# US 11,305,674 B2 · Seat-based force nullification systems and methods for seated vehicle occupants > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,674 B2 - Document ID: US11305674B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/013,176 - Filed: 2018-06-20 - Published: 2019-12-26 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-20 - Assignees: Volvo Car Corporation - Applicants: Volvo Car Corporation - Inventors: Douglas Hall Frasher; Lawrence E. Abele - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305674B2 ## CPC - B60N 2/39: Seats tiltable to compensate for roll inclination of vehicles - B60N 2/501: {actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control} - B60G 17/0162: {mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking (B60G17/0164 takes precedence)} - B60G 17/018: characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method - B60G 17/019: characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof {(B60G17/01941 takes precedence)} - B60N 2/026: {varying hardness or support of upholstery, e.g. for tuning seat comfort when driving curved roads} - B60N 2/0745: {the slide path being curved} - B60N 3/06: of footrests - B60N 2002/0216: {the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a transversal axis} - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) ## Abstract System and methods for nullifying one or more of lateral and longitudinal acceleration forces experienced by an occupant of a vehicle in a seated or standing position while the vehicle is traveling along a travel plane, including: a chassis structure; an occupant cell one of coupled to and defined by the chassis structure; and one or more of a seat assembly configured to receive the occupant in a seated position and a standing platform assembly configured to receive the occupant in a standing position disposed within the occupant cell; wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly is/are configured to pivot one or more of: laterally at a longitudinal pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and longitudinally at a transverse pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for nullifying one or more of lateral and longitudinal acceleration forces experienced by an occupant of a vehicle in a seated or standing position while the vehicle is traveling along a travel plane, the system comprising: a chassis structure; an occupant cell one of coupled to and defined by the chassis structure; and one or more of a seat assembly configured to receive the occupant in a seated position and a standing platform assembly configured to receive the occupant in a standing position disposed within the occupant cell; wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly is/are configured to pivot one or more of: laterally at a longitudinal pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and longitudinally at a transverse pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and wherein the longitudinal pivot point and the transverse pivot point are disposed substantially above a combined center of gravity of the occupant and the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the seat assembly comprises: a seat structure comprising a seat pan; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the standing platform assembly comprises: a standing platform structure comprising a foot support; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the foot support laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the foot support longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally within ±17 degrees from a perpendicular plane with respect to the chassis and travel plane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal pivot point and the transverse pivot point are virtual pivot points. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally without active assistance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more sensors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more cameras. ### Claim 9 A method for nullifying one or more of lateral and longitudinal acceleration forces experienced by an occupant of a vehicle in a seated or standing position while the vehicle is traveling along a travel plane, the method comprising: providing a chassis structure; providing an occupant cell one of coupled to and defined by the chassis structure; providing one or more of a seat assembly configured to receive the occupant in a seated position and a standing platform assembly configured to receive the occupant in a standing position disposed within the occupant cell; wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly is/are configured to pivot one or more of: laterally at a longitudinal pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and longitudinally at a transverse pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; wherein the longitudinal pivot point and the transverse pivot point are disposed substantially above a combined center of gravity of the occupant and the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly; and pivoting the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly one or more of laterally about the longitudinal pivot point and longitudinally about the transverse pivot point as the vehicle travels along the travel plane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the seat assembly comprises: a seat structure comprising a seat pan; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the standing platform assembly comprises: a standing platform structure comprising a foot support; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the foot support laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the foot support longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally within ±17 degrees from a perpendicular plane with respect to the chassis and travel plane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the longitudinal pivot point and the transverse pivot point are virtual pivot points. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally without active assistance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more sensors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more cameras. ### Claim 17 A system for nullifying one or more of lateral and longitudinal acceleration forces experienced by an occupant of a vehicle in a seated or standing position while the vehicle is traveling along a travel plane, the system comprising: a chassis structure; an occupant cell one of coupled to and defined by the chassis structure; and one or more of a seat assembly configured to receive the occupant in a seated position and a standing platform assembly configured to receive the occupant in a standing position disposed within the occupant cell; wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly is/are configured to pivot one or more of: laterally at a longitudinal pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and longitudinally at a transverse pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more cameras. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the seat assembly comprises: a seat structure comprising a seat pan; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the standing platform assembly comprises: a standing platform structure comprising a foot support; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the foot support laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the foot support longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally within ±17 degrees from a perpendicular plane with respect to the chassis and travel plane.