VEHICLE SEAT ARRANGEMENT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A VEHICLE SEAT ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A vehicle seat arrangement for a motor vehicle is provided. The vehicle seat arrangement comprises a vehicle seat, a pre-crash control unit which generates a control signal in the case of an impending collision of the motor vehicle, at least one pivoting element which is arranged in or on a backrest of the vehicle seat in order to move a vehicle occupant who is situated on the vehicle seat, and an actuator which, upon a control signal of the pre-crash control unit, which control signal indicates an impending collision, acts on a lever arm of the pivoting element in such a way that the latter performs a pivoting movement which leads to at least one region of the torso of the vehicle occupant being moved away from a possible collision region of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising a vehicle seat; a pre-crash control unit which generates a control signal in the case of an impending collision of the motor vehicle; at least one pivoting element which is arranged in or on a backrest of the vehicle seat in order to move a vehicle occupant who is situated on the vehicle seat, and an actuator which, upon a control signal of the pre-crash control unit, which control signal indicates an impending collision, acts on a lever arm of the pivoting element in such a way that the latter performs a pivoting movement which leads to at least one region of the torso of the vehicle occupant being moved away from a possible collision region of the vehicle, wherein the actuator acts on a first lever arm of the pivoting element in such a way that a movement of a second lever arm of the pivoting element is produced, which movement generates the movement of the vehicle occupant.

2. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivoting element is configured and arranged in such a way that the pivoting movement leads to at least the region of the torso of the vehicle occupant performing a movement in the vehicle transverse direction.

3. (canceled)

4. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivoting element is arranged in such a way that, during the performance of the pivoting movement, it acts on a thoracic region and/or shoulder region of the vehicle occupant.

5. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivoting element is arranged at least in sections in or on a lateral region of the vehicle seat.

6. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, comprising two pivoting elements which are arranged at least in sections in or on lateral regions of the vehicle seat which lie opposite one another, the pivoting elements in each case being assigned an actuator for acting on the pivoting element, and the pre-crash control unit being configured to transmit a control signal only to one of the two actuators in the case of an impending collision of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is arranged at least partially in or on the backrest of the vehicle seat.

8. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to exert a pressing force on the pivoting element.

9. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to exert a pulling force on the pivoting element.

10. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an inflatable element which is inflated as a reaction to the control signal and acts on the pivoting element.

11. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a supporting element, on which the inflatable element is supported.

12. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an elastic element which acts on the pivoting element as a reaction to the control signal.

13. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a movable element which acts on the pivoting element as a reaction to the control signal.

14. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein the movable element is of linearly movable configuration.

15. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein the movable element is arranged such that it can be moved in the manner of a piston in or on a guide.

16. The vehicle seat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the pivoting element and the actuator is configured and arranged in such a way that it absorbs energy by way of at least one of elastic deformation and plastic deformation in the case of a collision of the vehicle.

17. A method for operating a vehicle seat arrangement for a motor vehicle having the steps: providing of a vehicle seat and at least one pivoting element which is arranged in or on a backrest of the vehicle seat; and generating of a control signal which indicates an impending collision of the motor vehicle; wherein upon the control signal, a lever arm of the pivoting element is acted on in such a way that said pivoting element performs a pivoting movement which leads to at least one region of the torso of the vehicle occupant being moved away from a possible collision region of the vehicle, wherein an actuator acts on a first lever arm of the pivoting element in such a way that a movement of a second lever arm of the pivoting element is produced, which movement generates the movement of the vehicle occupant.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The invention will be described in greater detail in the following text using exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a section through a side region of a vehicle seat of a vehicle seat arrangement in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows the vehicle seat from FIG. 1 after activation of the actuator of the vehicle seat arrangement.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a vehicle seat of a vehicle seat arrangement in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows the vehicle seat from FIG. 3 after activation of the actuator.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a vehicle seat of a vehicle seat arrangement in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows the vehicle seat from FIG. 5 after activation of the actuator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a section through a lateral region of a vehicle seat 1 of a vehicle seat arrangement 10 according to the invention, the section extending through a backrest 11 with a side bolster 111 of the vehicle seat 1. A frame 12 of the vehicle seat 1 extends through the backrest 11, a side airbag module 13 being situated on an outer side of the frame 12.

[0044] Furthermore, a pivoting element 14 which is mounted such that it can be pivoted about a pivot point D is arranged in the backrest 11 (for example, at least partially in a cushion of the backrest 11). The pivot point D divides the pivoting element 14 into a first lever arm 141 and a second lever arm 142. The second lever arm 142 extends into the side bolster 111, whereas, as viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the first lever arm 141 is situated in a rear region of the backrest 11 and behind the second lever arm 142. At least the second lever arm 142 of the pivoting element 14 can be of plate-like configuration, with the result that, in particular in the vehicle vertical direction, it has an extent which is greater than its thickness. In addition, the second lever arm 142 has a side 1421 which faces the vehicle occupant 2 and is of substantially planar configuration. It is conceivable that the first lever arm 141 is also configured in the manner of a plate.

[0045] Via a pivoting movement of the pivoting element 14 out of the starting position which is shown in FIG. 1 into an activated position (FIG. 2), it is possible to give an impulse (lateral jolt) to a vehicle occupant 2 who is situated on the vehicle seat 1, which impulse moves said vehicle occupant 2 (at least the torso thereof) away out of his/her seating position in the case of an impending collision of the vehicle. The impulse on the vehicle occupant 2 is generated by virtue of the fact that the first lever arm 141 is moved to the outside, that is to say toward a vehicle side (in the direction of the frame 12), and the second lever arm 142 is therefore pivoted to the inside, that is to say away from the vehicle side (toward a rest face 15 of the backrest 11). As a result of said movement of the second lever arm 142, the side bolster 111 is deformed toward the vehicle occupant 2 until it finally presses against said vehicle occupant 2 and moves at least the torso of the vehicle occupant 2; for example, it results in a tilting movement of the torso.

[0046] The pivoting element 14 is set in the pivoting movement via an actuator 3. The actuator 3 comprises an inflatable element 31 and a supporting element 32, the inflatable element 31 being arranged at least in sections between the first lever arm 141 and the supporting element 32. The supporting element 32 is, for example, a plate-shaped element which is as rigid as possible and, for example, is connected fixedly to the backrest 11 (for example, to the frame 12). It is also conceivable that the frame 12 configures the supporting element 32 (in particular in one piece).

[0047] The inflatable element 31 is configured, in particular, from an expandable (for example, elastic) shell which encloses an inner volume which can be filled with gas. In order to fill the inflatable element 31, the actuator comprises a filling apparatus (which is not shown in FIG. 1). The filling apparatus can likewise be arranged in the backrest 11 or at another location of the vehicle seat 1. It is also conceivable, however, that the filling apparatus, as has already been mentioned above, is a unit which is external with respect to the vehicle seat.

[0048] The actuator 3 is configured to receive a control signal of a pre-crash control unit of the motor vehicle, which control signal signals an impending collision of the vehicle. As a reaction to receiving a control signal of this type, the actuator 3 (in particular, a receiving unit of the actuator) activates the filling apparatus, whereupon the inflatable element 31 is filled with gas (in particular, abruptly).

[0049] FIG. 2 shows the state of the actuator 3 and the pivoting element 14 after activation of the actuator 3. The inflated (or at least partially inflated) inflatable element 31 is supported with one side 311 on the supporting element 32, whereas it presses with another section against an inwardly directed (away from the vehicle side) side of the first lever arm 141 and therefore presses the first lever arm 141 outward (as viewed in the vehicle transverse direction), that is to say the pivoting element 14 is pivoted out of the starting position which is shown in FIG. 1 into the activated position.

[0050] As a result of the pivoting outward of the first lever arm 141, the second lever arm 142 correspondingly pivots inward, which leads to the deformation (shown in FIG. 2) of the side bolster 111 of the backrest 11. As a result of said deformation of the side bolster 111, the abovementioned impulse is exerted on the vehicle occupant 2, which impulse moves said vehicle occupant (at least his/her torso) out of the normal seating position (dashed line) into a protective position (continuous line) (along the movement direction B which is labeled by way of an arrow and runs at least approximately along the vehicle transverse direction).

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view (analogous with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2) of a vehicle seat 1 of a vehicle seat arrangement 10 in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the invention. Here, the actuator 3 does not have an inflatable element, but rather an elastic element in the form of a helical spring 310 which is configured as a compression spring. The spring 310 is mounted on a supporting element 32 and is held in a compressed state by a triggering unit 311 before the activation of the actuator 3. For example, the triggering unit 311 has a locking element 312 which first of all blocks an expansion of the spring 310 to the outside (that is to say, toward the pivoting element 14). The triggering unit 311 is, in particular, an electromagnetic unit which is configured, for example, in the manner of a headrest anti-whiplash triggering means.

[0052] After a control signal of the pre-crash unit of the vehicle is received, the triggering unit 311 cancels the locking action of the spring 310 (for example, by the locking element 312 being moved away from the spring 310), with the result that the spring 310 expands elastically in the direction of the pivoting element 14 (that is to say, in the vehicle transverse direction) and acts on the first lever arm 141 of the pivoting element 14 in such a way that it moves outward and the second lever arm 142 accordingly moves inward. Therefore, the pivoting movement (which has already been explained in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2) of the pivoting element 14 is likewise produced, which pivoting movement moves the vehicle occupant 2 in the vehicle transverse direction toward the inside and therefore away from a potential lateral collision location of the vehicle via a deformation of the side bolster 111 of the backrest 11 (FIG. 4).

[0053] FIGS. 5 (starting state of the pivoting element) and 6 (activated state of the pivoting element) show a further alternative refinement of the actuator 3. In accordance with said figures, the actuator 3 comprises a linearly movable element in the form of a piston 3100 which can be moved along a guide 3101. The guide 3101 is arranged, in particular, in such a way that the piston 3100 can be moved at least approximately in the vehicle transverse direction toward the first lever arm 141 of the pivoting element 14. The guide 3101 is, for example, a hollow cylinder, in which the piston 3100 is arranged.

[0054] Furthermore, the actuator 3 has an apparatus, via which the piston 3100 can be set in motion. In the present case, said apparatus is a gas provision unit in the form of a pyrotechnical unit 3102 which, after the control signal of the pre-crash unit of the vehicle is received, releases gas in a pyrotechnical way. The released gas acts on a widened end 3103 of the piston 3100 and therefore presses the piston 3100 to the outside toward the first lever arm 141 of the pivoting element 4 (cf. FIG. 6). As a result of the action of the piston 3100, the first lever arm 141, that is to say its end 3104 which faces the pivoting element 14, moves to the outside. Accordingly, the second lever arm 142 is in turn pressed inward, which leads to the movement of at least the torso of the vehicle occupant 2 toward the vehicle center. The actuator of FIGS. 5 and 6 can be configured, for example, in the manner of a belt tensioner actuator.

[0055] It is noted that the design variants of the actuator 3 which are shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 might also be used in combination with one another. Thus, different mechanisms for pivoting the pivoting element can certainly be used together; for example, a combination of a spring element with an inflatable element. Furthermore, it is noted that of course the two lateral regions of the vehicle seat can have the arrangements in FIGS. 1 to 6, that is to say, in particular, the pivoting element 14 and the actuator 3, that pivoting element 14 which is closest to the potential collision location being pivoted, in particular, with the result that only the side bolster which is closest to the collision location is deformed.