Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Vehicle seat with morphing bolsters
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Application No.: US16262113Application Date: 2019-01-30
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Publication No.: US11192469B2Publication Date: 2021-12-07
- Inventor: Umesh N. Gandhi , Brian J. Pinkelman , Ryohei Tsuruta
- Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US TX Plano
- Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US TX Plano
- Agency: Darrow Mustafa PC
- Agent Christopher G. Darrow
- Main IPC: B60R22/00
- IPC: B60R22/00 ; B60N2/02 ; B60N2/90

Abstract:
A vehicle seat can be configured to selectively provide support to a vehicle occupant in conditions when lateral acceleration is experienced. An actuator can be located within the vehicle seat. When activated, the actuator cause a portion of the seat to morph into an activated configuration. The actuator can be activated based on vehicle speed, steering angle, and/or lateral acceleration. The actuator can include a bladder containing a dielectric fluid. A first and second conductor can be operatively positioned on opposite portions of the bladder. When electrical energy is supplied to the first and second conductors, they can have opposite charges. As a result, the first and second conductors can be electrostatically attracted toward each other to cause at least a portion of the dielectric fluid to be displaced to an outer peripheral region of the bladder, which bulges as a result and increases an overall height of the actuator.
Public/Granted literature
- US20200238854A1 VEHICLE SEAT WITH MORPHING BOLSTERS Public/Granted day:2020-07-30
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