# US 12,759,446 B2 · Valve assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,446 B2 - Document ID: US12759446B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/301,622 - Filed: 2023-04-17 - Published: 2024-10-17 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-04-17 - Assignees: Lear Corporation - Applicants: Lear Corporation - Inventors: Samuel Blair; Timothy Cloutier; David J. Abdella - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759446B2 ## CPC - B60N 2/665: {using inflatable bladders} - B60N 2/914: {Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape} - B60N 2/976: {massaging systems} - F16K 11/22: with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract An assembly is provided with a manifold with an inlet, and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the inlet. A valve is in cooperation with the plurality of outlets and operable to a plurality of positions wherein in each of the plurality of positions, one of the plurality of outlets is open and others of the plurality of outlets are closed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly, comprising: a manifold with a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets, and wherein each inlet from the plurality of inlets is associated with one pair of outlets from the plurality of outlets; a first valve engaged with the plurality of outlets and operable to a plurality of positions, wherein in each of the plurality of positions, one outlet from the one pair of outlets is open and the other outlet from the one pair of outlets is closed; a source of pressurized fluid in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets of the manifold, wherein the source of pressurized fluid comprises a compressor; and a second valve in fluid communication with the compressor to receive the pressurized fluid from the compressor, and wherein the second valve is in fluid communication with one or more inlets of the plurality of inlets to convey the pressurized fluid to the manifold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of actuators each in fluid communication with one of the plurality of outlets of the manifold to receive a pressurized fluid distributed through the corresponding outlet of the manifold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of outlets is arranged as a linear array. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the manifold comprises a plurality of manifolds and further comprising a housing comprising the plurality of manifolds therein, each manifold having one inlet from the plurality of inlets and one pair of outlets from the plurality of outlets, and at least one actuator in fluid communication with the plurality of outlets of the manifold to receive the pressurized fluid distributed through the manifold. ### Claim 5 An assembly comprising: a plurality of manifolds, each with an inlet, and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the inlet; a plurality of valves engaged with the plurality of outlets of one of the plurality of manifolds and operable to a plurality of positions, wherein in at least one of the plurality of positions, one of the plurality of outlets is open and others of the plurality of outlets are closed; an actuator connected to the plurality of valves to actuate the plurality of valves to the plurality of positions; the plurality of valves comprises a valve bar that is operably connected to the actuator to shift the plurality of valves to the plurality of positions; a plurality of seals mounted on the valve bar and the plurality of manifolds to direct fluid to one subset of the plurality of outlets while isolating others of the plurality of outlets; and wherein the valve bar is pivotal relative to the plurality of manifolds, and wherein the plurality of seals extend radially from the valve bar. ### Claim 6 A seat assembly comprising: a seat bottom; a seat back; an assembly comprising: a manifold with a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets, and wherein each inlet from the plurality of inlets is associated with one pair of outlets from the plurality of outlets, a first valve engaged with the plurality of outlets and operable to a plurality of positions, wherein in each of the plurality of positions, one outlet from the one pair of outlets is open and the other outlet from the one pair of outlets is closed, a source of pressurized fluid in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets of the manifold, wherein the source of pressurized fluid comprises a compressor, and a second valve in fluid communication with the compressor to receive the pressurized fluid from the compressor, and wherein the second valve is in fluid communication with one or more inlets of the plurality of inlets to convey the pressurized fluid to the manifold; and an actuator oriented in the seat bottom or the seat back, the actuator being in fluid communication with the plurality of outlets of the manifold to receive a pressurized fluid distributed through the manifold. ### Claim 7 An assembly comprising: a plurality of manifolds formed within a housing, each manifold having an inlet and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the inlet; a plurality of valves engaged with the plurality of outlets of one of the plurality of manifolds and operable to a plurality of positions, wherein in at least one of the plurality of positions, one of the plurality of outlets is open and others of the plurality of outlets are closed; an actuator; and a valve bar connected to the plurality of valves, wherein the valve bar is operably connected to the actuator to shift the plurality of valves to the plurality of positions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The assembly of claim 7, wherein the housing with the plurality of manifolds comprises an inlet housing portion and an outlet housing portion that are secured together to provide a cavity for the plurality of valves. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The assembly of claim 7, wherein the valve bar further comprises the plurality of valves. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of seals mounted on the valve bar and the plurality of manifolds to direct fluid to one subset of the plurality of outlets while isolating others of the plurality of outlets. ### Claim 11 A valve assembly, comprising: an inlet housing substrate comprising a plurality of inlet ports incrementally spaced and disposed along a linear path; an outlet housing substrate comprising a plurality of outlet ports incrementally spaced and disposed along a linear path, wherein the inlet housing substrate and the outlet housing substrate engage with each other to define a cavity that is adapted to provide fluid communication between the plurality of inlet ports and the plurality of outlet ports; and a valve bar, comprising a plurality of valves, disposed within the cavity, wherein: at each position of the valve bar of a plurality of positions of the valve bar, a valve of the plurality of valves is in fluid communication with an associated inlet port of the plurality of inlet ports, while the valve is adapted to seal other inlet ports of the plurality of inlet ports; at a first valve bar position of the plurality of positions, each valve bar port is in fluid communication with a first outlet port of the plurality of outlet ports and is isolated from other outlet ports of the plurality of outlet ports; and at a second valve bar position of the plurality of positions, each valve bar port is in fluid communication with a second outlet port of the plurality of outlet ports and is isolated from other outlet ports of the plurality of outlet ports, the second outlet port being different from the first outlet port. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The valve assembly of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of manifolds, wherein: each of the plurality of inlet ports is incrementally spaced and disposed in a linear array from a first end of the inlet housing substrate to a second end of the inlet housing substrate; each of the plurality of outlet ports is incrementally spaced and disposed in a linear array from a first end of the outlet housing substrate to a second end of the outlet housing substrate; and the plurality of inlet ports is in fluid communication with each of the plurality of manifolds, and the plurality of outlet ports is in fluid communication with each of the plurality of manifolds. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The valve assembly of claim 11, wherein a number of the plurality of outlet ports is a multiplied factor of a number of the plurality of inlet ports, and wherein the number of the plurality of inlet ports is at least two inlet ports, and the multiplied factor is at least two. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The valve assembly of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of seals incrementally spaced and mounted to the valve bar in a linear arrangement extending from a first end of the valve bar to a second end of the valve bar, wherein the plurality of seals engages with at least one of the plurality of valves, the inlet housing substrate, and the outlet housing substrate, to regulate the fluid communication between the plurality of inlet ports and the plurality of outlet ports. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The valve assembly of claim 11, further comprising an actuator adapted to move the valve bar between the plurality of positions, wherein the actuator is an electric motor based linear actuator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The valve assembly of claim 11, wherein the inlet housing substrate comprises a plurality of first retainers and the outlet housing substrate comprises a plurality of second retainers, and wherein each of the plurality of first retainers engages with an associated second retainer of the plurality of second retainers to define the cavity.