Vehicle Seat Control System for Dynamic Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat control technologies do not effectively support the occupant's body according to changes in the orientation of the seat or the state of the vehicle, failing to maintain comfort and security during dynamic movements.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system that includes a seat state acquisition unit, a vehicle state acquisition unit, and a seat control unit, which deform the seat's side support portions and armrests based on the seat orientation and vehicle acceleration to provide optimal support, including protruding mechanisms and bag-like members that inflate to expand, ensuring secure and comfortable seating across various orientations and accelerations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seat orientation changes or vehicle acceleration occurs, then the occupant's comfort and security are improved through dynamic support, but the device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and actuators required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by predicting future vehicle acceleration based on current acceleration patterns and seat orientation. This allows the seat to be adjusted in advance to counteract anticipated forces, improving occupant support reliability before the actual acceleration occurs, rather than reacting after the fact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring seat orientation via sensors and using this information along with acceleration data to dynamically adjust seat support portions. The control unit processes real-time sensor feedback to determine optimal seat configuration, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to changing conditions.
2Ease of operation
If the seat deforms to support the occupant during acceleration, then the occupant comfort is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase for the deformation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making the seat support portions deformable rather than fixed. The side support portions can dynamically change their shape and position in response to vehicle acceleration and seat orientation, allowing the seat to adapt its support characteristics rather than requiring precise pre-calculated fixed positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters by adjusting the deformation amount of side support portions based on detected seat orientation and vehicle acceleration. The control unit calculates appropriate deformation parameters and actuates the support portions to achieve the desired configuration, transforming static seat parameters into dynamic adjustable ones.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple side support portions are used to cover different orientations, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional actuators and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements universality by designing side support portions that can perform multiple functions through controlled deformation. Rather than having separate fixed support structures for each orientation, the same support portions can be deformed to provide appropriate support for various seat orientations and acceleration conditions, reducing the need for additional dedicated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies segmentation by dividing the side support structure into multiple independently controllable portions. Each segment can be deformed individually based on the specific orientation and acceleration conditions, allowing fine-grained control over support characteristics for different scenarios without requiring a completely separate system for each orientation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system maintains comfort and security by dynamically adjusting the seat to match the vehicle's orientation and acceleration, providing effective support even during sudden changes, such as turns and stops, thereby enhancing the occupant's experience during automated driving.
Implementation Method 1
the seat control unit is configured to inject the gas or liquid into the bag-like member to expand the bag-like member downward from the armrest
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle system includes a seat state acquisition unit (160) that acquires an orientation about a vertical axis of a seat on which an occupant of a vehicle sits, a vehicle state acquisition unit (170) that acquires a current or future acceleration relating to the vehicle, and a seat control unit (180) that deforms at least a part of the seat on the basis of the orientation of the seat acquired by the seat state acquisition unit and the acceleration acquired by the vehicle state acquisition unit.