a return expansion to the original volume is not possible. In this way a seat 30 is available, with cushion surfaces that correspond to the contour determined by the seat user S even without being occupied.

If another seat user S sits on the seat 30, the blocking devices 50 are opened so that the inside of the cushions 2 adjusts to ambient pressure and the cushions 2 assume their original position as shown in FIG. 2.

As can be seen from the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4, the blocking devices 50 are triggered by a control unit 60. In addition, a pumping device 62 is provided as a pneumatic pump, by which the pressure on the inside of the cushions 2 can be changed. In the exemplary embodiment shown, for each cushion 2 a separate blocking device 50 is provided so that the respective cushions 2 can be controlled individually and independently of each other. In addition, on the hose lines 28, pressure sensors 64 can be provided for detecting the pressure on the inside of the cushions 2. In this way, a signal that represents the pressure on the inside of the cushions 2 is supplied to the control unit 60 as a control variable, in order for example to be able to perform an individual adjustment of the seat firmness depending on the weight of a seat user S.

In summary, the invention can be described as follows: a seat 30 is composed of a bearing structure 40 and a number of cushions 2. The cushions 2 cover the entire area of the seat surface 32 and of the backrest 34 of the seat 30. Each of the cushions 2 is formed of a textile spacer structure 10 that is held in a fluid-tight casing 20. The casing 20 has a connection 26 for a hose line 28. Before the seat user S sits on the seat 30, the hose line 28 is open to the outside air. With the effect of the force applied by the seat user S, the cushion 2, and thus the spacer structure 10 are compressed, whereby simultaneously air is displaced out of the inside of the cushion 2. Because of this, the cushions 2 experience a contouring corresponding to the body shape of the seat user S. After the user is seated, this contouring of the cushions 2 can be fixed. To do so, a blocking device 50 in the hose line 28 is blocked and thus the reduced air volume on the inside of the cushion 2 is separated from the outside air. In this way the contouring of the cushions 2 of the seat 30 is maintained when the seat user S has left the seat 30.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.