In order to find out the preferred driver posture for a fully adjustable and therefore unrestricted seat, and to determine the relationship between seat height and cushion angle and such the required cushion angle adjustment range, a lab study with 50 test persons (20 percentile female to 99 percentile male) was conducted in a seating rig which was specifically developed for the study. The seating rig featured a power seat which allowed for driver selected seat length, seat height, cushion angle and seatback angle adjustment within a wide range. Steering wheel position and seat lumbar support were manually adjustable. The general package position of a medium class passenger vehicle with a seat position of H30 = 264 mm was chosen as starting point for the study. There were no interior roominess or vision related restrictions to the seating position. During the study, the seat position was adjusted before, during and at the end of a 30-minute driving simulation for maximum postural comfort. Each seat position was recorded automatically using the ZEBRIS ultrasonic measurement device. As a result of the lab study, the driver required adjustment ranges for seatback angle, seat height and cushion angle adjustment were determined. The study showed that for a chosen seat height, the test persons selected individually different cushion angles. A seat mechanism that allows for independent cushion angle adjustment is therefore required from a seat comfort view. A new seat kinematic with an optimised seat hight and cushion angle coupling could be developed from the data, using an optimisation method. The seat positions before and after the driving simulation varied significantly for seat height only. It could be shown that a seat height adjustment range of 50 mm, which is common for seat systems on the market, is insufficient to fulfil seat comfort requirements.
Package independent seat positions in passenger vehicles
2003
4 Seiten, 5 Bilder, 2 Tabellen, 2 Quellen
Conference paper
English
Seat development and improvement in passenger vehicles
Engineering Index Backfile | 1936
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