Seat actuator control for lumbar support
AssigneesToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMichael Paul Rowe, Brian J. Pinkelman, Yufei Zhu, Xintong Deng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One or more actuators can be used to provide a substantially continuous level of lumbar support to a seat occupant. An actuator can be operatively positioned relative to a lumbar region of a seat. The actuator can be caused to morph into an activated configuration to support a lumbar region of a seat occupant. The activated configuration of the actuator can be maintained to provide a substantially continuous level of lumbar support.
Claims19
A system for seat actuation comprising:
- a seat;
- an actuator operatively positioned relative to a lumbar region of the seat, the actuator being a single actuator;
- and
- a processor operatively connected to the actuator, the processor being configured to:
- cause the actuator to morph into an activated configuration to support a lumbar region of a seat occupant;
- and
- adjust the activated configuration of the actuator to a plurality of activated positions during a period of time so that a displacement of the actuator changes while a substantially continuous level of lumbar support is provided to the seat occupant during the entire period of time, whereby a substantially continuous force is applied to the lumbar region of the seat occupant during the entire period of time.
A method of seat actuation for lumbar support, wherein an actuator is operatively positioned relative to a lumbar region of a seat, wherein the actuator is a single actuator, wherein a processor is operatively connected to the actuator, the method comprising:
- causing the actuator to morph into an activated configuration to support a lumbar region of a seat occupant;
- and
- adjusting the activated configuration of the actuator to a plurality of activated positions during a period of time so that a displacement of the actuator changes while a substantially continuous level of lumbar support is provided to the seat occupant during the entire period of time, whereby a substantially continuous force is applied to the lumbar region of the seat occupant during the entire period of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.