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US 7,681,949 B2Granted
Haptic vehicle seat
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsJohn F. Nathan, H. Winston Maue, David A. Powell, Oliver J. Young
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A haptic seat and system for use in imparting sensations to an occupant thereof. The haptic seat may be used to alert passengers of various operating conditions with some sort of tactile sensation, such as a vibration, pulse, shake, or other inducement that involves the occupant's sense of touch.
Claims21
A haptic vehicle seat comprising:
- a seat cushion for supporting an occupant, the seat cushion having top, bottom and sides that together define a support area having a support material;
- an impulse distribution arm in communication with the seat cushion;
- an actuator removably clipped to the arm with a press-fit connection, the actuator being configured to induce a vibration into the arm that travels throughout the seat cushion, the actuator being embedded within the support material between the sides and below the top of the support area;
- and
- wherein the seat cushion includes a pair of cloth or leather trim linings sown together at a plastic trim bracket and wherein the trim bracket forms at least a portion of the impulse distribution arm.
2 more elements
A haptic seating system for use with a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a controller configured to issue a warning signal as a function of vehicle operating parameters;
- a vehicle seat having a trim lining surrounding at least a top and side circumferential portion of a seat cushion made of a support material, the trim lining being of a different material than the support material;
- wherein at least two portions of the trim lining are sown together at a location below an outside, exposed surface of the trim lining that is hidden from view;
- and
- an actuator in communication with the controller, the actuator being removably clipped to the at least two sown and hidden portions of the trim lining and configured to vibrate the trim lining in response to receipt of the warning signal.
2 more elements
A haptic vehicle seat comprising:
- a seat cushion for supporting an occupant, the seat cushion having a cushioning material surrounded by a cloth or leather material;
- an impulse distribution arm extending around substantially all of an outer perimeter of the seat cushion;
- an actuator configured to induce a vibration into the arm such that the vibration travels around substantially all of the of the outer perimeter of the seat cushion, wherein the actuator is positioned below a top of the cushioning material at a depth that causes any vibrations induced by the actuator to the cushioning material to be substantially insignificant relative to the vibration inducted to the impulse distribution arm;
- and
- wherein the arm has a goal-post shape, the goal-post shape four straight leg portions where a center one of the legs forms a center portion from which two of the legs extend in a direction opposite to a last one of the legs, and wherein the last one of the legs is the only leg directly connected to the actuator.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.