Motor vehicle with seat assembly divided into plural singulary adjustable portions

Abstract

To simplify operations necessary for configuring or adjusting seats completely especially for a sport-type vehicle a motor vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle includes a structural element (10), and a seat (6) having at least two separate and independent seat portions (15). Each of the seat portions (15) is configured to support a part of a user's body and independently coupled to the structural element (10) in a movable manner relative to the structural element (10) with three degrees of freedom including two translations in a plane along respective orthogonal axes (X, Z) and a rotation around another axis (Y) orthogonal to the plane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102022000014446, filed on July 8, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. [Technical field]

[0002] The present invention relates to automobiles, and in particular to sports-type automobiles. [Background technology]

[0003] In some automobiles, at least one of the seats, for example the driver's seat, is adjustable or configurable.

[0004] In particular, the user, i.e. the person sitting in the seat, can adjust the seat height, the longitudinal position of the seat and the respective inclination of the backrest and the seat surface, in other words the seat surface is the part of the seat designed to support the lower legs of a seated user.

[0005] Typically, the user employs a number of controls, such as levers or handles, to enable adjustments.

[0006] These controls are typically located in separate areas or locations that are normally reachable by the extremities, i.e. hands and feet, of a user seated in the seat.

[0007] In general, there is a need to improve the adjustment, or configurability, of known seats.

[0008] More specifically, there is a need to increase the versatility of adjustment or the ergonomics of the seats.

[0009] Additionally, there is a need to simplify the operations required to fully configure or adjust a seat.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to meet at least one of the above needs, preferably in a simple and reliable manner. Summary of the Invention

[0011] This object is achieved by the vehicle defined in claim 1.

[0012] Each dependent claim defines a particular embodiment of the invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] In order that the invention may be better understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the passenger compartment of the automobile of FIG. 1, including an adjustable seat assembly. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows the adjustable seat assembly from an opposite perspective to FIG. 2 with parts removed for clarity. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with the addition of a guide mechanism for a portion of the adjustable seat assembly. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a detail of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view of the automobile of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dashboard of the automobile of FIG. 1 from inside. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] In FIG. 1, the reference number 1 is used to indicate a motor vehicle as a whole.

[0016] The vehicle 1 has a forward or longitudinal direction, indicated in FIG. 2 by an axis X, also known as the roll axis of the vehicle 1 .

[0017] The drawing also shows two other axes, Y and Z, also known as the pitch and yaw axes of the vehicle 1 .

[0018] Axis Y is a horizontal axis perpendicular to the forward direction of vehicle 1, i.e. perpendicular to axis X. Axis Z is perpendicular to axes X and Y and has at least one vertical component. In general, axis Z is perpendicular to the road surface on which vehicle 1 is traveling.

[0019] The motor vehicle 1 comprises a body 2 defining a passenger compartment 3 .

[0020] As is known, the body 2 comprises the chassis, which is to be understood as the structural part of the motor vehicle 1, and the bodywork, ie the parts which are visible from an aesthetic point of view from the outside of the motor vehicle 1.

[0021] In particular, the body 2 comprises a roof 8 and a floor 9, more specifically defining the upper cover and floor surface, respectively, of the passenger compartment 3.

[0022] With reference to FIG. 7, an automobile 1 is provided inside a passenger compartment 3 with a dashboard 4 including, for example, an instrument panel 5 .

[0023] Further, with reference to FIG. 6, the automobile 1 is provided within the passenger compartment 3 with a pair of seats 6, one for a driver of the automobile 1 and the other for a passenger.

[0024] The seats 6 are each arranged adjacent a lateral edge or side of the vehicle 1, ie an end along the axis Y.

[0025] Furthermore, the automobile 1 is provided with a pillar 10, which is installed inside the passenger compartment 3, at a midpoint between the side edges of the automobile 1 along the axis Y. In particular, the pillar 10 is a central support.

[0026] The pillars 10 are fixed relative to the body 2 or may be considered as an integral part of the body 2 .

[0027] More specifically, the pillar 10 extends between the floor 9 and the roof 8, in particular from the floor 9 to the roof 8. In addition, apart from this, the pillar 10 is arranged between the seats 6 according to an axis Y.

[0028] In the case shown in the accompanying drawings, the pillar 10 has a base 11 extending along an axis X as well as an upper part 12 extending from the base 11 towards, for example to, the roof 8. More precisely, the upper part 12 diverges from the base 11 towards the roof 8.

[0029] In particular, as shown in Figure 7, the vehicle 1 is provided with operating means 13 on the base 11. The operating means 13 can be operated by a user, such as a passenger or a driver, in order to adjust the configuration of at least one of the seats 6, as will become clearer below.

[0030] The operating means 13 may be located in different positions, for example the operating means 13 may possibly be arranged on the dashboard 4.

[0031] As each seat 6 is preferably identical and all features described are applicable to the other seats 6, the following description will refer only to one of the seats 6, in particular the driver's seat.

[0032] The sheet 6 comprises a plurality of separate and independent sheet portions 15 .

[0033] Each of the portions 15 is configured to support a part of the user's body.

[0034] Furthermore, the seat portion 15 as a whole in particular constitutes the seat 6 .

[0035] For example, one of the portions 15 defines or is part of a head rest. Alternatively or in addition, one of the portions 15 defines or is part of a back rest of the seat 6. Alternatively or in addition, one of the portions 15 defines or is part of a seat surface of the seat 6, which serves to support the lower legs of a user.

[0036] In Figure 2, there are a total of seven portions 15. More generally, there will be at least four or more than two portions 15. Even more generally, the sheet 6 must include at least two portions 15.

[0037] Each of the portions 15 is movably connected to a structural element of the motor vehicle 1, in this case a pillar 10, with at least three degrees of freedom, or more precisely with exactly three degrees of freedom.

[0038] This particular embodiment of the pillar 10 should not necessarily be understood as limiting. Rather, this structural element may be another, for example part of the body 2 or an additional chassis part fixed relative to the body 2. More precisely, the structural element may be a fixed frame relative to the body 2, for example fixed to the floor 9 and arranged to surround the seat 6. In some cases, this frame, instead of being fixed relative to the body 2, may even be movably coupled to the body 2, for example by means of guide mechanisms that allow a translation of the frame relative to the body 2, in particular along the axes X, Z, as well as one or more rotations, in particular in the plane defined by the axes X, Z.

[0039] Thus, the following description makes specific reference to pillar 10, however, this pillar may be replaced by another suitable structural element.

[0040] Each of the portions 15 is preferably constrained to translate by a corresponding guide device 16, in particular in a translation plane defined by the axes X, Z.

[0041] 4, for simplicity, only one guide device 16 is shown, however, for each of the portions 15, the corresponding guide device may be identical to the guide device 16. Therefore, only one guide device 16 will be described in detail.

[0042] The guide device 16 is part of the seat 6 and is supported by the pillars 10 .

[0043] More specifically, the guide device 16 comprises a Cartesian kinematic mechanism 20 with two orthogonal axes belonging to a translation plane.

[0044] In particular, the guide device 16 comprises one or more supports 17 fixed relative to the pillar 10, as well as a first linear guide portion 18 supported by the supports 17 in a fixed position relative to the supports 17 and extending according to one of the axes of the mechanism 20.

[0045] Furthermore, the guide device 16 comprises a first slide part 19 coupled to the guide part 18 so as to be slidable along the guide part 18. The guide part 18 is configured to guide the slide part 19 along one of the axes of the mechanism 20.

[0046] Furthermore, the guide device 16 comprises a second linear guide part 21 which is supported by the slide part 19 in a fixed position relative to it and which extends according to the other axis of the mechanism 20 .

[0047] Furthermore, the seat 6 comprises a second slide 22 coupled to the guide portion 21 so as to be slidable along the guide portion 21. The guide portion 21 is configured to guide the slide 22 along the other axis of the mechanism 20. More generally, the slide 22 is operatively guided by the guide device 16, regardless of the particular structural form of the guide device 16 itself.

[0048] Thus, generally, the guide device 16 is configured to guide the slide 22 in a translation plane. In fact, the slide 22 is constrained to translate in the translation plane by the guide device 16. More precisely, the slide 22 translates along one of the axes of the mechanism 20 by directly sliding along the guide 21, and the slide 22 translates indirectly along the other axis of the mechanism 20, since the guide 21 and the slide 19 translate together along the guide 18.

[0049] The seat part 15, possibly guided by a corresponding guide device 16, is connected to the slide 22 so as to be pivotable about an axis H perpendicular to the translation plane. In this way, the seat part 15 can rotate about the axis H and in particular relative to the slide 22.

[0050] In particular, the seat 6 comprises an arm or rod 23, in particular tubular, having an end 23a fixed relative to the seat part 15, guided in particular by a guide device 16, as well as an end 23b hinged to the slide 22. As will become clearer below, the presence of the rod 23 is independent of the presence or absence of the guide device 16. In other words, the rod 23 can be present, in particular with its end 23a fixed to the seat part 15, even if the guide device 16 is not present or is of a different construction.

[0051] In the embodiment shown, the rod 23 intersects the pillar 10 parallel to the axis Y, whereby the pillar 10 has a through hole 24 along the axis Y.

[0052] The ends 23 a , 23 b , and thus the slide 22 and the seat portion 15 , are on either side of the hole 24 and the pillar 10 according to the axis Y.

[0053] Furthermore, each of the seat parts 15 is fixed to a corresponding rod 23 according to an axis Y, which passes in particular through a corresponding through hole 24 in the pillar 10 .

[0054] Furthermore, each rod 23 may be hinged to a corresponding slide 22 guided by a respective guide device 16, although for simplicity, only one slide 22 and only one guide device 16 are shown in the figures.

[0055] Generally, each of the sheet portions 15 moves similarly to the other sheet portions 15, i.e., in separate regions of the translation plane, but with similar degrees of freedom. In this way, the sheet portions 15 do not overlap or penetrate each other.

[0056] The holes 24 define the boundaries of the area within which the corresponding sheet portion 15 can translate, i.e. they set limits or boundaries for the translation of the corresponding sheet portion 15 in the translation plane.

[0057] Although only one actuator assembly 26 is shown in the figures for simplicity, conveniently the vehicle 1 comprises an actuator assembly 26 for one or each of the seat portions 15. The other actuator assemblies 26 may, for example, be identical to the illustrated actuator assembly 26. Furthermore, the vehicle 1 may alternatively comprise respective actuator assemblies 26 for some of the seat portions 15.

[0058] Each actuator assembly 26 may also be considered to be part of a single overall actuator assembly 26 for moving the associated seat portion 15 .

[0059] In other words, the vehicle 1 as a whole may comprise an actuator assembly 26 configured to move some or each of the seat portions 15 according to their respective degrees of freedom.

[0060] For the sake of brevity, only the illustrated actuator assembly 26 will be described in detail, but its features may be applied independently to other actuator assemblies not shown.

[0061] The actuator assemblies 26 can be controlled to move the corresponding seat parts 15 in a configuration space determined by the three degrees of freedom of the seat parts 15. The configuration space is a set of all vectors, here specifically a three-dimensional Euclidean space, that completely and fully represents the attitude of the seat parts 15. Here, in particular, each vector in the configuration space is defined by two Cartesian coordinates of a point in a translation plane and a rotation angle about an axis perpendicular to the translation plane. Each element of the vector thus corresponds to one of the three degrees of freedom of the seat parts 15.

[0062] While the very idea of ​​employing an actuator assembly 26 to move a corresponding seat portion 15 is innovative from a functional standpoint in the art, actuator assemblies that are structurally capable of performing translation in a plane and rotation in that plane are numerous and well known.

[0063] Here, in particular, the actuator assembly 26 comprises three linear actuators 27 and a base structure 28 fixed relative to the corresponding seat portion 15 .

[0064] More specifically, the base structure 28 extends parallel to the translation plane.

[0065] For example, the basic structure 28 is fixed to the rod 23. More precisely, the basic structure 28 is attached to the rod 23. In other words, the basic structure 28 is penetrated and crossed by the rod 23, parallel to the axis Y.

[0066] In particular, the base structure 28 is arranged according to the axis Y between the slide 22 and the pillar 10 .

[0067] The linear actuators 27 may be systematically arranged or represented as rod elements or rods that may extend in three different linear directions R, S, and T.

[0068] In other words, the linear actuators 27 comprise respective supports 29 and respective moveable bodies 30 each guided by the supports 29 to translate along corresponding linear directions R, S and T.

[0069] In particular, the linear actuator 27 may be an electric linear actuator or, more preferably, a hydraulic cylinder of known type and therefore will not be described in detail.

[0070] Advantageously, the directions R, S and T are coplanar with each other.

[0071] More specifically, the support 29 is hinged to the pillar 10, while the mobile body 30 is hinged at three points respectively to the basic structure 28.

[0072] Alternatively, each of the extendable rods that systematically arrange the linear actuators 27 has a first end hinged to the pillar 10 and a second end hinged to a corresponding point on the base structure 28.

[0073] Therefore, the directions R, S and T ideally rotate about the hinge point of the pillar 10.

[0074] In particular, the points of the base structure 28 are ideally arranged to form the vertices of an equilateral triangle, and more specifically, although not necessarily, when the lengths of the extendable rods, i.e., the distances between the hinge points, are equal to one another, the directions R, S, and T are each perpendicular to the sides of the equilateral triangle.

[0075] Alternatively, or in addition, the point at which the support 29 or first end is hinged to the pillar 10 ideally forms the apex of a further equilateral triangle.

[0076] Generally speaking, the actuator assembly 26 can also solely support the weight of the base structure 28 and / or the rods 23 and / or the corresponding seat portions 15 and keep them in their current position. The guide devices 16 can therefore be considered as optional, although advantageous. This ensures that the presence of the rods 23 is independent of the presence or absence of the guide devices 16.

[0077] Preferably, the operating means 13 operable by the user comprises a number of separate components.

[0078] The operating means 13 in each configuration allows a user to control a corresponding actuator assembly 26 to adjust the attitude of the respective seat portion 15 in the configuration space.

[0079] Alternatively, the vehicle 1 may be provided with a number of separate user operable controls for adjusting the position of some or all of the respective seat portions 15 .

[0080] The operating means 13 may be located at any position within reach of a user while sitting in the seat 6. For example, the operating means 13 may be located on the dashboard 4 or, non-limitingly, on the base 11 of the pillar 10 as shown in FIG.

[0081] In particular, the operating means 13 comprises a movable body 31 which can be moved, for example along a linear direction W parallel to the axis Z, between a number of positions which correspond to each configuration of the operating means 13. The number of positions of the body 31 is equal to the number of seat parts 15 which can be moved by a respective actuator assembly 26 or by the entire actuator assembly formed, for example, by the actuator assemblies 26. The number of positions of the body 31 is, for example, the same as the number of seat parts, i.e. seven.

[0082] Possibly, the operating means 13 comprises a number of seats (not shown) along the direction W corresponding to positions of the body 31, which snap-lock in each position and thereby stop when the position is reached, for example by a user pushing or lifting along the direction W. In other words, the body 31 is configured to snap-lock on the seats in each position.

[0083] Preferably, in each position or configuration, the body 31 can be manually moved along various directions perpendicular to the direction W, i.e., various directions forming a plane perpendicular to the direction W, and / or can be rotated around the direction W.

[0084] Thus, the seat portion 15 corresponding to the position or configuration of the body 31 is moved by the respective actuator assembly 26 in response to the movement of the body 31 .

[0085] More precisely, the operating means 13 are configured to emit one or more signals related to the movement of the body 31 in one of its positions or configurations.

[0086] Thus, the vehicle 1 is provided with an ECU control device configured to receive signals from the operating means 13 and control the actuator assembly 26, so that the actuator assembly 26 moves the seat portion 15 corresponding to the position or configuration of the body 31 in response to its movement or in response to the movement of the body 31 in that position or configuration.

[0087] In particular, the correspondence between the movement of the body 31 and the resulting movement of the sheet portion 15 may be linear, or in other words, if the body 31 moves along a direction perpendicular to the direction W, the sheet portion 15 translates along a corresponding direction in the translation plane in proportion to the movement of the body 31. Also, if the body 31 rotates about the direction W, the sheet portion 15 rotates in proportion to the rotation of the body 31.

[0088] Advantageously, the vehicle 1 may further comprise a memory device, for example a memory unit of an ECU control device, arranged to store the current position of the seat portion 15 .

[0089] Alternatively, or in addition, the vehicle 1 may be equipped with a detection device arranged to detect the current position of the seat portion 15 .

[0090] For example, this detection device may be the ECU control device itself, which in fact knows the current position of the seat part 15, since it controls the actuator assembly 26, or for example the entire actuator assembly formed by the actuator assembly 26, at its current position.

[0091] Alternatively, the detection device may comprise a camera 40 arranged to provide an image representative of the current position of the seat portion 15, and an image processing device 41, for example forming part of the ECU control device, configured to determine the current position from the image provided by the camera 40.

[0092] In addition, the detection device may comprise one or more position sensors for each of the seat portions 15 .

[0093] Thus, the storage device can store the current configuration detected by the detection device.

[0094] In addition, the storage device may be controllable by a user to store the current configuration, possibly without necessarily being detected by the detection device, for example, the user may command the storage of the current configuration via a known command device, not shown, such as a key or a voice command.

[0095] For the sake of clarity, the arrangement of the seat parts 15 is understood as the overall arrangement of the seat parts 15, or, more precisely, as the set of attitudes, i.e. positions and orientations of all the seat parts 15 relative to, for example, the pillars 10.

[0096] The automobile 1 also comprises a selection device, not shown, such as an on-board computer, a keyboard, a touchpad, etc., located in particular on the dashboard 4, on the base 11 of the pillar 10, or anywhere within reach of the user, which selection device can be operated by the user to select a configuration stored by the memory device.

[0097] In fact, the storage device does not necessarily have to store the current configuration of the seat portions 15 as described above, but rather may only store one or more predefined configurations. Furthermore, the predefined configurations may be provided to the storage device in addition to the current configurations detected, for example by a detection device, and stored.

[0098] The ECU control device is configured to control, for example, the actuator assembly 26, or the entire actuator assembly 26 formed by a plurality of actuator assemblies 26, to position the seat portion 15 in a position selected by a user via a selection device.

[0099] In this way, users can save their preferred arrangements and then set them using the selection device when it is most convenient.

[0100] In addition, the vehicle 1 is preferably equipped with a detection device, including for example a camera 40 and an image processing device 41, for detecting the posture of the user in the seat 6.

[0101] For example, the image processor may compare images of the user's posture from the camera 40 to posture models to identify the user's posture, for example by artificial intelligence algorithms.

[0102] The ECU control device is therefore configured to control, for example, the actuator assembly 26, or the entire actuator assembly formed by a number of actuator assemblies 26, to position the seat portion 15 according to a position corresponding to or adapted to the detected posture.

[0103] For example, the ECU controller may store a mapping, for example in the form of an interpolatable table, relating configurations of the seat portion 15 to postures expected by the user.

[0104] In this way, the configuration of the seat portion 15 automatically adapts to the user's position in the seat 6 in real time.

[0105] From the above, the advantages of the vehicle 1 according to the invention are clear.

[0106] In fact, the seat 6 can be adjusted in a very flexible manner until it is perfectly adapted to any possible position selected by the user.

[0107] Each seat section 15 is completely independent and can move in three degrees of freedom, thus allowing a wide variety of possible configurations of the seat sections 15. Thus, a high level of customisation of the configuration of the seat 6 is possible.

[0108] Furthermore, although the sheet 6 is divided into a number of independent sheet portions 15, the overall dimensions of the sheet 6 remain substantially unchanged compared to conventional solutions.

[0109] Furthermore, the components for moving the seat portion 15 are simple and readily available on the market.

[0110] Finally, it is obvious that modifications and variations can be made to the vehicle 1 according to the invention without, therefore, departing from the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. Automobile (1), comprising a structural element (10) and a seat (6) having at least two separate independent seat portions (15), each of which is configured to support a part of the user's body and is individually coupled to the structural element (10) so as to be movable with respect to the structural element (10) with three degrees of freedom, including two translations in a plane along orthogonal axes (X, Z) and rotation about another axis (Y) orthogonal to the plane.

2. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein the seat portion (15) is part of the backrest of the seat (6) or part of the seat surface of the seat (6) for supporting the user's lower limbs.

3. The automobile according to claim 1 or 2, wherein there are three or more, for example, at least four, seat portions (15).

4. The automobile according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator assembly (26) configured to move one or more of the seat portions (15), or each of them, wherein the actuator assembly (26) is controllable to move the corresponding seat portions (15), or each of the seat portions (15), in each configuration space determined by the three degrees of freedom.

5. The automobile according to claim 4, wherein the actuator assembly (26) comprises three linear actuators (27) and a basic structure (28), the basic structure (28) being fixed to one of the seat portions (15), and the linear actuators (27) having a first end (29) hinged to the structural element (10) and a second end (30) hinged to each point of the basic structure (28), and each being configured as a rod element that is extendable along three separate linear directions (R, S, T) on the same plane.

6. A detection device (40) configured to detect the user's posture within the seat (6), The automobile according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising: a control unit (ECU) configured to control the actuator assembly (26) to position the seat portion (15) according to an arrangement corresponding to the detected posture or an arrangement adapted to the detected posture.

7. The automobile according to claim 4, comprising an operating means (13) that is operable by the user and having a plurality of distinct configurations, wherein the operating means (13) allows the user to control the actuator assembly (26) in each of the configurations to adjust the posture of each of the seat portions (15) in the configuration space.

8. A detection device (40) configured to detect the current arrangement of the sheet portion (15), To store the detected current configuration, a user-controllable memory unit (ECU) is used, A selection device, operable by the user, to select a further arrangement of the sheet portion (15) from one or more arrangements stored by the memory device (ECU), The automobile according to claim 4, further comprising: a control unit (ECU) configured to control the actuator assembly (26) to position the seat portion (15) in the further arrangement selected by the user using the selection device.

9. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein the structural element (10) is a pillar located in the passenger compartment (3) of the automobile (1) at an intermediate position relative to both ends of the automobile (1).

10. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein the seat (6) comprises a sliding portion (22) and a guide device (16) supported by the structural element (10) and configured to guide the sliding portion (22) in the plane, and one of the seat portions (15) is pivotably coupled to the sliding portion (22) about the other axis (Y).

11. The automobile according to claim 1, further comprising a main body (2), wherein the structural element (10) is a part of the main body (2) or is fixed to the main body (2).

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