Abstract
For the purpose of simplified production of a motor vehicle seat which can be used in a versatile manner, with a seat part, a backrest and a headrest, the seat part and/or the backrest and/or the headrest have or has a number of chambers which are produced additively from an elastic material, particularly preferably silicone and/or a polyurethane, and which are in each case designed to be filled at least temporarily with a fluid.
Claims
1.-9. (canceled)
10. A motor vehicle seat, comprising: a seat part; a backrest; and a headrest, wherein the seat part, the backrest and/or the headrest has a number of chambers which are additively produced from an elastic material and, in each case, designed to be filled at least temporarily with a fluid.
11. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein the elastic material is a silicone and/or a polyurethane.
12. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein at least one web is produced during the additive production of the chambers and connects at least two adjacent chambers.
13. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein a foam part which, during the additive production of the chambers, is provided to be connected to at least a proportion of the chambers.
14. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the silicone and/or the polyurethane at discrete positions contains at least one additive.
15. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the silicone and/or the polyurethane at discrete positions has different material thicknesses and/or material densities.
16. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 11, wherein the silicone and/or the polyurethane at discrete positions is configured so as not to be fluid-tight.
17. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 10, further comprising: means for conducting an electric current, said electric current conducting means being situated in or next to at least one chamber.
18. The motor vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein at least one chamber is configured as an airbag.
19. A method of producing a motor vehicle seat, the method comprising: additively manufacturing from an elastic material a number of chambers of at least one of a seat part, back rest or headrest of the motor vehicle seat, wherein the number of chambers, in each case, being designed to be filled at least temporarily with a fluid.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the elastic material is a silicone and/or a polyurethane.
21. The method according to claim 19, wherein at least one web is produced during the additive manufacturing of the chambers and connects at least two adjacent chambers.
22. The method according to claim 19, wherein a foam part which, during the additive manufacturing of the chambers, is provided to be connected to at least a proportion of the chambers.
23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the silicone and/or the polyurethane at discrete positions contains at least one additive.
24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the silicone and/or the polyurethane at discrete positions has different material thicknesses and/or material densities.
25. The method according to claim 20, wherein the silicone and/or the polyurethane at discrete positions is configured so as not to be fluid-tight.
26. The method according to claim 19, wherein an electric current conductor is situated in or next to at least one chamber.
27. The method according to claim 19, wherein at least one chamber is configured as an airbag.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1A shows a simplified perspective view of a motor vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the invention which is disposed in a motor vehicle and is in a first operating position;
[0023] FIG. 1B shows the motor vehicle seat illustrated in FIG. 1A in a second operating position;
[0024] FIG. 2A shows a simplified sectional view of additively produced chambers of a motor vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the invention, the chambers being in a first operating position;
[0025] FIG. 2B shows chambers as an alternative to those in FIG. 2A in a second operating position; and
[0026] FIGS. 3A to 3C show, in each case, alternative embodiments of the motor vehicle seat according to the invention in a simplified perspective view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] In FIG. 1A, a motor vehicle seat 1 which is shown in a simplified perspective view is situated in a symbolically illustrated motor vehicle 5. The motor vehicle seat 1 in a manner known per se comprises a seat part 10, a backrest 15 and a headrest 20, all three being illustrated in a first operating position. The seat part 10, the backrest 15 and the headrest 20 have side bolsters known per se, the latter for reasons of clarity not being provided in more detail with reference signs. The seat part 10, the backrest 15 and the headrest 20 moreover have a number of chambers 25 which are additively produced from a silicone and of which, for reasons of clarity, only a few are provided with the reference sign. Alternatively, it can be provided that part or all of the chambers 25 are produced from a polyurethane.
[0028] Each of the chambers 25, by way of an air supply not shown here, at any arbitrary time and for an arbitrary period can be filled partially or completely with air or any other desired fluid. For example, the second operating state shown in FIG. 1B can thus be achieved in that the chambers 25 of the seat part 10, of the backrest 15 and of the headrest 20, that in the travel direction of the motor vehicle 5 are situated on the right, in particular the chambers 25 situated in the respective side bolsters, are filled with more air than the chambers 25 that in the travel direction are situated on the left, and the motor vehicle seat 1 to this extent is more expansive in the right direction mentioned than in the left direction. It is however understood that the motor vehicle seat 1, as a result of specific chambers 25 being filled completely or partially with air, or emptied of air, respectively, in a defined manner, in one, several or all spatial directions x, y or z, respectively, can assume an entirely different shape than the shapes illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. It is thus possible in particular to temporarily change the geometry of defined chambers, as a result of which a massage function of the motor vehicle seat 1 according to the invention can be created.
[0029] Two adjacent chambers 25 are illustrated in an exemplary manner in a sectional view in FIG. 2A, the chambers 25 being connected to one another by a common web 30 and being in a first operating position. The chamber 25 shown on the right in FIG. 2A is filled with air and specified in such a manner that the chamber 25 expands downward in FIG. 2A. In contrast, the chamber 25 illustrated on the left in FIG. 2A is completely evacuated in such a manner that a concavely shaped surface is configured in this region of the chamber 25. Consequently, the material which configures the chambers 25 is compressed in this region.
[0030] In FIG. 2B, two chambers 25 as an alternative to those in FIG. 2A are illustrated in a sectional view, the two alternative chambers 25 being filled with air in such a manner that the latter expand upward in FIG. 2B. To be seen in the chamber 25 illustrated on the left in FIG. 2B is a casing 35 which is provided from an additive and by which the mechanical characteristics of the chamber 25 can be influenced in a desired manner. The casing 35 can thus have a higher mechanical strength than the material surrounding the casing 35 such that the chamber 25 depicted on the left in FIG. 2B in temporal terms expands only after the chamber 25 illustrated on the right in FIG. 2B. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the casing 35 is configured in an air-tight manner, while the chamber 25 depicted on the right is air-permeable.
[0031] The chambers 25 illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, conjointly with the web 30 and the optional casing 35, are additively produced. As a result, it is understood that a desired number of chambers in any arbitrary spatial direction x, y, z can be produced in a simple manner. As a result, it is moreover easily possible for a desired geometry of the chambers 25 which are able to be completely or partially filled or emptied, respectively, to be generated, in particular by a suitable selection of materials and material thicknesses.
[0032] It is furthermore to be noted that the chambers 25 during the production process thereof or subsequently can be connected to further components of a motor vehicle seat 1, for example to a covering material having a foam or having a fabric, leather, or the like (all not shown).
[0033] Shown in FIG. 3A is a motor vehicle seat 1 in a perspective view, a number of chambers 25 in the seat part 10, the backrest 15 and the headrest 20 being additively produced and disposed in a distributed manner in the motor vehicle seat 1. The chambers 25 are configured so as to be air-permeable such that fans (not shown) which are discretely distributed in the seat part 10, the backrest 15 and the headrest 20 can generate an air flow, symbolized by the arrows I, from within the motor vehicle seat 1 toward the outside. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible for air dispensed by an air-conditioning system (not shown here) of the motor vehicle 1 to be permitted to flow into the seat part 10, the backrest 15 and/or the headrest 20 in such a manner that the chambers 25 are filled with conditioned air, as a result of which a seat-climatization device is likewise created. The fans, as well as the electric conductors (not shown) which supply the fans with electric power and electric signals and are configured as conductor paths, are incorporated during the additive production of the seat part 10, the backrest 15 and the headrest 20.
[0034] A further embodiment of a motor vehicle seat 1 according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3B. In this motor vehicle seat 1, the ventilation function illustrated in FIG. 3A is provided only in the seat part 10, while the backrest 15 and the headrest are configured without ventilation. Furthermore provided in the seat part 10 and the backrest 15 are heating elements 40 of which only part are provided with reference signs for reasons of clarity. According to the present embodiment, it is provided that the upper region of the seat part 10 as that seat part on which a human body (not shown) rests during the usual use of the motor vehicle seat 1 is configured with air-impermeable chambers 25. Consequently, the effect of the heating elements 40 in this region is only by way of radiation and thermal conduction. At the same time, it is provided that the chambers 25 which are situated in the side bolsters of the seat part 10 are at least in part configured so as to be air-permeable. As a result, when using the heating elements 40 and fans, it is possible for heated air II to be permitted to flow out of the seat part 10 and accordingly on the side of the motor vehicle 1. The heating elements 40 as well as electric conductors (not shown) required therefor are also incorporated during the additive production of the seat part 10, the backrest 15 and the headrest 20.
[0035] A further alternative embodiment of a motor vehicle seat 1 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 3C. Apart from the heating elements 40 which have already been described with reference to FIG. 3B, a row of sensors 45 is situated in the seat part 10, the backrest 15 and the headrest 20. The sensors 45 and the heating elements 40 are operatively connected to a processor unit 50 situated in the motor vehicle 1, for example an on-board electronics unit which is known per se but not depicted here, as is symbolized by the arrows III. As a result, a closed-loop control circuit can be configured in which climatizing the motor vehicle seat 1 based on closed-loop control is able to be implemented in a manner known per se. The sensors 45 as well as electric conductors (not shown) required therefor are also incorporated during the additive production of the seat part 10, the backrest 15 and the headrest 20.
[0036] It is to be noted that sensors 45 which carry out a function different from that described above can also be used. It is thus possible for at least part of the sensors 45 to be configured as pressure sensors or biosensors for determining biometric data, the data of the sensors being emitted to the processor unit 50.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0037] 1 Motor vehicle seat [0038] 5 Motor vehicle [0039] 10 Seat part [0040] 15 Backrest [0041] 20 Headrest [0042] 25 Chamber [0043] 30 Web [0044] 35 Casing [0045] 40 Heating element [0046] 45 Sensors [0047] 50 Processor unit [0048] I Air flow (cold) [0049] II Air flow (warm) [0050] III Operative connection [0051] x,y,z Axes of a vehicle-specific Cartesian coordinate system according to ISO 4130-1978
