FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to seat-based force nullification systems and methods for seated vehicle occupants. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to seat-based force nullification systems and methods for seated vehicle occupants that allow the seat of a vehicle to pivot laterally and/or longitudinally within the chassis and passenger compartment of the vehicle with respect to a travel plane, such as a road surface or the like, as the vehicle subjects the occupant to lateral, longitudinal, and/or vertical forces. These systems and methods may be passive or active and provide enhanced occupant comfort during vehicular maneuvers, such as curve navigation, hill cresting, and the like, in both driver assist and autonomous applications. The systems and methods may be extended conceptually to standing occupants as well, with the pivoting seat being replaced by a pivoting standing platform or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

A vehicle negotiating a roadway, for example, subjects the vehicle occupant to lateral, longitudinal, and/or vertical acceleration forces. These forces require the occupant to utilize his or her muscles to retain his or her upright posture, potentially resulting in discomfort and/or fatigue over time. Conventional vehicles designed primarily to maintain occupant comfort typically limit lateral and longitudinal accelerations to a maximum of about 0.3 g, allowing them to maintain safe and comfortable driving behavior relative to the surrounding environment and traffic. This is especially true of vehicles operating autonomously. Within this limit, the rigid chassis, passenger compartment, and seating system are designed to allow the occupant to passively achieve a lean angle that balances lateral and/or longitudinal forces while negotiating a curve or hill, for example. Vertical forces are typically accommodated by a conventional restraint system and passive and/or active suspension systems, well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

What are still needed in the art, however, are systems and methods that proactively nullify even these lower lateral and longitudinal accelerations such that occupant comfort is further enhanced. Such seat-based force nullification systems and methods are provided by the present disclosure and may operate in a passive or active manner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides seat-based force nullification systems and methods for seated vehicle occupants that allow the vehicle seat to pivot laterally and/or longitudinally within the chassis and passenger compartment of the vehicle with respect to a travel plane, such as a road surface or the like, as the vehicle subjects the occupant to lateral, longitudinal, and/or vertical forces. These systems and methods may be extended conceptually to standing occupants as well, with the pivoting seat being replaced by a pivoting standing platform or the like. The systems and methods utilize gravity to, in part, nullify lateral and/or longitudinal occupant accelerations, moving them to intermediate planes between pure lateral and/or longitudinal and pure vertical. Related to lateral acceleration, the systems and methods allow the occupant, through the pivoting seat or standing platform, to rotate about a longitudinal pivot such that a resultant of the lateral and gravitational forces aligns with a line drawn between the virtual longitudinal pivot point and the center of mass of the rotatable body. Related to longitudinal acceleration, the systems and methods allow the occupant, again through the pivoting seat or standing platform, to rotate about a transverse pivot such that a resultant of the longitudinal and gravitational forces aligns with a line drawn between the virtual transverse pivot point and the center of mass of the rotatable body. Vertical acceleration is dealt with via conventional restraint and passive and/or active suspension system principles, well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Although primarily road vehicles (such as cars, trucks, and the like) are used as illustrative examples herein, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the systems and methods of the present disclosure are equally applicable to marine, air, space, and other vehicle systems in the broadest sense.

In one exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a system for nullifying one or more of lateral and longitudinal acceleration forces experienced by an occupant of a vehicle in a seated or standing position while the vehicle is traveling along a travel plane, the system including: a chassis structure; an occupant cell one of coupled to and defined by the chassis structure; and one or more of a seat assembly configured to receive the occupant in a seated position and a standing platform assembly configured to receive the occupant in a standing position disposed within the occupant cell; wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly is/are configured to pivot one or more of: laterally at a longitudinal pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and longitudinally at a transverse pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane. The seat assembly includes: a seat structure including a seat pan; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. The standing platform assembly includes: a standing platform structure including a foot support; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the foot support laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the foot support longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. The one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally within ±17 degrees from a perpendicular plane with respect to the chassis and travel plane. Optionally, the longitudinal pivot point and the transverse pivot point are virtual pivot points. The longitudinal pivot point and the transverse pivot point are disposed substantially above a combined center of gravity of the occupant and the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly. Optionally, the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally without active assistance. Alternatively, the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more sensors. Alternatively, the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more cameras.

In another exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for nullifying one or more of lateral and longitudinal acceleration forces experienced by an occupant of a vehicle in a seated or standing position while the vehicle is traveling along a travel plane, the method including: providing a chassis structure; providing an occupant cell one of coupled to and defined by the chassis structure; providing one or more of a seat assembly configured to receive the occupant in a seated position and a standing platform assembly configured to receive the occupant in a standing position disposed within the occupant cell; wherein the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly is/are configured to pivot one or more of: laterally at a longitudinal pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and longitudinally at a transverse pivot point with respect to the chassis and travel plane; and pivoting the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly one or more of laterally about the longitudinal pivot point and longitudinally about the transverse pivot point as the vehicle travels along the travel plane. The seat assembly includes: a seat structure including a seat pan; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. The standing platform assembly includes: a standing platform structure including a foot support; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the foot support laterally about the longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the foot support, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the foot support longitudinally about the transverse pivot point. The one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally within ±17 degrees from a perpendicular plane with respect to the chassis and travel plane. Optionally, the longitudinal pivot point and the transverse pivot point are virtual pivot points. The longitudinal pivot point and the transverse pivot point are disposed substantially above a combined center of gravity of the occupant and the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly. Optionally, the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally without active assistance. Alternatively, the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more sensors. Alternatively, the one or more of the seat assembly and the standing platform assembly are configured to pivot one or more of laterally and longitudinally with active assistance of one or more actuation mechanisms coupled to one or more controllers responsive to feedback from one or more cameras.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a seat assembly for nullifying one or more of lateral and longitudinal acceleration forces experienced by an occupant of a vehicle in a seated position while the vehicle is traveling along a travel plane, the seat assembly including: a seat structure including a seat pan; and one or more of: an arcuate lateral slider mechanism disposed in a transverse orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate lateral slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan laterally about a longitudinal pivot point; and an arcuate longitudinal slider mechanism disposed in a longitudinal orientation below and coupled to the seat pan, the arcuate longitudinal slider member operable for pivoting the seat pan longitudinally about a transverse pivot point. The seat structure further includes a seat back coupled to the seat pan.

