A lumbar support system for use in an ejection seat of an aircraft, comprising may comprise a pump; a plurality of bladders fluidly coupled to the pump; and a controller electrically coupled to the pump, the controller operable to: select a bladder in the plurality of bladders to fluidly isolate the bladder from a remainder of bladders in the plurality of bladders; and command the pump to inflate the bladder.

Proposed is a lumbar support assembly having an air bladder and components for operating the air bladder and facilitating the assembly and maintenance thereof. The lumbar support assembly includes: a suspension mat having a first hole formed at the inner side thereof, and having a second hole formed at one edge thereof; an air bladder having a first clip hole, which is formed at one edge thereof and overlaps with the first hole; a pouch including a pump and having a second clip hole, which is formed at one edge thereof and overlaps with the second hole; a fixing clip that can be mounted in the first clip hole or the second clip hole; and an electronic valve which has a first tube connected to the air bladder and a second tube connected to the pump and which is coupled to the rear surface of the suspension mat.

An articulation assembly for a vehicle seat includes a planar engagement surface. An inflatable member is operably coupled to the planar engagement surface. The inflatable member includes a plurality of polyhedral bodies that are configured to be formed via additive manufacturing. Each of the polyhedral bodies has a foldable portion that defines crease lines. A plurality of elastomeric members are disposed on each crease line. A planar base includes a port fluidly coupled to the polyhedral bodies. A manifold is fluidly coupled to the port of the planar base and is configured to translate fluid through the port to the polyhedral bodies.

A support driver for a seat and a support assembly including the same that is using a tube and a structure of a mat that is moved by an inflation and a deflation of the tube. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the support driver coupled to a seat frame includes: a support portion coupled to the seat frame; a tube coupled to the support portion; and a mat coupled to the support portion so as to allow the mat to be movable in a direction that is away from the support portion or in a direction that is adjacent to the support portion, with the tube being provided therebetween, in which the tube is configured to push the mat by being inflated according to an operation of a pump that is connected to the tube by a hose.

A backrest of a vehicle seat comprises a backrest frame, a support plate fixed to the backrest frame, and at least one vibrating device. Each vibrating device is fixed to the support plate by means of at least one damping element. Preferably, each vibrating device is fixed on a face of the support plate opposite to the face intended to be oriented towards an occupant of the seat, at least a portion of each vibrating device being received in a respective through-hole in the support plate.

Various examples relate to electrically actuated valves. Various examples relate to actuators to be used for valves, e.g., shape—memory alloy actuators or solenoid actuators (151) or piezoelectric actuators. Various examples relate to a modular concept in which a valve can be formed by attaching an actuator component (601) to a housing. Various examples relate to a further modular concept in which multiple valve blocks, each valve block including one or more valves, can be fluidly coupled with each other.

An actuator arrangement for an electromagnetically actuatable valve comprises a housing having a first wall, and a second wall situated opposite the first wall, a solenoid armature, with first and second axial armature end surfaces facing toward the first and second housing walls respectively, movable along an axis between a first position, where the first end surface makes contact with the first wall, and a second position, where the first end surface is away from the first wall. A damping element of an elastomer material extends from the second end surface toward the second wall and contacts the second wall in the first and second positions of the solenoid armature, A stop element of an elastomer material extends from the second end surface toward the second wall and, in the first position, is away from the second wall and, in the second position, contacts the second wall.

Disclosed is an actuator unit for opening or closing a valve opening of a valve for a pneumatic adjusting device of a vehicle seat, comprising a circuit board with a top side extending in a circuit board plane, an actuating element with an actuating section for opening or closing the valve opening and a bending section connected to the actuating section, and an actuator element with a first end mechanically connected to the actuating section and a second end mechanically connected to the circuit board. The actuator element is configured to, when actuated, bend the bending section such that the actuating section is moved between a first position for opening the valve opening and a second position for closing the valve opening. The actuating section is arranged on a first side and the bending section is arranged on a second side, situated opposite the first side, respective of the circuit board plane.

A profile for an occupant is stored. The profile includes a plurality of clusters of sitting positions for the occupant in a seat and classifications of respective clusters as preferred or nonpreferred. Respective clusters are classified as preferred or nonpreferred based on sitting scores for the respective sitting positions in that cluster. A higher sitting score increases a likelihood of the classification being preferred. A series of pressure maps indicating a respective series of sitting positions of the occupant in the seat are received. The pressure maps include a current pressure map. One of the sitting positions is assigned to one of the clusters that is classified as preferred in response to the sitting score of that sitting position being greater than a threshold score. A physical configuration of the seat is adjusted in response to the current sitting position being in one of the clusters that is classified as nonpreferred.

A seat for a vehicle may include a seatback including one or more inflatable bladders that may be configured to provide adjustable lumbar support and to deploy in response to a triggering event signal indicative of a change of velocity, collision, or predicted collision event. One or more inflatable bladders may be configured to be independently controllable and configured to provide adjustable lumbar support at a region of the seatback during normal vehicle operation. Moreover, when at least a portion of the back of an occupant of the seat pushes against a front surface of the seatback due to the event, the one or more inflatable bladders may be configured to compress at least partially a comfort foam or comfort material in the seatback and expedite engagement of the energy absorbing material with the occupant's back.