초록 ▼

A vehicle seat includes a sealed inflation system having first and second inflation bladders interconnected by first and second supply lines for exchanging an inflation medium therebetween. Each inflation bladder includes one or more outwardly extending pilot stems. A first valve assembly is operabl

A vehicle seat includes a sealed inflation system having first and second inflation bladders interconnected by first and second supply lines for exchanging an inflation medium therebetween. Each inflation bladder includes one or more outwardly extending pilot stems. A first valve assembly is operably coupled to the pilot stems and first the supply line. Compression of the second inflation bladder opens the first valve assembly, and compression of the first inflation bladder closes the first valve assembly. A second valve assembly is disposed on the second supply and is configured to open and close as a seatback of the vehicle seat moves from a folded position to an upright position. The first and second valve assemblies are external components to the sealed inflation system.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A vehicle seat, comprising: first and second inflation bladders disposed in a seat portion;first and second supply lines interconnecting the inflation bladders;a first valve assembly disposed on the first supply line and openable towards the first inflation bladder under pressure from the second

1. A vehicle seat, comprising: first and second inflation bladders disposed in a seat portion;first and second supply lines interconnecting the inflation bladders;a first valve assembly disposed on the first supply line and openable towards the first inflation bladder under pressure from the second inflation bladder; anda second valve assembly disposed on the second supply line and openable towards the second inflation bladder by a downward folding movement of a seatback. 2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the second valve assembly includes a base portion having a pinch blade pivotally coupled thereto, wherein the pinch blade includes an upper engagement surface. 3. The vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the seatback includes a cam surface configured to engage the upper engagement surface of the pinch blade to close the second valve assembly when the seatback is in an upright position. 4. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the first valve assembly is a non-return valve assembly operable between open and closed positions relative to a condition of the first and second inflation bladders. 5. The vehicle seat of claim 4, wherein the first valve assembly is in the closed position when the first inflation bladder is in a compressed condition. 6. The vehicle seat of claim 5, wherein the first valve assembly is in the open position when the second inflation bladder is in a compressed condition to allow for movement of an inflation medium from the second inflation bladder to the first inflation bladder via the first supply line. 7. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the second valve assembly is in an open position when the first inflation bladder is in a compressed condition to allow for movement of an inflation medium from the first inflation bladder to the second inflation bladder. 8. A vehicle seat, comprising: a sealed inflation system having first and second inflation bladders interconnected by a supply line for exchanging an inflation medium therebetween, each inflation bladder including one or more pilot stems extending outwardly therefrom; anda valve assembly operably coupled to the pilot stems and the supply line, wherein compression of the second inflation bladder opens the valve assembly, and further wherein compression of the first inflation bladder closes the valve assembly. 9. The vehicle seat of claim 8, wherein the valve assembly includes a base portion having first and second troughs disposed on opposite sides of a pinch blade, and further wherein the one or more pilot stems of the first and second inflation bladders are received in the first and second troughs of the base portion. 10. The vehicle seat of claim 9, wherein the valve assembly includes an engagement portion pivotally coupled to the base portion, the engagement portion having a plurality of engagement members disposed over the one or more pilot stems of the first and second inflation bladders as received the first and second troughs of the base portion, and further wherein the supply line is received in a central channel of the engagement portion disposed below the pinch blade of the base portion. 11. The vehicle seat of claim 10, wherein the pinch blade closes the supply line when the first inflation bladder is compressed and the one or more pilot stems of the first inflation bladder are inflated. 12. The vehicle seat of claim 11, wherein the pinch blade is raised above the supply line when the second inflation bladder is compressed and the one or more pilot stems of the second inflation bladder are inflated. 13. The vehicle seat of claim 8, wherein the first inflation bladder includes one or more inflation bladders disposed near an edge of a seat portion of the vehicle seat. 14. The vehicle seat of claim 13, wherein the second inflation bladder includes one or more inflation bladders disposed in a central portion of the seat portion of the vehicle seat. 15. The vehicle seat of claim 8, wherein the valve assembly defines a first valve assembly and the supply line defines a first supply line, and further wherein a second valve assembly is disposed on a second supply line interconnecting the first and second inflation bladders. 16. The vehicle seat of claim 15, wherein the second valve assembly opens to allow an inflation medium to exhaust from the first inflation bladder to the second inflation bladder through the second supply line when the first inflation bladder is in a compressed condition. 17. The vehicle seat of claim 16, wherein the second valve assembly includes an engagement surface configured to close the second valve assembly when a cam surface of a seatback acts on the engagement surface as the seatback moves to an upright position. 18. A vehicle seat, comprising: a seat portion;a seatback pivotally coupled to the seat portion between upright and folded positions, wherein the seatback includes a cam surface disposed thereon;a sealed inflation system disposed in the seat portion, the inflation system comprising: first and second inflation bladders, each having one or more pilot stems extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the first and second inflation bladders are interconnected by first and second supply lines configured to carry an inflation medium between the first and second inflation bladders;a first valve assembly disposed externally on the first supply line and operably coupled to the one or more pressure stems of the first and second inflation bladders, wherein compression of the second inflation bladder inflates the one or more pilot stems of the second inflation bladder to thereby open the first valve assembly, and further wherein compression of the first inflation bladder inflates the one or more pilot stems of the first inflation bladder to thereby close the first valve assembly; anda second valve assembly disposed externally on the second supply line, wherein the cam surface of the seatback engages the second valve assembly to close the second valve assembly when the seatback is in the upright position, and further wherein the cam surface of the seatback disengages the second valve assembly when the seatback is in the folded position to open the second valve assembly. 19. The vehicle seat of claim 18, wherein the first valve assembly is a non-return valve including a base portion having first and second troughs disposed on opposite sides of a pinch blade, and further wherein the one or more pilot stems of the first and second inflation bladders are received in the first and second troughs of the base portion. 20. The vehicle seat of claim 19, wherein the first valve assembly includes an engagement portion pivotally coupled to the base portion, the engagement portion having a plurality of engagement members disposed over the one or more pilot stems of the first and second inflation bladders as received the first and second troughs of the base portion, and further wherein the first supply line is received in a central channel of the engagement portion disposed below the pinch blade of the base portion.