A seat assembly for supporting an occupant of a vehicle includes a cushion and a suspension. The cushion has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is configured to engage the occupant. The second surface is disposed opposite the first surface. The suspension includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a third surface. The third surface engages the second surface of the cushion. The second portion includes a fourth surface. The fourth surface defines a first depression. The first depression opens toward the cushion. The first depression is configured to receive a portion of the cushion when the occupant exerts a load on the cushion.

A seat suspension system that includes a seat base that enables movement of the seat horizontally; and a lateral attenuation system that when activated, dampens movement of the seat horizontally. The seat base can move along first and second horizontal axes that are orthogonal. The seat base can include a carrier casting moveable along the first horizontal axis relative to a reservoir casting, and a seat casting moveable along the second horizontal axis relative to the carrier casting. The castings can move on rails. The lateral attenuation system can include an actuation mechanism, a stopper, and a connector that couples the actuation mechanism and stopper to the seat base. When the actuation mechanism is activated, the stopper can connect the reservoir and seat castings. The lateral attenuation system can be configured to stop movement of the seat along the first and second horizontal axes at any desired position.

An adjustable firmness seat suspension includes a seat frame, first and second spring members, and an intermediate tensioning member. The seat frame includes a first frame member and a second frame member spaced apart from and opposite one another. The first spring member is attached to the first frame member, the second spring member is attached to the second frame member, and the intermediate tensioning member is attached to and extends between the first spring member and the second spring member. The intermediate tensioning member is formed from a shape memory alloy (SMA) having a first length that provides a first spring tension of the seat suspension through the first and second spring members, and configured to alter its length to a second length that provides a second spring tension of the seat suspension through the first and second spring members in response to application of a tensioning signal thereto.

An adjustable firmness seat suspension includes a seat frame, first and second spring members, and an intermediate tensioning member. The seat frame includes a first frame member and a second frame member spaced apart from and opposite one another. The first spring member is attached to the first frame member, the second spring member is attached to the second frame member, and the intermediate tensioning member is attached to and extends between the first spring member and the second spring member. The intermediate tensioning member is formed from a shape memory alloy (SMA) having a first length that provides a first spring tension of the seat suspension through the first and second spring members, and configured to alter its length to a second length that provides a second spring tension of the seat suspension through the first and second spring members in response to application of a tensioning signal thereto.

The invention disclosed herein comprises a vehicle having improved suspension systems for wheels, motorized wheels and the seat of the user. The wheel suspension system includes a sleeve housing a non-round core snugly surrounded by an elastomeric shock-absorption material. Since both ends of the sleeve have downstanding arms forming the forks supporting a caster axle, irregularities in the terrain encountered by the caster exert torsion upon the core; embedding the core in elastomeric material dampens the shock. The suspension system for the wheel assembly (including any motorized drive shaft) essentially includes pivot-mounting the wheel assembly (wheel-motor) beneath the chassis frame, so that irregularities in the terrain encountered by the drive wheel cause the wheel assembly to flex inwardly (for bumps) or outwardly (for holes); in the resting position there is an elastomeric bumper or compression spring horizontally mounted adjacent to a stop-plate on the pivoting cradle carrying the wheel assembly (or wheel-motor), so that further inward flexion is dampened. The seat suspension system includes elastomeric bumpers essentially acting as fulcrums, to dampen shock by absorbing it directly and by cantilevering the seat for further shock absorption.

An occupant support adapted for use in a vehicle includes a seat frame and a seat pad. The seat frame is adapted to couple with the vehicle for movement with the vehicle. The seat pad is adapted to provide a comfortable support interface for an occupant of the occupant support.

Vehicle seat comprising a vehicle seat upper part and a vehicle seat lower part, the vehicle seat upper part being movable relative to the vehicle seat lower part, and the vehicle seat upper part being able to be sprung and damped, relative to the vehicle seat lower part, by a suspension and damping element, the suspension and damping element comprising a reversibly deformable plastics element and an adjusting element, the plastics element and the adjusting element being in operative contact, and the spring characteristics of the suspension and damping element being able to be adjusted depending on the position of the adjusting element relative to the plastics element.

An earth working machine (10), for example a road milling machine (10), recycler, stabilizer, or surface miner, having a propelling unit (22) and a machine frame (12) carried by the propelling unit (22), comprises a working apparatus (32) for earth working; an operator's platform (24), having an operating console (26) for controlling at least one functional device (32, 39) of the earth working machine (10), being provided on the machine frame (12). Provision is made according to the present invention that the earth working machine (10) comprises, in the region of the operator's platform (24), a seat mount arrangement (66) that is embodied to be brought into releasable mounting engagement with a counterpart mount arrangement (76) of an operating seat (62, 64).

An occupant support adapted for use in a vehicle includes a seat frame and a seat pad. The seat frame is adapted to couple with the vehicle for movement with the vehicle. The seat pad is adapted to provide a comfortable support interface for an occupant of the occupant support.

A seat rubber mounted onto a suspension component including: an outer peripheral plate-shaped part extending along a receiving part of the suspension to receive a coil spring; an annular curving part defined by a radially inner portion of the outer peripheral plate-shaped part rising along a riser part of the suspension; a center projecting part inserted into a positioning hole of the suspension while being positioned inside the outer peripheral plate-shaped part and projecting from a distal end of the curving part toward its proximal end; an annular groove provided between the curving part and the center projecting part while receiving the riser part; and a flat-plate shaped reinforcing member embedded in the outer peripheral plate-shaped part around the riser part outwardly away from the curving part so as to disperse and transmit an input from the coil spring to the receiving part.