Granted Patent B2

US 12,344,147 · App. 18/636,907 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Inventor: Steven P. Kohlman (Holmen, WI)

Assignee: Aquila Corporation

B60N2/914B60N2/002B60N2/0244B60N2/665B60N2/976

Abstract

Claims (50)

1. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

a plurality of inflatable bladders configured to prevent capillary occlusion embedded below a seating surface of a seat cushion portion of the vehicle seat assembly, the plurality of inflatable bladders comprising at least a first group of inflatable bladders and a second group of inflatable bladders, wherein at least one of the plurality of inflatable bladders is enclosed with a non-expandable sleeve configured to prevent overinflation; and

a control system operably coupled to the plurality of inflatable bladders and contained within an enclosure external to the seat cushion portion of the vehicle seat assembly, wherein the control system is configured to:

inflate the first group of inflatable bladders;

deflate the second group of inflatable bladders; and

upon expiration of a dwell period during which both the first and second groups of inflatable bladders are neither inflating nor deflating, inflate the second group of inflatable bladders and deflate the first group of inflatable bladders.

2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first group of inflatable bladders comprises at least one ischial bladder positioned to support an ischial region of a user's spine while the user is seated on the seat cushion portion, and wherein the second group of inflatable bladders comprises at least one central bladder positioned to support a central region of the user's spine while the user is seated on the seat cushion portion.

3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein inflating the first group of inflatable bladders comprises inflating the first group of inflatable bladders to a target pressure, and wherein inflating the second group of inflatable bladders comprises inflating the second group of inflatable bladders to the target pressure.

4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:

detect a presence of a user seated on the seat cushion portion; and

responsive to detection of the presence of the user seated on the seat cushion portion, inflate the first group of inflatable bladders.

5. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:

detect whether a measured pressure in either the first group of inflatable bladders or the second group of inflatable bladders does not meet a low pressure threshold; and

responsive to detection that the measured pressure does not meet the low pressure threshold, activate an alarm.

6. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dwell period is configurable by a user.

7. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

a plurality of inflatable bladders configured to prevent capillary occlusion embedded below a seating surface of a seat cushion portion of the vehicle seat assembly, the plurality of inflatable bladders comprising at least a first group of inflatable bladders and a second group of inflatable bladders;

an actuating device configured to receive a firmness selection level from a user;

an audible indicator configured to emit sounds indicating the firmness selection level; and

a control system operably coupled to the plurality of inflatable bladders and contained within an enclosure external to the seat cushion portion of the vehicle seat assembly, wherein the control system is configured to:

receive the firmness selection level from the actuating device;

command the audible indicator to emit at least one sound indicating the firmness selection level;

inflate the first group of inflatable bladders to a target pressure;

deflate the second group of inflatable bladders; and

upon expiration of a dwell period during which both the first and second groups of inflatable bladders are neither inflating nor deflating, inflate the second group of inflatable bladders to the target pressure and deflate the first group of inflatable bladders;

wherein the target pressure is based on the firmness selection level.

8. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 , wherein the actuating device comprises a button embedded within the seat cushion portion or a button mounted to an exterior surface of an arm rest portion of the vehicle seat assembly using a mounting bracket.

9. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 7 , wherein the firmness selection level is selected from a group comprising a soft firmness level, a medium firmness level, and a hard firmness level.

10. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

a plurality of inflatable bladders configured to prevent capillary occlusion embedded below a seating surface of a seat cushion portion of the vehicle seat assembly, the plurality of inflatable bladders comprising at least a first group of inflatable bladders and a second group of inflatable bladders;

a bottom foam layer positioned below the plurality of inflatable bladders;

an upper foam layer positioned above the plurality of inflatable bladders, wherein a density of the bottom foam layer is higher than a density of the upper foam layer; and

a control system operably coupled to the plurality of inflatable bladders and contained within an enclosure external to the seat cushion portion of the vehicle seat assembly, wherein the control system is configured to:

inflate the first group of inflatable bladders;

deflate the second group of inflatable bladders; and

upon expiration of a dwell period during which both the first and second groups of inflatable bladders are neither inflating nor deflating, inflate the second group of inflatable bladders and deflate the first group of inflatable bladders.

11. A method of operating a vehicle seat assembly using a control system contained within an enclosure external to a seat cushion portion of the vehicle seat assembly, comprising:

receiving a firmness selection level from an actuating device;

commanding an audible indicator to emit at least one sound indicating the firmness selection level;

inflating a first group of inflatable bladders in a plurality of inflatable bladders configured to prevent capillary occlusion to a target pressure using the control system, wherein the plurality of inflatable bladders is embedded below a seating surface of a seat cushion portion of the vehicle seat assembly, and wherein the target pressure is based on the firmness selection level;

deflating a second group of inflatable bladders in the plurality of inflatable bladders using the control system; and

upon expiration of a dwell period during which both the first and second groups of inflatable bladders are neither inflating nor deflating, inflating the second group of inflatable bladders to the target pressure and deflating the first group of inflatable bladders using the control system.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first group of inflatable bladders comprises at least one ischial bladder positioned to support an ischial region of a user's spine while the user is seated on the seat cushion portion, and wherein the second group of inflatable bladders comprises at least one central bladder positioned to support a central region of the user's spine while the user is seated on the seat cushion portion.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a presence of a user seated on the seat cushion portion; and

responsive to detection of the presence of the user seated on the seat cushion portion, inflating the first group of inflatable bladders.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting whether a measured pressure in either the first group of inflatable bladders or the second group of inflatable bladders does not meet a low pressure threshold; and

responsive to detection that the measured pressure does not meet the low pressure threshold, activating an alarm.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dwell period is configurable by a user.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (39)