Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5556161?dq=7,403,220
Timestamp: 2017-05-27 07:53:19
Document Index: 420869391

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 8', 'arts 8', 'arts 8', 'arts 8', 'arts 8', 'arts 8', 'arts 8', 'art 40', 'art 41', 'arts 40', 'art 41', 'art 40', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 40', 'art 41', 'art 40', 'art 82', 'art 82', 'art 82', 'art 105', 'art 123']

Patent US5556161 - Apparatus for vibrating seats - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA driver's seat having a vibration generator connected to the driver's seat and controls for turning the vibration generator on and off for vibrating the driver's seat so that when a driver feels drowsiness coming on, the driver can operate the controls for switching on-off the vibration generator so...http://www.google.com/patents/US5556161?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5556161 - Apparatus for vibrating seatsAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS5556161 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/358,244Publication dateSep 17, 1996Filing dateDec 19, 1994Priority dateDec 4, 1992Fee statusLapsedAlso published asUS5490713, US5498061, US5507557, US5516192, US5538321, US5542741, US5593206, US5647633Publication number08358244, 358244, US 5556161 A, US 5556161A, US-A-5556161, US5556161 A, US5556161AInventorsMasahiro FukuokaOriginal AssigneeFukuoka Kagaku Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (7), Referenced by (13), Classifications (13), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetApparatus for vibrating seats
US 5556161 AAbstract
1. An apparatus for vibrating a seat comprising:a driver's seat; means for vibrating said driver's seat; and means for controlling vibration of said means for vibrating the driver's seat, wherein means for vibrating said driver's seat includes an iron core installed under said driver's seat, a support body for supporting said driver's seat, an elastic body elastically supporting a lower end of said support body and installed on said iron core, annular spaces formed in upper and lower ends of said iron core, an annular exciting coil arranged concentrically in each of said annular spaces, a cavity in each of said exciting coils and connecting said annular spaces, at least an annular driving coil installed in a cavity for freely sliding vertically, a bore extending downward from the upperside of said iron core into an upper annular space of both annular spaces of said upper and lower ends of said iron core, a connecting piece in said bore and said upper annular space and connecting the upper part of said support body and said annular driving coil and means for supplying direct current to said exciting coils, and supplying alternating current to said annular driving coil so that said annular driving coil may be vertically vibrated. Description
This invention relates to an apparatus used for vibrating a driver's seat of automobiles, or the like in order to keep a driver alert and to prevent a driver from dozing during driving.
FIG. 12 is a side view, similar to FIG. 10 showing yet another embodiment;
FIG. 18 is a side view, partly in section, of a further still embodiment, similar to FIG. 16; and,
FIG. 1 shows a side view of the first embodiment of the invention having a structure for vibrating a driver's seat 1 by a motor 10 installed on the underside of the driver's seat whereby the vibration is transmitted to the driver's seat 1 the vibration motor 10 is activated. Driver's seat 1 is mounted on base 2 and, as best shown in FIG. 2, is attached to base 2 by angle fasteners 3 shaped like an L, and which face each other, at a position toward the front and a rear end of base 2. Stationary plates 1a, are fixed, by bolts 4, on the radial outward slants of said angle fasteners 3 at the front end and the rear end of the base of seat 1. The other side of angle fasteners 3 are welded on the upper side of base 2. Vibration motor 10 is fixed with bolts 5 on the underside of base 2. Output shaft 10a of vibration motor 10 extends in a horizontal direction, as viewed from the front of the driver's seat 1 and from the front of automobile 15 shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, eccentric loads 13, comprising fixed load 13a and an adjustable load 13b, are installed on opposite ends 10b of output shaft 10a, the direction of rotation being indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1 of vibration motor 10. The centrifugal force caused by eccentric loads 13, rotating at the opposite ends of output shaft 10a, causes base 2, and seat 1 mounted thereon, to vibrate. In FIG. 4, 10c is a stator core and 10d is a rotor core of vibration motor 10 which is an electric motor.
Base 2, with supporting seat 1 thereon is elastically supported by its corner, FIG. 2, on bed 6. Bed 6 is fixed on the floor 16 of an automobile 15, FIG. 3. Hollow rectangular barrel frames 7 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), having frame bodies 7a and 7b (see, FIG. 5), are welded together on the front and rear on the upperside of bed 6. Spring supports 8 are installed on the right and left (see, FIGS. 1 and 5), front and rear (see, FIG. 2) of the upperside portion of rectangular barrel frames 7. Each of the springs supports 8 includes a disc type bottom parts 8a, support parts 8b installed on the middle of the upperside of disc type bottom parts 8a, and passenger 8c penetrating both bottom parts 8a and support parts 8b. Bottom parts 8a are fixed on the upperside of rectangular barrels 7 with screws 9. Support parts 8b are engaged, from the outside, with springs 11. Bolts 12 are inserted through each passage 8c. Each bolt 12 is inserted from the upperside into each bolt hole 2a, on base seat 2. The nut screw part of each bolt 12 is fixed by, for example, welding on the ceiling of each rectangular barrel 7. Thus, the underside of the base 2 for installation of seat 1 is elastically suspended on the upper end of springs 11.
In an automobile 15 shown in FIG. 3, a controller console panel 14 is set up on the right side, facing forward, of the driver's seat 1 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Arranged on the console panel 14 are power-on switch 14a, power-off switch 14b, operation switch 14c, and frequency handle 14d for enabling the speed and the number of vibration frequency of vibration motor 10 to be varied and set at a desired frequency. Further arranged on the console panel is a timer 14e for setting a timer for start-up and stopping of vibration motor 10 and seat vibration caused thereby. Controller console panel 14 also contains an inverter (not shown) so that an electric current from a battery 17 installed in the front part of an automobile 15 is converted into alternating current for supply to the vibration motor 10. In this first embodiment, the apparatus can provide the driver's seat, having a maximum unload of 100 kgs., with 20 Hz in the number of vibration frequency and 15 mm of the amplitude of the vibration for vibrating the driver's seat 1 up-down and back-forth.
When the driver feels drowsiness coming on, the driver can turn on power-on-switch 14a and then turn on operation-switch 14c so that vibration motor 10 operates during a period set up with timer 14e, generates vibration and such vibration is transmitted through base 2 to driver's seat 1 through fasteners 3 and stationary plate 1a to driver's seat 1 and driver's seat 1 vibrates on springs 11. The vibrating driver seat 1 with the above-described structural arrangement and operation, keeps the driver alert and wards off dozing of the driver during driving.
FIGS. 12 and 13 show a fourth embodiment of the invention. In such fourth embodiment, a U-shaped flat spring 42 is installed between a driver's seat 1 and a base 38 and an electro-magnet 43 is connected to one of the ends 42a and 42b of the flat spring 42, while a permanent magnet 44 is connected to the other one of the ends 42a and 42b. Vibration of spring 42 is generated by sending electrical current into electro-magnet 43 and such vibration is transmitted to the driver's seat 1 so that the driver's seat 1 vibrates. In detail, an upper vibrating body 40 is fixed under the driver's seat 1 and a concave part 40a is formed in the middle on the underside of said vibrating body 40. Additionally, the lower vibrating body 41 is fixed on the upperside of the base 38 by bolts 47; and a rubber vibration insulator 48, which covers bolts 47, is fixed between the upperside of the base 38 and the underside of lower vibrating body 41. A concave part 41a is formed in the middle on the upperside of vibrating body 41. A U-shaped flat spring 42 is mounted between concave parts 40a and 41a. Height-adjustable bolt 39 is adjustable to fix the height of base 38 on the floor 16 of automobile 15, as shown in FIG. 3.
The underside of lower end 42a of flat spring 42 is welded to the bottom face of concave part 41a of lower vibrating body 41, while the upperside of upper end 42b of flat spring 42 is welded on the upper side of concave part 40a of upper vibrating body 40. An electro-magnet 43, having a fixed iron core 46 wound with coil 45, is fixed on the upperside of lower bar 42a of flat spring 42, while a moving iron core 44 is fixed on the underside of the upper bar 42b. Support board 48 is fixed on the side part of lower vibrating part 41 by a bolt 49. Controller 50 is fixed on support board 48 by a bolt 51. Controller 50 similarly contains an inverter, electric current adjustable handle 51a, or the like; and controlling alternating current supplied to coil 45 are installed on console panel set up in the rear side of controller 50.
FIGS. 14 and 15 show a fifth embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, a groove 41b is formed on the bottom face of the concave part 41a of lower vibration body 41 and the lower end of compression coil spring 60 is positioned in groove 41b and fixed. Groove 40b is formed on the upperside of the concave part 40a of upper vibration body 40, and the upper end of said compression coil spring 60 is positioned in groove 40b and fixed. Electro-magnet 43 is fixed on the bottom face of concave part 41a of lower vibration body 41 inside of compression coil spring 60. Moving iron core 44 is fixed n the upperside of the concave part 40a of the upper vibration body 40 inside the compression coil spring 60. As shown in FIG. 15, lower vibration body 41 and upper vibration body 40 are connected with flat spring 61 at its opposite right and left ends of body 41. One end of flat spring 61 is fixed by a bolt 62 on a lower stay 64 fixed on lower vibration body 41 by a bolt 63, while the other end is fixed by a bolt 65 on the upper stay 67, which is fixed on upper vibration body 40 by bolt 66. Flat spring 61, in such a fixed state and in a horizontal position, as shown by a chain line of FIG. 14, operates so as to set resonance frequency. Mainly in this fifth embodiment, a vertical vibration is provided to the driver's seat. The other parts, except for the above, are the same as those of the fourth embodiment and the same reference numbering is adopted.
In the sixth embodiment of FIG. 16, a pneumatic cylinder vibrates driver's seat 1. A pneumatic cylinder 70, having an upper wall 71a, has a rod 72 passing through in rod hole 71b, formed on the middle part of an upperside 71a of cylinder body 71. The driver's seat 1 is fixed on the upper end of rod 72, while piston 73 is fixed on the lower end. Piston 73 is slidable, vertically, in cylinder 74, the piston dividing cylinder chamber 74 into an upper chamber 75 and a lower chamber 76. A spring 77 is arranged between the concave part of the upper side 71a of cylinder body 71 and the concave part of the upperside of the piston 73, and piston 73 is pressed downward by energy of spring 77. A line 78 is extended from lower chamber 76 and connected to a channel control valve 80.
Electro-magnet 86 is electrically connected, through an inverter, with a battery 17 of an automobile 15 such as in the fourth embodiment. Moreover, an on-off switch for vibration, which controls the supply of electricity to electro-magnet 86, is arranged on a console panel of an automobile 15, FIG. 3. When the switch for vibration is pushed, the electro-magnet 86 is charged with alternating current.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16, in normal condition the vibration switch is not pushed and electro-magnet 86 is not charged with electricity and magnetic force is not generated in the electro-magnet 86. The valve rod 82 is pushed to the left by elastic energy of spring 89 and contacts the leftside of a casing 81, wherein the maximum diameter part 82a of valve rod 82 is positioned between the connected line 78 and air supply line 88. Thereby, connected line 78 and passage to the atmosphere 90 are connected through the right chamber 84, while the communication of a line 78 and air supply line 88 are cut off by the maximum diameter part 82a. Therefore, the air of lower chamber 76 is connected to the atmosphere so that piston 73 is pressed downwardly toward a downside of the cylinder 71 by elastic energy of the spring 89; and the driver's seat 1 is supported by the upper wall 71a of cylinder body 71. In this case, the air from a compressor body 87 is released to the atmosphere outside by the compressor body 87, itself, or means for releasing air, which is arranged in the air supply line 88 (not shown).
When a driver feels drowsiness coming on during driving and the driver pushes on a switch for vibration, electro-magnet 86 is not charged with alternating electricity. At that time, magnetic force is generated in said electro-magnet 86 intermittently in a short pitch, wherein iron core 83 is attracted toward the position where electro-magnet 86 is installed (i.e., toward the right, as shown in FIG. 16). Therefore, the valve rod 82 moves against elastic force of the spring 89, and, as shown in FIG. 17, the communication of the line 78 and the passage to atmosphere 90 is cut off by maximum diameter part 82a and line 78 and the passage to air supply line 88 are connected through chamber 85. Air, at air pressure of 3-5 kgs, is force-fed from compressor 87 into a lower chamber 76. Piston 73 (the area receiving the pressure is 20 cm2) rises and the driver's seat 1 rises together. In the condition that magnetic force is not generated in electro-magnet 86, as mentioned above, because line 78 and the passage to atmosphere 90 are connected, the air in the lower chamber 76 is connected with the outside atmosphere, FIG. 16, the piston 73 is pressed downward by the energy of the spring 77 and also the driver's seat lowers. The above-described raising and lowering of the driver's seat 1 is repeated while the switch for vibration is pressed. In this way, if a driver feels drowsiness, the driver can vibrate the driver's seat 1 by repeating rise and fall of such driver's seat by operating the switch for vibration installed in the control panel 18. Therefore, the driver remains alert, does not doze off during driving, and traffic accidents caused by dozing during driving can be prevented.
According to the seventh embodiment, the connected line 78 and the air supply line 88 are connected through the middle chamber 96 when magnetic force is generated in electro-magnet 86, as shown in FIG. 18. The connected line 78 and the line for the passage to the atmosphere 90 are connected through the right chamber 95, while the air supply line 88 and the line for releasing force feed air 94 are connected through the middle chamber 96 when magnetic force is not generated in electro-magnet 86, as shown in FIG. 19. Thus, when the compressor 87 is driving, the air pressed by compressor 87 is not sent to the lower chamber 76 of the cylinder chamber 74 so that the air can be discharged to the outside of the automobile.
In servo valve 101, pilot stage 102 and power stage 103 are formed; and first valve rod 104 is arranged vertical-sliding-freely in the pilot stage 102, while the second valve rod 105 is arranged vertical-sliding-freely in the power stage 103. Pilot stage 102 is connected through fifth line 106 to an upper part of power stage 103, and through sixth line 107 to a lower part of power stage 103. Power stage 102 is connected through the first line 127 to an upper pressure chamber 124 of the cylinder chamber and through the second line 128 to a lower pressure chamber 125, through third line 113 to a hydraulic pump, not shown, and through fourth line 115 to first line for returning oil 114, respectively. A vibration generator, by dynamic electricity 108, is arranged under pilot stage 102. Coil 108a is positioned inside its vibration generator by dynamic electricity 108 while controlled body 110 is energized, upward, by a spring 109 in the upper part of the vibration generator 108. Coil 108a is, as in the fourth embodiment, electrically connected through an inverter with the battery 17 of the automobile 15, FIG. 3. Electricity supplied from the inverter to the coil 108a is converted into alternating current. An on-off switch, now shown, controls electric supply to coil 108a and is installed in the control panel 18, so that the controlled body 110 can be controlled vertical-sliding-freely by sending alternating current to coil 108a. Since controlled body 110 contacts first valve rod 104, the first valve rod 104 is energized upward. Additionally, first valve rod 104 is energized upward by an extension spring 111 fixed on the upper part of the pilot stage 102. The first displacement transducer 112, which detects a displacement in the lower part 105a of the second valve rod 105, is installed in the lower part of the power stage 103. The detection signal is sent to the vibration generator by dynamic electricity 108 as feedback. On the other hand, the second displacement transducer 129, which detects displacement in the lower part 123c of piston rod 123, is installed in the lower part of cylinder chamber 126. Such detection signal is sent to the vibration generator by dynamic electricity 108 as feedback. In FIG. 20, reference 116 is the second line for returning oil 117 is the seventh line connected with the hydraulic pump and 118 is a diaphragm, which are installed in the oil tight condition, on the controlled body 110 and the vibration generator by dynamic electricity 108.
In the above structure, when alternating current is sent to the coil 108a of the vibration generator by dynamic electricity 108 so that the controlled body is moved upward, as shown in FIG. 21, the first valve rod 104 moves upward and the seventh line 117 is connected with the sixth line 107 so that oil force fed by the hydraulic pump is supplied from the lower end of the power stage 103 to inside the power stage 103. At that time, the second line for returning oil 116 and the fifth line 106 are connected so that oil is returned from the upper end of the power stage 103 to tank (not shown in Figures). Accordingly, the second valve rod 105 moves upward and, as a result, the third line 113 is connected with the second line 128 so that the oil from the hydraulic pump is supplied to the lower pressure chamber 125. The first line for returning oil 114 and the first line 127 are connected through the fourth line 115 so that oil is returned from the pressure chamber 124 to the tank. Thus, piston rod 123 is moved upward and the driver's seat 1 rises. When the controlled body 110 is moved downward, in an opposite reaction against the above, the piston rod 123 is moved downward so that the driver's seat falls. Thus, in addition to the vertical movement of the controlled body 110, the driver's seat 1 vibrates. In this case, the amount of inflow oil and outflow oil to a lower pressure chamber 125 or an upper pressure chamber 124, changes by the displacement of the first valve rod 104 in the pilot stage 102, so that the piston rod 123 vibrates at a speed in proportion to the oil flow. The detection signals from the first displacement transducer 112 and the second displacement transducer 129 are sent to the vibration generator by dynamic electricity 108 as feedback, which enables precise control.
An annular cavity 145, connecting the spaces of upper chamber 141 and lower chamber 142, is formed concentrically with exciting coils 143 and 144 in a central annular projecting portion 136a of body magnetic pole 136, while a bore 146 is formed through the center of upper center magnetic pole 139. Linear ball bearing 149 is fixed on the upper part of pit 146. Connecting holes 151, connecting with upper space 141, are formed at regular intervals in upper yoke 137. A hole of small diameter is formed on the upper portion of lower center magnetic pole 140, and a hole of larger diameter is formed under the hole of small diameter. Linear ball bearing 147 is fixed in the small diameter while air spring 148 is positioned in the hole of larger diameter.
Supporting rod 150, which extends downward from the center of the underside of base 135, passes through bore 146 of upper center magnetic pole 139 and the hole of small diameter of lower center magnetic pole 140 and is supported by air spring 148, for free vertical-sliding-movement by linear ball bearings 147 and 149. Connecting piece 152 extends downward through connecting hole 151 on the lower part of base 135, and is connected, through connecting hole 151, with annular driving coil 153. Driving coils 153, 163 are arranged in the cavity concentrically with concentric exciting coils 143 and 144, and 141 and 142, respectively. Driving coil 153 is electrically connected, through an inverter, with battery 17, whereby electricity, supplied to the driving coils 153, 163 is converted into alternating current. An off-off switch, not shown, controls the supply of electricity to driving coil 153 and is arranged in a control panel, such as control panel 14 as shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 22, reference number 154 is an air seal and reference number 155 is a loop spring, which works as a baffle.
In the ninth embodiment, when the switch of the control panel is turned on, direct current is charged through exciting coils 143 and 144; and magnetic flux in the direction of arrow A is formed and alternating current is charged through the driving coil 153 at right angles to the magnetic flux of the direct current in coils 143, 144. According to Fleming's rule, an excitation force works in the B arrow directions, and the driver's seat vibrates. Therefore, if a driver feels drowsiness coming on, the driver can vibrate the driver's seat 1 by turning on the switch; thereby, preventing dozing of the driver during driving which subsequently prevents accidents from occurring.
In each of the above embodiments, the switch to turn on/off supply of electric current to vibration motor 10, electro-magnet 43, 86 or coil 108a, 153 is installed in operation panel (or control panel) so that the vibration motor 10 operates by turning on the switch if a driver feels drowsiness. This is not construed to limit the scope of this invention. For example, instead of said switch, a timer, installed in the operation panel (or control panel), is adoptable. In such a case, only if the timer is set up in starting off, the vibration motor 10 or the like operates when a certain time (for example, 10 minutes) has pass, while it also stops automatically when a certain time (for example, 5 minutes) has pass since it started to move. Such a timer is convenient in case that a person knows in advance from experience that he will feel drowsiness at a certain time (for example, 10 minutes) from starting to drive. In addition, instead of the timer for moving/stopping the vibration motor or the like, the switch for moving/stopping the vibration motor 10 or the like can be adoptable together with the timer so as to operate manually.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3455296 *May 18, 1966Jul 15, 1969Cloyse L MccalebVibrator attachment for vehicle seatsJPH049141A * Title not availableJPH0367727A * Title not availableJPH0466335A * Title not availableJPH03136927A * Title not availableJPH03204343A * Title not availableJPH04159122A * Title not available* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6056357 *Sep 23, 1996May 2, 2000Yukihiko SaitohApparatus for vibrating seatsUS6068285 *Apr 6, 1998May 30, 2000Jackson; Vera L.Stroller attachable mobile supportUS7422285Sep 30, 2005Sep 9, 2008Innovative Biomechanical Solutions, L.L.C.Vehicle seating system and method for reducing fatigueUS7566096Dec 6, 2006Jul 28, 2009Innovative Biomechanical Solutions, IncorporatedVehicle seating system and method for reducing fatigueUS7976060 *Oct 23, 2007Jul 12, 2011Automotive Technologies International, Inc.Seat load or displacement measuring system for occupant restraint system controlUS8126616Dec 10, 2007Feb 28, 2012Innovative Biomechanical Solutions, LlcVehicle seating system and methodUS8710784Sep 9, 2011Apr 29, 2014Innovative Biomechanical Solutions, LlcVehicle seating system and method for reducing fatigue with changing actuator movementUS9187020Apr 9, 2014Nov 17, 2015Innovative Biomechanical Solutions, LlcVehicle seating system and method for reducing fatigue with dynamic actuator movementUS20070102969 *Dec 6, 2006May 10, 2007Phipps Paul BVehicle seating system and method for reducing fatigueUS20070132289 *Sep 30, 2005Jun 14, 2007Innovative Biomechanical Solutions L.L.C.Vehicle seating system and method for reducing fatigueUS20080036185 *Oct 23, 2007Feb 14, 2008Automotive Technologies International, Inc.Seat Load or Displacement Measuring System for Occupant Restraint System ControlUS20080091322 *Dec 10, 2007Apr 17, 2008Phipps Paul BVehicle seating system and methodUS20090005938 *Sep 9, 2008Jan 1, 2009Phipps Paul BVehicle seating system and method* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification297/217.3, 297/217.1International ClassificationB60N2/24, A47C3/02, B60N2/50Cooperative ClassificationA47C3/02, B60N2/502, B60N2/24, B60N2/544European ClassificationB60N2/24, A47C3/02, B60N2/54C, B60N2/50DLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionApr 11, 2000REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedSep 17, 2000LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesNov 21, 2000FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20000917RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services