Adjustable Seat Assembly with Anthropometry-Based Controller

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing adjustable seat assemblies fail to provide personalized comfort, posture, and wellness adjustments based on occupant anthropometry and activity level, leading to suboptimal seating experiences across various applications, including vehicles and non-vehicular settings.

Innovation Solution

A seat assembly system that integrates actuators, air bladders, and a controller to adjust seat settings based on occupant-specific data, using a combination of expert input, anthropometry, and biomechanical data to provide customizable comfort, posture, and wellness configurations, including thoracic support, through a user-friendly interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual seat adjustment is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different occupant anthropometry and activity levels deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to occupant anthropometryVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seat assembly system automatically adjusts itself based on sensor data about occupant anthropometry and activity level without requiring manual intervention. The controller autonomously processes sensor inputs and commands actuators to achieve optimal seating positions, eliminating the need for complex manual adjustment mechanisms while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment systems with an automated electromechanical system. Sensors, controllers, and actuators substitute for manual operations, enabling the system to adapt to different occupants automatically. This substitution reduces the need for complex manual mechanisms while improving adaptability through electronic control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If automated adjustment based on anthropometry data is implemented, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to activity levelVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller serves multiple functions: it processes anthropometry data from sensors, determines optimal seating positions based on activity level, and commands multiple actuators simultaneously. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated controller, improving adaptability while limiting the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary between sensors and actuators, translating raw sensor data into coordinated actuator commands. This intermediary role simplifies the system architecture by centralizing the decision-making logic, allowing the system to handle multiple sensors and actuators through a single control unit rather than requiring direct connections between all components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If multiple sensors and actuators are integrated, then measurement precision and adjustment accuracy improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanthropometry data accuracyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple sensors (weight, dimension, biometric) and multiple actuators (seat position, backrest angle, headrest position) into an integrated system controlled by a single controller. This merging of components achieves high measurement precision and adjustment accuracy while managing complexity through unified control architecture rather than separate independent systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10328823B2Adjustable seat assembly
Publication Date: 2019.06.25 LEAR CORP
  • US10328823B2 patent drawing
  • US10328823B2 patent drawing
  • US10328823B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A seat assembly is provided with a translatable seat cushion, a pivotal seat back, and a head restraint adapted to be mounted for translation adjacent the seat back. An actuator is operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly. A controller is in electrical communication with the actuator and is configured to receive input indicative of occupant anthropometry data, current physical condition and/or activity level, compare the input with predetermined data ranges, and adjust at least one of the plurality of settings of the actuator to a predetermined setting based on the predetermined range. A computer-program product is programmed for automatically adjusting a seat assembly. A method for adjusting a seat assembly receives anthropometry data for an occupant.