Abstract:
An ergonomic support for an automobile seat includes a pivoting bolster on a mounting rod. Behind the bolster is a slide rod. A lever is disposed between the bolster and the slide rod. The lever is pivotally attached to a medial position of the bolster and the lever is slidingly engaged with the slide rod. A traction cable has a sleeve mounted to a bracket on the mounting rod and a wire attached to the lever. Traction on the traction cable moves the lever, which causes the bolster to extend.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     None.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     None.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0004]     This invention is in the field of ergonomic supports for automobile seats.  
         [0005]     2. Related Art  
         [0006]     There is a continuing need in the field of ergonomic supports for seats in motor vehicles and other transportation vehicles for increasing the economy and efficiency of the components used to provide ergonomic support, while at the same time increasing comfort and safety for the passenger. It is desirable to reduce the size of the package of components necessary to provide ergonomic support, both in terms of overall volume and front to back depth of the ergonomic support in a retracted position.  
         [0007]     Safety advances for transportation vehicle seats have recently developed to include airbags and other design features directed towards enhancing the safety and reducing the likelihood of injury to a passenger during a crash. Many of these devices, such as airbags, rely to a certain extent on a predicable position of a passenger during a crash. Most often, this is centered in the seat and upright. Accordingly, there is a need in the field for a device that will assist in maintaining a passenger comfortably in a predicted, centered position in a seat.  
         [0008]     Passenger comfort not only encompasses sitting in the seat, but entering and leaving the car or other transportation vehicle. It is advantageous during ingress and egress for the ergonomic supports to be retracted and as thin as possible.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is in light of the above described needs and advantages that the present invention was developed. The present invention is an ergonomic support for a seat for an automobile or other transportation vehicle. In one embodiment, the ergonomic support of the present invention is a bolster, such as a lateral bolster. The lateral bolster assembly includes a pivoting bolster, a slide rod and a lever between them. The bolster is pivotally mounted on a mounting rod. The lever is pivotally mounted on the bolster. The slide rod is attached to the mounting rod in a manner that is substantially fixed although it may provide for some flexion. The lever disposed between the bolster and the slide rod is pivotally attached to a portion of the bolster and slidingly engaged with the slide rod.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment of the present invention, mounting rods are vertical and adaptable for mounting on a seat frame. The side rods are horizontally mounted, and may also engage a seat frame.  
         [0011]     Movement of the ergonomic support from a retracted position to an extended position through a selectable range of intermediate positions is achieved with a traction cable, sometimes called a Bowden cable. The Bowden cable has a sheath with a wire coaxially disposed within the sheath and sliding within it. At one end of the Bowden cable is an actuator. The actuator may be a manual device such as a hand wheel or lever, or it may be a power device such as an electric motor and gear assembly. At the other end of the traction cable, the sleeve is fixedly mounted to a bracket or other attachment and the wire, proceeding from the end opening of the sleeve, is attached to a portion of the lever. In one embodiment, a portion of the lever to which the wire is attached is substantially opposite that portion of the lever that is pivotally attached to the bolster.  
         [0012]     In operation, the actuator is used to put traction on the traction cable when the ergonomic support is in a retracted position. The traction causes the wire to pull the lever in such a fashion that the portion of the lever disposed to slide along the horizontal side rod does side along it. This traction thereby causes the bolster to extend, via the lever&#39;s pivoting attachment with the bolster. The lever&#39;s pivoting attachment to the bolster is at a substantially medial position along the horizontal length of the bolster.  
         [0013]     The ergonomic support of the present invention may be combined in pairs. It may be disposed upon a seat bottom for thigh support. It may be disposed in combination with a lumbar support of any known variety.  
         [0014]     Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the ergonomic support of the present invention in a retracted position.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is front perspective view of the ergonomic support of the present invention in an extended position.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is another front perspective view of the ergonomic support of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the ergonomic support of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  another front perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the ergonomic support of the present invention in a retracted position.  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the ergonomic support of the present invention in an extended position.  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  is a self-presenting actuator to be mounted on a torsion rod forming a hinge between a seat back and a seat bottom.  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is a fold down seat depicted a seat bottom frame and a seat bottom base that move relative to one another.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]     Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers indicate like elements.  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  4  depict a first embodiment of the occupant centering ergonomic support assembly of the present invention. The assembly is comprised generally of a guide rod assembly  10  used to mount the ergonomic support assembly in a seat frame, a lumbar support assembly  20  which may be selectively positioned for lumbar support; and lateral bolsters  30  used for further support and for centering the seat occupant.  
         [0028]     Guide rod assembly  10  is an assembly of components including guide rods  12 , mounting hooks  14  and horizontal slide rods  16 . Mounting hooks  14 , which may be a bent portion of the guide rails  12 , or which may be additional wires assembled with guide rails  12 , are used to hook the ergonomic support assembly into a mount on the seat frame. Mounting hooks  14  are adaptable to various seat frames. Horizontal slide rods  16  serve a dual function. They are bent at their lateral terminus so that they may also be used to mount the ergonomic support assembly on the seat frame. These hooks at the end of horizontal slide rod  16  also serve to secure them in a fixed position. Those with skill in the art will note that horizontal slide rods  16  include an angle or dihedral relative to the plane of the center portion of the ergonomic support, defined by the guide rods  12 . This angle may be changed or made flat to accommodate various seat back frames into which the ergonomic support assembly may be mounted. Generally, the guide rods  12  and horizontal slide rods  16  once mounted, remain in a fixed position and do not move, other than a slight flexion for load bearing. The horizontal slide rods  16  will act as a fixed slide against which a lever may push in order to extend lateral bolsters, as more fully described below.  
         [0029]     The guide rod mounting assembly  10 , in the depicted embodiment, is supplemented with further back support for a seat occupant in the form of a wire array  18 . The wire array  18  in the depicted embodiment is composed of horizontal wires assembled between guide rails  12 . The horizontal wires may have convolutions. The horizontal wire array  18  may also have a stabilizing vertical connection member  19 .  
         [0030]     The lumbar support assembly  20  is comprised of an arching pressure surface  22 . The surface may be assembled of multiple components, but may also be, as depicted, a single piece of molded plastic or stamped metal. It is mounted on guide rails  12  such that it may move relative to them for creating an arch which will support a seat occupant&#39;s lumbar spine. This relative motion may be achieved in a variety of ways, all within the scope of the present invention. In the depicted embodiment, arching pressure surface  22  is mounted with a snap fit  24  at a lower horizontal mounting rod  26  such that it may pivot there. Top mounts are slides  28  which allow the upper portion of the arching pressure surface  22  to slide up and down on the guide rails  12 . The combination of pivoting motion around pivoting mounts  26  and sliding motion of slide mounts  28  along guide rails  12  allows the arching pressure surface to be flexed into an arch as its upper end and lower end slide and/or pivot on the plane defined by the guide rails  12 .  
         [0031]     Arching pressure surface actuator  40  is connected to the arching pressure surface by a Bowden traction cable  42 . Bowden cable  42  is comprised of a cable sleeve  44  with a wire  46  disposed to slide through the sleeve  44 . The power actuator  40 , is disposed to apply traction to the Bowden cable wire  46  in order to slide it axially through the Bowden cable sleeve  44 . In the depicted embodiment, the actuator  40  is comprised of an electric motor  48  and a gear housing  50  containing the requisite components for applying the traction. Any of a variety of known power actuator gearing systems may be assembled with the ergonomic support of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. Such actuation systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,397,164, 5,638,722, 5,704,687 and 6,053,064, which are incorporated by reference herein.  
         [0032]     The Bowden cable sleeve  44  is mounted at one end of the arching pressure surface  22 . This mount  52  is at an opposite end of the arching pressure surface  22  from the Bowden cable wire mount  54  ( FIG. 4 ) which is attached at the opposite end of the arching pressure service  22 . Dynamic tension exerted by the traction applied by the actuator  40  pulls sleeve mount  52  and wire mount  54  towards one another, providing the pressure and traction necessary to force arching pressure surface  22  into an arched position and further necessary for maintaining that position for support of the seat occupant&#39;s weight.  
       Lateral Bolsters  
       [0033]     The lateral bolsters assemblies  30  move from a relatively flat position to an extended position to provide further ergonomic support for a seat occupant, and further to bias and support a seat occupant in a centered position for comfort and safety.  
         [0034]     The actual lateral bolster pressure device is comprised first of bolster paddle  32 . In the depicted embodiment this is a peripheral wire  32  supplemented by intermediate wires  34 . In alternative embodiments, the bolster paddle  32  may also be a molded plastic component with a pressure surface. The bolster peripheral wire is pivotally mounted to guide rails  12  at pivot mount  36 . The pivot mount allows the bolster peripheral rod  32  to pivot around the vertical axis of guide rail  12  so that it may move between a relatively flat position abutting horizontal slide rod  16  to a more extended position for support. Disposed between the lateral bolster peripheral rod  32  and the horizontal slide rod  16  is lever  38 . Lever  38  is pivotally mounted to an aspect of peripheral lateral bolster rod  32  at pivot mount  39 . The pivot mount  39  allows lever  38  to move relative to the lateral bolster peripheral rod  32 , and also to pivot around the vertical axis defined by the aspect of lateral bolster peripheral wire  32  at which the lever mounts. The pivot for lever  38  may be anywhere on the bolster, provided that rotation of the lever  38  around the pivot  39  extends the bolster. In the depicted embodiment, pivot  39  is at a horizontally, intermediate position on rod  32 . (See also,  FIGS. 8 and 9 )  
         [0035]     Lever  38  is further configured to interact with horizontal slide rods  16  in a sliding fashion when under tension. The depicted embodiment shows level  38  as a configured rod. The configured rod includes an extension  37  dimensioned to fit between the upper and lower aspects of horizontal guide rod  16 . Lever  38  also has a sliding pressure surface  35  that is disposed to interact with horizontal slide rod  16  to a sliding fashion. When tension is applied to lever  38 , it will rotate around pivot points  39  and slide along horizontal slide rod  16  at pressure surface  35 . Because the horizontal slide rods  16  are substantially in a fixed position, they will remain stable as pressure is exerted against them. Accordingly, the opposite end of lever  38 , at pivot points  39 , will be biased outwards. Through its pivoting attachment  39  to the lateral bolster perimeter rod  32 , the lever  38  will push lateral bolster perimeter rod  32  outwards as extension  37  of lever  38  has increasing pressure applied against it.  
         [0036]     Pressure is applied against the lever  38  with another traction cable. A second traction cable wire  66  is mounted to extension  37  of the lever  38 , with a hook in the depicted embodiment. The actuator assembly  60  actuates the lateral bolsters. It is comprised of two traction cables  62  which are each in turn comprised of a sleeve and wire. There are two traction cables  62  for actuating two lateral bolsters  30 . As before, actuator  60  can be any of a known variety of actuators. The depicted embodiment includes an electric motor and gearing within a housing.  
         [0037]     The Bowden cable sleeve  64  is fixed to mounting tab  72 . Mounting tab  72  may pivot or be fixedly attached to guide rail  12 . In either case, it provides a fixed point of resistance against which traction may be applied through the end of Bowden cable sleeve  64 .  
         [0038]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  8  and  9 , in operation as traction is applied to draw Bowden cable wire  66  into the Bowden cable sleeve  64 , wire mount  74  applies inward traction on lever  38  at extension  37 . This draws lever portion  37  inwards, that is, toward a vertical mid-line of the seat and ergonomic support assembly. Pressure surfaces  35  of lever  38  correspondingly slide along horizontal slide bar  16  applying outwards, extending pressure to the lateral bolster perimeter wire  32  at pivot point  39 . The dimension of extension  37  relative to the other dimensions of lever  38  may be varied to vary the degree of leverage, or size of any components, as needed.  
         [0039]      FIG. 5  depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The mechanical aspects, linkages, assembly, mounting and operation of the lumbar support  20  and lateral bolsters  30  remains substantially equivalent to the previously depicted embodiment. Lumbar support actuator  40  is also substantially equivalent to the previously described embodiment. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 5 , however, there are two separate actuators  60  for actuating the lateral bolsters  30 . That is, each of the lateral traction cables  62  is attached to a separate actuator, as opposed to both traction cables  62  being operated by a single actuator  60  in the previous embodiment.  
         [0040]      FIGS. 6 and 7  depict a manually actuated embodiment of the present invention. Again, the components, assembly linkages, mounting and operation of the lumbar support and lateral bolsters are substantially equivalent to the previously described embodiments. Again, the traction cables actuate the lumbar support and lateral bolsters. In the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , however, manual actuators  160 , 260  (lever and hand wheel, respectively) are used to apply traction. The manual actuators may be mounted in any appropriate location, typically on the side of a seat-backed frame, although a seat bottom frame or, as in the case of a fold-down third row seat in the back of a sport utility vehicle, they be mounted remote from the seat itself as on the floor or in a recess.  
         [0041]     The lateral bolsters and lumbar support may be actuated by a self actuating device as well, such as that described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/349,525, which is incorporate by reference herein.  
         [0042]     Actuation may also be had be means of a self-presenting linkage in a fold down seat. In  FIG. 10 a  traction modual is depicted in its linkage with a hinge between a seat bottom and a seat back. The housing  140  moves relative to the torsion bar or hinge pin  114 . The pulley  170  within the housing is fixedly attached to the torsion bar or hinge pin  114  so that the pulley  170  rotates with it. A Bowden cable  166  has a sleeve  162  that is mounted  152  at its end to housing  140  in a keyhole slot  176  wide enough to allow passage therethrough of the Bowden cable wire  172 , but not the sleeve  162 . The Bowden cable wire  172  is fixed to the pulley at keyhole  174 . Accordingly, rotation of housing  140  relative to torsion rod  114  will cause movement of the Bowden cable wire  172  relative to the Bowden cable sleeve  162 , thereby applying or releasing traction. Traction is applied in the direction indicated by arrow A. The housing is mounted such that it is fixed to one of the seat back or seat bottom and the torsion rod  114  is mounted so that it is fixed relative to the other of the seat back or seat bottom. Thereby, folding the seat up will move the housing and torsion bar relative to one another, exerting traction. The housing and torsion bar are mounted such that folding the seat up will extend the bolster.  
         [0043]     In  FIG. 11 , a seat is depicted wherein the bottom of the seat is comprised of a seat bottom frame  210  over a seat bottom base  220 . The frame and base are connected at each of their corners with four (4) pivoting legs  203 , with each leg pivotally mounted to a corner of the frame at the top of the leg  232 , and to a corner of the base at the bottom of the leg  234 . The Bowden cable sleeve is attached to the seat bottom frame, and the Bowden cable wire  242  is attached to the seat bottom base. Thereby, when a retractable seat, as in the rear of a sport utility vehicle, is raised, and the seat bottom frame is raised relative to the seat bottom base, traction will be exerted on the traction cable. In both of the  FIGS. 10 and 11 , these self-presenting actuation linkages apply traction to the traction cable for actuating the ergonomic support, which in turn moves the ergonomic support in the manner described above.  
         [0044]     In view of the foregoing it will be seen that the several advantages of the invention are achieved and attained.  
         [0045]     The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.  
         [0046]     As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.