IP Library Granted Patent US 11,590,867
Granted Patent B2
US 11,590,867 · App. 17/296,973 · Granted Feb 28, 2023

Softness adjusting device for vehicle seat, vehicle seat, and vehicle

Inventor: Haitao Zhang (Hebei, CN)
Assignee: LANGFANG GOLDEN TIME TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
B60N2/7088B60N2/5657
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,590,867
App. No.
17/296,973
Granted
Feb 28, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat is arranged under the seat cover of the vehicle seat and includes a soft inflatable bag and a valve component arranged outside the soft inflatable bag. The valve component includes a throttle valve and a one-way check valve. The throttle valve is configured to block or communicate a gas in the soft inflatable bag from or with an external air source. The one-way check valve provides a flow direction from outside to inside and is configured to fill the soft inflatable bag with the external air source when the pressure of the external air source is greater than air pressure in the cavity of the soft inflatable bag. The soft inflatable bag is filled with at least one flexible filler.

Claims (54)

1. A softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat, configured to be arranged under a seat cover of the vehicle seat, the softness adjusting device for the vehicle seat comprising:

at least one soft inflatable bag; and

a valve component arranged outside the at least one soft inflatable bag, the valve component comprising:

a throttle valve configured to block or communicate a gas in the at least one soft inflatable bag from or with an external air source; and

a one-way check valve having a flow direction from outside to inside and configured to fill the at least one soft inflatable bag by the external air source when a pressure of the external air source is greater than air pressure in a cavity of the at least one soft inflatable bag, the at least one soft inflatable bag being filled with at least one flexible filler.

2. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein:

the softness adjusting device for the vehicle seat further comprises:

a first air path; and

a second air path, wherein:

the first air path and the second air path lead to the cavity of the at least one soft inflatable bag;

the throttle valve is mounted in the first air path; and

the one-way check valve is mounted in the second air path; and

the softness adjusting device for the vehicle seat further comprises a main air pipe, wherein one end of the main air pipe communicates with the cavity of the at least one soft inflatable bag, and the other end of the main air pipe communicates with both one end of the first air path and one end of the second air path.

3. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the valve component further comprises an overflow valve configured to discharge gas from the at least one soft inflatable bag so that a pressure in the at least one soft inflatable bag is reduced to a set pressure when the pressure in the at least one soft inflatable bag is greater than or equal to the set pressure.

4. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 3 , wherein at least two of the throttle valve, the one-way check valve, and the overflow valve are arranged integrally.

5. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one soft inflatable bag comprises a height limiting structure configured to limit an expansion height of the at least one soft inflatable bag when squeezed.

6. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 5 , wherein:

the height limiting structure comprises penetrating-type height limiting straps and/or built-in height limiting straps arranged in a distributed manner,

each of the penetrating-type height limiting straps comprise:

an I-shaped vertical section;

two ends protruding beyond the at least one soft inflatable bag; and

a vertical portion located in the at least one soft inflatable bag; and

each of the built-in height limiting straps comprise two ends fixed to upper and lower inner surfaces of the at least one soft inflatable bag, respectively.

7. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the throttle valve is a manual valve or a solenoid valve.

8. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one soft inflatable bag is composed of two or more sub-bags, and the sub-bags communicate with each other via a connecting tube.

9. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one soft inflatable bag has a thickness ranging from one centimeter to five centimeters.

10. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein:

soft inflatable bags are in a number greater than or equal to two, and

all or some of a plurality of the soft inflatable bags are arranged in a stacked manner.

11. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of the soft inflatable bags is provided with an independent valve component, or the valve component is shared by all or some of the plurality of the soft inflatable bags.

12. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one soft inflatable bag is provided with several air guide channels distributed to extend therethrough, and

the air guide channels are isolated from the cavity of the at least one soft inflatable bag and are configured to conduct gas on both sides of the at least one soft inflatable bag.

13. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible filler is at least one of sponge, aerosol, a three-dimensional woven fabric, a rubber elastic structure, and a fiber cushion layer.

14. The softness adjusting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 2 , wherein:

the valve component further comprises an overflow valve, and

the overflow valve is configured to discharge gas from the at least one soft inflatable bag, so that a pressure in the at least one soft inflatable bag is reduced to a set pressure, when the pressure in the at least one soft inflatable bag is greater than or equal to the set pressure.

15. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat foam;

a seat cover covering the seat foam; and

a softness adjusting device arranged between the seat foam and the seat cover, the softness adjusting device comprising:

at least one soft inflatable bag;

a valve component arranged outside the at least one soft inflatable bag, the valve component comprising:

a throttle valve configured to block or communicate a gas in the at least one soft inflatable bag from or with an external air source; and

a one-way check valve having a flow direction from outside to inside and configured to fill the at least one soft inflatable bag by the external air source when a pressure of the external air source is greater than air pressure in a cavity of the at least one soft inflatable bag, the at least one soft inflatable bag being filled with at least one flexible filler.

16. The vehicle seat according to claim 15 , wherein:

an inflatable bag reserving groove is provided in a side of the seat foam adjacent to the seat cover; and

the at least one soft inflatable bag is placed in the inflatable bag reserving groove.

17. The vehicle seat according to claim 15 , wherein a covering layer is arranged between the at least one soft inflatable bag and the seat cover.

18. The vehicle seat according to claim 15 , wherein a heating pad is arranged between the seat foam and the seat cover.

19. The vehicle seat according to claim 15 , wherein:

an air guiding pocket is arranged under the at least one soft inflatable bag, and

a fan is arranged under the air guiding pocket.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2025
From: LANGFANG GOLDEN TIME TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
To: AEW TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 071245/0031 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2021
From: ZHANG, HAITAO
To: LANGFANG GOLDEN TIME TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056392/0862 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201911398326.3 · Dec 30, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220055512A1 · Feb 24, 2022