Seat-damping devices, systems, and methods for damping vibrations are disclosed. A fail-safe permanent magnet is used with an electromagnet to create damping of induced vibrations in a seat-damping device using magnetorheological, electrorheological, magnetically responsive powders and other magnetically responsive materials.

A vehicle seat to be mounted on a vehicle includes a seat cushion and a seat surface lowering mechanism. The seat cushion includes a seat surface on which a waist of an occupant of the vehicle is to be placed. The seat surface lowering mechanism is configured to lower the seat surface in response to either one of an occurrence of a rear-end collision of the vehicle or a sign of the occurrence of the rear-end collision.

A gyro seat includes: a seat body comprising a seat cushion and a seat back coupled to the seat cushion; and a seat gyroscope mounted to the seat body, the seat gyroscope compensating a movement of the seat body by control of first, second and third axes, where the first axis corresponds to a yaw of the seat body as a z axis of an xyz coordinate system, the second axis corresponds to a pitch of the seat body as an x axis of the xyz coordinate system, and the third axis corresponds to a roll of the seat body as a y axis of the xyz coordinate system.

A vehicle seat operation feedback and control system with a seat and an electronic display screen and a processor configured to receive a signal from the seat corresponding to an inoperable, almost inoperable, or undesired condition and provide feedback on the display screen of the inoperable, almost inoperable, or undesired condition.

An active suspension system comprises at least one biasing device configured to support a body from a structure, and at least one motor. A magnetorheological (MR) fluid clutch apparatus(es) is coupled to the at least one motor to receive torque from the motor, the MR fluid clutch apparatus controllable to transmit a variable amount of torque. A mechanism is between the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus and the body to convert the torque received from the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus into a force on the body. Sensor(s) provide information indicative of a state of the body or structure. A controller receives the information indicative of the state of the body or structure and for outputting a signal to control the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus in exerting a desired force on the body to control movement of the body according to a desired movement behavior.

Provided is a semi-active seat suspension system that minimizes vibration and energy transmission from a vibration/energy source, such as a motor vehicle, to a seated occupant by means of a spring and computer-controlled damper suspension system. Using a variety of sensors to determine an ideal damping rate at a given point in time, the system adjusts the damping rate in real time to provide the best possible ride to the occupant given the constraints of the system.

A vehicle seat having a suspension unit for cushioning the rolling and vertical suspension movements of the vehicle seat, wherein the vehicle seat has a vehicle seat upper part and a vehicle seat lower part, wherein the vehicle seat upper part and the vehicle seat upper part are connected by means of the suspension unit so that the vehicle seat upper part and the vehicle seat lower part are movable relative to one another, wherein the suspension unit has a scissor arrangement having a first scissor arm and a second scissor arm, the suspension unit is rotatably connected about a first axis of rotation to the vehicle seat lower part and comprises a spring element support and a first spring element, wherein a displacement element is provided which is mounted displaceably with respect to the vehicle seat lower part, wherein the first spring element is connected on the one hand to the displacement element and on the other hand to the spring element support, which is rotatably connected about a second axis of rotation to the first scissor arm and rotatably connected about a third axis of rotation to the second scissor arm.

An adjustable suspended seat apparatus having a tuned frequency-tailored damping through stratified seat structure is described. The damping seat structure includes: a first material of a plurality of materials having a first characteristic to provide a first damping effect in a first layer. A second material of the plurality of materials based on a second characteristic to provide a second damping effect in a second layer, the first material or the second material having an adjustable damping characteristic. The suspended seat apparatus includes a seat base configured to have the seat coupled thereto; a suspension system coupled to the seat base, the suspension system comprising: an adjustment feature configured to adjust operation of the suspension system; and a chassis mount coupled to the suspension system, the chassis mount configured to be coupled to a vehicle.

Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a method and apparatus for a space-saving suspension system. In various embodiments, the apparatus may comprise a fine suspension device, a coarse suspension device, and a mechanical assembly. In various embodiments, the fine suspension device is arranged at an angle greater than zero degrees from the z-axis. In various embodiments, the mechanical assembly is coupled to the fine suspension device and a payload, such that when a force is exerted on the mechanical assembly by the payload, an applied force is transmitted to the fine suspension device.

A system and method that establishes a confidence in a vehicle position determined by a vehicle position determination system and uses the established confidence to change a behavior of an active suspension system of a plant in the vehicle.