Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – With measuring – testing – or inspecting
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-29
2004-03-30
McDowell, Suzanne E. (Department: 1732)
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
With measuring, testing, or inspecting
C264S222000, C264S102000, C425S002000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06713001
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a surface imaging method, and more particularly to a surface imaging method for determining occupant body position on a vehicle seat and for use in manufacturing a race car driver body support shell.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicle seat comfort studies are a very important step in the design of a vehicle seat for manufacture. In the design, it is important to understand the range of body positions which differently sized vehicle occupants will occupy on a vehicle seat. Occupant body position ranges are important in establishing overall seat design for comfort and functionality.
Typically, comfort studies are performed by positioning a variety of differently sized vehicle occupant test subjects or test dummies on a seating surface and physically measuring the position of different parts of the test subject's body, such as the shoulders, knees, elbows, etc. in order to estimate the body position at the interface between the body and the seating surface. Alternatively, pressure sensors are placed in the seat for sensing pressure applied by the various test subjects in order to extrapolate the various body positions of the vehicle occupants at the interface between the test subjects and the vehicle seating surface.
These processes are typically labor-intensive and costly, and, therefore, improvements in efficiency are desirable.
Another prior art problem addressed by the present invention is that associated with the seating of race car drivers in a race car. It is desirable to provide a polymeric shell which snugly fits the driver's body as the driver is seated within the race car. Currently, the best known method for manufacturing such a polymeric shell which conforms closely to the contour of the driver's body is to position the driver on a flexible plastic bag in the seated position, and pouring foam into the bag. The foam expands to conform to the contour of the driver's body and solidifies. The conformed foam is then removed from the race car seating compartment and the contoured surface of the foam is used as a master or splash to fabricate a polymeric shell for the driver. This method is problematic because it is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and does not allow capability of adjustments in different areas of the contoured seating shell. Minor changes in the contour of the shell require repeating the entire process. Accordingly, improvements in this process are desirable.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the above-referenced shortcomings of prior art methods of determining vehicle occupant body position in a seat, and of forming vehicle seating shells for race car drivers, by laying a pressure-actuated, controlled-rigidity support bag, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,726, on the seating surface and positioning the vehicle occupant or race car driver in a seated position on top of the support bag. A vacuum is then created within the support bag which causes the support bag to maintain the contour of the interface formed between the vehicle occupant and the vehicle seating surface. This conformed bag may then be used for imaging of the vehicle occupant's body position within the seat or it may be used as a scanning medium for creating a vehicle seat shell for a race car driver.
More specifically, the present invention provides a method of imaging a vehicle occupant's body position at the interface between the vehicle occupant and a vehicle seating surface. The method includes positioning a pressure-actuated, controlled-rigidity support bag at the interface between the vehicle occupant and the vehicle seating surface. A vacuum pressure is created within the pressure-actuated, controlled-rigidity support bag to conform the bag to the contour of the interface between the vehicle occupant and the vehicle seating surface. The conformed bag is then imaged to determine the contour of the interface, thereby determining the vehicle occupant's body position on the vehicle seating surface.
The terms “imaging” or “imaged” as used herein refer to any use of the contoured image which is formed in the support bag, such as scanning the contoured surface, using the contoured surface to create an image, molding a material in the shape of the contoured surface, etc.
This method provides a substantial improvement over the methods described previously with respect to the prior art. Substantial labor and cost requirements are reduced over the prior art processes of vehicle occupant body position imaging and race car driver body shell manufacture, and a large measure of flexibility is achieved.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of imaging a vehicle occupant's body position at the interface between the vehicle occupant's body and a vehicle seating surface in which labor and cost requirements are substantially reduced.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of imaging a vehicle occupant's body position on a vehicle seat which is easily and quickly repeatable.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of imaging the contour of a race car driver's body in a seated position within a race car which is quick and does not require molding of foam around a seated driver.
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International Search Report.
Measurand Inc., “Fiber Optic Shape Sensors™, Shape Tape™ and Liquid Level Sensors”, booklet.
Measurand Inc., “Your Source For Practical Fiber Optic Sensors” brochure.
Cannon Carter
Slaven John P.
Lear Corporation
McDowell Suzanne E.
Panagos Bill C.
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