Vehicle seat assembly including a seat cover enclosing a seat cushion and a valve extending through the seat cover and regulating airflow out of the seat cushion

A system for a seat of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a seat cushion forming at least part of a bottom of the seat;
• a seat cover enclosing the seat cushion and forming a barrier to airflow out of the seat cushion, the seat cover forming a top surface of the seat bottom, a bottom surface of the seat bottom, and side surfaces of the seat bottom;
• a valve extending through the seat cover and configured to regulate airflow out of the seat cushion through the valve;
• a valve control module configured to control a position of the valve;
• and
• at least one pressure sensor disposed within at least one of the seat cushion and the valve and configured to measure a pressure within the seat cushion, wherein the seat cushion defines an internal void, and the at least one pressure sensor is disposed within the internal void.

A system for a seat of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a seat cushion forming at least part of a bottom of the seat;
• a seat cover enclosing the seat cushion and forming a barrier to airflow out of the seat cushion, the seat cover forming a top surface of the seat bottom, a bottom surface of the seat bottom, and side surfaces of the seat bottom;
• a valve extending through the seat cover and configured to regulate airflow out of the seat cushion through the valve;
• a valve control module configured to control a position of the valve;
• and
• an impact detection module configured to detect when the vehicle is involved in a frontal impact based on at least one of a distance to an object in front of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, and a pressure within a front bumper of the vehicle, wherein the valve control module closes the valve to inhibit airflow out of the seat cushion when the vehicle is involved in a frontal impact.