IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,576,432
Granted Patent B2
US 12,576,432 · App. 18/837,655 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Vibration device

Inventors: Yoji Fukumoto (Akishima, JP); Shinya Suzuki (Akishima, JP); Karen Kobayashi (Akishima, JP); Yosuke Haba (Akishima, JP)
Assignee: FOSTER ELECTRIC COMPANY, LIMITED
B06B1/0207B60N2/90
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,576,432
App. No.
18/837,655
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vibration device causes a vehicle seat, including a seat frame that supports the seat relative to a vehicle body and a seat cushion that supports a seated occupant, to vibrate. The vibration device includes a vibrator having a vibration face attached to a seat frame, and a vibration control device that causes the vibrator to vibrate based on an input sound source signal.

Claims (32)

1 . A vibration device that vibrates a vehicle seat, the vibration device comprising:

a vibrator that has a vibration face that is attached to a seat frame forming a framework of the vehicle seat, the vibrator imparting vibration to the seat frame; and

a control unit that causes the vibrator to vibrate based on an input sound source signal,

wherein the vibrator comprises a rear face-side vibrator attached to a rear face-side seat frame, and a seat surface-side vibrator attached to a seat surface-side seat frame, and

wherein the control unit:

extracts a low frequency range component from the sound source signal, and causes the seat surface-side vibrator to vibrate with the low frequency range component, and

detects, from the low frequency range component, peaks having a signal level that is equal to or higher than a threshold value, and causes the rear face-side vibrator to vibrate with the low frequency range component for a predetermined period of time including a detection timing of the peaks.

2 . The vibration device of claim 1 , wherein the rear face-side vibrator is attached at a position at which the rear face-side vibrator imparts vibration to a lower back of a seated person.

3 . The vibration device of claim 1 , wherein:

the seat surface-side vibrator includes left and right vibrators;

the rear face-side vibrator includes left and right vibrators, and

the control unit causes the left and right vibrators of the seat surface-side vibrator and the left and right vibrators of the rear face-side vibrator to vibrate in accordance with left and right channels of the sound source signal.

4 . The vibration device of claim 1 , wherein:

the low frequency range component is 150 Hz or less, and

the control unit detects the peaks after increasing the signal level of a 50 to 80 Hz component with respect to an output signal of the low frequency range component.

5 . The vibration device of claim 1 , wherein the vibrator comprises an actuator, and a vibration direction of the actuator corresponds to a normal direction of the vibration face.

6 . A vibration device that vibrates a vehicle seat, the vibration device comprising:

a vibrator that has a vibration face that is attached to a seat frame forming a framework of the vehicle seat, the vibrator imparting vibration to the seat frame; and

a control unit that causes the vibrator to vibrate based on an input sound source signal,

wherein the vibrator comprises a rear face-side vibrator attached to a rear face-side seat frame, and a seat surface-side vibrator attached to a seat surface-side seat frame, and

wherein the control unit:

extracts a low frequency range component from the sound source signal, and causes the rear face-side vibrator to vibrate with the low frequency range component, and

detects, from the low frequency range component, peaks having a signal level that is equal to or higher than a threshold value, and causes the seat surface-side vibrator to vibrate with the low frequency range component for a predetermined period of time including a detection timing of the peaks.

7 . The vibration device of claim 6 , wherein the rear face-side vibrator is attached at a position at which the rear face-side vibrator imparts vibration to a lower back of a seated person.

8 . The vibration device of claim 6 , wherein:

the seat surface-side vibrator includes left and right vibrators;

the rear face-side vibrator includes left and right vibrators, and

the control unit causes the left and right vibrators of the seat surface-side vibrator and the left and right vibrators of the rear face-side vibrator to vibrate in accordance with left and right channels of the sound source signal.

9 . The vibration device of claim 6 , wherein:

the low frequency range component is 150 Hz or less, and

the control unit detects the peaks after increasing the signal level of a 50 to 80 Hz component with respect to an output signal of the low frequency range component.

10 . The vibration device of claim 6 , wherein the vibrator comprises an actuator, and a vibration direction of the actuator corresponds to a normal direction of the vibration face.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2024
From: FUKUMOTO, YOJI; SUZUKI, SHINYA; KOBAYASHI, KAREN; HABA, YOSUKE
To: FOSTER ELECTRIC COMPANY, LIMITED
Reel/Frame 068622/0375 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-025685 · Feb 22, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250161984A1 · May 22, 2025
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