Active material based conformable and reconfigurable seats

US7758121B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC · US

Inventors

• Alan L. Browne · Grosse Pointe, US
• Nancy L. Johnson · Northville, US
• Pablo D. Zavattieri · Ann Arbor, US
• Ukpai I. Ukpai · Beverly Hills, US
• John C. Ulicny · Oxford, US
• John A. Cafeo · Farmington, US
• Rainer A. Glaser · Big Rapids, US
• Gary L. Jones · Farmington Hills, US
• James Y. Khoury · Chesterfield Township, US
• Carol Ann Perelli · Rochester, US
• William R. Rodgers · Bloomfield Hills, US
• Xiujie Gao · Troy, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 12, 2007
• Grant date: Jul 20, 2010
• Expiry date: Jun 4, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60N2220/20
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A seat assembly includes an active material in operative communication with a seat surface configured to undergo a change in at least one property upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one property is effective to change at least one feature of the seat surface.