Apple Car seats could change shape to help driver during sharp turns
A new Apple patent describes a system of automatically altering the shape of a car seat, providing further comfort or greater safety, while it is being driven.
A future Apple Car could have seats that provide extra safety for the driver and passengers during journeys, as well as more comfort options -- and even longer-lasting fabrics. A new patent application details many different systems for making seats adjustable, both by the user, and dynamically when required.
US Patent No 10,569,672, "Adaptive tensile surface," describes improvements to regular car seat systems. It does also state that the technologies could apply to office chairs, but "more specifically to vehicle seats."
The patent maintains that current, conventional, car seats have fabric that becomes worn following use.
"Over time, the trim (e.g., fabric) that covers the seat contours becomes worn, stretched out, or otherwise fatigued," it says. "Trim fatigue is especially problematic for car seats with bolsters because car seats are heavily used and passengers rub against the bolsters when entering and exiting the seat."
Apple says that car manufacturers currently address this by dividing seats "into sections that are covered separately... so as to reduce material strain." What it proposes is have fewer sections, but use motors and processors to adjust the seats, either because a user requests it, or through different driving conditions.
"[This] adaptive seat suspension comprises... a flexible suspension mat providing support in a seat; and a motorized retractor coupled to the flexible suspension mat," it continues, "[and] the motorized retractor including one or more electric motors."
Car seats also often have what are called bolsters, or padded sections which are designed to keep the driver or passenger in a position that is comfortable for extended periods. Apple plans to have those bolsters be adjustable.
"The device comprises: a seat; an inflatable bolster within the seat, the seat having a covering that covers the inflatable bolster; a spool mounted below the seat; an electric motor coupled to the spool; and a spool sensor configured to: detect a change in spool tension," says the patent.
Left: how a current car seat is typically dividedi into sections. Right: Apple's proposal for a simpler version, but with motorised elements.
So rather than a fixed bolster with fabric that is continually rubbed against as the user gets in and out of the car seat, Apple's plan is to have one that adjusts itself. These bolsters could expand to provide better driving comfort, so that "entering and exiting the vehicle is facilitated because occupants are able to slide into and out of the seats with less resistance."
Furthermore, these "dynamic bolsters," can become movable dividers in seats such as the rear ones designed to carry more than one person.
"[Bolsters could] divide a bench seat into three sections to accommodate three occupants," it continues, "[and] stabilize lateral passenger motion and thus securely separate multiple passengers from sliding toward one another when the vehicle makes a sharp turn."
The patent is credited to ten inventors, specifically
Andrew W. Kooker, John J. Baker; Jonathon Folks, James G. Griffin, II, Jun Wooung Jeong, Craig Ogden, Lukas Satas, Zachary Segraves, Ben Walker and David Yates.
Between them, the group has previous related patents, including as Baker's "Motion control seating system," and Segraves's "Vehicle assembly having luminescent feature and method."
Apple has previously filed patents for car seats that advise you to buckle up, and which are surrounded with privacy-based interior lighting.
A future Apple Car could have seats that provide extra safety for the driver and passengers during journeys, as well as more comfort options -- and even longer-lasting fabrics. A new patent application details many different systems for making seats adjustable, both by the user, and dynamically when required.
US Patent No 10,569,672, "Adaptive tensile surface," describes improvements to regular car seat systems. It does also state that the technologies could apply to office chairs, but "more specifically to vehicle seats."
The patent maintains that current, conventional, car seats have fabric that becomes worn following use.
"Over time, the trim (e.g., fabric) that covers the seat contours becomes worn, stretched out, or otherwise fatigued," it says. "Trim fatigue is especially problematic for car seats with bolsters because car seats are heavily used and passengers rub against the bolsters when entering and exiting the seat."
Apple says that car manufacturers currently address this by dividing seats "into sections that are covered separately... so as to reduce material strain." What it proposes is have fewer sections, but use motors and processors to adjust the seats, either because a user requests it, or through different driving conditions.
"[This] adaptive seat suspension comprises... a flexible suspension mat providing support in a seat; and a motorized retractor coupled to the flexible suspension mat," it continues, "[and] the motorized retractor including one or more electric motors."
Car seats also often have what are called bolsters, or padded sections which are designed to keep the driver or passenger in a position that is comfortable for extended periods. Apple plans to have those bolsters be adjustable.
"The device comprises: a seat; an inflatable bolster within the seat, the seat having a covering that covers the inflatable bolster; a spool mounted below the seat; an electric motor coupled to the spool; and a spool sensor configured to: detect a change in spool tension," says the patent.
Left: how a current car seat is typically dividedi into sections. Right: Apple's proposal for a simpler version, but with motorised elements.
So rather than a fixed bolster with fabric that is continually rubbed against as the user gets in and out of the car seat, Apple's plan is to have one that adjusts itself. These bolsters could expand to provide better driving comfort, so that "entering and exiting the vehicle is facilitated because occupants are able to slide into and out of the seats with less resistance."
Furthermore, these "dynamic bolsters," can become movable dividers in seats such as the rear ones designed to carry more than one person.
"[Bolsters could] divide a bench seat into three sections to accommodate three occupants," it continues, "[and] stabilize lateral passenger motion and thus securely separate multiple passengers from sliding toward one another when the vehicle makes a sharp turn."
The patent is credited to ten inventors, specifically
Andrew W. Kooker, John J. Baker; Jonathon Folks, James G. Griffin, II, Jun Wooung Jeong, Craig Ogden, Lukas Satas, Zachary Segraves, Ben Walker and David Yates.
Between them, the group has previous related patents, including as Baker's "Motion control seating system," and Segraves's "Vehicle assembly having luminescent feature and method."
Apple has previously filed patents for car seats that advise you to buckle up, and which are surrounded with privacy-based interior lighting.
Comments
We already have something many times more practical and not as expensive...it’s called memory seating.
But this looks like it is to maintain passenger comfort while cornering. I get that. The driver does not feel as uncomfortable because you're hanging onto the steering wheel.
As for adjustable bolsters, yes -- my BMW has those. And I have used one of the presets to move the seat all the way back when I get in or out of the car. But it does not do this automatically. My Lincoln MKC, however, does do this automatically.
Yeh, those are good points:
Speeding is already rampant, particularly on residential and 2 lane thoroughfares where turns can be sharp. There is NO need to support more of it.
And too though, I agree that it is the passenger who takes the brunt of sharp turns. Not only does the driver have the wheel for stability but he knows what he is doing or going to do and is able to (subconsciously) brace his body for it. The passenger typically doesn't get to respond until they feel their body experiencing G-Forces.
Regarding the inflatable bolsters, it seems like an easier method would be to tilt the seat a bit to the left or right; either way it seems like this is applying excessive technology and complexity to a problem that really isn’t much of a problem.
Could you imagine if Apple pulled this out the hat and announced a detailed plan with launch timing? Everyone would go nuts. It is better to get out to the market with a very good product, and then iterate to make it great over time
Telsa is proving that existing automakers really can't figure it out
Here is the article I found about the AMG version... it appears BMW stopped offering it after the E60.
https://www.businessinsider.com/mercedes-amg-cls53-multicontour-seats-dynamic-bolster-car-review-2019-8
Apple’s supply chain management of the commodities it consumes is unmatched by any of its competitors. Why? Scale. It’s why Apple is in the position they are in, and why it’s highly unlikely that’ll change until long after Cook and Williams are dead in their graves and some one decades from now is able to finally screw it up and prove to everyone that Apple really was... DOOMED!
/s