Invented by Carlsson; Andreas, Setterberg; Peter, Adolfsson; Peter, Rosenberg; Johan, Bohman; Katarina, Björklund; Magnus, Heurlin; Fredrik, Östh; Jonas

Car safety is always changing, and new ideas help make driving safer for everyone. One new patent application shows a different way to protect people’s backs during car crashes, especially for those sitting in relaxed, reclined seats. In this article, we will break down what makes this invention special, why it matters, and how it works in simple words.

Background and Market Context

Most people know that cars today have many safety features. Seat belts, airbags, and strong frames all help protect people when a crash happens. But as cars get more comfortable, many have seats that can recline far back. This is especially true in new cars where people can relax or even sleep while the car drives itself. But there is a problem: when a seat is very reclined, the person’s spine is lined up more with the force of a crash. This can cause serious back injuries, like broken bones in the lower back.

Car makers have noticed this problem as more people want to ride in comfort, not just in the front seat, but in the back too. Autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles are making relaxed seating even more common. With this shift in how people use car seats, there is a need to keep everyone safe no matter how they sit. Still, current safety systems, like seat belts, work best when the seat is upright. They do not protect as well when a person is lying back.

Because of this, there has been a greater push in the car industry to find new ways to keep people safe in every seat position. Car companies, researchers, and regulators are looking for better solutions so that comfort does not come at the cost of safety. The market is moving quickly, and whoever brings a good answer to this problem will be ahead.

This new patent fits right into this need. It offers a new way to move the car seat during a crash so that the person’s spine is less likely to get hurt. By changing how the seat moves and supports the person, the invention promises better protection, especially for those in relaxed positions.

Scientific Rationale and Prior Art

To understand why this new seat idea is important, it helps to know what happens in a crash and what others have tried before. In a crash, everything inside the car keeps moving forward because of inertia—the tendency to keep moving unless stopped. Seat belts and airbags slow people down, but if someone is leaning back, the force from the crash goes straight up the spine. This is very dangerous.

When a seat is upright, the spine is at more of a right angle to the force of the crash. The seat belt holds the body well, and less force goes through the back. But if the seat is reclined, the force follows the line of the spine, pushing down hard and making back injuries more likely. This is even worse if the seat belt does not fit snugly across the hips and chest. Sometimes, people slide under the seat belt, a problem called “submarining,” which can cause even more injuries.

Before this patent, car makers tried to fix these problems in a few ways:

One way was to make seat belts smarter. Some belts tighten up when a crash is about to happen, holding people tightly. Some seats have special shapes or materials to absorb energy. Others have airbags that come out of the seat itself. These all help a little, but they do not change the position of the person during the crash. If the seat is very reclined, these ideas do not fully solve the problem.

Some past inventions used fixed or adjustable seat pans that could move up and down. But these moves were often small or only worked in certain ways. There have also been patents for seats that tilt slightly or compress in a crash, but these did not focus on fixing the spine load in reclined positions, or they did not combine seat movement with belt fit improvement.

What makes this new patent different is that it focuses on moving the bottom part of the seat during a crash. By changing how the seat moves, the invention helps the person sit up straighter, even if they started out reclined. This means the seat belt works better, submarining is less likely, and the force on the spine is much lower. This is a new approach compared to past ideas, which mostly tried to absorb force without changing body position.

The patent also allows for both passive and active movement. Passive means the seat moves because of the force of the crash. Active means the seat can move before the crash if the car senses danger. This is a big step beyond older inventions, which usually only worked in one way. By covering both, the invention is more flexible and can work well with future cars that have more sensors and smart systems.

In summary, this new patent builds on older ideas but goes further by moving the seat in smarter ways. It is made to work in real crashes, for people sitting however they want, and can be combined with other safety tools.

Invention Description and Key Innovations

Now let’s look at what the invention actually is and how it works. The heart of the idea is a new “linkage structure” that connects the bottom of the seat to the floor of the car. This linkage is not just a fixed bolt or bracket. Instead, it is made to move in special ways during a crash. It can pivot, compress, or even change shape. By doing this, it changes how the seat supports the person sitting on it.

Here’s how it works in simple terms:

Imagine you are sitting in a car seat, leaning back to relax. If a crash happens, the seat’s special linkage makes the front of the seat go down and the back go up. This change tilts your body forward and makes you more upright very quickly. It’s like the seat is helping you sit up straight just when you need it most. This does two important things. First, it lines up your body better with the seat belt, so the belt holds you tightly and safely. Second, it makes sure your back does not take the full force of the crash.

The invention has several smart features:

It can work in two main ways. In passive mode, the seat moves only when a crash force pushes on it. This is done with special joints, pivots, or materials that give way under pressure. For example, the front of the seat might be held up by a strong but bendable part that bends down in a crash, while the back lifts up. In active mode, the car’s sensors notice a crash is about to happen and move the seat before the crash. This could be done with motors or other moving parts. The seat can be made to move forward, down, or even twist slightly, depending on what will protect the person best.

One key part is the way the linkage mechanisms work. They can be designed to:

– Rotate the seat bottom, so the person moves into a safer position.
– Let the front of the seat go down and the back go up, making the body more upright.
– Move the seat forward, absorbing some of the crash energy over a longer distance.
– Compress or stretch, slowing down the person’s movement gently.
– Work with seat belts to stop submarining, so the person does not slide under the belt.

These movements are controlled by how the linkage is built. For example, some parts can be made to compress only when a certain force is reached, making the movement smooth and predictable. Others can be made to bend or stretch just enough to help, but not so much that the seat feels loose in normal use.

Another important feature is that the linkage can be made to work in many types of cars. It does not depend on a special seat shape or material. That means car makers can use this idea in new cars without having to change everything else. The system can be passive (always ready) or active (smart and ready to move quickly).

The patent also shows how the seat can be made, with steps for putting the linkage in place and testing it so it works right every time. It even includes ideas for using electronics to control the seat’s movement in more advanced cars.

The difference between this invention and others is the focus on the seat bottom moving in special ways to help the person sit up straighter during a crash. This simple change in the seat position makes a big difference in how safe the person is, especially if they are relaxing or sleeping.

In short, the key innovations are:

– A linkage that lets the seat bottom move in ways that protect the back.
– The ability for the seat to move passively (from crash force) or actively (with sensors).
– Movements that help the seat belt fit better and stop sliding under the belt.
– A design that can work in many types of cars and with other safety systems.

This new system offers a better way to keep people safe, no matter how they sit in the car.

Conclusion

This new patent for a car seat with a special moving bottom is a big step forward in safety. It protects people’s backs in crashes, even if they are leaning back or relaxing. By moving the seat in smart ways, the system makes sure the seat belt works well and keeps people from sliding forward. The seat’s design can work in many cars and can be made to move either when the crash happens or just before, based on what the car senses.

For car makers, this invention offers a way to meet the growing need for both comfort and safety. For drivers and passengers, it means more peace of mind, knowing that every ride is safer, no matter how they like to sit. As cars keep changing, smart ideas like this will help keep everyone safe on the road.

Click here https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/ and search 20250214492.