Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a cushion and a seatback coupled with the cushion. The vehicle seat further includes a first set of independently inflatable massage bladders coupled within the seatback. The massage bladders of the first set are arranged to extend diagonally from adjacent a center line of the seatback at a first vertical location toward a first lateral side of the seatback at a second vertical location above the first location.

Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat base. A seatback is operably coupled to the seat base. A plurality of bladders is positioned within at least one of the seatbacks and the seat base. A valve module includes a common pressure rail and a common exhaust rail fluidly coupled with a plurality of valves and the plurality of bladders. An exhaust valve is positioned downstream of the plurality of valves on the common exhaust rail.

Abstract: A seat includes a seat portion with an air bladder having an outer casing. Multiple fluidly interconnected cells are disposed within a cavity of the outer casing and are configured to inflate the outer casing from a deflated condition to an inflated condition. The cells may be arranged within the air bladder so as to provide a directional inflation of the air bladder from a first portion of the air bladder towards a second portion. First and second support substrates may be disposed within the seat portion, wherein the air bladder is positioned between the first and second substrates. The air bladder may be configured to inflate and displace the first and second substrates relative to one another from an at-rest position to an actuated position. A biasing mechanism may be coupled to at least one of the first and second substrates for biasing the substrates towards the at-rest position.

Abstract: A padding assembly for a vehicle seat includes a foam mass defining a first side and a bladder unit recessed into the first side of the foam mass within an impression defined by the bladder unit. The bladder unit has a first surface adhered to the foam mass on the first side thereof and defines an impression along the first side of the foam mass. The padding assembly further includes an air line coupled with the bladder unit and extending at least partially through the foam mass.

Abstract: A ventilated seat having ventilation openings arranged on a seat surface of the seat, a ventilation device for generating an air flow, ventilation channels for air-conducting connection of the ventilation device to the ventilation openings, flow control devices for the individual opening and closure of the ventilation channels and/or of the ventilation openings, sensors for determining a force applied to the seat surface and/or a pressure acting on the seat surface and/or for determining an air pressure in the ventilation channels, and a control unit designed to control the flow control devices in accordance with the force determined and/or the pressure determined by the sensors.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a vehicle seat includes activating a pump at a selected speed from a number of selectable speeds to inflate a first bladder and adjusting an inner chamber within a sound dampening assembly that is fluidically coupled between the first bladder and the pump. The inner chamber is adjusted to cancel at least one primary frequency generated by the pump that varies with the selectable speeds thereof.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a vehicle seat, wherein settings of parts of the vehicle seat are dynamically adjusted depending on person-related parameters of the person seated on the seat, to make the seated position of the person as favorable as possible under biomechanical aspects.

Abstract: An arrangement of a vehicle seat with a control device and an input device is made available, in the seat surface and backrest of which devices are integrated for applying a forceful contact or a climatic effect. The arrangement is suitable in particular for warming a person up before a sports activity or for cooling a person down after a sports activity.

Abstract: A seat includes a seat portion with an air bladder having an outer casing. Multiple fluidly interconnected cells are disposed within a cavity of the outer casing and are configured to inflate the outer casing from a deflated condition to an inflated condition. The cells may be arranged within the air bladder so as to provide a directional inflation of the air bladder from a first portion of the air bladder towards a second portion. First and second support substrates may be disposed within the seat portion, wherein the air bladder is positioned between the first and second substrates. The air bladder may be configured to inflate and displace the first and second substrates relative to one another from an at-rest position to an actuated position. A biasing mechanism may be coupled to at least one of the first and second substrates for biasing the substrates towards the at-rest position.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving the safety-relevant wear-comfort of a seatbelt worn by an occupant of a vehicle seat uses at least one sensor to detect the contour and/or position of the seatbelt, at least one actuator system for moving the seatbelt in order to change the contour and/or position, and at least one control module for controlling the actuator system. The control module is operative to control the actuator system automatically as a function of a deviation of the seatbelt contour/position, as detected by the sensor, from a predefined contour/position which reflects correct wear of the seatbelt.

Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle is provided. The method includes the steps of sensing a state parameter, and selecting a seat position for a seat of the vehicle from a plurality of seat positions, in dependence on the state parameter.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a navigation system outputting at least one route guidance instruction and a vehicle seat having a plurality of inflatable bladders therein and an inflation assembly for selectively inflating and deflating the bladders independently. A controller is in communication with the navigation system and with the vehicle seat to cause the inflation assembly to inflate and deflate selected ones of the bladders to indicate a component of the at least one route guidance instruction.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a seat of a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes the step of capturing loading data of the seat, evaluating the loading data to determine a control dataset for periodically adjusting the seat based on the control dataset.

Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat base. A seatback is operably coupled to the seat base. A rotational element is positioned within the seatback and includes a plurality of bladders arranged in a substantially circular orientation. The plurality of bladders defines a void in a center region of the rotational element.

Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a first inflatable bladder and a pump fluidically coupled with the first bladder. A sound dampening assembly is fluidically coupled between the first bladder and the pump and includes an inner chamber defined by a first and second telescoping portions and a motor coupled between the first and second telescoping portions. A controller causes the motor to adjust the inner chamber in response to an operation of the pump.

Abstract: A seat includes a seat portion with an air bladder having an outer casing. Multiple fluidly interconnected cells are disposed within a cavity of the outer casing and are configured to inflate the outer casing from a deflated condition to an inflated condition. The cells may be arranged within the air bladder so as to provide a directional inflation of the air bladder from a first portion of the air bladder towards a second portion. First and second support substrates may be disposed within the seat portion, wherein the air bladder is positioned between the first and second substrates. The air bladder may be configured to inflate and displace the first and second substrates relative to one another from an at-rest position to an actuated position. A biasing mechanism may be coupled to at least one of the first and second substrates for biasing the substrates towards the at-rest position.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a navigation system outputting at least one route guidance instruction and a vehicle seat having a plurality of inflatable bladders therein and an inflation assembly for selectively inflating and deflating the bladders independently. A controller is in communication with the navigation system and with the vehicle seat to cause the inflation assembly to inflate and deflate selected ones of the bladders to indicate a component of the at least one route guidance instruction.

Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a first inflatable bladder and a pump fluidically coupled with the first bladder. A sound dampening assembly is fluidically coupled between the first bladder and the pump and includes an inner chamber defined by a first and second telescoping portions and a motor coupled between the first and second telescoping portions. A controller causes the motor to adjust the inner chamber in response to an operation of the pump.

Abstract: A massage system includes a seat having a first surface, a first massage assembly beneath the first surface and including a first matrix of inflatable bladders, and an interface including a touchscreen. The system further includes a controller displaying an image of the matrix on the touchscreen, receiving a touch input from the touchscreen, interpreting the touch input as an indication of a desired massage sequence, and causing the first massage assembly to implement the desired massage sequence.

Abstract: A method for customizing a vehicular massage function includes providing massage element indicia, creating massage subroutines using the massage element indicia, selecting a vehicle that includes a seat having a massage element configuration, placing the massage subroutines in communication with the vehicle, adapting the massage subroutines to be compatible with the massage element configuration and activating the seat to perform at least one massage subroutine.