AIR-SUSPENDED SEATS FOR FOLDING VEHICLE SEATS

Abstract

Vehicle seat (10), comprising: a cushion (12), comprising: a covering material (14) that defines a seating surface (16) with a flexible central region (18) and a flexible edge region (20); a compressible edge bellows (22) under the covering material (14); a first compressible pump bellows (24) positioned under the cover material (14) and in fluid communication with the edge bellows (22); and a first fixed quantity of a flowable medium (28) contained in the outer bellows (22) and partially transferable between it and the pump bellows (24), furthermore comprising a seat back (30) which is rotatably coupled to the cushion (12) and a seat back cover material (56) which defines a flexible upper region, and comprising a compressible upper bellows (50), wherein: the first compressible pump bellows (22) is also in fluid communication with the upper bellows (50); and the first fixed quantity of the flowable medium (28) is also contained in the upper bellows (50) and is also partially transferable between the first pump bellows (22) and the upper bellows (50), wherein the seat back (30) is movable between an open position and a closed position by means of its rotatable coupling with the cushion (12), and the upper region of the seat back (30) is positioned away from the edge region of the cushion (12) when the seat back (30) is in the open position, and the upper region is in contact with the edge region when the seat back (30) is in the closed position; and, When it is in the closed position, the contact between the edge region and the upper region compresses the edge bellows (22) and the upper bellows (50), thereby transferring portions of the first solid quantity of the flowable medium (28) from the upper bellows (50) and the edge bellows (22) respectively to the first pump bellows (24).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a vehicle seat with compressible sections to facilitate folding the seat. The compressible sections can be inflated to extended positions during use of the seat. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Vehicles may include folding seats in which an associated seatback can be rotated in a downward direction into contact with a corresponding cushion. Folding seats may be used in conjunction with, for example, the rear seats of a vehicle, so that their seatbacks can be folded when not occupied by a passenger or the like, to expand the loading area provided by the vehicle's trunk. Accordingly, the extent to which the seatback can be folded affects the usable loading area achieved by the folding. Due to ergonomic and other concerns, seatbacks and cushions may have contours and thicknesses that limit the folding of the seatback, so that a rear surface of the seatback, on which cargo is stored, is angled significantly upward relative to the adjacent trunk area.This can affect both the usable cargo space and the ability to reliably place items on the inclined surface. Accordingly, the challenge is to achieve improvements in vehicle seats that allow for a greater degree of collapsibility.

[0003] Further vehicle seats are known from DE 10 2013 207 858 A1, DE 11 2010 002 513 T5 and DE 10 2009 034 987 A1. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] According to the present invention, a vehicle seat includes a cushion with a cover material defining a seating surface with a flexible central region and a flexible edge region. The vehicle seat further includes a compressible edge bladder beneath the cover material edge region and a first compressible inflation bladder positioned beneath the cover material central region and in fluid communication with the edge bladder.

[0005] A first fixed quantity of a flowable medium is contained in the edge bellows and is partially transferable between this and the pump bellows.

[0006] The vehicle seat also includes a seat back rotatably coupled to the cushion and comprising a seat back covering material defining a flexible upper region and a compressible upper bladder, wherein the first compressible inflation bladder is further in fluid communication with the upper bladder; and the first fixed amount of the flowable medium is further contained within the upper bladder and is further partially transferable between the first inflation bladder and the upper bladder.

[0007] The seat back is movable between an open position and a closed position by being pivotally coupled to the cushion, and the upper region of the seat back is positioned away from the edge region of the cushion when the seat back is in the open position, and the upper region is in contact with the edge region when the seat back is in the closed position; and, when in the closed position, contact between the edge region and the upper region compresses the edge bladder and the upper bladder, thereby transferring portions of the first fixed amount of flowable medium from the upper bladder and the edge bladder, respectively, to the first pumping bladder. These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by one skilled in the art after studying the following description, claims, and appended drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of a portion of a vehicle interior including a foldable vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the disclosure; Fig. 2 is a side view of the vehicle interior section showing the folding vehicle seat of Fig. 1 with the seat in a folded configuration; Fig. 3 is a side view of the vehicle interior section showing the folding vehicle seat of Fig. 1 with the seat in an open configuration and an occupant therein; Fig. Figure 4 is a partially sectioned view of a portion of the folding vehicle seat of Fig. 1; Fig. Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of a foldable bladder used in the foldable vehicle seat of Fig. 1, wherein the bellows is shown in an inflated state; Fig. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the foldable bellows of Fig. 5 in a folded state; Fig. 7 is a front perspective view of a foldable vehicle seat according to another embodiment of the disclosure; Fig. Figure 8 is a front cross-sectional view of a portion of the folding vehicle seat of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a front cross-sectional view of the foldable vehicle seat portion of Fig. 7 in a compressed state; Fig. 10 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the folding vehicle seat section of Fig. 7; Fig. Figure 11 is a further detailed, cross-sectional view of additional structures used in conjunction with the foldable vehicle seat portion of Fig. 7 are usable; Fig. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of a foldable vehicle seat according to another embodiment of the disclosure; Fig. 13 is a side, cross-sectional view of a foldable vehicle seat according to yet another embodiment of the disclosure, the vehicle seat shown in a folded condition; Fig. 14 is a side cross-sectional view of the foldable vehicle seat portion of Fig. 14 in an open unoccupied state; Fig. 15 is a side cross-sectional view of the foldable vehicle seat portion of Fig. 14 in an open occupied state; Fig. 16 is a side, cross-sectional view of a foldable vehicle seat according to yet another embodiment of the disclosure, the vehicle seat shown in an open, unoccupied condition; Fig. 17 is a side cross-sectional view of the foldable vehicle seat portion of Fig. 14 in an open occupied state; and Fig. 18 is a side cross-sectional view of the foldable vehicle seat portion of Fig. 14 in a folded state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] With reference to Fig. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates a vehicle seat. The vehicle seat 10 includes a cushion 12 with a covering material 14 defining a seating surface 16 having a flexible central region 18 and a flexible edge region 20. A compressible edge bladder 22 is located beneath the edge region 20 of the covering material 14, and a first compressible inflation bladder 24 is positioned beneath the central region 18 of the covering material 14 and is in fluid communication with the edge bladder 22 (such as by being connected thereto by a hose 26). A first fixed quantity of a flowable medium 28 (such as air or other various inert, non-reactive gases or mixtures thereof) is contained within the edge bladder 22 and is partially transferable between it and the inflation bladder 24.

[0010] As shown in the Fig. 1 to 3, the vehicle seat 10 may include a seat back 30 that may be rotatably coupled to the cushion 12 such that the seat back 30 may be configured in an open position in which the seat back 30 is located away from the edge region 20 (as shown in Fig. 1), and a folded or closed position (as shown in Fig. 2), in which a portion of the seat back 30 is in contact with the edge region 20. In general, the structure of the vehicle seat 10 may be similar to that typically found in connection with the rear seats of a vehicle, wherein the collapsibility provided by the vehicle seat 10 (as shown in Fig. 2) can be used to increase the loading capacity of an adjacent trunk of the respective vehicle. Such a folding configuration can also be used in one or more of the front seats 32 of the respective vehicle, such as the passenger side front seat. Accordingly, the various features of the vehicle seat 10 described herein may be particularly described with reference to a vehicle seat 10 positioned at the rear of the respective vehicle and perhaps implemented in conjunction with, for example, a rear bench-type seat (such as a 60 / 40 split folding rear seat), captain's seat, or the like. However, such features may also be usable in conjunction with a passenger front seat.

[0011] With continued reference to the Fig. 1 to 3, the incorporation of the inflation bellows 24 and the edge bellows 22, connected, for example, by the hose 26 (which is coupled to the edge bellows 22 and the inflation bellows 24 at opposite ends thereof), can provide a modification of the profile of the cushion 12 when the seat 10 is unoccupied, such that an angle 36 of the rear seat surface 34 with respect to the trunk floor 38 of approximately 6° or less can be achieved. Furthermore, such features can enable the cushion 12 to provide a comfortable and secure contour for an occupant O when seated as shown in Fig. 3 sits thereon. In particular, the various features of the cushion 12 provide a change in the contour of the seat surface 16 by facilitating the transfer of flowable medium 28 between the pumping bellows 24 and the edge bellows 22 in various situations. In particular, both the edge bellows 22 and the pumping bellows 24 can be generally compressible and / or flexible, so that they can be compressed or expanded by a change in pressure either inside or outside thereof.

[0012] The rim bellows 22, the pumping bladder 24, and the hose 26 may be constructed of a generally air-impermeable material such as plastic or the like, such that the rim bellows 22, pumping bladder 24, and hose 26 define a closed unit or system containing a fixed amount of flowable medium 28 therein. In one example, the rim bellows 22 and the pumping bladder 24 may be configured to contain the flowable medium 28 at a pressure of up to approximately 3 pounds per square inch gauge ("psig"), but may be inflated with the flowable medium 28 to between approximately one-third and one-half of this maximum pressure, or to between approximately 0.5 psig and 1.0 psig.Accordingly, an increase in external pressure across either the peripheral bellows 22 or the pumping bellows 24 can cause at least a portion of the flowable medium 28 to be transferred within one such structure and increase the internal pressure of that flowable medium 28 within the other of these structures. In this way, the pressure of the flowable medium 28 within the closed structure of the peripheral bellows 22, pumping bellows 24, and hose 26 can reach a constant equilibrium pressure within this unit.

[0013] The above-described transfer of the flowable medium 28 between the peripheral bellows 22 and the pumping bellows 24 by the pressure exerted on the pumping bellows 24 can result in the compression of the pumping bellows 24 and a corresponding inflation of the peripheral bellows 22 or at least an increase in the pressure of the flowable medium 28 therein (as long as any external pressure exerted on the peripheral bellows 22 is less than the pressure by which the pumping bellows 24 is compressed). As shown in Fig. 3, this transfer occurs when an occupant O is seated on the vehicle seat 10, with a majority of the occupant O's weight centered over the central region 18 of the seat bottom 16 and, accordingly, on the inflation bladder 24 positioned therebelow. The weight of the occupant O on the inflation bladder 24 exerts pressure thereon, thereby transferring a quantity of flowable medium 28 to the edge bladder 22, causing the edge bladder 22 to inflate or expand under pressure, thereby providing a restraining or supporting force to the supporting edge region 20 of the seat bottom 16 above an underlying portion 46 of the floor panel 48 in a generally elevated position sufficient to maintain the edge region 20 in contact with portions or areas of the occupant O thereabove (at least when the occupant O is in a neutral seating position).

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, with no occupant O sitting in the vehicle seat 10, the edge bladder 22 and the inflation bladder 24 may be in a generally neutral state, which may be dictated at least in part by the natural position of the seat bottom 16, as dictated by the covering material 14. In general, the covering material 14 may be composed of various layers of foam and fabric or leather and may result in a flexible structure such that the various portions thereof are movable, for example, by a force applied thereto that causes compression of the underlying structure (including edge bladder 22 and inflation bladder 24), or by expansion of either the edge bladder 22 or the inflation bladder 24, as will be further described below. When the seat back 30 is as shown in Fig. 2 is rotated into a folded position, a portion of the seat back 30 may be brought into contact with the edge region 20 of the cushion 12. A force exerted on the seat back 30 when so positioned may increase the pressure of the flowable medium 28 within the edge bellows 22, thereby compressing the edge bellows 22 by moving the edge region 20 of the cover material 14 into a compressed position ( Fig. 2) is compressed, thereby correspondingly increasing the pressure of the flowable medium 28 within the pumping bladder 24 and allowing the seat back 30 to be folded into a generally flatter position (i.e., a greater angle 36) than would be possible without the compression of the edge region 20.

[0015] As shown in the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the compression of the edge bellows 22 described above may allow a change (and / or thickness) of the edge bellows 22. As shown in Fig. 5, the edge bellows 22 may have a height 41 which generally corresponds to the raised position of the edge region 20 of the seat surface 16 ( Fig. 3) when the edge bellows 22 is in an inflated state. After compression of the edge bellows 22, as shown in Fig. 6, the edge bellows 22 may have a height 43 which is less than the height 41 thereof in the inflated state, and which may correspond to the position of the edge region 20 of the seat surface 16 when it is in the compressed position ( Fig. 2). In one example, the edge bladder 22 may be configured such that the height 43 is at least about 20 mm less than the height 41, and in one example is between about 30 mm and 40 mm, thereby facilitating similar compression of the edge region 20 of the cushion 12. In one example, the height 43 of the edge bladder 22 in the compressed position may be about 20.0 mm. Additionally, the compression of the edge bladder 22 may not be evenly distributed in a direction from the front of the cushion 12 to the rear thereof, the compression thereof in such an example being measured by a portion thereof having the greatest degree of compression.

[0016] As further illustrated, in the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the edge bladder 22 defines a plurality of solid cells 44 that may replace all or a portion of any foam that may otherwise be present in the cover material 14 at least in the region of the edge bladder 22. As illustrated, such solid cells 44 do not appreciably expel air or any other medium contained therein during compression of the edge bladder 22. Furthermore, cells similar to the solid cells 44 may be present along a portion of the inflation bladder 24 and / or along an entirety of the seat bottom 16, and also within the seat back 30.

[0017] With further reference to the Fig. 1 through 3, the vehicle seat 10 may include an additional bladder in the form of an upper bladder 50 within a flexible upper region 52 of the seatback 30. As illustrated, in one embodiment, the upper bladder 50 may be connected to the inflation bladder 24 by a seatback hose 54. In this manner, the seat back hose 54 and the upper bellows 50 may be included in the closed unit described above, including the edge bellows 22, pumping bellows 24, and hose 26. As such, the upper bellows 50 may be made of the same or similar material as the edge bellows 22 and pumping bellows 24 so that it is generally compressible by the elastic deformation thereof under pressure, and may also be generally air-impermeable so that the fixed amount of flowable medium 28 may also be contained in the upper bellows 50 and at least partially transferable between the pumping bellows 24 and the upper bellows 50 through the seat back hose 54.

[0018] The upper bladder 50 may, in a manner similar to the edge bladder 22 described above, support a portion of the seat back covering material 56 within the upper region 52 thereof when the upper bladder 50 is in an inflated or expanded state due to pressure on the inflation bladder 24, such as the weight of the occupant O as shown in Fig. 3. Furthermore, a portion of the flowable medium 28 may be expelled from the upper bellows 50 and into the pumping bellows 24 due to pressure exerted on the upper region 52, such as by a forced movement of the seat back 30 into the folded position shown in Fig. 2. Such compression may enable a reduction in the thickness of the seat back 30 adjacent the upper region 52 by the movement of the seat back covering material 56 within the upper region 52 between an extended position and an inner position, wherein a thickness of the seat back 30 is greater when the seat back covering material 56 is in the extended position (thickness 62 in Fig. 1) is located within the upper region 52, as if it were in the compressed position (thickness 64 in Fig. 3). Such compressibility may also contribute to the ability of the vehicle seat 10 to fold into a relatively flatter position. In such an embodiment, the inflation bladder 24 may be sized to receive portions of the flowable medium 28 from both the upper bladder 50 and the edge bladder 22 when both are in the compressed state.

[0019] In another example of a vehicle seat 110 shown in Fig. 7, the vehicle seat 110 includes an inflatable and compressible edge bladder 122 and an inflatable and compressible upper bladder 150, and may also include a plurality of inflation bladders 124a, 124b, and 124c. In the example shown, a central one of the inflation bladders 124b may be connected to the upper bladder 150 by the seatback hose 154 such that compression of the inflation bladder 124b causes inflation and / or expansion of the upper bladder 150 and allows compression of the upper bladder 150 in the absence of a major compressive force on the inflation bladder 124b. Furthermore, a corresponding pair of pumping bellows 124a and 124c, which are positioned laterally outside of pumping bellows 124b and surround it on opposite sides thereof, are connected to the peripheral bellows 122 by the hose 126, which has a plurality of branches 166 which are fluidically coupled to the pumping bellows 126c.In this configuration, pressure evenly distributed along the central region 18 of the seat bottom 16 may provide a greater amount of airflow and, accordingly, a greater amount of pressure increase within the edge bladder 122 compared to the upper bladder 150. Such a pressure differential may be advantageous because the weight applied over the edge region 120 may be greater than that applied to the upper region 152 when an occupant is seated in the vehicle seat 110.

[0020] As shown in the Fig. 8 through 11, the vehicle seat 110 may be specifically configured to retain inflation bladders 124 in a desired position within the cushion 112. As such, the cushion 112 may include a lower shell 168 configured to support the inflation bladders 124a, 124b, and 124c, and a cover foam assembly 170 shaped to extend over and separate the inflation bladders 124a, 124b, and 124c. Further, the cover foam assembly 170 may include a plurality of grooves 174 dimensioned to receive therein corresponding ribs 172a, 172b, and 172c coupled to and extending from the inflation bladders 124a, 124b, and 124c, respectively. The ribs 172 may be formed integrally with the pump bellows 124a, 124b and 124c, for example, by heat sealing excess material therefrom by a distance corresponding to a desired height of the ribs 172a, 172b and 172c.Accordingly, when the cover foam unit 170 is assembled over the inflation bladders 124a, 124b, and 124c, the ribs 172a, 172b, and 172c can be received in the corresponding grooves 174a, 174b, and 174c, thereby assisting in maintaining the desired position of the inflation bladders 124a, 124b, and 124c, for example, while preventing rotational movement or torsion. Such a configuration may be particularly useful in preventing such movement of the inflation bladders 124a, 124b, and 124c during compression by, for example, the weight of the occupant O on the cushion 12, as shown in FIG. Fig. 9 is shown.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 10, the shell 168 may have additional ribs 176 extending therealong that correspond to the grooves 178 formed in a portion of the cover foam unit 170. The engagement of the ribs 76 with the grooves 78 facilitates the coupling of the cover foam unit 170 to the shell 168, which may assist in retaining the pump bladders 124a, 124b, and 124c within the cushion 12. To facilitate retention of the ribs 172 and / or the ribs 76 within the respective grooves 174 and 178, a plurality of elastically deformable slats 180 may be coupled within the grooves 174 and 178, these slats 180 extending to a center of the respective grooves 174 or 180 and generally angled in an insertion direction of the respective ribs 176 and 172, thereby allowing insertion thereof but restricting withdrawal thereof.

[0022] As in Fig. 12, in one variation, the vehicle seat 210 may include a plurality of inflation bladders 224a, 224b, and 224c extending laterally with respect to the cushion 212 (i.e., in a direction in and out of the side with respect to the Fig. 12). Furthermore, the vehicle seat 210 can have a plurality of edge bellows 222a and 222b, as well as a plurality of upper bellows 250a and 250b, each extending laterally with respect to the edge region 220 and the upper region 252, respectively. In such an arrangement, the inflation bellows 224b can be connected to the two upper bellows 250a and 250b by a hose (not shown). Furthermore, both inflation bellows 224a and 224c can be fluidly coupled to both edge bellows 222a and 222b by a hose (not shown). Alternatively, the inflation bellows 224a can be fluidly coupled to the edge bellows 222b, and the inflation bellows 224c can be fluidly coupled to the edge bellows 222a, with other such combinations also being conceivable.

[0023] As shown in the Fig. 13 to 15, in a variation of the vehicle seat 310, the edge bladder 322 and the inflation bladder 324 may be configured to extend substantially across the entirety of the seat surface 316, including in a longitudinal direction within the respective vehicle. In such a configuration, the edge bladder 322 may be configured to partially overlap with the inflation bladder 324 in a vertical direction 384. The extension of the edge bellows 322 and inflation bellows 324 over the entirety of the seat surface 316 can help to provide reliable compression of the inflation bellows 324 by an occupant O sitting in the vehicle seat 310, including by accommodating various seating positions of the occupant O with respect to the vehicle seat 310. Furthermore, the overlap between edge bellows 322 and inflation bellows 324 can help to provide a generally smooth transition between such components when an occupant O is seated as shown in Fig. 15 sits in the vehicle seat 310.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 13, the vehicle seat 310 may function in a manner similar to other embodiments of vehicle seats described herein, including by allowing deflation of the edge bladder 322 under pressure from a downwardly folded seat back 330 against the edge region 320 of the cushion 312, which includes transferring a portion of the flowable medium 328 from the edge bladder 322 to the pump bladder 324. As shown in Fig. 14, in the absence of any external pressure on the seating surface 316, this natural shape of the cover material 314 can cause the edge bladder 322 and pump bladder 324 to be configured in a generally neutral position, including positioning the edge region 320 in a raised position. As shown in Fig. 15, the pressure on the pumping bladder 324 by the weight of an occupant O, for example, may cause a transfer of the flowable medium 328 from the pumping bladder 324 into the edge bladder 322, thereby providing an expansion force within the edge bladder 322 sufficient to urge the edge region 320 into the extended position and / or to maintain the edge region 320 in such a position under the weight of the legs of, for example, the occupant O thereon.

[0025] In a further variation of the vehicle seat 310, which is shown in the Fig. 13-15, the peripheral bellows 322 and the pumping bellows 324 may be formed into a single bellows unit by being formed into a unitary structure, such as a larger bellows unit with a partition therebetween along the area of ​​overlap 81 between the portion thereof designated as peripheral bellows 322 and the portion thereof designated as pumping bellows 324. In such a manner, the pumping bellows 324 and the peripheral bellows 322 may be in fluid communication through one or more gaps (not shown) in a seam or other structure separating the peripheral bellows 322 from the pumping bellows 324.

[0026] Further information is available in the Fig. 16 to 18, a further variation of the vehicle seat 410 is shown, in which the seat back 430 has an upper bladder 450 positioned beneath an upper region 452 of the seat back covering material 456. The upper bladder 450 has a similar structure to, for example, that described above with respect to the Fig. 1-3, and is further compressible by expelling a portion of a flowable medium 428 contained therein under pressure exerted thereon and inflatable by transferring another portion of a flowable medium 428 therein. As illustrated, the seat back 430 further includes a seat back inflation bladder 486 positioned therein and underlying a lower region 458 of the seat back covering material 456, corresponding, for example, to the general area of ​​the seat back 430 that provides lumbar support to an occupant. Accordingly, a second fixed quantity of flowable medium 428 is contained within the enclosed unit formed by the seat back inflation bladder 486, the upper bladder 450, and the seat back hose 454, which fluidly connects the upper bladder 450 to the seat back inflation bladder 486.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 17, the seat back inflation bladder 486 is compressible under the weight of a portion of the occupant O (e.g., the lower back region) when seated in the vehicle seat 410. This compression of the seat back inflation bladder 486 causes a portion of the fixed amount of flowable medium 428 into the upper bladder 450, thereby increasing the pressure of the flowable medium 428 within the upper bladder 450 and providing a corresponding force therein to maintain the upper region 452 in an extended position (as shown in FIGS. Fig. 17) to maintain the upper region 452 of the seat back covering material 456 in general contact with an adjacent portion of the occupant O. The pressure of the flowable medium 428 within the seat back pumping bladder 486, the upper bladder 450, and the seat back hose 454 may be in the same general pressure range for the flowable medium 28 described above with respect to the Fig. 1 to 3.

[0028] With further reference to the Fig. 16 and Fig. 17, the lower region 458 of the seat back covering material 456 can be adjusted between an extended position ( Fig. 16) and a compressed position ( Fig. 17) generally be flexible, with the extended position in Fig. 17 generally corresponds to a typical contour of a comparable region in a conventional vehicle seat back for supporting a lumbar region of an occupant and the compressed position which in Fig. 17, bends inwardly from the remaining portions of the seat back covering material 456 by an amount approximately equivalent to that which would normally be observed in a vehicle seat under the pressure of an occupant's back. This configuration results in inward bending of the lower region by the occupant O in a normal seating position, so that the inflation bladder 486 is in the Fig. 17 shown compressed state.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 18, the upper bellows 450 is compressible so as to permit movement of the upper region 452 of the seat back covering material 456 into the corresponding compressed position, such as under the forced movement of the seat back 430 into the folded position shown in Fig. 18, wherein the edge region 420 of the cushion 412 is pressed into the upper region 452 of the seat back cover material 456 when the seat back inflation bladder 486 is in a neutral state, such as when it is not compressed by the weight of an occupant in the vehicle seat 410. This compression of the upper region 452 and the upper bladder 450 may be generally similar to the compression described with respect to the Fig. 1 to 3 described above.

[0030] In various embodiments of a vehicle seat 410 having a seat back 430 as described above and further comprising the seat back inflation bladder 486 fluidically coupled to the upper bladder 450, the corresponding cushion 412 may itself comprise an inflation bladder 424 fluidically coupled to an edge bladder 422 in a manner similar to the various embodiments described with respect to the Fig. 1 to 16 above. In such embodiments, the inflation bladder 424 may be fluidically coupled only to the edge bladder 422 and not to the upper bladder 450. Furthermore, various alternative embodiments of a seat back having an upper bladder coupled to a seat back inflation bladder may be similar to the various alternative embodiments of inflation bladder 124, inflation bladder 224, or inflation bladder 324 and corresponding variations of edge bladders 122, 222, and 322 described with respect to the Fig. 4 to 6, Fig. 7 to 11, Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 to 15 as described above.

Claims

[1] Vehicle seat (10), comprising: a cushion (12) comprising: a cover material (14) defining a seating surface (16) having a flexible central region (18) and a flexible edge region (20); a compressible edge bellows (22) under the covering material (14); a first compressible pumping bladder (24) positioned beneath the cover material (14) and in fluid communication with the edge bladder (22); and a first fixed amount of a flowable medium (28) contained in the edge bellows (22) and partially transferable between the latter and the pump bellows (24), further comprising a seat back (30) rotatably coupled to the cushion (12) and a seat back covering material (56) defining a flexible upper region, and a compressible upper bellows (50), wherein: the first compressible pumping bellows (22) is also in fluid communication with the upper bellows (50); and the first fixed amount of the flowable medium (28) is also contained in the upper bellows (50) and is also partially transferable between the first pumping bellows (22) and the upper bellows (50), wherein the seat back (30) is movable between an open position and a closed position by the rotatable coupling to the cushion (12), and the upper region of the seat back (30) is positioned away from the edge region of the cushion (12) when the seat back (30) is in the open position, and the upper region is in contact with the edge region when the seat back (30) is in the closed position; and, when in the closed position, the contact between the edge region and the upper region compresses the edge bellows (22) and the upper bellows (50), whereby portions of the first fixed quantity of flowable medium (28) are transferred from the upper bellows (50) and the edge bellows (22) to the first pumping bellows (24), respectively. [2] Vehicle seat (10) according to claim 1, wherein: the flexible edge region (20) of the cover material (14) is movable between a compressed position and a raised position; and the edge bellows (22) is compressible to allow movement of the edge region into the compressed position. [3] Vehicle seat (10) according to claim 2, wherein the edge bellows (22) is compressible by the transfer of at least a portion of the first fixed amount of the flowable medium (28) from the edge bellows (22) to the pump bellows (24). [4] The vehicle seat (10) of claim 2, wherein the edge bellows (22) is inflatable by transferring at least a portion of the first fixed amount of flowable medium (28) from the pumping bellows (24) to the edge bellows (22) to provide a restraining force to the edge region (20) in the raised position. [5] The vehicle seat (10) of claim 1, wherein the upper bladder (50) is inflatable by transferring at least a portion of the first fixed amount of flowable medium (28) from the first pump bladder (24) to the upper bladder (50) to provide a restraining force to the upper region (20) of the cover material (14) in an extended position. [6] The vehicle seat (10) of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cushion (12) further comprises a second compressible inflation bladder positioned beneath the cover material central region, the vehicle seat (10) further comprising: a seat back (30) rotatably coupled to the cushion (12) and defining a flexible upper region and including a compressible upper bladder (50) underlying the upper region and in fluid communication with the second inflation bladder; and a second fixed amount of the flowable medium contained therein and partially transferable between the second pumping bellows and the upper bellows (50). [7] The vehicle seat (10) of claim 6, wherein the cushion (812) further comprises a third compressible inflation bladder positioned beneath the cover material central region and in fluid communication with the edge bladder (22), the first (24) and third compressible inflation bladders being positioned on opposite sides of the second inflation bladder.

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