Abstract:
An assembly comprising of spiral sub-assemblies, each provided with plastic rollers and connected to an output shaft of a gearbox attached to a swinging beam, is mounted to a seat frame with two vertical wires. Two adjustable cables are connected to the swinging beam-ends, and press the spiral assembly rollers against the seat-back cover by bending the vertical wires. The rotation of the spiral assemblies moves the contact points of the rollers with the seat-back cover up and down, creating a massage effect throughout the seat-back cover.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This present invention particularly relates to a massage system of seat type, and more specifically, to a mechanism providing two-directional movement with increased effective massage area and intensity adjustment device.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Massage mechanisms for seats are typically built as flexible structures, attached to the seat frame by springs, elastic straps, or other flexible elements.  
         [0003]     Prior inventions provide many solutions for massage seat systems.  
         [0004]     One solution is to build a sliding frame mounted on rails and electrically actuated up and down along these rails. The moving frame is provided with rollers that press out from inside the back cover of the seat.  
         [0005]     The solution is not particularly efficient because of the size, weight and shape complexity of the frame, which prevent the mechanism from acquiring a satisfactory stroke length. Usually, the rollers and frame move back and forth with a span no bigger than a few inches.  
         [0006]     Another solution for massage mechanisms for seats consists of a gearbox actuating two chains or timing belts, symmetrically opposite with respect to the gearbox location. The movement of the chains directs the up and down trajectory of a roller feature, traveling along the interior of the seat back.  
         [0007]     The solution is unsatisfactory because of the complexity of the entire construction, as well as the weight, high cost and short stroke mechanism.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Consequently, a simpler, cheaper, and lighter solution is desirable, with fewer components, such as a pair of pivoting spirals, equipped with plastic rollers, whose rotation induces movable contact points with the back of the seat, from the inside out. It is also desirable to provide a solution with adjustable pressure contacts.  
         [0009]     Massage mechanisms are typically challenging systems to design because they are required to fit a limited space inside the seat, have adjustable pressure contact with the seat back, generate a long stroke to cover the entire length of the seat back, produce less noise and free play, and are also required to be cost competitive.  
         [0010]     The present invention, as defined by the claims, provides a lighter construction assembly with fewer components. It also provides actuators to adjust the contact pressure between the spirals and the inside surface of the seat back. The actuators transfer their adjusting movements through flexible cables, such as Bowden cables.  
         [0011]     A further aspect of the invention provides synchronized actuators for symmetrical spiral mechanisms, which create the massage effect of the seat.  
         [0012]     The present invention provides multiple rollers mounted on flexible spiral wires to reduce the torque motion and to prevent the ware of the inside surface of the seat back in contact with the massage elements.  
         [0013]     Another aspect of the invention provides insulation contact elements between rollers, in order to reduce noise and avoid rattling.  
         [0014]     All the abovementioned features of the present invention, in relation to other concepts, advantages, and technical solutions, are easily apparent from the study of the invention&#39;s description, claims, and related drawings, where they are extensively explained.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows an isometric assembly view of the spiral massage devices assembled into the seat frame.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2   a  shows the upper bearing area of the vertical transversal section  2 - 2  of the seat through the pivoting axis of a spiral device.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2   b  shows lower bearing area of the vertical transversal section  2 - 2  of the seat through the pivoting axis of a spiral device.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows the particular construction of the worm gear component of the spiral gearboxes.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows the lower right side area of median section  4 - 4  of the seat through pivoting axis of the spiral devices.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  shows regions of the spiral wire within the spiral device.  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  shows a vertical transversal section  6 - 6  through the axis of the seat&#39;s adjustable right side cable.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  shows a front view of the passenger side seat-back cover assembly.  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  shows a section through the active area of the spiral assembly feature and the protrusion through the seat back cover.  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  shows a detail of the backrest cover assembly, mounted on the seat frame.  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  shows the cover assembly wire.  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  shows the detail section  11 - 11  of the backrest cover mounted on the cover assembly wire.  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  shows the detail section  12 - 12  of the backrest cover assembly wire, mounted on the seat frame.  
         [0028]      FIG. 13  shows the detail section  13 - 13  of the backrest cover mounted on the cover assembly wire.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0029]     Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates the massage system assembled into the seat in a functional position.  
         [0030]     The massaging action is applied on a backrest cover  32  from the inside out by rotating the spiral assemblies  12  and  28  at constant speed. Each spiral assembly has at least one contact point with the inside of the backrest cover. Through rotation, the contact point M, visible in  FIG. 8 , indents the cover of the seat back, and the bulge created travels downward, executing the massage.  
         [0031]     The system consists of an adjustable beam  9 , suspended from a fixed horizontal beam  14 —part of the seat frame, by two hanging vertical wires  3  and  23 .  
         [0032]     On the lower side, the vertical wires  3  and  23  are secured into the vertical side slots  27  of the adjustable beam  9 , and held in place by compressing the sides of the slots  27  with two pairs of bolts  7 . Each bolt is mounted through a clearance hole on one side of the slots  27 , and a threaded hole on the other side.  
         [0033]     The bolts  7  flank each of the vertical wires  3  and  23 . By tightening the bolts  7 , the lower part of the wires is compressed and held in position without rattling or movement, suspending beam  9  from the fixed beam  14 , and allowing the adjustable beam  9  to swing.  
         [0034]     Both lower end portions of the wires  3  and  23  are provided with a 90°-angle bend in order to prevent the suspended beam  9  from sliding downward while system is functioning.  
         [0035]     Both upper end portions of wires  3  and  23  are bent in the shape of a hook, and hang from the fixed beam  14  through two holes provided. To avoid rattling, the hook portions of wires  3  and  23  are wrapped in rubber sleeves  2 .  
         [0036]     The swinging of the beam  9  is guided at each end by a nylon guide  11 , mounted above beam  9  on both sides  16  and  24  of the vertical frame  1  with the bolts  46 , visible in section  4 - 4   FIG. 4 .  
         [0037]     When the beam  9  swings, the nylon guides  11  allow it to slide beneath them, and prevent its rising during the functioning and disengagement of the suspending wires  3  and  23  from the hook area of horizontal beam  14 .  
         [0038]     The nylon guides  11  also prevent the bending of wires  3  and  23 , keeping them stretched during the massage process.  
         [0039]     The two nylon spacers  17 , mounted one on each end of the lower beam  9 , restrain its side-to-side movement.  
         [0040]     The flat side-portion of each nylon spacer  17  is mounted between the beam  9  and the adjacent sides  16  and  24  of the vertical frame  1 . The tabs  48  of the nylon spacers  17 , visible in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 , protrude into the side slots  27  of the lower swinging beam  9 , and are kept in place by the formed tubings  47 , visible in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0041]     In  FIG. 2   a , the upper bearing section  2 - 2  is presented.  
         [0042]     The spiral wire  33  of each spiral assembly  12  and  28  is mounted through a nylon bushing  13 . The upper end of the wire  33  extends through the hole of the bushing  13 , while inside the nylon it bends though a groove  51  cut into the lower end of the bushing  13 .  
         [0043]     The nylon bushing  13  is mounted on horizontal beam  14  through a Norton bushing  31 , from the bottom up.  
         [0044]     Due to the Teflon coating of the Norton bushing  31 , when the spiral wire  33  rotates, the groove  51  spins the bushing  13  on the Norton bushing surface  30 , and prevents relative motion of nylon on steel, extending the life of the bearing.  
         [0045]     The upper bearing section of the spiral assembly  28  also shows the nylon bushing  29  as the upper end of the nylon rollers  35  and felt disks  34 , mounted alternatively with the rollers  35  on the spiral wire  33 . The bushing  29  is provided with a groove  38  to prevent relative movement between the nylon component  29  and the steel spiral wire  33 . During the rotation of the spiral assembly  28 , roller  39  touches the seat-back cover  32  and spins. Due to this rotation, roller  39  rubs the bent arm of wire  33 . The role of the nylon bushing  29  is to prevent the nylon-steel relative movement, expanding the life of the assembly.  
         [0046]     The felt disks  34  have the role of preventing rattling and decreasing the friction between the rollers  35 , and between the roller  39  and the nylon bushing  29 .  
         [0047]     In  FIG. 2b , the lower bearing section is presented.  
         [0048]     The nylon bushing  41  represents the lower end of the nylon rollers  35  and felt disks  34 , mounted alternatively on the spiral wire  33 . When in contact with the seat back cover  32 , the roller  40  spins, generating a relative movement with respect to the nylon bushing  41 . The bushing  41  is provided with a groove  42  to prevent relative movement between the nylon component  41  and the steel spiral wire  33 .  
         [0049]     During the rotation of the spiral assembly, the rollers  35  and  40  touch the seat-back cover  32 , spin, and lean against component  41 , preventing the last roller  40  to rub against the bent arm of wire  33 .  
         [0050]     The role of the nylon bushing  41  is to prevent the nylon-steel relative movement. The felt disks  34  have the role of preventing rattling and decreasing the friction between the rollers  35 , and between the roller  40  and the nylon bushing  41 .  
         [0051]     The spiral wire  33  is connected to the worm gear  43 , which in turn is part of the gearbox  20  for the spiral assembly  28 . The crank D of the spiral wire  33 , depicted in  FIG. 5 , is mounted at the very bottom of a groove  50 , visible in  FIG. 3 , cut into the hub of the worm gear  43 , which is the output shaft for the gearboxes  8  and  20 , visible in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0052]     Continuing with the presentation of  FIG. 2   b  and  FIG. 3 , the worm gear  43  is mounted through the beam  9 —using a Norton bushing  44 ; and pivots on the pin  49 —mounted in each housing of the gearboxes  8  and  20 . On the opposite side of the beam  9 , a steel ring  37  is mounted on the hub of the gearbox  43 . The ring  37  is provided with one threaded hole for a screw  45 . The outside diameter of the screw  45  is larger than the width W of the groove  50 , cut into the hub of the worm gear  43 , illustrated in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0053]     The groove  50  has one transversal notch  52  on each side, visible in  FIG. 3 , provided through the middle of the hub of gear  43 , to accommodate the mounting of the screw  45  used to compress the pivoting area E of the spiral wire  33  until it reaches the axis of the worm gear  43 .  
         [0054]     Once mounted through the washer  36  and tightened—see  FIG. 2   b , the screw  45  prevents the worm gear  43  from coming out of the wall of beam  9 —due to contact of the ring  37  with the Norton bushing  44 . It also prevents the spiral wire  33  from being pulled out of the hub of the gearbox  43 —due to the transversal notches  52  of the groove  50 , and ensures the identity of the axis of the worm gear  43  and the pivoting axis of the spiral wire  33 .  
         [0055]     The solution provided for the connection between the spiral wire  33  and the worm gear  43  smoothes the movement due to the permanent contact of the Teflon coated surface of the Norton bushing  44  with the steel ring  37  on one side, and with the same type of coated bushing surface on the other side, at the shoulder of the worm gear  43 .  
         [0056]     The worm gear  43 , as an output component of the gearboxes  8  or  20 , transfers the movement from the electrical motors  19  or  22 , visible in  FIG. 1 , through the gearboxes  8  or  20  to the spiral assemblies  12  or  28 , generating the massage effect on the seat-back cover  32 , visible in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 .  
         [0057]     In order to have a synchronized movement of the spiral systems, the gearboxes  8  and  20  are mechanically connected to each other through a shaft  21 , visible in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0058]     Continuing with the description of  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 5 , the construction to adjust the pressure of the massage system is described.  
         [0059]     The low-pressure position of the massage system is ensured by the springs  54 , visible in  FIG. 6 , placed one on each side of beam  9 . The springs push the beam away from the seat cover  32 , and have an opposite effect to that of the Bowden cables  56 —the latter also being mounted one on each side of beam  9 .  
         [0060]     To increase the pressure of the massage system on the back cover  32  of the seat, cables  57  are pulled toward the seat-back cover  32  via the gearboxes provided with electrical motors  4  and  25 —mounted on the frame  1  with the bolts  15 , and the conduits of Bowden assemblies  56 —see  FIG. 1 . The cable ends  18 , visible in  FIG. 6 , crimped on the cables  57 , press the tubings  47  in contact with the beam  9 , underneath the nylon guides  11 , and toward the seat-back cover  32 , compressing the springs  54  and increasing the massage pressure. The relaxation of the system caused by the springs  54  is possible only when the cables  57  of the Bowden cable assemblies are released from the gearboxes  4  and  25 , by controlling the current intensity and polarity of the electrical motors of these gearboxes.  
         [0061]     The anchor point of the Bowden cables  56  is the washers  55 , mounted one on side  16  and one on side  24  of the seat frame.  
         [0062]     The springs  54  are mounted between the seat frame sides  16  and  24 , and lean on the flat washers  53 , mounted one at each end of the beam  9  into a locating counter bore provided—see  FIG. 6 .  
         [0063]     In  FIG. 5 , the structure of the spiral wires is detailed.  
         [0064]     The wires  33  have two straight pivoting areas, E and G, which constitute the axis of rotation of the spiral assemblies  12  and  28 . Area F of the wires  33  is the spiral itself, on which the nylon rollers  35  and the felt disks  34  are mounted along with the end nylon bushings  29  and  41 . This F area is connected to the pivoting areas G and E by two arms T and V respectively. The length of these connecting arms also influences the massage pressure of the system. The lower pivoting area E ends in a 90°-angle bend, materializing the area D, the crank of the spiral wire  33 .  
         [0065]     In  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , the mounting solution of the seat back cover  32  is revealed.  
         [0066]     In  FIG. 7 , each side of the seat frame  16  and  24  has the welded hooks  58  attached. The seat-back cover  32  is provided with six wings, three on each side. The two center wings  18  are wrapped inward and sewn to create a loop for the cover assembly wires  10 . A cross-section  13 - 13  of this area, which position is visible in  FIG. 9 , is provided in  FIG. 13 . The remaining four corner wings  5 , visible in  FIG. 7 , are wrapped inward and sewn to create narrower loops for the ends of the cover assembly wires  10 . A detailed section  11 - 11  of this area, which position is visible in  FIG. 9 , is provided in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0067]     The cover assembly wires  10  are flexible, easily taking the shape of the seat&#39;s load. The detail H in  FIG. 7  is represented in  FIG. 9 , and indicates the position of the hooks  58  and the loops of the seat-back cover  32  with respect to the cover assembly wire  10 .  FIG. 9  also indicates the position of sections  13 - 13 ,  12 - 12  and  11 - 11 .  
         [0068]     In  FIG. 8 , a section  8 - 8  through the active area of the spiral assembly  12  is illustrated. The location of section  8 - 8  is indicated in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0069]     In this section  8 - 8 , the rollers  35  are pushed against the back cover  32 , generating a bulge area, materializing the contact point M, the active massage point of each of the spiral assemblies  12  and  28 .  
         [0070]      FIG. 10  depicts the shape and features of the cover assembly wire  10 . Each wire is provided at both its ends with a stop washer  26 , with the distance between the two washers, Y, being identical to the outside distance Z between the mounting hooks  58 —see also  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 9 .  
         [0071]     Mounting the cover assembly wires  10  with the side surfaces R and S—visible in  FIG. 10 , touching the outside surface of the hooks  58 , will prevent the rattling and the movement of the seat cover relative to the seat frame. The rod of the cover assembly wire  10  hangs from the hooks  58  attached to the seat frame, as shown in section  12 - 12 , depicted in  FIG. 12 .  
         [0072]     In  FIG. 13 , in which section  13 - 13  is illustrated, the cover assembly wire  10  is holding the loop  18  of the back cover  32  in place under the pressure of the spiral assemblies  12  and  28 .  
         [0073]     While the most detailed description of the invention has been presented, those specialized within the art, to which this invention pertains, will recognize alternative designs and embodiments within the scope of the invention&#39;s claims.