Vehicle seat with shock absorber

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat with a damper (2), wherein the vehicle seat (1) has a seat bottom part (10) and a seat backrest (12) arranged on the bottom part and provided with a headrest (11), and the damper (2) is arranged in the seat backrest (12) or in the headrest (11) and is mounted there on the backrest structure (20) or on the headrest structure, characterized in that the damper (2) has a damper mass (26) which is supported relative to the backrest structure (15) or relative to the headrest structure by means of elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28') and the spring stiffness of the elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28') can be adjusted by means of an operating mechanism (5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle seat with shock absorbers. The invention further relates to a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, having at least one such vehicle seat. Background of the Invention

[0003] In particular, when the mass of the vehicle seat increases within the seat back (e.g., due to the integration of seat belts into the seat back or other comfort-enhancing devices such as workbenches, displays, etc.), the seat's natural frequency decreases. This causes vibrations in the seat, especially the seat back, during driving, or also introduces interfering noise. The natural frequency of the vehicle seat often intersects with the vehicle's excitation frequency, resulting in particularly large and perceptible vibrations. In particular, the large mass in the upper backrest area is negatively correlated with the mass-optimized lower seat structure in terms of perceptible vibrations in the vehicle seat. Furthermore, seat position alters the seat's natural frequency. These problems are addressed using shock absorbers, which are installed in the vehicle seat, particularly the seat back. Typically, such shock absorbers are designed for a single frequency range; however, this is a compromise.

[0004] Existing technology

[0005] A headrest is known from EP2602152A1, which has a headrest pad pivotable about a horizontal axis, and the headrest is provided with elastic elements that react to the pivoting motion. These elastic elements are adjustable in their radial position about the horizontal axis, wherein the adjustment depends on the height position of the headrest. The objective here is to cushion vibrations of the headrest about the horizontal axis.

[0006] Invention Description

[0007] The objective of this invention is to provide an improved vehicle seat of the same type, wherein the occurrence of inherent vibrations is further reduced during driving operations.

[0008] Such vehicle seats with shock absorbers have a seat bottom component and a seat back disposed on the seat bottom component and equipped with a headrest. The shock absorber is disposed in the seat back or in the headrest, and is mounted thereon on the backrest structure or the headrest structure. According to the invention, the shock absorber is characterized in that it has a damping mass supported relative to the backrest structure or the headrest structure by means of an elastic element, and the spring stiffness of the elastic element is adjustable by means of an operating mechanism.

[0009] advantage

[0010] The adjustability of the spring stiffness of the shock absorber provides adjustability of the natural frequency and thus enables the design of the shock absorber in different frequency ranges.

[0011] Preferably, the operating mechanism is configured to adjust the spring stiffness of the elastic element according to the seating arrangement of the vehicle seat, particularly the tilt angle of the seat back. Thus, the damping element and its damping effect can be adapted to the corresponding position of the vehicle seat.

[0012] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the shock absorber has a yoke with a first pressure element and a second pressure element, wherein the pressure elements are displaceable, particularly movable or translational, relative to each other along a first direction, wherein the pressure elements are guided by means of a guiding device, and each elastic element and damping mass is clamped between the pressure elements of the shock absorber. By changing the clamping, the elastic elements are more or less compressed, thereby changing the spring stiffness of the elastic elements, which leads to a change in the natural frequency of the spring-mass vibrator formed by the damping mass and the elastic elements of the shock absorber.

[0013] Here, the advantage is that the operating mechanism is configured to move each pressure element toward or away from each other along or parallel to the first direction.

[0014] It is also advantageous that the elastic element is composed of or has a damping body of an elastic body.

[0015] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention (which may be combined with other embodiments), the operating mechanism has at least one actuator. Such actuators may have or form a mechanical drive, a Bowden cable that can be operated manually or automatically, or an electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic drive.

[0016] Advantageously, the at least one actuator can be controlled by a control device, and for this controllable device, an actuation command is loaded. The electrically adjustable seat can control the actuator via a controller of an electrically adjustable seat device, which thus forms the control device.

[0017] Preferably, the control device is coupled to at least one sensor for transmitting data, the at least one sensor being configured to detect at least one parameter of the vehicle seat's setting status.

[0018] Finally, it is also advantageous that the control device is connected to or has a characteristic field storage device, in which the set value of the spring stiffness for the elastic element is stored, the spring stiffness depending on the setting parameters of the vehicle seat. This characteristic field control can be adjusted depending on the seat position, mechanically, for example by a control cam and / or by a Bowden line, or electrically / pneumatically / hydraulicly by an actuator.

[0019] In another advantageous embodiment of the vehicle seat according to the invention, the mass of the vehicle seat (including the passenger sitting on the vehicle seat) can be determined by a weight sensor and can be used as other control parameters for adjusting the shock absorber.

[0020] The present invention also relates to a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, having at least one vehicle seat according to the invention.

[0021] Preferred embodiments of the present invention, with additional design details and other advantages, will now be described and explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Brief description of the attached diagram

[0023] in: Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional side view of a vehicle seat according to the invention, featuring a shock absorber; Figure 2 Show Figure 1 Enlarged view of the shock absorber; according to Figure 1 Details II; Figure 3A Showing a seat with an upright backrest Figure 1 Side view of the vehicle seat; and Figure 3B Showing a seat back that reclines in a lying position Figure 1 Side view of the vehicle seat.

[0024] Description of preferred embodiments

[0025] Figure 1 A non-realistic partial cross-sectional side view of a vehicle seat 1 according to the invention, having a seat bottom element 10 and a seat back 12, is shown. The seat back has a headrest 11 on its upper side and a shock absorber 2 is provided within the seat back. The seat bottom element 10 is connected to a floor plate 42 belonging to the vehicle structure 40 of the vehicle 4 in a manner known to those skilled in the art, for example, by screwing, via a means 3 for longitudinal seat adjustment. The means 3 for longitudinal seat adjustment has a lower left guide rail and a lower right guide rail 30 connected to the floor plate 42. Each lower guide rail 30 is provided with an upper guide rail 32, which is movably and lockably supported about the corresponding lower guide rail 30.

[0026] Shock absorber 2 is located in the upper part of seat back 12 and then refers to... Figure 2 This allows for a more detailed description.

[0027] The seat back 12 has a backrest structure 15 in its interior (which is surrounded by a seat cover 13 and a fixed backrest wall 14), which in the example shown has an inner structural carrier 16 extending in the longitudinal direction of the backrest and a rear structural carrier 17 extending in the longitudinal direction of the backrest, with a shock absorber 2 provided between the inner structural carrier and the rear structural carrier.

[0028] The shock absorber 2 is composed of a yoke 20 having a front first pressure element 21 and a rear second pressure element 22, which are movable relative to each other along a first direction R perpendicular to the pressure elements 21 and 22, facing each other and moving away from each other. Guide pins 23 and 24 of the guide device 25 pass through guide holes 21', 21" and 22', 22" of the pressure elements 21 and 22, thereby guiding the pressure elements 21 and 22 along the guide pins 23 and 24 parallel to the first direction R. A damping mass 26 is provided between each pressure element 21 and 22, which is elastically supported between the pressure elements 21 and 22 by means of front elastic elements 27 and 27' and rear elastic elements 28 and 28'. The elastic elements 27, 27', 28, and 28' are correspondingly composed of damping bodies (made of elastomeric material), such as rubber damping bodies.

[0029] Shock absorber 2 with the help of Figure 2 The retainers 29 and 29', shown only schematically, are held on the inner structural carrier 16 and the rear structural carrier 17. At least one of the two retainers 29 and 29' forms or has an operating mechanism 5, which is configured to achieve relative displacement of the two pressure elements 21 and 22 toward or away from each other. Figure 2 The front retainer 29 is shown only schematically as an element of the operating mechanism 5. Alternatively, the rear retainer 29' may form an element of the operating mechanism 5, or both retainers 29 and 29' may form elements of the operating mechanism 5.

[0030] The operating mechanism 5 has at least one electrically (or alternatively pneumatically or hydraulically) actuating actuator 50, which, in the illustrated example, is integrated into the telescopically movable front retainer 29 and is retractable into or out of the front retainer. The at least one actuator 50 is operated by only... Figure 1 The control device 52, schematically shown, is connected to a tilt angle sensor 56, which is used to determine the backrest tilt angles α1 and α2 relative to the vertical line about the backrest tilt axis y1. Figure 3A and Figure 3B The control device is connected to at least one weight sensor 58 disposed in the vehicle seat 1, the weight sensor being used to determine the passenger mass loaded on the vehicle seat 1, and the control device is connected to a characteristic field storage device 54 for transmitting data.

[0031] The operation of at least one actuator 50 of the operating mechanism 5 achieves a stronger or lesser clamping of the damping mass 26 between the two pressure elements 21, 22, thereby increasing the spring stiffness of the elastic elements 27, 27', 28, 28' by a greater force (harder) or decreasing it by a less force (softer). Consequently, the natural frequency of the shock absorber 2 also changes, making the natural frequency variable by means of the operating mechanism 5, and adapting the damping of the vehicle seat, particularly through its seat back, to real-time dynamic demands.

[0032] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, which are merely used to generally illustrate the core concept of the invention. Within the framework of the scope of protection, the apparatus according to the invention may also have embodiments different from those described above. In particular, the apparatus may have features constituting a combination of the respective independent features of each claim.

[0033] The reference numerals in the claims, description and drawings are used only to better understand the invention and should not limit the scope of protection.

[0034] List of reference numerals

[0035] 1. Vehicle Seats

[0036] 2 Shock absorbers

[0037] 3. Device for longitudinally adjusting the seat

[0038] 4 vehicles

[0039] 5. Operating mechanism

[0040] 10 Seat bottom components

[0041] 11. Headrest

[0042] 12 Seat backrests

[0043] 13 Seat Covers

[0044] 14. Back against the wall

[0045] 15 Backrest Structure

[0046] 16 Structural Carrier

[0047] 17 Structural Carrier

[0048] 20 yokes

[0049] 21. Front pressure element

[0050] 21' guide hole

[0051] 21" guide hole

[0052] 22. Rear pressure element

[0053] 22' guide hole

[0054] 22" guide hole

[0055] 23. Guide pin

[0056] 24. Guide pin

[0057] 25 Guiding Device

[0058] 26 damping blocks

[0059] 27. Front elastic element

[0060] 27' Front elastic element

[0061] 28 Rear elastic element

[0062] 28' rear elastic element

[0063] 29 Front retainer

[0064] 29' Rear Retainer

[0065] 30 Lower guide rail

[0066] 32 Upper guide rail

[0067] 40 Vehicle Structure

[0068] 42 base plate

[0069] 50 actuators

[0070] 52 Control device

[0071] 54. Characteristic Field Storage Device

[0072] 56 Tilt Angle Sensor

[0073] 58 Weight Sensors

[0074] F Driving direction

[0075] R direction of motion

[0076] y1 Backrest tilt axis

[0077] α1 Backrest tilt angle

[0078] α2 Backrest tilt angle

Claims

1. A vehicle seat with shock absorbers (2), wherein, The vehicle seat (1) has a seat bottom component (10) and a seat back (12) disposed on the seat bottom component and having a headrest (11), and a shock absorber (2) is disposed in the seat back (12) or in the headrest (11), and the shock absorber is mounted thereon on the backrest structure (15) or on the headrest structure. The shock absorber (2) is characterized by having a damping mass (26) supported relative to the backrest structure (15) or relative to the headrest structure by means of elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28'), and the spring stiffness of the elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28') is adjustable by means of an operating mechanism (5). The shock absorber (2) has a yoke (20) with a first pressure element (21) and a second pressure element (22), the first and second pressure elements being displaceable relative to each other along a first direction (R), wherein the first and second pressure elements are guided by a guide device (25), and elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28') and a damping mass (26) are clamped between the first pressure element (21) and the second pressure element (22) of the shock absorber (2). The operating mechanism (5) has at least one actuator (50), and The operation of the at least one actuator (50) enables the damping mass (26) to be clamped more or less strongly between the first pressure element (21) and the second pressure element (22).

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The operating mechanism (5) is configured to adjust the spring stiffness of the elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28') according to the setting of the vehicle seat (1).

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, characterized in that, The operating mechanism (5) is configured to adjust the spring stiffness of the elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28') according to the tilt angle (α1, α2) of the seat back (12).

4. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The operating mechanism (5) is configured to move the first pressure element (21) and the second pressure element (22) toward each other and away from each other along a first direction (R).

5. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28') are composed of or have a damping body of an elastic body.

6. The vehicle seat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The at least one actuator (50) can be controlled by the control device (52) and can be loaded with actuation commands by the control device (52) for this purpose.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control device (52) is coupled to at least one sensor (56, 58) for transmitting data, the at least one sensor being configured to detect at least one parameter of the setting status of the vehicle seat (1).

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The control device (52) is connected to or has a characteristic field storage device (54) in which the setting value of the spring stiffness of the elastic elements (27, 27', 28, 28') is stored, the spring stiffness being a parameter that depends on the setting condition of the vehicle seat (1).

9. A vehicle having at least one vehicle seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that, The vehicle in question is a motor vehicle.

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