Magna Seating Inc

Bruno D Carraro

Eric Kozlowski

David M Runde

Cheikh Dioum

Daniel Wyatt

Craig Prasatek

Andrew M Vivian

Rene Chauvin

Shriram B Agalave

Kaleb Kang

Harshad Naikare

Akshay Lamkane

Cynthia Puchalski

Daniel C Wyatt

A pressure sensing system (), seat cushion () incorporating the pressure sensing system, and method of sensing a weight group associated with an occupant of an automotive seat are described. The pressure sensing system includes a layer of an electrically conductive foam () and a flexible printed circuit () that includes a flexible substrate () and N horizontal sensing wires () and M vertical sensing wires () securely placed on a top surface of the flexible substrate. The horizontal sensing wires intersect with the vertical sensing wires and form N×M intersections. The layer of an electrically conductive foam is placed on top of the N horizontal sensing wires and the M vertical sensing wires. When a pressure is applied to the layer of the electrically conductive foam, each intersection generates in real time an electric flux density value to reflect a degree of a compression caused by the pressure to a corresponding point of the electrically conductive foam.

Pressure sensing system and seat cushion having the pressure sensing system

A seat assembly includes a five-bar linkage for moving the seat assembly between a plurality of positions in an automotive vehicle. A first link is rotatably coupled to a seat back at a second pivot point disposed coaxial to a first pivot point, and to a seat base defining a fifth link at a third pivot point. A second link extends axially between the first and second pivot points. A third link is defined by a lower seat back portion and a seat cushion and extends between the first pivot point and a fifth pivot point disposed adjacent a front portion of the seat cushion. A fourth link is rotatably coupled to the third link at the fifth pivot point and the seat base at a fourth pivot point. The seat assembly is capable of moving to both a pitched easy entry position and a stow flat to floor position.

Stow to floor seat assembly

A ventilated molded seat trim cover for a vehicle seat and a ventilated vehicle seat having a ventilated molded seat trim cover, comprising a stacked assembly of an upper textile layer, a first adhesive layer, an air permeable polyurethane cellular foam interlayer thermo-moldable at temperatures between about 104° C. and about 127° C., a second adhesive layer, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film, a third adhesive layer, and a scrim backing layer. The stacked assembly is compression molded in a 3-dimensional mold while at least a portion of the foam interlayer is heated to a temperature between about 104° C. and about 127° C. to form the ventilated molded seat trim cover. The TPU film prevents airflow passing through a bottom surface of the seat trim cover. Airflow in the foam interlayer can pass through the upper textile layer.

Ventilated molded covers for seating applications

An occupant classification system for a seat assembly () includes a plurality of sensors (), a posture classifier and a weight classification system. The seat assembly includes a seat cushion () and a seat back (). Each of the plurality of sensors () measures a force applied to the seat cushion () by an occupant of the seat assembly. The posture classifier identifies a posture of the occupant based on the distribution of forces applied to each of the plurality of sensors (). The weight classification system identifies a weight class of the occupant based on the posture and the magnitude of forces applied to each of the plurality of sensors ().

Systems and methods for occupant classification

A high durability electrically conductive urethane foam acts as a variable resistor such that as the foam deflects, conductive particles get closer together, causing electrical resistance to decrease. The electrically conductive foam is further integrated into an automotive seat sensor system.

Electrically conductive urethane foam

Growing community of inventors

Ferndale, MI, United States of America

Bruno D Carraro