GM has filed a patent application for a vehicle seat with a seat base and adjustable center support that can provide additional lateral support when it’s needed, and improved ingress and egress when it’s not. The application was assigned patent number US 2024/0270124 A1 with the United States Patent and Trademark office and was published on August 15th, 2024. The patent was originally filed on February 15th, 2023, and lists several Michigan-based engineers as the inventors, including Patrick Minjeus, Siddhant Kansal, Nilesh D. Mankame, and Gregory Koch.
The GM patent application describes a vehicle seat with a seat base that has an adjustable center support system designed to improve both comfort and convenience for the vehicle occupant, particularly during entry and exit from the vehicle.
The seat system operates via a base with a center support that can be raised or lowered using an adjustment mechanism. This mechanism can include motors, inflatable bladders, or linked components that move the center support either up or down. When the center support is lowered, the side bolsters provide extra support to the thighs and hips of the occupant, which is particularly useful when maneuvering through sharp turns or during performance driving where extra lateral support is needed. When the center support is raised, getting in and out of the seat is less cumbersome, reducing the need for the occupant to lift their legs over the bolsters typically found in performance vehicle seats.
While most bolstered car seats have static lateral support, offering some adjustability could prove useful. Although static bolsters provide good lateral support during driving, they can be awkward to step over when entering or exiting, especially if the vehicle is low to the ground. This new system solves that issue by adjusting the center section of the seat to make it easier to step into while still providing support during driving. In some configurations, the system may also automatically adjust based on when the car door is opened or when the vehicle is unlocked.
Overall, this adjustable center support adds an extra layer of convenience and comfort, particularly for drivers who appreciate the support of performance seating, but find it cumbersome during everyday use, and could prove to be a significant upgrade for both luxury and performance vehicles.
Comments
at first I thought this was to boost , for shorter people. But it seems it is more to allow easier entry to a sort of flat seat, then sink down , for spirited driving. True the Corvette seats sit low. My 5 foot friend uses a booster seat forctheir Corvette.
Sounds like a good idea. Would be nice to try a prototype.
Now this is one invention that I would applaud. Seats that are too flat, such as many older bench seats were, obviously don’t give the support for spirited driving. Any yet, I find those seat bolsters irritate my legs and cause discomfort over longer driving. So a happy medium is preferred (example, the seats in a 1991 to 1995 Buick Park Ave Ultra are near perfect). Softer on the edges for comfort, but still enough to hold you in place for most driving. Compare that to the seats we have today where those side bolsters are so firm/hard and stick up so much that it’s punishment to sit in them. Great example of the worst seat I’ve been in? Nearly any Mazda seat today. Very hard, too narrow and yes. Difficult ingress/egress due to that.
This is the result when the good Mr. Reuss gets old enough to have trouble getting in and out of the C8.
Am I the only person that hopes the patent office responds with a message that the “patent is on constraint”?