Vehicle seat cushion with inflatable air bladder

Abstract

A cushion is adapted to set on a seat pan included in a vehicle seat. The cushion includes an inflatable air bag in, for example, a lumbar-support device.

1 . An occupant-support base for a vehicle seat, the occupant-support base comprising
 a cushion including a deformable elastic bed made of an elastomeric material and adapted to support a portion of an occupant seated on the cushion and a first inflatable air bladder coupled to the deformable elastic bed and formed to include a first air chamber and a first air-intake port opening into the first air chamber, wherein the first inflatable air bladder is made of the elastomeric material and configured to expand from a deflated state characterized by a first volume of air in the first air chamber to an inflated state characterized by a relatively greater second volume of air in the first air chamber in response to admission of pressurized air into the first air chamber through the first air-intake port.   
     
     
         2 . The occupant-support base of  claim 1 , wherein the cushion comprises a monolithic first sheet made of the elastomeric material and configured to include outer portions of each of the deformable elastic bed and the first inflatable air bladder and a monolithic second sheet made of the elastomeric material and configured to include inner portions of each of the deformable elastic bed and the first inflatable air bladder and wherein the monolithic first sheet is arranged to mate with the monolithic second sheet to cause outer and inner portions of the first inflatable bladder to mate in sealing relation to form the first air chamber therebetween and to cause outer and inner portions of the deformable elastic bed to mate to form a bladder-receiving cavity containing the first inflatable air bladder. 
     
     
         3 . The occupant-support base of  claim 2 , wherein the outer and inner portions of the first inflatable bladder cooperate to form the first air-intake port therebetween. 
     
     
         4 . The occupant-support base of  claim 3 , further comprising a first air-inlet conduit arranged to extend through a space defined between the monolithic first sheet and the monolithic second sheet to mate with the first air-intake port and formed to include a first passageway configured to provide means for conducting pressurized air from a source of pressurized air into the first air chamber to change the first inflatable bladder from the deflated state to the inflated state. 
     
     
         5 . The occupant-support base of  claim 1 , wherein the cushion further includes a second inflatable air bladder made of the elastomeric material and coupled to the deformable elastic bed to lie alongside the first inflatable air bladder. 
     
     
         6 . The occupant-support base of  claim 5 , wherein the cushion further includes a third inflatable air bladder made of the elastomeric material and coupled to the deformable elastic bed and the third inflatable air bladder is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first inflatable air bladder to locate the second inflatable air bladder therebetween. 
     
     
         7 . The occupant-support base of  claim 5 , wherein the deformable elastic bed is formed to include a perimeter edge and a bladder-receiving cavity containing the first and second inflatable air bladders therein and lying in spaced-apart relation to the perimeter edge to cause a perimeter portion of the deformable elastic bed to surround the first and second inflatable air bladders. 
     
     
         8 . The occupant-support base of  claim 7 , wherein the second inflatable air bladder is formed to include a second air chamber and a second air-intake port opening into the second air chamber and lying in side-by-side spaced-apart relation to the first air-intake port formed in the first inflatable air bladder and the first and second air-intake ports are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the perimeter edge of the deformable elastic bed. 
     
     
         9 . The occupant-support base of  claim 8 , further comprising a first air-inlet conduit arranged to extend through the perimeter portion of the deformable elastic bed and mate with the first air-intake port and formed to include a first passageway configured to provide means for conducting pressurized air from a source of pressurized air into the first air chamber to change the first inflatable air bladder from the deflated state to the inflated state and a second air-inlet conduit arranged to extend through the perimeter portion of the deformable elastic bed and mate with the second air-intake port and formed to include a second passageway configured to provide means for conducting pressurized air from the sources of pressurized air into the second air chamber to change the second inflatable air bladder from a deflated state to an inflated state. 
     
     
         10 . The occupant-support base of  claim 7 , wherein the cushion further includes a third inflatable air bladder made of the elastomeric material and coupled to the deformable elastic bed and the third inflatable air bladder is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first inflatable air bladder to locate the second inflatable air bladder therebetween, the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders are mounted in overlapping shingled relation one to another to provide lumbar-support means in the bladder-receiving cavity for establishing a four-way lumbar adjustment system using pressurized air from a source of pressurized air to inflate the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders separately and in a coordinated simultaneous manner so that each of the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders is arranged to be inflated and deflated to cause outer surfaces of the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders to move in an outward first direction away from a seat pan underlying and supporting the deformable elastic bed and each of the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders, to move in an inward second direction toward the seat pan, and to move upwardly in an upward third direction extending from the first inflatable air bladder toward the third inflatable air bladder and downwardly in an opposite downward fourth direction extending from the third inflatable air bladder toward the first inflatable air bladder. 
     
     
         11 . The occupant-support base of  claim 10 , further comprising a seat pan arranged to underlie and support the deformable elastic bed and each of the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders and wherein the cushion comprises a monolithic first sheet configured to include outer portions of each of the deformable elastic bed and the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders, the outer portions being arranged to lie in a spaced-apart relation to the seat pan, and a monolithic second sheet configured to include inner portions of each of the deformable elastic bed and the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders arranged to lie between the outer portions and the seat pan, and the first monolithic sheet is arranged to mate with the monolithic second sheet to cause the outer and inner portions of the first inflatable air bladder to mate in sealing relation to one another to form the first air chamber therebetween. 
     
     
         12 . The occupant-support base of  claim 5 , wherein the cushion comprises a monolithic first sheet made of the elastomeric material and configured to include outer portions of each of the deformable elastic bed and the first and second inflatable air bladders and a monolithic second sheet made of the elastomeric material and configured to include inner portions of each of the deformable elastic bed and the first and second inflatable air bladders and wherein the monolithic first sheet is arranged to mate with the monolithic second sheet to cause the outer and inner portions of the first inflatable air bladder to mate in sealing relation to one another to form the first air chamber therebetween and to cause the outer and inner portions of the second inflatable air bladder to mate in sealing relation to one another to form a second air chamber therebetween. 
     
     
         13 . The occupant-support base of  claim 12 , wherein the outer and inner portions of the first inflatable air bladder cooperate to form the first air-intake port therebetween. 
     
     
         14 . The occupant-support base of  claim 13 , further comprising a first air-inlet conduit arranged to extend through a space defined between the monolithic first sheet and the monolithic second sheet to mate with the first air-intake port and formed to include a first passageway configured to provide means for conducting pressurized air from a source of pressurized air into the first air chamber to change the first inflatable air bladder from the deflated state to the inflated state. 
     
     
         15 . The occupant-support base of  claim 13 , wherein the outer portion of the deformable elastic bed includes a first plate and a series of spaced-apart downwardly projecting domes, each downwardly projecting dome has a first base coupled to the first plate and a first tip coupled to the first base, and the inner portion of the deformable elastic bed includes a second plate arranged to mate with the first plate and a series of spaced-apart upwardly projecting domes, each upwardly projecting dome has a second base coupled to the second plate and a second tip coupled to the second base and to the first tip to cause each companion pair of mating downwardly and upwardly projecting domes to form a resilient deformable post included in the deformable elastic bed and arranged to extend between the first and second plates. 
     
     
         16 . The occupant-support base of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable elastic bed includes a first web and a second web mated to the first web to establish a border arranged to extend along at least a portion of a perimeter edge of the first inflatable air bladder, the first inflatable air bladder includes a first shell coupled to the first web at the border and formed to include a first basin and a second shell coupled to the second web at the border and formed to include a second basin opening toward and communicating with the first basin of the first shell, and the first shell is sealingly coupled to the second shell to establish the first inflatable air bladder and cause the first and second basins to communicate with one another to form the first air chamber between the first and second shells. 
     
     
         17 . The occupant-support base of  claim 16 , wherein the first web of the deformable elastic bed and the first shell of the first inflatable air bladder cooperate to establish a monolithic first sheet made of the elastomeric material. 
     
     
         18 . The occupant-support base of  claim 17 , wherein the second web of the deformable elastic bed and the second shell of the first inflatable air bladder cooperate to establish a monolithic second sheet made of the elastomeric material and the monolithic second sheet is mated to the monolithic first sheet to align the first and second basins in registry with one another to form the first air chamber between the first and second shells. 
     
     
         19 . The occupant-support base of  claim 18 , wherein the first web includes a first plate and a series of spaced-apart downwardly projecting domes, each downwardly projecting dome has a first base coupled to the first plate and a first tip coupled to the first base and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first plate, the second web includes a second plate arranged to mate with the first plate and a series of spaced-apart upwardly projecting domes, each upwardly projecting dome has a second base coupled to the second plate and a second tip coupled to the second base and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the second plate, and the second tip is coupled to the first tip to cause each companion pair of mating downwardly and upwardly projecting domes to form a resilient deformable post included in the deformable elastic bed and arranged to extend between the first and second plates. 
     
     
         20 . The occupant-support base of  claim 1 , wherein the first inflatable air bladder includes a first shell formed to include a first basin and a second shell formed to include a second shell formed to include a second basin opening toward the first basin and the first and second shells are sealingly coupled to one another to cause the first and second basins to communicate with one another to form the first air chamber between the first and second shells. 
     
     
         21 . The occupant-support base of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second shells mate with one another along a shell interface and cooperate to form the first air-intake port therebetween along the shell interface. 
     
     
         22 . The occupant-support base of  claim 21 , further comprising an air-inlet conduit arranged to extend into the first air-intake port and formed to include a passageway configured to provide means for conducting pressurized air from a source of pressurized air into the first air chamber to change the first inflatable air bladder from the deflated state to the inflated state. 
     
     
         23 . The occupant-support base of  claim 22 , wherein the air-inlet conduit is arranged to extend away from the first inflatable air bladder and through a portion of the deformable elastic bed. 
     
     
         24 . The occupant-support base of  claim 20 , wherein the deformable elastic bed is formed to include a bladder-receiving cavity and the first inflatable air bladder is arranged to lie in the bladder-receiving cavity. 
     
     
         25 . The occupant-support base of  claim 1 , further comprising a seat pan arranged to underlie and support the cushion and wherein the deformable elastic bed includes a first web and a second web mated to the first web to establish a border arranged to extend along at least a portion of a perimeter edge of the first inflatable air bladder and arranged to lie in a position between the first web and the seat pan, the first inflatable air bladder includes a shell coupled to the first web and formed to include a basin and an auxiliary sheet sealingly coupled to the shell to close an opening into the basin to cause the basin to provide the first air chamber and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the seat pan to locate the shell therebetween. 
     
     
         26 . The occupant-support base of  claim 1 , further comprising a seat pan arranged to underlie and support the cushion and wherein the deformable elastic bed includes a first web and a second web mated to the first web to establish a border arranged to extend along at least a portion of a perimeter edge of the first inflatable air bladder and arranged to lie in a position between the second web and the seat pan, the first inflatable air bladder includes a shell coupled to the second web and formed to include a basin and an auxiliary sheet sealingly coupled to the shell to close an opening into the basin to cause the basin to provide the first air chamber and arranged to lie in a position between the seat pan and the shell. 
     
     
         27 . The occupant-support base of  claim 1 , further comprising a first air-inlet conduit arranged to mate with the first air-intake port and formed to include a mount flange located in the first air-intake port, an inner air-conducting tube coupled to the mount flange and located inside of the first air chamber, and an outer air-conducting tube coupled to the mount flange and located outside of the first air chamber, and wherein the mount flange and the inner and outer air-conducting tubes are formed to define a first passageway configured to provide means for conducting pressurized air from a source of pressurized air into the first air chamber to change the first inflatable bladder from the deflated state to the inflated state. 
     
     
         28 . An occupant-support base for a vehicle seat, the occupant-support base comprising
 a seat pan and   a cushion coupled to the seat pan, the cushion including a monolithic first sheet made of an elastomeric material and mounted on the seat pan and a monolithic second sheet made of the elastomeric material and mated to the monolithic first sheet to trap the monolithic second sheet between the monolithic first sheet and the seat pan, and wherein the first and second monolithic sheets cooperate to form a deformable elastic bed and the monolithic first sheet mates with the monolithic second sheet to form a first inflatable air bladder defining a first air chamber located between the monolithic first and second sheets.   
     
     
         29 . The occupant-support base of  claim 28 , wherein the monolithic first sheet includes a first web coupled to the first inflatable air bladder, the monolithic second sheet includes a second web coupled to the first inflatable air bladder, the first and second webs cooperate to define a deformable elastic bad and to define a bladder-receiving cavity, and the first inflatable air bladder is located in the bladder-receiving cavity. 
     
     
         30 . An occupant-support base for a vehicle seat, the occupant-support base comprising
 a cushion including a monolithic first sheet made of an elastomeric material and a monolithic second sheet made of an elastomeric material, wherein the monolithic first sheet includes a first web having an outer first edge defining a perimeter edge of the monolithic first sheet and an inner first edge lying in spaced-apart relation to the outer first edge, the monolithic second sheet includes a second web having an outer second edge defining a perimeter edge of the monolithic second sheet and an inner second edge lying in spaced-apart relation to the outer second edge and cooperating with the inner first edge to form a border defining a bladder-receiving cavity, the monolithic first sheet includes a lower first shell coupled to the inner first edge of the first web, an upper first shell coupled to the inner first edge of the first web and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the lower first shell, and a middle first shell coupled to the inner first edge of the first web, located in a space provided between the lower and upper first shells, and coupled to each of the lower and upper first shells, the monolithic second sheet includes a lower second shell coupled to the inner second edge of the second web, an upper second shell coupled to the inner second edge of the second web and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the lower second shell, and a middle second shell coupled to the inner second edge of the second web, located in a space provided between the lower and upper second shells, and coupled to each of the lower and upper second shells, the lower first and second shells mate and cooperate to form a first inflatable air bladder formed to include a first air chamber, the middle first and second shells mate and cooperate to form a second inflatable air bladder formed to include a second air chamber, the upper first and second shells mate and cooperate to form a third inflatable air bladder formed to include a third air chamber, and each of the first, second, and third inflatable air bladders are arranged to lie in the bladder-receiving cavity.   
     
     
         31 . The occupant-support base of  claim 30 , wherein the lower first and second shells mate with one another along a shell interface and cooperate to form a first air-intake port opening into the first air chamber and extending along the shell interface. 
     
     
         32 . The occupant-support base of  claim 31 , further comprising a first air-inlet conduit arranged to extend into the first air-intake port and formed to include a passageway configured to provide means for conducting pressurized air from a source of pressurized air into the first air chamber to change the first inflatable air bladder from a deflated state to an inflated state. 
     
     
         33 . The occupant-support base of  claim 32 , wherein the first air-intake conduit is arranged to extend through a space defined between the first and second webs and located between the inner and outer first edges of the first web.