Pneumatic bladder arrangement for a seat and method for manufacturing the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic bladder arrangements for seats, such as those used in automotive applications, are expensive and bulky due to the increased number of tubes and connections required for multiple bladders, which complicates routing and assembly.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic bladder arrangement comprising an array of bladders in rows and columns, with sections connected by flexible sheets for fluid supply and interconnection, allowing for reduced connections and simplified manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bladders are provided to increase configuration and massage capabilities, then the adaptability and versatility of the seat is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to increased number of tubes and connections
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple bladders are arranged in an array formation where adjacent bladders share common flexible sheet walls. This merging approach allows multiple bladders to be formed from a single continuous flexible sheet structure, eliminating the need for separate tubes and connections for each bladder. The shared walls act as common boundaries, reducing the overall number of components and simplifying the fluid distribution system.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sheets serving as bladder walls also function as fluid distribution channels. The sheets contain integrated fluid pathways that can supply fluid to multiple bladders simultaneously, allowing the same structural component to serve both as a boundary element and a fluid transport element. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate tubing systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bladders with individual connections are used, then the massage patterns and configurations can be controlled independently, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates due to complex routing and assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sheets are formed as a single integrated structure containing multiple bladders in an array. The fluid distribution channels are embedded within the sheet itself, allowing fluid to be distributed to multiple bladders through the sheet's internal pathways. This integration eliminates the need for separate routing of tubes to each bladder, significantly simplifying the manufacturing and assembly process while maintaining independent control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sheet is segmented into multiple bladder compartments that can be independently controlled. Each bladder within the array can be individually addressed through the integrated fluid distribution system, allowing independent inflation and deflation for various massage patterns. The segmentation is achieved through the sheet's internal structure rather than separate physical components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible tubes are used to connect each bladder to fluid supply, then the bladders can be independently controlled, but the weight and volume of the system increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sheet serves dual purposes: it forms the structural walls of the bladders and simultaneously acts as the fluid distribution network. The fluid channels are integrated into the sheet material itself, eliminating the need for separate flexible tubes. This reduces the overall material quantity and system weight while maintaining the capability for independent bladder control through the sheet's internal fluid pathways.
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic bladder arrangement comprises a plurality of bladders arranged in an array of rows and columns, wherein the array comprises a first array section and a second array section with the first and second array sections each comprising at least one row of bladders. The pneumatic bladder arrangement may be used in a support apparatus for a seat, in particular for a backrest of a seat.