U.S. patent application number 10/520029 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-27 for adaptive pneumatic sitting and reclining cushion for vehicles and aircraft.
Invention is credited to Laszio Kerekes, Tina Moor.
Application Number | 20060162081 10/520029 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29796446 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060162081 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kerekes; Laszio ; et
al. |
July 27, 2006 |
Adaptive pneumatic sitting and reclining cushion for vehicles and
aircraft
Abstract
The inventive sitting and reclining cushion is divided into a
seat cushion and a back cushion, which are configured in an
essentially identical manner. A sleeve (4) consisting of a textile
material with low elasticity contains a plurality of tubular
pockets (5) consisting of an identical material and joined
longitudinally to said sleeve by means of seams (6). Each pocket
(5) is likewise connected to its neighbour or neighbours by means
of seams (6). Each pocket (5) contains a pouch (7), which consists
of an elastic plastic and comprises a valve (8), and can be filled
with compressed air. As a result, the pockets (5) modify their
shape, thus tensioning the sleeve (4) and forming the actual
sitting or reclining surface. The optimised shape of the cushion
structure can be adapted to individual requirements for comfort by
means of different air pressures in the pouches (7).
Inventors: |
Kerekes; Laszio; (Zurich,
CH) ; Moor; Tina; (Saint-Blaise, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JENKENS & GILCHRIST, PC
1445 ROSS AVENUE
SUITE 3200
DALLAS
TX
75202
US
|
Family ID: |
29796446 |
Appl. No.: |
10/520029 |
Filed: |
March 27, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
March 27, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CH03/00200 |
371 Date: |
September 30, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/654 ;
5/655.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02T 50/46 20130101;
A47C 4/54 20130101; B64D 11/064 20141201; Y02T 50/40 20130101; B64D
11/0647 20141201; B60N 2/914 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/654 ;
005/655.3 |
International
Class: |
A47C 27/08 20060101
A47C027/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 18, 2002 |
DE |
102 32 627.4 |
Claims
1. An adaptive pneumatic seat cushion (1) and backrest cushion (2)
for vehicles and aeroplanes, characterised in that it comprises a
seat cushion (1) and a backrest cushion (2) which can be connected;
both the seat cushion (1) and the backrest cushion (2) comprise the
following characteristics: a plurality of tubular pockets (5),
arranged side by side, consisting of a textile material of low
elasticity, of which pockets (5) each is connected to the adjacent
pockets by means of seams (6); each pocket (5) comprises a pouch
(7) which consists of an elastic plastic material with a valve (8),
which pocket can be filled with compressed air; the totality of the
pockets (5) are enclosed by a shell (4) made of a textile material
of low elasticity, wherein said pockets (5) are sewn to the shell
(4) along further seams (6), such that the shell (4) when the
pouches (7) are filled with compressed air is tensioned and thus
forms the actual seat or backrest surface.
2. The pneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according to
claim 1, characterised in that the pockets (5) in the seat cushion
(1) are arranged parallel to the direction of the seat, while in
the backrest cushion (2) said pockets (5) are arranged in the
top-to-bottom direction.
3. The pneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according to
claim 1, characterised in that the pockets (5) both in the seat
cushion (1) and in the backrest cushion (2) are arranged across the
seat.
4. The pneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according to
claim 2 or 3, characterised in that all the pockets (5) in the seat
cushion (1) on the one hand, and in the backrest cushion (2) on the
other hand, are of the same size.
5. The pneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according to
claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the cross dimensions of the
pockets (5) are differently selected such that optimum seating
comfort can be achieved.
6. The pneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according to
claim 5, characterised in that each pocket (5) can individually be
filled with compressed air.
7. The pneumatic seat cushion and backrest cushion according to
claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the cross dimensions of the
pockets (5) vary with their longitudinal dimensions.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an adaptive pneumatic seat
cushion and backrest cushion for vehicles and aeroplanes, according
to the precharacterising part of claim 1. Pneumatic seat cushions
and backrest cushions are known per se. As a rule they comprise a
multitude of air tubes, arranged side by side, which can be aerated
and de-aerated by way of a common valve, with the design and
construction of such pneumatic seat cushions and backrest cushions
being similar to that of known air mattresses. Certain adaptation
options consist of having different air pressure settings in
individual tubes, as a result of which the shape and softness can
be varied to a limited extent. For practical application, such
cushions are provided with a textile cover. However, the basic
structure of the tubes remains visible and--an essential factor in
a cushion--can also be felt.
[0002] It is the object of the present invention to create a seat
cushion and backrest cushion that is adaptive within a wide range;
meets very high requirements in relation to seating comfort; can
achieve noticeable weight savings when compared to conventional
foam cushions; and during whose manufacture existing seat shell
constructions can easily be taken into account.
[0003] The object is met by the essential characteristics set out
in claim 1, and by further advantageous characteristics set out in
the other claims. The invention is explained in more detail with
reference to the enclosed drawing.
[0004] The following are shown:
[0005] FIG. 1 a perspective of a first embodiment;
[0006] FIG. 2 a section AA of the first embodiment;
[0007] FIG. 3 a perspective of a second embodiment;
[0008] FIG. 4 a longitudinal section AA of the second embodiment;
and
[0009] FIG. 5 a longitudinal section BB of the second
embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a
seat cushion and backrest cushion according to the invention, in
this instance of a simple design, for example for a means of mass
transportation. The cushion is divided into a seat cushion 1 and a
backrest cushion 2. These are individual units and are for example
joined by a textile connection 3. Any seat cover that may be used
has been removed. Also not shown is the actual seat structure
because it forms part of the state of the art and does not form
part of the subject matter of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a section AA of the seat cushion 1 and
diagrammatically shows the interior structure of said seat cushion
1: it comprises a shell 4, made from a textile material which is
preferably of low elasticity. Inserted into this shell 4 are a
plurality of tubular textile pockets 5, which are also of low
elasticity, wherein said textile pockets, along seams 6, are
connected to the shell 4 on the one hand and to each other on the
other hand. Each pocket 5 comprises a pouch 7 which consists of an
elastic plastic material and comprises a valve 8 for aeration and
de-aeration. If the pouches 7 are filled with compressed air,
then--due to the tensor character of the pressure--each pouch 7
strives to assume a circular cross sectional shape. However, the
shape of the pockets 5 and their connection to the shell 4 prevents
this. However, the shell 4 is tensioned as a result of this
restriction. Consequently, the actual seat surface is not formed by
the sum of the pockets 5, but instead by the top of the tensioned
shell 4, which results in a significant change both in the feel and
comfort of the seat. Since each pouch 7 can be individually filled
with compressed air, different pressures can be provided for
individual pouches. In this way the seating comfort can be matched
to individual requirements.
[0012] In principle, the design shown in FIG. 2 is the same for the
seat cushion and the backrest cushion 2. Of course individual
parameters such as the number of pockets 5 and their width and
height as well as the air pressure in them can be selected so as to
be different.
[0013] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the seat cushion 1 and
backrest cushion 2 with shapes which more closely fit the
anatomical form. However, as shown in FIG. 4 the basic structure of
the shell 4, pockets 5 and pouches 7 remains the same. The cross
dimensions of the pockets 5 and the pouches 7 are however made in
such a way that the pockets 5, of which there are two for example,
which pockets are situated against or on the border of the seat
cushion 1, are selected so as to be larger than those which
together form the seat surface.
[0014] In FIGS. 2 and 3 the pockets 5 in the seat cushion 1 are
arranged parallel to the direction of the seat, while in the
backrest cushion 2 they are arranged in the top-to-bottom
direction, to which FIGS. 4 and 5 also refer. Of course it is also
possible to arrange the pockets both in the seat cushion 1 and in
the backrest cushion 2 so as to be across the directions mentioned,
with the consequence for FIG. 5 being that the contour arrangement
is symmetrical.
[0015] FIG. 4, which represents a section AA of FIG. 3, shows the
second embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal section BB of FIG. 3, for
example through one of the outside pockets 5. In the present
embodiment, said pocket 5 is contoured such that its height is
reduced from the front towards the middle and is increased again
towards the rear. Of course other designs also fall within the
scope of the inventive step. One can thus generally state that the
cross dimensions of the pockets 5 vary along their longitudinal
dimensions. For example, individual pockets 5 can have a conical
taper from the front to the rear--or vice versa--or their cross
section can be constant in shape and size. As the pockets 5 are
made from textile materials, such shapes are state of the art. This
equally applies to the likewise form-defining shell 4. This shell 4
can for example be open at the rear of the seat cushion so that the
connections between the valves 8 and the air hoses 9 can be made
only once the seat cushion has been made.
[0017] The above explanations relating to the seat cushion of
course equally apply to the backrest cushion 2. The dimensions of
the pockets 5, their number and the air pressures to be applied can
easily be adapted to the particular requirements to be met so that
optimum seat comfort can be achieved. Since seat comfort depends on
the body dimensions of the seated person, each pouch 7 inserted in
a pocket 5 can individually be filled with compressed air. In this
way the basic design, which has been anatomically optimised, can in
addition be personally optimised.
[0018] The fact that form and behaviour of seat cushion 1 and
backrest cushion 2 are primarily defined by the tensioned shell 4,
and the pockets 5 with pouches 7 primarily serve to tension and
form the shell is decisive and in accordance with the
invention.
[0019] Attaching the seat cushion 1 and the backrest cushion 2 in a
given seat structure or seat shell preferably takes place by two or
more adherence-type closure strips which can also be attached to
the shell 4 by sewing, and to the seat structure by way of
adhesion. Other ways of attachment, such as for example by clamps
or buttons, also fall within the scope of this invention.
* * * * *