The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 29, 2022
Filed:
Jan. 31, 2019
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Miga Technologies, Llc, Silverton, OR (US);
Umesh N. Gandhi, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Brian J. Pinkelman, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Ryohei Tsuruta, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Mark A. Gummin, Silverton, OR (US);
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Miga Technologies, LLC, Silverton, OR (US);
Abstract
A vehicle seat can be configured to selectively provide support to a vehicle occupant in conditions when lateral acceleration is experienced. An actuator can be located within the vehicle seat. When activated, the actuator cause a portion of the seat to morph into an activated configuration. The actuator can be activated based on vehicle speed, steering angle, and/or lateral acceleration. The actuator can include a main body member, a first end member pivotably connected to a first end region of the main body member, and a second end member pivotably connected to a second end region of the main body member. The actuator can include shape memory material connecting members. The actuator can be configured such that, in response to an activation input, the shape memory material connecting members contract, causing the first and second end members pivot, which causes the actuator to morph into an activated configuration.