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Vehicle seat, especially a motor vehicle seatVehicle seat, especially a motor vehicle seat description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060202526, Vehicle seat, especially a motor vehicle seat. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Vehicle seats, especially vehicle seats for a motor vehicle, have different comfort and/or safety equipment. Vehicle seats that are electrically adjustable are known. Adjustment of the seat can occur in a vertical and/or horizontal direction. It is also known that individual components of the vehicle seat, for example the back or seat surface are electrically adjustable separately. Vehicle seats equipped with massage devices in the region of the seat surface and/or the back are also known. Vehicle seats that are air-conditioned are also known. [0002] With increasing safety requirements, vehicle seats have also been developed that have belt tighteners and/or airbags or other safety equipment. [0003] It is necessary for the safety and/or comfort components of a vehicle seat that they be supplied with electrical power and/or air. This supply occurs via lines, cables or tubes that are guided from the structure to the vehicle seat. The lines, cables, tubes or the like must be laid so that movement of the vehicle seat is guaranteed. On the other hand, these lines, cables or tubes or the like must be laid so that they are not adversely affected or inadvertently damaged by persons or seat movement. In particular, in vehicle seats used in recreational vehicles this is a problem, since ordinarily these vehicle seats are also pivotable around an essentially vertical axis. [0004] Laying of lines and connection of lines, cables or tubes to the corresponding components of the vehicle seat are connected requires considerable labor. Moreover, there is the problem in that the space available for assembly is relatively limited. [0005] An arrangement comprising a vehicle seat, especially a vehicle seat of a motor vehicle with at least one power conduit is known from EP 1 138 555 A2. The power conduit is connected on one end to the vehicle seat and on the other end to a structure, the vehicle seat being movable relative to the structure. The power conduit is then arranged with an upper run and a lower run so that the power conduit is moveable in essentially two orthogonal directions in which movement can occur essentially parallel or perpendicular to the structure. [0006] The objective of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of a vehicle seat and at least one power conduit so that the movement capability of the vehicle seat is further increased. [0007] The arrangement according to the invention has a vehicle seat, especially a vehicle seat of a motor vehicle and at least one power conduit. The power conduit is connected on one end region to the vehicle seat and on the other end region to a structure, especially a vehicle body, the vehicle seat being moveable relative to the structure. The arrangement according to the invention has at least one power conduit having bends that are opposite to each other. In the simplest case, the power conduit has two oppositely arranged bends so that in the retracted position of the power conduit it is essentially S-shaped. The power conduit may have several bends that are meandering. With this arrangement the vehicle seat can have a large adjustment range, the power conduit having a compact structure so that when it is arranged beneath the vehicle seat it is preferably covered by the vehicle seat. Damage to the power conduit by passengers can be largely avoided with this arrangement. [0008] A power conduit can be arranged both upright, horizontally, or at an angle between these extremes. In an upright arrangement of the power conduit, the sections of the power conduit present between the bends lie one over the other. In a horizontal arrangement of the power conduit, the sections between the bends are arranged essentially next to each other. In an upright arrangement, there is the possibility of providing the power conduit beneath the vehicle seat. This might be problematical if sufficient space is available beneath the vehicle seat for a power conduit, but the radii of curvature of the bends are so small that they fall short of the admissible bending radii of the lines, tubes, cables or the like that are carried in the power conduit. Consequently, there is the possibility of arranging the power conduit, for example, horizontally under the vehicle seat. [0009] The problem of unduly small bending radii is preferably solved via horizontal arrangement of the power conduit. In addition, in a horizontal arrangement of the power conduit simple assembly of the power conduit, the vehicle seat, and the structure is accomplished. [0010] In particular, the power conduit has plugs and/or coupling elements on its end that can cooperate with correspondingly designed plugs and/or coupling elements on the vehicle seat or structure so that assembly of the power conduit can be greatly simplified. The plugs and/or couplings on the ends of the power conduit are preferably designed differently so that only one installation possibility exists for the power conduit. [0011] The horizontal arrangement of the power conduit also has the advantage that it is particularly suitable for vehicle seats in which the vehicle seat is pivotable around an essentially vertical axis in addition to mobility in a vertical and horizontal plane, as is the case, for example, in recreational vehicles. The pivotability of such a vehicle seat is not restricted by the power conduit of the present invention. [0012] According to an advantageous variant of the invention, it is proposed that the radius of curvature of at least one bend be different from at least one other bend in the power conduit. Improved adaptation to the adjustment range of the vehicle seat can be achieved by this expedient. [0013] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the power conduit have at least one laterally deflectable section. This laterally deflectable section is particularly expedient when the power conduit is arranged horizontally, since the load on the power conduit is reduced by the laterally deflectable section of the power conduit. The laterally deflectable power conduit is known from WO 00/12913, which is incorporated herein by reference for use in combination with the present invention. [0014] A preferred variant of the arrangement has a section formed by chain links hinged to each other in which each chain link is formed by plates that have in one end region an essentially cylindrical (or round cross-section) hinge element, and on the other end region a hinge receptacle having an essentially oval cross-section. [0015] The power conduit of the arrangement can be formed fully or partly from individual chain links hinged to each other, but this is not absolutely necessary. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the power conduit have a channel in which lines, tubes or the like are carried, which is formed by segments. The segments are connected to at least one support belt. The support belt has alternating support sections and link sections. [0016] The segments are preferably connected by force-fitting and/or shape-mating to the support belt. Force-fit and/or shape-mated connection of the segments with the support belt offers the possibility of designing power conduits of different configurations and structures. The possibility therefore exists, by using differently configured segments, to construct power conduits that have different radii of curvature, for example. [0017] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the segments have side walls and each support section and/or at least one side wall have a recess and/or a first protrusion as a connection element, designed so that the protrusion of one engages in the recess of an adjacent element. This advantageous embodiment of the invention results in a simple, compact structure of the power conduit. In particular, because of this expedient, the power conduit can be adapted to the corresponding specific application according to a modular principle. [0018] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the power conduit have at least one output section which itself has a passage running across the longitudinal direction of the support belt through which at least one connection element extends to join the side walls of one segment. Because of this, even higher flexibility is achieved with respect to different applications, the number of components required for constructing the power conduit being relatively limited. [0019] Especially in vehicles that are driven by different persons, the electrical adjustment possibilities of the vehicle seat are frequently used. It must therefore be ensured that even during frequent adjustments to the vehicle seat, a safe and reliable guiding of the lines, cables, tubes or the like connected to the vehicle seat is achieved. In particular, it is proposed that the power conduit have at least one essentially rigidly designed section of the line receiving channel, which is connected to two flexible sections. By this expedient, retraction of the power conduit is reliably achieved. [0020] The sections of the power conduit can be of different lengths in the retracted state. However, a variant in which the length of the individual sections is essentially the same is preferred. [0021] The rigid section can be implemented by rigidly connecting the links or segments of the power conduit to each other. As an alternative or in addition to, there is also the possibility of forming the rigid sections by at least one hollow profile. [0022] Especially in vehicles having a very large adjustment range, it is advantageous if at least one conduit driver (motor) be provided, arranged adjacent to the first region in the power conduit. At least one counter-driver can also be provided, which is connected to the power conduit and cooperates with the driver so that during transfer of the power conduit from an extended position into a meandering position of the power conduit, at least one bend region is formed between the driver and the counter-driver. [0023] The invention also has numerous advantages. In particular, the power conduit can be equipped with corresponding lines, cables, tubes or the like. The lines, tubes or the like can be provided with different connections or terminals. A power conduit can be connected to corresponding connections or terminals on the seat and on the structure, especially of a motor vehicle. Especially in vehicle seats that are also pivotable, the possibility is created by the invention of providing comfort and/or safety devices on the vehicle seat. The invention also protects the lines, cables or tubes from damage and thereby increases safety. In particular, damage to the lines by unskillful installer or destructive handling is avoided. Continue reading about Vehicle seat, especially a motor vehicle seat... Full patent description for Vehicle seat, especially a motor vehicle seat Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Vehicle seat, especially a motor vehicle seat patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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