Vehicular seat suspension system for belted seats
AssigneeTesla, Inc.
InventorsOlav Sadoo, Nishanth Bhat, Collin Johnston
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Vehicular seat suspension systems that do not include scissor mechanisms or pivot joints to improve lateral stability and substantially eliminate deflection during operation, testing and/or crashes. In particular, the seat suspension systems include an inner element that is able to slide within a static outer element, allowing the system to bear high loads while ensuring lateral stability and substantially eliminating deflection experienced by convention seat suspension systems.
Claims20
A vehicular seat suspension system, comprising:
- an outer element adapted to be coupled to a floor of a vehicle;
- an inner element adapted to be coupled to a seat pan, the inner element configured to be slideably engaged within the outer element;
- a spring housed within and coupled to the inner element, the spring being adapted to control vertical displacement of the inner element and the seat pan;
- and
- a seat belt retractor housed in the inner element, the seat belt retractor coupled to the inner element.
A vehicular seat suspension system, comprising:
- an outer element adapted to be coupled to a floor of a vehicle;
- an inner element adapted to be coupled to a seat pan, the inner element configured to slide within the outer element;
- and
- a vertical displacement member housed within and coupled to the inner element, the vertical displacement member being adapted to control vertical displacement of the inner element and the seat pan;
- and
- a damping member coupled to the seat pan, the damping member further coupled to the outer element.
A vehicular seat suspension system, comprising:
- an outer element adapted to be coupled to a floor of a vehicle;
- an inner element adapted to be coupled to a seat pan, the inner element configured to be slideably engaged within the outer element;
- a spring housed within and coupled to the inner element, the spring being adapted to control vertical displacement of the inner element and the seat pan;
- at least two linear motion elements adapted to guide the vertical displacement of the inner element;
- a linear bearing;
- a cage, configured to retain the linear bearing;
- a first race coupled to the outer element;
- a second race coupled to the inner element;
- and
- a shim coupled between the second race and the inner element, the shim configured to absorb dimensional variation in a space between the inner element and the outer element;
- wherein the linear bearing is configured to engage with the first race and the second race.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.