IP Library Granted Patent US 11,718,209
Granted Patent B2
US 11,718,209 · App. 17/551,194 · Granted Aug 8, 2023

Adjustable suspended seat apparatus having tuned frequency-tailored damping through a stratified seat structure

Inventors: Thomas Wittenschlaeger (El Cajon, CA); Timothy King (El Cajon, CA); Mason Powers (El Cajon, CA); Jeffrey Hermann (El Cajon, CA)
Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
B60N2/501B60N2/005B60N2/502B60N2/525B60N2/70
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,718,209
App. No.
17/551,194
Granted
Aug 8, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An adjustable suspended seat apparatus having a tuned frequency-tailored damping through stratified seat structure is described. The damping seat structure includes: a first material of a plurality of materials having a first characteristic to provide a first damping effect in a first layer. A second material of the plurality of materials based on a second characteristic to provide a second damping effect in a second layer, the first material or the second material having an adjustable damping characteristic. The suspended seat apparatus includes a seat base configured to have the seat coupled thereto; a suspension system coupled to the seat base, the suspension system comprising: an adjustment feature configured to adjust operation of the suspension system; and a chassis mount coupled to the suspension system, the chassis mount configured to be coupled to a vehicle.

Claims (19)

1. An adjustable damping seat structure comprising:

a first material of a plurality of materials having a first characteristic to provide a first damping effect in a first layer;

a second material of the plurality of materials based on a second characteristic to provide a second damping effect in a second layer;

the first material or the second material having an adjustable damping characteristic, said first material or said second material selected from a plurality of piezoelectric materials; and

a first bonding material to bond the first material to the second material based on a third characteristic to provide a third damping effect,

the first layer bonded to the second layer using the first bonding material;

a third material from a plurality of materials having a pneumatic chamber therein to provide a fourth damping effect in a third layer; and

a fourth material from a plurality of hydraulic materials based on a fourth characteristic to provide a fifth damping effect in a fourth layer,

the third layer and the fourth layer bonded with the first layer or the second layer.

2. The adjustable damping seat structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one side of at least one of the first material and the second material being treated to alter a surface characteristic of the at least one side to affect said first damping effect.

3. The adjustable damping seat structure of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable damping characteristic is manually adjustable via a user input.

4. The adjustable damping seat structure of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable damping characteristic is automatically adjusted based on external conditions.

5. The adjustable damping seat structure of claim 4 , wherein said external conditions are selected from the group consisting of: sensors detecting shock, vibration, sensors monitoring a vehicle, sensors monitoring said seat, sensors monitoring a mechanical component, and sensors monitoring a passenger in said seat.

6. The adjustable damping seat structure of claim 1 further comprising:

an adjustment feature which is controlled based on input from a vehicle monitoring system.

7. The adjustable damping seat structure of claim 1 further comprising:

a chassis mount configured to be coupled to a vehicle.

8. The adjustable damping seat structure of claim 1 , wherein at least two of said first layer, said second layer, said third layer and said fourth layer are combined based on material variables selected from the group consisting of: chemical composition, layer thickness, surface mapping characteristics, bonding composition and thickness, center frequency damped, coefficient of damping, and spring back rate.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2022
From: FOX FACTORY, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 059616/0435 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2021
From: WITTENSCHLAEGER, THOMAS; KING, TIMOTHY; POWERS, MASON; HERMANN, JEFFREY
To: FOX FACTORY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058391/0456 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 17021762 · Sep 15, 2020
Division 15816470 · Nov 17, 2017
Provisional Application 62579021 · Oct 30, 2017
Provisional Application 62565944 · Sep 29, 2017
Provisional Application 62547660 · Aug 18, 2017
Provisional Application 62423399 · Nov 17, 2016
Related Publication 20220105841A1 · Apr 7, 2022